Read for the Record: Ladybug Girl!

I am so happy that Jumpstart's Read for the Record has introduced this series to me!  I think I've seen it in stores, but dismissed it as a younger book.  Boy, was I wrong!  There are different books available:  Ladybug Girl (the original), Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad, Ladybug Girl at the Beach, and Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy are the ones I'm focusing on.

So, our school LOVES to do up events, such as Read for the Record.  It's snowed for Snowy Day (2010), saw an actual llama for Llama Llama Red Pajamas (2011), and this year, it's Ladybug Girl!  Students and faculty are encouraged to dress as their favorite bug on Thursday, October 4 (yep, this Thursday!) and we are having a school-wide assembly that morning!  Our second grade team has the high school football team members coming to read to our kids that day and we are celebrating by decorating cupcakes and having lemonade, just like in the book!

So, for my author study this week, of course we are focusing on Ladybug Girl books by Jacky Davis and David Soman!  Instead of spending a fortune on the books, we are saving money...as well as donating books...by using "We Give Books."  This is such a great site I utilize throughout the year!  It's completely free and has a ton of books to read aloud to your students on there! You can even create an Bug Squad ID on there.  Check out mine! :)

So, my students love doing activities with each of our read-alouds, so I've put together some activities for some of the books and posted them on TpT.  I've posted the first book, Ladybug Girl, FREE!  The others have activities that include sequencing, visualizing, and creating their own bug super power!  Check them out at TpT:  Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy and Ladybug Girl at the Beach! 

Hope you'll join us in Read for the Record on "We Give Books" so you can also make a donation of free books to needy children around the world.  Doesn't cost much - just reading the book!

Cynthia Rylant Author Study

So, I am loving this idea of author studies!  Previously, we did Eric Carle since it went with our "Mixed Up Chameleon" story in our Harcourt Trophy series.  (I stretched it out for two weeks).

Last week and this week, we are focusing on Cynthia Rylant.  She writes two stories in our series:  Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon (they only print the first chapter) and Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane.  

I think my kids have decided sequencing is fun, so many of the packets I created include sequencing.  I have to admit, we do read aloud before lunch and its a great "revisit" tool after lunch for writing.  Students identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story using the sequencing strips we've already put in order!  We even have a chart started, so students can see and (hopefully) model their own writing after it!  I'm embarrassed to say my chart is very crude looking (just a list really) compared to other anchor charts on blogs, so I'll forgo putting a pic of it on here! :)

So, here are the packs I've completed so far and uploaded to TpT (and soon to Teacher's Notebook!):  Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon, The Relatives Came, Henry and Mudge Best Day of All, Poppleton (Book One), and Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog.  Please check them out on my TpT store!  I would post a pic of each (because I know it helps when you can see them!), but after participating in our PTA yard sale today and my daughter's birthday tomorrow (and glancing at the time and realizing I told my husband I'd be home 40 minutes ago!) I'll have to skip it today!

Oh, one last thing!  Did you know Brain Pop Jr has a segment on Cynthia Rylant?  Too cool!  My kids just like the fact that she was born in Virginia - it really helped them connect to her!  Well, that and a big loveable dog we all know! :)