WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.049
It is January.

00:00:01.380 --> 00:00:06.870
You're back at it, whether that's your
homeschool table or your classroom,

00:00:07.290 --> 00:00:09.120
and you've got this feeling already.

00:00:09.764 --> 00:00:14.025
You know this one, that mix of
fresh start energy and already

00:00:14.025 --> 00:00:16.905
exhausted before you even begin.

00:00:17.205 --> 00:00:18.855
Here's what usually happens.

00:00:18.945 --> 00:00:21.345
We start the year with grand plans.

00:00:21.345 --> 00:00:25.335
We're gonna be more organized,
more intentional, more everything.

00:00:25.965 --> 00:00:28.785
And by week three, we're scrambling.

00:00:28.785 --> 00:00:35.340
We're overwhelmed and wondering why we
thought this year would be any different.

00:00:35.910 --> 00:00:41.820
Today we're going to talk about planning
for starting in a way that actually works.

00:00:42.120 --> 00:00:46.260
Planning that gives you
energy instead of draining it.

00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:53.410
And we're going to focus on one practical
strategy that can transform how you

00:00:53.410 --> 00:00:59.980
teach multiple subjects using picture
books as the foundation of your lessons.

00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:05.349
Now, let's be honest about what planning
often looks like at this time of year.

00:01:05.979 --> 00:01:07.539
You've just coming off a break.

00:01:07.570 --> 00:01:08.800
Maybe you're still on your break.

00:01:08.800 --> 00:01:13.464
Maybe you've had some rest and you've had
time to recharge, or maybe you didn't.

00:01:14.414 --> 00:01:17.835
Either way, you're facing the
pressure to hit the ground

00:01:17.835 --> 00:01:20.475
running for classroom teachers.

00:01:20.835 --> 00:01:24.975
You've got curriculum and planning
documentation breathing down your neck,

00:01:24.975 --> 00:01:30.405
standards to cover, and maybe even some
assessments already looming in your mind.

00:01:31.035 --> 00:01:35.210
You're trying to plan for literacy,
science, social studies, art,

00:01:36.310 --> 00:01:40.335
all as separate subjects, and
it feels like you need about 40

00:01:40.335 --> 00:01:42.975
hours in a day to do it well.

00:01:44.054 --> 00:01:48.404
If you're homeschooling, the pressure
looks different, but feels just as real.

00:01:48.945 --> 00:01:52.964
You've got multiple grade levels,
you've got different learning styles,

00:01:52.964 --> 00:01:57.404
and you are trying to create something
meaningful without burning yourself out

00:01:57.404 --> 00:02:00.765
or spending a small fortune on materials.

00:02:01.635 --> 00:02:06.105
You want your kids to love learning,
but you also need structure.

00:02:06.525 --> 00:02:11.295
That doesn't require you to reinvent
the wheel every single week.

00:02:11.805 --> 00:02:15.585
And here's the thing we
don't talk about enough.

00:02:16.395 --> 00:02:21.825
Most planning methods add to your
workload instead of simplifying it.

00:02:22.365 --> 00:02:26.505
We're told to plan each subject
separately to have different

00:02:26.505 --> 00:02:32.355
resources for each area to keep
adding more and more to our plates.

00:02:32.565 --> 00:02:34.425
It's no wonder we burn out.

00:02:35.460 --> 00:02:36.990
But what if there was a different way?

00:02:37.380 --> 00:02:42.510
What if you could plan lessons that hit
multiple learning goals at once that

00:02:42.540 --> 00:02:50.010
actually made your job easier and that
kept both you and your students engaged?

00:02:50.910 --> 00:02:52.620
This is where picture books.

00:02:53.385 --> 00:02:55.665
Become your secret weapon.

00:02:56.235 --> 00:02:59.505
But I'm not talking about just
reading a cute little story and

00:02:59.505 --> 00:03:01.185
then calling that literacy time.

