Text Set: Activating and Connecting (Jessica)

Gibbons, G. Groundhog Day.

This is a great book to introduce Groundhogs Day to students. It gives the historical background and how the holiday came about. There are also places in the book that have definitions of the different animals that they are talking about. The book talks about how every year on February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania people wait on a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil to see his shadow. The author also includes information about the groundhog's diet, habitat, burrows, newborns/kits and looks at past cultures that depended on hibernating animals to help them determine the arrival of spring. The information in this book is geared towards an elementary school level with a lot of good inormation and facts about the holiday.

Strategy Connection: This is a great book to use in a classroom to practice the idea on noticing and recording new information that they have read in the book. It allows them to learn more information about a holiday that is not well known. It not only will give them information on the holiday but also on groundhogs. Even though this is an American holiday, not many people know the history behind it. This book will lead to great discussions and crafts in an elementary classroom.

Cuyler, M. Hooray for Reading Day!

Jessica worries all the time. She worried about what was under her bed, getting her hair cut, going to the dentist, walking Wiggles, and reading. Especially reading. Jessica stuttered while reading and the kids in the class would laugh at her. Her teacher would always let her try again and she hated it. Mr. Martin announced that Friday was reading theater day and the students had to dress up in costumes and read a part in the book. He told them all of their parents were invited. Her mother told her that she shouldn't be worried because when she was younger she wasn't a good reader and then one day she could read. Jessica practiced in front of Wiggles. She could read perfect. But could she read in front of everybody on Friday? Jessica read perfectly. Hooray for Reading Day!

Strategy Connection: This is a good book to teach students Text to Self connections. Before reading the teacher can ask students to think about how this book relates to them. While reading, the teacher should stop in certain parts in the book and ask the students questions that will allow them to connect their lives to the book. There is also a pretty good lesson behind the meaning of the book. The author wants kids to know that they are not alone when it comes to reading. Sometimes kids are embarassed to read out loud. She wants students to know that it is ok and you shouldn't feel emabarassed about reading.

Kann, V. and Kann, E. Pinkalicious.

A little girl loves the color pink. One day while it is raining, she decides she wants to make pink cupcakes. When her mother finishes, she demands more. She gobbled the cupcakes one after another and still wanted more. After dinner she ate even more. Next next morning, when she woke up she was pink. She was pink from head to toe. It wasn't washable so her parents took her to the doctor. Th whole time they were there she wanted more pink cupcakes. The doctor diagnosed her with Pinkititis. She wasn't allowed to have anything pink. In order to turn back to her normal color she had to eat green food. Even though the doctor told her to stay away from pink food, that night she snuck out of her room and ate another pink cupcake. The next morning she was bright red. After that she ate everything green in her fridge so that she could turn back to her normal color. Just when she turned back to normal her brother ran through the door and yelled "Pink-a-boo".

Strategy Connection: This is a good book for reading to kids and asking them what it reminds them of. It can help the students make connections about something in their life and what is going on in the text. It would be a great conversation starter for eating healthy and listening to you parents. Both of this concepts come out of this book. It is important for the students to be able to go back and reflect on what they do at home or at school. If the children can make that connection, the readings will keep their attention and they will find it more interesting.