March Calendar of Days and International Women’s Day

Posted on March 6, 2022 by

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Happy March 2022!

Jump to PDF: March Calendar of Days

As I write this, I am in beautiful Logan, Utah. ❤️

A picture of the "Center Street" sign in downtown Logan, Utah. The metal sign is structured above the street, crossing from one side to the other. Snowy mountains are in the far background, and the right side of the street is aligned with brick buildings.
Photo taken inside Utah State's library, 3rd floor, featuring the surrounding university buildings and the snowy mountains in the background.
A historic picture of Brigham Young Jr's house, nestled between new buildings, in downtown Logan, Utah. There is a tree in front of the house. The picture was taken in winter, but there is no snow.

Even though we just had a few days in the 50s, it snowed ❄️last night, reminding us it is still winter. The cycle of wintery weather reminds of me of April Pulley Sayre’s book, “Best in Snow”.

Click to find this book on Amazon

March can be such an unpredictable month, especially in terms of weather ⛈️(speaking as a person who was raised in the Northwest). It is around this time I anxiously await spring. February in Southwest Idaho can be so cold, dark, and snowy (although this year it has been brighter and calmer).

As I await spring, I take enjoyment in all the celebrations that are in March. 👏🏽

I find these celebration of days a fun resource for the classroom, the home, and really any work environment.

Sometimes they act as a reminder. Sometimes they act as a way to honor. Sometimes they act as an invitation to create. Sometimes they act as an invitation to get together. Sometimes they act as a reminder to pause and reflect. Sometimes they are all the above.

March 2022 Calendar of Days

March 2022 Calendar of DaysDownload

I created the above downloadable Calendar of Days for March 2022, as the first of many, I hope, and I plan to highlight books to read and share along the way. 📚

For the approaching week, we have:

Book cover of "This is how we do it: One day in the lives of seven kids from around the world" by Matt Lamothe. It is light blue cover with a variety of small pictures on it: school bus, person on horseback, two children at school desks, homes in a village, a person on a bicycle carrying supplies, three people on a motorbike, kids running, and children playing jump rope.
Picture of the picture book, "Mama is a Miner" by George Ella Lyon and illustrated by Peter Catalanotto. The title is written in aqua and the author and illustrator's names are written in red. The background picture is of a mom and her daughter in the living room, with their foreheads touching.
Picture of the book cover for "Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale" retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Above the red title, it has a boy in a hammock with an apple in one hand. A raccoon is in the hammock with him. Below the hammock and title is a nature scene with bears and a bird.
Book cover for "If you plant a seed" by Kadir Nelson. Title is at the top of the book and written in green. The main image is of a light brown rabbit and a brown mouse watching a seed sprout.
Book cover of "Earmuff for Everyone" by Meghan McCarthy. Title is large and written in white over a light blue background. Under the title are two rows of four people wearing different color earmuffs looking up at the title.
Book cover of "Say Something!" by Peter H. Reynolds. The title is in a large white speech bubble, written in hot pink, on a purple background. Under the title are twelve people of diverse backgrounds. One is holding a piece of paper, two a sign, and two an instrument.
Book cover of "Cold Cereal" by Adam Rex. The title is written in red block lettering, like a sign above an industrial building. It is a white factory-like building, with a pink dragon above its door. The double doors are black with a bright light coming out of them. A boy is about to enter the door.
Book cover of "Farming" by Gail Gibbons. The cover is framed like a picture. A dark blue frame, with the picture showing a farm scene: tractor driving across a dirt field.
Book cover for "Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" by compiled by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo. It is a dark blue cover with a small moon and constellation at the top. The majority of the book is the title, written in various block lettering, using the colors of white, light blue, red, and yellow.
Book cover of "I am Peace: A book of Mindfulness" by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. It has a white background, with a child on it, arms stretched out like a tree. A dove sitting on each hand.

As you prepare, be sure to checkout my post from a few years ago about International Women’s Day, where I give a shoutout to additional women featured in picture books, as well as my amazing mom! ❤️

Happy Reading! 📖

–Kalynda

“Arithmechicks Add Up”

Posted on February 21, 2022 by

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One of my FAVORITE ways to discover new books is by strolling through the library shelves…especially when I am in a new-to-me library, which was the case for today’s amazing MATH STORY find! 😍

“Arithmechicks Add Up: A Math Story”

Written by Ann Marie Stephens (an elementary teacher!) and Illustrated by Jia Liu

Cover of "Arithmechicks Add Up: A Math Story", which shows six chickens, one of which is completing a 2+3 math equation on a notebook pad.
Check out this book on Amazon

Due to Jia Liu’s amazing illustrations, this book jumped off the shelf for me. I wondered…

  • Would the fun engaging illustrations continue? YES, absolutely! ❤️
  • Would it be a counting book instead? NOPE–it really demonstrates different approaches to addition…keep reading! ➕
  • Would it go past adding to 10? Minus the one lonely mouse, all mathematical prompts do not exceed a sum of 10 🧮
  • Would it incorporate everyday connections to the target age group? YES! The Arithmechicks engage in all sorts of recess/park fun (slides, swings, basketball, etc.) 🏀
  • Would it incorporate other life lessons, extending the story past the mathematical connections? YES! Playing together, getting along, problem solving, and making new friends are additional heart happy features in the story. (additional…get it! lol) 😀
The picture shows a page in "Arithmechicks Add Up" with three chicks on a slide and one below using the decompose method to solve their total value
“Arithmechicks Add Up” on Amazon

I seriously can’t wait to tell my friends all about this book! 🙋🏽‍♀️My elementary teacher friends and my friends with young children would all love it! 👩‍🏫 It does such a great job of introducing the many ways to put numbers into groups to get answers or sums!

