Description:

"Who's in charge here?"

When Grace learns about the three branches of the United States government, she and the rest of the student council put the lesson into practice as they debate how to spend the money from a school fund-raiser. The arguments continue as they travel to Washington, DC, for a field trip. Grace feels closer than ever to her dream of becoming president someday, but she and her classmates have a lot to learn about what it means to serve the needs of the people, especially when the people want such different things!

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Diagram - a simple drawing that shows how something works
• Council - a group of people chosen to manage something
• Monument - a statue, building, or other structure built to remember a person or event
• Lobbied - to persuade someone to do something
• Gavel - a small wooden tool that is hit on a hard surface by a judge or someone in charge to get the attention of a group

Resiliency Skill/Theme
• Flexible - bendable; not hard in your ideas
• Adaptable - able to change to fit the time or situation

In the book, Grace Goes to Washington, Grace showed that she was flexible by setting aside her own plan for how to spend the cookie sale money to fight for someone else's idea.

Have you had to change your mind or your actions to make a friend or try something new? Write about it in your journal.

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

Description:

Mo Romero is a zombie who loves nothing more than growing, cooking, and eating vegetables. Tomatoes? Tantalizing. Peppers? Pure perfection! The problem? Mo's parents insist that their niño eat only zombie cuisine, like arm-panadas and finger foods. They tell Mo over and over that zombies don't eat veggies. But Mo can't imagine a lifetime of just eating zombie food and giving up his veggies. As he questions his own zombie identity, Mo tries his best to convince his parents to give peas a chance.

Super duo Megan and Jorge Lacera make their picture-book debut with this sweet story about family, self-discovery, and the power of acceptance. It's a delectable tale that zombie and nonzombie fans alike will devour.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Craving - to have a strong want for something
• Devour(ed) - to eat hungrily or quickly
• Cuisine - food cooked in a certain way
• Fruitless - to get nothing in return
• Savor - to taste good food or drink and enjoy it completely

Resiliency Skill/Theme
• Self-aware - knowing what you are like in your interests, feelings, and actions
• Adaptable - to defend or protect your own needs or interests

Take some time to write in your journal about the things you like and don't like. Then, write about a time when you had to "stand up for yourself".

Mo was a zombie who loved vegetables, so he was self-aware or his differences. He had to advocate for himself to his parents, who only ate meat.

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

Description:
Once
In a big city called New York
In a bustling neighborhood
There was an empty lot.
Nevaeh called it the haunted garden.

Harlem Grown tells the inspiring true story of how one man made a big difference in a neighborhood. After seeing how restless they were and their lack of healthy food options, Tony Hillery invited students from an underfunded school to turn a vacant lot into a beautiful and functional farm. By getting their hands dirty, these kids turned an abandoned space into something beautiful and useful while learning about healthy, sustainable eating and collaboration.

Five years later, the kids and their parents, with the support of the Harlem Grown staff, grow thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables a year. All of it is given to the kids and their families. The incredible story is vividly brought to life with Jessie Hartland’s “charmingly busy art” (Booklist) that readers will pore over in search of new details as they revisit this poignant and uplifting tale over and over again.

Harlem Grown is an independent, not-for-profit organization. The author’s share of the proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to Harlem Grown.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Haunted - something scary or not safe
• Litter - trash that is left in public spaces
• Canvas - a fabric or open space to create something on
• Seedlings - a new or young plant
• Wilted - something that has become weak or loose

Resiliency Skill/Theme:
• Collaborate - to work on a project with other people
• Is there a project you would like to work on with other people? What is it? Write about it in your journal.
• In Harlem Grown, students learned how to collaborate when they worked with Mr. Tony to create a community garden in the empty lot, across from their school.

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

Description:
It is Grandparents Day at Zura's elementary school, and the students are excited to introduce their grandparents and share what makes them special. Aleja's grandfather is a fisherman. Bisou's grandmother is a dentist. But Zura's Nana, who is her favorite person in the world, looks a little different from other grandmas. Nana Akua was raised in Ghana, and, following an old West African tradition, has tribal markings on her face. Worried that her classmates will be scared of Nana--or worse, make fun of her--Zura is hesitant to bring her to school. Nana Akua knows what to do, though. With a quilt of traditional African symbols and a bit of face paint, Nana Akua is able to explain what makes her special, and to make all of Zura's classmates feel special, too.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Nana - another name for grandmother
• Tribal - a group of people with similar traditions and ways of living
• Regal - something that is royal and proud
• Expert - someone who has a lot of knowledge and skills in a certain subject
• Veterinarian - a doctor for animals
• Resiliency Skill/Theme

Have you ever felt afraid of something you thought would happen. but it didn't happen? What did you learn from that?

Zura was not excited to bring her Nana Akua to school, because she was afraid that the other children would make fun of her tribal markings. Zura learned that she didn't need to be afraid, because the children and parents enjoyed meeting her Nana.

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

Description:
Old Rock has been sitting in the same spot in the pine forest for as long as anyone can remember. Spotted Beetle, Tall Pine, and Hummingbird think just sitting there must be boring, but they are in for a wonderful surprise.

Fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more from Old Rock's life prove it has been anything but boring.

Great storytellers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and Old Rock's stories are sure to inspire questions that lead to wonderful conversations about the past and the natural world.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Clearing - an open space in a forest
• Erupted - a volcano explosion
• Lumbered - to move in a slow, heavy, awkward way
• Flutter - to fly, move, or hover unsteadily by flapping quickly and lightly
• Sprouted - something that has grown

Resiliency Skill/Theme:
• Optimistic - to be hopeful or believe things will work out well. Positive
• What is one thing you like about learning at home? What is one thing you like about going back to a school building?
• Old Rock was optimistic about his life, sitting in one place for so long, because he got to watch the world change right in front of him, over time.

