Loving Literacy Blog Hop Stop #19


Welcome to...

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and our little group of reading specialists, coaches and teacher bloggers wanted to share our love of literacy with you, or readers.  Our own love of reading has made us passionate about helping students of all ages learn to to read and to love reading!  We hope you have fun as you hop through our blogs to learn more about each of us and grab a few freebies along the way!

As a young child, my parents read to my brothers and me every day and night.  My favorite book as a child was Winnie the Pooh Meets Gopher.  My mom says I memorized the book, and when my parents were putting an addition onto the house, I quoted the book.
"Danger of a cave in"
"Could take months"
The men working on the house thought it was quite funny.
As I became a reader, I remember reading and never wanting to put books down.  I read Charlotte's Web with the teacher and then three more times.  I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when I was in second grade and again in fourth grade.  Now I work to instill that same love of reading in my own children by reading to the every chance I get, which is always every night before bed!

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, but never imagined I would be a reading specialist.  I went to a private school in Louisiana, and there were no reading specialists.  When I started my job as a long term sub, the teacher I was subbing for returned for a short while.  While he was in what felt like my classroom, I was able to work in the Reading Center with an amazing reading specialist.  She made it look so easy and fun that I knew I would not be in the classroom forever!  For the past three years I have been living my dream of being a reading specialist.  It is the most rewarding job I have ever done, and it is more fun than I ever imagined it to be!  A parent of a former student told me the other day that she can tell that I am doing what I love because I always have a smile on my face.  It is hard to not have a smile on my face when I see students learning to read every single day!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Alexander-and-the-Terrible-Horrible-No-Good-Very-Bad-Day-Unit-1086279

When I was a classroom teacher, I loved to stop and take breaks with books.  Many times the students or I would get to that point where we needed to do something to make it through the rest of the day.  If we were having one of those particularly "bad" days,  I would take out my favorite book to read aloud Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day  by Judith Viorst.



I am sure that many of you have heard or seen this book before, but my kids loved when I read it them because they realized that our days weren't always THAT bad!  Alexander has one of those days where nothing seems to go right:  He has to ride in the middle during carpool.  His teacher doesn't like his "art" picture.  He doesn't get the shoes he wants.  The entire time he says he is moving to Australia.  What fun and kids can relate!

For my freebie, I have included a unit for the book with before, during, after, and writing activities you can use with your students.  These can be used in small group reading or as a read aloud.

Click {here} to head over to my TPT store and grab your copy!
This unit is free through this weekend and will be converted to a paid item in my store when the hop is over.  It is now a paid product in my store. 

Please follow my blog for many more freebies and fun reading ideas.

I'm Lovin' Lit



1 comment

  1. I love that you would quote Winnie the Pooh! How funny! Alexander is one of my favorite books from childhood, so I was THRILLED to see that was your freebie. Thank you all for your generosity!

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