I thought I would share how I keep track of some of my favorite teaching resources that go with some of my favorite children’s books…
There are some activities or materials that I just know I will want to use the next time I read a specific book to my class so I simply tuck the activity or resource inside the book. For example, I keep this simple elephant pattern for making a patchwork painted Elmer the Elephant inside the book…
I have a second copy of the book that I leave out for the children to read but when I don’t have a second copy, I simply remove my materials from the book and put them back in once the children are done…
I keep all kinds of things in the back of my books like the transparencies I use for “The Mixed-Up Chameleon” by Eric Carle and my apple stick puppets and felt board pieces that go with the book “Ten Red Apples” by Pat Hutchins…
I also keep a little frog beanie baby with the book “Hop Jump” so we can pass it around as we read the book and play other frog games…
With my “F is for Flag” book, I keep a folded up flag in the back so we can practice folding and discussing how to care for flags…
With my “Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, I keep my felt sequencing game. I think I have kept this game in this book for over 20 years!
This isn’t the only way I keep track of my teaching resources but when I am in a hurry, I have gotten in the habit of simply tucking the materials inside the book for safe keeping or until I can come back later and put it away.