How Full is Your Bucket?

I was thinking about other ways that I could be using this blog, and I decided that I could use it as a space to showcase some of my work and ways in which I utilize childrens literature in my teaching.  I had a chance during my student teaching to create a bulletin board using the book of the month,

How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer

How Full Is Your Bucket? is a book that explains that we all have invisible buckets of water over our heads and the negative actions of others toward us can empty the buckets.  It also explains how our own actions can also influence how full our buckets are, positive actions add to our buckets while negative actions take away from them.  The author uses images to make the story funny for children but it also carries an extremely strong message to the readers.  

During my student teaching, I was given the chance to create a bulletin board for the book of the month.  Working together with the writing class's student teacher, the children wrote about a time that they positively filled up someone's bucket or when someone filled up their bucket.  The students were given paper in the shape of a water drop that the shared their stories on.  I created a bucket and display for the board and we surrounded the class bucket with our stories of positive actions.  The board came out great so I thought I would share it with all of you.

 

Post # 2 Picture Books... here we go!

This week's pick for one of my favorite PICTURE BOOKS is .   .   .
   

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

and this is it's beautiful and colorful cover...

  

Now doesn't that cover just catch your eye?  Definitely caught mine!

Title: The Grouchy Ladybug
Author: Eric Carle 
ISBN 0-06-443450-8

Eric Carle is an author who is mainly known for his story The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and if you have ever seen his work, you can tell just by looking at the illustrations that he has geared his books to young readers and listeners.  The artwork and illustrations in his books are beautiful and colorful.  The illustrations are collages that appeal to young children, and even adults sometimes.    :-)

This weeks pick for the blog had to be based on a picture book, so I chose a book that had pictures that supported the text and vice-versa.  The pictures are vivid and bright, you can see brushstrokes throughout each of them, its artwork that children could probably relate to in a manner that it looks unpolished but perfect for the story.

The story of The Grouchy Ladybug is about a ladybug that thinks it is bigger and better than anyone else.  The Grouchy Ladybug travels throughout the entire day trying to pick a fight with everyone that it encounters.  The story is humorous and also teaches children a few different lessons.  The story teaches about manners, or lack of manners, each page has a clock depicting the time of day the ladybug is experiencing these interactions, and of course shapes and sizes.  The pages are die-cut, making it extremely fun to read and interactive.  In my opinion... GREAT PICTURE BOOK!

Post # 1 The 1994 Caldecott Honor Book, Peppe the Lamplighter

 

Title: Peppe The Lamplighter

Author: Elisa Bartone

Illustrator: Ted Lewin
ISBN: 0-688-15469-7


In 1994 Peppe the Lamplighter by Elisa Bartone received the Caldecott Honor.  The Caldecott Honor is given to worthy runners-up for the Caldecott Medal.  The Caldecott Medal is given to the artist who had created the most distinguished picture book of the year.   Peppe the Lamplighter is a book about a young boy long ago who lived in Little Italy, his name was Peppe.  Peppe was searching for a job to help support his family.  Peppe asked many people to hire him to do anything, count cigars, clean glasses, sweep saw dust, but no one would hire him.  Finally, Domenico, the lamplighter asked Peppe if he could light the lamps of the street while he returned to Italy.  Peppe was so excited, but when he told his father about his new job, his father was ashamed and told Peppe he would belong to the streets.  Peppe stays confident in his job for a few days but then one day, refuses to light the lamps because of his fathers disappointment in him.  This is the day Peppe's youngest sister does not return home.  With Assunta lost in the dark streets, Peppe must be proud of his job and light the lamps to find his sister. 

The illustrations throughout the book are beautifully done.  The colors are vivid and the faces of each character are done with great details.  The time period is depicted through the illustrations, the crowded streets and candlelit homes.  The illustrator was extremely talented.

The reason for choosing this Caldecott Honor book was because it has a great message to convey to children.  It teaches children to be proud of who they are no matter what.  It tells them that everyone is important for something and that everyone is appreciated whether they are reminded of that or not.   I really enjoyed reading this book and hope to find many many more just like it.  I enjoy introducing books with an uplifting message to my students, it helps to boost their self esteem and their understanding of self worth.

This book is also a great book to teach the elements of a story, it has many characters, a setting that is supported by the story line, plot, problem and solution and a great conclusion.  Many different activities and comparisons can be made using this book.  

I'm sorry this is so late, I've had problem after problem trying to post.