Blog Posts

Linda 12/15/25 Linda 12/15/25

Pacing a Longer Read Aloud or a Text Set With a Vocabulary Intermission

Bring vocabulary to life with Growing Home by Beth Ferry — a magical, humorous read-aloud that models word consciousness and the power of belonging. This Grades 3–5 lesson plan offers ready-to-use vocabulary lists, pacing guides, and discussion prompts to help students fall in love with language while exploring what it means to call a place “home.” Download the full lesson plan and discover how to turn every word into an opportunity for JOYful learning.

Linda 12/14/25 Linda 12/14/25

The Gift of Words

Jerome is looking forward to collecting words this holiday season! Words of hope, love, and joy to share with his loved ones. But as he begins his search, he discovers that inspirational words are hard to come by. In the end, Jerome finds a way to connect with his community and join together in sharing the greatest gift of all: the gift of words.

Amanda 11/20/25 Amanda 11/20/25

Gathering Gratitude: Teaching Thankfulness Through Story and Community

Bring gratitude and community to your classroom with these JOYcabulary lesson plans for Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora and Gather Grateful by Megan Litwin. Students explore kindness, sharing, and thankfulness through rich Tier 2 vocabulary, guided reading prompts, and creative writing extensions. These paired texts make it easy to teach gratitude and empathy while building vocabulary and comprehension in the elementary classroom—perfect for fall literacy units or Thanksgiving-themed lessons.

Linda 10/8/25 Linda 10/8/25

Growing Home: Sparking Word JOY Through Vocabulary and Story

Linda 9/21/25 Linda 9/21/25

Book Pairing: Bringing Home’s Love to School

Welcome the new school year with a focus on home and love. This post highlights three thought-provoking picture books—Home and Love by Matt de la Peña and When Love is More Than Words by Jocelyn Chung—that remind educators and families how comfort, safety, and empathy help children transition back to school. Discover ways to weave care and belonging into classroom routines and spark meaningful conversations about resilience, community, and the many forms of love.