Class books are a great way to motivate your students to love reading!

  Here Are Our Hands

Materials: white cardstock, multicultural paint

Read Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin and John Archambault. Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at the bottom "Here are ______'s hands".  Next, paint each student's hands and have them make prints on their page.  If your students are able they can write their name on the blank line, or if they aren't able you may do it for them saying each letter out loud as you do so, this way they will begin to become familiar with the letters in their names. When the paint is dry bind into a class book. 

My Name Is

Materials: white construction paper, boy & girl stencils, paint or crayons, pictures of each student, glue stick.

Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at the bottom "My name is _________".  Have each child trace stencil a boy or girl on their paper.  You can use paint or crayons for the stencil depending on your preference.  If your students are able they can write their name on the blank line, or if they aren't able you may do it for them saying each letter out loud as you do so, this way they will begin to become familiar with the letters in their names.

Happy Birthday Book

Materials: months of the year poster, 13 pieces of white cardstock, glue, scissors, black marker, student pictures

Take a cheap months of the year poster/chart from the teacher store (usually .99 cents) and cut apart.  Glue one month to the top of each piece of cardstock, then glue the title piece "Months of the Year" to a piece of cardstock to make a cover page.  Next, glue student photos to their correct birthday month page.  Next to each student photo write their name and birth date with the black marker.  When finished laminate and bind into a class birthday book.  This book will be a big hit all year long and it's a great way to learn the months of the year.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Look Who's In Our Room!

Materials:  Palm tree notepad, ABC stickers, picture of each student, cardstock, glue stick

Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at the bottom "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, look who's in our room!".  Glue one palm tree to the middle of each piece of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock (portrait).  Next, glue one child's picture to each sheet of cardstock.  Use the ABC stickers to spell out each student's name on the palm tree as if they are climbing the tree.  Laminate and bind the pages into a class book that your students will be begging to read again and again!

Brown Bear Class Book

Materials:  Picture of each student, cardstock, glue stick, Sharpie marker

Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at bottom, "______, _______, who do you see?" (insert student's name in the blanks) on the following page write at the top "I see ______ looking at me" (insert the name of the student on that page)  Glue a picture of each student on to each sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock.

Santa Class Book

Materials:  Picture of each student, clip art picture of Santa, cardstock, glue stick, Sharpie marker

Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at bottom, "Santa, Santa, who do you see?"  Glue a picture of each student and a picture of Santa on to each sheet of cardstock.  On the following page write at the top "I see ______ sitting on my knee" (insert the name of the student on that page) at the top of the page.

*Our class had the unique opportunity of seeing Santa in person and each student had a chance to sit on Santa's knee.  I was able to take pictures of each student and use these for our class book.

Our Pumpkins Book

Materials:  cardstock, glue stick, one mini pumpkin per child, liquid glue, glitter, Sharpie marker,   Q-Tips, picture of each student holding their pumpkin.

To make the pumpkins: Use the Sharpie marker to draw the outline of a Jack 'O Lantern face on each mini-pumpkin.  Have the students dip their Q-Tips in the liquid glue and fill in the outline with a very thin layer of glue.  Next, shake glitter over the glue and let dry.   These Jack 'O Lanterns look Spooktacular when finished!

To make the book: Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at bottom, "________'s pumpkin is _____________"   Insert student's name in the first blank and ask the student for an adjective to fill in the second blank.  Some examples of adjectives my students used are: scary, silly, or creepy.  Glue a picture of each student holding their pumpkin on to each page.

Our Valentine Book

Materials:  Valentine cards that your class has given you, glue, cardstock, glue.

Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at bottom "Roses are red, violets are blue, here is the Valentine I got from you".  Next, glue one Valentine card to each page, with the picture showing and write the child's name underneath the card.  Laminate all the pages, bind, and you're ready to read this masterpiece to your class.  It's sure to be a big hit in the class library

Dinosaur Names Book

Materials:  small photo of each student, dinosaur backline copies, crayons or markers, cardstock

Have each student color their dinosaur picture with crayons or markers, then cut out and glue to a piece of cardstock.  Glue a small photo of each student (head shot) onto the dinosaur picture in the place where the head is.  Re-name your dinosaur using the student's name; for example:  Michael's dinosaur would now be a "Michael-a-saurus" and Nicole's dinosaur would be a "Nicole-a-saurus".  Use a sharpie to write the name of the new found dinosaur at the bottom of each picture then bind to make a class book.  This activity is sure to tickle everybody's funny bone and be a class favorite! 

Picture Coming Soon!

Cowboy Book

Materials: picture of each student, cowboy hat, stick pony, paper bag vest, bandana, cardstock.

 Read "Cowboy Roy" to your class. Take a picture of each student dressed in the hat, vest, and bandana "riding" the stick pony.  Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at bottom "I feel like a cowboy when ______" .  Glue each student's picture to a piece of cardstock.  Ask each student when they feel like a cowboy and fill their responses in the blank for them.  Next, laminate and bind the pages into a class book.  

Kiss Your Brain Book

Materials:  picture of each child, glue, cardstock, lipstick or lip print stickers (available from Frog Street Press - click HERE)

This class book is a companion to Dr. Jean's song titled "Kiss Your Brain", click HERE for a link.  Pre-program as many sheets of cardstock as you have students with the following phrase copied at bottom "Kiss your brain ________".  Next, glue each student's picture to each page and fill in the blank with the student's name.  Laminate all the pages, bind, and you're ready to read this book as you sing the song with your class.  This book is great for boosting your student's self esteem.

How Many Letters in Your Name?

Materials:  picture of each child, glue, cardstock

Pre-program 9 sheets of cardstock with the following phrase copied at top "I have ____ letters in my name".  Fill in the blanks with the numbers 1-9.   Glue students pictures to the page that lists the correct number of letters in their name (see sample below).  Have your students write their names on the correct pages. Some pages may be blank, that's o.k., your students will get a kick out of the blank pages- don't forget to include yourself in the book.

What I Want to Be Book

Materials:  picture of each child, crayons, glue, sharpie, printable community helper pictures.

Allow your students to select a picture of the community helper they would like to be when they grow up.  Have the students color the picture then glue a picture of themselves in the correct area.  Add the words "___________ (child's name) wants to be a _______________ (community helper name)." at the bottom and bind into a class book.

Animal Crackers Book

*idea from Dr. Jean workshop*

Materials: empty animal cracker box, crayons, copy paper, yarn or ribbon- or other binding materials. 

Using an empty animal cracker box, cut the front and back of the box off to create the cover for your book.  You can make a mini-book using a small animal cracker box, or a larger book using a larger box.  Cut your copy paper to the same size as the box.  Give each student one sheet of paper and have them draw a picture of what they would like to see at the zoo.  Place all the drawings in between the two pieces of the animal cracker box and bind using yarn or ribbon (or your perferred binding method) along one side. 

9-1-1 Book

Materials: copy paper, cardstock or poster board for cover, picture of each child, clip-art of a telephone

This book can be entirely done in Word.  Insert each student's picture on each page and add clip-art of a telephone next to their picture.  Caption each page "________ can call 9-1-1".  You can even make this book in the shape of a phone by creating a phone shaped cardstock or poster board cover. 

Picture Coming Soon!