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Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

5/26/2025

Looking for content from previous weeks? Scroll further down.

Week of May 26, 2025 | TK and K | ABCs and Sing-Along Songs

ABC Disney, by Robert Sabuda
Paper engineering wizardry reveal a pop-up Disney character for each letter of the alphabet.

If Rocks Could Sing: a Discovered Alphabet, by Leslie McGurk
A nature-inspired alphabet book features unique rocks found on a stretch of beach by the author's home that are presented in the shapes of letters, numbers and alphabetical figures.

Down by the Bay, by Raffi
A sing-along for all to enjoy, plus I Like to Eat Apples and Bananas

Week of May 26, 2025 | First Grade | Puppy Fun

Videos Cuteness overload French bulldogs and toy poodles

Gaston, by Kelly DiPucchio
A proper bulldog raised in a poodle family and a tough poodle raised in a bulldog family meet one day in the park.

Antoinette, by Kelly DiPucchio
Raised in a family of talented bulldogs, Antoinette the poodle wonders what makes her special. She gets the chance to prove herself and find what she's good at when puppy Ooh-La-La goes missing.

Crafty Connection Color and cut out dog ears to attach to hair with tape

Week of May 26, 2025 | Second Grade | Joy of Reading

The Potato King, by Christoph Niemann
A bit of reverse psychology employed by King Frederick the Great of Prussia helped make the potato the fourth largest food crop in the world today.

Legend of Spud Murphy, by Eoin Colfer When their mother drops them off at the library several afternoons a week, nine-year-old William and his brother dread the overbearing librarian, but are surprised at what they discover. Conclusion: chapters 4 and 5

Video The Potato Song It is so nice, we play it twice!

At-Home Crafty Connection Video directions to make an owl using a potato stamp at home or create in the library using crayons and markers: play video to second 0:08 so students may copy the picture.

Week of May 26, 2025 | Third Grade | Joys of Summer Reading

My Brother Louis Measures Worms and Other Louis Stories, by Barbara Robinson
Mary Elizabeth relates the humorous misadventures of her brother Louis in this collection of short stories. This week: The Adoption of Albert

At-Home Connection Paint with coffee

Week of May 26, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Kindness Goes Around Again

Video Kid President explains how to change the world with kindness

How to Heal a Broken Wing, by Bob Graham
When Will finds a bird with a broken wing, he takes it home and cares for it, hoping in time it will be able to return to the sky.

Alex the Parrot, by Stephanie Spinner
The story of an African grey parrot named Alex (1976-2007) whose intelligence changed the way scientists view the brain.

Video Scientist Irene Pepperberg and Alex

Video Actions have consequences: PBJ machine

Week of May 26, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Summer Reading at MBMS

And Then Comes Summer, by Tom Brenner
This bright, nostalgic and lyrical ode to summers spent outdoors will strike a chord with anyone who's ever counted down the days until school gets out.

Summer Reading MBUSD reading lists

Deep Doodles
What do your drawings reveal about your character and your personality? Students will draw a few doodles and find out what they may represent.

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

5/19/2025

Looking for content from previous weeks? Scroll further down.

Week of May 19, 2025 | TK | Kindness Week Spotlight on Sharing

This Is MY Fort! by Drew Daywalt
Monkey and Cake are normally good friends, but today Cake is building a no-Monkey fort--until Monkey teaches him a lesson about being alone and he realizes that forts (and other things) are much better when they are shared.

How to Share with a Bear, by Erik Pinder
Thomas builds a cave of pillows and blankets where he can read, but when he goes to get a flashlight, a young "bear" goes inside and nothing Thomas does discourages the bear from being near him.

Crafty Connection Craft a brown bag bear puppet using paint and cut-out shapes, or simplify by using markers instead.

Week of May 19, 2025 | Kindergarten | Cats and Kindness

Lost Cat, by C. Roger Mader
Slipper the cat is mistakenly left behind in the commotion when the lady she has always lived with moves in with her daughter's family, so Slipper sets out to find someone new to adopt.

