Sara K. Sterner, Ph.D.

TEACH IT!

Classroom Helpers:

• The Classroom Bookshelf is a truly incredible blog that features a book a week WITH a review, 10-15 ways to teach the book in your classroom, links to further explorations, and a supplementary book list!

• Library Sparks - This has amazing monthly activity calendars with interactive activities (often with literary connections) for each day of the month

• Teach with Picturebooks - This blog stopped updating in 2015 but the previous posts are very useful

The Book Award Connection:

• Hold a Mock Caldecott - Here's a great resource from School Library Journal

• This is a nice video featuring two librarians explaining how the book award process works.

• Sharing the Book Joy with the YMAs! by Melissa McBride - How you can bring the wonder and joy of the ALA Youth Media Awards (like the Caldecott, Newbery, Printz, Stonewall, etc.) into your classroom!

I LOVE to Read - Reading Focus:

• The Reading Lady - This Reading Specialist blogger has great ideas, suggestions, and support for the teaching of reading.

• I love this article from Wilson et al: Small Group Reading Instruction: Lessons from the Field.

• The Daily CAFE was a very beneficial reading instruction helper when I was teaching. Love these Books Looks and Lit Lessons connected directly to children's literature.

General Teacher Tips:

• Strategies to Help Introverted Students Feel Valued at School - from Mindshift (Which is am amazing resource, too!)

CONTENT CONNECTIONS:

Under Construction

Arts (Fine Art, Music, Theater, etc.):

• 10 Books Every Art Teacher Needs - The Art of Education

• Content Pending

Language Arts:

• 40 Books to Teach Grammar  - Our Journey Westward

• More content pending

Math:

• Pi Day (March 14 - 3/14) - Education World

• More content Pending

Science:

• 14 Books That Connect Students With Valuable Scientists’ Struggles - Mindshift

• More to come...

Social Studies:

• Slightly More Recent Books on Slavery for Young People - Librarian/Blogger: Betsy Bird

• In the classroom: Teaching About Slavery - blogger and teacher Educating Alice

• Teaching Economics with Literature - Rutgers University

• Literature with Social Studies Themes  - University of Delaware

• More content pending

Social Justice:

• 50 books about Peace and Social Justice - CCBC Librarians

• Social Justice Books o teach about Global Issues - What We Do All Day Blog

• Picture Books about Social Justice - No Time for Flashcards

Other:

• Holiday Focus:

  • 8 Picture Books to Celebrate Lunar New Year from Brightly

BUILD YOUR CLASSROOM LIBRARY:

Ready to start adding books to your future classroom library? Here are some resources and ideas to help you do it with out breaking the bank.

• FirstBook is an incredible organization that exists simply to get books in the hands of readers (your students!). They have many initiatives to help with that process. Helpful Post 1: Find Free Educational Resources on the First Book Marketplace |Helpful Post 2: How to Use the First Book Marketplace: Wishlists, the Dashboard and Popular Topics

• 15 Suggestions for free/cheap books from We Are Teachers

• 10 Easy Ways to Get Books for your Classroom Library from Scholastic

• ABEBooks - is my favorite online used book vendor.  Excellent place to find an out of print book or a professional book.

• 7 Suggestions from Heinemann of How to Examine your Books When Building your Class Library

• Daily Cafe's Classroom Library Organizational Ideas

• 13 Ways to Organize your Classroom Reading Nook - We Are Teachers