00:03:01.695 --> 00:03:05.685
I'm talking about choosing
books strategically.

00:03:05.895 --> 00:03:10.455
Books that can carry weight across
multiple subjects and teach far

00:03:10.455 --> 00:03:12.560
more than we give them credit for.

00:03:13.395 --> 00:03:18.045
Not every picture book is worth
centering a week of learning around.

00:03:18.630 --> 00:03:20.910
You want books that can do heavy lifting.

00:03:21.180 --> 00:03:22.680
Here's what to look for.

00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:25.440
You want rich vocabulary.

00:03:25.980 --> 00:03:29.760
So look for books that introduce
words that your students wouldn't

00:03:29.760 --> 00:03:35.610
encounter in everyday conversation
Books with precise language, interesting

00:03:35.610 --> 00:03:37.920
verbs, descriptive adjectives.

00:03:38.370 --> 00:03:44.460
These are books that expand vocabulary
naturally in context without

00:03:44.460 --> 00:03:46.530
needing separate vocabulary lists.

00:03:47.820 --> 00:03:50.010
Strong story structure.

00:03:50.130 --> 00:03:51.420
You really want this.

00:03:51.450 --> 00:03:55.420
You want books with clear beginnings,
middles, and end structure, you

00:03:55.420 --> 00:03:59.170
want a clear cause and effect,
a problem and a solution.

00:03:59.590 --> 00:04:04.480
When students can identify these patterns,
they're learning to think like writers

00:04:04.660 --> 00:04:07.150
and to understand how narratives work.

00:04:08.065 --> 00:04:10.045
You want content connections.

00:04:10.374 --> 00:04:11.215
This is key.

00:04:11.635 --> 00:04:15.684
Look for books that connect to
science concepts or historical

00:04:15.684 --> 00:04:21.444
periods, or mathematical thinking or
art and design or cultural studies.

00:04:22.015 --> 00:04:25.135
These are the books that
let you teach English and

00:04:25.135 --> 00:04:26.934
something else at the same time.

00:04:27.804 --> 00:04:32.290
Let me walk you through what
this looks like in practice.

00:04:32.830 --> 00:04:36.280
So let's say you choose a book
about building or construction,

00:04:36.280 --> 00:04:41.890
something like Iggy Peck Architect
or Rosie Revere Engineer.

00:04:42.370 --> 00:04:43.450
You start with a story.

00:04:44.620 --> 00:04:50.020
You read it for enjoyment first, you let
your students experience it as readers.

00:04:50.620 --> 00:04:55.570
You talk about what they notice, what
they wonder, what they connect with.

00:04:56.620 --> 00:04:59.020
Next, you mine that language.

00:04:59.020 --> 00:05:03.309
You go back through it and you identify
the vocabulary that's worth teaching.

00:05:03.610 --> 00:05:08.679
Not every word, just the ones that
are useful and interesting words like.

00:05:08.755 --> 00:05:14.995
Blueprint or structure or foundation,
and you teach these words in context

00:05:14.995 --> 00:05:19.585
and you use them in different sentences
and let students use them in their

00:05:19.675 --> 00:05:22.585
own writing and oral language.

00:05:23.185 --> 00:05:24.745
You explore the structure.

00:05:25.020 --> 00:05:26.910
Talk about how the story is built.

00:05:27.030 --> 00:05:29.130
What problem does the character face?

00:05:29.550 --> 00:05:30.900
How do they solve it?

00:05:31.230 --> 00:05:33.600
What obstacles come up along the way?

00:05:34.260 --> 00:05:35.910
This isn't busy work.

00:05:36.150 --> 00:05:40.260
This is teaching students how to
think about stories, how stories

00:05:40.260 --> 00:05:46.350
work, which helps them in turn become
better readers and writers, and

00:05:46.350 --> 00:05:48.420
then branch it into other subjects.

00:05:48.450 --> 00:05:50.070
This is where it gets exciting.

