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manhattan beach unified school district
Heidi snively - library RESOURCE specialist
310/546-8022 x5404
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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

11/30/2020

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Week of November 30, 2020 - TK - Bundle Up in Winter

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Video Segment Animal Behavior (Owl Cam)
Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)

Little Owl's Orange Scarf, by Tatyana Feeney
Little Owl does not like his new orange scarf! Can he and his mom come up with a solution on how he can stay warm?
Owl Babies, by Martin Waddell
Three baby owls worry when they awaken one night to find their mother gone.
Video Owl Babies picture book animation

Crafty Connection Look closely at Little Owl. Do you see how the strokes used in the illustration could be the shapes of letters? Draw Little Owl and his scarf on bookmark-sized paper.

Week of November 30, 2020 - Kindergarten - Winter Playtime

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Snow Dance, by Lezlie Evans
Two sisters perform a dance to make it snow and when it snows all through the night they bundle up and head outside for a busy day of angel making, snowball fights, and sledding.
Snowmen at Night, by Caralyn Buehner
After nighttime falls and everyone is asleep in their beds, a group of fun-loving snowmen jump into action and have their own bit of fun while no one is around to see.
Recess at 20 Below, by Cindy Lou Aillaud
How cold does it have to be before Alaskan kids stay inside for recess? For many schools, if it is colder than 20 below zero, they stay indoors; otherwise, it's outside for frosty fun! ​​Compare and contrast with Grand View Kindergarten playground (center field at far right).
Live Video The Manhattan Beach Pier

Video Putting on Snow Clothes First graders show how quickly they can put on their snow clothes all by themselves. Get out several layers of outerwear and see how fast you can put the items on!
Crafty Connection Snowmen coloring sheet

Week of November 30, 2020 - First Grade - Winter Weather

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Live Video The Manhattan Beach Pier
The Blizzard of 1978
New England was hit by a nor'easter with hurricane-force winds approximately 86 mph with gusts up to 111 mph. A typical nor'easter brings steady snow for six to twelve hours, the Blizzard of '78 brought heavy snow for a full 33 hours. 
Blizzard, by John Rocco
Video Hear the story read by author/illustrator John Rocco
After a massive blizzard, a boy becomes a hero when he manages to walk to the local store and bring supplies back to his neighborhood which has been snowed in for days. Based on the author's childhood experience. Compare and contrast this experience with a typical Southern California winter.
Crafty Connections Enjoy this snowmen coloring sheet or make a simple snow globe 

Week of November 30, 2020 
Second Grade - Winter Weather and Winter Fun

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What Do Bees Do in Winter? Find out at Wonderopolis.org
Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold,
 by Joyce Sidman
Bees, moose, beavers, snakes, and more... 
discover how animals stay alive in the wintertime and learn about their secret lives happening under the snow.
Ant and Honey Bee, a Pair of Friends in Winter, by Megan McDonald
Brrrr! The leaves are off the trees, and frost is on the ground. It's time for bugs to hunker down and hide out for the winter. But Ant isn't ready to hunker down. Will Honey Bee welcome an interruption of her peace and quiet? (Chapter 1 of 3)
Lemonade in Winter, a Book About Kids Counting Money, by Emily Jenkins
Video Hear the story read by Storytime Bunnies
Despite snow on the ground, icicles on window sills, and discouraging words from their parents, Pauline and her little brother, John-John, decide to open a lemonade stand.
Connection What do you do differently when the weather turns colder?

Video Extremely Epic Blanket Fort
Fun Stuff Honey Bears Coloring Sheet and Busy as a Bee Activity Sheet ​

Week of November 30, 2020 - Third Grade
​Narrative Nonfiction - The Life and Work of Jane Goodall

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Click image for a short video on the life and work of Jane Goodall
Me...Jane, by Patrick McDonnell
Video Hear the story read by Jane Goodall
Little Jane loves her stuffed animal, a chimpanzee named Jubilee, and carries him everywhere she goes. Mainly, they go outdoors, where they watch birds building their nests and squirrels chasing each other. Jane reads about animals in books and keeps a notebook of sketches, information, and puzzles. Feeling her kinship with all of nature, she often climbs her favorite tree and reads about another Jane, Tarzan's Jane. She dreams that one day she, too, will live in the African jungle and help the animals. And one day, she does. 
The Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps, by Jeannette Winter
Video Hear the story read by Elizabeth DeVries
Goodall's passionate love of nature began in early childhood. As an adult, she moved to Tanzania, making the study and protection of the chimpanzees in the Gombe forest a focus of international fascination.
Video Learn more about the life and work of Jane Goodall (running time about 13 min.)

