These simple stories with strong picture support are wonderful for introducing five and six year olds to the joys of reading. Rebus pictures provide an easy and engaging way to share the responsibility of creating meaning with beginners. The rebus images provide markers that ground the youngest reader in what the book is about. Simple syntax and natural language help youngsters develop an ear for what sounds right. Well-chosen photographs provide strong support for comprehending the important ideas.

The Rebus books make it possible for emergent readers to "read." What a perfect format for a gradual release of responsibility--from fluent adult and dependent child to fluent child and celebrating adult! Young readers who struggle with language have pictures to keep them focused on the meaning. For children experiencing English as a new language and those whose language proficiency is underdeveloped have exciting opportunities to "read" high interest materials and grow their personal vocabularies and experience natural, repeating syntax.

Two instructional threads run through the teacher support materials for each series: a repeating Concept of Print strand and a repeating Making Sense strand. The first focuses on the basic understandings of how we organize and write stories and books. The other focuses on how we create meaning from stories and books.

Each series presents possibilities for rich Concept Development . Learning stations that extend the concept as well as language opportunities for enriching children’s oral and written communication skills are suggested for each group of books.

Developmentally appropriate Assessment Ideas for each series encourage teachers to observe their students and document their growth as they read the six books in the series. And suggestions for extending the understanding at home are included in Home Connections .

A brief list of specific suggestions for high-frequency words, an interactive writing activity, and a familiar song or poem is provided for each book in the series. Teachers can create word walls with the high-frequency words, provide charts with these words used by the children in meaningful content, and write the words to childhood classic songs and poems that foster the love of language.

The six On the Move books will appeal to the active early reader. Each book starts with a basic concept from "climbing takes you up" to "things that are round roll." Familiar and not so familiar examples provide depth and breadth. With appealing photographs of children, animals, and objects on the move, the text comes alive and supports these early readers. The twelve to fifteen rebus pictures in each book are easy to understand and extend the concepts.

Concept of Print Strand

Sometimes it takes a long time to say a word. We keep our finger on the word until the whole word is said.

As children learn to match text and spoken words, they are encouraged to point to each word. This one to one match is challenged when young readers encounter words of more than one syllable. These rebus books provide opportunities to practice word and text matching when some words are multi-syllabic. After reading the story together, go back to reread and focus on the different lengths of words. Using a pointer, dramatically drag the pointer under the long words. Ask the students why it took you so long to say, for instance, climbing. Review the rebus words and determine if they are long words or short ones. Clap the syllables as a way to determine length. (If your students seem ready, also provide some non-examples of long words of one syllable and short words of more than one syllable.)

Making Sense Strand

Predictable patterns help us read and remember.

Use a think aloud to highlight this strategy.

"I Do" (Teacher models strategy)

Teacher (after reading the first three pages of text in Rolling ): "This is starting to sound familiar. ‘(Blank) can roll.’ I wonder if the rest of the book will be like this." Continues to read. "Yes! It says a skateboard CAN ROLL!"

"We Do" (Teacher and students practice together)

Continue to read and ask the children to join by reading the common part. Ask the children how the familiar part helps them read and remember the story. Continue looking for repetitive phrases in the other books in this series.

"You Do" (Children use the strategy)

Encourage the children to make their eyes, mouth, and finger match by pointing and looking at the word they are saying.

Concept Development

There are many ways to get from one place to another.

Learning Stations

Math Center: Explore rolling small cars down colored-coded ramps of different inclines. Use colored-coded masking tape to record the distances. Encourage children to discuss their findings and try to explain the results.

Science Center: Create a "Sink or Float?" station. Have children bring items to test. Listen to their ideas about why things float or sink. Provide opportunities to refine their thinking.

Music Center: Record some of the familiar songs about movement. ( The Wheels on the Bus, She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain, Row, Row Your Boat, Under the Sea, and Three Little Fishies are possibilities.) The children can sing along and accompany with rhythm instruments.

Art Center: Decorate and fold simple paper airplanes. Need help? Try this frequently visited Web site for directions and video instruction: www.paperairplanes.co.uk/.

Word Center: Create magnets using photocopies of some of the rebus pictures and printouts of high-frequency words. Children can "write" their own stories by arranging the magnets on metal cookie sheets.

Phonics Center: Copy the rebus pictures. Have the children sort them by initial sound.

Language Development

Talking, Making, Flying: Invite a fifth grade class or senior center to visit and help the children make kites. (The PBS Web site cited in Flying provides excellent, simple directions.) Include time for the children to try out their masterpieces.

"A, My Name is Alice": Use the familiar pattern, but substitute the verb of the book. For instance, "A my name is Alice and I like driving to Alaska." Continue with the rest of the alphabet. "B my name is Bob and I like driving to basketball games."

Add your idea: After the first reading of each book, have the children draw or write something that fits into that book. (Book ideas are fine; so are new ideas.) Continue to add new ideas throughout the week.

-	High-Frequency Words: in, the, over, to
-	Interactive Writing: Using the high-frequency words, scribe information about favorite flying animals or objects. For example: "Robins live in a nest. Robins fly over the ground. Robins fly to the worm."
-	Poem: Learn Robert Louie Stevenson’s poem The Swing : How do you like to go up in a swing, Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do! Up in the air and over the wall, Till I can see so wide, Rivers and trees and cattle and all Over the countryside – Till I look down on the garden green, Down on the roof so brown - Up in the air I go flying again, Up in the air and down!