Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett

We have guest readers for today's picture book. Welcome (and thank you!) to Mr. and Mrs. Calteux for reading Birthday Bunny Battle Bunny aloud for us. Mr. Calteux is a 4th grade teacher at Mead, and Mrs. Calteux is a reading teacher at Grant and an instructional coach at Grant, Mead, and Woodside.

If you would like to make your own book, you can download and print a copy of Birthday Bunny at mybirthdaybunny.com. What kind of bunny do YOU think would be better than Birthday Bunny? 

Or, if you have an old book you have outgrown AND have your parent's permission, you can make changes to that actual book just like Alex did to his copy of Birthday Bunny. We'd love to see your creations! 

Savvy Chapter 11

Duck! Rabbit! - Partner Read

There is already a video on the website of me reading this book with my daughter. If you'd like to hear us read it together before reading it with me, you can watch the video here. Just don't forget to come back and read it with me!

Also, make sure to look at the links at the bottom of the page where you can make your own books based on Duck! Rabbit!. 

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 9

You can find more information about chapter nine at this link. See the beach where the Diaper Gang had a cut-up and learn more about The Shadow. 

Welcome Message #2

There is already a Welcome Message for this website, but since then we have had only 3 official work-from-home school days followed by a week of spring break. So this is Welcome Message #2 as we kick off our first full week of school-from-home

Welcome to Reading with Mr. W, a temporary website to provide students with reading materials during Wisconsin's temporary school closing due to Governor Evers' Safer At Home Order. This site was created with my students in mind, but the resources may be useful to students in other schools and other districts as well.

New material is being added each day to the site in three main categories.

1. Novel read alouds - One chapter or about 10-15 minutes of read aloud is being added each day for two novels. Turtle in Paradise was chosen specifically for fourth graders, and Savvy was chosen with fifth graders in mind. New books will be started when these are finished. 
2. Picture book read alouds - One book a day will be added. These books were chosen for students in grades kindergarten through third grade, but fourth and fifth graders will enjoy them too. Most books will include something to think about beneath the video.
3. Books to read with a partner - One book a day will be added. These videos can be used in two ways. First, Mr. W will read one part, and YOU can read the second part. Don't worry if you make a mistake. Just back up the video and try again! Second, mute the sound and read at home with your own partner.

I'm excited to make this resource for students. It doesn't replace sitting together on the carpet or sharing the same book while reading together, but I hope it works well during this safer-at-home time for all students and teachers. 

Parents and teachers, if you have questions or comments or suggestions, please use the contact form on the right side of this website.

Today I Will Fly - Partner Read

In this Elephant and Piggie book, I am reading Piggie's part again. You can read Elephant's part. Remember, if you already have a partner or if you just want to read by yourself, turn off the sound and play the video. 

Feel free to pause and back up the video if you make any mistakes or just want to read a page better the second time. Have fun!

Savvy Chapter 9-10

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 8

Two foods we don't get very often in Wisconsin are bollos (BOY-ohs) and flan, so here is a picture of each one: Chapter 8 Resources

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Pictures like the one in Duck! Rabbit! are called optical illusions. They are a trick for the eyes. You might see one thing, but then see another thing. Two people, like in the book, might see two different things and disagree, maybe even argue, about the image.

If we follow the pattern in the book Duck! Rabbit! but change the picture, we can make a new book. Here is an example that some of my students did a few years ago called Skull! Family!

You can give it a try too. Here are some templates you can use. All you need to do is type in the words for a new argument. Just 1.) Make a copy of the slideshow. 2.) Add words for the new argument. Or you can delete all the words, print out the pages, and then write in your own words. Or you an find any optical illusion you want and make your own book. It's your choice! (No matter what you decide, I'd love to see your new books!)

Template #1 - Lion! Hand!
Template #2 - Horse! Frog!
Template #3 - Woman! Flower!

*** Special thanks to my daughter, Megan, who helped me read Duck! Rabbit out loud. ***

Savvy Chapter 8

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 7

Here is the link for background information on chapter 8. See pictures of Sloppy Joe's, where Slow Poke's old first mate got bit by a shark. There's a video of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers who were famous movie stars and dancers in 1935. Turtle compares Slow Poke and Ollie's movements on the boat to them dancing. You can also see an example of a cistern. 

Savvy Chapter 6-7

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 6

Here is some more information about chapter 6. Learn more about Kewpie Dolls, poinciana trees, and a place called Pepe's.

Also, Turtle mentions a man nicknamed Papa who is at Pepe's with Johnny Cakes. The man says he's a writer. Papa is actually a real person. Yes, he really lived in Key West in 1935. Yes, he actually was a writer. And yes, Papa was his nickname. Even though Turtle tells him, "you'll never get famous unless you write for the funny pages," he is one of the most famous American writers ever. Do you know his name? Leave me a comment if you think you know.

Savvy Chapter 5

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 5

Here is some background information on events in chapter 5 including where Beans, Kermit, and Buddy's dad is working, what cigars in box looks like (to compare to the babies in the wagon), and a picture of the corner of Francis Street and Curry Lane where Turtle met Jimmy.

Savvy Chapter 4

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 4

Background information about chapter 4 can be found here. See where Duval Street is on the island of Key West, and learn more about the three animals mentioned in the chapter.

Savvy Chapter 3

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 3

Background information can be found here, including examples of the many comics decorating the bedroom walls. 

Savvy Chapter 2

Savvy Chapter 1

Savvy Introduction

Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex

If you know the Star Wars movies, then it seems pretty weird to think of Darth Vader being scared of anything. Usually he's the one who strikes fear into all others. What is it that finally scares him in the book? Should he be scared? Why or why not?

Can you think of any other characters in books or movies who aren't scared of anything - or at least seem like they aren't scared of anything? Let me know in the comments below, or talk with someone else about characters that would never be scared.

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 2

Background information for chapters 1 and 2 can be found here.

Let's Go for a Drive - Partner Read

Here's another Elephant and Piggie book we can read together. I'm reading Elephant's part. You can read Piggie's part.

Remember you can pause and back up the video if you want, and you can also turn off the sound and read it on your own or with another partner.

Turtle in Paradise Chapter 1

Background information for chapters 1 and 2 can be found here.

Turtle in Paradise Introduction

The OK Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

As kids we have all sorts of ideas of what we might be one day when we grow up. Being a kid is about trying all sorts of different things to see what we enjoy and what we might one day be really excellent at. What do you think you'll be one day? What will you be really excellent at? 

If you would like to make your own OK illustrations, this link has directions from the illustrator. (Or you can just draw your own OK character doing all sorts of different activities.) Here are two examples at the bottom of this page, one from me and one from a former student. 

There Is a Bird on Your Head - Partner Read

Elephant and Piggie books are perfect for partner reading. One person reads all of Elephant's parts, and another person reads all of Piggie's parts. For this video, I will read Elephant's parts and YOU read Piggie's parts. Remember that you can pause the video or rewind to read something again.

If you already have a partner, turn off the sound and you can read the book together!

How This Book Was Made by Mac Barnett

On the title page of How This Book Was Made, it says that it is based on a true story. That usually means that while a lot of the story is true, sometimes the author puts in things to make the story more exciting or interesting. 

The book actually does a pretty good job of teaching how an idea in an author's head becomes a book in your hands. So here's my challenge to you: 

1.) Can you tell which parts of the book are nonfiction? (The real parts.) 

2.) Can you tell which parts of the book are fiction? (The made-up parts.)

You can leave a comment below this post to share your thoughts or you can talk to someone else about what you saw and heard in the book. Thanks for watching, everyone!

The Princess and the Pit Stop by Tom Angleberger

In The Princess and the Pit Stop, the author uses language that fits the character and their fairy tale. For example, it says "She flew past the Wicked Witches" because witches fly on their brooms. It also says, "She spun out Rumplestiltskin" because in that story, rumplestiltskin said he could spin straw into gold. Can you find other ways the author uses language that fits one of the racer's fairy tales?

At the end of the story, the princess interrupts the announcer by saying, "C'mon, prince! We've got a dance contest to win!" but according to the pictures, the announcer is a frog! Can you explain that?

You can talk about these questions with someone else or leave a comment for me at the bottom of this post. Just click "comments" and tell me what you think. 

Welcome!

My name is Mr. Wilhorn, and I am a reading teacher at Mead Elementary School in Wisconsin Rapids. When it was announced that our schools would be closed for a while, I wanted to find a way to share reading ideas with as many students as I could. This website will have reading activities to do and read alouds to listen to at home.

Even though I am a teacher at Mead, students in all the other elementary schools in Wisconsin Rapids are invited to use these resources as well. So ... welcome to this website!

In the coming days I will be posting videos with read aloud books, both for older students and for younger students. There will be videos where you can partner read with me or read on your own. New videos will be posted each day.

Teaching and learning without being in school is something new for all of us. Let's do our best and see how all this works!