LitCentric Radio

Form follows function when it comes to letter writing. Dear Bear, by Joanna Harrison, taps into common experiences and feelings your students have likely had. I also love it for how it exposes students to the many purposes behind writing a letter. From making requests, to asking questions, to extending an invitation - letters are an important form of communication our students need to master. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle LitCentric Radio Season 4 is generously sponsored by Book Taco: https://booktaco.com/welcome-librarians/

Sequencing, and then some! Me...Jane, by Patrick McDonnell, brings biography down to size in a totally approachable way. You’ll root for Jane and her dream coming true - and that’s only the beginning of the story! Students will explore how to determine importance when sequencing to create a timeline of Dr. Jane Goodall’s impressive and inspiring accomplishments. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle LitCentric Radio Season 4 is generously sponsored by Book Taco: https://booktaco.com/welcome-librarians/

Awesome, amazing alliteration in this week’s episode! Chicks and Salsa, by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Paulette Bogan, is silly, and savory, and special all rolled into one. We explore alliteration and have a lot of fun doing it with this text! Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Biography doesn’t have to be boring! Henri Matisse: Drawing With Scissors, by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Jessie Hartland, proves that biographies can be fun to read and fun to write. Told in first person by an elementary student, this text makes biography approachable and doable. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Idea maps can help shape our perspectives in writing. My Papi Has a Motorcycle, by Isabel Quintero, brings all the feels! Memories of times gone by can be rich resources for writing personal narratives. Learn how in today’s episode! Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Turning facts into metaphors on today’s episode! The Thing About Bees: A Love Letter, by Shabazz Larkin, is a beautiful blend of genres, information, figurative language, and gratitude. Your students will learn a lot, and play a lot, with the delightful words and pictures in this book. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Make writing more sophisticated with transitions!  It’s amazing how polished student writing can sound when transitional words and phrases are used in all the right places. Meanwhile, by Jules Feiffer, is an all time favorite book for introducing them. It’s quirky, and zany, and so much fun to read aloud. Kids get drawn in from the very first ‘meanwhile’.  Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

What’s a growing plot? Find out in this episode! Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, is full of both obvious and subtle changes that make the growing plot a lot of fun. Students can try out the technique for themselves in LitCentric Radio’s matching lesson! Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Shifts in point of view make for a fun plot!  Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino, uses repetition and its characters’ unique perspectives to charm and delight us. Even the youngest readers will be in on the joke!  Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Exploring tiny moments, this week on LitCentric Radio! The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael Lopez, will give you all the feels! It’s the perfect book for building your writing community because it demonstrates the beauty in our differences and the value of human connection. We’ll take a look at how figurative language can be used to help tiny moment blossom. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Episode #10 originally aired on May 13, 2019. Practice empathy in this episode as we explore what makes a character tick. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds is a text you’ll truly fall in love with - from the first moment you meet the main character, to her relatable problem, and the remarkable conclusion. Listen as we explore what the character says, what she does, what she thinks, and what she feels. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Episode #4 originally aired on April 1, 2019. Yes! Your students can learn to analyze text! Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, is a charming tale of curiosity, empathy, and understanding. The traditional-style illustrations are endearing as is the lion himself. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

“Whatever you become, you become in your head first.”  Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome, is a powerful text that will knock your socks off! As informative as it is inspiring, it will leave you with a sense of wonder. And hey, why not explore character traits with real-life heroes?  Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

Pictures help us analyze text and write independently! We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins is a beloved read loud with a powerful lesson on perspective. We’ll support students to analyze the fictional narrative structure of this text to go beyond the lesson it teaches and include some sophistication that even the youngest writers can handle. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle

We’re exploring empathy with evidence on today’s episode. Everybody loves Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall. Today we’ll use this inspiring text to explore how Jabari’s father shows empathy toward his son, and we’ll find evidence along the way. Join National Board Certified Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Literacy Coach Dr. Julie Webb as she describes the teaching possibilities hidden inside this treasured mentor text. Try this lesson in your class tomorrow: https://litcentric.podia.com/litcentric-radio-lessons-growing-bundle