Category: Student Engagement

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Connecting to Literature Through Realistic Fiction

Finding books that teens and preteens will actually read and enjoy can be a little tricky sometimes. By this point in their education, many kids have lost their love for reading, which is unfortunate; reading has so many benefits! As teachers, though, we have the opportunity to help these reluctant or uninterested readers find books that they will enjoy and want to read. But with so many genres available to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow it down to something they will like. In the event that you find yourself in this position, look no further! I’ve created a list of a few book recommendations in each genre. You can see my historical fiction recommendations here, and my dystopian novel recommendations here. 

Up on the docket today: Realistic Fiction! Books in this genre contain fictional characters who are placed into situations that have happened or could potentially happen. These stories could be based on true events. In this genre, we will find books about characters who are working through hard things at home, school, or with friends, characters who embark on an epic family vacation, or even characters who find themselves in the thick of illness or other hardship. Because these stories are based on real life events, students often find it easier to build a connection with the book and the characters– they can see themselves in the characters. Check out the books below and share with your students who need a good book!

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Melody Brooks is an eleven year old fifth grader who happens to have cerebral palsy, which has taken away her ability to walk, write, and talk. Adults and children alike often assume she is mentally challenged because of her inability to speak or write, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Melody is brilliant and has an incredible photographic memory– she just can’t express that to others. She is finally given a chance to use a computer device that allows her to type what she wants to say. The device then speaks for her by reading what she has written. It’s only once she is able to start communicating like this that people start to realize how smart she really is. 

You May Already be a Winner by Ann Dee Ellis

Olivia and her sister, Berkeley live together with their mom in Sunny Pines Trailer Park. Olivia wants so badly to be able to leave the trailer park and find a better life for her and Berkeley. She devises a plan to enter several sweepstakes with the hope of winning a million dollars. She longs to live a “normal” life where she doesn’t have to miss school to babysit her sister, and a life free of poverty. She wants to escape from the challenges her mother faces that make life more difficult for the family. Through all of this, she makes friends with her quirky neighbor, and learns that sometimes family is who you least expect it to be. This book is a perfect combination of humor, difficult realities, and finding happiness where you are.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

It’s 1935, and Moose Flanagan is twelve years old when his father takes a job as an electrician and guard at the infamous Alcatraz Prison. Moose and his family move to the island prison to begin their new life. His sister, Natalie, has autism and is admitted into a school for students with special needs. Moose befriends a girl named Piper, who also happens to be the warden’s daughter. Piper is constantly coming up with creative ways to make money with the hope of escaping the island. Her latest scheme involves using the prison inmates to do laundry for the other kids at school, and she convinces Moose to join her efforts. Their underground operation is stopped when the warden finds out, and Moose and Piper then have to find something else to fill their time. When Natalie gets kicked out of school for befriending one of the prisoners, Moose eventually enlists the help of the famous prisoner Al Capone to help get her back into the school. Choldenko continues Moose’s adventures across two more books, each equally as fun as this one.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This book follows Auggie Pullman, who was born with a facial difference. He wants to be treated like everyone else, and quickly finds that others can be cruel, and don’t want to be his friend. Fortunately, though, he is also able to form friendships with Jack, Will, and Summer. Auggie’s story is told from multiple perspectives, including Auggie’s, his sister Via’s, her boyfriend’s, as well as other friends. This unique story telling format gives the reader a broader picture of Auggie’s life from many points of view. Wonder is a heart warming story about kindness, acceptance, and the desire to fit in.

Counting by Sevens by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Counting by 7s is also told from multiple perspectives, bringing insight and dimension to the story. Willow Chance is a twelve year old girl who finds herself in a really hard situation– both of her adoptive parents are killed in a car crash. Willow must then figure out how to navigate grief, life, and what it means to be a family. She finds comfort in counting by 7s and plants and forms an unlikely friendship with her school counselor and a taxi driver, who both encourage her and help her figure out this new life.

Matt Sprouts and the Curse of the Ten Broken Toes by Matt Eicheldinger

Matt Sprouts is just living his ordinary life when, one day, he accidentally injures his neighbor. Soon after, he breaks one of his toes, which leads him to believe he is now cursed with “the Curse”, a made-up curse started in his hometown. The story follows him as he continues to break more toes all while navigating friendships, sibling relationships, and tough coaches. Filled with humor, this book is a fun read, and, as a bonus, includes two other books to round out the series. 

Each of these books dives into different challenges or situations kids might face today. These stories connect readers to relatable characters, and allow readers to feel seen, understood, and heard.

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Say What?!

Happy as a clam. A picture is worth a thousand words. Every dog has its day. A penny saved is a penny earned. What in the world do these even mean?! Unless you are familiar with these kinds of phrases, they probably sound a bit silly, probably don’t make a whole lot of sense, and might even be confusing. Sayings like these can be idioms, like we talked about last week. Sometimes, though, they are known as proverbs: short sayings meant to convey some kind of moral or life lesson. 

As adults, we are likely pretty familiar with common proverbs and idioms. We hear them and say them without really thinking twice about it; we just know what they mean because we’ve known them for so long. For many of our students, however, these kinds of phrases are unfamiliar, and may sound like gibberish to them. 

Just like everything else, these must be learned. We can’t expect our students to understand them and know what they mean if we don’t expose them to proverbs and other phrases. To help you with this, I’ve created a simple worksheet you can use. On it, you will find a list of the beginning half of several proverbs or idioms, followed by a blank line. After reading the first half of the saying, students can write what they think the rest of the saying is. No doubt you’ll get some funny answers, but that’s the fun of it! 