Week of November 30, 2020 - Fourth Grade
Narrative Nonfiction and Growth Mindset

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The Marvelous Thing that Came from a Spring, by Gilbert Ford
The toy was conceived during WWII, when an engineer noticed a spring he'd been working on could "walk" from a shelf. It gained momentum as a pop culture icon when his wife named the toy and marketed it.
Video Hear the story read by Kendra Helsel.The close up page views allow readers to notice the detailed illustrations featuring engineering tools and classic toys, such as using a twisted pipe cleaner to represent steam from a coffee cup!
Video Slinky television commercial 1962
Video Human Slinky
Crafty Connection Make a paper slinky

Week of November 30, 2020 - Fifth Grade
Narrative Nonfiction and Singularity of Purpose and Gratitude

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Snow Flake Bentley, by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
For almost half a century, Wilson Bentley caught and photographed thousands of snowflakes in his workshop at Jericho, Vermont, and made available to scientists and art instructors samples of his remarkable work. His singularity of purpose and passion is astonishing.
Video Hear the story read by Dana Kilgore

Video The Snowflake Man: a short film about Snowflake Bentley
Snow Crystals, by W. A. Bentley
In 1931, the American Meteorological Society gathered together the best of these plus some slides of frost, glaze, sleet, soft hail, and dew on vegetation and on spider webs. Over 2,000 beautiful crystals reveal the wonder of nature's diversity in uniformity; no two are alike, yet all are based on a common hexagon.
Video Images from of W.A. Bentley's book set to guitar music
The Secret of Water: for the Children of the World, by Masaru Emoto
Presents an environmentally friendly introduction to water, its uses, its importance, and invites children to learn about the connection between water and all living things.
Video Children gather in gratitude to see if their thoughts can affect water.

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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

11/9/2020

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Week of November 9, 2020 - TK and Kindergarten
​Picture Book Month and Seasonal Veggie Silliness

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I Yam a Donkey! by Cece Bell
A stern yam corrects a grammatically-challenged donkey.
Video Because TK and Kindergarten miss library this week due to the Veterans Day Holiday, students can enjoy this reading of I Yam a Donkey presented by Mr. Shawn's Storytime.
Crafty Connection Draw a yam bookmark on orange construction paper.

Week of November 9, 2020 - First Grade
Picture Book Month and Feasting Season Silliness

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The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse, by Mac Barnett
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When a mouse is swallowed by a wolf, he learns that a duck devoured earlier has set up a table to enjoy the food the gluttonous predator eats.
Crafty Connection Rainbow food choices coloring sheet

Week of November 9, 2020 - Second Grade
​Picture Book Month and National Monuments

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Video Washington, D.C., tour 
One More Acorn, by Don Freeman
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As winter nears, Earl the Squirrel searches for the acorns he stashed in the parks of Washington, D.C. Iconic author/illustrator Don Freeman began this story in 1963. His son completed it with help from an illustrator almost 50 years later.
Crafty Connection Make leaf rubbings on the reverse of the Find the Alligator coloring sheet.

Week of November 9, 2020 - Third Grade
​Picture Book Month - Curriculum Connection to Mystery Fiction

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Who is the Mystery Reader? by Mo Willems
Zoom Squirrel and his pals practice a new superpower while trying to discover the identity of an enigmatic Mystery Reader. 
Private I. Guana: the Case of the Missing Chameleon, by Nina Laden
A detective is hired to search the forest for a missing chameleon.
Video Read by actor Esai Morales presented by Storyline Online. 

Week of November 9, 2020 - Fourth Grade
Picture Book Month - Curriculum Connection to Reading Nonfiction

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Odd Boy Out, by Don Brown
Albert was a peculiar baby with a big head. When he was older he hit his sister, bothered his teachers, and didn't have many friends. In the midst of all this, he was fascinated with solving puzzles and scientific problems. The ideas Albert Einstein (1879-1955) came up with during his childhood as an odd boy were destined to change what we understand about the world around us.
Video N Is a Number: a Portrait of Paul Erdos (trailer)

The Boy Who Loved Math, by Deborah Heiligman
At the age of four Paul Erdos (1913-1996) could ask you when you were born and then calculate the number of seconds you had been alive in his head. But he didn't learn to butter his own bread until he turned twenty!
Website A Magical Answer to an 80-Year-Old Puzzle. Terence Tao, now a math professor at UCLA, was a youngster when he met Erdos.
Having an Erdos Number Paul Erdos published papers with 507 coauthors. In the mathematics community those 507 people have the coveted distinction of having an Erdos number of 1, meaning that they wrote a paper with Erdos himself. Someone who published a paper with one of his coauthors is said to have an Erdos number of 2, and an Erdos number of 3 means that someone wrote a paper with someone who wrote a paper with someone who worked with Erdos. Albert Einstein’s Erdos number was 2. The highest known Erdos number is 15; this excludes non mathematicians, who all have an Erdos number of infinity.
Website Paul Erdos International Math Challenge
At Home Activity Tessellation art with worksheet and video demonstration.

