Categories
Accessibility Diversity and Diverse Learners English French Language Arts Uncategorized

Accessible Hi-lo Books in French & English – Livres Hi-lo accessibles en français et en anglais

Vous trouverez ci-dessous une sélection de ressources pédagogiques pour l’enseignement du français et de l’anglais, avec des livres Hi-lo faciles à lire, c’est-à-dire des livres à fort intérêt, à faible niveau de lecture ou à faible vocabulaire.

Pour apprendre comment effectuer une recherche de ressources supplémentaires, veuillez consulter la section « Trouver d’autres ressources » au bas de la page.

Below is a selection of teacher resources for teaching French & English, with easy-to-read Hi-lo books that are high interest-low reading level or low vocabulary books.

To learn how to search for more resources, please see the “Finding More Resources” section at the bottom of the page.

Hi-Lo Reading Books – Livres de lecture Hi-Lo

Betting Game

by Heather M. O’Connor.

Interest age: 9-12 by Orca Sports

Jack’s a star player on an elite soccer team along with his brother, Alex. When a bookie introduces Jack to illegal betting, Jack goes down a slippery slope and is forced to choose between the National Championship and a gut-kicking ten grand. But can he betray his brother, his team, and himself?

Camped Out

by Daphne Greer.

Interest age: 9-12 by Orca Currents

As the sequel to Maxed Out, Max really wants to go to summer camp to get a break from his autistic brother Duncan and his mom’s new boyfriend. When his mom finally lets him, he can only go with one catch: he has to bring Duncan with him.

He Who Dreams

by Melanie Florence.

Interest age: 12+ by Orca Limelights

When John witnesses a powerful performance at the powwow, he wants to become a dancer more than anything… but that means John must find a way to balance and embrace both the Irish and Cree sides of his heritage.

Vive le poulet!

by Mahtab Narsimhan; traduit de l’anglais par Rachel Martinez.

Interest age: 9-12 by Orca Currents

Mais elle ne se sent plus vraiment comme une étrangère. Elle aime sa nouvelle école et elle a enfin une amie. Par contre, quand sa mère se propose pour cuisiner pour la fête-bénéfice annuelle de l’école, Shivani est sûre qu’elle deviendra la risée de tout le monde. Qu’est-ce qui arrivera si sa mère décide de préparer un de ses « plats qui puent » ? Shivani adore la cuisine indienne, mais pas question d’en manger devant ses amis.

Les casse-cous

by Pam Withers

Interest age: 9-12 by Orca Currents

Les Casse-Cous doivent fair sept coups d’audace avant que leur rivaux, les Sauvages, n’en fassent autant. Avant un accident où il a perdu l’usage de sa jambe gauche, Kip était le leader des Casse-Cous. Il a maintenant de la difficulté à réussir les coups et il soupconne que les autres membres veulent l’exclure du club. À mesure que les coups deviennent plus difficiles, les Casse-Cous tentent de convaincre Kip qu’il ne sera peut-être pas à la hauteur. Kip refuse d’abandonner même s’il sait que ses amis ont probablement raison.

Frappée par la foudre

by Deb Loughead

Interest age: 9-12 by Orca Currents

La vie de Claire a besoin d’un changement radical. Elle coule en math, sa mère déprimée ne veut pas se lever du sofa et le gars de ses rêves est avec sa rivale Lucy. Au moment où Claire fait le souhait d’une vie meilleure, la foudre frappe. Bientôt sa vie se transforme et Claire obtient tout ce qu’elle a souhaité. Elle se demande bientôt si le prix à payer pour cette chance n’est pas trop élevé.

A fond la Planche!

by Eric Walters

Interest age: 12+ by Orca Soundings

Pour Phillip, le skate, c’est toute sa vie. L’école est simplement un intermède entre les séances de skate où il essaie des sauts difficiles et déjoue les gardiens de sécurité. Lorsque son meilleur ami Wally et lui rencontrent un skater professionnel qui fait des vidéos pour son site Web, Phillip pense qu’ils peuvent faire la même chose, et faire de l’argent en même temps. Lorsque leur site Web devient populaire, et leur rapporte de l’argent, ils se sentent obligés de faire des cascades de plus en plus dangereuses.

Jungle Jitters

by Lisa Dalrymple.

Interest age: 9-12 by Orca Currents

Even though he’s secretly terrified of deep water, Tate wants to shake his boring reputation, so he agrees to travel with his class up the Amazon River to help build a village school, only to find that there are even scarier things than anacondas lurking in the jungles of South America…

Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lands

by David Almond.

Interest age: not specified by Barrington Stoke Teen. Dyslexia-friendly

When a German refugee moves to a small English town in the aftermath of World War II, he is an outsider. The gang decide to take Klaus under their wing, but their increasingly hateful pranks cause Klaus to question their actions. This short novel has spaced out text on cream-coloured paper and some illustrations.

Learning to Fly

by Paul Yee.

Interest age: 12+ by Orca Soundings

Jason is an outsider. A recent immigrant from China, he lives in a close-minded Ontario town with his mother and younger brother. Holding on to his friendship with an Indigenous boy, also an outsider, Jason finds he needs to fight to belong and to find a new home.

Manga Touch

by Jacqueline Pearce.

Interest age: 9-12 by Orca Currents

Dana is certain she will be less of an outsider on her school trip to Japan, home of manga and anime. But fitting in with a foreign culture is harder than she thought and as she learns to make some friends, some people make every effort to remind her that she’s still an outsider.

One Last Job

by Sean Rodman.

Interest age: 12+ by Orca Anchor. Dyslexia-friendly

Michael has to look after his grandfather, a retired burglar with a lifetime of criminal knowledge. When a thief steals a necklace with great sentimental value, the unlikely pair team up, combining old-school planning and modern tech to track down the necklace—and try to steal it back.

The Unbroken Hearts Club

by Brooke Carter.

Interest age: 12+ by Orca Soundings

After her mom died of Huntington’s disease, Logan’s dad hosts a bereavement group in their basement. Logan agrees to help her dad out with these sad “Broken Hearts Club” meetings, unaware of the effect the group will have on her as she struggles to find meaning in her life.

Wicket Season

by Gabrielle Prendergast.

Interest age: 10-13 by Lorimer Sports Series

In Winnipeg, Harry was a cricket star. But when he moves to Toronto’s Little Jamaica to stay with his grandfather, Harry is suddenly just another West Indian kid who loves cricket. Harry soon realizes that being a part of a bigger community can be more rewarding than standing out on your own.

Resource Guides

Orca Publishers offers free teacher guides with book summaries, author biographies, and literacy activities to connect the text and themes of each book with the school curriculum. Resource guides are also available online or in print for books published up to 2010 by searching Orca Resource Guide on our Library website.

