Picture Book Linky: Rhyming Books and Liebster Round 2

I'm linking up with First Grade and Fabulous to discuss some of my favorite rhyming books. Teaching rhyming skills are so important for kiddos phonemic awareness growth. I also think that rhyming helps kids learn word families quicker because they can hear the letter pattern in the family. Here are my top picks for rhyming books.

You can't talk about rhyming and not talk about the Dr. Seuss. He was the king of rhyme. Heck, if he couldn't find a real word to rhyme, he would just make up a word. When I introduce nonsense words (Dibels users know what I mean), I always call them "Dr. Seuss words". After reading a Dr. Seuss book we will usually sort the real words from the Dr. Seuss (nonsense) words on a pocket chart.

 

Giles Andreae and David Wojtowyez have a ton of adorable animal books that  describe different animals in short poems that rhyme. I love using these books for animal studies and reports. These books would also be a great inspiration for writing poetry about animals. Here's a close up of one of their poems about Turtles from Commotion in the Ocean. So stinking cute!

 

Look at this way to cute bulletin board put together by Sunflower Lily. So clever to use curling ribbon for the jellyfish tentacles.

 

The Hungry Thing by Jan Siepian and Ann Seidier

 

Let me tell you, I love me some Hungry Thing. If you haven't read this book before, it is about a monster that comes into town and points to the sign on his chest that says "Feed Me!" The only problem is, is that monster doesn't speak English well and ends of changing the beginning sounds in words. The villagers have to figure out just what it is that the Hungry Thing wants. The kids love to guess too! They always get it right before the townspeople.

This story is an amazing story for teaching phoneme substitution with beginning sounds. It is fun to have your students act out being the Hungry Thing and telling the class their favorite food with a different beginning sound. Ex. Smancakes for pancakes. Too Fun!

 

Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort

 

First let me start by saying my kids love this book. It is all about aliens who come to Earth for one purpose....underwear snatching. The rhymes are too funny and you can't help but laugh right along with the class.

Here's a sample of the inside of the book!

 

Be sure to head over and see all of the other amazing rhyming books people have posted at First Grade and Fabulous.

 

Sweet Lucy at Kids Math Teacher nominated me for the Liebster Award!

That puts my nominations at 4 and let me tell you I am tickled pink! I've loved working on this blog this summer and want to say a big THANK YOU to all of my followers. Yesterday, I did all of the procedures for accepting this nomination, click here, so today I am just going to answer Lucy's questions. :)

Questions from Lucy:

1. What are a few of your goals? Wow! There are so many things that I could write here. I'll just pick my top 3.
• Have as much fun this summer as possible. The summer is winding down at an alarming rate and I refuse to go out without having a great time. Bring on the bbqs, floaties, and friends.
• Have my classroom completely set up before the kids get there. We aren't able to go in early to our building and since I am in a new classroom this year, I want to make sure that I have it set up before the kids get there this summer fall.
• Have a great time in a new grade. I have taught 1st grade for the last 6 years and will be moving to kindergarten this fall. I thought I would be a firstie for life but, I think this change will be a new adventure.
2. Who's your hero? My mom! She raised me as a single parent and always did the best she could for me. I respect and love her to pieces.
3. Favorite thing to watch? Dancing with the Stars! It is the best!
4. Favorite sport to play? Football. I enjoy the game but I love the snacks even more!
5. Personal positive quote? "Be yourself! Everyone else is taken.

Thanks again for the Liebster nominations ladies! I am so flattered!

Liebster Award

I am so flattered to say that I have been nominated by 3 different ladies for the Liebster Award! Thank you ladies! I actually did a little dance in my kitchen, I was so excited! My nominators were Jennifer from The Curious Apple, Monica from Roland with iPads, and Wendy from Read with Me ABC. Be sure to visit them!

The rules for me to happily accept this award are:

Procedures for the Nominees:

1. Link back to the blog that nominated you.
2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers.
3. Answer the questions posted for you by your nominator.
4. Share 11 facts about yourself.
5. Create a list of 11 questions for you nominees.
6. Contact you nominees with the news.

Here are my questions from Jennifer at the The Curious Apple:

1. What is you favorite coffee drink? Hmmm...I would say any coffee as long as I can have my International Delight Creamer. Almond Joy, Cinnabon, and Cold Stone Sweet Cream are my favs.
2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? I love the beach and I love to scuba dive so ideally I would like to live on a sailboat. I would love to sail around the Caribbean exploring and diving.
3. Are you a dog lover, cat lover, or both? I love my dog, Miley. She is a black lab/greyhound mix and she is my little shadow.
4. If you won a million dollar, what would you do with it? I'd make it rain! Ha! Just kidding. I'd buy that sailboat. :)
5. Favorite TV show? Dancing with the Stars. I just love it!
6. Favorite professional development book? Mine will always be the Daily 5 and CAFE. Both of these books just really fit with my reading philosphy. I was so happy when they came into my life.
7. Favorite holiday? I love the 4th of July. You can't beat BBQs and fireworks.
8. Favorite technology tool to use in your classroom? I would say mine is my iPad but I love that we have Apple TV that connects our iPad to the screen. I use it all the time.
9. What is your homework philosophy? I teach little kiddos so I send home homework but there are no consequences if it is not done. I truly do not feel that it is their fault if their parents were not able to do the homework with them. I will add though that I never send anything home that my kiddos can't do for the most part on their own. I encourage my kids to try and do the homework on their own or bug someone to help them. It warms my heart when kiddos come back and say I couldn't find anyone to read to so I just read to my dog and my dog liked it! Ha! We always do a class cheer for that kiddo during morning meeting and then we talk about how they used the character trait perseverance. For my homework, I send home a book at their reading level nightly that has already been read in groups. Then once a week, I send home a spelling list and math pages that correlate with what we are learning. The kids have a whole week to do them. 
10. Favorite quote? "Be yourself! Everyone else is taken."