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

Description:
In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she learned to read. From Rita Lorraine Hubbard and rising star Oge More comes the inspirational story of Mary Walker, a woman whose long life spanned from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, and who--with perseverance and dedication--proved that you're never too old to learn.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Garments - clothes
• Abandoned - to be left behind or forgotten about
• Civil rights - for all people to be treated equally
• Billboards - large outdoor boards with information on them
• Cockpit - to space inside of a plane or helicopter for the pilot and crew

Resiliency Skill/Theme:
• Perseverance - to keep going and not give up when something is difficult or takes a long time
• What have you learned that took you a long time to learn? Why did you keep trying to learn this thing? Write about it in your journal.
• In the book, The Oldest Student, Mary Walker began learning how to read when she was 116 years old. It took her five years to learn, which showed that she had perseverance.

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

Description:
"Who's in charge here?"

When Grace learns about the three branches of the United States government, she and the rest of the student council put the lesson into practice as they debate how to spend the money from a school fund-raiser. The arguments continue as they travel to Washington, DC, for a field trip. Grace feels closer than ever to her dream of becoming president someday, but she and her classmates have a lot to learn about what it means to serve the needs of the people, especially when the people want such different things!

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Proper - the right or correct way to do something
• Stiff - something that does not move
• Crimson - a dark red color
• Ancient - something that is old or from the past
• Abstract - art made up of shapes and colors

Resiliency Skill/Theme:
• Flexible - the ability to make something new or something that is one-of-a-kind
• What do you like to make or create? Write about it in your journal.
• In The Noisy Paintbox, young Vasily heard music in his head, as he mixed colors to paint in his own creative way.

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Check out Literacy Lunch with Lee for free English lessons--new videos are focused on the featured interactive read-aloud.

Description:
Because Little Red only speaks in verse, it's tough for her to make friends. The schoolyard bully, Big Brad Wolf, is always picking on her. One day, her grandma shows her a flyer for a poetry contest, and Little Red thinks it could be her big chance to make a friend. But on the day of the contest, Big Brad Wolf sneaks up on Little Red and scares the rhyme right out of her and into him! How will they rhyme their way out of this dilemma?

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Rhyme - words that sound the same
• Cozy - feeling comfortable, warm, and relaxed
• Concentrate - to give something your full attention
• Bind - to be stuck in a difficult situation
• Grim - something that is scary or terrible

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Description:
As a little girl, Teresa Carreño loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too—the Civil War.

Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata. So famous, in fact, that President Abraham Lincoln wanted her to play at the White House! Yet with the country torn apart by war, could Teresa’s music bring comfort to those who needed it most?

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Stubborn - difficult to move or change
• Homesick - to miss home
• Lively - full of life and energy
• Elegant - to look graceful and stylish
• Soothe - to gently calm or to stop pain

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Description:
Pluto got the shock of his life when he was kicked out of the famous nine. His planet status was stripped away, leaving him lost and confused. Poor Pluto! On his quest to find a place where he belongs, he talks to comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. He doesn't fit it anywhere! But when Pluto is about to give up, he runs into a dwarf planet and finally finds his place in the solar system. This feel-good picture book combines a popular science topic with character education themes of self discovery, acceptance, and friendship.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Rejected - something or someone that is not wanted
• Comet - a dusty snowball that looks fiery when it orbits the Sun
• Identity - what a person or thing is
• Pardon - to forgive or excuse
• Core - the deepest part of something

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Description:
Inspiration struck when Momofuku Ando spotted the long lines for a simple bowl of ramen following World War II. Magic Ramen tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world's most popular foods. Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab--a little shed in his backyard. For years, he'd dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he'd seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed. Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting. With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world's most popular foods.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Outrageous - something that is bad or wild in a shocking way
• Nutritious - food that is good and healthy for the body
• Brittle - something that is hard but can be broken easily
• Tender - easy to chew
• Instant - to happen quickly

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Additional Activities:
• Magic Ramen Picture Search
• Magic Ramen Picture Search & Coloring Page
• How to Make a Fortune Teller Activity Sheet

Description:
The newest picture book from the creators of Iggy Peck, Architect; Rosie Revere, Engineer; and Ada Twist, Scientist stars Sofia Valdez, a community leader who stands up for what she believes in!

Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day, when Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia (aka Sofi) misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea—the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall—only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid! Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Elderly - a person of old age
• Landfill - a large piece of land to put trash
• Dawn - the first sight of light in the sky before sunrise
• Department - a section of a large organization
• Taxes - money that people must pay to the government

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Description:
Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself of his new companions. What's a bear to do?

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Grump/Grumpy - to act in a low or angry way
• Beehive - a home for bees
• Local - belonging to a close community, neighborhood, or city
• Gosling - a young goose
• Migration - seasonal movement of animals from one region to another

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four

Description:
A favorite fairy tale set in a bustling contemporary Chinatown.

It's Chinese New Year, and Goldy Luck’s mother wants her to take a plate of turnip cakes to the neighbors. The Chans aren’t home, but that doesn’t stop Goldy from trying out their rice porridge, their chairs, and their beds—with disastrous results.

In this funny and festive retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Natasha Yim and Grace Zong introduce a plucky heroine who takes responsibility for her actions and makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!), just in time for Chinese New Year.

Targeted Vocabulary:
• Luck - to have good things happen to you
• Habit - something you always do
• Sampled - to have a small part of something
• Demand - to tell or ask in a rough way
• Fluster - confused or nervous

Videos:
• Monday, Day One
• Tuesday, Day Two
• Wednesday, Day Three
• Thursday, Day Four