Livres bilingues et lecteurs faciles pour les élèves
Bilingual and Easy Reader Books for Students

Bilingual and Multilingual Picture Books: French – Livres bilingues et multilingues : français

Easy and Level Readers – Lecteurs faciles (français)


Trouver d’autres ressources

Voici quelques conseils pour trouver d’autres ressources dans ce domaine :

  • Pour trouver des matériaux à travers toutes les bibliothèques de l’UBC et en ligne, aller sur le site principal de la bibliothèque de l’UBC et utilisez la boîte de recherche générale.
  • Pour limiter vos résultats aux matériels disponibles à la Bibliothèque de l’éducation, visitez le site web de la Bibliothèque de l’éducation et effectuez une recherche à l’aide de la case “Search Education Resources” située dans la bande à gauche de l’écran.
  • Remarque : Parce que les ressources sont principalement cataloguées en anglais dans le système de l’UBC, ces termes de recherche donnent généralement plus de résultats que les recherches effectuées en français. Vous pouvez filtrer votre liste de résultats par langue dans la barre latérale de gauche.
  • Utilisez des termes de recherche spécifiques, tels que
    • “high interest accessible”, “Orca Currents”, “Orca Limelights”, “Orca Sports”, “Orca Soundings”, or “Orca Anchor”, or “Orca Soundings”, or “Orca Anchor”AND French
    • “FLL” or “FSL”
  • Pour trouver des plans de cours, incluez “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, ou “activity programs” dans vos termes de recherche.

Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • To find materials across all UBC Library branches and online content, go to the UBC Library website and use the General tab to search.
  • To find physical materials in the Education Library, go to the Education Library website and use the Search Education Resources box on the left to search.
  • Use specific search terms, such as:
    • “high interest accessible”, “Orca Currents”, “Orca Limelights”, “Orca Sports”, “Orca Soundings”, or “Orca Anchor”, or “Orca Soundings”, or “Orca Anchor”AND French
    • “FLL” or “FSL”
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.
Categories
Language Arts Uncategorized

Early Chapter and Hybrid Books

Early Chapter Books

Early chapter books are written for newly independent readers transitioning from easy readers to middle grade novels. They often have short chapters, simple vocabulary, short sentences, and plenty of engaging illustrations. They also have larger font with more spacing compared to longer chapter books.

Early chapter books are sometimes referred to as first chapter books or beginner chapter books. Most, but not all, early chapter books come as a series to motivate people to continue reading about their favourite characters on different adventures.

Listed below are some of the early chapter books we have available at the Education Library.

Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants (Questioneers Chapter Books, #2)

The Questioneers: Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants (#2)

by Andrea Beaty

When Rosie Revere’s Uncle Ned gets a little carried away wearing his famous helium pants, it’s up to Ada and friends to chase him down. Author Beaty and illustrator Roberts blends science notes with text and illustrations to bring you a bestselling series on STEM topics. Picture book editions are also available.

Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix

Calvin Coconut: The Zippy Fix (#2)

by Graham Salisbury

After Stella, the babysitter, calls Calvin names like ‘Stumpy’, he takes advantage of her allergy to cats. But when the sweet revenge turns sour, Calvin finds a way to make it up to her. Set near Kailua, Hawaii, this series features different cultures, some Hawaiian patois, and a realistic and likeable fourth grader growing up in Oahu.

Eve of the Emperor Penguin : Osborne, Mary Pope, Murdocca, Sal: Amazon.ca: Books

Magic Tree House Merlin Missions: Eve of the Emperor Penguin (#40)

by Mary Pope Osborne

Jack and Annie arrive on the one continent they haven’t visited before: Antarctica! What can they hope to learn about happiness in such a barren place? Only the penguins know for sure…Jack and Annie are about to find out! This book is a part of the Merlin Missions of the historical fantasy and adventure series and is longer and more advanced for growing readers. The original Magic Tree House books (shorter and simpler) and Fact Trackers nonfiction companion series are also available at the UBC Education Library.

A Galactic Easter! (Galaxy Zack Book 7) eBook : O'Ryan, Ray, Jack, Colin: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

Galaxy Zack: A Galactic Easter! (#7)

by Ray O’Ryan

Zack and Drake venture to Gluco, the candy planet, for some Easter fun but while competing in such activities as an egg toss and a three-legged race, Zack is so determined to come in first that he considers cheating to win. This series has large and spacious text with plenty of goofy illustrations on each page.

The Mysterious Cheese Thief - Geronimo Stilton - Google BooksThe Mysterious Cheese Thief (#31)

by Geronimo Stilton

I, Geronimo Stilton, am not a big fan of spooky things. But when the Stilton cheese began disappearing all around me, I had to do something! Could I find the mysterious cheese thief, or was I in for a big scare? Geronimo Stilton is back with another fast-paced and lively adventure with colourful pictures and playful fonts that visually describe the key words.

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen : Michiko Florence, Debbi, Vukovic, Elizabet: Amazon.ca: Books

Jasmine Toguchi: Mochi Queen (#1)

by Debbi Michiko Florence

The Jasmine Toguchi series features a lively, hopeful, and determined 8-year-old Japanese American growing up in LA. Eager to do something her big sister has not done first, she decides to pound mochi for New Year’s. The series covers themes on friendships, evolving sibling dynamics, trying something new, and making right the wrongs, and the back matter includes crafts and recipes for hands-on fun.

Justine McKeen, Pooper Scooper (Orca Echoes)Justine McKeen: Pooper Scooper (#3)

by Sigmund Brouwer

Justine leads a group of kids in cleaning up a park located across from the school board’s offices as part of a plan to get her school librarian back on the job. With smaller text similar to middle grade novels, the Justine McKeen series has short chapters and pictures to introduce environmental issues with educator notes in the back matter.

Megabat : Humphrey, Anna, Reich, Kass: Amazon.ca: Books

Megabat (#1)

by Anna Humphrey

Daniel Misumi had just moved from Toronto when he discovers a talking fruit bat in his new house! Can he help Megabat find his way back to Borneo before they are exposed? This funny and charming book is slightly longer than most early chapter books, but has large font and simple text with themes on loneliness, friendship, and overcoming challenges.

Mia Mayhem Is a Superhero! (Volume 1): West, Kara, Hernandez, Leeza: 9781534432697: Books - Amazon.caMia Mayhem is a Superhero! (#1)

by Kara West

When 8-year-old Mia receives a mysterious letter from the headmistress of the Program for In Training Superheroes (PITS), she learns that her mayhem is caused by her superpowers! The series is suitable for children who likes excitement, building new strengths, and solving chaotic problems with a twist of superhero action!

I Want My Mummy_cover

Ms. Frogbottom’s Field Trips: I Want My Mummy! (#1)

by Nancy Krulik

Ms. Frogbottom’s magic map takes her students all over the world to battle with mythical monsters no one believes are real. When she whisks the class away to Egypt, they come face to face with a mummy! With real-life facts, each book introduces you to the history, culture, food, and mystical creatures of another country from a different student’s point of view.

Nikki & Deja (Nikki & Deja, #1) by Karen English

Nikki & Deja (#1)

by Karen English

When an arrogant new girl comes to school, third-graders and best friends Nikki and Deja decide to form a club that would exclude her but find the results are not what they expect. This series is heartwarming and easy-to-read with themes of friendship, joys, and challenges in everyday school life.

