Ready for one of my favorite ways to teach students about writing,
reading, creativity, and even kindness? It’s something that elementary teachers
have known all along…it’s the picture book!
The picture book is a powerful instructional tool that can
work in any classroom…and I thought I’d share some examples of my favorites
with you today.
I’ve put the collection of books in a simple (and free) PDF with links
that you can download by clicking this LINK. I’ve also paired each book
with a ready-made unit that you can easily teach in your classroom too. Feel
free to download the PDF at any time.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at some of my favorite
picture books for any classroom.
First, I’m sharing a book that is great for the beginning of
the year as you’re building a positive classroom community.
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts taps into a
child’s innate need to have what everyone else has. In this case, the main
character longs for the “cool” shoes even though they are too expensive for his
grandmother to purchase. After finding a pair that is much too small, the main
character makes the ultimate sacrifice for a classmate. It’s a touching story
that celebrates kindness and classmates…perfect for any time of year. (Click HERE to check out the book.)
Picture books are also wonderful examples of creativity.
Since learning to be creative has shown to be one of the most powerful skills
for helping students thrive in life, it’s important to celebrate creativity in
the classroom.
These two books do just that…
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis is fairly simple at first
glance. A box shape is turned into everything expect a box – a robot, a hot air
balloon, even a rocket ship. It’s a fun example of “thinking outside of the
box,” just imagine all the creative lessons you could do as an extension to
this story.
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner is another
example of creativity. This time students see how a traditional story can be
flipped on its head and come to life with a little imagination. This book is
the perfect springboard for lessons about thinking in new and creative ways.
Picture books are wonderful for adding a little humor and
whimsy into the classroom. You can keep these two books on your shelf for a
rainy day and pull them out when students can use a laugh. And…as a major
bonus, humor produces psychological and physiological benefits that help
students learn.
One of my favorite funny books is The Book With No Pictures
by B.J. Novak. While there are no pictures in the book, there are plenty of
silly words and crazy sentences that you, the reader, must read out loud.
Students love how “powerless” you become against the words Novak makes you say.
You’ll all be laughing together with this book!
Another funny book filled with voice (and a sweet message)
is Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea. Not only is the book funny as
the goat laments about the new Unicorn in town, it’s
also cleverly written. There’s a lesson in
this book along with a few laughs.
What about using picture books to teach critical ELA skills? That’s a genius
idea.
For instance, if you’d like to teach theme, try The EmptyPot by Demi. It’s one of my favorite stories because the reader learns its
themes of honesty and integrity along with the main character that shows up to
a gardening challenge with an empty pot. Not only is it a great way to teach
theme, it’s a lovely way to showcase important character traits too.
The next time you’re putting together a writing unit, have
students begin by reading mentor texts in the form of pictures books. It’s a
super engaging and quick way for students to learn about the critical elements
of the genre. I always started my memoir writing unit with a review of several
picture books like The Baby Sister by Tomie dePaola.
Want to each about figurative language? It’s easy with
picture books. Send students on a figurative language hunt in a book like WhiteSnow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt. The story has a poetic quality
as it tells about the first snowfall of the year.
Alright, I could go on for days…but I better stop right here. I just love how picture books are a powerful way to help students learn about critical ELA topics and build character. Remember, you can check out a list of all my favorites in this FREE download.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope some
picture books make an appearance in your classroom!
See you soon!
Mary Beth
*This post contains affiliate links.
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