Are your resources limited at your school? Are you looking for more reading books to use with your small groups? I have taught in schools where the resources were plentiful and other schools where funds were an issue. You can apply for grants, work with your PTA to organize fundraisers, or work with Donor's Choose to get some help to purchase resources. But, what do you do when you need books for your small groups/centers now, not later? My answer was mini books. It does take an investment of time, paper, and the use of a copier. But, the cost is minimal and the effort pays off in a big way!
I use mini books two different ways. Some sets I use year after year. It is really nice when the mini books come in a black and white version and a colorful version. If there isn't a colorful version, I send home sets to parent volunteers to color. Or I find an upper-grade teacher who has students that finish their work early. The students color my mini books when they finish their work. It's a win-win for the students because they like to help, their teacher has students that are engaged in an activity when they finish their work, and I have help.
Some sets of books are for the students to keep. It improves their fluency when they read the same book multiple times. After we finish reading the book at school, I send it home. I want to have a visual reminder for my students to read their books plus keep the books safe. My answer was to make book boxes. I asked parents to send in shoe boxes with a removable lid.
I use mini books two different ways. Some sets I use year after year. It is really nice when the mini books come in a black and white version and a colorful version. If there isn't a colorful version, I send home sets to parent volunteers to color. Or I find an upper-grade teacher who has students that finish their work early. The students color my mini books when they finish their work. It's a win-win for the students because they like to help, their teacher has students that are engaged in an activity when they finish their work, and I have help.
Some sets of books are for the students to keep. It improves their fluency when they read the same book multiple times. After we finish reading the book at school, I send it home. I want to have a visual reminder for my students to read their books plus keep the books safe. My answer was to make book boxes. I asked parents to send in shoe boxes with a removable lid.
- TEACHER TIP #1: It's inevitable that 10% of the class will forget to bring their box on the due date. Start collecting extra boxes from your family, neighbors, and friends this summer.
- TEACHER TIP #2: Cover the boxes with white butcher paper. Cover the lid separate from the bottom of the box so it will be removable.
- TEACHER TIP #3: Sometimes I send home a roll of white butcher paper with the note below attached to it so parents can put the paper on the box. Other times, I ask a couple of parent volunteers to come in and put the paper on the boxes.
I usually set Tuesday or Wednesday as a due date for the boxes and then ask parent volunteers to come in on Friday to put paper on the boxes (if parents don't do it at home). The following week I set up Book Boxes as one of our centers. Students decorate them in the center. Some students will draw their favorite book characters on it, other decorate it with stickers, or any creative way that they want.
When the boxes are finished, we use them during our D.E.A.R. time. and then send them home at the end of the week. These have been popular with my students and parents. I hope yours like them, too!
Click HERE to download this freebie.
My friend, Fern shared a mini book teacher tip that I thought you'd like. Click HERE to read Fern's post.
Click HERE for a FREE mini book from Fern.
Click HERE to read more about this mini book.
For a short time, this post has a FREE mini book.
Looking for mini books? The mini books below are on reading levels K-5. Click on the links below.
