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    Picture Books are for EVERYONE!!

    September 22, 2015

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    Not too long ago, I overheard a conversation between teachers about whether it was appropriate to use picture books in 5th and 6th grade… I was totally eavesdropping, and if that wasn’t already rude enough, it would have been super rude to butt into their conversation and scream, “YES!!! USE PICTURE BOOKS!!!!!!!” So, I held my tongue there, but I don’t have to hold it here. 🙂

    Who DOESN’T love to read picture books? I know I still do as an adult… I am, after all, a self-proclaimed bookaholic. A cute, catchy cover will get me every time!

    I had a “books of the month” shelf in my 4th grade classroom that I would fill with seasonal picture books- all of my students (higher and lower level readers alike) LOVED to visit that shelf! That is one reason I include seasonal books in my mentor sentence units. As if you needed an excuse to read a fun book like Polar Express or I Need My Monster, right?

    But besides that, here are FOUR great reasons you should be using mentor texts in your room:

    Picture Books are for everyone with Ideas by Jivey

    1. The story is usually done in 32 pages. When you refer to parts of the story in your lessons, most likely, students are going to remember. You can read a great picture book one day, and then use it for various lessons for days after that! Often times, you can teach SEVERAL standards with one picture book! (That is, after all, why Better Than Basal Volume 1 and Volume 2 was born!) They make great examples when writing memoirs, too. Patricia Polacco has some awesome books to demonstrate small moment writing, like My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother.

    2. Picture books hold students’ attention with illustrations and vivid language throughout. Seriously- some of the BEST examples I’ve found of figurative language, vivid verbs, and sensory details come from picture books. Books like Firefly Mountain, Twilight Comes Twice, and Come On Rain are some great ones that come to mind.

    3. There are so many amazing historical fiction books, science fiction texts, and even math literature! Teaching about explorers or Christopher Columbus? Try Encounter. Teaching the American Revolution? Katie’s Trunk is awesome! If you are teaching about weather, Cloud Dance and Water Dance are excellent additions! I even have an entire set of Mentor Sentences for Math Literature! We know there isn’t enough time in the school day to read a book before every lesson (as much as we’d like to) so spread that book as much as you can!

    4. Before you start throwing things at me through the computer screen, please do not think I’m saying to never read a novel with your students again. Chapter books, extended texts, novels… whatever you want to call them… are still so important! Students have to build stamina and stick with a story that really builds- I totally agree. But students also need to see, hear, and understand so many different styles to become better readers and writers. What better way than to read mentor texts all year long?

    Read more about how mentor texts can be used in the classroom here!

    Need to build up your library? Check out this post about Buying Books on a Budget!

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    by Jessica Ivey 

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    Welcome!

    Welcome!

    Hi, I'm Jessica, also affectionately known as Jivey! I am passionate about making literacy accessible for all students using research-based strategies. Students learn best through content integration and in-context skills, and my goal is to help you deliver your instruction with these best practices!

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    Recent Posts

    • Teaching Vocabulary in Context: My Journey from Mistakes to Mastery
    • Integrating Primary Sources into Language Arts Lessons
    • Teaching Grammar that Supports the Science of Reading
    • Teaching Text Structure With Picture Books
    • Planning a Language Arts Schedule (How To Fit It All In!)

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    πŸ€—Have you heard?!The Sweet Savings Event kicked off today, and Day 1 is DOLLAR DEALS. πŸ’ΈGrab 70 quality resources for only $1 today! 😍You can get my parts of speech posters using multi-sensory grammar color codes, PLUS four interactive video lessons πŸŽ₯ to teach types of sentences and help students understand how to carry grammar skills over into writing πŸ“ for just $1 each! What else do we have going on today?⭐ Download 14 FREE Resources!⭐ Enter to win our SWEET Giveaway!Find all the details here: bit.ly/sweetsavingsweek ... See MoreSee Less

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    🍭Get ready for some SWEET SAVINGS!!I teamed up with 13 other upper elementary teacher-authors for an amazing event just for teachers like you!You can snag 70 $1 Deals TODAY ONLY! πŸ€—What else do we have going on today?⭐ Download 14 FREE Resources!⭐ Enter to win our SWEET Giveaway!Find all the details here: bit.ly/sweetsavingsweek🍬 Know a teacher friend who would LOVE these free resources and deals? Tag a friend or share this post with them! ... See MoreSee Less

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    🍭Get ready for some SWEET SAVINGS!! I teamed u 🍭Get ready for some SWEET SAVINGS!!

I teamed up with 13 other #upperelementary teacher-authors for an amazing event just for teachers like you!

You can snag 70 $1 Deals TODAY ONLY! πŸ€—

What else do we have going on today?
⭐ Download 14 FREE Resources!
⭐ Enter to win our SWEET Giveaway!

