Favorite 5th Grade Read-Alouds!

In my last post I wrote about my daily schedule routine. I am kind of obsessed with posting the daily routine, both for the sake of my students and my sanity. And thinking about my schedule, there is really only ONE thing that absolutely, positively, must must MUST happen everyday (besides lunch, I guess!)... and that is read-aloud.

Read-aloud time is one of those fantastic low-floor, high-ceiling times of day. As a class, we can tackle challenging text that many students wouldn't be able to decode or comprehend by themselves. It is also a chance to expose kids to books they wouldn't normally select. I am a strong believer in reading aloud even to upper grades kids, and the research supports it, as well. Check out some of my favorite read-alouds below (I've linked each picture to Amazon if you want to buy any!). Woot woot!

 Current Read-Aloud: Crash by Jerry Spinelli

I was first introduced to this read-aloud when I was student-teaching back in 2003. Alas, I was finally introduced to the freakin' wonder and awesomeness of Jerry Spinelli. Having never read his books when I was younger, I never realized what I was missing! I love that many of his stories have a focus on the outcasts, because as we all know, the outcasts are the ones who are actually cool in college and forevermore after that (It gets better guys!!!). Crash is a book about bullying, and it's unusual in that it is written from the perspective of the bully, rather than the victim. It's funny, heartfelt, and completely memorable.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

I just read this book for the first time with my students, and they seriously LOVED it. When we finished, I asked the kids how many of them liked it and would encourage me to read it to my class next year, and their hands instantly shot up! Part mystery, part friendship story, part coming-of-age story, and ultimately, part science fiction, this is a page-turner that has it all. Plus, it's a Newbery Award winner that I don't think many kids would choose on their own. I like to expose my kiddos to high-quality literature they might otherwise never pick up, and this is the perfect example of that.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo

I have a bone to pick with my grade-level team about this book. They are not fans, but this book makes me feel so many things, I just don't understand how one couldn't love it! It's about a spoiled, self-centered rabbit doll who gets separated from his family through a freak accident, and moves from family to family through the years, learning lessons about love and life. It will make you laugh and cry (I guess most people anyway!) and I absolutely ADORE IT.

The Van Gogh Cafe by Cynthia Rylant

I've used this story to help my students practice the strategy of asking questions during reading. It is about a magical cafe run by a man and his young daughter, and in each chapter something intriguing and mysterious happens. It is a sweet, beautifully written story that makes me feel all warm and gooey inside. Plus - hello- Cynthia Rylant is a superstar.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

This is my favorite read-aloud to start the year with. It's about a school that has one classroom on each of 30 floors, instead of one floor of 30 classrooms ("The builder said he was very sorry."). Each chapter stars one of the teachers or kids on the 30th floor. It is absolutely ridiculous and completely hilarious. One teacher I worked with used to replace the names of the kids in the story with the kids in her class (super fun, although I could never keep all that straight!). Super awesome book to express to kids the joy that can be found in reading. 

So there you have it! Five of my faves. What are the books you tend to read again and again, year after year?

:) Jenny

Schedule Cards!

I sorta have the attention span of a fruit fly, so it is really nice for me to make lists! I love to check things off my to-do lists, and sometimes I even add things to my lists I've already done for the simple pleasure of getting to check them off! Amiright?!?

The most important list I create every day is my classroom schedule. Here's what it looked like on the first day of school:

Next to each Schedule Card (which I have attached magnets to the back of - makes it so easy to move around quickly and cleanly!), I write the target for the day's lesson in kid-friendly language. For example, "I can use an area model to solve multi-digit division problems." Sometimes, I will even write targets for recess ("I can show good sportsmanship as I play today." "I can take turns politely.") or lunch ("I will use good manners in the cafeteria." "I will respond to the attention signal."). I try to read the targets aloud with students as often as possible. Many come in and look at the schedule first thing every morning!

I have created a variety of different Schedule Cards designs that are for sale in my TPT store. Each set includes 45 different pre-labeled cards (3 per page), multiple background choices, and one EDITABLE page. BOOM! Check 'em out by clicking on the images below!



   

       


Hooray for ORGANIZATION! Aaaannnd... cute things! :)

:) Jenny