Miss Nelson Is Missing!

Summary:

Miss Nelson Is Missing! is a great way to kick off your school year with students. Miss Nelson is a teacher who's class is getting a little out of control. She is "replaced" by Mis Viola Swamp, the meanest substitute ever! The students begin to realize how lucky they were to have Miss Nelson, and want her back. They also think about their behavior and how it needs to improve when Miss Nelson returns.

About the Authors:

Harry Allard co-created one of the most iconic characters (Miss Nelson) of this century. He was born in Evanston, Illinois and grew up throughout the country. His family moved from California, to Long Island and to Chicago. Allard attended Northwestern and was a soldier in the Korean War. James Marshall was also part author of Miss Nelson Is Missing! Marshall was born in San Antonio, Texas. Marshall is a winner of many awards, including the Laura Ingalls Medal. Together Allard and Marshall published the first Miss Nelson book in 1977. Marshall died in 1992 of a brain tumor. Allard resides in Massachusetts.

Genre: Fiction, Humor

Theme/Skill: Manners

Grade Level: K-2 (Lexile Level: 340)

Pre-Reading Activity:

This could be the first activity that a teacher does on the first day of school in their classroom. Sit students down on the carpet and ask them what the world would be like without rules. Then make a list of what would happen if there were not any rules in a school or classroom? Have the students make some predictions about what they think this book is about. Post their predictions for them to see and reflect back on throughout the reading and after.

Post-Reading Activity:

Discuss with students what happened in the story. Who was the main character? What was the problem and the solution? Direct students back to their predictions and speculations. Then explain to them what your rules and expectations are.

Have You Filled A Bucket Today?

Summary: Have You Filled A Bucket Today? is a wonderful picture book to influence positive behavior and character education. The characters discuss what being a "bucket filler" and a "bucket dipper" entails. Children are eager to participate in the "bucket filling" activities. This could be used as an individual classroom management routine or as a school wide program. Teachers can use their imagination to create classroom systems and manipulatives or search the endless resources online. 

About the Author: Carol McCloud

Also known as "Bucket Lady" McCloud is a national and international teacher who speaks all over the country. She wrote and published Have You Filled a Bucket Today? in 1996, and has also published Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness for older children. She currently resides in Venice, Florida.

Website:Bucket Fillers

Genre: Children's Non-fiction

Theme/Skill: Character Education

Grade Level: K-4

Pre-Reading Activity:

Before reading with students, ask students to think about what being a good friend or peer would look or act like. Have a Think, Pair, Share brainstorming session whole or small group to see if the students have a sense of what good character traits are.

Post-Reading Activity:

Give students scenarios and ask them to decide if the person was a "bucket filler" or a "bucket dipper." After a few scenarios as a group, send students to work on their own to create their own narratives of children being "bucket fillers" or "bucket dippers." Also, if integrating this system into classroom management systems children can decorate their own buckets to create a sense of ownership.