The Cat Who Lost His Purr, by Michele Coxon
Bootle the cat searches inside and outside for his lost purr and only retrieves it when his owners return.

I Like Your Buttons! by Sarah Lamstein
When a little girl compliments her teacher it starts a chain reaction of goodwill, good deeds, and thoughtfulness throughout the day.

June is Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month Click for info

Crafty Connection Create a bracelet made with buttons and pipe cleaners.

Week of May 19, 2025 | First Grade | Cats and Kindness

Horatio, by Eleanor Clymer
Horatio, the cat, is quite disgruntled when his owner starts to bring other pets into the house. He runs away to get some peace but finds his troubles just beginning.

Kitten and the Night Watchman, by John Sullivan
As he makes his rounds, a night watchman hears birds calling, insects buzzing, and vehicles roaring by, while a stray kitten keeps him company.

June is Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month Click for info

Crafty Connection Draw Horatio step-by-step from the book cover

Week of May 19, 2025 | Second Grade | What Is Kindness?

Be Kind, by Pat Zietlow Miller
Explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference or at least help a friend. Presented by Reading Robin (play video from minute 0:36-3:40)

Legend of Spud Murphy, by Eoin Colfer
When their mother drops them off at the library several afternoons a week, nine-year-old William and his brother dread the overbearing librarian, but are surprised at what they discover. Chapter 3 of 5.

Crafty Connection Step-by-step directions to draw and color a swimming pool

Week of May 19, 2025 | Third Grade | What Kindness Looks Like

My Brother Louis Measures Worms and Other Louis Stories, by Barbara Robinson
Mary Elizabeth relates the humorous misadventures of her brother Louis in this collection of short stories featuring two very responsible children who somehow find themselves at the center of chaos.
This week Louis at the Wheel part 2 of 2.

The Rabbit Listened, by Cori Doerrfeld
When a child's block castle is destroyed, all the animals think they know just what to do, but the rabbit knows what the boy needs is someone to just listen.

Video OK Go This Too Shall Pass

Week of May 19, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Kindness & Memorial Day

Tucky Jo and Little Heart, by Patricia Polacco
A fifteen-year-old soldier in World War II meets a sweet young girl in the Philippines who helps him remember what he is fighting for as he helps her and others of her village avoid starvation. Many years later she returns his kindness. Part 2 of 2.

At-Home Crafty Connection How to make a friendship bracelet from candy wrappers

The Cat Man of Aleppo, by Irene Latham
In the midst of the ongoing Syrian Civil War which began in 2011, Alaa takes care of Aleppo's abandoned cats.

June is Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month Click for info

Week of May 19, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Kindness & Memorial Day |
Curriculum Connection: Fantasy Writing Assignment

Nobuo Fujita with family sword presented to Brookings, Oregon

Nobuo Fujita (1911-1997)

30 Minutes Over Oregon : a Japanese Pilot's World War II Story, by Marc Tyler Nobleman
After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. retaliated with a bombing raid on Tokyo. Japan then sent Nobuo Fujita to fire bomb the woods of Oregon. Nobuo dropped the bombs near Brookings, but they were ineffective due to the wetness of the woods. After the war Nobuo resumed civilian life with his family but lived with guilt over his wartime actions. In 1962 Brookings invited the Japanese bomber to their Memorial Day festival to extend forgiveness and to work toward peaceful international relationships

The Van Gogh Cafe, by Cynthia Rylant (part 2 of 2)
The cafe has magic in its walls, causing strange and mysterious events to occur there. A small bit of that magic found its way into the Grand View Library one year, and has lived there ever since. One example is the cafe's theme song, and how Mrs. Snively learned it was sung by Dinah Shore. This week, students will learn how that came to be, as well as learning what is the Dav Pilkey connection.

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

5/12/2025

Looking for content from previous weeks? Scroll further down.

Week of May 12, 2025 | TK | Insects

Big Bug, by Henry Cole
In this concept book that introduces the idea of scale, various objects are revealed as being big and small in comparison with other objects on a farm under the big, big sky.

Hank's Big Day, by Evan Kuhlman
Hank the pill bug leads a busy life nibbling dead leaves, climbing long sticks, avoiding skateboarders, and playing pretend with his best friend.