Week of November 9, 2020 - Fifth Grade
Picture Book Month and the Power of Self, the Power of Unity

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I Talk Like a River, by Scott Jordan
When a boy who stutters feels isolated, alone, and incapable of communicating in the way he'd like, it takes a kindly father and a walk by the river to help him find his voice.
Video Thirteen-year-old Brayden Harrington speaks out about stuttering on NBC News

Unstoppable, by Adam Rex
​When a bird and a crab team up to combine the advantages of flight and claws, it gives them an idea: why not expand the team to include other animals who have a special trait--and soon they all set out to rescue their lake from development, because united together they are unstoppable.
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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

11/2/2020

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Week of November 2, 2020 - TK and Kindergarten
Picture Book Month and Self Awareness

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I'm Bored, by Michael Ian Black
When a bored girl meets a potato who finds children tedious, she tries to prove him wrong by demonstrating all of the things they can do.

​Activity Students draw a potato bookmark.

Week of November 2, 2020 - First Grade
​Picture Book Month and Patience

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Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake, by Michael B. Kaplan
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Betty Bunny likes chocolate cake so much that she claims she will marry it one day, and she has trouble learning to wait patiently until she can have her next taste.
Video A little girl mixes and bakes chocolate cake in a cup
Activity Patience mandala coloring sheet

Week of November 2, 2020 - Second Grade
Picture Book Month and Letter Writing

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Corduroy Writes a Letter, by Don Freeman
When Lisa notices that her favorite cookies have fewer sprinkles, her mother suggests that she write a letter to the bakery.
Activity Students write a kind note of appreciation on a Teddy Bear to their parents for supporting the Grand View PTA.

Week of November 2, 2020 - Third Grade - Veterans Day

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Navajo Code Talkers, by Andrew Santella
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The Navajo language is ideally suited to be an unbreakable code. When WWII ended, the Code Talker program was kept a military secret for decades. It was many years before the Code Talkers could be honored for their service.
Video American Indian World War II Heroes Discovery Education Streaming (password protected).
Website Navajocodetalkers.org | Historical Perspective Page (begin 30 seconds in).
Website Nativevillage.org displays a dictionary of Code Talker terms.

Week of November 2, 2020 - Fourth Grade
Picture Book Month and Honoring Canine Veterans

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Wag! by Patrick McDonnell
A little dog is eager to please.
Dogs on Duty, by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
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When the news broke of the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound, the SEAL team member that stole the show was a highly trained canine companion.
Video A salute to military working dogs.

Week of November 2, 2020 - Fifth Grade
Picture Book Month and Honoring Canine Veterans

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Hey, Boy, by Benjamin Strouse
The unfaltering love between a boy and his pet.
Nubs, by Major Brian Dennis

A true story of a feral dog in war-torn Iraq who is befriended by an American Marine, then embarks on a treacherous journey to find him when the man is stationed seventy miles away.
Video WFLA News Channel 8 Iraqi dog rescued.
Follow-up Nubs passed away in 2018 of Cushing's Disease after living with Brian and his family for ten happy years. Nubs, the loner desert dog who became a beloved family pet, is buried in Corpus Cristi, Texas, with a view of the ocean where he loved to play.
Recommended Reading Letters from Wolfie by Pattie Sherlock, Saving Zasha by Randi G. Barrow, and Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata. ​
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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

10/5/2020

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Week of October 5, 2020 - TK - Spiders

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There's a Spider on the Floor, on the Floor Let's sing a silly song!
The Very Busy Spider, by Eric Carle
The farm animals try to divert a spider from spinning her web, but she persists and produces a thing of both beauty and usefulness.
Aaaarrgghh! Spider! by Lydia Monks
A clever spider is lonely and longs to become a family pet.
Video Timed, socially distant visits to the Natural History Museum Spider Pavilion are likely sold out this fall. Get a taste for the experience with this video from 2010.
Crafty Connection Draw a spider bookmark or print The Very Busy Spider coloring sheet

Week of October 5, 2020 - Kindergarten - Spiders

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There's a Spider on the Floor, on the Floor Let's sing a silly song!
Be Nice to Spiders, by Margaret Bloy Graham
The zoo animals become happy and peaceful when Helen the spider spins webs and catches the flies that had made them miserable.
Video Timed, socially distant visits to the Natural History Museum Spider Pavilion are likely sold out this fall. Get a taste for the experience with this video from 2010.
Crafty Connection Wish YOU could have a pet spider? Video instructions to make a puppet.

