http://www.EDUG573Fall2011 discussion

The Cow That Went Oink by Bernard Most is a very cute story that makes the kids laugh and teaches them a life lesson. This story is about a cow who can't moo, he can only oink. He gets teased and laughed at because he is different. Then he meets a pig on the farm who cannot oink but can only moo. The pig also gets laughed at by the barnyard animals.

The cow and the pig decide to teach each other how to moo and oink. The author shows this in a humorous way mixing the oink and the moo to make words like 'moink' and 'oinkoo'. The animals are able to teach each other to oink and moo. The result is that they 'have the last laugh' because they say more than the other animals.

I love this book because of the lessons the students learn from it. Not only does it spark a discussion about teasing others about being different. It also sparks a discussion about teaching peers. This book shows students that some peers know things that others don't and vice versa. It lends itself to talking to primary students about differentiation in a way they can understand it.

Pablo's Tree

This is a sweet book about the love between a grandfather and his grandson. The grandfather finds out his daughter is having a boy and goes out and buys a tree for him. Every year for the boy's birthday, his grandpa decorates the tree differently and each year it is a surprise. Throughout the story the grandpa tells the story of why he planted the tree and what he decorated it with in the past.

I use this book as a simple story to read to my students during read aloud. We are able to talk about family and traditions. My students love this book!