Every year mid-August brings a flurry of conflicting emotions as I feel the summer starting to wind down. Between beginning of the year faculty meetings, my rigorous schedule of home visits and a late summer trip to get my own son ready for school, I can count my free days on one hand. They seem precious and not to be squandered. The conflict comes as I must choose whether to use those days to enjoy the last glimpses of summer or get a leg up on my planning. Some days it’s a tough call but today I’m all about planning.
With this in mind I thought I would share a couple of books I’m reading these days that I’m just loving.
When my last class was in fifth grade we read a short biography on Anna Botsford Comstock, the author of this great book Handbook of Nature Study. The book goes over how to teach children about nature in a very engaging, enlivened and experiential way. It is full of information and great ideas for presenting it. I think it’ll be great for my Human and Animal block this year.
I may be coming late to the party on this one, but I’m also reading The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. What a great book! It is such a sweet story and the little boy main character is such a great example of what it is like to study and learn about an animal. White weaves factual information about swans into the story in such a natural, beautiful way. I’m just trying to decide if I could assign this story as a class reader or if it will be a read aloud that we share together. Just wonderful.
Well, I’m back to the books for now. It’s a good thing I enjoy prep work so much!
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