Questions from Monica at Roland with iPads:

1. What has been the best part of your summer? The best part of the summer for me has been going to Outer Banks, North Carolina and getting a week to have some fun in the sun with family and friends.
2. When do you return to work? I have to be back to work on August 12th but we don't have kiddos until the following week.
3. Describe your classroom in one word. Active.
4. Do you have a class theme? If so what is it? Yes, this next year I am doing my classroom in all Eric Carle. In the previous years, I have always had an ocean theme so this will be an exciting change.
5. Where did you go to college? I went to college at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, WY.
6. Who inspires you? In the blogging world: Reagan Tunstall, Deanna Jump, and DeeDee Wills.
7. How long have you been blogging? Jen and I set up this blog 2 years ago and then life just got busy and we stopped doing it. This summer I have picked it back up and I promise, I'm not going anywhere. So I guess the answer can range anywhere from 2 years to 3 months.
8. How did you come up with your blog name? My blogging buddy, Jen, and I wanted to relate it back to children's books since we are both primary teachers. Our blog name was inspired by the Laura Numeroff books.
9. Would you rather eat out or cook your own meal? I go back and forth on this. We cook at home a lot so I will crave a night out but, if we have eaten out a lot, I crave a night in.
10. Which social media are you most hooked on? Pinterest! I'm addicted. I love the organization of the boards and it so fun looking at all of the creative things that people are doing. Very inspiring!
11. What is your favorite day of the week? Why? I love Wednesday because it is all downhill from there. I also can't get enough of that Geico commercial with the camel running around cheering and the punch line being "Happier than a camel on Hump Day!" Ha! I love it!

Questions from Wendy at Read with Me ABC:

1. Tell us about your family. I grew up with my beautiful mom and my very talented brother. I also have a dog named Miley.
2. Where did you go on your last vacation? This summer we went to Outer Banks, North Carolina with a group of 32 people. Lots of family and friends. It was a blast! I'm wistful and want to go back.
3. Coke or Pepsi? Coke; especially if it is Cherry.
4. What's the last movie you watched? The Hunger Games. We watched it again on Netflix last night.
5. Favorite store to shop in? Old Navy. I swear everything I own comes from there.
6. What would you pick as your last meal? Mashed potatoes, fried pickles, shrimp and fish tacos, queso and chips, crab legs, and vanilla ice cream. It would a random course meal.
7. Top three blogs you read? Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits, Mrs. Jump's Class, Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.
8. Share a quote that is meaningful to you? "Be yourself! Everyone else is taken."
9. What super power would like to possess? I would want to be able to transport anywhere. It would make world travel so easy and affordable plus I could sleep in longer during the school year. :)
10. Name one item you can't live without. Mascara. It just makes me feel pretty.
11. Tell us a funny school story. One December, one of my ELL kiddos came up to me in his most excited voice and said, "Miss Gill, you need to come to my house. We have so many presidents under our Christmas tree right now. "

11 Random Facts about Me:

1. I really want to set up a kiddie pool in my backyard big enough for me to put a floatie in it so I can float around all day.
2. I went from never doing my nails to being addicted to shellac. I just can't get enough of nail polish that stays on!
3. It has been so hot here that all of my flowers have died or are starting to die. It is giving me a complex.
4. I talk to my dog all the time. I think she likes it. :)
5. I was awarded the Eel Diver Award this November because of a very traumatic experience with a 7 foot green moray eel. Don't worry though, it won't keep me out of the water.
6. My favorite animal is a duckbilled platypus. I picked it as my favorite when I was a little kid because I didn't think it had enough fans.
7. I just purchased my first pair of cowboy boots and now I want to wear them everywhere. Maybe when I get that pool....
8. I take a bubble bath and read in the tub every Sunday through Thursday night. I call it my "Me Time" and I sleep like a baby when I get out.
9. I love potatoes! Anyway you can cook them, I will eat them.
10. I can't go in a pool without doing the Little Mermaid hair flick at least once.
11. I don't like taking pictures by myself so I will most of the time recruit others to be in my photos.

Now for my Nominees! Here are some new bloggers that I think are fabulous.

1. Sarah from A Sunny Day in First Grade
2. Danielle from Carolina Teacher
3. Miss Lackey from Teaching Miss Lackey
4. Autumn from First Grade Teacher Lady
5. Bec from Books, Bugs, and Boxes

Ladies here are your questions:

1. When and why did you decide to be a teacher?
2. What is your favorite thing to do on a lazy afternoon?
3. Where is your favorite spot in your classroom? Why?
4. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
5. What is your favorite picture book? Why?
6. What is your favorite adult book? Why?
7. Describe your classroom in one word. (I'm stealing this one from Monica.)
8. Where do you want your next vacation to be?
9. Coffee or tea?
10. If you were a superhero, who would you be?
11. What is your favorite season? Why?

 

Thank you again for nominating me! I feel honored and I am so excited about the wonderful followers I have!