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Learning Together Joyfully: Celebrate Spring

Welcome back educators, caregivers, parents and grandparents! April has arrived – the leaves are coming out on the trees; flowers are blooming. Days are longer and nights are shorter. Daylight Saving time, which moved the clock forward in March, gives everyone even more light hours to get things done. Of course, what fun it is to celebrate April Fool’s Day – many songs and activities are included. Those extra hours of sun can be a major mood-booster, according to some research. Transportation is a focus with many songs and activities included. Your family can celebrate Earth day on April 22nd and spend more time outdoors which is also better for everyone’s mental health. Research has found that taking walks in nature slows your heart rate and makes you more relaxed. Some research indicates that there is something special about spring’s effect on your brain. Enjoy Spring – enjoy April as you play, learn, grow together!

Quick Links

Use these links to quickly navigate to specific sections within this blog!

  1. Read and Sing Together
  2. Create Together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing
  3. Explore, Engage & Interact Together
  4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition

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1.  Read and Sing Together 📚

Comprehension, or extracting meaning from what is read, is the ultimate goal of reading. Experienced readers take this for granted and may not appreciate the reading comprehension skills required. The process of comprehension is both interactive and strategic. Rather than passively reading text, readers must analyze it, internalize it and make it their own. View the chart below and review effective reading comprehension strategies.

strategies.

https://www.teachthought.com/literacy/reading-strategies/

TRANSPORTATION BOOKS:

Car, Plans, and Trains on my! Kids will have fun reading this delightful Transportation Books for Kids! From transportation book choices about backhoes, dirty trucks, fast trains, garbage trucks, construction trucks, trains, planes, – you will love cuddling up on the couch to read these super cute picture books with beautiful illustrations and engaging text. These books about transportation are arranged by type to make it easy to find just the right book recommendation for your children. Because reading to children is super important for early literacy and the most important gauge for future success in academics.

Transportation is a general word for all the methods people use to move themselves and their goods from one place to another. Just as they have for thousands of years, people today rely on walking to travel short distances. For longer distances, people depend on animals, bicycles, automobiles, trucks, railroads, ships, and airplanes.

  • Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? By Brianna Caplan Sayers. Discover what bedtime looks like for fire trucks, snowplows, dump trucks, tractors, and all the vehicles that fill the pages of this irresistible book. Just like you and me, the trucks in this story get tuckered out after a long day of hard work and need to quiet down and settle in for sweet dreams. Young readers will see themselves as these trucks ask for one more story while parents sing them a goodnight song and send them off to bed.
  • Who Made This Cake? By Chichiro Nagagowa. Little people use BIG machines to make a GIANT birthday cake! Imagine an industrialized Lilliput. Imagine today. Imagine an enormous construction site. Imagine a birthday cake like no other. What if the people you order your next birthday cake from are tiny, and what if they build cakes the way we build buildings? Tractor-trailers and giant cranes, catwalks, and helicopters. Hundreds of workers. Never have you seen such a construction site in this Horn Book Fanfare Award winner!
  • Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker. As the sun sets behind the big construction site, all the hard working trucks get ready to say goodnight. One by one, Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator finish their work and lie down to rest—so they’ll be ready for another day of rough and tough construction play! Even the roughest, toughest readers will want to turn off their engines, rest their wheels, and drift to sleep with this sweet and soothing story. Vibrant illustrations and gentle rhyming text make this construction book for kids a surefire bedtime favorite.
  • I’m Dirty! By Kate & Jim McMullan. This construction vehicle with an attitude loves every second of his dirty job! For fans of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train comes as a noisy addition to the hilarious read-aloud series from Kate and Jim McMullan, the popular creators of I’m Bad! and I Stink! Clank! Rattle! Bang! Who’s making all that noise? Backhoe Loader, reporting for duty.
  • Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman. Meet Mr. Gilly. He cleans up Trashy Town. There’s trash at the pizza parlor, trash at the school, and trash at every house. It’s a big job, but Mr. Gilly does it with a big truck, a big smile, and loads of style. This book features a rhythmic, repeatable refrain that will have children clamoring for repeat readings. Dynamic art from acclaimed illustrator Dan Yaccarino puts the zip in Mr. Gilly’s stride and adds style and charm to trash collection. Perfect for fans of all books about things that GO and how things work—plus for units on community helpers. Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the Trashy Town!

  • Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! By Mo Willems. When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place-a pigeon! But you’ve never met one like this before. As he pleads, wheedles, and begs his way through the book, children will love being able to answer back and decide his fate.
  • Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry. Buckle-up for a fun-filled day of planes, trains, automobiles . . . and even a pickle truck! Featuring hundreds of clearly labeled vehicles, this is the perfect book for little vehicle fans from the one and only Richard Scarry.
  • Vroom Vroom trucks by Karen Katz. Vroom vroom! Here come the construction trucks in this new lift-the-flap book from Karen Katz featuring the cutest trucks you’ve ever seen. Rumble! Rumble! Here come the big trucks! Look for bulldozers, dump trucks, and more in this adventurous lift-the-flap book from Karen Katz sure to appeal to any preschooler who loves things that go and things that build. With Karen Katz’s signature bright, striking art, this board book with its sturdy, easy-to-lift flaps is sure to vroom onto bookshelves everywhere.

APRIL FOOLS’ DAY BOOKS FOR KIDS

Are you in a family who loves to pull practical jokes on each other? When my girls were little, we loved telling jokes to each other, and hiding and jumping out to scare each other! It was so much fun. One of the things I’ve always loved to do is read to my kids, especially holiday books. Here are a few fun children’s books about April Fool’s Day you can read to your kids. But first…here’s a little history about April Fool’s Day!

April Fools’ Day or All Fools’ Day has been celebrated for several centuries. Some historians believe that April Fools’ Day originates back to 1582 when France switched from using the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1563. Those who didn’t get the news became the butt of jokes and hoaxes because they still continued to celebrate it the last week of March into April.

April Fools’ Day has also been linked to festivals such as the Hilaria, which was celebrated in ancient Rome at the end of March and people celebrated it by dressing up in costumes. People also speculate that April Fools’ Day can be traced back to the vernal equinox (the first day of Spring) in the Northern Hemisphere because Mother Nature fooled people by constantly changing the weather. 

In modern times, April Fools’ Day is celebrated by playing jokes or pranks on friends and family. Here are 10 great children’s books or chapter books that celebrate April Fools’ Day that can be read at home or in the classroom. 

There are many holidays to be celebrated in the classroom and April Fool’s Day is probably one that you can’t escape. Children naturally love to play jokes on one another and this holiday gives them the perfect excuse. Why not embrace the holiday in your classroom and have a bit of fun with the students and teach them at the same time!

April Fool’s Day is also known as All Fool’s Day. It is a holiday that is celebrated around the world. They even celebrate it in Japan, Russia, and South Africa. This means that while you and your students play jokes on each other, you can also teach them about other cultures and traditions. A Little Fooling Around In Your Classroom

  • April Fool, Watch Out At School by Diane DeGroat. Gilbert is back—no fooling! Diane deGroat’s delightful story and fun-filled illustrations will enchant readers, especially when they discover the surprises in many of the illustrations.This sweet and funny April Fools’ Day book is a good choice to share at home or in the classroom. It’s April Fools’ Day, and Gilbert is looking forward to playing tricks on his friends. Unfortunately he’s the one getting tricked by everyone else, including Mrs. Byrd! But the worst prankster is Lewis the bully. Can Gilbert finally outwit Lewis with the best trick of all? 
  • Barnyard Fun by Maureen Wright. When Sheep found out it was April One, he said, “It’s time to have some fun”! Sheep set his alarm an hour ahead. It woke up Rooster in his bed. Sheep plays April Fool’s jokes on Rooster, Dog, Pig and Cow. Then Horse decides to play a trick on Sheep-and the farm animals have the biggest laugh of all!
  • April Foolishness by Teresa Bateman. It’s a spring morning on the farm. Grandma is happy the grandkids are visiting―they’ve picked just the right day!―and Grandpa is fixing breakfast. Suddenly his grandson reports that the cows have got loose! He thinks Big Brown Bessie just stepped on a goose! “Good gracious,” Grandpa says as he pours himself a glass of milk. When his granddaughter shouts the chickens are out, Grandpa cooks up some eggs. Pigs broke the gate” Grandpa fries bacon. Why is Grandpa so cool? Because he knows the kids are trying to play an April Fool’s trick!
  • Arthur’s April Fool by Marc Brown. Arthur worries about remembering his magic tricks for the April Fool’s Day assembly and Binky’s threats to pulverize him.

