Back to School with Books

July 16, 2012

Can you believe that it is almost time to go back to school? It seems like everywhere I go someone mentions that summer is almost over. I’m not sure why everyone needs to remind me of that but it happens quite often. I’ve been working on some activities to do the first few weeks of school. I like to throw in some fun books and activities to go with the books. I found four books that I really like to use at the beginning of the school year and I made a unit to go with them.

Here are a few images from the 80 page unit:
You can click on any of the images above to view the unit in my TPT store.

You can view the unit in my Teacher’s Notebook store by clicking here.

Leave me a comment telling me your favorite back to school book and I will pick 2 people to win this unit on Tuesday morning. 
Good luck to you! I am going to go back to reading “Gone Girl.” Have you heard about this book? It’s been mentioned everywhere so I thought I would give it a try. I’m not that far into it but I don’t want to put it down. Have a good night friends!


Oops..I forgot to ask for your emails with the comments. Please try to leave it if you haven’t already commented.

78 Comments on “Back to School with Books

  1. I like to read first day jitters of course, I love splat the cat, and how I spent my summer vacation are some of my favorites.

    Here's my problem. I have seen so many cute craftivities to go with books and I want to of them all! However don't think I'll have the space to display them all. lol. oh well.

    cgeiser@gmail.com

    Adventures in Room 5

  2. Our team always reads the book – It Happens to Everyone. The students always love it and it settles any anxiousness students may have on the 1st day!

  3. My favorite books to read are The Kissing Hand and The Crayon Box That Talked. The Kissing Hand is going to take on a whole new meaning this year- my little girl starts Kindergarten (***tear).

  4. I love First Day Jitters, like many others. But one I found last year that my kids really liked and was a rather cute book was The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School!

  5. I have used Ruby the Copycat in grades Prefirst through third grade and the kids can always relate to it. Absolutely love it! My other book I love to read is Zinnia and Dot. It is about two hens who fight over one egg because they lost all their others to a weasel. They end up having to work together to achieve the goal of protecting their precious egg. I use this to teach them to work together to achieve a goal as everyone has strengths.

  6. What a great looking unit! I usually start with If You Give a Mouse A Cookie. It's a familiar book and fun to read and do activities with!

  7. Love Ruby the Copycat, but I stay away from it, because my kiddos read that story in their basal reader next year in 3rd grade.

    I like to read Mean Jean the Recess Queen, When the Relatives Came, and Dear Teacher.

    I also made a unit to go with my favorite Back to School books! We should swap πŸ™‚

    Halle
    Across the Hall in 2nd

  8. There are so many great books to pick from. Some of my favorites include ruby the copycat (a favorite from when I was in second grade!), first day jitters and Chrysanthemum. I have the kids go home and find out why their parents chose their name. It's a fun get to know you activity. I love the ones you came up with πŸ™‚

    Frederickjennam@gmail.com

  9. I love Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna. I love the story and it helps set a positive honest trusting atmosphere in the class fostered by the ideas in the book! I also love The Important Book. Then the students can make their own page and you can make a Class Important Book!

    Katie
    smileykate52@hotmail.com

  10. I read The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown. There's a couple of them. We talk about why they are each important and incorporate a writing assignment as well.

  11. I love all thr books everybody mentioned too! The Name Jar, and My Name is Yoon are two favorites which tie into Chrysanthemeum…chech them out…Both take a multi-cultural viewpoint

  12. Ooh I love Ruby the CopyCat. Last year I had two students that came to our school brand new from other states. Our class had some great conversations with them after reading this book. They ended up sharing all about their states and their previous classes. My class LOVED it. I am going to read it again this year.

    I hope I win!! I love your stuff!

    inirayluper(at)gmail(dot)com

  13. I love all of these books! I just ordered You're Finally Here from Amazon.. It has been in my cart for a while, but I finally decided to make the purchase. This will be my first year teaching 2nd grade, so I am on the hunt for the perfect way to start my first year.

    I am pretty sure I will be using the book "Mrs. Spitzer's Garden" on my first day because I love the message behind it and it works perfectly with our garden themed classroom! It's worth checking out!

    Ashley
    That's So Second Grade

  14. This will be my first year teaching second grade. I liked A Bad Case of Stripes whole in third grade and I love The Kissing Hand for when I taught kindergarten.

  15. What a great unit. I think I must be on vacation mode because I can't remember the name of the book, lol. In kinder it was The Kissing Hand

    Terri
    thefirstgradeprincess.blogspot.com

  16. I love the books you have as well as the ones mentioned in previous comments! I would have to add to the list The Teacher from the Black Lagoon. You could also read any of the Black Lagoon books if you have any new people in the building such as a new music teacher before you kiddos go to music.

    heatherlou@cox.net

  17. This is my first year in second grade in 12 years. My all-time favorite for first grade was The Kissing Hand. I really had a hard time not reading that one this year (yes, we are already back in school…year-round). jnr1062@gmail.com

  18. It may seem backward, but I like to read Oh, the Places You`ll Go! by the one and only Dr. Seuss. I think it gets all of us excited about what`s to come in the new grade. Your unit looks jam-packed with greatness!
    – Amanda {avphilli@gmail.com}
    Inspired in Second

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