Hey, teacher’s friend! Do you like to open surprises by email, just like me? I was excited to read and open kits from Random House Children’s books from around the world. Inside, we found brochures, passports for students, beautiful posters and stickers. You can grab your kit, and the consumables will be the last.
Readings from around the world have really excited kids
I hung it up as soon as the poster arrived. Students discussed the maps and immediately asked what they were doing. I enjoyed listening to my fourth grade students as they made connections to places they learned in social studies.
Who are the readings from all over the world for?
This kit is perfect for second to fifth grade teachers and can be easily integrated with ELA and social studies. I was able to link it to our social studies purpose. This allowed us to ask us to collect information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including printed materials, graphic representations, artifacts, media, and more.
How to use world-wide readings in your classroom
I started by filling out the passport included in the kit. I encouraged students to really spend time on where they wanted to travel in the future. I also drew a photo of my passport, but I can also take a quick photo and add it to this location. I explained to the students that when they read and complete the world, they will receive a sticker on their passport. Another idea is to cut the blue or black cardstock in half and use it as a passport cover for the passport included in the kit.
My kids loved following maps to discover new books. In a way, it was as if we were hunting for treasure together. The book has brought some beautiful discussions about cultural differences. I brought up the Earth so that students could find locations on the map.
It was also fun to try out the Spice Box and bonus activities that are referenced on related websites on my first day.
Check out how we used some of our favorite readings around books and activities around the world
My first day was one of our favorite books. The illustrations were breathtaking and the kids were really intrigued to learn how little boys travel to school. We discussed how kids get to school and what it’s really an adventure, all of which is some adventure! After reading my first day, we discussed the questions asked in the bonus activity and put into practice exercises to stimulate their imagination. As a teacher, I loved how quiet they were while they were focused on breathing and visualisation. It brought a sense of calm in the room and helped them focus on our upcoming tasks.
To showcase the spice box, I brought a variety of spices from my cupboard at home. The kids loved smelling them and talking about recipes that might be used. I asked the students to close their eyes. The story was beautifully depicted and helped the children understand what lies inside the spice box. In this book, we learned that Rishi’s Box is filled with memories as well as spices. The kids literally ran out of breath when Rishi dropped the box, and when he was able to fix it, they were visibly relieved. After reading the book, I explained the questions offered in the bonus activity.
Why did I read the world in the classroom?
Every time I read one of the books and “explored” the country, I added a sticker to my passport. We also posted photos online from each location using interactive boards. This helped students understand and appreciate culture, what the land looks like, and more. It is clear that the books included on the map were carefully selected and I was very pleased to be able to introduce books from around the world. I also enjoyed myself!
It was very easy to incorporate these materials into the social studies and ELA teaching blocks. This material is well organized, engaging and thought-provoking for students. I recommend signing up to teachers everywhere to receive your special kit!
*Editor’s notes
We must not forget to read around the world’s book selection, honors and acclaimed bicycle noodles. This is the Caldecott Honor Book, Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book, and was named “Best Book of the Year” by BookPage, Kirkus Reviews and The Horn Book. This historic picture book is about Tokyo bike groceries, or demae, which balances towering trays of steaming hot noodles on their shoulders as they navigate the crowded city streets.
Check out here for your chance to win readings from around the world for your classroom!