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, by David Soman and Jacky Davis
Lulu and Sam know how to include some new friends when they play Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, saving the playground from hairy monsters and big mean robots.

Crafty Connection Students create their own picture book with a prepared red, yellow and black construction paper booklet

Week of May 12, 2025 | Kindergarten | Curriculum Connection Frogs

Froggy Fable, by John Lechner
A little frog is upset when his simple life is changed by such things as other animals moving in nearby, but during an unexpected adventure away from the pond he learns that change can be good, after all.

I Don't Want to Be a Frog, by Dev Petty
A frog who yearns to be any animal that is cute and warm discovers that being wet, slimy, and full of bugs has its advantages.

Frog on a Log? (also published as Oi, Frog), by Kes Gray
n rhyming text, cat explains why frog has to sit on a log, even if he finds it uncomfortable.
Froggy dot-to-dot and frog song to sing

Crafty Connection Froggy dot-to-dot and frog song to sing

Week of May 12, 2025 | First Grade | A World of Worms

Worm Gets a Job, by Kathy Caple
Worm attempts various jobs for his animal friends so that he can buy painting supplies and enter the art contest.

I Can Only Draw Worms, by Will Mabbitt
Teaches the reader to count to ten using worms that have great adventures or everyday experiences, described but not illustrated due to the author/illustrator's inability to draw anything but worms.

Video I Can Only Draw Worms (abridged) presented by Puffin Books (running time 1:58)

Crafty Connection Students cut out a wiggly worm friend

Week of May 12, 2025 | Second Grade | Books and Reading

Carlo and the Really Nice Librarian, by Jessica Spanyol
Carlo the giraffe and his cat, Crackers, learn that the library is a friendly place--even if the librarian is a crocodile.

Legend of Spud Murphy, by Eoin Colfer
When their mother drops them off at the library several afternoons a week, nine-year-old William and his brother dread the overbearing librarian, but are surprised at what they discover. Chapter 1 and 2 of 5.

Crafty Connection Crocodile-shaped bookmark to color

Week of May 12, 2025 | Third Grade | Responsibility

Video Click here to see Mo Willems stage the scenery for Nanette's Baguette.

Nanette's Baguette, by Mo Willems
Complications ensue when a young frog's mother gives her the responsibility of buying the family baguette.

At-Home Connection Create a paper village of your own, inspired by buildings from your town.
Ideas at petitarchitect.com

My Brother Louis Measures Worms and Other Louis Stories, by Barbara Robinson
Mary Elizabeth relates the humorous misadventures of her brother Louis in this collection of short stories featuring two very responsible children who somehow find themselves at the center of chaos.
This week part 1 of 2: Louis at the Wheel.

Crafty Connection Fill out and color your License to Read

At-Home Connection Make a race car from a juice or milk carton

Week of May 12, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Memorial Day

Capital of Philippines, Manilla, Luzon

Luzon rice fields

Battle of Luzon, March 1945

Background The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia made up of more than 7,000 islands that are categorized under three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visaya, and Mindanao.

Tucky Jo and Little Heart, by Patricia Polacco
A fifteen-year-old soldier in World War II meets a sweet young girl in the Philippines who helps him remember what he is fighting for as he helps her and others of her village avoid starvation. Many years later she returns his kindness. Part 1 of 2.

Week of May 12, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Curriculum Connection Fantasy

The Van Gogh Cafe, by Cynthia Rylant (part 1 of 2)
The cafe has magic in its walls, causing strange and mysterious events to occur there. A small bit of that magic found its way into the Grand View Library one year, and has lived there ever since. One example is the cafe's theme song, and how Mrs. Snively learned it was sung by Dinah Shore. Next week, students will learn how that came to be, as well as learning what is the Dav Pilkey connection.

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

5/5/2025

Week of May 5, 2025 | TK
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Ling & Ting, Not Exactly the Same! by Grade Lin
Video Author/illustrator Grace Lin reads the first chapter from the book (running time 3:38)
Sticking together through everything from getting haircuts and preparing dumplings to practicing magic tricks and using chopsticks, identical twin sisters Ling and Ting display distinctive differences in personality and preference despite their similar looks.

