NBR: Calling our teacher moms!

[mcp6286]

I know there's a lot of teachers here so I need to throw these two things out there for your ideas:

1. I just found out that my school (a brand new charter) isn't hiring a librarian. Instead, they're having the Reading Specialist (i.e. me) stock and maintain the library. We have ZERO books and they want me to compile a list of books to buy and then find them for next to no money. So, A) must-haves for a K-4 school library? And B) where do you go for inexpensive books other than library book sales?

2. Our kindergarten teacher asked me what the best leveled reader series to start her kids on is. Again, as s middle school teacher I have no clue. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help ladies! Working in an elementary school is giving me a run for my money!

[gigi3126]

I'm a high school teacher but booksource.com has been really helpful to me when I was building and organizing my classroom library. My admin gave me a budget, and I managed to buy a bunch of different books fairly cheaply through there. If you click on the grade levels that you're looking for, it will show you a bunch of collections that you can buy. Hope this helps!

[kemdupuis]

I buy a lot of books on Amazon. I teach high school though, so I am afraid I'm not the best at recommending appropriate selections for the wee ones. I'd start by looking at Caldecott award winners, maybe?

[Bluedaisy]

I'm Canadian so I'm not sure this will help much but....Scholastic Book Clubs has great deals on packages of books and you can buy library sets, theme packages, leveled packages, etc. Even if you can't shop from them in the US their website has some good resources and might help you with some ideas, or there might be an American equivalent.

As for the Kindergarten levelled readers what exactly does she want them for? Guided reading, home reading, read- alouds? Depending on what she is thinking there are different resources I would recommend. I assume for most of the students she's not going to be giving them is independent reading, but again I'm Canadian so I don't know if it's different.

[bookninja]

Your local public library probably has book lists for different ages. Or, if not, your state library or nearest big city library will.
Childrens librarians are generally a helpful bunch, you could even give them a call. They would be able to help with the leveled reader question, too.
My favorite for that age range is the set by Harriet ziefert, but they can be hard to find. They are very easy rhyming books, great for kids just starting out.

There are also biscuit books by Cappucilli.

And Mo Willems' elephant and piggie...

[mcp6286]

Thanks all! I'm def going to check out the library and use the children's librarian as a resource because it's literally around the corner from the school. Bluedaisy I'm a little confused about why the kindergarten teacher wants leveled readers (as are most of my friends who teach that grade). I think she's planning read-alouds and I recommended just using fun picture books for that but she really wants a set.

If I was stocking a middle or high school library, I could do it with my eyes closed. Little kids are not my forte lol. This is going to be a stretching experience!

[Bluedaisy]

mcp6286, I was so confused about the levelled reading thing but assumed that it was a Canadian/American difference. When I taught Kinder we definitely didn't use levelled books...at least not at the beginning of the year. I'd use some for home reading and by the end there might be kids doing guided reading but I wouldn't use a set.

[mcp6286]

Good then it's not just me!

[stinybean]

I'm a K teacher in the US and we don't use leveled readers in the beginning of the year either. I would definitely say scholastic and Amazon are the best routes to go in terms of good inexpensive books.

I would definitely second Mo Willems books. They are the best.

Eta: squiggly baby makes for bad typing

[dogmama22]

I was expected to use leveled readers when I taught Kindergarten so I used the website "Reading A-Z." You can print leveled books starting at level AA, which are basically just first words books where it had a picture with the word underneath. There was a ton of selection for each level on a variety of topics, as well as corresponding activities. I believe the subscription was very reasonably priced.

[nettje]

You could also try a local book store. Between university and my teaching job, I worked at a bookstore and an elementary school came in to buy books. They had spoken with the managers and had gotten a great deal. You could always ask the manager/owner of a bookstore and see what they could offer you as a discount.

[erbear]

Half price books! I get most of my books thee and the rest at scholastic's warehouse sale.

I'll give a list of books when I am up longer with LO...

[erbear]

Ok, book series my students have liked. I've taught 1st, 2nd, and 4th mostly.

If you give a (animal) a (thing) (like if you give a mouse a cookie)
Click clack moo & others
Clifford
There was an old lady who swallowed a (object)
Fly guy
Llama llama
Pete the cat
The pigeon series
Eric carle
Amelia bedelia
Junie b jones
Magic tree house
Captain underpants
Stink
Judy moody
I Survived...
Shel Silverstein poems
Diary of a wimpy kid
Origami yoda series

[Bluedaisy]

+1 for reading A-Z I can't believe I didn't think of that! They even have great lesson plans and comprehension exercises to go with each book.

[stinybean]

+2 on reading a-z My school even has a subscription to RAZ kids (associated) which allows the kids to go online at home and work on texts on their levels. The teacher sets the reading level and as the student masters tasks the teacher/website updates the reading level. Idk how much the subscription for the kids are, but those that used it did well.

[mcp6286]

These are great ideas...thanks! The teachers are mostly first-years so they'll be extremely appreciative of the suggestions too!

[Bluedaisy]

Aug 18, 2015 5:38:26 GMT -5 stinybean said:

+2 on reading a-z My school even has a subscription to RAZ kids (associated) which allows the kids to go online at home and work on texts on their levels. The teacher sets the reading level and as the student masters tasks the teacher/website updates the reading level. Idk how much the subscription for the kids are, but those that used it did well.

Our school has it too and the subscription price is very reasonable.