When I decided to update my Vocabulary Units, I knew I wanted to include some interactive read-alouds. It is so important to read high quality, engaging texts to all students - English Language Learners are no exception. I was looking for books that would interest students, provide opportunities for discussions, and included rich vocabulary. I also wanted books that weren't too long so that primary level students would attend throughout the story. While I read and loved many spring themed books - these six were my final choices.
Who Likes Rain by Wong Herbert Yee
The rhyming text in Who Likes Rain by Wong Herbert Yee is a perfect read-aloud for Spring. Students will be able to empathize with a little girl who is, at first, disappointed by a rainy day. Rather than sit inside the little girl goes outside to find out who does and does not like the rain through a series of riddles that will keep students engaged with the text. Students will also enjoy all the different ways the author describes the sound of the rain. The fun surprise at the end is sure to put a smile on any child’s face!
Discussion Questions
p. 1 How is the girl feeling about the rainy day? Why do you think she is feeling that way? How does the author describe the sound of the rain?
p. 6-7 What is the little girl doing? Why do you think she is doing that? What other toys do you see in the picture? Do you think the girl will use them in the rain?
p. 10-11 Why do you think the truck does not like the rain? What about the girl's bicycle? Will it work in the rain?
p. 16-17 Why do you think worms come out when it rains? How does the author describe the sound of the rain now? How is an umbrella like a drum?
p. 20-21 The book says the wind blows away the leaves. What else is blowing away on this page? Have you ever tried to hold an umbrella on a windy day? What happened?
p. 26-27 What is your first thought when you see the big puddle? What do you think the girl is going to do? How do you think she is feeling about the rainy day now?
Post-Reading Activity
Brainstorm and create a T chart of animals that do and do not like the rain.
Butterfly Park by Elly MacKay
Butterfly Park by Elly MacKay is a lovely story about a girl who loves butterflies. She loves them so much, that she is thrilled to find that her new home is right next door to a butterfly park! The only problem is that there are no actual butterflies in the park. In her search for butterflies, she finds new friends in her neighbors. The illustrations are unique and as lovely as the story.
Discussion Questions
p. 2-3 Look at the top and bottom of the page. What do you see that is changing? The text says, “Instead of birds and crickets, she heard horns and trains”. Think about your other senses – what would you be seeing that is different? What about smell?
p. 4-5 How do you think the girl is feeling when she sees the gate next to her house?
p. 10-11 The girl is asking her neighbor to help catch the butterfly. Why do you think she wants to catch the butterfly? If you wanted to catch a butterfly – how would you do it?
p. 16-17 They are trying to get butterflies to come to butterfly park, but none of them will stay? Do you have any ideas why the butterflies keep flying away?
p. 24-25 The girl and her friends follow the butterfly to some flowers. Why do butterflies like flowers? The text says, “At last, the girl knew what to do!” What do you think she will do next?
After Reading - The girl planted a beautiful garden with her neighbors and many butterflies came to live there. How is the girl feeling now? Why?
Post-Reading Activity
Glyph activity pictured is from my Spring Read-Alouds Resource
Bloom Boom by April Pulley Sayre
Bloom Boom by April Pulley Sayre is a work of art. The text is brief, with only a few words on each page, yet includes rich vocabulary. This is a book you will want to stop and talk about the photos and the vocabulary as you read. At the end of the book the author has included information about each of the flowers, including its name, where it grows, and other interesting facts. This book is an excellent way to showcase the beauty of spring to your students.
Discussion Questions
p. 2-3 Spring is known as a time when plants grow. In these pictures we can see just the beginning of new plants. We can see the long stems, and some of the flowers have bloomed, but not all.
p. 4-5 Who is hiding among the flowers? Why would a rabbit be in a flower patch?
p. 10-11 Look at this pink flower – have you ever seen anything like it before.? When you think of a flower what shapes do you think of? Does this flower have that shape? This flower is also a surprise because it is very rare. The author explains in the book notes that these flowers can take years to grow.
p. 16-17 These flowers are called tulips and they come in many different colors. What color tulips would you want in your garden?
p. 24-25 These are flowers that grow on trees. Have you ever seen a tree of flowers? Apple trees grow flowers in the spring and those flowers are the start of apples!
After Reading - Many insects love flowers. Here we see a bee flying near some blooms. How does the bee help the flowers? How do the flowers help the bee?
Post-Reading Activity
Allow students to choose one photograph from the book and write a detailed description of everything they see. If students aren't writing yet, they can describe the photo to you orally.
