The Day It Rained Hearts | Felicia Bond | Book Companion | Valentine's Day

This book is a delightful story about imagination, creativity, and friendship. Cornelia Augusta finds herself in a rainstorm of hearts! What fun! There are 21 pages here to respond in writing to this cute valentine story. It's a favorite, and children love to find out who the Valentines are for. Book talk notes and teacher notes are included. You can easily assign these pages for distance learning and school-at-home.

*Teacher Tip:* Leave this book companion along with a copy of

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond for your substitute teacher.

• Easy to plan
• Easy for your substitute teacher to follow
• Your students engage in a rewarding reading experience

Grab your book companion for The Day It Rained Hearts, by Felicia Bond. This teaching resource will support the development of vocabulary and can expand children's knowledge and language development. It also provides children with an opportunity for independent reading and writing practice. Teach literacy and life lessons with children's literature.  Read below to see some of the pages in this resource.  Preview the entire resource  HERE.

Focus Skills are:

• story events
• story sequence
• easy comprehension check
• writing about Cornelia
• "What if it really rained hearts? What would you do?"
• easy fill-in-blank activity
• character traits and adjectives
• making new words
• -ai- words
• cut and paste - match "Whose Valentine?"
• writing a list
• book talk notes for teacher
• teacher notes

Primary teachers find The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond, heartwarming and fun to read aloud because its imaginative premise immediately captures students’ attention while the gentle, rhythmic storytelling keeps them engaged. The idea of hearts falling from the sky invites rich discussion, sparks creativity, and naturally encourages student participation as children anticipate how each heart will be used. Beyond its charm, the book offers a meaningful life lesson: love and kindness are most powerful when they are thoughtful and personal. It teaches students that caring actions are not one-size-fits-all—true kindness comes from noticing others’ needs, feelings, and interests, and responding with intention.

Write about this wonderful book using this book companion.  A great pair for Valentine's week. 

  

Click below to see more

Riddles for Young Thinkers | Building Reasoning, Logic and Critical Thinking Skills

  Riddles for Young Thinkers is Now on Amazon!

Riddles for Young Thinkers

I am happy to share some good news —my brand-new book, Riddles for Young Thinkers, is now available on Amazon!  

Riddles for Young Thinkers is the perfect brain‑boosting companion for curious children ages 6–9 as they read and solve 114 riddles. This book helps children develop logic, reasoning, and critical thinking skills.

Each riddle turns problem-solving into a playful adventure, with answers included so children can check their solutions and celebrate each success. Simply turn the page to view the answers.   Packed with fun, colorful, and whimsical clip art, this book helps beginning readers stay engaged and enjoy each riddle as they build essential thinking skills.

Riddles for Young Thinkers is a screen-free activity that supports reading and literacy skills. It's perfect for rainy days, travel, or gift-giving. It’s an excellent way to encourage children to think creatively, solve problems, and approach challenges with confidence.

If you’re looking for a fun way to support early learning while inspiring curiosity and imagination, this book is for you.  Click the link below to grab your copy on Amazon today and let the thinking adventures begin!

January Teaching Resources for Busy Elementary Teachers | Resources with a Winter Theme

All You Need for a Snowman - Book Companion

Book Companion and Spin-Off Lesson 

to use with All You Need for a Snowman, 

by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. 

This book companion provides opportunities for thinking and writing after reading this entertaining picture book. These pages facilitate diversifying instruction. Assign this book companion for an independent reader response or school-at-home.

This book companion is to be used with the book,

All You Need for a Snowman, by Alice Schertle.

36 pages include:

• comprehension questions
• writing prompts
• graphic organizers
• making new words
• recalling story events
• making connections
• sequencing
• handwriting practice
• phonics
• spin off lesson - snow experiment
• ”What is Snow?” reading booklet
• “Snow” read and review
• pages for diversified instruction

This teaching resource provides students with an engaging way to respond to their reading. These reader-response pages offer numerous opportunities to think and write about the text.

*** Spin-Off Lesson*** is an effective way to engage students in a literacy activity. 

A spin-off lesson, a science experiment about snow, is included in this resource. In the story, the children build a giant snowman by working together. The story begins with one snowflake and expands to require eight million more. The children find this amusing, but it is a perfect place to segue into a science lesson about snow, weather, matter, liquid, and gas.

What is snow? And why does it melt? These pages include simple science lessons on snow. Your class can also make a graph. Class discussions on weather and snow follow naturally from reading this book. Students start to see the life lessons in literature when they dig a bit deeper into the text. This “spin-off lesson” is engaging and fun; there are several pages to get you started… ask and answer questions, hypothesize, make predictions, and draw conclusions. See snow melt! And if you are not in a place where there is snow… did you know you could make your own? Enjoying literature in this way teaches young readers to read and write with conviction. This book can also serve as a springboard to going outside and building your own snowman, if the weather permits.

This book companion is to be used with the book,

All You Need for a Snowman, by Alice Schertle.

Teacher Tip: Place this book companion and a copy of All You Need for a Snowman in a bin. Label this bin "For the Substitute Teacher. Your Substitute and your students will be delighted to enjoy this reading and writing activity.

More Resources for January:

 Roll and Read | Winter Theme | 

Literacy Station

Roll & Read - Literacy Pages - Winter Theme

Roll, Read, Write, and Color | Winter Theme

Roll the dice and read pictures, words, and sentences. Handwriting practice of winter words, phonics practice, and reading for fluency. Do you need literacy activities with a winter theme for reading groups? 

Roll and Read Pages :

• roll, read, write, and color - winter pictures
• roll and read words
• phonics practice for -at, -ed, -et, -ate, -ice, cr-, -ow, -ar- words
• roll and read simple sentences - winter theme

These pages would be perfect for a literacy station or teaching reading and fluency 

in small reading groups. Pictures and words are a winter theme. There are 16 total pages.