Crafty Connections Follow along with author/illustrator Grace Lin to draw the Rabbit in the Moon, and learn what is symbolized by the apple, the orange, and the peach. Grace Lin also offers a Ling & Ting paper doll template to print, color, and cut out.

Week of May 5, 2025 | Kindergarten
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Video How to Dim Sum, a Beginner's Guide

Dim Sum, Here We Come! by Maple Lam
In this yummy celebration of togetherness, love, family and food, a girl and her younger sister attend their weekly dim sum family gathering.

Crafty Connection Dim sum coloring sheet

Week of May 5, 2025 | First Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The Ugly Vegetables, by Grace Lin
A little girl thinks her mother's garden is the ugliest in the neighborhood until she discovers that flowers might look and smell pretty but Chinese vegetable soup smells best of all.

Crafty Connections Follow along with author/illustrator Grace Lin to draw the Rabbit in the Moon, and learn what is symbolized by the apple, the orange, and the peach. Grace Lin also offers an Ugly Vegetable coloring sheet.

Kitchen Connection Ugly Vegetable soup recipe

Week of May 5, 2025 | Second Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Yoko, by Rosemary Wells
Yoko's mother packs her a lunch with all her favorite sushi, but the other kids jeer ("Yuck-o-rama!") at the raw fish and green seaweed, and Yoko is devastated. In a well-meaning attempt to foster understanding, the teacher announces they will have an International Day, and everyone will bring in a dish from a foreign country. Will anyone try Yoko's sushi?

Crafty Connection Sushi coloring sheet

No Kimchi for Me! by Aram Kim
Yoomi doesn't like the taste of spicy kimchi, but when Grandma makes kimchi pancakes, Yoomi considers changing her mind.

Kitchen Connection Recipe for Quick Kimchi Pancakes from Bon Appetit

Week of May 5, 2025 | Third Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh, by Supriya Kelkar
Harpreet wears different colored patkas to highlight how he feels each day. When it is time to move across the country, the color of his patka signals his unhappiness about the change, until chance helps him make a new friend with a special "hat" of her own.

Crafty Connection The numerals we use originated in India in the 6th or 7th century and were introduced to Europe through the writings of Middle Eastern mathematicians. Create a unique tile pattern using numbers drawn bubble style on a 4" x 4" paper folded diagonally twice. Start at the center and repeat around the paper. Use random numbers or numbers of significance such as an address or birthdate.

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fourth Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Curriculum Connection: California History

Photos such as this and the one above taken by Dorothea Lange documenting the camps were impounded by the military for their sympathetic nature and remained largely unseen until 2006

Manzanar internment camp, approx. 230 miles north of Los Angeles CA near Lone Pine

Poston internment camp in southwestern Arizona had three separate camps nicknamed by the prisoners as Roasten, Toastin and Dustin. The combined peak population of the Poston camps was over 17,000, mostly from Southern California. The camp was built on the Colorado Indian Reservation, over the objections of the Tribal Council. The US Bureau of Indian Affairs was keen to improve the agricultural infrastructure of the area for use after the war using War Department funds and "volunteer workers."

Yoshito Wayne Osaki (1923-2015)

Clara Breed (1906-1994)

Background After Japan bombed Pear Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941, Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in February 1942. The order led to the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast for the duration of the the war.

My Dog Teny, by Yoshito Wayne, Osaki
The true story about a boy and his dog and the friendship that they shared during the time of the forced evacuation of Japanese Americans during World War II. Originally published in 2001 as an essay in a collection of short stories by eleven Japanese American writers about their experiences as children and youth during World War II: "From Our Side of the Fence."

Mr. Osaki studied architecture at Berkeley after the War and designed stores, apartments, schools, and churches. In 1988, the U.S. Government apologized to the surviving internees from the camps. It admitted that the internment was due to racial prejudice, wartime paranoia, and poor leadership. The government also acknowledged that no Japanese American was ever found guilty of endangering the U.S. during World War II.