A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman
In A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman, a young boy goes out to try to catch a rainbow. Once he reaches where the end of the rainbow had been, it is gone. While walking home he instead imagines all the things he and his rainbow could do together. From climbing and sliding, to swinging and hiding, the boy imagines that having a rainbow of his very own would be a lot of fun. When he gets home, he finds a surprise rainbow in his room. A great extension activity for this book would be to create a rainbow using clear glass of water in the sun.
Discussion Questions
Before Reading - Look at the cover of the book. What do you see? Do you think this is something that could really happen? Would you like to be able to sit on a rainbow? Why or Why not?
p. 3 The text says: “Fast as the wind I ran.” What are some other things that run fast? Why do you think the author chose wind and not something else fast?
p. 12-15 (look back at previous pages and current page) On these pages the boy is playing with the rainbow. What do these games remind you of? [leapfrog, slides] Have you ever played like this with your friends?
p. 18 Where would be a good place for a rainbow to hide? Where would be a good place for you to hide from a rainbow?
p. 22 Why do rainbows disappear when rainclouds go away? What do you need to make a rainbow?
p. 27 How do you think the boy is feeling when he finds the rainbow on his wall? Have you ever seen a rainbow in your house when the sun shines through the window?
Post-Reading Activity
Allow students to imagine that they had a rainbow of their own. What would they do to have fun with their rainbow.
Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn, Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
Anna McQuinn’s Lola series is great for young English Language Learners. The simple story lines are relatable and sweet. In Lola Plants a Garden, Lola is inspired to plant a garden by her favorite poem. With the help of her mom she decides on which flower seeds to grow. Lola has to wait patiently and work hard to help her garden. Once her flowers have grown, she decorates and hosts a party for her friends. The illustrations by Rosalind Beardshaw are colorful, and the perfect compliment for this story.
Discussion Questions
Before Reading - Today we are going to read a story about a little girl named Lola who decides to plant a flower garden. Have you ever planted a garden? Have you ever seen a garden? What kinds of plants were in the garden?
p. 3 Lola goes to the library to get books about gardens. What do you think she will learn about in those books? Have you ever been to the town library? What kind of books did you get there?
p. 8 The book says Lola will need to wait a long time. What is it called when you wait for something to happen? (patience) Will Lola need to do anything else to help her flowers grow?
p. 14 Do you know why it is important to pull up weeds in a garden? Do you think pulling weeds is easy? Why or why not? Look at the picture – do you think Lola thinks pulling weeds is easy? Why or why not?
p. 17-18 Look at Lola’s garden. What insects do you see? Why would there be bees and butterflies around Lola’s flowers? What other animals do you think would like Lola’s garden?
p. 23-24 How is Lola feeling about her garden? How can you tell she is feeling that way?
Post-Reading Activity
Work together as a group, or have students work independently, to create a character web for Lola. Describe her likes, dislikes, actions, and character traits.
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
In The Curious Garden by Peter Brown, a young boy named Liam loves to wander his dreary gray hometown. He is cheerful despite his less than cheerful surroundings. One rainy day he finds some struggling plants on the abandoned train tracks. Liam decides then and there, to become a gardener. Over the course of the spring, summer, and fall Liam and the garden both grow. The illustrations are beautifully detailed. Even without the words you can see the progression of Liam, the garden, and eventually the entire town. The story is based on the Highline Garden in New York City. After reading, students may enjoy looking at photos of the Highline Garden.
Discussion Questions
Before Reading - Look at this picture of the city. What do you see? What don’t you see? Is this like where you live? How is it the same? How is it different?
p. 3 Why are the wildflowers surprising to Liam? Looking at the plants – do they look healthy? What do you think they need?
p. 12-15 Looking at the three images of the garden changing over time. Along with the spread of flowers, what else comes to the garden? Why are there butterflies and birds on the railway now?
p. 18 What is Liam doing? What might he be thinking? How might he be feeling?
p. 22 This year, with Liam’s help the garden is able to grow beyond the railway. What did the people of the town do with the new plants in their neighborhood?
p. 27 Look closely at the full town now. Can you see Liam and the first garden? How is this image different than the first image of the city?
Post-Reading Activity
Work together as a group, or have students work independently, to create a character web for Lola. Describe her likes, dislikes, actions, and character traits.
BONUS ACTIVITY:
If you read both Lola Plants a Garden and The Curious Garden they are the perfect books to compare. You can create a venn diagram to compare the main characters or their gardens.
If you are looking for these discussion questions and activities ready-to-print and use please check them out in either my Spring Vocabulary Unit or my Spring Read-Alouds resource in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. If you chose to read any of these books with your students I'd love to hear about it! You can e-mail me at TeachingEternity@gmail.com, or connect with me on Instagram, @TeachingEternity.
Click the image above for a list of more picture books about colors
