Book Fair Books

The problem with your best friend being a librarian is you always have to buy books...I mean how could I not. Seriously she inspires me to add to my collection- I can't wait to share with the kids!

I got some great books at book fair this year check them out:

You know I can't get enough of the "3 Ninja Pigs" and this book has been on my wish list for a while. I can't wait to use this book along with Corey Rosen Schwartz other books to compare and contrast, talk about point of view, etc. Need ideas - no worries- here is the teachers guide.

Here is the book trailer:

I love this book by one of my all time favorite authors Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

This is a great way to add non fiction into your lessons. This book talks about bug manners and it's GROSS, which means the kids will love it. It would be super fun to have the kids vote on which but they think has the best and worst manners and why. Get the teacher's guide here.

I also grabbed a Tom Litchfield book. This book is going to be so much fun for our career unit and talking about not giving up on your dreams. Read the story behind the story here.

If you have "When Sophie Gets Angry" then you have to  check out this sequel.

This is a great book to talk about conflict resolution and problem solving skills. It would be fun to read it and then follow up with a socratic seminar on dogs vs. cats.

Teaching Feelings Activites

Here are two new activities I created for teaching feelings and coping skills. Check them out:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Feelings-Match-Up-2146978

A fun FREEBIE interactive activity to help students match feelings words with feeling faces. This would be a great post test for K-2.

Check out this activity packet on coping skills for various feelings. This 8 page activity to help student identify coping strategies for various feelings including: anger, jealousy, worry, etc.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/When-I-Feel-2146972

Class lessons for October- a highlight

Here's a look at what I'm doing in the classroom for October.

Oct.

Listening Skills “Howard B Wigglebottom Learns To Listen”

Problem Solving/ Conflict Resolution/ Point of view “Duck!Rabbit!” “Howard B Wigglebottom”

Tattle vs. Tell “Don’t Squeal Unless It’s a Big Deal”

Tattle vs. Tell “A Bad Case of the Tattle Tongue” “I Didn’t Do It”

Fairness Self Confidence “It’s Not Fair” “Exclamation Mark” Trustworthiness “Mr. Peabody’s Apples”

Decision Making/ Peer Pressure “Peer Pressure Gauge” Trustworthiness “Mr. Peabody’s Apples”

Click read more below for a more detailed look at the lessons, links to lesson plans and resources, and free activities!

Time for you to go book shopping!

Yesterday was a super fun night of getting my counselor nerd on. The amazing author/illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka did a book reading, illustration drawing, and book signing in town. 

Some people swoon when they see a movie star and apparently I have the teacher version of that because I was a red, nervous wreck. 

Some of you might know Jarrett (yes yes I am pretending we are close friends now just like I did with Michelle) from his Lunch Lady series.  It's a great graphic novel about a Lunch Lady who happens to also be a super hero (aren't they really in real life too!) This is a book series that even your most stubborn readers will love. If you are looking for an amazing service learning project to go with the books  look no further- check out how my BIONIC teamed up to help our school librarian create an amazing luncheon for our staff. Need more inspiration check out this guide for using graphic novels in the classroom. 

So Jarrett just wrote and published a new picture book that is perfect for every school counselor. "It's Tough To Loose Your Balloon" is a wonderful way to talk to your students about feelings, cause and effect, positive attitudes, and mindset.  Check out the book trailer below.

A bird, A squirrel, No ADHD and the perfect book!

Each year I find myself thinking of ways to talk to students about ADHD and Autism. We have many students with these diagnosis and I think it's important to educate their peers. I have found that the classrooms with the most lack of knowledge are the ones that have the most bullying and vice versa. So when I (well really Mrs. Shepherd our music teacher) found these books I almost screamed. They are perfect!

Get it now at Amazon.com

Available at Amazon.com

They are a fun, adorable way to help others understand what each syndrome looks like. I also think they would be good to use with students with a recent diagnosis understand and deal with the news.
I really can't wait to use them next year, so I bought them immediately.

When I was getting the images off Amazon, I found this third book!

Helping Hands

Hands are not for hitting! Hands are for helping!!

This is a must have lesson for Kindergarden (although I remember working in a high school thinking they needed this lesson too- you know the saying everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarden!)

Here is how I approached the lesson this year:

A counseling must have book.

• I use the "Magic Coloring Book of Feelings" every year in K to introduce myself and my job. The kids sometimes see me in the hall and say "hi magic book lady." So I start my lesson with this book and it's an instant attention grabber, because they are always begging for it even if I bring it every time.

• We then review our previous lesson on feelings by drawing what it looks like when we have these different feelings on the smart board. We end with the feelings : mad, anger, and frustation. (For older grades I think it would interesting to incorporate how we look when we are mad, but also how animals look when they are mad.)

• Next we talk about what we do when we are mad and then I introduce the book "Hands Are Not For Hitting."

This year I couldn't find my copy of the book so my awesome music/tech teacher found it online:

• At the  end of the book we chart what hands are for, what we NEVER do with our hands, and what we should do when we are mad. This is also when I discuss that this goes for people, belongings (throwing, ripping, etc.) and animals! I think it's really important that we include animals in this. *

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*Speaking of helping hands and animals. This holiday weekend 65 wonderful, but terrified dogs were rescued from a county nearby.  These poor babies were in deplorable conditions because they were being fought and many had their teeth pulled so they could be bait dogs. I encourage you to extend your discussion to animals. Although I did not discuss this case with my class, we always discuss how to treat others and that we should treat animals the same way. It's a conversation I don't think is happening enough. 

http://www.newschannel5.com/

• After the discussion I have the students create their own hands and write two things they should use their hands for. 

• To end, if there is time, we review the lesson and then read a book. This year I read "You'll Be Sorry." Which I actually found at Hastings for $1.50!  

*Please consider donating items or money for Operation Broken Chain and the 65 dogs that were rescued by visiting: http://animalrescuecorps.org/ or liking ARC  or Nashville Pittie on Facebook