Picture Book Month: Seasons of Learning #IMWAYR

 

                      
Picture Book Month Day 11 theme: Seasons

Find out more about Picture Book Month here

Download the daily themed Picture Book Month Calendar. 

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My Picture Book Month pick for a book about seasons is The Year at Maple Hill Farm by Alice and Martin Provenson. Here is an audio version to enjoy from Watch Know Learn (a website for free educational videos). I like to use the big book version of the book so students can see all the farm animals.

This is a book about farm animals, and what happens during one year on a farm. In January, the cows stay in the barnyard, and the chickens don't lay many eggs. By March, you can tell spring is coming: the barn is filled with baby animals. Month by month, the animals at Maple Hill Farm sense the changing seasons and respond to the changes. (Simon and Schuster)

Getting Ready for Winter

I love this Sesame Street video of a child describing how Fall evolves into Winter and how plants and animals know it's time to begin to prepare and settle in for the season. 

What I have been reading: 

I have been reading picture books galore but each book shown here was one I wrote a blog post about for Picture Book Month. I have included resources to use for all books.

I am trying to finish  Veroinica Roth's Allegiant as quickly as I can. I introduced a student to the series this past Monday and she has blown through the first two books already. 

I have to give her my copy on Monday! I love an inspired reader. My big problem now is what next? She is rabid reader so I went out today and bought her a copy of Seraphina. That ought to keep her busy for one or two days. Here is the Seraphina book trailer

Rocket Writes a Story resources

Click here for The Hallelujah Flight resources

Knufflebunny Resources

How I Learn Geography Resources

The Hinky Pink Resources

One is a Feast for a Mouse

Read Alouds in the Library:

Life Oak Media's  Educator's Guide: 

Dancing With the Indians by Angela Shelf Medearis 

Illustrated by Samuel Byrd

Our teachers are focusing heavily on poetry in preparation for the Texas STAAR test so I am always seeking unique ways to integrate poetry into the topics I am covering in my library. Dancing with the Indians is a wonderful choice for accomplishing this. The rhyming story has a beat, a rhythm, a cadence to its telling that matches the flow of words. The images are beautifully striking. 

Medearis offers a clear explanation of the author's purpose in writing her story. It is based on her ancestor's experience and stories that have been passed down through her family. Her great-grandfather was a run-a-way slave that was welcomed into the Seminole tribe. Every year, he would bring his wife and children back twice a year to take part in purification and religious rituals. My students really liked this image when the warriors leap out in front of the young girl giving her a scare. They liked the colorful ribbon dance and felt it was similar to their own Folkloric dancing. 

I enjoying sharing history with my students. Teachers have a hard time squeezing in Social Studies into daily lessons so I usually have one or two historically related interactive displays set up in my library. During November's American Indian Heritage Month I set up a photographic museum of images with an emphasis on Texas tribes.

A university colleague of mine, Ernest Graywolf Salazar, has performed a spiritual drum circles over the past several years. He also made this wonderful replica of a village for our students. There are several items that students may touch and handle including animal hides, antlers, a ceremonial leather shirt with sea shells that jingle while dancing. The land our school is built on was Karankawa tribal land. 

Here are some wonderful educational resources on Texas Indian tribes. 

• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Learn About Texas Indians
• The Indian Years A coloring book adapted from The Indian Years (Living with the Texas Past Series, No. 1), published by the Office of the State Archeologist, Texas Historical Commission.