PE & Health

Physical Education and Health are used to teach students the skills, knowledge, and attitudes essential to live a healthy lifestyle. These genres are important in our students' everyday lives. Often students might not be receiving information about their health at home or anywhere else, so it is important that we present them with the accurate information they need about taking care of themselves. Students' health is a major factor in their academic performance, so incorporating informational texts about PE & Health into our classroom instruction can be very helpful.While both of these genres are more likely to be taught outside of the general education classroom, there are times that educators will need to add these topics to their classroom instruction. We might also be presented with students needing help with a particular issue, and we need to have access to the resources and information that the student will need. When looking for books to cover these topics, information must be accurate and up-to-date, and also should be relevant and appropriate to the age of students in the classroom. The books should include lots of facts, but also needs to be presented in a manner in which the students can easily interpret the text.

Some of my favorite book choices:

Staying Healthy: Let's Exercise (Library of Healthy Living)
By: Alice B. McGuinty


McGuinty, Alice B. (1999). Staying healthy: let's exercise (library of healthy living). London, UK: Franklin Watts.

Interest Level: Ages 5 and up
Grade Level: 3.2
Lexile: 540L
Guided Reading: Q/R

Kids need to learn about eating right, getting enough rest, and exercising regularly. These may seem like basic facts, but in some families these needs are neglected. Not all kids are taught how to take care of their health and their bodies at home, so it is important to provide those students with the resources that they will need to be as healthy as they can be. The Library of Healthy Living put out a small series of books teaching children about various PE & Health related topics. These books are very informative and written well. This text could easily be used for a health unit in an elementary classroom, or as a resource for students who need some extra personal   care instruction. 

MyPlate and You
By: Gillia M. Olson


Olson, Gillia M. (2011). Myplate and you. North Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press.

Interest Level: Ages 4-8
Grade Level: Preschool-1
Lexile: 700L
Guided Reading:  Not Available

MyPlate and You helps makes sense of the basics of the MyPyramid so that students can make better food and activity choices. This book serves as the current nutrition guide. It has simple and clear text, yet is very informative.  The pictures are bright and realistic to maximize student engagement. It is an excellent text to use to introduce nutrition to the lower elementary grades. Another positive is that it has a website that aligns with its information to make the experience more hands-on, or to research information more deeply. 
  
MyPlate website

Magazines

Informational children's magazines are often subscribed to by educators to help students have access to the latest information. Since publications are constantly being released, they cover the latest topics to enhance instruction in math, science, reading, social studies and more. While all magazines can vary, most are an asset to the classroom by serving as an excellent resource for information. Often students prefer the layout of a magazine to a book, so magazines also help grab the attention of a wider range of readers. Boys in particular might be more drawn to magazines, depending on the magazine title. This is why it can be important to know your students' interests and have materials available that they enjoy reading. Classroom magazines don't only have to be for students; there are many publications that are meant to serve as a resource for teachers in their instructional planning as well. Magazines show a variety of writing styles, bright and vivid images, and can often include very informational, in-depth articles. While magazines could just be a part of the classroom library, I also believe they can be used for instructional purposes. One example would be to use them to study different types of writing, or a particular type of writing. Another example might be to ask the students to find a current article, do some more research on the topic, and share their findings with the class.

Some of my favorite magazine choices:

National Geographic Kids
By: National Geographic


National Geographic. (2015). National geographic kids magazine.  May 2015 issue. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

Interest Level: Ages 6-14
Grade Level: K-6
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not available

National Geographic Kids is a fact-filled magazine aimed at young readers. It's filled with learning adventures about the things kids love. The magazine contains a mixture of photos, fun facts, and articles that are presented to kids in an accessible way so that they can find out more about the world around them. National Geographic is a reputable source for information, and this magazine doesn't disappoint. I am amazed by how much information they are able to fit in, while still making it well organized and easy to follow. The magazine also includes longer, more complex articles to reach all levels of learners. The same kinds of subjects that are in the adult version are included in the kid's version. However, there is the addition of games, jokes, and other activities to hold students' interest. There are many project ideas that would be great for homework, and there is even an online version. This publication really helps bring the world to life, and get students excited about learning.


