More Reading Lists from TeachersFirst

These reviewed resources include booklists galore! Find books for a specific theme or to coax even the most reluctant readers. Find inspiration for literature circles. Don't miss "In the classroom" ideas for ways to share the lists or inspire students to create some of their own.
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CurriConnects Booklist - Natural Disasters - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (129), disasters (43), hurricanes (40), independent reading (123), tornadoes (17)
In the Classroom
This collection of books could accompany a unit on earth science, weather, or even communities and government as your students look at how disasters affect people and how individuals or governments respond to adversity. These books would also connect well to a character education or guidance unit about dealing with a crisis. You could even include this list with a geography unit about differences in weather, climate, and landforms around the world. Talk about WHY natural disasters happen and/or the results afterward: How did communities change? What did people do in response? If having students read independently, you may want to pose a big question or two related to your curriculum for them to think about as they read. Have them return and share their answers after reading, perhaps as a presentation or small group project.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Children's Books and Reading - Stephanie at Childrens-Books-and-Reading.com
Grades
K to 4This site includes advertising.
tag(s): literacy (104), preK (284), reading comprehension (129), reading lists (77), reading strategies (55), spelling (165)
In the Classroom
This site is a great site to share with parents on your class website. Start a PTO meeting featuring literacy using ideas from this site. At a literacy night, show this site on your projector (or interactive whiteboard) to feature the interactives. Add the games to your literacy stations. Share at conferences to answer the parent questions of, "How do I help at home?" Looking for more audio books? Find a huge collection of audio books here to try some of the strategies suggestion by this site. Don't forget your earbuds!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List: Childhood Here and There - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (129), cross cultural understanding (127), independent reading (123)
In the Classroom
Include these books for independent reading during a unit on world cultures, in a guidance class about differences, or in a reading unit about drawing inferences. Spark discussions about what we assume is "normal" and what we should realize about our own upbringing. The conversations will easily evolve into projects where students can compare and contrast or create "profiles" of childhood in different places and cultures.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List: In Motion - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 8tag(s): book lists (129), gravity (51), independent reading (123), motion (70), newton (25)
In the Classroom
Incorporate these books as student independent reading during units on forces, motions, gravity, physical movement (P.E. or dance), and more. Go beyond the textbook by encouraging students to choose a book that makes connections. These selections are ideal informational texts to use for science literacy, as well. Encourage students to share what they learn by creating annotated images of the science behind the book they read. Or create a collection of annotated "motion" images as a class. Try using a tool like Thinglink, reviewed here, or Stipple, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: Weather, Climate, and Earth's Atmosphere - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 9tag(s): atmosphere (29), book lists (129), climate (93), earth (227), independent reading (123), weather (205)
In the Classroom
Encourage students to select from this list for independent reading to support your unit on disasters, weather, or the Earth's atmosphere. Share it with your school library/media specialist or public library, as well, for them to "pull" books in support of your science units. Extend the experience by having students create visual presentations of the concepts they learn. If you're a novice to using technology in your classroom, or you have young students, you may want to use a tool such as Fotor, reviewed here. For more experienced technology users try an online simple web page using WebNode, reviewed here, or a brochure, newsletter or poster using Sway, reviewed here. You could also look for a different tool for creation and sharing from this TeachersFirst Edge list of reviewed presentation tools .Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List - Real Life in Wartime - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): 20th century (49), korea (18), vietnam (34), world war 1 (56), world war 2 (141)
In the Classroom
Add a layer of human reality to the "facts" students study about wars that to them seem "long ago and far way." Go beyond the textbook by encouraging students to choose a book to make connections. Encourage them to share what they learn through writings, fictitious blog posts, or creative presentations using tools from the TeachersFirst Edge.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cuban Missile Crisis - Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): 1960s (28), kennedy (25), presidents (124)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site (or save it in your favorites). Use the resources for any unit that includes the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidents, or John F. Kennedy. Watch videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share a link on your class website for students to view at home. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about any of the characters involved with the crisis. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare the point of view of the U.S. vs Cuba or to compare outcomes based on possible decisions made during the crisis.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List - Colonial America and the Revolution - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12tag(s): american revolution (85), book lists (129), colonial america (107), independent reading (123)
In the Classroom
Make history more real during your unit on Colonial America and/or the Revolution. Have students choose a book from this list and present their impressions from it in the form of a blog post from the times. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Loose Leaves, reviewed here. This blog creator requires no registration. Collect the links to all the student posts on your class web page for students to browse and gather a "human" experience of history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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New Bedford Whaling Museum - New Bedford Whaling Museum
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1700s (29), 1800s (47), colonial america (107), marine biology (36), whales (15)
In the Classroom
The museum's exhibits focused on the Arctic and on the migrations and habitats of whales are useful from a historical perspective. Consider using early maps and photographs from the exploration of Arctic regions to compare with current maps for a discussion on global climate change. Use information about current and past whale habitats to illustrate the impact of ocean changes on the largest of its inhabitants. Students doing independent research will find the individual images of the museum's extensive collection useful as well. Have students act as curators for an imaginary special exhibit, perhaps creating a map using Click2Map, reviewed here, to add points of interest with display markers featuring text, photos, and videos. to show the artifact locations and tell the stories of their "artifacts." (Simplify adding images by inserting them using the online URLs of the artifact images from the museum catalog. To find and copy the URL for an online image, RIGHT click on it to "Copy Image URL" or "Get Info," depending on your browser and computer type.)Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: By the People - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (129), branches of government (53), congress (37), constitution (89), presidents (124)