Amazon.com: My Vida Loca (Sofia Martinez): 9781479587209: Jules, Jacqueline, Smith, Kim: Books

Sofia Martinez: My Vida Loca

by Jacqueline Jules

7-year-old Sofia Martinez is on another adventure with her family with these three stories about the Singing Superstar, the Secret Recipe, and the Marigold Mess. The series features Spanish words in pink, a glossary in the back, large and sparse text, and colourful charming illustrations for some multicultural fun!

West Meadows Detectives: The Case of the Snack Snatcher: O'Donnell, Liam, Grand, Aurélie: 9781771470698: Books - Amazon.ca

West Meadows Detectives: The Case of the Snack Snatcher (#1)

by Liam O’Donnell

When the school kitchen is burgled, third grader Myron gets his chance to crack the case with his classmates from Resource Room 15. Myron’s unique perspective from the autism spectrum makes him a top-notch sleuth. Similarly, the other kids in his resource room demonstrate creative problem solving and unique talents that come in handy for the case.

Wolfie and Fly : Fagan, Cary, Si, Zoe: Amazon.ca: Books

Wolfie & Fly (#1)

by Cary Fagan

Wolfie, a lone wolf who does not like using her imagination, reluctantly befriends Fly, a slightly weird and wordy boy, and soon they find themselves navigating through deep water in a submarine made from a cardboard box. With large text and pictures on every few pages, this series shares themes of imagination, friendship, and adventure.

Hybrid Books

Combining different approaches to storytelling, hybrid books offer an engaging experience and are helpful for contextual learning, especially for undiscovered readers or English language learners. Although there are different types of hybrid books, the titles below combine pictures and text with elements often associated with graphic novels, such as speech bubbles and illustration panels, for a lively reading experience.

Amazon.com: The Bad Guys (The Bad Guys #1) (1): 9780545912402: Blabey, Aaron, Blabey, Aaron: Books

The Bad Guys (#1)

by Aaron Blabey

They sound like bad guys, they look like bad guys … and they even smell like bad guys. But Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Shark are tired of being the villains. Will the Bad Guys become the Good Guys? This hilarious series is full of goofy illustrations and dramatic and sparse text while talking directly to the reader.

Fox & Chick: The Party: and Other Stories (Learn to Read Books, Chapter Books, Story Books for Kids, Children's Book Series, Children's Friendship Books): Ruzzier, Sergio: 9781452152882: Books - Amazon.ca

Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories (#1)

by Sergio Ruzzier

Fox and Chick don’t always agree, but they are always friends. With sly humour and companionable warmth, Ruzzier deftly captures the adventures of these two seemingly opposite friends. The luminous watercolour images showcased in comic-book panel form will entice emerging readers, while the spare text and airiness of the images make this early chapter book accessible to a picture book audience.

All Paws on Deck (Haggis and Tank Unleashed #1)Haggis and Tank Unleashed: All Paws on Deck (#1)

by Jessica Young

Tank is a clumsy, outgoing Great Dane, and Haggis is a bored, curmudgeonly Scottie, so one afternoon Tank suggests they turn the wagon in the backyard into a ship and play pirate. The series features sparse text with speech bubbles, colourful illustrations, and a fast-paced plot for an adventurous read.

Let's Get Cracking!: A Branches Book (Kung Pow Chicken #1) : Marko, Cyndi, Marko, Cyndi: Amazon.ca: Books

Kung Pow Chicken: Let’s Get Cracking! (#1)

by Cyndi Marko

Second grader Gordon Blue and his brother Benny seemed like ordinary chickens until… they became Kung Pow Chicken and Egg Drop! Can they save Fowladelphia from Granny Goosebumps and the cookies that cause innocent chickens’ feathers to fall off? With vibrant illustrations, speech bubbles, and sparse text, this series is a funny, pun-filled, and fast-paced kick butt adventure.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #1): Clanton, Ben: 9781101918715: Books - Amazon.ca

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (#1)

by Ben Clanton

A happy-go-lucky, waffle-loving narwhal and a cynical, no-nonsense jellyfish forge an unlikely friendship and share adventures while exploring the ocean together. A wonderfully silly early graphic novel series featuring three stories. Ben Clanton showcases the joys of friendship, the benefits of working together, and the power of imagination.

Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to physical materials in the Education Library.
  • To find more books of a series, browse or search the series title in quotations. E.g. “Mia Mayhem” or “A Merlin Mission”.
  • There is no specific way to search for early chapter books on Summons, but searching for “Orca Echoes” or “A Stepping Stone Book” yields some results.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
French Language Arts Uncategorized

Easy and Level Readers – Lecteurs faciles (français)

Introduction

Easy readers are tailored for children learning to read. They have simple stories with shorter sentences, limited vocabulary, picture cues, and large font. Because reading levels are determined by publishers and can vary across companies, we recommend that you consider individual readers and what feels right for them. For example, if they can read 3 out of 5 words in an easy reader book, that might be an appropriate book to gain fluency and expand their vocabulary.

Easy readers are sometimes referred to as early readers, emerging readers, beginning readers, juvenile readers, and other related terms. To learn how to search for easy readers on the UBC Library website, please see the “Finding More Resources” section below.

The following list has some English and French easy readers at varying levels that we have available at the Education Library.

Easy Readers

Fish for Supper

by Terri Mack

Strong Readers Level 1

Repetitive 3-word sentences are written in large font on each page about animals fishing for their supper.

Shapes

by Brenda Boreham

Strong Readers Level 5

5-10 word sentences about finding circles, rectangles, triangles, and squares around you.

Let’s Go for a Paddle

by Donna Klockars

Strong Readers Level 10

3-4 sentences on each page about animals that go for a paddle in their canoe. What happens when the fog rolls in?

The Old Cedar Tree

by Brenda Boreham

Strong Readers Level 15

2-7 sentences on each spread about an old cedar tree grows deep in the forest. What do you think you would see in the forest?

We Greet the Four Seasons

by Terri Mack

Strong Readers Level 20

The Medicine Wheel is a guide to living a healthy life and its four parts teach us many different things. We learn from everything that is around us! What do you already know about the four seasons? 7 sentences on each page with a repetitive structure.

The Lake of Stars

by Jamila Gavin

PYP Readers: Level 3 Fiction

A simple story with lovely watercolour illustrations about a mother duck and a little duck. Text on both sides with each page having 3-4 sentences.

Camping

by Sarah Russell

PYP Readers: Level 3 Non-fiction

A family goes camping in the summer. Can you guess what they did? 5 sentences on each spread with camping vocabulary and interactive questions.

We Are In A Book!

by Mo Willems

Grades: 1-4

When Gerald the elephant and Piggie realize that they are in a book, they decide to have some fun with the reader. Each page have big, bold, and spare text in speech bubbles with plenty of silliness and humour.

Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Perfect Pumpkin

by Kallie George

I Can Read: My first shared reading

Feather, Flap, and Spike go picking for pumpkins. What is a pumpkin perfect for? Very short and simple 2-3 sentences on each page.

Panda Kisses

by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Step Into Reading: Step 1

Baby Bear wants a kiss! A soft kiss. A sweet kiss. A sticky bamboo treat kiss. Which is the perfect panda kiss? 3-7 words on each page with large font.