Ranger Rick
By: National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation. (2015). Ranger rick. April 2015 Issue. Reston, Virginia: National Wildlife Federation.

Interest Level: Ages 7-12
Grade Level: 1 and up
Lexile: Not available
Guided Reading: Not available

Ranger Rick is a magazine for kids that is filled with animal facts, games, and other fun activities. Each issue is packed with amazing facts, stunning photos, and outdoor adventures that help kids sharpen their reading skills and gain a deeper appreciation for nature. Ranger Rick is the oldest children's magazine in print, and its long-standing speaks to the quality of the content. Each issue includes articles about various animals and environmental topics, and includes games, riddles, activities, poetry, contests, and nature news. It is very interactive, which keeps its reader engaged. This magazine is an excellent resource for science content and for planning hands-on nature activities. The online version is easy to access and navigate. Ranger Rick is an easy way to get students interested in nature.

English/Language Arts

English/Language Arts is a very important genre, because many of the Common Core Standards for other content areas are based off of English and Language Arts. Language Arts refers to the study and improvement of the arts of language, and the five strands of the language arts are: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and visual literacy. When teaching informational texts, reading is an obvious focus point, because we want students to comprehend the information that they are presented. Reading allows students to grasp the meaning of written or printed characters, words, or sentences. Books in this genre can easily be implemented in classroom instruction by teaching lessons on grammar, story structure, writing essays, and looking for text evidence. The ideas are endless. Not only are there great informational texts for students that are available, but there are also many resources for teachers that are very well written and can assist in classroom instruction. When searching for English/Language Arts texts, it is important that they are appealing to students and are easy to follow. Many of the concepts can be confusing, so the text must be presented in a way that is easy for students to understand and remember.

Some of my favorite book choices:

Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is An Adjective?
By: Brian P. Cleary

Cleary, Brian P. (2001). Hairy, scary, ordinary: what is an adjective? Minneapolis, Minnesota: Carolrhoda Books.


Interest Level: Ages 7-11
Grade Level: 3.1
Lexile: 790L
Guided Reading: O

Brian P. Cleary has an excellent series called Words are Categorical that includes books such as Hairy, Scary, Ordinary. This series introduces young readers to different types of words through rhyming verse. Paired with comical illustrations, these books show readers that language can be fun and entertaining. Hairy, Scary, Ordinary helps students expand their adjective vocabulary with such words as silly, fizzy, and spunky that are printed in color so that the adjectives on the page stand out to the student. These books are an excellent resource when introducing a new concept like nouns, verbs, and synonyms. The series is quite extensive and complete. Each book has a definition of the concept, and then shows many examples throughout the colorful text.


The World of Brian P. Cleary 

Grammar is Great!
By: Ruth Thomson

Thomson, Ruth. (2004). Grammar is great.  London, UK: Belitha Press Ltd.


Interest Level: Ages 7-10
Grade Level: 2 and up
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available

The illustrations and simple text in this book will help teach young readers the basic rules of grammar, explaining how to use capital letters, commas, nouns, and verbs. The focus of the book is how to use grammar to improve writing skills. All aspects of grammar are introduced and explained in a practical and easy to understand way. One of the best features of this text, though, is that it uses games and tasks to reinforce the material that is taught throughout. This text could easily be used when trying to help students use grammar more effectively to improve their writing.

 
 

Informational Poetry

Informational poetry offers a creative way for writers to share information. It weaves facts into poems, and is a unique way to incorporate more informational texts into the classroom. Not all poetry has to be rhyming, but at an elementary level, a lot of poetry seems to be. This is great, though, since it is proven that rhyming poetry helps students with fluency. Poetry can be used to teach in any content area, depending on its subject. The flow and rhythm of poetry helps students to pay more attention to what they are reading. Poetry can have many uses in the classroom. It can help activate prior knowledge, establish theme, explore language, focus on facts, set a scene, inspire writing, see new perspectives, ignite curiosity, provide pleasure, and capture character. Since many students may not have prior experience with poetry, it will also be important to offer appropriate scaffolding when introducing this genre. Finding informational poetry books as opposed to non-fiction poetry can be difficult. When looking for good poetry books for children, it is important to find books that have facts and illustrations that appear alongside the verse.

