Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Books that Help Build Your School Family

One of my favorite things is finding books that help teach my kiddos skills and lessons we talk about during Our Family Circle time (like a morning meeting). I have linked up with Lindsey to share some of those books with you. We read most of these books the first few weeks of school. =)



I love all of the Shubert books and really could not choose just one. First, this is Shubert.



Shubert is a lightning bug that helps teach children so many skills. These books are wonderful and incorporate so many things about the language and skills of Conscious Discipline. Here are some of the skills these books can help teach:

*ways to calm down when you are upset or angry...even for the teacher =)
*being helpful instead of hurtful
*being assertive and using your big voice
*making choices
*seeing the best in others
*problem solving with there is conflict

The list could go on and on. These books are AMAZING and they are very helpful for the teacher too! These books have helped me be a better teacher. Go check them out here.
I ADORE this book! We use this book to talk about how filling someone's bucket is like filling someone's heart. We have 1 bucket that we work as a School Family to fill. We use heart beads to fill the bucket. When a someone notices a kind or helpful act, they go to that person and say "Heather, I am going to add you a helpful heart for ______." The person who is having the heart added for them says, "Thank you for noticing that." At the end of the year, EVERYONE gets to make a helpful heart bracelet. This is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. You can read more about how we use hearts to talk about our heart words here. Grab the book here.


This book is very simple but I love it because of what you can do with it. It is about a child who is showing his mom all of these things in his room that might look like trash or junk but to him it is a treasure. I have used this book in Writing Workshop too. I have the child bring in 1 or 2 things that are a treasure to them and have them share why it is a treasure. We talk about how we treat something that is a special treasure. I then show them each a picture of them that I took the first week of school that I have glued on a wooden heart. I tell them that each one of them is a treasure to me. Since my job in Our School Family is the Safe Keeper, I am going to make a heart promise to keep each one of my treasures safe by putting them in my Safe Keeper's box. You can read more about the Safe Keeper here. You can grab your copy of the book here but notice I did NOT pay this much for it. =(

My Safe Keeper box is getting a makeover this week. =)


I love using this book to talk to my kiddos about being kind. I am working on a post now about how I use this book to talk about Our School Family job of the Kindness Recorder. Here is a sneak peak: =)


The flowers are from Target but I have also had the kiddos make flowers.
Grab your copy of the book here.



The first time I read this book I got a little teary-eyed. This book is about a dog named Charlie who is looking for a new owner. He writes an ad that lists all of his criteria his new owner must have. After reading this book we talk about what it takes to be a good friend and a helpful heart. We make a list and even take pictures of what some of those promises look like. We then write our official Heart Promises (kind of like rules). =) You can grab your copy of the book here but please note that I did not pay this much. =(

I hope these books give you an idea of some activities you can do to help build your School Family.

I would love for you to take a few moments to leave me a heart note. Please let me know if you have any questions.

From My Heart to Yours,

52 heart notes:

Lisa R. said...

These sound like great books to build character & your school family! I haven't heard of the Shubert series. I definitely want to look into that more. I love your ideas to go along with each story too. :)
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure

Storie said...

I LOVE Treasures of the Heart! I'm so glad you mentioned it for others to look into :)
Storie
Stories by Storie

Erica said...

I love Bucket Fillers and Charlie's Checklist looks precious! Thanks for sharing!

Erica
Sprinkles to Kindergarten
erica_crowder0612@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I'm glad I found your blog. Treasures of the Heart and Charlie's Checklist sound like perfect WW books! Our whole school is going WW, so I'm going to make sure my colleagues also know about these two books!

Grade Three is the Place for Me

AthenaPhoenix said...

I'm going to have to get Charlie's Checklist! I teared up just in your description. I have a rescue pooch so I just imagined what she might have been thinking when she was originally abandoned. **sniff**

Treasures of the Heart sounds like a must-get as well.

✪Crystal✪
Strive to Sparkle

Dana said...

So many great ideas! Thank you for sharing! I want to try your heart bead idea- i loved that!

Sandi said...

I love reading Mrs Spitzer's garden to my kidlets (and their parents) at the end of the year. It always gets a few of us "misty".

sandi
rubber boots and elf shoes

Blooming inFirst said...

It is so important to build community! :) Thanks for a great post AND for being my first follower!