Write to Me, by Cynthia Grady
When young Japanese Americans were incarcerated with their families in harsh desert conditions, a San Diego children's librarian corresponded with many of them, sending books and art supplies. Clara Breed also wrote articles and letters agitating for justice for the prisoners.

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fifth Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way, by Kyo Maclear
Growing up in a Japanese American family in California, Gyo Fujikawa enjoyed drawing. She studied art in college, traveled to Japan, and worked for Disney Studios in New York before beginning her career as an artist and picture-book illustrator. She is known for her inclusive illustrations of children, beginning with Babies (1963).

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 26, 2025 | TK and K | ABCs and Sing-Along Songs

Week of May 26, 2025 | First Grade | Puppy Fun

Week of May 26, 2025 | Second Grade | Joy of Reading

Week of May 26, 2025 | Third Grade | Joys of Summer Reading

Week of May 26, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Kindness Goes Around Again

Week of May 26, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Summer Reading at MBMS

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 19, 2025 | TK | Kindness Week Spotlight on Sharing

Week of May 19, 2025 | Kindergarten | Cats and Kindness

Week of May 19, 2025 | First Grade | Cats and Kindness

Week of May 19, 2025 | Second Grade | What Is Kindness?

Week of May 19, 2025 | Third Grade | What Kindness Looks Like

Week of May 19, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Kindness & Memorial Day

Week of May 19, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Kindness & Memorial Day |
Curriculum Connection: Fantasy Writing Assignment

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 12, 2025 | TK | Insects

Week of May 12, 2025 | Kindergarten | Curriculum Connection Frogs

Week of May 12, 2025 | First Grade | A World of Worms

Week of May 12, 2025 | Second Grade | Books and Reading

Week of May 12, 2025 | Third Grade | Responsibility

Week of May 12, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Memorial Day

Week of May 12, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Curriculum Connection Fantasy

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 5, 2025 | TK
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Kindergarten
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | First Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Second Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Third Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fourth Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Curriculum Connection: California History

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fifth Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Library Program

Archives

Categories

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 26, 2025 | TK and K | ABCs and Sing-Along Songs

​Week of May 26, 2025 | First Grade | Puppy Fun

Week of May 26, 2025 | Second Grade | Joy of Reading

Week of May 26, 2025 | Third Grade | Joys of Summer Reading

Week of May 26, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Kindness Goes Around Again

Week of May 26, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Summer Reading at MBMS

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 19, 2025 | TK | Kindness Week Spotlight on Sharing

Week of May 19, 2025 | Kindergarten | Cats and Kindness

Week of May 19, 2025 | First Grade | Cats and Kindness

Week of May 19, 2025 | Second Grade | What Is Kindness?

Week of May 19, 2025 | Third Grade | What Kindness Looks Like

Week of May 19, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Kindness & Memorial Day

Week of May 19, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Kindness & Memorial Day |Curriculum Connection: Fantasy Writing Assignment

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 12, 2025 | TK | Insects

Week of May 12, 2025 | Kindergarten | Curriculum Connection Frogs

Week of May 12, 2025 | First Grade | A World of Worms

Week of May 12, 2025 | Second Grade | Books and Reading

Week of May 12, 2025 | Third Grade | Responsibility

Week of May 12, 2025 | Fourth Grade | Memorial Day

Week of May 12, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Curriculum Connection Fantasy

Read-Alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level

Week of May 5, 2025 | TKCelebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | KindergartenCelebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | First GradeCelebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Second GradeCelebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Third GradeCelebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fourth GradeCelebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage MonthCurriculum Connection: California History

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fifth GradeCelebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Library Program

Archives

Categories

Week of May 26, 2025 | First Grade | Puppy Fun

Week of May 19, 2025 | Fifth Grade | Kindness & Memorial Day |
Curriculum Connection: Fantasy Writing Assignment

Week of May 5, 2025 | TK
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Kindergarten
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | First Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Second Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Third Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fourth Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Curriculum Connection: California History

Week of May 5, 2025 | Fifth Grade
Celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month