Wild Reptiles: Snakes, Crocodiles, Lizards, and Turtles!

by Martin Kratt and Chris Kratt

Step Into Reading: Step 2

The Kratt brothers activate their creature powers to introduce readers to different types of reptiles and what they can do. 1-5 sentences on each page with large font.

Cats

by Joan Marie Galat

National Geographic Kids: Level 1

Learn about small and big cats in this “You read, I read” format. Simple sentences and further details are paired so that the adult and child can take turns reading.

Fly Guy presents: Space

by Tedd Arnold

Scholastic Readers: Level 2

During a visit to a space museum, Fly Guy and Buzz learn all about planets, space crafts, space suits, and even dirty snowballs (i.e. comets)! Each page is filled with vibrant and engaging images with text spread throughout. Some longer words have the pronunciation in brackets.

A Whale of a Tale!

by Bonnie Worth

Grades: K-3

Join the Cat in the Hat to explore porpoises, dolphins, and whales in this introductory nonfiction book. Each page has multiple sentences with labels, captions, and many illustrations.

French Easy Readers

Quel est ton métier ?

par Robert Cutting

Les échos de l’île de la tortue : Niveau C.

Daniel présente les membres de sa famille élargie et chacun de leurs emplois. Présenté dans le style d’un album de photos familial, chaque page comprend des photos des membres de la famille et des objets associés à chacune de leurs professions. 1 à 3 phrases courtes par page. Comprend une activité de réflexion permettant aux jeunes lecteurs de faire des liens avec leur vies quotidiens passées, présentes et futures.

C’était une farce

par Robert Cutting

Les échos de l’île de la tortue : Niveau I

Sara aime faire des farces à tous ses amis. Elle les trouve amusantes, mais est-ce que les autres la croiront lorsqu’elle essaiera de les avertir d’un réel danger ? Dans un style bande dessinée, ce livre comprend une page d’enseignements sur le thème de l’honnêteté. Comprend une activité de réflexion permettant aux jeunes lecteurs d’établir des liens avec leur vies quotidiens. 4 à 6 phrases courtes par page.

Le camouflage

par Julie Haydon

Zap sciences : Niveaux 12 à 14

Un livre d’information au sujet des animaux et des insectes qui se camouflent avec leur environnement. Les avantages et les processus du camouflage sont expliqués en 6 mini-chapitres avec des photos sur chaque page. Les termes figurant dans le glossaire du livre sont écrits en caractères gras. Le livre comprend une table des matières et un index. 1 à 4 phrases par page avec une grande police.

Le navet géant

par Jenny Giles

GB+ Contes et théâtre : Niveau 16

Un navet géant a poussé dans le jardin ! Il est si gros que le cueillir semble impossible. Récit simplifié d’un conte traditionnel occidental, le livre utilise la répétition et le texte lyrique pour raconter l’histoire d’un village qui travaille ensemble. 1 à 8 phrases par page utilisant une grande police de caractères. Comprend un scénario de théâtre destiné à une activité interactive pour les jeunes. Le scénario est codifié en couleur en fonction des paroles de chaque personnage.

Easy Readers with Chapters

The School Concert

by Angela Shelf Medearis

PYP Readers: Level 6 Fiction

Jazz had been dreading the school concert where she had to perform a song on the piano. When her teacher asks her to announce each performer, she discovers a new skill she didn’t know she had. 2 short chapters in 24 pages.

Ling & Ting Not Exactly the Same!

by Grace Lin

Join the twins Ling and Ting for some fun as they get a haircut, do magic tricks, make dumplings, and visit the library! Includes 6 silly stories with 1-7 sentences on each page.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Spin the Yarn

by Cynthia Rylant

Trying to be neighbourly, Mr. Putter decides to serve tea to Mrs. Teaberry’s knitting club but chaos ensues when Tabby the cat and Zeke the dog find the party irresistible. This book has 4 chapters with a few sentences spaced out on each page.

Mercy Watson to the Rescue

by Kate DiCamillo

Oh no! Mr. and Mrs. Watson’s bed is falling through the floor! How will their pet pig Mercy save them? This book has 12 short chapters with spaced out text suitable for readers transitioning to chapter books.

Princess Pistachio and the Pest

by Marie-Louise Gay

Forced to abandon exciting plans with her friends and take baby Penny to the park, Pistachio is sure her first day of summer holidays will be boring. But keeping Penny out of trouble proves to be more exciting than Pistachio expected. This book has 4 chapters with half pages of text suitable for readers transitioning to chapter books


Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow your results, such as “earth science”, “earth (planet) — juvenile literature”, “physical geography”, “weather”, or “science–study and teaching.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
Language Arts Uncategorized

Board Books

Board books are children’s books that are suitable for babies and toddlers. They have thick durable pages often with a finish that is easy to wipe clean. Listed below are some of the various board books we have available at the Education Library.

Alligator Pie

by Dennis Lee and Sandy Nichols

Poetry

The classic Canadian poem is featured in this large board book with simple line illustrations and watercolour suitable for a silly rhyme time with the toddlers!

Black Bear Red Fox

by Julie Flett

Concepts

Written and illustrated by a Vancouver-based Cree-Métis author, this book features vocabulary for colours and animals in English, Cree, and the Cree pronunciation with bold solid colours on one side and digital textured collages on the other side. We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers is also available at our library.

Calm

by Dr. Jillian Roberts

A quiet board book full of soothing messages to encourage adult readers to stay calm and co-regulate with the babies and toddlers in their lives.

Canada 123

by Paul Covello

Concepts

This large vibrant board book is full of bright colourful illustrations on two-page spreads while counting by 1s up to 10, then by 25s up to 100.

Hello Humpback!

by Roy Henry Vickers & Robert Budd

This is a vibrant board book with gentle embossing for babies and toddlers to experience the animals, landscape, sights, and sounds of the Pacific West Coast through beautiful Indigenous artwork. Similar reads can be found by searching Roy Henry Vickers “board books” on the UBC Library website.

I’m Dreaming of… Animals of the Native Northwest

by Melaney Gleeson-Lyall

Written and illustrated by a Musqueam, Coast Salish artist and author, this book uses rich, cultural art to feature different animals on each page. Animals of the Salish Sea is also available at our library.

Let’s Find Momo!

by Andrew Knapp

Look and find.

This large hide-and-seek board book is a fun interactive read featuring Momo the border collie in various settings. Each page invites you to find three items plus Momo in the colourful photographs.

Let’s Read

by Carol McDougall & Shanda LaRamee-Jones

This book uses rhyming text to celebrate the joy of reading. The photographs show different babies doing various activities related to reading. Similar books are available in this Baby Steps series.

More Than Balloons

by Lorna Crozier and Rachelle Anne Miller

This sweet lyrical board book with whimsical illustrations of various animals uses playful imagery to illustrate just how great a parent’s love is.

My Cat Needs Me

by Jane Cottrell and Jordan Wray

With simple cartoony illustrations and short sentences, this book teaches little ones the importance of caring for their cuddly kitty. My Dog Needs Me is also available at our library.

