CLASS BOOKS

You’ll find some of the most popular books in your classroom will be those that students collaborate to make. What a perfect way to motivate your students to write and read as you reinforce standards. 

Consider these components when making collaborative books with your class:

Dedication – Encourage children to “dedicate” books. Copyright Date – The date you make your book.

Publisher – Your school, city, and state.

Authors and Illustrators – Have children sign a group page as authors and illustrators of the book.

ISBN – Include an ISBN number and bar code on the back.

The End – Everybody can read this page!

Comments and Compliments – Let children have turns taking the book home for one night. Their parents can then write their “comments or compliments” about the book on that page. (You could also pass the book around to different classes in your school and they could write remarks on this page.)

*Older students could do a “Table of Contents,” “Index,” or “Glossary.”
*Place class books in your school library, public library, a hospital, etc.
*Have a “drawing” at the end of the year so each child gets to keep one of the books.

Concept Books
Reinforce concepts you are working on, such as letters, shapes, science themes, friendship, etc. to make class books.

(How to Be a Friend Like Rainbow Fish)

Song Books
I also love to take songs and use them to make books with children. You can ask the children to close their eyes as they listen to the song and then make pictures in their brain. Invite them to draw their picture and then cut out words to the song and match them up with the pictures. Don't worry! It always turns out beautifully!

You can also type words to songs ahead of time and let each child choose the sentence they would like to illustrate.

Here are some other interesting topics for making books with your students:

THE BEST THING ABOUT ME

HEROES

OUR WISH BOOK

CELEBRATIONS

WHEN I GROW UP

JOKE BOOK

HOW TO BE A FRIEND

WHAT I DIDN’T DO OVER THE SUMMER

WHAT I DIDN’T GET FOR CHRISTMAS

A MAGIC CARPET RIDE

DREAMS

THINGS THAT BUG US/SCARE US

KNOCK! KNOCK!

MY NIGHTMARE LOOKS LIKE

I AM…

I LIKE…

I CAN….

I SEE….

MY WORST/BEST DAY EVER

IF I WERE THE TEACHER I WOULD…

IF SHOES COULD TALK

THE DAY ANIMALS TALKED

WHAT TO DO WHEN A BABY CRIES

IF I WON THE LOTTERY

HAPPINESS IS…

LOVE IS…

I’M WORKING ON…

IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD

I WISH I WERE…

IT’S NOT FAIR

WHAT DOES THE PRINCIPAL DO ALL DAY?

WE WOULD LIKE TO TELL THE PRESIDENT…

#04-BACK TO SCHOOL FOR YOUR BEST YEAR EVER! Class Books

These are some simple books that you can make to create interest in reading and nurture your classroom community.

I Like to Come to School
(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")
I like to come to school.
I like to come to school.
I like to learn and play each day
I like to come to school.

I like to make new friends…
I like to read and write…
I like to do math…
I like to sing and draw…/

*Ask children other things they like about school and insert their suggestions in the song.

*Write children’s suggestions on sentence strips and use in a pocket chart.

*Make a class book where each child draws a picture about what they like best at school. They can dictate or write a sentence to go with their drawings. Read the book several times to the class and then allow children to “check it out” and take it home.

Hello, Friends!
Glue each child's photo on a sheet of paper and write “Hello, (child’s name).” at the top. Punch holes in the pages and put them together with book rings. (If you bind the book on the bottom it will be easy to turn the pages as you hold it in your lap.)


Use the book in the following ways:
* Circle or Group Time: Start your day by reading the book together and saying hello to each other.
* Questions: Use the book when you want to ask the class questions. Randomly turn to a page and call on that child to answer the question. This will allow “thinking time” and discourage children from shouting out the answer.
* Transitions: Use this book to dismiss children for learning centers, to line up, and other transitions. Flip through the book and hold up different pictures. As the children see their photo, they may be dismissed, line up, and so on.
* Sing and read this book to the tune of “Good Night, Ladies.”
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello, (child’s name).
Hello, (child’s name).
We're glad you're in our room.

