RESOURCES
ON THE WEB
The following sites are helpful resources for supporting vocabulary
development, and general literacy. However, please know that
we don’t maintain or monitor them, and are
not responsible for their content.
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY ORGANIZATIONS:
- Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)
https://www.rif.org
One of America’s oldest nonprofit literacy organizations,
this website
offers a wealth of resources, activities, and links related to
reading.
- Reading Matters
https://www.nea.org/parents
The National Education Association’s website, including
resources on reading for parents. Also includes recommended
books and other related links.
- Literacy Connections
https://www.literacyconnections.com
A collection of literacy resources for parents and educators,
including
materials on reading aloud, suggested read-alouds, and related
links.
- International Reading Association
https://reading.org
A membership organization of literacy professionals, this website
offers resources for parents and educators, including links and
recommended books.
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BOOKS
- Database of Award-Winning Children’s Literature
https://www.dawcl.com/
Maintained by a librarian, this database of award-winning children’s
literature includes over 4000 listings from 50 different awards.
- Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site
https://www.carolhurst.com/
This site provides reviews of recommended books for children,
book lists,
activities related to the latest award-winning books, and other
educational
resources for using literature in the classroom.
- BookHive: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg
Co.
https://www.bookhive.org
Designed for children 0-12, parents and teachers, this website
contains
thousands of recommended books, 12 new book reviews each month,
and fun, educational activities for kids.
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FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS:
- Reading Rockets
https://www.readingrockets.org
Reading Rockets, a public television multimedia project, offers
information and advice about learning to read, struggling readers,
as well as extensive resources for parents, caregivers and
educators.
- KidBibs
https://kidbibs.com
Designed for parents and children to use together, this award-winning
site offers fun activities for kids, children’s book
recommendations, and
resources for parents, caregivers and educators.
- PBS Parents
https://www.pbs.org/parents
Offers a wealth of resources for parents and educators, including
fun
educational activities for kids, advice for parents, and links
to over
1300 websites from PBS shows.
- Kidsource Online
https://www.kidsource.com
An online community for parents by parents, including informative
articles related
to literacy, suggested activities, ratings of online websites,
book reviews, and more.
- Scholastic, Inc.
https://www.scholastic.com
An award-winning site providing extensive supplementary learning
tools
for children K-8, including online games and printable activities.
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KID-FRIENDLY SITES:
- KidsReads
https://www.kidsreads.com
Promoting quality reading through book reviews, related games,
author interviews
and biographies, and wordplay activities, this site also offers
resources for
beginning a book club.
- Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) Reading Planet
https://www.rif.org/readingplanet
RIF’s website for children promotes the joy of reading
by offering a rich array of books, interactive games, reading
and writing activities, contests, and more.
- SillyBooks.Net
https://sillybooks.net/
A collection of animated children’s musical stories, books,
cartoons, songs and
activities that encourage reading.
- Poetry4Kids.com
https://www.poetry4kids.com
Poet Ken Nesbitt’s site includes a variety of fun, interactive
poetry activities,
lessons, and poems for kids.
- Giggle Poetry
https://gigglepoetry.com
Hundreds of poems to read and rate, as well as poetry activities
and lessons,
all in the spirit of having fun.
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES:
- ReadWriteThink
https://readwritethink.org
This extensive website provides educators and students with access
to high
quality resources in language arts and reading instruction.
- PBS Teachers
https://www.pbs.org/teachers/
PBS’s website for teachers provides hundreds of ideas for
lesson plans,
classroom resources, online activities and professional development.
- Online Poetry Classroom
https://www.poets.org
Part of the Academy of American Poets, this website offers a
multitude of
resources for teaching poetry, including curriculum units and
lesson plans,
a teacher’s forum for the exchange of ideas, and more.
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RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR KIDS:
Rootabaga Stories
by Carl Sandburg
Age level: 6-9
A collection of whimsical stories full of wordplay,
repetition and tongue-twisters,
written by Pulitzer prize winning poet, Carl Sandburg. Originally
published in
1922, this classic is wonderful to read aloud, and is sure to
capture children’s
imaginations with its delight in language and images of rural
1920s America.
Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein
Age level: 4-10
Originally published in 1974, and having gone
on to sell more than four a half million copies, Where
the Sidewalk Ends is the best-selling, best-loved
children’s
poetry book ever. Written from a child’s perspective, the
130 poems share a sense of wordplay, irreverence and humor. The
rhythms, imagery, and often surprise endings encourage a love
of poetry in even the youngest readers.
There’s a Frog in My Throat: 440 Animal Sayings
a Little Bird Told Me
by Loreen Leedy and Pat Street
Age level: 6-9
Recommended by Reading Rockets, WETA/PBS’s multimedia
project, this entertaining book is for anyone who wonders about
the meanings of everyday expressions. Familiar idioms are
loosely organized by animal types – from wild animals to
house pets. Each saying is clearly explained through witty text
and lively illustrations that children will be bound to return
to, again and again.
The King Who Rained
by Fred Gwynne
Age level: 6 and up
The main character in this picture book is a
little girl who is confused by the homonyms -- words that sound
alike but mean different things -- that she hears from her family.
The
author, Fred Gwynne, best known for his role as Herman on the
television show, “The Munsters,” has written two other books about homonyms as well. The
King Who Rained is an excellent choice for children to explore
wordplay.
The Great Show-and-Tell Disaster
by Mike Reiss and illustrated by Mike Cressy
Age level: 5 and up
Told in rhyme, this story revolves around Ned,
who, not knowing what to bring
for “show and tell,” invents a contraption he calls
a “Word Mix-up Ray.” Ned’s invention
turns objects and people into anagrams – Nat becomes an
ant, a lamp
turns into a palm, Ned’s own aunt turns into a tuna . After
several escapades, Ned
finally rights most of his wrongs, and his adventures will surely
inspire readers to
try their own hands at wordplay.
Frog and Toad are Friends (An I Can Read Book)
by Arnold Lobel
Age level: 5-8
This book, published in 1970, is the first
of four in a series about two unlikely friends. A finalist
for the National Book Award for Children’s Literature,
Lobel’s classic story is sure to engage the hearts and
minds of children who are interested in funny, touching stories
about friendship.
Nate The Great
by Marjorie Weinman and illustrated by Marc Simont
Age level: 4-8
The first in a series of over 20 Nate
the Great adventures,
Weinman’s books
have been picked as Books of the Year by the Library of Congress.
This
series introduces beginning readers to the world of mysteries,
clues and the
pancake-loving main character, Nate. Join Nate as he tries
to find his
friend Annie’s painting of her dog, Fang.
If Not for the Cat
by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by Ted Rand
Age level: 5-8
A 2005 American Library Association Notable Children’s
Book, If Not for the Cat is a collection of 17 animal haikus – an ancient Japanese
poetry form that requires 17 syllables -- that will delight readers
as they try to solve the riddle of each poem – which animal
does this haiku describe?
Poetry Speaks to Children (Book and CD)
by Elise Paschen (editor) and Dominique Raccah (Editor)
Age level: 8 and up
A diverse collection of both contemporary poems and classics,
such as “Casey at the Bat,” and “Jabberwocky,” this
playfully illustrated picture-book will introduce young and older
readers to the joys of poetry. The accompanying CD includes
performances of over 60 poets reading from their own work.
Just So Stories (Chrysalis Children’s
Classic Series)
by Rudyard Kipling and illustrated by Safaya Salter
Age level: 8 and up
English novelist and poet, and winner of the
1907 Nobel Prize for Literature, Rudyard
Kipling’s collection of classic stories has withstood the
test of time. These twelve stories,
often set in exotic locations, borrow from the tradition of Indian
and African oral
storytelling. Kipling’s love of rhythm and the sound
of words, as well as his timeless characters, will bring hours
of reading pleasure to young and older readers.
Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia (I Can Read Book 2)
by Peggy Parish and illustrated by Lynn Sweat
Age level: 6-9
Part of the Amelia Bedelia series,
this book finds Amelia, the very literal-minded housekeeper,
suddenly playing substitute teacher for the day. Because Amelia
constantly misinterprets the meanings of words, her “class” will
have a day like
never before! The Amelia Bedelia series is wordplay at its funniest,
and teaches
children the importance of word usage.
Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea (Mr.
Putter & Tabby Series)
by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Arthur Howard
Age level: 5-8
The first in the Mr. Putter & Tabby early
reader series, this book introduces
the readers to the main characters, Mr. Putter, an older man
who is tired of living alone, and Tabby, the elderly cat he rescues
from an animal shelter. The two soon become close
friends, and in carefully crafted language, Rylant brings their
love to life.
Word Wizard
by Cathryn Falwell
Age level: 5-8
Selected as a 1999 Notable Children’s Book
by the National Council of Language
Arts Teachers, this is the story of Anna, who becomes a word
wizard after discovering that she can arrange the letters in
her cereal to spell different words. Soon she’s making
word changes all over. This playful, imaginative story is a great
introduction to
wordplay, particularly anagrams. In an afterward, the author
suggests a variety of
ways the reader can practice making up anagrams.
Beetle Boy
by Laurence David and illustrated by Delphine Durand
Age level: 6 and up
One morning, second-grader Gregory Sampson wakes
up and discovers that he has
turned into a giant beetle. Much to his distress, only his best
friend notices. Inspired
by Franz Kafka’s classic, “The Metamorphosis,” Laurence
David’s tongue-in-cheek
story makes the reader want to share Gregory’s ultimately
triumphant day.
Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster
by Debra Frasier
Age level: 8 and up
Author and illustrator of the acclaimed On
the Day You Were Born, Debra Fraiser’s
second book fully engages the reader with plot and wordplay,
offering hundreds of words and their definitions. When Sage,
a fifth-grade girl, makes a public vocabulary mistake, she suffers
great embarrassment. Yet, ten days later, Sage goes on
to win the gold trophy in the school’s annual vocabulary
parade. In addition to the uplifting story, Frasier offers hidden-word
games, and an alphabetical sentence activity on every page.
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FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS :
Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction
by Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, Linda Kucan
Written by a team of researchers, this readable,
informative book provides an inspiring yet practical approach
to effective vocabulary instruction. Stressing how much fun
teaching and learning words can be, Bringing Words
to Life offers detailed strategies,
as well as specific, invaluable advice to parents and teachers
alike.
The Vocabulary Book
by Michael Graves
Co-published by the Teachers College Press and the National
Council of Teachers of English, The Vocabulary Book introduces
a four-part vocabulary program that includes how to provide varied
and rich language experiences, how to teach word-learning strategies
and individual words, that both parents and teachers can utilize.
As well as sharing classroom portraits of successful vocabulary
instruction, Graves also clearly presents the thinking of some
of the best minds in vocabulary research.
Teaching Word Meanings (Literacy Teaching Series)
by Steven A. Stahl, William E. Nagy
Offering a comprehensive approach to vocabulary
instruction, this book provides both practical classroom activities
for teaching words, and methods teachers can use to make their
whole curriculum more effective at vocabulary development.
In addition to a variety of vocabulary activities, Teaching
Word Meanings also includes word learning strategies,
and guidelines for choosing which words to teach, and how
to teach them.
The Fluent Reader: Oral Reading Strategies for Building
Word Recognition,
Fluency, and Comprehension
by Timothy V. Rasinski
Combining theory with practice, The
Fluent Reader promotes oral reading, and offers
a range of practical suggestions and techniques for the classroom.
Each chapter describes a particular technique for building
fluency, techniques that are well-researched, innovative and
inspiring for students.