Week of October 5, 2020 - First Grade - Hispanic Heritage Month

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YouTube Tortillas de Agua, San Pedro, Sonora, Mexico (view to 1 min. 35 sec.)
Tiny Tortilla, by Arlene Williams
Juan Carlos discovers that with patience and the right touch he can transform a tiny ball of special tortilla dough into unexpected shapes.
Coloring Sheet Tortilla Elephant Ears Recipe 

Week of October 5, 2020 - Second Grade - Monsters

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One Hungry Monster, by Susan Heyboer O'Keefe
A small boy tries to control ten insatiable monsters demanding food and creating chaos throughout the house at bedtime.
Just Dessert, by Polly Powell
In the middle of the night a young girl encounters a few scares on her way to an extra piece of cake.
Alfred's Book of Monsters, by Sam Streed

Alfred loves the monsters in his book, but he doesn't like teatime with his aunt--until he decides to invite three of his favorite monsters to join him for tea.
There's a Wocket in My Pocket, by Dr. Seuss
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A boy tells of a whole houseful of unusual creatures.
Coloring sheet Applesauce Cinnamon Oat Muffin Recipe

Week of October 5, 2020 - Third Grade - Reading for Information

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Spinning Spiders, by Melvin Berger
Describes the characteristics of spiders and the methods they use to trap their prey in webs.
I'm Trying to Love Spiders, by Bethany Barton
A humorous introduction to spiders.
Crafty Connection String figures such as Running Dog 
Crafty Connection Instructions to cut a lacy web for decoration

Week of October 5, 2020 - Fourth Grade
Learning to Read, Reading to Learn, Social-Emotional Wellness

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Video A brief overview of the life of Mary Walker
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read, by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Mary Walker (1848-1969) was born in the South eight years before the end of slavery. She longed to read but her circumstances made it hard to do so until she turned 116 and was finally able to read her favorite book. This hard-working woman experienced slavery, the civil rights movement, and lived through 26 presidents. She beat the odds and achieved her dreams.

Week of October 5, 2020 - Fifth Grade
Early Communication and Social-Emotional Wellness

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Telegraph machine circa 1900
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SOS telegram sent from the Titanic April 15, 1912
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Perspective On January 27, 2006, Western Union ended it's paper telegram service. Two months later the first Twitter message was sent. Read more.
Video An overview of the life of Samuel Morse (1791-1872) viewed on Discovery Education streaming video (password protected).
Samuel Morse, that's Who! The Story of the Telegraph and Morse Code, by Tracy Nelson Maurer
Samuel Morse was not an instant success. He wanted to be a painter, but when his career in America didn't take off, he sailed to England in 1829 to study. People still did not seem to get his art when he returned, but they were very interested in the electromagnetic system to carry coded messages that he had designed on the voyage home. It took trial and error, but eventually Morse invented Morse code (later modified and renamed International Morse Code) and the telegraph machine. News that once had taken months to reach it's destination now could travel in the blink of an eye.
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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

9/28/2020

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​Week of September 28, 2020 - TK - Apples

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Little Mouse's Big Secret, by Eric Battut
Little Mouse has found a delicious-looking apple and doesn't want to share a bite. So he buries it, and no matter how many of his friends ask what he hid, Little Mouse won't tell.  But when a tree sprouts from the seeds of the fruit, there are enough apples for everyone-and Little Mouse realizes some secrets are even better when they're shared. Read by Hines Creek Municipal Library.
One Red Apple, by Harriet Ziefert
Chronicles the life cycle of an apple: from fruit growing on the tree, to market, to picnic, to seed, to sapling and tree, and finally to a new apple. A joyful introduction to the amazing and delectable way the earth provides food.
Ten Apples Up On Top, by Dr. Seuss writing as Theo. LeSieg
Lion, Tiger, and Dog are balancing ten apples on their heads when two cranky bears chase them.
Crafty Connection Apple tree color by number

​Week of September 28, 2020 - Kindergarten - Apples

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Our Apple Tree, by Gorel Kristina Naslund
A whimsical look at the life cycle of the apple tree. Two sprites guide the tree from spring, when the apple tree blossoms, through summer, when the fruit grows, to fall and the harvest. ​​
Crafty Connection Apple tree color by number

​Week of September 28, 2020 - First Grade - Apples

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The Apple Doll, by Elisa Kleven
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Lizzy's best friend in all seasons is her apple tree. When school starts, Lizzy sees how her apple tree can help her overcome her shyness and make new friends.
Crafty Connection Apple doll instructions

​Week of September 28, 2020 - Second Grade - Apples

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Coloring sheet and applesauce recipe
Applesauce Season, by Eden Ross Lipson
Describes a family's applesauce-making ritual: the buying, peeling, cooking and stirring; the wait for the sauce to cool and the first taste.
Crafty Connection Coloring Sheet and applesauce recipe 

