Giddy Up, Daddy! (Troy Cummings)

 

This comes across at first as a book too young for my class, but as the story went on, everyone was drawn in and really enjoyed it (judging by the laughing and engaged listeners!). Fits well with our imagination unit.

Goodreads says:

Giddy-Up, Daddy! is the newest imaginative picture book from celebrated cartoonist Troy Cummings. When rootin'-tootin' Daddy the "horse" is eyeballed by some rotten rustlers, it's all the kids can do to keep him out of the big lugs' lasso. What follows is a quick detour through a rodeo, a trip across a circus high wire, and a near-miss in the Rockies, till the kids don Mounty gear and capture the bad guys for good. A celebratory parade at sundown leads the kids and Daddy back home into Mom's waiting arms. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

 I've made a big decision. I'm only going to read ONE book at a time from now. Well, except for the book I'm reading aloud to my class....and maybe the audio book I listen to while I walk. LOL In the past, I often had a book at school, a book at my desk at home, a book in the living room by my big comfy chair, and sometimes one in the car too (well, that was more often when I spent time driving kids around and waiting for them much more than I ever do now). I tend to easily get distracted by shiney objects (=new books) and that then means it takes much longer than it should to get through a book. 

So!! This week, Smart but Scattered is first on my list.

After that, I'll read The Handmaid's Tale.

Our read-aloud at school right now is The Wild Robot. I'm loving it!

Atomic Habits (James Clear)

 

I really liked this book. It has a lot of similar ideas found in Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin, but a bit of a different spin. I read it all the way through and plan to focus on one strategy (he calls them laws) over a month starting in February. I'm looking forward to that! 

I have decided on one tiny change I'm going to make: I'm going to try to only read one book at a time from now on. I often have a book at school I'm reading, one by my bed, one at my desk at home and sometimes one in the car. I'm going to go back to always carrying my book with me.

Goodreads says:

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.

Learn how to:
*  make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);
*  overcome a lack of motivation and willpower;
*  design your environment to make success easier;
*  get back on track when you fall off course;
...and much more.

Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal. 

Minnow and Rose: An Oregon Trail Story (Judy Young)

 

We read this book on Epic while everyone was learning at home. It kept everyone's attention, that's for sure. I found it ended really fast though. We wanted to know more about their friendship.

Also, it uses old terms for First Nations people. I just said, "It says...., but I'm going to say First Nations when I read this." 

Goodreads says:

In the mid-1800s thousands of pioneers crossed the western plains of the United States using the 2,000-mile pathway called the Oregon Trail. Minnow and her family live in one of the many native villages scattered across the plains. She has a lively sense of adventure and her favorite pastime is swimming in the nearby river where she rightly earns her nickname. Rose and her family are traveling in one of the many wagon trains making their way west. It's been a tedious journey with little excitement. Rose can't wait for something thrilling to happen. And one day it does. On the banks of a rushing river that divides one way of life from another, two very different cultures come face-to-face, with life-changing results.In addition to writing children's books, Judy Young teaches poetry writing workshops for children and educators across the country. Her other books with Sleeping Bear Press include the popular R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet and The Lucky Star. Judy lives near Springfield, Missouri. A graduate of the Ringling School of Art and Design, Bill Farnsworth has created paintings for magazines, advertisements, children's books, and fine art commissions. He has illustrated more than 50 children's books and his book awards include a Teachers' Choice Award, the 2005 Patricia Gallagher Award, and the 2007 Volunteer State Book Award. Bill lives in Venice, Florida.

Dream Big Little Pig (Kristi Yamaguchi)

 

A great new year's conversation starter! 

I asked my class what resolutions are and we had a discussion about goals. I asked them if they had a goal for this year and every single one of them did! After we read the story, we wrote in our journals about our goals. For the picture part, we wrote the phrases that repeated in this book: Dream Big! Follow your dreams! You go, girl!" and then the topic sentence for our paragraph was, "I have a goal". 

Goodreads says:

Inspire kids of all ages to never give up and always dream big with Dream Big Little Pig, the New York Times bestseller from Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi!

Poppy is a waddling, toddling pig with big dreams. She wants to be a star! But she soon discovers that's not as easy as it sounds. It's only when Poppy feels the magic of gliding and sliding, swirling and twirling on ice that our most persistent pig truly believes in herself: Poppy, star of the rink!

"Follow your
Dreams!"
"You go, Girl!"
"Dream Big, pig!"

Jonathan Cleaned Up - Then He Heard a Sound (Robert Munsch)

 

This is a typical silly Robert Munsch story. The title though. Come on Robert Munsch! It sounds like one my students would make up and then my response would be, "Well, let's shorten it up a bit." 

Then again, who am I to criticize Robert Munsch?!

These days, during the pandemic and election woes, the story touched a nerve with complaining to the mayor and then finding out that he doesn't know a thing, the computer isn't working and there's one long person running the whole show behind the scenes. In the end, when the train stop moves to the mayor's office, that seemed like just deserts. 

I didn't really have much of a curriculum connection to this one. It was just fun, which seemed right on our first day back to learning after winter break....only this week are doing it online! Thank you pandemic.

Goodreads says:

A subway stops in Jonathan’s apartment, and out pour thousands of commuters and their litter.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

 Maybe I was a little too ambitious last week. I didn't get everything read that I had planned. This week I plan to read these two books:

Haven't started The Testaments yet, but I got the audio book as well so I can listen to it when I walk. Yea!

I've read about the first 100 pages of Atomic Habits. This is a GREAT book! I'm really enjoying it.