Need a quick and inexpensive gift for your teachers and staff? I have just the thing! I created a free set of bookmarks that you can print on cardstock, hole punch and add a little ribbon to make a cute gift for your school friends! Just click here or on the picture below to take you to my TpT store to download this freebie! While you're there, be sure to follow my store to be notified of new products and freebies! 

Since my elementary school is in-person/seated at this time, I am doing Library on a Cart for the foreseeable future. With the unknowns that can occur at any time and with the possibility of being quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure, my goal is to have several weeks worth of substitute lesson plans ready in case I would need to be absent and not have time to plan. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on sub plans and I wanted to try to keep the ideas super simple and easy for a sub to complete with my classes since they have to go into 21 different classrooms throughout the week and will not likely complete check-in/out. I thought this might be beneficial for some of you, as well. 

I added multi-age resource links, book specific links and fillers. Click on the picture below to take you to the Google Slide with resource links. This document will be a work in progress, so be sure to check back often. 

I cannot wait to have my Kindergarten students later this coming week so I can read Who Wet My Pants? by Bob Shea and illustrated by Zachariah Ohora! I feel like the kids will absolutely love it! It's a great way to just take all the embarrassment out of the way right up front with the littles! ;) I needed a quick activity to go with making predictions, so I came up with a free printable (at the bottom of this post) to go along with the book.

I love that Bob Shea has a book trailer and a read-aloud on YouTube for this story, too! With kiddos having to spread out so far in their classrooms for in-person learning right now, this will be perfect for me to project for them to watch. (I will be doing push-in/library on a cart classes for the foreseeable future, like many of you.)

Enjoy! 

Click here or on the picture below to download a free PDF copy of this activity. 

Just in time for Back to School, my entire TpT store is on sale for 25% off! My products are already listed at 20% off and when you use the code BTS20, you'll get an additional 5% off! Now is a great time to move the items from your Wish List to your cart for amazing savings! 

If you ever find a digital paper set you love and would like me to make some of these items for you, let me know! If you like them, I am sure others might, too! I tend to try to find digital paper sets with a variety of around 10-14 different papers. What is your classroom or library theme for next year if you are a theme-y person? ;)

Click on the picture for your freebie!

I decided I needed to branch out from some of the cutesy sets I make to a more classic set with the editable Vintage Maps decor sets below. These might even be fun in a boy's bedroom with short quotes or a child's name.

Simple Storybook STEM: Going on a Picnic
Thursday, April 23 is National Picnic Day!

After reading One Hundred Hungry Ants, complete this hundreds chart to reveal a hidden mystery picture.

Simple Storybook STEM: Jellybean Tower to the Giant

Wednesday, April 22 is National Jellybean Day.

After reading Jellybeans for Giants, click here to see how jellybeans are made. Then, create a structure out of jellybeans and toothpicks to help George keep from falling from the sky on his way to reach the giant.

You will need: 
toothpicks

Simple Storybook STEM: Backscratcher to the Rescue

After reading The Itchy Book create your own backscratcher to help when you have an itchy spot you can't reach.

You will need: 
ruler
plastic fork
tape

Simple Storybook STEM: 

After reading Peanut Butter and Jellyfish, create a jellyfish in a bottle. Record a video of you demonstrating how your jellyfish floats to the top.

You will need:
scissors
blue food coloring
string, thread or yarn
clear plastic bag/baggie
Sharpie markers
water
cup

Head over to my TpT store to check out my latest freebies! While you're there, click on the Follow button in my store to get updates when I post new freebies, products and sales or click here to begin following. 

Saturday, April 18 is National Animal Cracker Day!

Simple Storybook STEM: Animal (Cracker) Habitat
After reading The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers, design a triorama habitat for your favorite animal cracker animal.

You will need: 
square piece of paper
scissors
glue
items to add to your triorama
#distancelearning #librarydistancelearning #elementarylibrarydistancelearning #stemactivities #storybookstem #simplestorybookstem 

Simple Storybook STEM: Make Your Own Chair
After reading I Am Not a Chair, design a popsicle stick chair so the animals have somewhere to sit other than on giraffe. Your chair doesn't have to look like exactly like the one in the video, it's just an example.

