First Grade CCD 2014-2015: Lesson 3: God is Our Father (9/22/14)

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10 Kids' Books Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Matthew Cordell is the husband of YA author Julie Halpern. He is a graphic designer, as well as a children's author and illustrator, and he lives in the suburbs of Chicago.  You can read his full bio on his website.  He also has a blog. You can see a photo of Mr. Cordell in this 2008 interview conducted by author James Preller. Below is a list of some of the works he has illustrated.

Justin Case Series

In his diary, Justin Krzeszewski relates the highs and lows of his life as he progresses through a worrisome third grade year, a disastrous summer camp experience, and a new school year plagued by bullies. There are three titles in this series, which is written by Rachel Vail.

• Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters
• Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom
• Justin Case: Rules, Tools, and Maybe a Bully

 

Eleanor Series

Sensitive eight-year-old Eleanor deals with the complicated emotions associated with experiences such as her babysitter moving away, going to a summer camp she doesn't like and overcoming stage fright. There are three books in the series, which is written in free verse by Julie Sternberg.

• Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie
• Like Bug Juice on a Burger
• Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake

More Poetry

• Gone Fishing by Tamara Will Wissinger is the story of a family fishing trip which highlights the rivalry between a brother and a sister while simultaneously demonstrating different poetic forms.
• Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It by Gail Carson Levine is a collection of apology poems modeled after William Carlos Williams' poem, "This is Just to Say."
  
  

Picture Books

• What Floats in a Moat? by Lynne Berry explores the concept of buoyancy and makes it understandable to a young elementary audience.
• Leap Back Home to Me by Lauren Thompson celebrates the connection between a mother and her child. No matter how far away the baby frog wanders, he'll always leap back home to his mommy!

First Grade CCD 2014-2015: Lesson 2: God is Good (9/15/14)

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Early Literacy in Everyday Places: The Elevator

Parents like me who bring their strollers on public transportation spend a lot of time in elevators. For me to go just one stop on the Metro to visit my local library, I have to use a total of five! Luckily, short elevator rides are perfect windows of opportunity for reinforcing early literacy skills. Here are some ideas for early literacy activities you can do with your kids between floors.

• Talk about the letters on the elevator buttons. At the Metro station, we typically encounter four letters: T for Trains, S for Street, M for Mezzanine, and B for the pedestrian Bridge. When I press a button, I usually tell Little Miss Muffet what I’m doing: “Mommy pressed S for street!” As she gets older, I will let her help me decide which letter to press based on beginning letter sounds.
  
• Review the concepts of up and down. Up and down are words that little ones tend to add to their vocabulary very early on, as they help them communicate when they wish to be carried and when they wish to be allowed to walk on their own. When you approach the elevator with your child, think aloud as you decide which button to press. “We’re going down to the mezzanine to buy a fare card.” or “We’re going up to the fourth floor to meet Daddy for lunch.” Remind your child of the meaning of these words by pointing in the corresponding direction. As your child gets older, ask him to point on his own to demonstrate his understanding. 
  
• Read signs. What better way to teach your child about print awareness than to read the signage posted in the elevator? Our local elevators all have printed warnings about the use of bicycles within the Metro system, as well as information about who to call in an emergency. Some of them also have wordless signs to inform riders that smoking is prohibited, or that handicapped access is available. Reading these signs aloud to your children helps them appreciate that words and symbols have meaning, and that reading is helpful and necessary in any and every environment.