James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is a Fantasy novel about a boy whose parents were eaten by rhinos so he was sent to live with his aunts. He was miserable but one day he met an old man who changed his outlook when he gave him magical seeds. This lesson goes great with teaching figurative language (similes and metaphors)! http://www.roalddahl.com/docs/Lesson1JamesandtheGi_1435151433.pdf #UCFWalterslit

The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole is a Fiction book that throws a fun spin on learning about the solar system. The link below is an activity that can be used over a few days to learn all about the planets along with the book. https://www.aiaa.org/uploadedFiles/Education_and_Careers/STEM_K-12_Outreach/Kids... #UCFWalterslit

El Deafo by Cece Bell is an Autobiography (Graphic Novel) that describes what it feels like to grow up deaf all while trying to maintain a normal childhood. Although the book describes real scenarios and situations, the characters are all rabbits. Here are some neat questions that are based upon different subjects but all relate to the book. https://www.abramsbooks.com/pdfs/academic/El_Deafo_TeachingGuide.pdf #UCFWalterslit

All the Water in the World is a Poetry picture book written by George Ella Lyon. It explains all about water, the different forms we can find it in and how water is not “made” but instead it is found in many ways. I think this would be a good science book to read when discussing liquids. This is a cool activity to go with it. http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/lessons/lessons/by-broad-concept/earth-science/w... #UCFWalterslit

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin is a Biographical picture book about a young boy who developed a fascination of snow crystals through pictures. He received a microscope for his fifteenth birthday and had over 5000 pictures of his snowflakes up until his death. Here are some good resources to assess students understanding of the book. https://teachers.net/lessons/posts/4357.html #UCFWalterslit

Bud, Not Buddy is a Historical Fiction novel written by Christopher Paul Curtis. This is a good book to teach students about the Great Depression and the history surrounding it. It will also show them what kids their age went through back then and how lucky most, not all, of them are for what they have. I like this resource because it has questions that go by chapter. http://www.gretchensimon.com/web_docs_gs/bud-unit-final-copy.pdf #UCFWalterslit

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka is a TL picture book that teaches children to take their time on things in order to ensure that it is done right. The first two pigs did not take their time & their houses got blown away. This activity will let students build their own houses and see if they took their time building and planning. http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/materials-1-materials-and-manufacturing/ #UCFWalterslit

The Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornson is a Realistic Fiction book that follows a kid named Pete who bullies his peers before they get a chance to bully him. He eventually realizes that his peers want to be his friend and apologizes for his actions. He agrees to be friends as do they. This is a good book to discuss bullying! Here is a bunch of lesson plans for different ages/subjects. http://mariadismondy.com/uploads/docs/Juice-Box-Readers-Guide.pdf

Wonder by RJ Palacio is a Realistic Fiction Novel. This book has definitely made my top 5 of books! Definitely one of my favorite reads in a long time. It is also an extremely good book to read in class to teach about bullying & being a friend when someone needs it. I really liked the activity because it lets the kids personalize their experience with the book and lets them show their creative side as well. #UCFWalterslit

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is a Nonfiction book by Mordicai Gerstein. This book is realistic but simple for kids to learn about this tragic yet extremely important event. This book is a “fun” lesson to implement into learning about 9/11. Philippe Petit was a part of the history of the twin towers & attached are a few lessons regarding the book. https://corkboardconnections.blogspot.com/2012/09/honoring-911-delicate-balance....

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill is a Fantasy Fiction Novel. Kelly Barnhill quotes “Knowledge is power, but it is a terrible power when hidden.” I love this quote because it is something I try to implement in my students heads everyday. They are smarter than they give themselves the chance to be & I wish they would unleash their hidden knowledge more often. #UCFWalterslit

This is a poem from Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. I chose this poem because I felt as though it was funny but relatable to my personal life as well. I could so see my brother being the author of this piece. #UCFWalterslit