Special Collections
District List: DCPS - Kindergarten Unit Text List
Description: District of Columbia Public Schools Unit Text List for students in Kindergarten. #dcps
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Weather
by Kristin Baird RattiniExplores the causes of everyday weather phenomena, including how clouds form, why tornadoes twist, and how the sun helps life grow.
Come On, Rain!
by Karen HesseNewbery Medalist Karen Hesse recreates the body and soul-renewing experience of a summer downpour after a sweltering city heat wave."Come on, rain!" Tess pleads to the sky as listless vines and parched plants droop in the endless heat. Up and down the block, cats pant while heat wavers off tar patches in the broiling alleyway. More than anything, Tess hopes for rain. And when it comes, she and her friends are ready for a surprising and joyous celebration....Through exquisite language and acute observation, Newberry medalist Karen Hesse recreates the glorious experience of a quenching rainstorm on a sweltering summer day. Jon J Muth's masterful and lyrical watercolors perfectly reflect the spirit of the text.
The Snowy Day
by Ezra Jack KeatsNo book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day. Universal in its appeal, the story has become a favorite of millions, as it reveals a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. Images and image descriptions available.
Jamaica's Find
by Juanita HavillA little girl finds a stuffed dog in the park and decides to take it home.
Just a Dream
by Chris Van AllsburgWalter is a litterbug who does not appreciate the beauty of nature, or understand his role in keeping the planet healthy . . . until a fantastic journey shows him the tragic fate that could befall Earth if humans like him are not more careful. Are Walter’s actions really helping his planet along the road to destruction, or is it all just a dream?Chris Van Allsburg’s classic story of environmental responsibility is now available in this special paperback edition with french flaps.
One World, One Day
by Barbara KerleyOne World, One Day uses exquisite, moving photographs and Barbara Kerley's poetic text to convey a simple yet profound concept: we are one global family. This is a sophisticated concept book, presented as an elegant picture book with contributions from top international photographers. This beautiful photo book follows the course of one day in our world.
Mama Miti
by Donna Jo NapoliOne woman. One seed. One hope for the future. Thayu nyumba--Peace, my people. Wangari grew up in the shadow of Mount Kenya listening to the stories about the people and the land around her. Though the trees towered over her, she had loved them for as long as she could remember. So strong, so beautiful, how the trees made her smile. Wangari planted trees one by one to refresh her spirit. When the women came to her for help with their families, she told them to do the same. Soon the countryside was filled with trees. Kenya was strong once more. Wangari had changed her country, tree by tree. Donna Jo Napoli tells a story inspired by the life of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai that will touch the hearts and spirits of all who read it. Kadir Nelson's stunning collage illustrations honor the spirit of a land and of the woman who saved it. In honor of the publication of this book, the publisher has made a donation to the Green Belt Movement to plant trees in Kenya. For more information on the Green Belt Movement, visit greenbeltmovement.org.
One Plastic Bag
by Miranda Paul and Elizabeth ZunonPlastic bags are cheap and easy to use. But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.
This Is the Way We Go to School
by Edith BaerThis book shows how much fun getting to school can be for children around the world. Filled with silly rhymes and hilarious illustrations, this book will inspire children as it teaches them that school is a wonderful and exciting place to be.
Throw Your Tooth On The Roof
by Selby B. BeelerWhat do you do when you lose a tooth? Do you put it under your pillow and wait for the tooth fairy? Not if you live in Botswana! In Botswana, children throw their teeth onto the roof. In Afghanistan they drop their teeth down mouse holes, and in Egypt they fling their teeth at the sun! Travel around the world and discover the surprising things children do when they lose a tooth.
Selby B. Beeler spent years collecting traditions from every corner of the globe for this whimsical book, and illustrator G. Brian Karas adds to the fun, filling every page with humorous detail. He perfectly captures the excitement and pride that children experience when a tooth falls out.
This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 2-3, Informational Texts)
Dear Juno
by Soyung Pak and Susan Kathleen HartungJuno's grandmother writes in Korean and Juno writes in drawings, but that doesn't mean they can't exchange letters. From the photo his grandmother sends him, Juno can tell that she has a new cat. From the picture he makes for her, Juno's grandmother can tell that he wants her to come for a visit. So she sends Juno a miniature plane, to let him know she's on the way. This tender tale won the author an Ezra Jack Keats award, and is a perfect introduction to the concept of foreign cultures and far-off lands.