00:05:50.520 --> 00:05:56.755
If your book is about building, you
can move into design and technology.

00:05:56.784 --> 00:05:59.965
Let students plan and
build their own structures.

00:06:00.355 --> 00:06:04.405
You can connect it to maths, you
can measure materials, you can

00:06:04.405 --> 00:06:08.335
calculate area and perimeter,
explore shapes and geometry.

00:06:09.100 --> 00:06:14.200
You can link it to science, you can
investigate stability, um, materials,

00:06:14.200 --> 00:06:17.290
balance the properties of materials.

00:06:17.980 --> 00:06:19.600
You can explore humanities.

00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:23.500
You can research famous buildings,
discuss why humans build, look

00:06:23.500 --> 00:06:25.600
at architecture across cultures.

00:06:26.050 --> 00:06:30.280
And suddenly one book is
teaching literacy, math,

00:06:30.280 --> 00:06:32.140
science, and social studies.

00:06:32.530 --> 00:06:34.810
You're not planning four separate lessons.

00:06:35.170 --> 00:06:39.670
You're planning one integrated
unit that flows naturally

00:06:39.670 --> 00:06:41.320
from one subject to another.

00:06:42.010 --> 00:06:47.050
And here's why this matters for preventing
burnout in general, you're planning

00:06:47.050 --> 00:06:51.250
less, not more, instead of creating
separate lesson plans for each subject.

00:06:51.655 --> 00:06:56.485
You're building one cohesive unit
around a strong text that's less

00:06:56.485 --> 00:07:00.865
planning time, fewer materials
to gather, less mental juggling.

00:07:01.315 --> 00:07:04.165
Students make deeper connections also.

00:07:04.675 --> 00:07:09.865
When learning is integrated, students see
how the subjects relate to each other.

00:07:10.495 --> 00:07:13.555
They're not just doing math
problems about buildings.

00:07:13.945 --> 00:07:18.865
They're using math as a tool to actually
build something They've read about.

00:07:19.945 --> 00:07:22.225
That's what makes learning stick.

00:07:23.215 --> 00:07:27.835
You can reuse and adapt and once
you've planned a strong picture

00:07:27.835 --> 00:07:30.055
book unit, you can use it again.

00:07:30.325 --> 00:07:34.075
You can adapt it for different
age groups, you can share it.

00:07:35.005 --> 00:07:38.320
The work you do now
keeps paying dividends.

00:07:38.870 --> 00:07:40.280
It's actually more engaging.

00:07:41.260 --> 00:07:44.350
It's more engaging for
you and for your students.

00:07:45.070 --> 00:07:49.570
When you are teaching connections
instead of just isolated facts,

00:07:49.840 --> 00:07:51.460
it's so much more interesting.

00:07:51.970 --> 00:07:56.020
You're not just checking boxes, you're
creating learning experiences that

00:07:56.020 --> 00:08:02.020
matter and you're making it work
in your context for your classroom.

00:08:02.860 --> 00:08:05.950
This approach works beautifully
within your curriculum.

00:08:06.550 --> 00:08:10.060
You take the standards you need
to cover, you look for the picture

00:08:10.060 --> 00:08:13.060
books that connect to those concepts.

00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:15.160
You're not adding extra work.

00:08:15.430 --> 00:08:20.650
You're finding smarter ways to teach
what you are already required to teach.

00:08:21.130 --> 00:08:24.280
And if you're homeschooling,
this gives you the structure

00:08:24.460 --> 00:08:25.540
without rigidity.

00:08:26.170 --> 00:08:30.310
You can follow your students'
interests, you can adapt the depth.

00:08:30.925 --> 00:08:35.095
Based on their age and ability, and
you can still feel confident you're

00:08:35.515 --> 00:08:37.885
covering important learning goals.

00:08:38.815 --> 00:08:43.225
Let me give you some concrete steps
that you can take this week as you

00:08:43.225 --> 00:08:45.715
plan for the coming year or semester.

