Children’s Books For Valentine’s Day!

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, here are some books to have handy.

 

I Love to Cuddle by Carl Norac (PreK)

When Mommy and Daddy are gone, even for only a little while, Lola feels lonely.  There is nobody around to give her a hug!  Her baby-sitter is no fun, and the cartoons on TV can’t snuggle.  But then Lola comes up with a clever idea: she brings every cuddly thing she has into the living room and makes her very own Cuddle Island!  Now Mommy and Daddy are in for a big surprise!

Mr. Goat’s Valentine by Eve Bunting (Prek-1st)

After reading in the newspaper that it’s Valentine’s Day, Mr. Goat sets out in search of very special gifts for his first love. But just what would a goat choose as the perfect gifts to show how he feels?

Ollie’s Valentine by Olivier Dunrea (Prek-1st)

Ollie is looking. Looking for a valentine. Gossie, Gertie, Peedie, and BooBoo all have valentines, but Ollie wonders who will be his. His search leads him to a special valentine of his very own—a surprise for Ollie and readers!

The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever by Brenda A. Ferber (Prek-2nd)

Leon has a crush. A let-her-cut-in-line-at-the-water-fountain kind of crush. And he’s got the perfect valentine. But this valentine has no intention of getting caught up in any romantic conspiracy. “Love is yucky, kid! Valentine’s Day is all about CANDY!”

Love by Matt de la Pena (Prek-3rd)

In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond.

Love Monster by Rachel Bright( Prek-3rd)

Love Monster is a slightly hairy monster trying to fit in with the cuddly residents of Cutesville. But as it turns out, it’s hard to fit in with the cute and the fluffy when you’re a googly-eyed monster. And so, Love Monster sets out to find someone who will love him just the way he is. His journey is not easy―he looks high, low, and even middle-ish. But as he soon finds out, in the blink of a googly eye, love can find you when you least expect it.

The Sweetest Valentines by Jane E. Gerier (k-2nd)

A classroom project teaches a little bear named Fred the true meaning and importance of Valentine’s Day.

This Is Not a Valentine by Carter Higgins (k-3rd)

This book is not a valentine. It doesn’t have lacey edges or sugary hearts. But it is full of lucky rocks, secret hiding spots, and gumball machine treasures. This is a book about waiting in line and wishing for cinnamon buns. About recognizing that if you care so much about someone not thinking you care, maybe you really do. But wait—isn’t that exactly what love is about?

The Trouble with Valentine’s by Elaine Moore (2nd-5th)

In an effort to play matchmaker, best friends Lexi and Ann Marie try to find a valentine sweetheart for their teacher, Miss Delaney, but set off a series of funny disasters instead.

Geronimo’s Valentines by Geronimo Stilton (2nd-5th)

Enter the world of Geronimo Stilton, where another funny adventure is always right around the corner. Each book is a fast-paced adventure with lively art and a unique format kids 7-10 will love.

BabyMouse Heartbreaker by Matthew Holm (2nd-5th)

Babymouse loves Valentines Day! A day for pink hearts! Flowers! Candy! School dances and romance . . . sweet romance! WAIT! Romance? Ew! And what’s this about a school dance? Does that mean Babymouse needs a date? Uh-oh! Looks like this Valentine’s Day may turn into a Valentine’s dud! Will Babymouse go to the school dance? Will she get any Valentines? Will she find true love?

Junie B. Jones and The Mushy Gushy Valentine by Barbara Park (2nd-5th)

Hurray! February 14—Valentime’s Day, as June B. calls it—is just around the corner. Junie B. can’t wait to see all the valentimes she’ll get. But she never expected a big, mushy card from a secret admirer! Who is this secret mystery guy, anyway? Junie B. is determined to find out!

213 Valentines by Barbara Cohen (3rd-5th)

Wade has trouble adjusting when he is transferred to a special fourth grade class for the gifted and talented, so he plans to send himself 213 valentines signed by celebrities.

Roses Are Dread, Violets Are Boo: A Vampire Valentine Story by Michelle Poploff (3rd-5th)

Fearing that she won’t receive many cards on Valentine’s Day, Wanda Doomsday decides to invite her Uncle Vex to class to teach her classmates how to make special holiday cookies, but when he is suddenly unable to attend, Wanda has to scramble to make the event a success on her own

Synonym Hearts Match!