Flower Garden
by Eve Bunting and Kathryn HewittFollow the progress of a little girl and her father as they purchase "a garden," and board the bus to carry it home. The pansies, tulips, daffodils, geraniums, and daisies are lovingly planted in a window box, and the candles on the cake are lighted--just as Mom walks in the door to find her daughter, her husband, and her birthday surprise.
How My Family Lives In America
by Susan KuklinIn How My Family Lives in America, author-photographer Susan Kuklin zeroes in on the source of cultural identity: the family.
Meet:
Sanu, who is learning how to braid her hair and to cook the same African meal her father makes.
Eric, who loves to play baseball with his dad and to dance the merengue with his friends and family.
April, who works hard on her Chinese writing and tries to keep up with her family's challenging games.
Their stories emphasize the seemingly minor and everyday ways heritage is transmitted: stories, songs, games, language, special occasions. They show the importance of choice and adaptation in forging a cultural identity. And they provoke readers to examine their own families -- what makes them the same, what makes them distinct, and how this uniqueness is celebrated.
Frederick
by Leo LionniWhile the other field mice work to gather grain and nuts for winter, Frederick sits on a sunny rock by himself.
"I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days," he tells them. Another day he gathers "colors," and then "words."
And when the food runs out, it is Frederick, the dreamer and poet, whose endless store of supplies warms the hearts of his fellow mice, and feeds their spirits during the darkest winter days.
Frederick's story will warm readers as well in this Caldecott Honor winning fable.Now available as an eBook.
Farfallina and Marcel
by Holly KellerFarfallina and Marcel, a caterpillar and a gosling respectively, are an unlikely pair yet are the best of friends. But when they are both separated for a long time, they each undergo a miraculous transformation. Will these bosom buddies find each other again? And if they do, will they have grown apart while growing up?
The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree
by Gail GibbonsThis book about nature and the changing seasons focuses on a young boy and a very special apple tree. In Gail Gibbons's bright illustrations, Arnold collects apple blossoms in spring, builds a tree house in summer, makes apple pie and cider in the fall, and hangs strings of popcorn and berries for the birds in winter, among other seasonal activities. Includes a recipe for apple pie and a description of how an apple cider press works.
Flower Garden
by Eve Bunting and Kathryn Hewitt“An urban African-American girl and her father buy plants, potting soil, and a window box at the supermarket, ride the bus to their apartment, and put together a colorful gift for the child’s mother. Rhyming verse carries the brief story, while wonderful, warm, full-color illustrations present scenes from novel angles, and depict a loving family with a sense of intimacy, sincerity, and joy.”—School Library Journal
Gooseberry Park
by Cynthia RylantWhen a storm separates Stumpy the squirrel from her newborn babies, her animal friends come to the rescue.
Clementine
by Sara PennypackerWhile sorting through difficulties with her friend Margaret, 8 year old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles, and helps her father banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.
Ada's Violin
by Susan Hood and Sally Wern ComportFrom award-winning author Susan Hood and illustrator Sally Wern Comport comes the extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash.
Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada—and her town—forever changed. Now, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of hope and innovation.
Librarians
by Charnan SimonAn introduction to the work librarians do and some of the libraries they work in.
Garbage Collectors
by Tami DeedrickAn introduction to the job of a garbage collector that examines the tasks that they perform, the clothing that they wear, the tools that they use, and the training required to be a successful garbage collector.
The Lorax
by SeussCelebrate nature with Dr. Seuss and the Lorax in this classic picture book about protecting the environment!
I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees.
Dr. Seuss’s beloved story teaches kids to speak up and stand up for those who can’t. With a recycling-friendly “Go Green” message, The Lorax allows young readers to experience the beauty of the Truffula Trees and the danger of taking our earth for granted, all in a story that is timely, playful, and hopeful. The book’s final pages teach us that just one small seed, or one small child, can make a difference.
Snowy Weather Days
by Katie MarsicoExplains what snow is and describes what is done with it when it falls on the ground.
Stellaluna
by Janell CannonKnocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their peculiar bird habits. Two pages of notes at the end of the story provide factual information about bats.