#SOL16 - 20/31 - Read alouds I've Loved

SOL16 #20/31 - 

      I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Twenty of Thirty-One of the Slice of Life Challenge in March.  Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb.  

A favorite for younger students.

Special today! I just discovered that Catherine of Reading To The Core is also sharing a list of read alouds. Be sure to visit her too!

        I read many books, and recently have been envious of some terrific ones published that I would love to have read aloud to my class. Many of you are sharing what they are, and I've read most of them, and know they are going to be fabulous read alouds.

           Unless it’s a picture book, or an easy chapter book that I read to my granddaughters, I no longer have a class for which to choose a great book. (There have been a few times through the years that a student has chosen/recommended one.) And reading aloud to a group brings much value to the community. It’s a shared conversation inviting many opinions, a way to get to know one another better. It allows me as the teacher to share content from which students will benefit. It can be a mentor text for writing.  It adds to our shared history.  Here is one article from Brightly that shows some benefits of reading aloud to older kids.

Celebrations and #SOL16 - 19/31

I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Nineteen of Thirty-One of the Slice of Life Challenge in March.  Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb.  

               And every Saturday I celebrate with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Build.  and link with others who share their celebrations, too. I am grateful to Ruth for starting this meme that offers a place to share!

           It is my habit to look at the good things always, finding the brightest moments in each day. This week my son and daughter-in-law came in for a visit during their son's spring break. He was off to Orlando with his high school band. I had a wonderful time with them, and wrote about it in my post last Thursday. On that day, they all went skiing while I did my job at the bookstore. Nathan and Barb wanted to see their nieces' skiing progress and have a good day skiing all together. It didn't turn out so well. Trying to catch the youngest, Imogene, who was going too fast, my daughter fell and broke her leg.  

          It's hard, and will make changes in their lifestyle for a couple of months. She still hasn't seen the orthopedic surgeon to find out the next steps, waiting for the swelling to go down. I will help all I can of course, but am sorry for it happening. 

#SOL-18/31 & Poetry Friday Mixed Up Weather

SOLC #18/31 - 

      I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Eighteen of Thirty-One of the Slice of Life Challenge in March.  Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb.  

And It's Poetry Friday. Find everyone today at Robyn Hood Black's blog, Life On The Deckle Edge. Robyn's sharing more lovely student haiku today, and a tip from one of her daughter's students. Thanks for all, Robyn. 

This week's forecast.

        Yes, spring really is around the corner, but in Denver, at this time of year, that means snow along with blooms. We've had an unusually dry March, and this moisture is desperately needed. Nevertheless, I can't help but be sad seeing the daffodils and forsythia and a few fruit tree blooms that don't welcome the snow. I am grateful for some sights, though.

         

#SOL16 - 17/31 Special Family Time

SOLC #17/31 

      I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Seventeen of Thirty-One of the Slice of Life Challenge in March.  Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb.  
        It's been both a whirl of a week and a pleasure too. My son and daughter-in-law, and sweet Bernese Mountain Dog Truman have been here since Monday. Grandson Carter is with his high school band at Disney World for spring break. I miss him, but he is having a great time.

       Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with shopping and conversation, eating and conversation, so much fun. Ingrid and Imogene got to come after school until their parents Sarah and Dave joined us for dinner, hence the pictures. Uncle Nathan and Ingrid share a snack while Aunt Barb and Imogene are a conversation with the house animals. Truman stays near, of course, in on the action as well as he can be.

        Everyone but me is skiing today, a final time together before these visitors return home. Big snow has been falling in the mountains! I'm off to the book store! 

                                                         

For always:  "Having a place to go - is a home. Having someone to love - is a family. Having both - is a blessing."

                                                                                                                 Donna Hedges

For Today:                                   HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

         "May the blessings of each day be the blessings you need most.

#SOL16-16/31 - A Political Story

SOLC #16/31 - 

      I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Sixteen of Thirty-One of the Slice of Life Challenge in March. WE ARE HALF-WAY DONE! Congratulations to everyone who have made it this far!
                     Thank you Stacey, Tara, Anna, Betsy, Dana, Kathleen, Beth, and Deb.  

         Thanks also to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at Kidlit Frenzy,

Because of this meme, I started reading more non-fiction picture books, and found they taught me as well as entertained me. Hope you will find some great books for yourself as you read my post and others.  

I only have one book to share today, but it is timely, and some of you who link with Alyson have shared it too. I am not sharing my political views, saying that I will vote for Hillary. But I want to introduce this fabulous book by Michelle Markel that shows a bit of women's history in this Women's History Month, and shows how hard Hillary Rodham, then Hillary Rodham Clinton worked to help women find equality. 

From the text of the opening page: "In the 1950s, it was a man's world. Only boys could grow up to have powerful jobs. Only boys had no ceilings on their dreams." 
          I grew up in those '50s, was one of two girls who enrolled in chemistry and calculus, was one of two who played trombone. I didn't know it wasn't okay, and the school did not discourage me, but we two were lonely.