Looking for a great read aloud for your class?  We asked our Facebook friends what they are currently reading and compiled a list of their answers for you.  The grade level the book is being read to, if mentioned in the original comment on Facebook, is included in parentheses after the author’s name.

Graphic organizers are a staple of every elementary and middle school classroom.  The more in-depth students get with their writing and reading, the more important it is to provide them with tools to organize their thoughts and critical information.  If you are tired of using the same old organizers year after year, take a look
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Idea by Cynthia, a 6th-8th Grade Middle School Teacher, from Bozeman, MT. Each year I collect at least a hundred or books to add to my classroom library. At the end of the year, I invite students to choose and keep one or books from our library. It has never cleaned me out and, since
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1 Product, 10 Ideas:  Idea 9 – Reading Comprehension Flowers Perfect reading comprehension and verbal language skills by using flower prompts.  Students pick a flower (have one for each) before the story begins and answer their prompt aloud when the story is over.  Create generic questions or laminate the flowers and write story specific questions
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Idea by Rebecca, 4th-8th Grade Teacher, Norwood, OH I have found that when my students lack essential background knowledge, their ability to comprehend material is compromised.  To deal with this problem, I like to find high interest articles with low readability levels that do not assume a prior knowledge framework. These materials help students gain
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One of the great things about reading is that it is never too late to make a new goal about what you want to read.  In 2012 there are ample opportunities to take charge of your reading habits and start anew.  Teaching students that they can always set reading goals is important to their continued
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Have you ever discovered a website that you just cannot wait to share with others?  This week’s free find is Google Lit Trips.  Imagine for a moment that you are reading Robert McCloskey’s classic story Make Way for Ducklings to your class.  You read about their journey and while the students get a sense for
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by Wendy Darling, Guest Author Ahhh. One of the best things about summer is the luxury of diving into a great book. Here are some terrific new Young Adult releases that will help you and your students kick off your summer reading!

There is nothing more fun than to grab a great children’s book and use it as the basis of a thematic unit. Literature offers such a wide range of opportunities to help connect with students. If you have never created a unit using children’s literature, check out the tips below. They offer easy strategies that
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This idea by Karen, a 3rd Grade Teacher from Peachtree City, Georgia keeps her relationship with her students going strong all summer long.  It also keeps her students invested in reading.  Thanks for sharing, Karen! “To motivate my students to continue learning over the summer I set aside four times during the summer for a
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