Chapter Books about April Fool’s Day

  • ELLIE MAY ON APRIL FOOLS’ DAY by Hillary Homzie. Quirky and funny second grader Ellie May can’t believe her class is allowed to celebrate April Fools’ Day–so long as it’s done in good fun. She absolutely loves the idea of targeting a certain someone–the practically perfect Ava. Practicing on her parents and sisters, Ellie May begins to brainstorm harmless pranks. Soon enough, good intentions turn the classroom and her home upside-down when fake ants, trick tape, and hidden surprises don’t go as planned. Ellie May may not be perfect like Miss-Know-it-All Ava, or calm and rational like her best friend Lizzy, but she’s good-hearted and eventually realizes that the best trick is to make friends genuinely laugh–at no one’s expense.
  • April Fools’ From the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler. (Chapters 7 – 11)It’s the end of March, and Hubie is struggling to prepare his pranks for the big day. The whoopee cushion, the rubber tarantula, and the fly in the ice cube just aren’t good enough anymore — not when the worst joke comes from the place he least expects it. Grab some activities to pair with this book here.
  • One Funny Day by Kate McMullan. Wagner has been fooled by just about everyone this April Fools’ Day–his best friend Pearl, his teacher, and even the librarian. Tired of being on the receiving end of all the pranks, Wagner is determined to have the last laugh.
  • April Fools’, Mr. Todd by Megan McDonald. April Fools’ Day just happens to be one of Judy Moody’s favorite days of the year. And this year she’s got one thing on her mind: the perfect prank she’s going to play on Mr. Todd, thanks to an awesome present from her brother, Stink. Gotcha, Mr. Todd! But in all the excitement over spaghetti trees, April fish, and fools’ errands, Judy worries that something else will be forgotten by Mr. Todd and Class 3T altogether: April 1 also happens to be Judy’s birthday! Gulp! Will her friends remember in time, or will Judy be the fool this year? And just what might Mr. Todd have up his sleeve?
  •  Whoppsy-wiffling joke book by Roald Dahl. This is a collection of hundreds of great jokes that would make even the Trunchbull laugh! Inspired by Roald Dahl’s wonderful world, these gigglesome gags are guaranteed to raise a chuckle from human beans young and old.
  • April Fool’s Day by Mellisa Schiller. An introduction to April Fool’s Day for the youngest readers. This fact-filled Rookie Read-About Holiday book introduces the youngest readers (Ages 3-6) to April Fool’s Day. Colorful photos and very simple nonfiction text encourage children to read on their own as they take an in-depth look at the history of this holiday.

EARTH DAY BOOKS: Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2024 is “Planet vs. Plastics.”

