Elementary Library

Step 2: Read Aloud K-2: Intersperse practicing routines with read alouds and movement breaks.

3-5: Intersperse practicing routines with read alouds, movement breaks, and/or book talks.

Review “I can” statements and ask students for thumbs up or thumbs down if they think they mastered today’s learning. READER’S ADVISORY, CIRCULATION PROCEDURES & DISMISSAL

Resource & Discussion Guide

Every Month is a New Year by Marilyn Singer (811 SIN) A collection of original poems about New Year celebrations throughout the year and around the world. Includes an introduction about worldwide New Year celebrations plus a map, information about calendars, New Year greetings in many languages, additional factual information about the celebrations, and author's sources. Discussion prompts: ●​ How do you celebrate the New Year at home? Why do we celebrate New Years? ●​ What are traditions? Why are traditions important? What are some traditions you (or, you and your family) follow each year? How do traditions help us feel connected to our community? ●​ What feelings does this poem give you? How does it do that? ●​ How are calendars organized?

●​ Why did the author choose to present this information in poems? ●​ Who do you think is the narrator of the poem? How can you tell?

●​ What do you notice in the illustration for the New Year’s celebration? What kinds of things do you see in the collage illustration? What kinds of objects and materials do you think the illustrator used in the collage?

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles (E CHA) Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the new year by eating a special soup, a tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. This year, Ti Gran is teaching Belle how to make the soup -- Freedom Soup -- just like she was taught when she was a little girl. Together, they dance and clap as they prepare the holiday feast, and Ti Gran tells Belle about the history of the soup, the history of Belle's family, and the history of Haiti, where Belle's family is from. Discussion prompts: ●​ How do you celebrate the New Year at home? ●​ Why is it important to collaborate and work together? Is it easier to do things as a group or by yourself? ●​ What is a tradition? How do you pass a tradition on? What traditions do you have in your family? Why do families have different traditions?

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