Becoming Critically Literate

  Publisher's Description: " Molly and her mom don’t always have enough food, so one Saturday they visit their local food pantry. Molly’s happy to get food to eat until she sees her classmate Caitlin, who’s embarrassed to be at the food pantry. Can Molly help Caitlin realize that everyone needs help sometimes?" Text Features:  Informational picture book. Additional back matter about the topic of food insecurity. Critical Literacy Suggestions: Read & Discuss:   BEFORE reading: discuss what students might know already about food pantries (what are they? where are they? who goes to them? why do people go to food pantries?) DURING reading: ask students to listen out for reasons why people go to the food pantry and how they feel about it.  AFTER reading:       Discuss with students what feelings they noticed different characters having and why they think they were experiencing those feelings. For example: What did Caitlin feel when she saw Molly? W...

  Description from the publisher: " Bestselling author Rachel Williams and illustrator Freya Hartas invite children to  Slow Down  and watch 50 nature stories that command calm and foster mindfulness. All around us, nature is working wonders. Every day, hour by hour, magical transformations happen right in front of you. But it’s not always easy to see them . . . In this beautifully illustrated collection, 50 moments in nature are paused for you to watch them in detail. Then you should go outside and explore and see what you find when you take the time to slow down. Gorgeously illustrated, this charming collection celebrates the small wonders happening all around us every day." Text Features:  Informational picture book Select poems about nature Table of Contents Two-page spread for each mindful moment story Critical Literacy Suggestions: Read & Discuss:   BEFORE reading: Read the blurb. Ask children what they think a "mindful moment" is? What are some other ...

Description from the publisher: With humor and warmth, this children’s picture book raises awareness about poverty and hunger Best friends Sofia and Maddi live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school, and play in the same park, but while Sofia’s fridge at home is full of nutritious food, the fridge at Maddi’s house is empty. Sofia learns that Maddi’s family doesn’t have enough money to fill their fridge and promises Maddi she’ll keep this discovery a secret. But because Sofia wants to help her friend, she’s faced with a difficult decision: to keep her promise or tell her parents about Maddi’s empty fridge. Filled with colorful artwork, this storybook addresses issues of poverty with honesty and sensitivity while instilling important lessons in friendship, empathy, trust, and helping others. A call to action section, with six effective ways for children to help fight hunger and information on anti-hunger groups, is also included. Text Features:  Fict...

From the Publisher: "Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can. At first, she’s embarras sed. Why can’t her family get food from the grocery store? But when her mother shares a story of her family’s time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress. Andrea Wang tells a moving autobiographical story of a child of immigrants discovering and connecting with her heritage, illustrated by award winning author and artist Jason Chin, working in an entirely new style, inspired by Chinese painting techniques. An author’s note in the back shares Andrea’s childhood experience with her parents." Text Features:  Figurative Language ("mom's eyes are...