No matter how big or small you can achieve whatever you put your mind to, and that is what the little engine did. When a fellow train struggled with his carrier the little engine help against all odds.The leveling system The Lexile, reading level AD500L. At the beginning of the school year the students can right down a goal that they would like to complete in the first nine weeks and put into the class dream box. During the ninth week students can take their sheet of paper and reflect. The students can see if they accomplished their goal.

This book focuses on teaching children about the alphabet. They do this by having lower case and upper case letters helping each other out. The leveling system is The Lexile, reading level AD530L. Students will be assigned a letter and they have to come up with as many words as they can in a certain amount of time.

Leo Lionni tells the story of a lone black fish named Swimmy who escaped a horrible fate, leaving him alone in the big sea. At first Swimmy is very lonely and sad, but after venturing through the ocean and seeing many marvelous creatures, he is determined to see the world. He encourages a school of red fish, just like his own, to join him. Through the power of teamwork, Swimmy and the school of red fish all swim close together, creating one giant fish with Swimmy as the eye. Together they are able to chase the big fish away. 

This is a beautifully illustrated story about the power of teamwork. I would use this story to discuss the benefits of working together as well as embracing individuality and showing bravery in the midst of fear. It's also important to note that no matter how small you think you may be, you have the ability to make a BIG difference! Students could talk or write about the ways that they can practice teamwork. 

Swimmy is also a great book for teaching similes and metaphors. ("as black as a mussel shell", "sea anemones, who looked like pink palm trees swaying in the wind", etc.)

Lexile Level: AD580L

Flat Stanley is such a fun character to add to any classroom.  I would use this book and others in the series in 2nd grade or 3rd.  Many classes have made their own Stanley's and mailed them to friends or family in far off places.  When the Stanley's return, it is a great individual project to write about or do an oral report on where Stanley went and teach classmates about that state!  Often, participants send back photos of Stanley and his adventures. 

Including this book in a social studies curriculum would be an excellent idea so that literacy is spread to more than just language arts class!

grade level equivalent 4.4

Although I would not choose to use this book as a reading choice for an entire class, it is certainly a book that should be included in a class library for second through fifth graders.  Certainly, it is a book any soccer lover would enjoy!  The back and forth setting between the school day and the soccer games could get confusing to a lower level reader.  But, the message of teamwork is a strong one that children need to hear.  In addition, the main character provides tips for soccer players that young athletes will likely enjoy!

grade level equivalent: 3