The next best thing after reading and enjoying a book with kids is diving into again and again. There is so much power in rereading. And, you can even deeper into books with wonderfully planned book activities. Books Dives are just the thing to make your teaching even more impactful.
The Power of Deep Dive Into Books
Reading a book aloud to students is powerful in itself. But, diving into a book adds layers and depth to the experience.
Imagine that the boat has just reached the Great Barrier Reef. Your scuba gear is on and you are ready to dive right into the sea. You don’t just go down for a quick peek and pop back up, and call it a day. Rather, you explore. You go deeper. You do a 360-degree turn to witness all that is around you. You play and discover. You savor and wonder.
We can have this same experience with a great book. Instead of diving into the ocean, we can dive into a book. Yes, we can take a book dive. We go deep into the story. Look around and study the gorgeous art within the book. We savor the words over and over. Play and discover alongside the content from the book. And, most importantly we gather inspiration and dream of possibilities.
So, join us as we deep dive into a book. Yes, we will be learning. We will be doing it through play, exploration, and discussion.
Benefits of Rereading and Going Deep Into a Book
If you have a favorite restaurant, chances are that you have been there multiple times. We like to experience our favorite things over and over again. Reading great books is no different. And, there are some awesome benefits to rereading a book too.
- Notice details missed during the first reading or two.
- Develop relationships with the characters and dive deeper into character development.
- Build vocabulary and comprehension.
- Take advantage of multiple activities to extend the book.
- Fall in love with books, authors, and illustrators.
Explore the Book Dive Collection
Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Book Dives Currently Available
Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke
This award-winning book is the story of a mother and her baby who visit a market in South West Nigeria. While Mama shops, different sellers give the adorable baby different foods to sample and keep. Baby fills Mama’s basket with lots of extra market samples. It’s not until the end of the story that Mama discovers her heavy load.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (beginning sounds and rhyming), Sound and Letter Correspondence, Vocabulary Development, Oral Communication & Storytelling, Fine Motor Development, Counting, Adding, and Patterning
Get the Baby Goes to Market Book Dive HERE.
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier
This is a variation of the traditional, The Little Red Hen. In The Little Red Fort, Ruby wants to build a fort but her three brothers don’t want to help with the planning or building. However, when it comes time to play in the fort, the brothers come up with a creative way to add to the fort.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (syllable counting/word parts), Vocabulary Development, Sequencing, Oral Communication, Problem Solving, Storytelling and Fine Motor Development
Get The Little Red Fort Book Dive HERE.
Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis
A little girl explores water all around her including inside herself. She discovers that water doesn’t always look or feel the same. Water can come in different forms and can be found in different places. Hey, Water! is a non-fiction book accessible to our youngest listeners and includes backmatter about the water cycle and water conservation.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Awareness of Gross Motor Differences), Vocabulary Development, Letter Sound Recognition,
Creativity, Oral Communication Fine and Gross Motor Development
Get the Hey, Water! Book Dive HERE.
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang
Amy loves making bao with her family. It’s difficult to make a perfect bao and Amy is having difficulty getting her bao just right. Her dumplings are always too full or too empty. But, Amy has a plan to make her bao perfect just like her parents and grandmother.
Sill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Segmenting), Vocabulary Development, Character Analysis, Oral Communication, and Fine Motor Development
Get the Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao Book Dive HERE.
Green Pants by Kenneth Kraegel
Jameson loves his green pants and wears them all the time. He feels he can do just about anything when he wears them. But, he has a big decision to make. He’s been invited to be the ring bearer in his cousin’s wedding and that means black tuxedo pants. Can he give up his green pants for the wedding?
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Alliteration), Vocabulary Development, Letter Recognition, Comprehension, Oral Communication, Color Word Recognition, and Fine Motor Development
Get the Green Pants Book Dive HERE.
Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell
A family ventures out into the wet garden with grandpa to pick produce for the vegetable stew. There are so many colorful things growing that are just waiting to be picked. There is even a recipe included to do some cooking with the children.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Rhyming), Vocabulary Development, Tracking Left to Right and Return Sweep, Comprehension, Oral Communication Fine Motor Development, Color and Shape Recognition, and Creativity
Get the Rainbow Stew Book Dive HERE.
The King of Kindergarten
A young, confident, and proud young man is ready to take on kindergarten. His day is busy and full of new adventures. He is ready to conquer it all and then come home and share his success with his family. It’s an empowering story about trying new things with confidence and excitement.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Beginning Sounds), Vocabulary Development, Comprehension (Imagery), Oral Communication, Fine Motor Development, and Letter Recognition
Get the King of Kindergarten Book Dive HERE.
Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away
When a friend moves away, it can be tough. Evelyn is moving away from her best friend, Daniela, and the girls spend the time they have together enjoying each other’s company and making plans to stay in touch.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Syllable Counting), Vocabulary Development, Oral Communication, Fine and Gross Motor Development, and Letter Identification
Get the Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away Book Dive HERE.
Stumpkin
Stumpkin is a beautiful pumpkin waiting to be selected from the shelves of pumpkins and carried home to become a jack-o-lantern. But, he keeps getting passed over become his stem is missing. As Halloween approaches, will he get his chance to shine?
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Rhyming), Vocabulary Development, Oral Communication, Fine Motor Development and Name Recognition
Get the Stumpkin Book Dive HERE.
Around The Table That Grandad Built
A cumulative story of family and friendship that develops and is enriched around that table Granddad built. The household is getting ready for a gathering so the table must be set and the food must be prepared before all the guests arrive. Each person and thing is special and significant.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Blending), Vocabulary Development, Oral Communication, Fine Motor Development, Left to Right Progression, Sequencing, Creativity
Get the Around the Table That Grandad Built HERE
One Snowy Morning
It’s a snowy day in the woods when some woodland friends spot a glob of snow with objects sticking on it. They collect these strange items and use them for all sorts of things including a dinner party for neighbors. After their creative day, they return the items to where they found them more or less.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Ending Sounds), Vocabulary, Development, Oral Communication, Fine Motor Development, Noticing Details, and Creativity
Get the One Snowy Morning Book Dive HERE.
Three Little Kittens
The three little kittens smell pie and quickly go inside to eat. But, they are told that there will be no pie until the mittens are found. Then, those found mittens become soiled and need to be washed which leads to yet another problem. But, the resourceful kittens will find a solution. And in the end, there will be more pie.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Beginning Sounds), Vocabulary Development, Oral Communication, Color Word Recognition, Left to Right Progression and Tracking, Fine Motor Development, and
Creativity
Get the Three Little Kittens Book Dive
Everybody in the Red Brick Building
Grab a copy of Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter and then enjoy these Book Dive activities.
So we start the story with everyone asleep in the red brick building until…the baby howls, “Waaaaaah!” which wakes someone…and before you know it everyone is awake.
But just as quickly as the sounds wake everyone up, different sounds lull everyone back to sleep.
Skill Focus: Phonological Awareness (Beginning and Ending Sounds), Letter Identification, Identifying and Understanding Onomatopoeia, Vocabulary Development, Oral Communication, Creativity
Get the Everybody in the Red Brick Building Book Dive
Shop the Entire Collection of Books
And, get a copy of the books here.—>SHOP THE BOOKS