Sarah said...

I am adding all of these books to my amazon cart right now! Where did you find Charlie's Checklist? It sounds precious, but it is like $70 on Amazon! Ah!

Yeehaw! Teaching in Texas

Shelly Sitz said...

Wow, all these books sound great! I am making a list right now. Thanks for sharing your ideas to go with the books.

Shelly

http://smilingandshininginsecondgrade.blogspot.com/

Mrs. Cypher said...

I have given you two awards for all your inspiring posts! :) Hop on over to my blog to get them.

Amanda
Sweeties In Second

Katie said...

All these books sound so sweet! I was only familiar with Bucket Filling. I would be interested to hear more about your "kindness recorder." You piqued my interest! :)

Unknown said...

I had not heard of the Schubert books- will have to get one. I have been seeing a lot of ideas on using "bucket fillers" on Pinterest, but I haven't read the book. I may try using this book and "filling a bucket" with my class this year. And thanks so much for the kind words you left on my blog when I said I was sick:)
celebratefirstgrade.blogspot.com

Sailing Second Grade Seas said...

These look like a great way to start the school year! I love how your students fill a class-wide bucket. Thinking of incorporating this into my class next year. Thanks for the ideas! I'm following you now too!

Mrs. Bartel's School Family (Alyce) said...

I totally agree with the Shubert books helping me as a teacher. One day things were not going well (for me), so I pulled out a Shubert book to read aloud, and what do ya know, I was able to change, flip, and get myself back on track. Love Shubert.
Alyce

Mrs. Bartel’s School Family

Robin said...

Hi Heather! Thanks so much for the list! I have a feeling Amazon will be hearing from me a lot thanks to you. And this is the 2nd time I've heard the "Charlie" book today. It's referenced in the 6+1 Trait Writing books. You've got good taste!

Barbara said...

Hi Heather -

I LOVE your faves . . . and am thoroughly enJOYing the Conscious Discipline book. Every time I pick it up I think about your passion for teaching and heart for kids.

Thanks for the lead on the Charlie book - it's officially on my wish list now.

Barbara
The Corner On Character

ramsey said...

Thank you so much for all that you do! You are an inspiration and I look forward to reading your blog each week!!!

I would like to start using CD this school year and I am fortunate enough to have been given a large sum of money to use in my classroom this year. I would like to use it to purchase some items from CD....what would you recommend that I need to make sure CD is up and running smoothly this year.

Owl Things First said...

The Bucket book is one of my favorites, too! The kids really like filling each others "buckets". I like reading it several times during the year. I'm going to have to check out the Shubert series!
Jenny

Owl Things First

K is for Kinderrific said...

I have those same flowers from Target...and honestly never had a good use for them. I am going to look into the book and can't wait for your post about how you use it in your classroom! Thanks for the welcome & the follow!

Debbie :-)
K is for Kinderrific

Susie Q said...

Wow! I better get reading! I was only familiar with one of your books. Thanks for sharing.

Learning With Susie Q

susieqsclass@gmail.com

Rhonda said...

Thanks for sharing Heather.
I am always looking out for new books. I am going to try to buy a couple of these.
I love reading your blog, you are such an inspiration.
Rhonda
Classroom Fun

The Craft of Teaching said...

I just got Mrs. Spitzer's Garden as a gift at the end of the year! I love it! Thanks for sharing your great list! (And for following me! :-) )

I'm your newest follower!

Nichole
Craft of Teaching
craftofteaching@gmail.com

michellelee81 said...

I will be adding Charlie's Checklist to my list of books to order. That books sounds too cute and such a great idea to do with the kids too!

ramsey said...

Hi!
My name is Georgia from www.ramseyresources.blogspot.com and I'm nominating your blog for two awards. Come over to my blog to take a look!
Thank you for being an inspiration!!!
Georgia

Julie Holzenthal said...

Hi Heather, I love Schubert! I wish I'd realized he had so many books now! I'm enjoying your blog & I'm your newest follower! Thanks for following mine!

Julie Shope said...

After reading your posts, you have me really interested in Conscious Discipline. Thank you for sharing! I am your newest fan!

Julie
http://msshopesclass.blogspot.com/

Natalies Nook said...