  • Nature is an artist by Jennifer Lavallee.This picture book is for kids who love to draw and create, featuring craft ideas that also foster an appreciation for nature. In the book, a group of children get out into nature. As they witness beautiful landscapes and unusual creatures, they’re inspired to create their own work of art. Nature is an Artist encourages kids to appreciate the art in their own outdoor environment.
  • Be a Camouflage Detective by Peggy Kochanoff. How do insects hide themselves in the woods? Why do hares change the colour of their fur depending on the season? Be a Camouflage Detective, Peggy Kochanoff’s latest illustrated guide for readers, is a tour of the most common animal disguises and camouflages in Atlantic Canada and beyond — from the anatomy of a sea anemone to the dappled feathers of snowy owls.
  • The Wolf Mother by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw Brett D. Huson Brett can be found at @thegitxsan on Twitter. In The Wolf Mother, Hetxw’ms Gyetxw introduces young readers to a pack of grey wolves. New pups have just begun to open their eyes, one of which is a striking black female. As she learns to hunt, play and run with her pack, instinct pulls her to explore beyond her home territory. Will the young wolf’s bold spirit help her find a new pack of her very own?
  • I Hear You, Forest by Kallie George. The picture book I Hear You, Forest surrounds young readers with the sights and sounds of the forest on a bright day. A child in the forest listens closely to the sounds that nature and the animals make. The soothing surroundings help the child learn more about the world around her.
  • Jigging for Halibut with Tsinii by Sara Florence Davidson & Robert Davidson. Off the northern tip of Haida Gwaii, a boy goes fishing with Tsinii, his grandfather. As they watch the weather, jig for halibut, and row with the tides, the boy realizes there’s more to learn from Tsinii than how to catch a fish.” This tender story highlights intergenerational knowledge, authentic learning experiences and the importance of Elders. It is at once poetic and calming, in both its words and illustrations, and gives knowledge to us from those that have been entrusted with it.” -David Robertson, Governor General’s Award-winning author. 
  • Little Narwhal, Not Alone is by Tiffany Stone.Little Narwhal, Not Alone is a picture book based on a true story involving a little lost narwhal and what he encounters along his journey. The story is about a little narwhal who finds himself far from home, too far to return on his own. The other animals he meets don’t look like him at all, but he still tries to fit into his new surroundings as best he can. Little Narwhal, Not Alone features themes of belonging, community and acceptance. 
  • Thunder and the Noise Storms by Jeffrey Ansloos. In the picture book Thunder and the Noise Storms, children learn about the restorative powers of the natural world. Thunder often finds that the world around him can be too loud. When his grandfather asks him what he hears while on a nature walk one day, Thunder learns how the many different sounds of the natural world can have calming and empowering effects. 
  • The Case of the Shrinking Friend by Eric Hogan. The Case of the Shrinking Friend is the latest book in the adventures of Scout and Daisy from the TV show Scout and the Gumboot Kids. The Case of the Shrinking Friend is a nature mystery that features a winter hike, a shrinking snowman and mindful exploration of their natural world.
  • The Dancing Trees by Masiana Kelly. The picture book is a tale of Thomas, who loves to tell big stories. Taking the challenge to spend a night alone in the forest, Thomas heads into the wilderness and has a magical encounter with dancing forest trees that he will never forget.
  • I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett-Sumner. This book is a story of birth and creation for younger readers. With poetic language and watercolors, the picture book uses Indigenous creation stories and traditional teachings to celebrate nature and the bond behind mother and child.
  • We All Play by Julie Flett. We All Play is the latest picture book by Cree author and artist Julie Flett. Through colourful illustrations, We All Play explores an Indigenous perspective as it celebrates nature and how we are all connected. We All Play includes a glossary of Cree words for wild animals and children repeating a Cree phrase throughout the book.
  • Stand Like a Cedar by Nicola I. Campbell. Stand Like a Cedar is a picture book about nature, animals and the wonder of the wilderness. It is an educational look at what it means to “stand like a cedar” and features the names of animals in the Nle7kepmxcín or Halq’emeylem languages.
  • The Wind and the Trees by Todd Stewart.  The Wind and the Trees is a picture book about the wonders of nature. It’s about a small pine seedling who gains wisdom and knowledge thanks to a nearby tree. As the tiny pine tree grows, the older tree speaks about the heavy wind that blows through the forest. The young tree learns about nature, wisdom and loss.
  • The Earth book by Todd Parr. If you enjoy the simple and colorful style of other Todd Parr books, you’ll love The EARTH Book! In this book, each page featured a different way to conserve resources or protect the earth. There is only one sentence on each page, along with bright and colorful illustrations, which means it’s perfect for preschool and kindergarten. Bonus – the book itself is made from recycled materials!

  • Every Day Earth Day by Lisa Bullard.  is a short picture book, perfect for Kindergarten and 1st Grade. This story does a great job of explaining both how humans hurt the earth and how we can help fix it. Even though this Earth day book is simple enough for lower elementary, it has a lot of information packed into a tiny package!