You will need:
glue gun (Use with supervision)
popsicle sticks
ruler
scissors

Simple Storybook STEM: Changing Colors
After reading A Color of His Own complete this walking water experiment to compare how chameleons change colors and how the paper towels absorb the colors from the cups of water.

You will need:
7 plastic cups
paper towels
water
4 different colors of food coloring

Simple Storybook STEM: Parent Attention Getter 
After reading Llama Llama Red Pajama, create a chime to get your parent's attention when you need them.

You will need: 
hanger
tape
scissors
ribbon or yarn
metal objects (keys, washers, jewelry, etc.)

Simple Storybook STEM: Catapult the Laundry

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15 is National Laundry Day. After reading Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash, make a popsicle stick spoon catapult to demonstrate a quicker way for Mrs. McNosh to get her laundry (and other things) up on her clothesline.

You will need:
6 popsicle sticks
3 rubber bands
1 plastic spoon
small items to use in the catapult
#distancelearning #librarydistancelearning #elementarylibrarydistancelearning #stemactivities #storybookstem #simplestorybookstem 

Last year I created a Google Site with book trailers and author bio links for the Mark Twain Readers Award Nominees and I really enjoyed having everything at my fingertips when I got ready to introduce my students to all the nominated books and authors, so I decided to do it again this year.

If you are a Missouri elementary librarian, you might find this beneficial, too. Even if you aren't, there are always amazing books on all of our state Readers Awards nominee lists and I am positive this year won't disappoint! Click here or on the picture below to take you to the site. One or two of the books doesn't have a book trailer yet, but I will add them when I notice they have been added to YouTube.

Simple Storybook STEM:  Rubber Egg'speriment'

Someone recently contacted me with the following message:

Simple Storybook STEM: Who Wants a New Room? 

After reading I Wanna New Room, watch How to Design Your Room Floor Plan Step-by-Step. Imagine what your dream room would look like and what it would include.

Like an architect, design a birds-eye view of a room floor plan for your dream room using the materials below.

Materials needed:
paper
pencil
ruler



#distancelearning #librarydistancelearning #elementarylibrarydistancelearning #stemactivities #storybookstem #simplestorybookstem 

Simple Storybook STEM: Is There Ever a Bad Seed? 

Many people consider the dandelion to be a 'bad seed' or weed. After reading the story A Bad Seed, watch this time lapse video of a dandelion going from a flower to a seed head.

Create your own time lapse video.  Video yourself finding a dandelion, picking it and blowing the seeds into your yard. 



Book used in this activity:  The Bad Seed by Jory John

Book used in this activity:  A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon


#distancelearning #librarydistancelearning #elementarylibrarydistancelearning #stemactivities #storybookstem #simplestorybookstem 

Are you unable to play the game at ABCYa? No problem! This easily becomes an art activity! Ask a family member to help you print the template below or create your own egg out of paper. You can decorate your egg using stickers, paint, markers, crayons, etc. Hide the paper egg or eggs around your house and let your family find them! 

Easter Egg Printable Template
Book used in this activity:  Pete the Cat Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean
#distancelearning #librarydistancelearning #elementarylibrarydistancelearning #stemactivities #storybookstem #simplestorybookstem 

Yesterday, our governor and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, announced the closing of all schools in the state of Missouri for the remainder of the school year due to COVID-19 precautions. This led me to start trying to come up with some fun educational activities in addition to what we are already sending to families as Specials Teachers.

My goal was to create simple STEM activities my students could do at home with materials that they likely already have around the house.  

Some of you might be able to use these, as well. You can find more Simple Storybook STEM activities at the top of my page under the Simple Storybook STEM tab. 

Simple Storybook STEM: Catch the Easter Bunny
After reading to How to Catch the Easter Bunny, create a cotton ball launcher to stop the bunny in his tracks!

You will need these items to make a cotton ball launcher:
short pencil
2 rubber bands
2 toiler paper tubes
duct tape
scissors
hole punch
cotton ball

You will also need:
tape measure

Use your tape measure to measure how far your cotton ball traveled. How close would you have to be to the bunny to stop it with your launcher?

Record a video that shows you launching your cotton ball at an object.