The picture shows the different approaches to the math in "Arithmechicks Add Up". These include: number bond, ten frame, tally marks, fingers, decompose, number line, equation, and count on
“Arithmechicks Add Up” on Amazon

AND the math play, the MATH FUN doesn’t end there! Finding this story (thank you public libraries!) introduced me to Ann Marie Stephens and her additional math stories:

Such Happy Reading! 📚

Enjoy!

“Best in Snow” –April Pulley Sayre

Posted on January 29, 2022 by

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*Note: Links are Amazon affiliate links. Clinking on these links supports my work. Thank You!

Without looking at a calendar, how do you know winter is approaching? 

  • The clouds? 
  • The chill? 
  • The movement of the animals? 
  • The stillness? 

Without the sights, sounds, and smells of the season, what would tell you winter is coming? 

How do you know and feel winter is approaching? 

What are your experiences? 

What are your student’s experiences? 

To add to the collective knowledge within your home or classroom, author April Pulley Sayre, bring us “Best in Snow”. 

Amazon.com: Best in Snow (Weather Walks): 9781481459167: Sayre, April Pulley, Sayre, April Pulley: Books

Using real photographs, April Pulley Sayre poetically guides us into winter. 

The author’s intentional use and placement of text gives space for the reader(s) to connect and to wonder. 

I love this most of all!

Growing up in Idaho, I had memory connections page after page. My heart was absolutely delighted. I wanted to both pause and turn the page, eager to see what aspect of nature was beautifully photographed next, and yet stay forever in the current scene. 

Oh and the “Sun Shines” two-page spread…LOVE!

What a treasure! 

Big thank you to the author! 

–Happy Reading & Happy Connecting YOUR story to the snow story in “Best in Snow” 

Possible Home or Classroom Connections

  • “I know it’s winter when…” board or writing prompt
  • Wintery Words: compiled first from the students and then adding to their list the words from “Best in Snow”, and then adding more as you continue reading and exploring
  • “I know it’s winter when…” Venn Diagram if you experience a different type of winter than what is shared in “Best in Snow” 
  • Digital (or physical) photos either connected to different phases of winter, specific vocabulary words, or specific scientific processes
  • Dive deeper into the scientific story of snow. 
    • Note: I have found most meteorologists are quick to reply to scientific inquiries. Reach out to them. Learn more about snow’s story. 

“Red” by Michael Hall

Posted on January 2, 2022 by

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Pulls at the heartstrings and opens the mind. 

This is the type of book that I received as a gift this past winter from a close friend. 

“Red” by Michael Hall is not a surface story. Oh, not at all. In fact it is quite the opposite in the way that it calls out and challenges us to examine the culture of surface labels that have been used on each of us and ones we might have used on others. 

Red: A Crayon's Story: Hall, Michael, Hall, Michael: 9780062252098: Amazon.com: Books

Powerful. 

And I want to say and write so much more about how and why this book is impactful–the needed story right now and also the timeless aspects of it…but I can’t. 

It is best read as new-to-you as can be, because I feel its lingering effects are more impactful that way.

In that space where the story of so many meets your story, and connection and expansion happens. 

The Reading Connection.

January 2nd: National Sci-Fi Day

Posted on January 2, 2021 by

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Hello Community! Happy 2021!

I hope you are enjoying a good book these days! I have a few downloaded on my Kindle app, including The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, a best-selling novel geared for middle-grade readers, but loved by all ages.

The Wild Robot by [Peter Brown]

I originally heard about this class favorite from my colleague and friend, Amy, who used it as a class read in her 5th grade class last year, and is also reading with her current 3rd grade class. She couldn’t stop raving about it, so I instantly bought it, but hadn’t gotten around to reading it. Now I hear there is a 2nd book out…

The Wild Robot Escapes by [Peter Brown]

I need to get to reading! What better day to get started than today, January 2nd, Science Fiction Day. A day that is connected to the birthday of famous science fiction author Isaac Asimov. (click HERE to read 15 Fascinating Facts about Isaac Asimov by Suzanne Raga at Mental Floss)

As for past science fiction books I have already read and enjoyed, take a look at these titles:

Space Case (Moon Base Alpha Book 1) by [Stuart Gibbs]
A book that combines living on the moon and a murder mystery!
The Fourteenth Goldfish by [Jennifer L. Holm]
Such a fun book with many layers, including a special relationship between granddaughter and grandfather.

Also…Checkout my blog post about The Fourteenth Goldfish HERE, as it was a past Featured Book!

Oh No!
Delightful Book!

And so many more!

A couple of things I realized during the writing of this post…ONE: Many of the above books now have sequels! TWO: During my search for popular titles, I found so many of my next reads! Like these two…

Click HERE to learn more about this book on Amazon.
Click HERE to learn more about this book on Amazon

I hope reading this post does the same for you…grow your reading list!

Happy National Science Fiction Day and Happy Reading!

–Kalynda

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Finding the Science in Stories
This site was designed to help educators find fictional stories to incorporate into their science lessons. The use of fictional stories is an effective pathway to your student's science background knowledge, interest and understanding. This site was also developed in response to a Literature Review that asked: How are females of color portrayed in science-based fictional picture books? A summary of that literature review can be found in the "About" tab.
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