Week of September 28, 2020 - Third Grade - Reading for Information

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Video plant a bee garden
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Honeybee cookie recipe
Give Bees a Chance, by Bethany Barton
Besides making yummy honey, they help plants grow fruits and vegetables.
Video Plant a bee friendly garden
Crafty Connection Bake honeybee cookies

Week of September 28, 2020 - Fourth Grade
Water... Apples... and the Ripple Effect

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Water Is Water, by Miranda Paul
Highlights the various forms water takes throughout the year including autumn fog and rain, frozen ponds and falling snow, steam from cups of cocoa, and snow melt turning dirt to mud.
One Green Apple, by Eve Bunting
It's hard to be the new kid in school, especially when you're from another country and don't know the language. But a field trip to an apple orchard helps Farah feel connected. 
Each Kindness, by Jacqueline Woodson
What if you're cruel to someone and never get the chance to make it right? This deeply personal story takes us full circle back to water. As a lake is rippled when a stone is tossed, a cruelty has repercussions than can never be undone. ​
​Grant Opportunity Deadline 10/1 MBEF Clinton Family Social Inclusion Grant Application

​Week of September 28, 2020 - Fifth Grade - Banned Books Week

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Video "Parthenon" of banned books
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A Book Worth Banning Is a Book Worth Reading
A list of several titles that have been banned or challenged.
Video Puppet Book Banners
A brief discussion about why the American Library Association supports and celebrates the freedom to read.
Video "Parthenon" of banned books

Little Red Riding Hood, retold by Trina Schart Hyman
This adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood landed on the naughty list, though the illustrations merited a Caldecott Honor (1984).
Wolf in the Snow, by Matthew Cordell
When a wolf cub and a little girl are lost in a storm, kindness and cooperation save them. In the end, it's all about keeping an open mind.

Grant Opportunity Deadline 10/1 MBEF Clinton Family Social Inclusion Grant Application
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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

9/21/2020

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Week of September 21, 2020 - TK - Having Grit & Fun with Numbers

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Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, by Eric Litwin
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Pete the cat loves the buttons on his shirt so much that he makes up a song about them, and even as the buttons pop off, one by one, he still finds a reason to sing.

Video Pete sings his song 
Crafty Connection Print this Pete the Cat color by number 
Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas
Mouse and Cow are making soup, but Pig keeps trying to add strange ingredients.
Video Is That Wise, Pig? read by Story Time Pals 
Activity Connection Cooking with children (safety first!) is a great way to reinforce independence, math, science, language skills, and more. Try these No Bake Kids' Recipes: mud pie, pineapple bagel spread, cinnamon pears, pumpkin pie, and more!

​Week of September 21, 2020 - Kindergarten - Fall Leaves

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Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall
When fall comes, two brothers enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures. Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.
Fall Is Not Easy, by Marty Kelley
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With new expectations to be met, fall can be a tough season for a lot of us.
Crafty Connection Transform ordinary leaves found in the yard into colorful nature collages. Directions.

Week of September 21, 2020 - First Grade - Books and Reading

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Make a book-nibbling bookmark
I Am a Story, by Dan Yaccarino
A celebration of the art of storytelling traces how it has evolved from cave paintings and the invention of the printing press to the digital technologies that inform and unite today's diverse world. Sharp eyes will take note of the starry transition from cave people to contemporary folk as astrological signs reappear as constellations, with a tiny red bird on each page to remind us that stories give flight to our imagination.
Crafty Connection Tiny Birds coloring sheet ​
I Don't Like to Read, by Nancy Carlson
Henry the mouse likes everything about first grade except reading, but with some extra help at school and home, he is delightfully surprised.
Connection Read a book, of course :)
Nibbles the Book Monster, by Emma Yarlett
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Nibbles the Monster enjoys books a little too much!
Crafty Connection Make a book nibbling bookmark. Directions.

Week of September 21, 2020 - Second Grade - Empathy

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Empathy is defined as the ability to understand the thoughts, feelings, or emotions of someone else. An example of empathy is feeling the same amount of excitement as a friend, when they tell you they are getting a puppy or a kitten.
Video Sesame Street: actor Mark Ruffalo and Murray help explain the feeling of empathy.
A Letter to My Teacher, by Deborah Hopkinson
Written as a thank you note to a cherished teacher, the ending brings the love of learning and teaching full circle. 
Discuss Do you think the new teacher will be able to feel empathy for her students when things don't go quite right for them? How might having empathy affect our relationships at home or at school?

