What Has Miss Hazuda Been Reading?

If you have been following my Twitter feed I've been participating in #bookaday. See my post below the find out more about #bookaday. I read some great books over the past week. Had to skip Sunday, since I waited until school got out to get the flu.

My first #bookaday for this summer is Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko & illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I can't say enough good things about this book. I loved that all the poems were short but perfectly described each season. My favorite poem was called In Passing by Gerald Jonas. This poem  is all about fans in the back of a truck being taken away and how they're all just spinning is the truck drives away. The illustrations by Melissa Sweet just add to each to each poem and makes it visually come alive.

My next #bookaday for was It's an Orange Aardvark by Michael Hall. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This was such a fun book to read. I showed the book trailer for this book to my Kindergarten and First Grade students at the end of the school year. The book really lived up to the book trailer. I can't wait to get it for the library for next year and share with the kids. If you haven't read another book by Michael Hall I highly suggest that you check out his books, they're always a lot of fun.

My third #bookaday was This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris & illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This is a laugh out loud funny book! As a kid growing up I always love the blooper shows and this is what that book reminded me out. It took me back to my childhood. The story is a lot of fun and the illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld just add to the hilarity of the story.

My #bookaday for 6/19 was Ninja by Arree Chung. Such a fun book. Ninja's seem to be everywhere these days. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. The book reminded me of a graphic novel the way it was set up. The good way to introduce parents and kids to the graphic novel format. The book was a great story about siblings.

My #bookaday for 6/20 was Brave Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I just loved this book. Squish Rabbit has become a favorite character. I read the first book Squish Rabbit as I was waiting for my table at Cracker Barrel. He is such an underdog, you want to root for happy endings in his story.

My #bookaday 6/21 is for the older kids, How They Choked: Failures, Flops, & Flaws of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I found this one just as interesting as the first one How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. I'm a big history buff, so I always find it interesting to find out little tidbits of famous historical figures.

What have you been reading? Share in the comments.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Perfect Square--Kindergarten Activity

It has been a while since I've posted anything on here.  With Book Fair at the end of April, it has been a nonstop roller coaster.  It is hard to believe that we have just a few weeks left of school!  I'm going to be posting quite a bit in the next few weeks because we have a lot of activities happening and being introduced.

One of the nominated books for the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award is Perfect Square by Michael Hall.  Click here for a summary on Goodreads.  I just loved this book!  It's a very fast read, but the kids have fallen in love with it.  After reading it and see what things the square could be made into, I gave each student a square.  I told them that they could cut, tear, rip, crinkle, wrinkle, or whatever they wanted to do to change their square into something else.  I gave them glue, so they could put the pieces together.  Then, if they wanted, they could get a piece of paper to mount it on.  After they finished, I let them use crayons to add details, if they wanted.

I was amazed at how creative my Kindergarten students were with this activity!  I wanted to show off a few of their creations.  I used a tech tool called Animoto.  It is a really neat tool to share photo or illustrations.  There is a free version, all you have to do is set up an account.  You can email the "movies" or embed them like I have done here.  Hope you enjoy them.

Keep checking back for updated information.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda 

Make your own photo slideshow at Animoto.

Make your own slideshow at Animoto.