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 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.