Draw and Write Students draw a picture of themselves with their teacher and write a note including a personality trait that they know their teacher will enjoy, and a behavior that they hope to improve during second grade. Show it to your teacher on your next Zoom.

Week of September 21, 2020 - Third Grade - Welcome Fall

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Green on Green, by Dianne White
The animals, fruits, feelings, and colors that characterize each season of the year.
​Lawrence in the Fall, by Matthew Farina

Lawrence the fox accompanies his father into the forest to collect something to take to his school show-and-tell, and encounters the beauty of nature and finds exactly what he needs.
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Video Why Do Leaves Change Color?
​Leaves, by David Ezra Stein
A bear who has never experienced autumn before is puzzled by the falling leaves, unsure whether he should try to put them back or use them as a bed for a nap. Read by Michael DeJohn
Crafty Connection Transform ordinary leaves found in the yard into colorful nature collages. Directions.

Week of September 21, 2020 - Fourth and Fifth Grade
​California Young Reader Medal Intermediate Novel Nominees

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Introducing the CYRM Intermediate Novel Nominees Students in 4th and 5th grade are invited to participate in deciding the most popular fiction novel in California by reading all three CYRM novels and voting for their favorite by June 1. General vote info. Specific Grand View vote info to come. More about the CYRM. Questions? Email Mrs. Snively at hsnively@mbusd.org.
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The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, by Karina Yan Glaser
The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It's practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are. And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home. First in a series, fans of The Penderwicks will love getting to know Harlem's favorite family. A story of confrontation and understanding just right for our troubled times.
Video Book trailer at teachingbooks.net
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Save Me a Seat, by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Meet Ravi, who has just moved to the United States from India, where he has always been at the top of his class. Meet Joe, who has lived in the same New Jersey town his whole life, and lives with learning difficulties. Two fifth grade boys born worlds apart and so different from one another --how could they ever be friends? They are united by a common enemy, Dillon Samreen, the class bully. Dillon is Indian American and Ravi oh so wrongly assumes their shared heritage means they will be friends. This story about fitting in and overcoming obstacles features two points of view that will be a hit with fans of Wonder, by R.J. Palacios. 
Video Book trailer at teachingbooks.net
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Restart, by Gordon Korman
Chase's memory just went out the window. He doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again, starting with his own name. When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. Pretty soon Chase realizes it's not only a question of who he is, it's a question of who he was, and who he's going to be.
Video Book trailer at teachingbooks.net
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsberg Makes Her Mark, by Debbie Levy
​As a child in Brooklyn, Ruth learned the importance of a powerful dissent. Her mother objected to the notion that girls shouldn't get an education. Ruth objected to the discrimination facing her Jewish family. In school, she objected to having to take sewing and cooking classes (but still had to), and in college, she objected to the notion that, as a woman, she couldn't pursue a law career. Dissent is the through line woven into this picture-book biography of Justice Ginsburg, and it's a tidy way to demonstrate how her fearless objections to the unfair status quo not only led the way to her career as a Supreme Court justice but also contributed to dismantling many of those discriminatory laws that prevented equal treatment. 
Video I Dissent presented by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

9/14/2020

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Week of September 14, 2020 - TK - Self-Reliance

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Llama Llama Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdney
Baby llama creates bedtime drama!
Small Bunny's Blue Blanket, by Tatyana Feeney
It's laundry day: will Small Bunny's blanket ever be the same? 
Crafty Connection Students can draw Small Bunny and his blanket on a card stock bookmark after being shown simple shapes and lines.

​Week of September 14, 2020 - Kindergarten - Making Friends

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Halibut Jackson, by David Lucas
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Because Halibut Jackson is so shy, he makes special outfits to blend in wherever he goes.
Videos Camouflaging halibut and an extreme example of the skill demonstrated by the octopus 

Crafty Connection Students can color their own camouflaged fish. Supplies: this fish coloring page printed out, a sheet of colorful patterned wrapping paper measuring at least 8" x 11", scissors, crayons or markers, tape or glue. Directions: cut out the fish shape, tape or glue it to the piece of wrapping paper, color in the fish using similar colors and patterns that match the wrapping paper.

​Week of September 14, 2020 - First Grade - Responsibility

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Where Are My Books? by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
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A little boy finds that though he put his book back in its proper place, it turns up missing.
Crafty Connection Learn how to draw squirrels from Debbie Ridpath Ohi 
Don't Spill the Milk! by Stephen Davies

Over the dunes, across the river and up the mountain, Penda lovingly carries a bowl of milk to her father in the grasslands. But will she manage to get it there without spilling a single drop? Students learning to be responsible for one library book will appreciate the magnitude of the task set before Penda.
Fun Extender Try walking with a large plastic bowl balanced on your head, as Penda did in the story. Click here to see how these children first place a rolled up cloth or towel on top of the head.

