Are your students responding to reading with digital tools? Last year I published two posts that featured some favorite apps and websites. On this particular list I focused on digital tools that give students a way to respond to reading. The first post 9 Reading Response Apps and Websites highlighted a handful of favorite tools for reading responses. The second post 5 Tips for Using Book Creator for Reading Responses showed how you could use one of my favorite creation tools to in the reading classroom.
I wanted to share some of my favorite books to energize your reading instruction. You can use these texts with the digital tools featured in the posts mentioned above. Of course, you want to make sure that these texts and the tasks you develop align to your instructional goals (aka Tasks Before Apps). Here are few books that can be used to inspire digital reading responses!
Books to Inspire Digital Reading Responses
Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries who Shaped Our History . . . and Our Future!
I picked up this book a few weeks ago and absolutely love it! Full of short biographies on notable women in American history, this collection is a great option for informational text study. You might have students choose one person in this book to read about or connect one of the passages to your current unit of study.
Pink and Say
Last year I had the chance to hear children’s author Patricia Polacco speak at the the Nebraska State Reading Conference. Although this text is perfect for introducing literary elements to students it can also be used to support instruction in your social studies classroom. This is one of my favorite books to share with students and I don’t think I’ve ever made it from start to finish without tissues. Pink and Say is also available in Spanish.
When Jackie Saved Grand Central: The True Story of Jacqueline Kennedy’s Fight for an American Icon
This book shares one of my favorite New York stories and can inspire students to look at their own community through new eyes. After reading this book, you might ask students to investigate a local landmark and explore its significance to your city.
Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust
Eve Bunting is one of my favorite children’s authors and this powerful book is definitely worth sharing with students. It can be hard for students to understand the weight of historical events. The book Terrible Things can provoke discussions and deep thinking as they read.
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
It’s been exciting to see how this biography has gained popularity in the past few months. As you search for informational text to bring into your classroom, biographies on compelling figures like Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg can grab the attention of readers while connecting them to real world issues.
Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition
Sometimes popular novels are above the reading levels of students who are motivated and interested in exploring a topic. If your students went to see the movie Hidden Figures or want to learn more about the story featured in this film, the young reader’s edition of the bestseller is a great choice to share with your class. This book can promote discussions in literature circles that lead to collaborative digital reading responses.
Do you have a favorite book to add to the list? Leave a comment below!