Some of my favorite book choices:

Heroes and She-roes: Poems of Amazing and Everyday Heroes
By: J. Patrick Lewis

Lewis, J. Patrick. (2005). Heroes and she-roes: poems of amazing and everyday heroes. New York, New York: Dial Books for
Young Readers.


Interest Level: 4-8 years
Grade Level: Preschool-3
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available

There are twenty-one poems in this book about the good that people have done for others. Some of the poems are about more generic occupations, while others are about particular individuals such as Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and Cesar Chavez. Each poem includes an illustration and additional factual material. This book would be an excellent addition to the classroom library to use during a Social Studies unit about people from history or to explore the legacy of human generosity in yesterday's heroes.


National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry
By: J. Patrick Lewis

Lewis, J. Patrick. (2012). National geographic book of animal poetry.  Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. 

Interest Level: Ages 4 and up
Grade Level: K-3
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available

Like all National Geographic books, this one is no exception when it comes to the amazing photography included. One of the best children's books of 2012, this book of poetry celebrates the animal world. Well-chosen poems are paired with breathtaking photos of the featured creatures, both wild and domesticated. A variety of poetry genres are included: limericks, haiku, short lyrics, shaped poems, and free verse. The poems vary from playful to thought-provoking, and the book has the perfect mixture of word and visual image. This book of poetry can be used to inspire students in elementary school to write their own poem about their favorite animal.
 


More on J. Patrick Lewis 

Music

Children are surrounded by music. They hear it every day, but they aren't always listening to it. Music can be a window into history, but it is more than that. The joy of sharing music and discovering new worlds through sound can be an amazing experience. There are many books published about all of the different composers, compositions, and performers, but there are also books on the history of instruments, music within different cultures, and the history of the varying music genres. Using music in the classroom can be very helpful in helping students learn about new things, or to remember certain concepts. As children we were all taught songs to help us remember something, and I bet most of us can still sing many of them today. Teaching students about the different genres of music, the cultures they derived from, and the history of music in general can help students become much more interested. Music works well when teaching across content areas, because it can be tied into almost any subject. When looking for informational texts on music for the classroom, it is important to find books that have accurate information. The books should also be on a variety of genres since students have many unique interests.

Some of my favorite book choices:

Long Live Music!
By: Peles Les Chats, Christian Olivier, and Lionel Le Neouanic 

Les Chats, P., Le Neouanic, L., & Olivier, C. (1996). Long live music! Mankato, Minnesota: Creative Editions.


Interest Level: 8 years and up
Grade Level: 3 and up
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not available

 
Long Live Music's text features are not my favorite, mainly since the pages are quite busy and the illustrations are a little odd to me, but I love the quality of information. Even though there is a lot of information, it is presented in a way that is fairly easy to follow. Musical terms are in bold and defined, which I find to be a very helpful tool. The history of music included in this book goes all the way back to early civilizations, and it works up to the music of this generation. At the back of the book, instruments are separated onto pages by type. Each of the instruments is shown through the labeling of a picture, and even obscure, unique instruments are included. This book would be great to use for a music history unit in the Social Studies content.



Music Math
By:  Kieran Walsh

Walsh, Kieran. (2005). Music math. Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Publishing.

Interest Level: Ages 9 and up
Grade Level: 4-6
Lexile: 750-849L
Guided Reading: Not Available

I think it is great when a book can teach across content areas, such as Music Math. This book takes math from the textbook and applies it into the real world, which is appeals to children. The examples used in the text are easy to understand, especially because they are real-world application problems. As the book goes through the math problems, a music concept is tied into each problem and then explained. With the progression of the book, the music concepts get more challenging.  Tying two content areas together by attaching the music to the math problems and using real-world problems helps students remember the information they are being taught, because they will most likely reach a deeper level of understanding. 

Atlas

An atlas is a book of maps, often with supplementary illustrations and graphic analyses included. Atlas' can also be a volume of tables and charts that illustrate a particular subject. They are usually descriptive texts, giving greater understanding to a subject area. Most atlas' are written using a formal voice, lecturing the reader. Although many people utilize their GPS over the atlas as an aid in driving these days, there are still many atlas' that are useful in the classroom. They would be particularly helpful in Social Studies or Science units. They would primarily be used as a reference tool when discussing the subject of the atlas. Many times they would be useful in Geography lessons, but atlas' can be used in other content areas as well. There are many available that would be an asset to any classroom library, because they are full of information on a variety of topics. When looking for atlas' to add to the library, finding student-friendly text features and up-to-date information will be two of the most important factors.