Week of September 14, 2020 - Second Grade
​Finding the Next Favorite Book

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Charlie Cook's Favorite Book, by Julia Donaldson
A circular tale in which each new book character is reading about the next, beginning and ending with Charlie Cook.
A Library Book for Bear, by Bonny Becker
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What is YOUR favorite book? Bear is quite certain he has all the books he will ever need right at home and there is no need to visit the library.
Crafty Connection See this video to make a paper mouse finger puppet and read your favorite book to your new little friend.

Week of September 14, 2020 - Third Grade - Looking for the Good

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Teacher Larry Zacharko
What Grew in Larry's Garden, by Laura Alary
Helping her teacher next-door neighbor with his amazing garden, young Grace learns powerful lessons in community teamwork and environmental mindfulness when a plan for the garden's vegetables is threatened by an unanticipated problem.
Give It a Try This video shows how to start tomato plants from tomato slices.

Week of September 14, 2020 - Fourth Grade
Curriculum Connection: Our California Legacy & the National Parks

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Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California's Yosemite Valley, retold by Robert D. San Souci
Two bear cubs go for a romp and become so tired they fall asleep on a rock, and don't wake up when the rock begins to grow. It isn't until a little measuring worm attempts the climb that the cubs are rescued.
Crafty Connection Fold an origami paper walking worm 
Every Kid In a Park Find out more about this offer open to every 4th grade student and their families.

Week of September 14, 2020 - Fifth Grade - Unlikely Friendships

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Big Mean Mike, by Michelle Knudsen
Mike is proud to be the toughest dog in the neighborhood, so when tiny, fuzzy bunnies start showing up in his big, mean car he sees them only as a threat to his reputation. But they are SO adorable!
Pine & Boof: the Lucky Leaf, by Ross Burach

One blustery day, Boof the bear's lucky red leaf gets swept away by the wind. Fortunately for him, Pine the porcupine just happens to walk by with his lucky compass-and the two set off on an adventure to find the lost leaf, only to discover true friendship in the process.
Tarra & Bella: the Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends, by Carole Buckley
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Proving that best friends come in all shapes and sizes, a lone elephant at a sanctuary in Tennessee befriends a stray dog.
Video Clip Tarra & Bella
Website Learn about Tarra today
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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

8/31/2020

 

Week of August 31, 2020 - TK & Kindergarten - Back to School

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The Itsy-Bitsy Spider 
A playful song to help us focus.
Pete the Cat and the Itsy Bitsy Spider, by James Dean
Video Read by Chom Stories
Pete and his friends know just how to help the spider succeed.
Discuss Find connections to the theme for the year, Working Together for the Gator Good.

Teachers Rock, by Todd Parr
Video Read by Todd Parr. If you think Todd reads a little too fast to see the pictures, here is a version read by Storybook Time.
A celebration of the ways in which teachers change the world, from encouraging creativity, to making students laugh, to helping them form friendships, always wanting everyone to succeed and making the classroom a great place to be.

My Bus, by Byron Barton
Video Read by Our Home of Many Blessings.
Fun with grouping and number play, with a surprise ending.

If You're Happy and You Know It 
A chance to sing and move.

Be a GREAT Gator
Simple guidelines for a GREAT school year together.
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Week of August 31, 2020 - First Grade - Back to School

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Lower playground gone - two-story building to come
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School's First Day of School, by Adam Rex
It's the first day of school and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself.

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School, by Mo Willems
Why does the Pigeon have to go to school? He already knows everything! What if he doesn't like it? What if the teacher doesn't like him? What if he learns too much?
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Discuss Find connections to the theme for the year, Working Together for the Gator Good.
Be a GREAT Gator Simple guidelines for a GREAT school year together.
Crafty Connection Until we are able to be together again at school, fold yourself a little Grand View School building. Decorate it with our new colors: white walls with blue and green trim, or any way you like. Here are the video instructions. Wouldn't this make a super-cute bookmark?

​Week of August 31, 2020 - Second Grade - Back to School

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Excellent Ed, by Stacy McAnulty
Ed, the Ellis family dog, has many talents, but none of them matches the excellence of the five Ellis children's in this story that reminds us everyone is excellent at something.
​Ragweed's Farm Dog Handbook, by Anne Vittur Kennedy
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Ragweed blithely breaks all his own farm dog rules, collecting biscuits as he goes.
Discuss Find connections to the theme for the year, Working Together for the Gator Good.
Be a GREAT Gator Simple guidelines for a GREAT school year together.
Crafty Connection Until we are able to be together again at school, fold yourself a little Grand View School building. Decorate it with our new colors: white walls with blue and green trim, or any way you like. Here are the video instructions. Wouldn't this make a super-cute bookmark?
Activity Ragweed's handbook reproducible found at TeachingBooks.net 