** This printable is for personal or classroom use only. Do not resell, repost, or claim as your own. **

Say What!Download
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Having Fun With Idioms

The English language can be tricky. It’s a lot of “do this” and “don’t do that”, and a lot of words that are spelled the same, but have different meanings. Or, my favorite– words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings, and that’s just how it is, because someone a long time ago made up the rules, so you have to memorize which word to use when. And then, on top of that, we have language devices that have their own rules and uses– metaphors, similes, hyperbole, oxymorons, personification, onomatopoeia, and idioms. It’s a lot to learn, a lot to remember, and can be a lot to teach. 

But… even though it can be a heavy load to learn and teach, the English language can be fun. Language devices, or figurative language, specifically can be fun. They help bring writing to life and can provide depth to writing. There are a plethora of engaging activities you can do with all grade levels to teach these concepts. 

Idioms can be especially fun. Kids often find the sayings funny, so it engages them. Below is a worksheet you can use with your students. It contains a list of idioms, with a place for students to write in what they think it means. The responses students give are always entertaining, and sometimes insightful.

** This download is free, and is for personal or classroom use only. Do not sell, post, or claim as your own. **

IdiomsDownload
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Count, Tally, & Graph

Much of what we teach our students is taught in layers, starting with foundational skills and knowledge, then we move onto the next level of difficulty, then the next, and so on. You can’t expect a preschooler to be able to do multi step equations when they are still learning to count, nor would you assume a third grader can tell you the differences between types of cells when they don’t even know what a cell is. It just wouldn’t make sense, and would lead to frustration on all sides. 

Skill building is especially important when dealing with math. Sometimes as adults, we don’t realize how much we already do know, because working through the processes and methods we’ve learned is almost automatic for our brains. We know what addition is. We know what it means to make a tally mark. We understand what a graph is and how to make one. 

This week in preschool, my daughter learned how to count objects, tally them up, then make a graph. It is such a simple skill for my older kids (and for me), that it made me pause and realize that she’s just learning how to do those things. And you know what? That’s exciting! She’s learning new concepts and figuring out how to do things, and I love it!

So… if you teach preschool or even kindergarten, and you are working on graphing (or will be soon), I’ve got a fun worksheet you can use! Below is a download for a transportation themed Count, Tally, and Graph activity. Feel free to print it and use it in your classroom. 

** This download is for classroom or personal use only. Do not sell, repost, or claim as your own. **

Count, Tally, & Graph TransportationDownload

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Exploring the 7 Cs

The world of education is anything but stagnant; it’s constantly changing, growing, improving, and moving. As we learn new techniques and methods, we adapt our teaching. When we realize some methods are outdated, we keep an open mind and try new things. As we become aware of new societal and cultural trends, expectations, and experiences, we use that information to better our teaching. This ever changing flow keeps us on our toes and helps our students receive the best possible education. Not only do we as educators change and adapt the way we present information, we also change the ways in which our students receive, process, and demonstrate their learning. While doing some research, I came across a concept I had never heard of, and was quite intrigued by: the 7 Cs in Education. 

The 7 Cs concept outlines seven ways that our students can demonstrate what they have learned, and ways they can process what we teach. Each skill requires students to use a different way of gathering and processing information, thus promoting diverse thinking. The 7 Cs are as follows:

1- Critical Thinking

2- Creativity

3- Collaboration

4- Communication

5- Computer Literacy

6- Cross-cultural Understanding

7- Career and Life Skills

Each of these skills can benefit students immensely. They are relevant skills for everyday life, every subject, and are skills that they will use as they grow into adulthood. Since each skill can be discussed in greater depth, I think it would be beneficial to dive into each skill individually over the next little bit. Join me as we explore these seven areas of teaching and learning!

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Helping Students Manage Stress

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Two things are certain in life: death and taxes.” And while that’s true, I would add a third certainty: stress. Everyone will, at one point or another, experience stress in their lives. The level of severity might differ, but the existence of stressors is a given. 

I wish I could say that stress only happens once you’re an adult, but that’s just not the case. Kids and teens are experiencing stress early on. As adults, we have had more time to figure out how to handle the various kinds of stresses that come into our lives. But for teens and kids, managing stress can be overwhelming when they don’t have knowledge of or access to proper stress management techniques. Teachers have a unique opportunity to be able to incorporate those kinds of skills and techniques into their curriculum, thus providing the rising generation with the tools they will need to manage the stress they encounter. 

You may have a few techniques that you know work, but there are always more to learn and try. Below are some stress management techniques you might consider teaching your students. 

  • Teach students to organize and prioritize their time. Show them how to use a planner or digital task tracker. When you feel more organized, tasks feel easier to take on.
  • Help students to learn and practice various breathing techniques for high stress moments.
  • Practice mindfulness as a class, then teach them to practice it individually.
  • Belly breathing– this helps to redirect their focus and calm their nervous systems.
  • Physical activity– movement does amazing things for the brain, and is a great way to release emotional energy.
  • Journaling- doing a brain dump is a great way for kids to get everything out that is stressing them so they feel like they can move forward.
  • Art- creating art is a great stress reliever! It’s a really good creative outlet that can help students refocus.
  • Encourage students to get a good night’s sleep. Solid sleep has amazing benefits in so many areas. 
  • Teach students to use the 5-4-3-2-1 method: identify 5 things they can see, 4 things they can touch, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste. You can practice this together as a class and have students write their answers down, then as they get comfortable with the process, they can do it on their own.
  • Teach your class how to do progressive muscle relaxation as a way to calm down in stressful situations.
  • Do regular brain breaks during class time as a way to break up the time, get students moving, and to give their minds a break from the rigors of learning.

Kids of all ages can benefit from these stress management techniques. Providing kids with proper tools can help them tremendously, and can help them turn to healthy ways to manage stress rather than unhealthy ways.