Some of my favorite book choices:

World Picture Atlas
By: Holly Wallace

Wallace, H. (2009). World picture atlas. London, England: QEB Publishing.


Interest Level: K+
Grade Level: 2+
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available

The World Picture Atlas explores the wildlife, cities, and wonders of the world. Twenty detailed maps take students on a fascinating journey of world geography and culture. Each page is full of pictures and information featuring plants and animals, people and places, produce and resources, and topography. The layout and facts presented are wonderful, and the pictures being used to share the information make it very easy for kids to read and understand. This book provides a way for young students to see what other countries offer, and begin to understand some larger global issues.  Students will also be able to compare and contrast the country they live in to the other countries in the world.


Scholastic Atlas of Oceans
Edited by: Mary Varilla
 
Varilla, M. (Ed.). (2004). Scholastic atlas of oceans. New York, NY: Scholastic Reference.

Interest Level: 4-7
Grade Level: Not Available
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available


The Scholastic Atlas of Oceans covers a variety of topics. It tells students the location and layout of each ocean and sea in the world, and it discusses how oceans are formed, waves created, and coastlines come to exist. Each page includes vibrant, detailed illustrations of the ocean and its inhabitants. Captions provide readers with valuable information to help them understand the environment, and humankind's effects on fragile resources. Through maps and charts, students will be able to explore the science of the sea. With age-appropriate content and written by a credible source, this book makes information easy for students to obtain.

 
 

Almanac

An almanac is a reference book that is usually published annually, and is composed of lists, tables, and often brief articles that relate to a particular field or to many general fields. Almanacs come in a variety of forms, but most are written in a question and answer format, with their primary purpose being to educate their audience. Several almanacs are written with children in mind as the audience. In a classroom library, almanacs would be best used as a reference tool for teachers, or for students who want to look up a quick fact or are writing some form of a research paper. Students may find the information to be very fascinating. Popular subjects for student almanacs include art, weather, museums, sports, nations, U.S. history, and animals, and the material discussed can also be a tool in helping students with schoolwork. Finding reliable publishers and authors is important when looking for a great classroom fit. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that almanacs generally come out with a new version each year, making them become outdated rather quickly. Therefore, as an educator, these are books that will need to be assessed every 1-2 years to make sure they are still accurate, or consider choosing material that will not outdate as quickly.

Some of my favorite book choices:

National Geographic Kid's Almanac 2014
By: National Geographic


National geographic kids almanac 2014. (2013). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Children's Books.

Interest Level: 4-7
Grade Level: 6
Lexile: 1070 L
Guided Reading: Y


The world's best-selling almanac for kids is packed with colorful photos and fun articles on animals, robots, dinosaurs, cool inventions, and more. Fun facts, games, activities, crafts, and maps are also included. Done in true National Geographic style, this book gets students excited about their world and everything in it. This reliable source never disappoints with their accurate, updated information and fantastic text features shown in over 500 beautiful photographs and fun, helpful information on subjects such as technology, presidents, animals, weather, outer space, natural disasters, and green tips. However, each edition is filled with new information, so this is a book that would require updating often. 


Children's Book-A-Day Almanac
By: Anita Silvey

Silvey, A. (2012). Children's book-a-day almanac. Roaring Brook Press.

Interest Level: K-12
Grade Level: Not available
Lexile: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available



This fun book guide gives daily book recommendations and is an inventive reference book to showcase both old and new children's literature. Each page features an event of the day, suggests a children's book that relates to that event, and lists other events that took place on that day. The text features make the information easy to follow and understand. This historical and informational narrative is a worthwhile resource for teachers. Teachers could use this material to plan lessons and activities for students, tying literature and world events together. The recommended book titles span from elementary to high school age.  The Children's Book-A-Day Almanac is also available in an online version that highlights the book of the day. This makes it easy to access no matter where you are.

Children's Book-A- Day Almanac online version