Week of August 31, 2020 - Third Grade - Back to School

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Lower playground gone - Two-story building to come
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Jasper & Ollie Build a Fort, by Alex Winan
Best friends Jasper, a quick and feisty fox, and Ollie, a slow, deliberate sloth, decide to build forts in the yard. While Jasper's enormous fort goes up in minutes (complete with a rock climbing wall, bouncy, castle, and moat), it's Ollie's humble fort that has what the pair need most . . . a place that they can share. 
Discuss Compare and contrast the two approaches to getting a job done and find connections in the story to the theme for the school year, Working Together for the Gator Good.

Be a GREAT Gator Simple guidelines for a GREAT school year together.
Crafty Connection Until we are able to be together again at school, fold yourself a little Grand View School building. Decorate it with our new colors: white walls with blue and green trim, or any way you like. Here are the video instructions. Wouldn't this make a super-cute bookmark?
Video Extenders Click here to find out why sloths are so slow, their connection to avocados, and more. Click here to see and hear an adorable baby sloth.

Week of August 31, 2020 - Fourth Grade - Back to School

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We Don't Eat Our Classmates, by Ryan T. Higgins 
It's the first day of school and Penelope is not having much success at making new friends until the class pet steps in to save the day.
​The Best School Year Ever, by Barbara Robinson
The teacher's assignment is for each student to write a compliment for each classmate and Beth must think of one for awful Imogene, a member of the notoriously rotten Herdman family, the worst family in the history of the world.

Discuss Find connections to the theme for the year, Working Together for the Gator Good.
Be a GREAT Gator Simple guidelines for a GREAT school year together.
Crafty Connection Until we are able to be together again at school, fold yourself a little Grand View School building. Decorate it with our new colors: white walls with blue and green trim, or any way you like. Here are the video instructions. Wouldn't this make a super-cute bookmark? 

Week of August 31, 2020 - Fifth Grade - Back to School

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Tomas Rivera age 10
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Dr. Rivera in his office
This is a unique year, with a unique learning environment. It won't be money that will make the biggest difference, although it has sadly been further evidenced by distance learning during a pandemic that financial resources have a profound impact on learning success. But a case can be made that a part of school success comes from within each student: personal determination and a love of learning. And for those of us lucky enough, if there is an educator who can open up the world of books to us.
Consider the example of Tomas Rivera. He was born in Texas in 1935. A migrant worker who valued education, he became a writer, a professor, and a national education leader. When Dr. Rivera died in 1984, he was the chancellor of the University of California at Riverside. The campus library now bears the name of the boy who was once encouraged to read by a librarian in Iowa.
Video An interview with author Pat Mora.
Tomas and the Library Lady, by Pat Mora
While helping his family in their work as migrant laborers far from their home, Tomás finds an entire world to explore in the books at the local public library.
Discuss Find connections to the theme of the year, Working Together for the Gator Good. 

Be a GREAT Gator Simple guidelines for a GREAT school year together.
Crafty Connection Until we are able to be together again at school, fold yourself a little Grand View School building. Decorate it with our new colors: white walls with blue and green trim, or any way you like. Here are the video instructions. Wouldn't this make a super-cute bookmark? 
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Explore For those interested in reading more about social justice and the migrant farm worker experience in California, I recommend The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez. It is an honest and powerful account of a family's journey to the fields of California. Once an undocumented immigrant, Dr. Jimenez is now a professor at Santa Clara University.

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Explore For those interested in reading more about social justice and living as an undocumented immigrant, I recommend Dear America: the Story of an Undocumented Citizen, by Jose Antonio Vargas. Brought to the US from the Philippines as a child, he didn't learn of his undocumented status until he applied for a learners' permit and spent the next 20 years hiding in plain sight, writing for prestigious news organizations.

    MBUSD begins the 2020-21 year with 100% distance learning.

    TK-2nd grade classes return for hybrid classroom learning the week of 12/7/20.
    ​During the time we are apart classes will  receive weekly library content from me via Zoom. Colleagues
     are welcome to borrow ideas. 

    Mrs. Snively Reads

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    Videos of Mrs. Snively reading aloud

    Library Program

    Our students enjoy weekly visits for a presentation crafted to instill a love of reading, to enhance
    Common Core classroom lessons, and to inspire life-long learning. Visits include checking out materials, practicing information literacy, and exercising digital citizenship.

    California Model School Library Standards Read Aloud 15 Minutes. Every Child. Every Parent. Every Day See why it matters at readaloud.org

    What Mrs. Snively is reading right now

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    Mrs. Snively reads adult books, too

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