Raising Lifelong Learners: A Parent’s Guide
by Lucy McCormick Calkins and Lydia Bellino
Written by one of the leading authorities on the teaching of
reading and writing, Lucy Calkins, (Founding Director of the
Teachers Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University),
presents the process by which parents can best cultivate their
children’s natural curiosity, and support their skills
as readers, writers, and lifelong learners in all subjects. Calkins
offers invaluable, practical advice on how to create a rich learning
environment at home, while six appendices by elementary school
principal and reading specialist, Lydia Bellino, directly address
school issues. Though written for parents, Raising
Lifelong Learners: A Parent’s Guide is equally
useful for educators and caregivers.
Words Their Way, Third edition
by Donald R. Bear, Marcia Invernizzi, Shane R. Templeton, Francine
Johnston
Combining discussions of theory and practical
assessment techniques and tools, this book offers, in developmental
sequence, over 250 ready-to-use activities for word study,
vocabulary, spelling and phonics. Written by educators who
are noted authorities in word study, Words Their
Way, 3rd edition, is a great resource for activities
and games for all abilities that will surely engage students
in the classroom.
The Game of Words
by Willard R. Espy
A fun, engaging collection of over 200 kinds
of word games, including vocabulary
stretchers, anagrams, tongue-twisters, puns, and malapropisms,
along with notes on
their histories, and tips on how to play them.
The Read-Aloud Handbook: Sixth Edition
by Jim Trelease
For more than two decades, parents and educators
have turned to this classic, now
in its sixth edition. Supported by research and anecdotes, The
Read-Aloud Handbook offers proven strategies and
techniques for turning children into avid readers, and
improving their language skills. It provides books lists with
suggested age ranges, descriptions of topics, as well as discussion
questions and activities for before, during and after reading
together.
Learn-to-Read Treasure Hunts: Fifty Skill-Building
Games for Beginning Readers
And Their Parents
by Steve Cohen
Intended to boost reading skills and confidence, this book offers
fifty progressively more difficult treasure hunt games for children
ages 5-7. Parents tear out perforated pages and hide the
clues as instructed, and then their children must read the clues
to complete the
treasure hunt. Additionally, there is a phonics matching games
for each final clue, and
fifty reward stickers.
The RIF* Guide to Encouraging Young Readers (*Reading
Is Fundamental)
by Ruth Graves
The acclaimed Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. offers
a sourcebook of over 200
favorite reading activities of parents and children from across
the country. The
activities, grouped according to age, stress the fun of reading,
and are sure to engage the whole family. There is also an annotated
age-grouped listing of books, and a section of “further
resources” for parents and children. This book will appeal
to educators and librarians as well as parents.
Merriam-Webster's New Book of Word
Histories
by Merriam-Webster
A helpful, entertaining reference for word lovers. This book
covers the origins of over 1,500 words and explores the stories
behind our vocabulary – how words were written, understood,
passed on, misused, and have come to be used today. A fun
resource for parents or educators to use in promoting a love
of words in children.
You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short
Stories to Read Together
by Mary Ann Hoberman
Hoberman, inspired by her work with the Literacy
Volunteers of America, offers an illustrated, whimsical approach
to reading aloud with children. In thirteen humorous, rhyming
stories that cover favorite childhood topics, You
Read to Me, I’ll Read to You is a book
meant to be read aloud by two readers, and should appeal to
children aged 5-7.
The Poetry Break: An Annotated Anthology with Ideas
for Introducing Children to Poetry
by Caroline Feller Bauer
Recommended by Reading is Fundamental, Inc., this collection
of over 250 poems and suggestions for related activities is designed
to make poetry accessible and enjoyable for both teachers and
children. Additionally, there are annotated bibliographies
that list
poetry resources for teachers, and poetry books for children.
It Figures! Fun Figures of Speech
by Marvin Terban and illustrated by Giulio Maestro
In a clear, entertaining approach to improving
writing skills, this book introduces six of
the most frequently used figures of speech: metaphors, similes,
alliteration, hyperbole,
personification and onomatopoeia. Terban concisely defines each
term, offers
familiar and less-familiar examples from literature and folklore,
and offers writing
exercises, while Maestro’s cartoons reinforce the material.
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