00:08:46.705 --> 00:08:50.485
Step one is to audit your
bookshelf or your library.

00:08:50.905 --> 00:08:53.245
Look at the picture
books you already have.

00:08:53.635 --> 00:08:55.795
Which ones have rich vocabulary?

00:08:56.275 --> 00:08:59.335
Which ones could you connect
to multiple subjects?

00:08:59.695 --> 00:09:02.095
Start with what you already have.

00:09:02.995 --> 00:09:05.785
Step two is choose one
book for this month.

00:09:06.895 --> 00:09:08.605
Don't overwhelm yourself.

00:09:09.205 --> 00:09:15.595
Pick one strong picture book that connects
to something you need to teach, just one.

00:09:16.675 --> 00:09:19.765
Step three is map out the possibilities.

00:09:19.795 --> 00:09:22.075
Spend 15 minutes brainstorming.

00:09:22.075 --> 00:09:24.175
What vocabulary could you teach?

00:09:24.595 --> 00:09:26.215
What's the story structure?

00:09:26.695 --> 00:09:31.195
Where could this book take you in
maths or science or in other subjects?

00:09:32.185 --> 00:09:35.215
Step four is plan one, integrated lesson.

00:09:35.305 --> 00:09:36.415
Just start small.

00:09:36.415 --> 00:09:40.975
Plan one day where you use
the book to teach two or three

00:09:40.975 --> 00:09:43.135
subjects and see how it feels.

00:09:43.555 --> 00:09:47.275
Notice how much less stressful
it is to plan this way.

00:09:48.175 --> 00:09:50.485
Step five is reflect and adjust.

00:09:50.955 --> 00:09:54.220
Afterwards, try and think
about what worked, what you

00:09:54.220 --> 00:09:55.750
could do differently next time.

00:09:56.290 --> 00:10:01.570
This is how you build a sustainable
practice, one lesson at a time.

00:10:02.230 --> 00:10:05.200
If you are thinking, oh, this
sounds great, but I don't have

00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:07.120
time to plan all this from scratch.

00:10:07.330 --> 00:10:11.710
I hear you, but that's exactly
why I've already created, some

00:10:11.710 --> 00:10:15.910
integrated picture book lesson
plans that do the work for you.

00:10:16.380 --> 00:10:21.750
They aren't just cute activities to
do after reading a book, they're full

00:10:21.750 --> 00:10:27.870
units that show you how to teach rich
vocabulary, story structure, and make

00:10:27.870 --> 00:10:33.300
authentic connections to maths and science
and design and technology and humanities.

00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:36.720
And you can find these
lesson plans on my website.

00:10:37.140 --> 00:10:39.780
I'll leave a link for
you in the show notes.

00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:44.640
They're designed for both homeschool
and classroom teachers, and they're

00:10:44.640 --> 00:10:48.060
built to make your planning simpler.

00:10:48.355 --> 00:10:49.765
Not more complicated.

00:10:50.515 --> 00:10:55.225
January and February don't have to
be about being burnt out by Easter.

00:10:55.645 --> 00:11:01.465
It can be about finding smarter,
more sustainable ways to teach.

00:11:02.005 --> 00:11:06.985
Start with one book or one of my lesson
plans and see where it takes you.

00:11:07.895 --> 00:11:09.635
Thanks so much for listening today.

00:11:09.635 --> 00:11:13.385
If you found any value at all in
this episode, please share it with

00:11:13.385 --> 00:11:17.165
a friend or colleague that will
really help us to grow the show.

00:11:17.885 --> 00:11:18.709
So until next time.

00:11:20.524 --> 00:11:22.024
Stay blooming, curious.

00:11:22.084 --> 00:11:27.124
Take care of yourself and go and check
out the link in the show notes and

00:11:27.124 --> 00:11:33.274
start planning those integrated lessons
for the coming semester or year ahead.