You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
Really surprising twist in this story about inclusion. Will definitely use in the classroom.
Adorable book? The illustrations are endearingly cute. The message might be a little heavy handed, but it's a good one. Will share with students when they need a reminder to be an inclusive/accepting community.
Fun puns, silly illustrations, and all-around enjoyable bird humor on a relatable topic for most kids- being in or out of the "cool" group.
My kiddos loved this story about a bird who doesn't fit in and the friendships he makes. The inclusivity and individuality messages are great!
This book is terrific! I absolutely love it! My nerdy husband and I loved the references to nerd culture, but more importantly this book teaches a valuable lesson that struck a deep personal cord with me.
Nerdy Birdy is feeling lonely because he doesn't fit in with the "cool" birds. Then he is invited to join a group of birds who are nerdy like himself, and finds out it's better to be yourself and find friends who accept you for who you are. Now in my opinion this would have been a great book even if it ended there, but it didn't! It gets better! Nerdy meets a new bird who doesn't fit in with the cool birds OR the nerds, and learns what it means to extend true friendship and acceptance to others regardless of differences. Such a great moral! I can't recommend this book highly enough.
P.S. If you are a Whovian, look very closely at the illustrations. :)
Nerdy Birdy is feeling lonely because he doesn't fit in with the "cool" birds. Then he is invited to join a group of birds who are nerdy like himself, and finds out it's better to be yourself and find friends who accept you for who you are. Now in my opinion this would have been a great book even if it ended there, but it didn't! It gets better! Nerdy meets a new bird who doesn't fit in with the cool birds OR the nerds, and learns what it means to extend true friendship and acceptance to others regardless of differences. Such a great moral! I can't recommend this book highly enough.
P.S. If you are a Whovian, look very closely at the illustrations. :)
The book we’re going to read today is called Nerdy Birdy, written by Aaron Reynolds with illustrations by Matt Davis. Let’s take a look at the cover. What do we notice about the ‘birdy’ on the front cover? [STUDENTS RESPOND] So, this ‘nerdy birdy’…do we think he looks ‘nerdy’? What does it mean to be ‘nerdy’? How do you think it feels to be called ‘nerdy’? [STUDENTS RESPOND] Let’s take a look at the back cover now. What do we notice about the birds on the back cover? What are they doing? [STUDENT RESPONSE] Are they different from the bird on the front? How are they different? [STUDENT RESPONSE] How do we feel about people who are different from us? Now, let’s take a look at the inside flap. [READS SYNOPSIS AND SHOWS ILLUSTRATIONS] Look at that word, ‘dejected.’ Has anyone ever heard that word? The word ‘dejected’ means ‘to be sad or depressed’ and we’ve probably all felt like that at some point right? Well, Nerdy Birdy is going to go through a lot in our story. He feels sad at first, and then he makes some new friends. How do you think he feels when he meets birdies that are more like he is? [STUDENT RESPONSE] Right, he probably feels a lot better.
This opening draws attention to the illustrations and prompts students to make predictions about characters based on the title of the story and the images on the cover. It activates students’ thinking about their own bodies/selves and how they interact with others. It engages students with the language of the text and gets them thinking about important concepts (friendship, individuality, peer acceptance) before reading.
This text was selected because it follows the two themes/major concepts of the text set (friendship/individual identity). First, it deals with the concept of making friends, which is something students of all age groups will deal with throughout their lives. Second, it deals with the concept of individual identity. “Nerdy Birdy” is first seen as a nerd and is bullied by his peer group. He then finds friends who are like him and feels the acceptance of ‘fitting in.’ Finally, he learns that friendship does not necessarily mean that you have to have everything in common with your friends, and learns to embrace the differences between himself and his new friend.
Resources
Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2006). Teaching for comprehending and fluency: Thinking, talking, and writing about reading, K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
This opening draws attention to the illustrations and prompts students to make predictions about characters based on the title of the story and the images on the cover. It activates students’ thinking about their own bodies/selves and how they interact with others. It engages students with the language of the text and gets them thinking about important concepts (friendship, individuality, peer acceptance) before reading.
This text was selected because it follows the two themes/major concepts of the text set (friendship/individual identity). First, it deals with the concept of making friends, which is something students of all age groups will deal with throughout their lives. Second, it deals with the concept of individual identity. “Nerdy Birdy” is first seen as a nerd and is bullied by his peer group. He then finds friends who are like him and feels the acceptance of ‘fitting in.’ Finally, he learns that friendship does not necessarily mean that you have to have everything in common with your friends, and learns to embrace the differences between himself and his new friend.
Resources
Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2006). Teaching for comprehending and fluency: Thinking, talking, and writing about reading, K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
A children's book about how being a nerd gatekeeper is just as toxic as being one of the "cool" kids. I loved this. I feel like a lot of adults need to fucking get this message.
This is adorable! Lots of humor, engaging illustrations, and a motivational message to boot. This book has something for everyone! It would be great for the classroom-for teaching theme, cause and effect, or other literary elements.