My Heart Fills with Happiness

by Monique Gray Smith and Julie Flett

The sun on your face. The smell of warm bannock baking in the oven. Holding the hand of someone you love. What fills your heart with happiness? This book supports the wellness of Indigenous children and families and encourages young children to reflect on what makes them happy.

Up Hamster Down Hamster

by Kass Reich

Concepts.

This book teaches about opposites using simple and cute illustrations of hamsters playing and engaging in fun activities. For other books in this series, search hamster “board books” on the UBC Library website.

Saffy and Ollie

by Paola Opal

Oh no, Sally’s rock is stuck! Find out what happens in this small but tall board book about playing with friends. For other books in this series, search Paola Opal “board books” on the UBC Library website.

The Feelings Book

by Todd Parr

Concepts.

Each page features a feeling or silly activity shown by the big, bold, and colourful illustrations with a meaningful message at the very end.


Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to physical materials in the Education Library.
  • To find more board books, search “board books” with quotations or simply browse board books in our Education Library Lab Room 155.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow down your results, such as (your desired topic) “board books”. For example, ABC “board books”.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
English Language Arts Planning for Teaching and Learning

Literature Circles

Listed below are selected teacher resources related to literature circles. Note that “literature circles,” “book clubs,” and “reading groups” are sometimes used synonymously; if you are searching for additional materials, you may wish to use those terms as well.

Teacher Resources

Grand conversations, thoughtful responses: A unique approach to literature circles

by Faye Brownlie (eBook)

Grades: 6-9

In Brownlie’s approach to Literature Circles, no roles are used and no limits are set on the amount students read. Students choose their books from an appropriate pre-arranged set, engage in meaningful conversations about their books with their peers, keep response journals, and work biweekly on a whole-class comprehension strategy.

Literature circles: The way to go and how to get there,

by Brooke Morris and Deborah Perlenfein

Includes detailed strategies for implementing, managing, organizing, and assessing literature circles.

Classroom literature circles: A practical, easy guide, grades 3-5

by Elizabeth Suarez Aguerre

Grades: 3-5

This book features tips for setting up groups, choosing literature, finding enough books, and teaching students how to be active participants in the literature circle process. It also includes reproducible role sheets which are adjusted for different learning levels, as well as advice about literature circles and classroom management.

Literature circles that engage middle and high school students

by Victor J. Moeller and Marc V. Moeller

Grades: 7-12

This book demonstrates how to prepare your students to lead their own active, focused discussion in small groups, including reading actively for comprehension; interpreting and evaluating texts; asking good questions; and leading discussion groups.

Literature circles: voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups

by Harvey Daniels

Grades: K-12

This book provides strategies, structures, tools, and stories for teachers to launch and manage literature circles effectively. Includes four different models for preparing students for literature circles;dozens of variations on the basic version of student-led bookclubs; models and procedures for primary, intermediate, and high school grades; and ideas for using literature circles with nonfiction texts across the curriculum.

Mini-lessons for literature circles

by Harvey Daniels and Nancy Steineke

Grades: 6-12

Each of these forty-five short, focused, and practical mini-lessons includes actual classroom language, and is formatted to help teachers with managing time and materials, giving answers to students, and avoiding predictable problems.

Moving forward with literature circles: how to plan, manage, and evaluate literature circles that deepen understanding and foster a love of reading

by Jeni Pollack Day et al.

Grades: K-6

This guide to managing literature circles includes guidelines, mini-lessons, booklists, checklists, and discussion suggestions.

Literature circles: Tools and techniques to inspire reading groups

by Warren Rogers and Dave Leochko

Grades: 5-8

This book guides teachers in developing and maintaining literature circles in their intermediate classrooms. Features in the book are: six original, reproducible short stories; theory and practice of literature circles; easy-to-use handouts for role definitions; mini-lessons to help teach communication skills and to help groups work effectively; and more.

Literary conversations in the classroom: Deepening understanding of nonfiction and narrative

by Diane Barone and Rebecca Barone

Grades: 3-8

This book demonstrates how high-level conversations centered on fiction and nonfiction can promote students’ understanding. The authors explore how to use literary conversations in small, heterogeneous groups to address multiple expectations within classrooms, such as close reading, vocabulary, background knowledge, literal and inferential comprehension, and responses to multimodal interpretation, nonfiction text features, and graphic organizers.


Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to physical materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms, such as “literature circle” or “literature–study and teaching”.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
English Language Arts Planning for Teaching and Learning

Read-Alouds

Listed below are selected teacher resources for selecting and presenting read-aloud books, as well as several picture books which are good for read-aloud time.

Teacher Resources

Effective read-alouds for early literacy: A teacher’s guide for preK-1

by Katherine Beauchat et al.

Grades: K-1

This guide provides effective strategies for selecting books and using read-alouds to develop children’s oral language, vocabulary, concepts of print, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, and comprehension. The authors take teachers step by step through planning and setting goals for read-alouds, as well as reflecting on each lesson to inform future instruction.

Unwrapping the read aloud: Making every read aloud intentional and instructional

by Lester L. Laminack

Grades: K-5

The author suggests that the read aloud for students can be one of the most potent instructional moments of the school day, but thoughtful planning is required. Intentional read alouds require purposely selecting texts and times with the intent to inspire students to read and write, invest in students’ language and understandings, and instruct across the curriculum.

The ramped-up read aloud: What to notice as you turn the page

by Maria Walther

Grades: K-3

The author shares two-page read aloud plans for 101 picture books to help teachers consider what to notice, say, and wonder in order to bolster students’ literacy. The intention is to spark instructional conversations around each book’s cover illustration, enriching vocabulary words, literary language, and the ideas and themes vital to young learners.

The read-aloud scaffold: Best books to enhance content area curriculum, grades preK-3

by Judy Bradbury

Grades: K-3

One easy way to provide content area instruction to very young readers is by scaffolding beneficial learning subjects within memorable read-aloud activities. This book offers teachers and librarians over 700 content area connections through carefully selected children’s trade books, including both fiction and non-fiction titles.

The read-aloud handbook

by Jim Trelease

Grades: K-12

The sixth edition of this work imparts the benefits, rewards, and importance of reading aloud to children of a new generation. Supported by both anecdotes and the latest research, the author offers techniques and strategies—and the reasoning behind them—for helping children discover the pleasures of reading and setting them on the road to becoming lifelong readers.

Guided listening: A framework for using read-aloud and other oral language experiences to build comprehension skills and help students record, share, value, and interpret ideas

by Lisa Donohue

Grades: K-6

This book illustrates how teachers can champion purposeful listening and help students better understand their language strengths and needs. It offers a practical framework that shows the value of recording and sharing the ideas of others; provides opportunities to identify the norms and conventions associated with oral language; and frees students to listen more attentively, organize their responses, and watch for the subtle cues that are an important part of listening.

Picture Books

The book with no pictures

by B. J. Novak

It’s true – this is a picture book with no pictures. But the reader has to say every silly word that’s on the page, no matter what…even if it’s “BLUURF”.

You don’t want a unicorn!

written by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Liz Climo

When a little boy throws a coin into a wishing well and asks for a pet unicorn, he has no idea what kind of trouble he’s in for. Unicorns make the absolutely worst pets: they shed, they make a big mess, and they poke holes in your ceiling!