Who Do You See?
We all know wonderful Bill Martin’s “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?” Your children will love saying and “reading” this version with you. Put each child’s photo on a page with this chant at the top:

(Child’s name), (child’s name), who do you see?
On the bottom of the page write:
I see (second child’s) name looking at me.
On the last add the teacher’s photo with this rhyme:
Children, children, who do you see?
I see (teacher’s name) looking at me.
(Teacher’s name), (teacher’s name), who do you see?
I see happy children ready to learn with me!

*Make two copies of this book so one child can take it home each day to share with their families.
*Introduce children to school helpers with a similar book with the principal, secretary, custodian, nurse, PE teacher, music teacher, and other specialists.
*Carolyn Kisloski takes a picture of the children's shoes to make this book..."Whose shoes do you see?"


The Name of My School
Do you get tired of children saying, “Teacher, teacher!” the first few days of school. This song will enable them to learn the name of their teacher, school, principal, as well as their community, city, state, and country. Take photographs of yourself, the principal, the school, your community, and so forth. Glue pictures to construction paper and write a verse similar to those below on each page. Sing the words to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus.”

The name of my school is (school’s name),
school’s name), (school’s name).
The name of my school is (school’s name).
That’s the name of my school.
The name of my teacher is (teacher’s name), (teacher’s name),
(teacher’s name)…

The name of my principal is…
The name of my librarian is…
The name of my P.E. teacher is…

WRITING PROMPTS

Looking for some writing prompts to motivate  your students?  Holidays, units of study, and interests of your class are a good start, but "Chew and Write" is my favorite.

Chew and Write
Give children a piece of sugarless gum. Once they write their name they can open the gum and start chewing. They are allowed to chew the gum as long as they keep on writing!
                                          

Predictable Sentences
Give children an open-ended sentence to encourage writing.  

I can…  

I like…

I don’t like…

I see…

I want…

I am...

I wish I were…

When I grow up…


Class Books
These are topics that you could use to make class books. Each child writes and illustrates a page and then bind them together.

                      

THE BEST THING ABOUT ME

IF SHOES COULD TALK

THINGS THAT BUG US/SCARE US

MY NIGHTMARE LOOKS LIKE

IF I WERE THE TEACHER I WOULD

WE WOULD LIKE TO TELL THE PRESIDENT…

IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS

FAMILY CELEBRATIONS

SEE YOU LATER ALLIGATOR

OUR WISH BOOK

OUR JOKE BOOK

DREAMS

HEROES

MY WORST/BEST DAY EVER

WHAT DOES THE PRINCIPAL DO ALL DAY?  (One of my favorites!)

                                            

CANDY WRAPPER GAMES!

Get lots of rest this weekend because Monday will seem like your whole class has ADHD because of staying up late, trick or treating, and eating all that candy! What ya' gonna do? Turn those candy wrappers into a learning activity. Ask your children to save their wrappers and then do some of these "yummy" activities.

Counting

Count the wrappers. Tally how many in the whole class.


Sets  

Make sets with the wrappers.

                                 


Sorting 

Sort the wrappers. What’s the sorting rule? Can they regroup them?

                                                                 

Graphing

Use the wrappers to graph their favorite candy bar.

Nutrition 

Look at the food value on each wrapper. How many calories? How much sugar? Rank the candies by calories.


Vocabulary - Find descriptive words on the wrappers. Make a list of the words and use them in sentences.


Writing

Fold 2 sheets of paper in half and staple to make a book. Children write “I like…” at the top of each page and glue a candy wrapper underneath. This is a book every child in your room can read! Older children could write descriptive sentences about each candy.





Alphabet Letters 

Use the wrappers to make a class book called “The Sweet ABC’s.” Write alphabet letters on 26 sheets of paper. Children glue their wrappers to the appropriate letter. Bind pages together to make a book.
Hint! If you don’t have a wrapper for each letter, let children suggest “sweet” words for the page.

                                      


Money

tyg6h- Glue candy wrappers to a file folder. Write a coin value by each wrapper. Children count out the appropriate amount and place it on the wrapper.

Hint! For young children, price the candies from 1 cent to 10 cents and give them pennies. Make the amounts higher for older students.


Art 

Let children use wrappers to make a collage.


Finally, take advantage of this “teachable moment” by discussing why sugar is not good for their bodies. What happens if you eat too much sugar? Make a list of healthy snacks that would be better food choices.