Building Relationships Imagineering |
Chicken Sunday
By Patricia Polacco
8 min. without interruption
12-16 min. with discussion prompts throughout/after.
A lot of different cultures converging here. Patricia’s grandmother died, so she is inducted into the family next door, and learns to see their grandmother as her own, and they as her brothers. Despite having different religions (Baptist v. Jewish), they share their traditions and learn from and with each other – providing more family. Also the surface level plot is about community as well, the children working in a local shop to raise money and by their grandmother a fancy hat for Easter. One of Polacco’s award-winning books...
This book is pretty amazing...I remember it from when I was a child solely because the ‘grumpy old man’ character had concentration camp tattoos on his arm – revealing, you know, a reason for his grumpiness. For older groups, this opens up a great discussion on empathy. (You just see the tattoos, not part of the text.)
8 min. without interruption
12-16 min. with discussion prompts throughout/after.
A lot of different cultures converging here. Patricia’s grandmother died, so she is inducted into the family next door, and learns to see their grandmother as her own, and they as her brothers. Despite having different religions (Baptist v. Jewish), they share their traditions and learn from and with each other – providing more family. Also the surface level plot is about community as well, the children working in a local shop to raise money and by their grandmother a fancy hat for Easter. One of Polacco’s award-winning books...
This book is pretty amazing...I remember it from when I was a child solely because the ‘grumpy old man’ character had concentration camp tattoos on his arm – revealing, you know, a reason for his grumpiness. For older groups, this opens up a great discussion on empathy. (You just see the tattoos, not part of the text.)
Mr. Lincoln's Way
By Patricia Polacco
13 min. without interruption
24 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
Third through fifth grade...you could go older, but the idealism of the book may make sixth graders wary.
13 min. without interruption
24 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
Third through fifth grade...you could go older, but the idealism of the book may make sixth graders wary.
Enemy Pie
By Derek Munson
10 min. without interruption
10-15 min. with prompts/interruptions
Ideal for grades K-4, but can work for all.
Available in Peace through Play's Library.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
10 min. without interruption
10-15 min. with prompts/interruptions
Ideal for grades K-4, but can work for all.
Available in Peace through Play's Library.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Miss Nelson is Missing!
By Harry Allard & James Marshall
8 min. without interruption
12-16 min. with discussion prompts throughout/after.
Can be spun for all ages, though 2nd through 4th might get the most out of it
Miss Nelson is a sweet, sweet teacher who just wants to teach her rude, mean, DISRESPECTFUL class. So a replacement is called in…Miss Viola Swamp. Someone not fun, or sweet, at all.
Miss Nelson dresses up as Viola Swamp, so the students learn to appreciate what they have. See if the younger kids can figure out who Viola Swamp truly is – side treat is the “Hardy Boys” reading Inspector McSmog, who is genuinely puzzled by Miss Nelson’s, and later Miss Swamp’s, disappearance. Can work for older kids in discussing why Miss Nelson did what she did.
Reading Idea - To make engage a younger audience, ask them to imitate Miss Nelson’s class being bad, being scared, and being incredibly good. Ask that THEY think happened to Miss Nelson. Also a section where the students come up with hilarious ideas about where she could have gone.
8 min. without interruption
12-16 min. with discussion prompts throughout/after.
Can be spun for all ages, though 2nd through 4th might get the most out of it
Miss Nelson is a sweet, sweet teacher who just wants to teach her rude, mean, DISRESPECTFUL class. So a replacement is called in…Miss Viola Swamp. Someone not fun, or sweet, at all.
Miss Nelson dresses up as Viola Swamp, so the students learn to appreciate what they have. See if the younger kids can figure out who Viola Swamp truly is – side treat is the “Hardy Boys” reading Inspector McSmog, who is genuinely puzzled by Miss Nelson’s, and later Miss Swamp’s, disappearance. Can work for older kids in discussing why Miss Nelson did what she did.
Reading Idea - To make engage a younger audience, ask them to imitate Miss Nelson’s class being bad, being scared, and being incredibly good. Ask that THEY think happened to Miss Nelson. Also a section where the students come up with hilarious ideas about where she could have gone.
The Big Brag
By Dr. Seuss
7 min. without interruption (but abridgeable)
12 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
BAM! Another for ALL AGES! (But might resonate best with older groups…where braggarts run rampant)
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
7 min. without interruption (but abridgeable)
12 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
BAM! Another for ALL AGES! (But might resonate best with older groups…where braggarts run rampant)
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
Litte Blue and Little Yellow
By Leo Leonni
5 min. without interruption
10-12 min. with prompts/interruptions throughout.
K through 3rd
Availability: Ask Eboard
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
5 min. without interruption
10-12 min. with prompts/interruptions throughout.
K through 3rd
Availability: Ask Eboard
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
The Gift of Nothing
By Patrick McDonnell
7 min without interruption
10-12 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Pre-Kay through Third grade.
A lovely little book by the same author who brought our library A Perfectly Messed Up Story, McDonnell uses this book as an opportunity to answer the age-old question "What do you give someone who has everything?" (...Nothing). A humorous and poetically simplistic explanation of the many somethings that aren't really worth anything, and how the lack of somethings might actually be worth everything.
7 min without interruption
10-12 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Pre-Kay through Third grade.
A lovely little book by the same author who brought our library A Perfectly Messed Up Story, McDonnell uses this book as an opportunity to answer the age-old question "What do you give someone who has everything?" (...Nothing). A humorous and poetically simplistic explanation of the many somethings that aren't really worth anything, and how the lack of somethings might actually be worth everything.
The Sneetches
By Dr. Seuss
Celebrating Differences, Respect,
12 min without interruption [But abridgeable.]
12-15 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Kindergarten through Third grade.
This is a widely known book, which works to both your advantage and disadvantage. The book is a not-so-subtle analogy for discrimination, and your older students will likely pick up on that. This said, it is encompassing - if a bit drawn out for younger grades (you might want to shorten the beginning/machine montage part.) Although this book does celebrate differences - the bottomline of the message is to respect one another regardless of whatever differences you think you have - or you have been told you have.
Celebrating Differences, Respect,
12 min without interruption [But abridgeable.]
12-15 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Kindergarten through Third grade.
This is a widely known book, which works to both your advantage and disadvantage. The book is a not-so-subtle analogy for discrimination, and your older students will likely pick up on that. This said, it is encompassing - if a bit drawn out for younger grades (you might want to shorten the beginning/machine montage part.) Although this book does celebrate differences - the bottomline of the message is to respect one another regardless of whatever differences you think you have - or you have been told you have.
Stone Soup
By Jon J Muth
10 min. without interruption
12 min. with discussion throughout
The language may appeal best to 2nd grade through 4th grade. The message is rather universal.
Available in Peace through Play’s Library.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes
10 min. without interruption
12 min. with discussion throughout
The language may appeal best to 2nd grade through 4th grade. The message is rather universal.
Available in Peace through Play’s Library.
Back to Fall Themes
Back to Spring Themes