It’s okay to be different

by Todd Parr

It’s okay to need some help. It’s okay to be a different colour. It’s okay to talk about your feelings. Todd Parr shows lots of ways in which it’s okay to be different – you can probably think of even more. (For more books by Todd Parr, click here.)

School’s first day of school

written by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson

Everyone gets a little nervous on the first day of school – including the school! What will the children do once they come? Will they like the school? Will they be nice to him?

Last stop on Market Street

written by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson

Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don’t own a car like his friend Colby, and why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus. Each question is met with an encouraging answer from his grandma.

Chicken, pig, cow

by Ruth Ohi

Pig, Chicken and Cow think their barn home is perfect. The only thing that isn’t perfect is Dog, whose drool makes it feel as if it’s raining in the barn. One day, Pig and Chicken decide to go exploring, leaving Cow behind. When Dog tips the barn over, Pig and Chick must make a daring rescue.

Mr. Zinger’s hat

written by Cary Fagan, illustrated by Dušan Petričić

When Leo is playing ball in the courtyard, he runs into Mr. Zinger, a man with a hat who makes up stories. Together, they build a new story, with Mr. Zinger providing most of the plot while Leo fills in the details.

Spork

written by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

His mum is a spoon. His dad is a fork. And Spork is a bit of both of them. He never gets chosen to be at the table at mealtimes until one day a very messy … thing arrives in the kitchen who has never heard of cutlery customs.

The raven and the loon

written by Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, illustrated by Kim Smith

In the time before animals were as they are today, Raven and Loon were both white. Raven spent his days swooping through the sky trying to fight off boredom, while Loon spent her days in her iglu sewing. One day, too bored to even fly, Raven visited Loon and suggested a sewing game that would give their feathers some much-needed colour.


Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow your results, such as “oral reading”, “reading (elementary)”, or “children — books and reading”.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
English Planning for Teaching and Learning

Phonemic and Phonological Awareness

Listed below are selected teacher resources and picture books related to phonemic and phonological awareness.

Teacher Resources

Phonemic awareness: A step by step approach for success in early reading

by Idalia Rodriguez Perez

Grades: K-3

This guide presents phonemic awareness as one of the most sophisticated branches of phonological awareness through interactive activities that allows children to succeed in learning the sounds represented by the letters of the alphabet.

Phonemic awareness : Ready-to-use lessons, activities, and games

by Victoria Groves Scott

Grades: K-6

The second edition of this book contains an updated collection of 48 lessons for children in Grades K-3, or students in Grades 4-6 who have difficulty reading. The activities are sequenced around particular phonemes or sounds, but can be organized or sequenced according to skills such as identification, blending, rhyming, segmentation, deletion, or manipulation.

A sound start: Phonemic awareness lessons for reading success

by Christine E. McCormick et al.

Grades: K-3

The authors present three sets of phonemic awareness lessons, complete with scripted directions and reproducible learning materials and assessment tools. Included are developmentally sequenced lessons for the whole class and small groups, more intensive lessons for children struggling with phonemic awareness, and class lessons on the consonant phonemes.

Teaching phonemic awareness through children’s literature and experiences

by Nancy Allen Jurenka

Grades: K-2

This book provides educators with creative strategies for integrating word study with children’s picture books. Each lesson includes a read-aloud book description, literacy experience activity, direct instruction, follow-up activities, recommended poem, and related reading. The lessons build skills in phonemic awareness, morphemic analysis, letter identification, rhyming, and sight words.

How to increase phonemic awareness in the classroom

by Lynn Settlow and Margarita Jacovino

Grades: K-3

The authors offer a quick and easy informal assessment measure for teachers to pinpoint their students’ instructional needs; classroom activities that are brief, fun, and easy to implement; and literature-based activities to build phonemic awareness through nursery rhymes, poetry, and children’s books. Each chapter features one level of the phonemic awareness developmental continuum along with three types of activities.

Teaching systematic synthetic phonics in primary schools

by Wendy Jolliffe and David Waugh with Angela Carss

Grades: K-3

The first part of this book discusses essential subject knowledge for teachers in the areas of discriminating sounds and phonemes, grapheme-phoneme correspondences, and moving from phonics to spelling. The second part discusses effective pedagogical techniques for teaching phonics, with phonemics in mind.

Sing a song of poetry: A teaching resource for phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency, Grade 2

by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell

Grades: 2

The 225 poems in this book immerse students in rich, rhythmical language, providing age appropriate opportunities to enjoy language through shared reading, stimulate oral language development, connect words, and much more.

Word study that sticks: Best practices, K-6

by Pamela K. Koutrakos

Grades: K-6

The author discusses how to implement best practices in word study in the classroom, including how to set up the physical classroom and launch routines, and how to instill curiosity and a self-starting attitude in learners about word study. The book covers all facets of words study, including phonemic awareness, phonics, meaning, spelling, and high-frequency word work.

Phonological skills and learning to read

by Usha Goswami and Peter Bryant

Grades: K-6

This new edition of a classic work brings together the latest research in the link between phonological skills and reading. The authors describe three causal factors which can account for children’s reading and spelling development: pre-school phonological knowledge of rhyme and alliteration, the impact of alphabetic instruction on knowledge about phonemes, and links between early spelling and later reading. (E-book only)

Phonological awareness: From research to practice

by Gail T. Gillon

Grades: K-12

This book provides a comprehensive review of knowledge about phonological awareness, together with practical guidance for helping children acquire needed skills. The author synthesizes findings on the development of phonological awareness; its role in literacy learning; and how it can be enhanced in children at risk for reading difficulties and those with reading disorders or speech or language impairments. Methods and activities are described for working with preschoolers to adolescents, including those with special learning needs.

Picture Books

Llama, llama red pajama

by Anna Dewdney

At bedtime, a little llama worries after his mother puts him to bed and goes downstairs. When will she come back?

Stuck in the mud

written by Jane Clarke, illustrated by Garry Parsons

When one of Hen’s chicks gets stuck in the mud, the other farm animals come to help. How many farmyard friends will it take to get Chick out?

Bear snores on

written by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman

One by one, different animals and birds find their way into Bear’s cave to warm up. But even after the tea has been brewed and the corn has been popped, Bear just snores on…

How do dinosaurs say good night?

written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague

Mother and child think about the different ways a dinosaur can say goodnight, from slamming his tail and pouting to giving a big hug and kiss.

Ready for R: Ridiculous rumors with no rhyme or reason except to help you say “R”

written by Marian MacDougall, illustrated by Silvana Bevilacqua

Ready for R includes colour-coded R-word lists, fun and easy teaching tips, and with silly stories that will make students want to keep practicing. Ready for R is designed to spark speech, language and literacy development, inspire story-telling and encourage ESL students.

Miss Mousie’s blind date

written by Tim Beiser, illustrated by Rachel Berman

A story told in rhyme about Miss Mousie’s preparations for her date with Mole. What will he think when he sees her – in fact, will he even see her?