  • Why Should I Recycle?  By Jen Green. is just one book in the Why Should I? series and they are all a great addition to your Earth Day collection! These picture books are simple enough for Kindergarten, but give great information. They don’t just go into how to help the earth, but also why it’s important. I personally love that each book in this series focuses on a different aspect of helping the earth. It allows us to go more in depth on each topic.

  • It’s Earth Day, Cookie Monster by Mary Lindeen. On Earth Day, people celebrate what makes Earth special. Follow Cookie Monster and his friends from Sesame Street as they learn to be kind to Earth, on Earth Day and every day! Learn who started Earth Day, why it’s important, and the different ways people celebrate it, from having a parade to cleaning up a park. Interior paper made with 30 percent recycled post-consumer waste fibers. 

  • A Cool Drink of Water by Barbara Kerley. Everyone everywhere enjoys a nice, cool drink of water.  With minimal text this book teaches children that water is basic to human life all over the globe. Stunning National Geographic photos show how people in various cultures use and conserve water. An Italian boy sips from a fountain in the town square. A hiker takes a refreshing drink from a mountain stream. Black-robed women in India stride gracefully through a field with brass water jugs balanced on their heads. Whether they squeeze it out of a burlap bag, haul it home from a communal tap, or get it out of their kitchen faucet, people all around the world are unified by their common need for water. This beautiful book doesn’t address water pollution, it is purely a celebration of the world’s most vital resource.

  • Download this chart and review with students the many benefits of Music.

Download this poster.

APRIL FOOL’S DAY SONGS:

LEAP YEAR SONGS:

EARTH DAY:

TRANSPORTATION SONGS: The world’s economy depends on transportation. Raw materials must be moved from where they are produced to factories, where they are processed. Food, minerals, and wood often travel by truck, railroad, or ship. Oil and gas often travel by pipeline. Next, manufactured products must be moved from factories to stores. They may travel by truck, railroad, ship, or airplane. People need transportation to get from home to work, too. Many people drive cars to work. Others take public transportation, including buses and trains. People also take cars, trains, ships, and airplanes to get to vacation spots and to visit family and friends. Although our world is needing to make change, transportation is still a need.

2. Create Together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing 🧩 

APRIL FOOL’S DAY ACTIVITIES:

EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES:

3. Explore, Engage & Interact Together 🌍

APRIL ACTIVITIES:

TRANSPORTATION ACTIVITIES:

To Introduce Transportation – explain that people use vehicles as transportation, or as ways to move around. Ask them to name different vehicles, such as cars, planes, and trains. Now, ask them where they see these vehicles. For example, cars move on the ground.

  • Ask children to Zoom Around the room to find words that rhyme.

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4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition 👭

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MOVEMENT: Encouraging children to go outdoors and into nature is a great way to celebrate and appreciate our natural surroundings on Earth Day April 22. Nature helps children learn better as it improves our psychological and physical well-being and enhances our learning. Scientists confirm that exposure to nature improves a child’s ability to learn and improve retention in a variety of subject areas. Research confirms that contact with nature is likely to improve a learner’s ability to be more attentive, less stressed, more self-disciplined, and more engaged and interested. Read more about why outdoor play is more important than ever. This article includes some great, and inexpensive materials that serve as invitations for loose parts for children to explore. 

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NUTRITION:

  • To emphasize how similar all cultures are, read A Cool Drink of Water by Barbara Kerley. Everyone everywhere enjoys a nice, cool drink of water.  With minimal text this book teaches children that water is basic to human life all over the globe. Stunning National Geographic photos show how people in various cultures use and conserve water. An Italian boy sips from a fountain in the town square. A hiker takes a refreshing drink from a mountain stream. Black-robed women in India stride gracefully through a field with brass water jugs balanced on their heads. Whether they squeeze it out of a burlap bag, haul it home from a communal tap, or get it out of their kitchen faucet, people all around the world are unified by their common need for water. This beautiful book doesn’t address water pollution, it is purely a celebration of the world’s most vital resource.
Multicultural Children's Books for Earth Day: A Cool Drink of Water

APRIL FOOL’S DAY: