Sample Read Aloud Lessons

This book is written and illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov. The book is about Zaha Hadid, a British-Iraqi architect who broke the norms and excelled in her career. This book is appropriate for students in grades PreK-5 and addresses the following standards:

• PreK-PS1-2(MA): Investigate natural and human-made objects to describe, compare, sort, and classify objects based on observable physical characteristics, uses, and whether something is manufactured or occurs in nature. 

• PreK-PS1-3(MA): Differentiate between the properties of an object and those of the material of which it is made.

• 2-PS1-2: Test different materials and analyze the data obtained to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.

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This book is written by Jennifer Berne and illustrated by Lorraine Nam. This book is about how astrophysicist, Neil DeGrasse Tyson turned his passion for the stars into a life of teaching others about the universe. The book is appropriate for students in grades PreK-4 addresses the following standards: 

• PreK-ESS1-1(MA): Demonstrate awareness that the Moon can be seen in the daytime and at night, and of the different apparent shapes of the Moon over a month.

• PreK-ESS1-2(MA): Observe and use evidence to describe that the Sun is in different places in the sky during the day.

• 1-ESS1-1: Use observations of the Sun, Moon, and stars to describe that each appears to rise in one part of the sky, appears to move across the sky, and appears to set.

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This book written by William Kamkwamba and tells the story of how he used scrap parts to build a windmill to produce electricity for his home in Malawi. This book is appropriate for students in grades 1-5, and address the following science standards: 

• 1.K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change that can be solved by developing or improving an object or tool.

• 1.K-2-ETS1-2. Generate multiple solutions to a design problem and make a drawing (plan) to represent one or more of the solutions.

• 3.3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem that reflects a need or a want. Include criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost that a potential solution must meet.

• 3.3-5-ETS1-2. Generate several possible solutions to a given design problem. Compare each solution based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the design problem.

• 5.3-5-ETS3-1(MA): Use informational text to provide examples of improvements to existing technologies (innovations) and the development of new technologies (inventions). Recognize that technology is any modification of the natural or designed world done to fulfill human needs or wants.

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This book was written by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, it was illustrated by Frank Morrison. The book is about the life of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, an American astrophysicist. The book is appropriate for students in grades K-6, and addresses the following standards: 

• 5-ESS1-1: Use observations, first-hand and from various media, to argue that the Sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than other stars because it is closer to Earth. 

• 5-ESS1-2: Use a model to communicate Earth’s relationship to the Sun, Moon, and other stars that explain (a) why people on Earth experience day and night, (b) patterns in daily changes in length and direction of shadows over a day, and (c) changes in the apparent position of the Sun, Moon, and stars at different times during a day, over a month, and over a year. 

• 6.MS-ESS1-1a: Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to explain the causes of lunar phases and eclipses of the Sun and Moon. 

• 6.MS-ESS1-5(MA): Use graphical displays to illustrate that Earth and its solar system are one of many in the Milky Way galaxy, which is one of billions of galaxies in the universe. 

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This book was written by Amy Alzunauer and illustrated by Daniel Miyares. The book is about an India boy named Ramanujan, he grew up in the late 1800s, as a child he questioned mathematics and as an adult, he reinvented it. This book is appropriate for children in grades K-6th and addresses the following standards:

• 1.OA.B.4: Understand subtraction as an unknown-addend problem. 

• 3.OA.B.6: Understand division as an unknown-factor problem. 

• 4.NF.A: Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering for fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100.

• 5.NF.B.7: Apply and extend previous understandings of division to divide unit fractions by whole numbers and whole numbers by unit fractions.21

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This book, written by Teresa Robeson and illustrated by Rebecca Huang, is about Wu Chien Shiung, a physicist who overcame people's prejudices to become the "Queen of Physics." This book is appropriate for students in grades kindergarten and up. 

Purchase the book from Union Square & Co. here!

This book written by Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk is about Maya Lin, the artist-architect of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. This book is appropriate for students in grades preK-3rd and addresses the following standards: 

• 1.K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change that can be solved by developing or improving an object or tool.

• 1.K-2-ETS1-2: Generate multiple solutions to a design problem and make a drawing (plan) to represent one or more of the solutions.

• 3.3-5-ETS1-1: Define a simple design problem that reflects a need or a want. Include criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost that a potential solution must meet.

Purchase this book from MacMillian Publishers here!