Four fur feet

written by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Woodleigh Marx Hubbard

A furry little creature wanders the world, taking in all the fascinating sights and sounds. Round and round he goes, as a rhythmic text describes what he sees and hears along the way.


Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow your results, such as “reading – phonetic method”, “English language – phonemics – study and teaching”, or “stories in rhyme”.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
Language Arts

Picture Books in Rhyme

Listed below are selected picture books in rhyme.

Picture Books

The alphabet thief

written by Bill Richardson, illustrated by Roxanna Bikadoroff

These zany rhymes tell the story of peculiar thief who steals one letter of the alphabet each night, creating a topsy-turvy world as she goes. It seems that no one can stop her, until the Zs finally send her to sleep so that all the other letters can scamper back to where they belong.

Tree song

written by Tiffany Stone, illustrated by Holly Hatam

Follow the life cycle of a tree as it grows from seedling to mature tree, and finally gives way to a new sapling. The tree provides a canopy for a summer picnic, a home for animals, and a perfect place to hang a swing. When old age fells the tree, it leaves an acorn from which a new tree will grow.

The garden crew

by Carolyn Harris

A group of characters come together to save their most prized possession: their garden. They come in all shapes, sizes, colours, and abilities. In the beginning, they are full of doubt about themselves, but by working together as a team, they accomplish something amazing.

All are welcome

written by Alexandra Penfold, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman

Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. A school where kids in patkas, hijabs, and yarmulkes play side-by-side with friends in baseball caps. A school where students grow and learn from each other’s traditions and the whole community gathers to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The honeybee

written by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

This rhyming celebration of the honeybee follows the endangered insects through the year as they forage for pollen and nectar, communicate with others at their hive, and make honey.

Sometimes you fly

written by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt

This rhyming book celebrates the achievements of childhood, from first birthdays to graduation, and reminds readers that learning from mistakes makes success sweeter.

What if…

written by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Mike Curato

What if there were no pencils or paper to draw with? What would you do then? One little girl imagines all the ways she can express herself, from sculpting and building to singing and dreaming.

The wonderful things you will be

by Emily Winfield Martin

Simple, rhyming text reveals a parent’s musings about what a child will become, knowing that the child’s kindness, cleverness, and boldness will shine through no matter what, as will the love they share.

Tiny perfect things

written by M. H. Clark, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper


Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow your results, such as “stories in rhyme” or “stories in rhyme–juvenile fiction”.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

Categories
English Language Arts Planning for Teaching and Learning

Figurative Language

Listed below are selected teacher resources, picture books, and non-fiction related to figurative language.

Teacher Resources

The writing strategies book: Your everything guide to developing skilled writers with 300 strategies

by Jennifer Serravallo

Grades: K-6

From the author of The reading strategies book, this book presents a wide range of techniques to allow teachers to develop individual goals for every writer, give students step-by-step instructions for writing with skill and craft, coach writers using prompts aligned with a strategy, present mentor texts that support a genre and strategy, and more. Goal 7 includes discussion of figurative language.

The reading strategies book: Your everything guide to developing skilled readers

by Jennifer Serravallo

Grades: K-6

This book presents a wide range of techniques to allow teachers to develop individual goals for every reader, give students step-by-step instructions for reading with skill, guide readers using prompts aligned with a strategy, adjust instruction to meet individual needs, and more. Goal 11 includes discussion of figurative language.

Poetry – From reading to writing: A classroom guide for ages 7-11

by Robert Hull

Grades: 2-6

The author uses poems from a range of authors to show how creative readings of poems can spark a child’s imagination and lead to original writing. Students are encouraged to write different forms of poetry, including rhyming and non-rhyming poems, haiku, free verse, narrative poems, and more. Chapter 7 includes discussion of figurative language. (E-book only)

Let’s poem: The essential guide to teaching poetry in a high-stakes, multimodal world

by Mark Dressman

Grades: 7-12

This guide presents multiple approaches to teaching poetry at the middle and high school levels. The author explores how to preserve the fun of poetry while also developing critical writing and analysis skills, how to introduce students to the basic formal elements of classic and contemporary poetry, and how to expand their repertoires through the use of digital technology and the Internet. The chapter on “Skin Poetry” discusses figurative language.

Understanding texts and readers: Responsive comprehension instruction with leveled texts

by Jennifer Serravallo

Grades: K-6

The author examines a number of areas of text comprehension, including how plot and setting, character, vocabulary and figurative language, and themes and ideas change as fiction become more complex; as well as how the complexity of main idea, key details, vocabulary, and text features increases in nonfiction texts.

Narrative writing: Learning a new model for teaching

by George Hillocks Jr.

Grades: 9-12

This book demonstrates how focusing classroom activities on producing content, rather than form, boosts students’ engagement and makes them active learners. The author shows how “at-risk” kids’ competencies increase significantly as they are taught how to complete important writing tasks such as incorporating detail and figurative language, creating dialogue, expressing inner thoughts, portraying people and action, and more.

Picture Books

The cat’s pajamas

by Wallace Edwards

This book depicts 26 idioms, bringing new meaning to familiar sayings and tickling your funny bone with a surreal illustration on each page. To ensure you get the hang of it, each expression is used in a sentence and explained at the back of the book.

Monkey business

by Wallace Edwards

From a fish opening a “can of worms” to a tap-dancing octopus putting his “best foot forward,” these familiar idioms are re-imagined in hilarious and unexpected ways. The idioms are used in a sentence that accompanies each illustration, and the meaning of each one is explained at the end of the book.

My grandma likes to say

written by Denise Brennan-Nelson, illustrated by Jane Monroe Donovan

Thousands of proverbs and idioms can be found in the English language – like “a horse of a different colour” and “a bull in a tea shop”. Derived from many different sources, these expressions are a link to history and culture, and can be an instructive tool in language education.

My teacher likes to say

written by Denise Brennan-Nelson, illustrated by Jane Monroe Donovan

Students often hear maxims and sayings on a regular basis in the classroom. From “Do you have ants in your pants?” to “Stick together!” and “Great minds think alike,” readers will be intrigued by the history of these adages, told in poetry form as well as expository text, and amused by the illustrations, depicting these sayings as a child might imagine them.

My momma likes to say

written by Denise Brennan-Nelson, illustrated by Jane Monroe Donovan

Parents say strange things sometimes – what does it REALLY mean when your mom says “Hold your horses”, “I have eyes in the back of my head”, or “Money doesn’t grow on trees”?

There’s a frog in my throat: 440 animal sayings a little bird told me,

written by Loreen Leedy and Pat Street, illustrated by Loreen Leedy

This book goes hog-wild with this collection of animal sayings. From lucky ducks to odd ducks to sitting ducks to just plain quacks, this book presents a wealth of sayings alongside fun-filled art bursting with color and energy. Each expression is clearly explained so no reader feels like a silly goose.

Picture the sky

by Barbara Reid

Wherever we may be, we share the same sky. But every hour, every day, every season, whether in the city or the forest, it is different. The sky tells many stories: in the weather, in the clouds, in the stars, in the imagination. This book envisions the sky above and around us in all its moods.