PreK- 3 January Teacher Resources | Morning Riddles | Book Companions

Happy New Year!  Wishing you the best year ever! 

January Teaching Resources that 

Make Your Students Smile

Engaging PreK-3 Teaching Resources for Every Subject

Click HERE

The following teacher resources will engage your classroom for the days after winter break.  They are tried-and-true resources in literacy and mathematics. 

Santa's Elves | Teach Work Ethic | Early Literacy Learning

Santa's Elves - Teaching Work Ethic

Teach Work Ethic

with Santa’s Elves

Academic practice pages that teach the importance of a good work ethic with a Santa's elves theme. These 17 pages give practice and review for literacy.

Focus skills include:

• keywords to understand the meaning of a good work ethic
• writing sentences for each keyword
• answering questions (short answer)
• writing prompts about work ethic at school
• Santa's elves as role models
• designing ornaments
• 4-square graphic organizer for the importance of work ethic
• elf job application

All seventeen pages have an elf theme. Fun and educational!

Teaching young children a work ethic helps them build habits that support success throughout their lives. When kids learn to take responsibility, follow through on tasks, and put in consistent effort—even when something feels challenging—they gain confidence in their own abilities. It also teaches perseverance, problem-solving, and pride in doing their best work. These skills not only help them in school but also lay the foundation for positive attitudes and strong character as they grow.

Other Christmas Resources You May Want:

Elf Cover Up [Addition Practice]

Reindeer Cover Up [Multiplication Practice]

Christmas Math Center - Write and Spin

Legend of the Poinsettia Book Companion

The Wild Christmas Reindeer Book Companion

Sight Word Practice | Reading for Meaning | 2nd- 3rd Grade - ELA

Sight Word Practice- Reading Passages

Learning Sight Words.  Reading for Meaning.

Practice your sight words with these

 fill-in-the-blank reading passages. Reading passages for students to read and choose the correct sight word from the word box.

Encourage your students to find the correct word by trial and error... You should hear lots of reading as they check and reread the passage to understand the meaning and whether the word makes sense. My students love these and get better at choosing the correct word by listening to their own reading as they practice more. The key is to read aloud or read to a partner, then listen to the passage after choosing the sight word. These pages can also be assigned for distance learning, school at home, and as an independent work packet.

Flash cards are in two forms ...one for individual students to read, cut and work with on a daily routine. The others are for you to display in the classroom. A list of 100 common 

Sight words are used. This fill-in-the-blank activity is a good way to reinforce and review for 2nd-3rd graders, helping them practice reading fluency and work with sight words they have already mastered. It is excellent group work for 1st graders to learn new sight words and practice reading in small groups or with a partner.

There are 13 fill-in-blank passages and each reading passage focuses on 8 sight words. 100 sight words to practice . Students must read and reread for meaning. Answers are included for easy correcting. Mini sight word cards for student use; larger word cards for your pocket chart.  See Preview HERE

Christmas Countdown | Beginning Literacy Learners | Counting

     Christmas Countdown Page

Get this FREE resource here

Yes, I want this Christmas Countdown Page

Christmas Countdown Page

For beginning literacy learners and parents. This Christmas countdown gives the child an opportunity to choose small tasks and chores around the house while waiting for Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read over each job on the chores chart with their children. They choose one job for the day, complete the job, and color in one box on the countdown page. Parents love this! An excellent way for you to bring literacy and learning into your students' homes at Christmas time.  

Focus skills include:

• keywords to understand the meaning of a good work ethic
• discussions about work ethic at school and home
• recognizing numbers
• noticing a countdown array of 24 numbers
• counting backwards
• helping around the home
• completing tasks successfully

Did You Know?

I just released a new Christmas Coloring Book for Kids on Amazon, and I’m so excited to share it! If you purchase a copy and leave an honest review, I’d love to thank you with a free bonus printable from my TPT store — you can choose any single resource 

(bundles not included).”  Just click here to get the Christmas Coloring Book

See the many resources that you might like HERE

Christmas Kids Coloring Book - Screen-Free Activity for Ages 3-6

Yes, I want this Christmas coloring book

 This Christmas coloring book is filled with adorable holiday illustrations and easy-to-color pictures, offering preschoolers and kindergartners a rewarding and confidence-building way to celebrate the season.  

A perfect screen-free activity! 

What's inside?

• Simple Christmas illustrations for ages 3-6
• Bold outlines for easy coloring
• Santa, reindeer, Christmas gnomes, snowmen
• Cozy winter fun
• 8.25" x 8.25" pages designed for small hands
• Single-sided pages to prevent bleed-through
• fine motor skill practice and color recognition
• Screen-free holiday activity

Bring holiday joy to your child’s creative time with this Christmas Coloring Book for Preschoolers and Kindergartners! Designed especially for ages 3–6, this book features simple, bold-line illustrations that help little hands stay inside the lines as they discover their favorite Christmas sights—Santa, reindeer, snowmen, gnomes, gingerbread cookies, Christmas trees, presents, winter fun, and more!

This festive coloring book helps children:
• Build fine-motor skills
• Boost hand–eye coordination
• Practice early creativity and focus
• Enjoy quiet, screen-free holiday fun

Perfect for holiday gifts, classrooms, stocking stuffers,

 And December learning centers!

Cute designs. Easy pages. Holiday Coloring for Little Hands 

“As you read above, I just released a new Christmas Coloring Book for Kids on Amazon, and I’m so excited to share it! If you purchase a copy and leave an honest review, I’d love to thank you with a free bonus printable from my TPT store — you can choose any single resource (bundles not included).”  Just click here to get the Christmas Coloring Book

See the many resources that you might like HERE