We LOVE read aloud in third grade! I love reading aloud just for enjoyment and I also love completing novel studies with my students.
So, what is the difference of a plain read aloud and a novel studies?
Well, we do a read aloud every single day. For a read aloud I read to the students and ask questions for discussion throughout the book. But we do nothing with the book. No graphic organizers, no tests, no nothing! We just read for enjoyment and discussion.
For a novel study, we all have a copy of the book. We read it together and complete discussions, quizzes, projects and work on skills for each chapter. When we are in a novel study it is my main teaching source during that time. I am not reading other books or working on anything else. We just are working on all skills throughout the entire novel.
Many people ask me all the time what my favorite novels are for third grade. So, this is a round up post of my favorites. If you click on any of the books it will take you right to the novel on Amazon. (these are affiliate links)
Third Grade Angels
This is a great read aloud to start out third grade. It teaches students all about kindness and rules in third grade. If you have a VIP program it is also a great introduction into the program. It is all about a kid working very hard in third grade to be the first “Angel” of the class, but in the end it shows that kindness is more important then anything else.
The BFG
This is a great book about a giant and a little girl that teaches the students so many life lessons. It is also very entertaining and engaging.
The Lemonade War
This is a great book to teach during your economics unit. This teaches the students so many economics skills, plus it is very relatable and engaging. We complete this novel study with the book and this economics unit when we are done!
Shiloh
This is a classic book that students LOVE every year. Every student loves a good dog story and it is great for them to compare life today to life back then. We complete this novel study with the book!
Stone Fox
This is my favorite novel study of the year. The students always LOVE this book. Plus, it ties great into the Iditarod, which we study each year. Read how we focus on the Iditarod here!
Magic Tree House- Fact Trackers
These are the best nonfiction novels I have ever found for read aloud. They are engaging and entertaining to the kiddos, but they also offer lots of facts. The best part is each fact finder goes with a fiction book. So, after you read the nonfiction book you can have the students read the fiction book to compare and contrast the two!
Cam Jansen
These are GREAT books to introduce the mystery genre to your students. They are easy to read and understand so every reader can comprehend the book, but they are engaging to even your highest reader. I suggest Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds!
The Secret Zoo
My students LOVE the Secret Zoo series. It is all about a group of kids that get trapped inside a zoo where the animals talk. It is a zoo behind the real zoo. It is very engaging and after you read the first one your kids will want to read the rest!
Story Thieves
These books are all about students who find themselves trapped in different novels. You will get your students to love this series, but you will also introduce them to so many books that the characters jump into!
The Adventures of Humphrey
All my students love the Humphrey novels. They are all about a class pet hamster. It is written in the point of view of the hamster and the students find it HILARIOUS! When they are done reading one of the books they will want to read the whole series!
I hope you can pull some of these books into your read aloud or novel studies. Each book (besides Shiloh and Stone Fox) are apart of a larger series. So, after you read one of the books to your students they will be begging you to read the rest or just begging to get to read the rest!
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I am so glad you’re here! I love helping 3rd-5th grade teachers by providing ideas, engaging resources, and professional development they need. I am a literacy coach who is here to help lessen the workload for teachers while making them more confident! I want students to be continually engaged in a rigorous environment!
Hannah Wilde
I am so glad you’re here! I love helping 3rd-5th grade teachers by providing ideas, engaging resources, and professional development they need. I am a literacy coach who is here to help lessen the workload for teachers while making them more confident! I want students to be continually engaged in a rigorous environment!