Picture Perfect: Curricular Connections, summary & book list

The following is a summary of why picture books are perfect for all ages in classrooms.  The list of books that follows are picture books I referred to at my Picture Perfect: Curricular Connections workshop at the Calgary City Teachers' Conference.

Picture Perfect: Curricular Connections

Picture Books I referred to at the 2011 Calgary City Teacher’s Conference

Waiting for the Whales by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Ron Lightburn

Moonsnail Song by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Sheena Lott

The True Story of The Three Little Pigs by A Wolf as told to Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith

Science Verse by Jon Scieszka , illustrated by Lane Smith

Jessie’s Island by Shery McFarlane, illustrated by Sheena Lott

Tides of Change by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Ken Campbell

Eagle Dreams by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Ron Lightburn

Canadian Railroad Trilogy by Gordon Lightfoot, illustrated by Ian Wallace

Tales from Gold Mountain by Paul Yee, illustrated by Simon Ng

In Flanders Fields : The Story of the Poem by John McCrae by Linda Granfield , illustrated by Janet Wilson

Secret of the Dance by Andrea Spalding, illustrated by Darlene Gait

My Librarian is a Camel by Margriet Ruurs

The Wall : Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis

of Thee I Sing: A letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama, illustrated by Loren Long

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki, illustrated by Dom Lee

A Telling Time by Irene Watts, illustrated by Kathryn Shoemaker

Math Curse by Jon Schiezska, illustrated by Lane Smith

The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base

The Water Hole by Graeme Base

Welcome to the World of Whales by Diane Swanson,

A Bear in War by Harry Endulat & Stephanie Innes, Illustrated by Brian Deines

This is the Dog by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Chrissie Wysotski

Going to the Fair by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Sheena Lott

A Pod of Orcas by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Kirsti Waklin

Monkey Business by Wallace Edwards

Did You Say Pears by Arlene Alda

What’s That Sound? series by Sheryl McFarlane, illustrated by Kim LaFave

Wendel and The Great One by Mike Leonetti, illustrated by Greg Banning

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKeans

Hoops by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson

What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by George Littlechild

           

Some of the Advantages of Using Picture Books in the Classroom Include:

•Picture books just might be the most affordable, versatile resource available to teachers

•They are short enough to be easily integrated into tight schedules

•They can be part of a theme, introduce a new concept, reinforce a topic, provide a challenge, or to bring closure

•They provide opportunities for challenged students to succeed and capable students to excel

Take advantage of opportunities to incorporated picture books into curriculum areas.  They can be a breathe of fresh air for any educational program