Must Read Mentor Text Link Up!

For this week's social studies mentor text link up with Collaboration Cuties, I have chosen to share a text called, Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson.  

This is a wonderful text for teaching students about the extraordinary affect we have on others when we do ordinary things for others--an important character ed lesson.  The text starts with Mary picking blueberries and putting them on  Mrs. Bishop's porch, who then bakes them into delicious muffins that she shares with five people she thinks may have secretly given her the berries. And so the story goes... One person does something kind for the next until Mary's ordinary deed has touched the lives of an enormous number of people.  

This text sparked a thoughtful discussion of the things we do for others that make us extraordinary.  

I read this book aloud toward the end of this school year when I discovered it, although I plan to use it early this coming school year.  I also plan on putting together a couple of activities this summer to accompany the text...

This text is also available in iTunes for use on an iPad, iPhone, or iPad touch.  Click here to learn more and view screen shots of the text.

OK, I know I am a week late, but I thought I would piggy back on this post and share the science texts I wanted to share last week but did not have a spare moment to do so...

I won't go into great detail about each text, but just want to say how fabulously these texts incorporate poetry/riddles and non-fiction and important concepts related to animal adaptation, survival, and growth. Since the year has ended for us, I have been thinking a lot about the texts that I have but haven't used with the kids yet. Here are three I will be using next year with links to more information.

Where in the Wild? Camouflauged Creatures Concealed...and Revealed 

by David M. Schwartz & Yael Schy

Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships 

by Catherine Thimmesh

Guess What Is Growing Inside This Egg by Mia Posada

Fly on over to Collaboration Cuties to view more must read mentor texts!

We would also love for you to benefit from six weeks of awesome freebies over at the Teacher's Clubhouse on Teachers Pay Teachers! It's all in celebration of their 6th birthday! Fly on over to Teaching Maddeness to find out more--TODAY!

Have a fabulous week!