Loving Literacy Blog Hop

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With Valentine's Day approaching, our group of reading specialists, coaches, and teacher bloggers decided it was the perfect time to share our love of literacy with you.  Each of us is passionate about helping children develop a love of reading, and what better way to love reading than through our favorite books.  Each blogger participating in this weekend's hop is sharing materials for his/her favorite book, book about friendship, or for Valentine's day.  We hope you'll enjoy using them and sharing your love of literacy with your students.

Growing up I always knew that I would be a teacher.  The only question was, "What would I teach?"  I love reading, but honestly, I was better at math.  Math came easy.  I could explain it to others.  I tutored math to other kids while I was still in middle and high school.  It made sense: I would be a math teacher.  I set out in college as a math major with a focus in secondary education.  I got BORED. haha

So, as much as I love to teach math, I just couldn't spend four years among math majors and learning more math that I really already knew.  So I had a change of course.  I decided to look into elementary education.  I had done a lot of volunteer work in a fifth grade classroom and I really enjoyed it.  Once I got my degree, I started putting in my applications.  I was hoping for a fourth or fifth grade position somewhere.  This is what I really enjoyed while in college.  I got my first job offer....for second grade.  I had NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING! haha  I wasn't going to turn down the job, but I was terrified.

I quickly realized that I truly did not know how to teach these kids how to read.  It was much easier said that done!  I knew all of the philosophies and the research.  I had no idea how to apply it.  I felt completely inadequate.   Fortunately I had an amazing principal and curriculum coordinator.  They arranged for me to go see some amazing speakers and educators and helped me to really turn my reading instruction around.  I became inspired and ADDICTED!!  I knew that this is what I wanted to do! I wanted to teach reading.  Now, I am not only in love with teaching my firsties, but I have also my Master's degree in reading and literacy.

Today we are sharing with you some of our favorite books.  This was such a difficult task for me.  I have SO many favorites!! I decided to share with you just one of the many books that I love to read aloud to my students.  The book A Day with No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch is a such a fun picture book.  It is one that every kid can relate to and includes such vivid adjectives!

In this story, Liza loves to color with her crayons but gets into trouble for writing on the wall.  With her crayons taken away, she is left in a world with no color...gray.  Liza begins to discover a world of color around her.  The adjectives in this story are spectacular.  Liza does not describe her colors as purple and pink, but fushia and tickle-me-pink.  This unit will be a great supplement to your read aloud with this book.  It includes a pre-reading activity in which students think about how they would feel if they were no longer allowed to play with their favorite toy.  The post reading activities include a flip book on problem/solution, a class graphing activity of their favorite colors, and a scavenger hunt picture and writing activity.  Students get to brainstorm their own new, creative names for different colors to use in their descriptions of their pictures.  It is truly a fun way to get students to think about adjectives! Be sure to grab it now while it is available for free! 

I do hope that you will stick around by following me on Bloglovin!  I am always looking for new friends to collaborate with! Plus, you don't want to miss out on my upcoming ebook and Adventures in Literacy Land freebie this weekend!