Sideways Stories From Wayside School

Guided Reading: Level P

I absolutely love this chapter book. It is a great book for four graders. It's fun and silly. Kids really love the humor within every chapter. There are lots of funny characters that they get to learn about. I would use this book as a shared reading that I  would read to the class as a whole before the end of the day.

Junie B. Jones

Guided Reading: Level M

Junie B. Jones books are great for girl power, humor, and a great time to talk about respect and manners. I love all of these books because there are many real world connects that kids can make with Junie B. I would use these book throughout the year as just a shared reading time fr me to read to all my students at the end of the day.

If I could give this book 10 stars I would!! Ask anyone what book is my all time favorite children’s book and it would be this one no doubt. I have read this book so many times that I feel I could read it backwards. What a wonderful, positive, and uplifting story this book tells that I feel every student can relate to one way or another. Elementary kids are quick to be discouraged in the little things around them, like their names not fitting on a name tag. But what a great book to read to remind them that every person is special in their their own way and that’s what makes them so great! This is a great character education book to advocate a no bullying atmosphere lesson as well as a great lesson about names such as Tikki Tikki Tembo. Also, this book could be issued mid year as a little mid year pick me up lesson by having  each student draw another student’s name and have them write 2 to 3 sentences about what makes that student unique and why they are glad they are their classmate. The class could then share one by one and have them hung up on the wall for the rest of the year as a daily reminder. 

Lexile Leveling: 570L

Tikki Tikki Tembo is another classic book from my childhood that I loved to have read to me and read myself. Honestly, anywho we reads the full name of the first son can’t help but smile because it’s just fun to say! This is another book that has a beat while reading it and is a hit with shared reading due to the expression in the second son’s voice having to repeat his brother’s long name over and over again. This book is sure to give the any age group a giggle and also make them appreciate their names a little more. A great lesson using this book would be reading this book aloud to the class and having a writing assignment to allow the students to describe why they love their name and possibly the story behind why their parent chose it if there is a story. When they are done writing, allow them one by one to come up to the teacher’s desk and look up their name meaning online for fun to add at the bottom of their page. A great way to start the year with self love! 

Guided Reading Level: N

Where The Wild Things Are is a fun read for kindergarten-third grade. This book is about a young boy with a wild imagination that takes him to far away places. After Max is sent to his room, it quickly changes into a forest. The Wild Things make Max the king and he dreams big. Will he come back and finally eat his dinner? Kids enjoy this book because of the wild imaginations that take place. A fun activity after reading this book is for students to have creative writing time and talk about a wild place they would enjoy going. Have them illustrate and write a short story. After, they could read them aloud and share with the class.

Lexile Level: AD740L