In the Classroom
Encourage students to select independent reading from this list as part of a citizenship unit, as a focus for Constitution Day, or in a civics/government class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Color in my Piano - Joy Morin
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): music theory (45), musical instruments (51), musical notation (39)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and worksheets for music classroom use. Search the Reading Lists for articles to share with students. Share (and discuss) Wednesday's Words of Wisdom. Use this site to differentiate for music students of all levels.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List - Light and Color - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 10tag(s): book lists (129), colors (78), independent reading (123), photography (155)
In the Classroom
Have students choose a book they can connect to your light unit in science, to art projects, or simply a book of interest. Extend the experience by having them collect their own photographs as examples of the concepts they learn. Share projects using one of these reviewed presentation tools from the TeachersFirst Edge. The non-fiction selections offer possible informational texts to practice Common Core science literacy skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: Poets and Poetry - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (129), literature (264), poetry (222)
In the Classroom
This list will fit well during National Poetry Month or any unit on poetry. Finding Lexiles for poetry can be a challenge, but this list includes them where available. Have your students "collect" their favorite poems as they read from this list and share them as a multimedia poetry reading using copyright-friendly images or even their own artwork. Upload images and add the poetry in the student's own voice using a tool like Powtoon, reviewed here, or moovly, reviewed here. Go "low tech" by hosting a live poetry reading celebration in your classroom or during lunch in the school cafeteria.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dinosphere at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis - The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Have students create their own dino using the Build a Dino activity. Challenge students to draw and describe their dinosaur with an explanation of how and why different body parts were chosen. Use this as a descriptive writing piece. Create a class book of Dinosaur Creations! Choose from the webquests offered on the site for your class. Use webquests not only to learn about dinosaurs but also to sharpen research and debate skills. Extend learning by having students use a tool such as Zeemaps, reviewed here, to record where dinosaur fossils have been found. This site allows students to create audio recordings AND choose a location (on a map) where the story takes place.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: Bridges and Structures - Teachersfirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): bridges (12), engineering (134), independent reading (123), structures (24)
In the Classroom
Make STEM a reading challenge. Share this list with students during your study of physics of structures, design, or basic concepts such as gravity. Have students choose a book they can connect to concepts you are studying in science class or have them choose a book of interest and generate a list of the questions they would like to learn about after reading the book. The non-fiction selections offer possible informational texts to practice Common Core science literacy skills.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Love Your Dog - Janet and Rick Wall
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (319)
In the Classroom
Use as a comprehensive resource site for career day, with detailed information on dog care and careers. Use the videos on your projector or interactive whiteboard as a way to illustrate a "how to" report. Capture the hearts of your reluctant readers with dog stories and engaging lesson plans. Write poetry and join the dog lovers' community. Use as resource information for science projects. Explore the role of therapy dogs in your career exploration. Use as an example for detailed reports on animals for your class. Have students make their own multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Booklist: Living Green - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (129), environment (321)
In the Classroom
This is a great match during units on the environment, current events, or world issues. As students select and read from this list, they will have many opportunities to interact and find meaning from informational texts. This list is ideal during April for Earth Day or as you study the environment--or even geography and human impact on our planet.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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BiblioNasium - Marjan Ghara
Grades
1 to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): descriptive writing (42), independent reading (123), social networking (107), writing (364)
In the Classroom
Use BiblioNasium to manage an independent reading program from reading logs to tailored reading lists. Stack your virtual bookshelves with recommended or required reads: set reading goals, create challenges, and keep track of student reading by using BiblioNasium in your classroom. Your students can easily see what they have read, what they like, and what they plan to read. Be sure to have them evaluate the books they read using BiblioNasium to help others find their next book. Find books by Lexile reading levels with BiblioNasium's Search Field. BiblioNasium is partners with MetaMetrics''''''''®, developer of the Lexile''''''''® Framework for Reading. Knowing the reading levels of your students, you can set up leveled small groups for literature circles or nonfiction reading.Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
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CurriConnects Book List: 100 Leaders - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): artists (78), book lists (129), politics (102), presidents (124), scientists (69)
In the Classroom
Use this list as you study any topic that features leaders: the founding fathers, famous scientists, and much more. Encourage students to read about leaders in diverse fields - including the one you are studying - to compare and discuss what makes someone a successful leader and why people rise to the top among their peers across time, place, and circumstance. You could also form an afterschool book club around this list or use the nonfiction listings as practice with informational texts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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CurriConnects Book List: Immigrants and Immigration - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): book lists (129), immigrants (22), immigration (61)
In the Classroom
Allow students to select books at their own level to understand immigrants and how their own ancestors may have felt upon arriving in the U.S. Perhaps have them write a blog post as if they had just arrived. Have students meet in literature circles as they discuss these books or hold an immigration day where students share the experiences they have read and how immigrants contribute to the many cultures in the U.S.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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