My heart is like a zoo

by Michael Hall

A heart can be hopeful, or silly, or happy. A heart can be rugged, or snappy, or lonely. A heart holds every different feeling, and for each one, the author an animal out of heart shapes, from “eager as a beaver” to “angry as a bear” to “thoughtful as an owl.”

My best friend is sharp as a pencil: And other funny classroom portraits

by Hanoch Piven

Categories
English

Procedural Texts

Listed below are selected teacher resources, picture books, fiction, and non-fiction related to procedural texts.

Teacher Resources

Guiding readers and writers, grades 3-6: Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy

by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell

Grades: 3-6

The authors explore six essential components of a literacy program: breakthrough to literacy, independent reading, guided reading, literature study, teaching for comprehension and word analysis, and the reading and writing connection.

Genre study: teaching with fiction and non-fiction books, grades K-8+

by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell

Grades: K-8

This book uses an inquiry approach to engage students in exploring texts so that they can notice and name the characteristics of each genre and construct a working definition that guides their thinking of reading and writing.

Stimulating non-fiction writing!: Inspiring children aged 7-11

by Emma Hughes-Evans and Simon Brownhill

Grades: 2-6

This book offers ways to engage children in non-fiction writing, giving teachers the confidence and practical advice that they need to support children in producing quality non-fiction texts in the classroom. Types of texts explored include instructions, persuasive texts, reports, and correspondence. (E-book only)

Nonfiction writing power: Teaching information writing with intent and purpose

by Adrienne Gear

Grades: K-6

This book is designed to help teachers develop a writing program that will enable their students to harness all of their nonfiction writing powers: to describe, to instruct, to compare, to persuade, to explain, and to report. It illustrates ways to encourage students to write because they have something to say, and to recognize that writing well means considering intent and purpose, and choosing the best form of expression.

Marvelous minilessons for teaching: Nonfiction writing K-3

by Lori Jamison Rog

Grades: K-3

This book shows that even the youngest writers can consider audience and purpose as they use nonfiction writing to document their ideas and share those ideas with others. Forty minilessons offer strategies for writing informational, persuasive and procedural text. Each lesson starts with a learning goal and follows an “I do, We do, You do” format.

Learning to write with purpose: Effective instruction in grades 4-8

by Karen Kuelthau Allan et al.

Grades: 4-8

Communicating ideas and information is what makes writing meaningful, yet many students write without considering the aims of their writing or the needs of their readers. This book shares techniques to promote the skills and strategies need to write and revise effectively in a range of genres, including persuasive, expository and procedural writing; narratives; and poetry.

Picture Books Related to Procedural Texts

How to

by Julie Morstad

This imaginative ‘how to’ book explores whimsical ways of doing a host of different tasks, including ‘how to wonder’, ‘how to see the breeze’, and ‘how to be brave’.

My dadima wears a sari

written by Kashmira Sheth, illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi

Rupa wonders why her grandmother always wears a sari, rather than other clothes. When her grandmother tells her all the things a sari can do – like being an umbrella in a rainstorm or a pouch for shells collected at the beach – Rupa thinks she’d like to wear one too. Includes instructions on wrapping a sari.

Press here

by Hervé Tullet, translated by Christopher Franceschelli

Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and see what happens next.

Pie in the sky

by Lois Ehlert

A father and child wait through the seasons for the cherries on their tree to be ripe, so they can make a cherry pie together. Includes a cherry pie recipe.

How to read a story,

written by Kate Messner, illustrated by Mark Siegel

It’s easy to read a story: just follow the steps. Step one: find a story. Step two: find a buddy. Step three: find a reading spot. Step four: read!

How to talk to your dog

written by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Sue Truesdell

How do you say hello and good-bye in dog talk? Most importantly, how do you tell your dog that you’re the boss and have him or her adore you? Learn what different tail positions and facial expressions mean — and much more!

Non-Fiction Books Related to or Demonstrating Procedural Texts

You can write cool poems

by Jennifer Fandel

Grades: 1-3

Through examples and exercises, this book shows how young writers can make readers smile, give them goosebumps or the giggles, or even make them cry, all through poetry.

How to code in 10 easy lessons

by Sean McManus

Grades: 6-8

This book starts by asking the question, “What is coding?” and shows what coding skills are. Then readers get to see how to use Scratch coding software to write simple code, use loops, and debug, to create a webpage, and even make a computer game. Includes easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step graphics.

How to write a drama

by Megan Kopp

Grades: 3-6

A drama is a story that is experienced by an audience as a performance. Readers will explore acts, dialogue, stage direction, and other elements that define this genre. Mentor texts and writing prompts guide readers as they compose their own dramas. Part of the Text styles series.

Basketball basics: How to play like the pros

written by Jay Triano, foreword by Steve Nash

Grades: 4-8

Focusing on the core areas – Conditioning, Offense, Defense, Rebounds, and Plays That Make a Difference – Triano provides step-by-step instructions for everything from balance and stretching to dribbling and passing, from shooting to catching to lay-ups and free throws. The book includes instructional photos on every page, as well as full-color action photos of international and NBA stars.

Be an active citizen at your school

by Helen Mason

Grades: K-3

Young readers will discover ways to practice democratic principles in their schools and classrooms. Accessible, child-centered examples demonstrate key skills and practices including active listening, consensus-building, and voting procedures. Readers will also learn ways to clearly communicate their own points of view while showing respect for others’ perspectives.

Starting from scratch: What you should know about food and cooking,

written by Sarah Elton, illustrated by Jeff Kulak

Grades: 5-12

This book demystifies food and cooking by boiling it down to the basics. Kids will be able to make sense of recipes, measure and substitute ingredients, and stock a pantry, but they’ll also discover that food is more than just a prepackaged meal. Includes several tasty recipes.

Online safety for coders

written by Heather Lyons and Elizabeth Tweedale, illustrated by Alex Westgate

Grades: K-3

How can you stay safe while surfing the Internet? You need to be an Internet superhero! The internet is an exciting world, but there are things you should be careful of as well. Find out how information is used online and how Internet superheroes protect their identities. Then use the link in this book to try fun activities that will boost your superhero skills.

First Nations recipes: A selection from coast to coast

by Greg Lepine

Grades: 7-12

The recipes in this book feature ingredients at the foundation of Aboriginal culture, such as salmon, venison, bison, fiddleheads, wild rice and berries, and include brief descriptions of their historic relationship with that food. First Nations cuisine draws on millennia of evolution and deserves a lifetime of study. The recipes here represent a selection of favourites from various cultures across the country, and combine historic and currently available ingredients to reflect a contemporary, modern taste.


Finding More Resources

To find more resources in this area, try the following:

  • Search using the General tab on the UBC Library website to look for material in all UBC Library branches.
  • Search using “Search Education Resources” box in the left hand bar on the Education Library website to limit your results to materials in the Education Library.
  • Use specific search terms to narrow your results, such as “English language–composition and exercises–study and teaching” or “composition (language arts)”. Or, search for books with things like “how to” or “recipes” in their titles.
  • To find lesson plans, include “lesson plans”, “lesson planning”, or “activity programs” in your search terms.

For more help with searching, please visit the Library Service Desk or e-mail ed.lib@ubc.ca.

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