Find all the details at the link in my profile: @ideasbyjivey 

🍬 Know a teacher friend who would LOVE these free resources and deals? Tag a friend or share this post with them!

#ideasbyjivey #teacherdeals #iteach345 #teachersofinstagram #teacherspayteachers 

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    😎 Wishing you could try a week of the All-Acces 😎 Wishing you could try a week of the All-Access Mentor Text Membership for free? πŸ“² Head to the link in my profile! @ideasbyjivey 

#ideasbyjivey #mentortexts #teachermembership #mentorsentences #teacherslovebooks #picturebooks #iteachtoo 
https://members.ideasbyjivey.com/free-trial
    Have you ever wondered what a book looks like afte Have you ever wondered what a book looks like after I finish using it to create a #mentorsentence unit? πŸ™ˆ I just completed the six-week mini-unit for A Rover's Story, which is this year's Global Read Aloud for Middle Grades/Upper Elementary! #GRA23

Will you be participating with your class? It all kicks off on October 2nd. πŸ€“

In this book, Resilience, or Res for short, is a Mars rover who is determined to live up to his name. πŸ€– He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop humanlike feelings. I never thought I could feel so much for a robot. I might have even shed a few tears at the end...! πŸ˜… #GRARover

Head to the link in my profile (@ideasbyjivey) to grab this brand new mentor sentence unit for A Rover's Story with six lessons that follow right along with the reading schedule for Global Read Aloud πŸ’²ON SALEπŸ’² for 48 hours! πŸ€— 

#ideasbyjivey #globalreadaloud #mentortext #mentorsentences #iteach456 #iteach4th #iteach5th #iteach6th #chapterbook #novelstudy #upperelementary 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Rovers-Story-Global-Read-Aloud-Mentor-Sentences-Interactive-Activities-10208469
    πŸ““Do your students struggle to understand a voca πŸ““Do your students struggle to understand a vocabulary word that has multiple meanings? 

This is why teaching vocabulary in context is SO important! πŸ€“

If your students are just "looking up a list," how many of your students pick the first definition and write it down, then move on to the next word? πŸ“

Or better yet… raise your hand if you have one of *those* students who finds the SHORTEST definition of the word to write! πŸ™‹β€β™€οΈ

πŸ’‘Come check out the post at the link in my profile (@ideasbyjivey) where I share some research-based tips for teaching vocabulary. 

#ideasbyjivey #mentortexts #scienceofreading #teachingvocabulary #vocabularylearning #iteachtoo #readingteacher 

https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/vocabulary-in-context-journey/
    For today's #MentorTextMonday, I'm sharing an oldi For today's #MentorTextMonday, I'm sharing an oldie but a goodie: When Lightning Comes in a Jar. This is one of my FAVORITE Patricia Polacco books! 

I'd love for you to check out this blog post where I shared how I tie it all together with ONE #mentortext, and pick up the #freelessons I used to demonstrate these ideas for you! Link in profile @ideasbyjivey

#ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #iteach345 #picturebooks #upperelementary #upperelementaryteachers #upperelementaryreading #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th
https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/tying-it-all-together-with-mentor-texts/
    Listen up, friends! πŸ“£ If you're not using #ment Listen up, friends! πŸ“£ If you're not using #mentorsentences in your classroom, you're missing out! 

This blog post breaks down how they support the #scienceofreading research, and ways to get started. πŸ“– Read at the link in my profile: @ideasbyjivey

#ideasbyjivey #mentortexts #iteach345 #grammarteacher #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th 

https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/teaching-grammar-supports-science-of-reading/
    ⏳Ever wonder just HOW to fit it all in? I laid o ⏳Ever wonder just HOW to fit it all in? I laid out some suggestions based on how much time you have for ELA in the blog post at the link in my profile: @ideasbyjivey ⏰ 

#ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #mentortexts #teachingreading #iteachreading #iteachwriting #iteachgrammar #teacherlife #teacherproblems 

https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/language-arts-schedule/
    πŸ“₯ Ready to try out a week of the All-Access Men πŸ“₯ Ready to try out a week of the All-Access Mentor Text Membership for free? 😍 Head to the link in my profile! @ideasbyjivey 

#ideasbyjivey #mentortexts #teachermembership #mentorsentences #teacherslovebooks #picturebooks #iteachtoo 
https://members.ideasbyjivey.com/free-trial
    πŸ“ Let's talk vocab. If you're still using that πŸ“ Let's talk vocab. If you're still using that old workbook, it's time for a change. This blog post is all about my journey to teaching vocabulary IN CONTEXT!

πŸ€“ Come check out my research-based suggestions for contextual vocabulary at the link in my profile πŸ‘‰ @ideasbyjivey 

#teachingvocabulary #mentortexts #iteachtoo #readingteacher #vocabularylearning #scienceofreading

https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/vocabulary-in-context-journey/
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