Story time at the public library is the first exposure to books outside the home for many preschool children. For the librarian, it is an exciting opportunity to instill in youngsters a love of reading and books. But coming up with new ideas that hold the children’s attention can be trying. Until now. Here are 55 tried-and-true story hour programs with a thematic approach. All are highly flexible and adaptable across the full preschool age range. Most of the ideas are arranged under one of eight specific themes that include four to eight one-hour programs: barnyard animals, the Caldecott Medal, colors, families, a storytelling feast, the five senses, reptiles and amphibians, and around the world. There are also 18 individual holiday and seasonal programs. All story hours provide ideas for name tags, suggested audiovisual materials, recommended story, poetry and song selections, additional titles and a full description of the activity.

Offering an overview of the Master's in Literacy program at Hunter College, the authors share its special features including parental and familial involvement, and presents six profiles of struggling readers and successful intervention strategies. The program allows one-to-one tutoring time as well as a community time for small group instruction.

Music is a powerful and effective way to teach literacy skills to young learners. This book contains 24 high frequency sight word songs, activities, curriculum connections and suggested book selections to help any primary teacher design a comprehensive literacy and integrated curriculum program for young readers. Watch your students' eyes light up as they use familiar tunes and fun activities to unlock the magical world of print!

Taking a thematic approach to learning that employs seeing, hearing, reading, and writing, these books outline three four-week, cross-curricular units that develop the competencies children need to become fluent, independent readers and writers. While each unit focuses primarily on language--phonic skills, structural analysis, punctuation, capitalization, poetry, and comprehension--they also include math, science, social studies, music, art, and even mini-lessons in French for cross-cultural appreciation. Understanding that student ability levels in younger grades can vary widely, lesson plans are keyed to three types of learners: emerging, typical, and advanced. The series includes three titles that cover fall, spring, and winter, and the books can be used independently or together throughout the school year.

Kid's Box is a six-level course for young learners. Bursting with bright ideas to inspire both teachers and students, Kid's Box American English gives children a confident start to learning English. It also fully covers the syllabus for the Cambridge Young Learners English (YLE) tests. The Teacher's Edition contains comprehensive notes, as well as extra activities and classroom ideas to inspire both teachers and students. Level 2 completes the Starters cycle.

This practical handbook provides more than 30 ready-to-use lesson plans that connect picture books to the national language arts standards set forth by NCTE and IRA. Designed for the primary grades, all lessons have been classroom tested and come with dozens of reproducible patterns and worksheets. Each lesson plan includes bibliographic information, a description of the standards applied in the lesson, skills and objectives, grade level, lists of props and materials, costume ideas, a step-by-step lesson description, comprehension questions, and follow-up activities. A wonderful tool for anyone who works with young students, this guide will generate hours of creative exploration, learning, and delight. Grades K-3

A collection of activities designed to teach such critical science skills as observing, predicting, ordering, exploring, sorting, and creative thinking.