I just wanted to let you know that you have the sweetest blog. You have a genuine love and compassion that is often hard to find in people. Your students are very lucky to have you!

Courtney said...

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden is a book that I will have to check out. "Have you filled a bucket today?" is one of my favorites!

Make sure to stop by and enter my giveaway
-Courtney
2ndgradesnapshots.blogspot.com

Beverley Baird said...

What a lovely set of books - i use Fill a bucket every year now and use that throughout the year. It's very visual. Thanks for the other titles as well.

Monica said...

Hi. Thanks for following me. I'm now following you back and really like your blog!

Holly said...

Heather... You are THE best. So inspirational. Thank you for being a great and supportive follower on my new little blog! :) Do you teach at a private school? I teach at a Christian school...and LOVE, LOVE' LOVE how your Biblical perspective! It's great to link up with others who share the "love!" Blessings!

Jayme and Val said...

So happy that you had the chance to check out our blog. We're your newest followers!

Holly said...

Hey You!!!

Building community is SO important! I try not to rush myself at the beginning of the year by digging too deep into curriculum. It's so hard because the curriculum is so loaded...but it really pays off to work on team-building early on and throughout the year!

Big hugs to you!

Holly
Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

Ashley Dudeck said...

Hi Heather!
I LOVE "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" I started bucket fillers with my kiddos last year and it was a huge morale booster!

Great ideas! I can't wait to check out more!

Ashley

Fierce in Fourth

Sarah said...

Love your bucket filling idea! Thank you so much for sharing all your amazing resources and the sweet comment you left on my blog! You are awesome!

Sarah said...

Love your bucket filling idea! Thank you so much for sharing all your amazing resources and the sweet comment you left on my blog! You are awesome!

Unknown said...

Heather,
Thank you for being my first follower and welcoming me to the educational blogosphere! I'm very excited to get started and hope everyone will want to follow along too. I have so much to share with you all and a lot to learn as well from extraordinary teachers! Thanks again! Terena at The Kinder Cupboard

Lara Chapman said...

I LOVE Mrs. Spitzer's Garden! Great post!! Fabulous blog!!

Lara Chapman
Organized Teaching Addict
orgteachingaddict.blogspot.com

Jessie said...

I love bucket fillers! I used that last year :) I've nominated you for an award. Come check out my blog to claim it :)

Jessie
Look Who's Teaching

Mrs. M said...

I've never heard of Schubert I'm definitely going to have to look into it- thanks for sharing :)

Color Me Kinder

Miss School Potato said...

Hi, Heather!
Love your blog and your wisdom! I am nominating you for the Versatile Blogger award. Visit my blog to pick up your award. :)

Alex

Unknown said...

Great list! I think I'm going to start bucket fillers next year! I've been hearing about it around for a while. Thanks for the inspiration!

Kristin said...

I love Have You Filled a Bucket Today? I've used it in my room in various ways and it is such a fantastic resource to create a warmer environment. I love hearing the compliments, too. Thanks for sharing!

Kristin
Teaching In A Nutshell

Tales of a first Grade teacher said...

Great books, I linked up too. I'm also having a giveaway. Stop by and check it out. Jessica

SLP Gone Wild said...

Heather,
Thank you for all of these ideas! I am a school Speech-Language Pathologist and am always looking for books to work on social skills...these are definitely things I can use!
:) Jenn
www.crazyspeechworld.blogspot.com

mollymm77 said...

These are great ideas. I think I may have to make a jar!
I have to thank you for two things...explaining how to add the followers box to my blog...lol, and becoming a follower of my blog. So appreciated as I feel like a veteran teacher, but a rookie at all things blogging! Thank you!!!
Shining and Sparkling in First Grade

Joanne Miller said...

Heather,
I love how you call your class, our school family, I do the same thing! We even made Christmas cards last year: From Our Class Family to Yours!I'm interested in the bucket filling book, but have never seen it-would it be appropriate for fourth graders? Love your ideas!

Head Over Heels For Teaching

Unknown said...

I love love love have you filled a bucket today? I can't wait to blog about our class with this book! :) great books suggestions! I will for sure be investigating all of these as options! :) thanks for following my blog! :)

www.playissmart.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

I just found your blog and am IN LOVE! I live in Huntington, so I feel like we are neighbors! You have some great stuff! Love it!