I noticed this week my third graders are still struggling with synonyms. To review, I wanted to add some extra activities into my station rotation. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I decided to make my own matching game. I plan on having them cut out, match, and glue the synonym hearts onto construction paper.

Then, they can include the new synonyms in their stories when they rotate to the writing station.

Here is the link to the Synonym Hearts Match! 

 

Books for Teaching Persuasive Writing

One of my favorite units to teach is persuasive text/writing. There are so many wonderful books that display persuasive writing. One of my all time favorite series is the Pigeon books by Mo Willems. My son and I have read Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the bus every night for over three years. Some other wonderful books to include in this unit is:

 

I like to have these books displayed around the classroom during the two week unit. I also have a tiny obsession with Oreos, so I use the Oreo to introduce persuasive writing. Here is my anchor chart. Please let me know if there are any awesome books I need to add to my list.

Elf on the Shelf, Homework Buddy

After a weekend of behavior issues with my oldest and seeing his progress report, I changed my mind. The Elf on the Shelf would indeed make an appearance this year. Since homework has become such a chore, I’m putting that Elf the work.

Addition with regrouping has become an issue lately, so Elf left extra problems. Other concepts that could be used is subtraction, perimeter, area, multiplication.

 

Elf couldn’t leave reading out. ¨I need a synonym for     .¨ antonyms or rhyming words could be used.

Leave a riddle for your child to read.

 

Leave a homograph or homophone and have your child name the other.  

 

Sight words or if the teacher sends home a weekly newsletter, use the concepts they are working on that week.

 

For younger children, the Elf can leave a pattern with candy and have your child make another pattern. My 7 year old then counted and divided the candies evenly.

After he divided it equally, we then looked at them as an array. (2×8=16)

Leave a number and ask if it‘s even or odd.

Leave paint for your child to mix and make new colors.

 

Survival Plan=Disney Quotes and Coffee

I hit snooze one too many times. My main idea and supporting details lesson didn’t go exactly how I had envisioned. Actually it was quite the disaster. I survived my work day only to come home to war. My children couldn’t get along for five seconds. Seriously, all I wanted was a few glorious moments of silence. After patiently counting down to bedtime,  I was basking in my relief that they were finally tucked in bed, only to be interrupted by the sound of my daughter throwing up all over her bed. Thankfully my children’s obsession with Disney movies saved the day. I thought I would share a few of the quotes the popped in my head throughout the day.

[to the clock tower chiming] Oh, that clock! Old killjoy. I hear you. “Come on, get up,” you say, “Time to start another day.” Even he orders me around. Well, there’s one thing. They can’t order me to stop dreaming.- Cinderella, Cinderella

[singing] I’m late / I’m late / For a very important date. / No time to say “Hello, Goodbye”. / I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.-White Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland

Muscle up, buttercup! We’re here. – Maui, Moana

 

We were like whoah, and then we were like whoah, and then we were like whoah.-Crush, Finding Nemo

Pacha: Uh-oh. Kuzco: Don’t tell me. We’re about to go over a huge waterfall. Pacha: Yep. Kuzco: Sharp rocks at the bottom? Pacha: Most likely. Kuzco: Bring it on. The Emperor’s New Groove

You played dodgeball? I loved dodgeball! Of course, I was the ball.- Mike Wazowski, Monsters INC

*mockingly* It’s my grandma’s. I ate my grandma!!!-Tamatoa, Moana

 Motto? Nothing, what’s a motto with you?”-Timon, The Lion King

My bark is worse than my bite.- Grandmother Willow, Pocahontas

Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.- Dory, Finding Nemo

I’m sorry I bit you… and pulled your hair… and punched you in the face… -Lilo, Lilo and Stitch

Y’all ain’t got the sense you was born with!- Mama Odie, The Princess and the Frog.

Find a happy place! Find a happy place!- Peach the Starfish, Finding Nemo

Oh, man. Hey, no hurling on the shell, dude, ok? Just waxed it. -Crush, Finding Nemo

My brain hates my eyes for seeing that.-Go Go Tomago, Big Hero 6

¨Ohana” means “family.” “Family” means “no one gets left behind.-Lilo, Lilo and Stitch