Grades PreK–5
Empower Students to Succeed in School and in Life
Why This Collection? The books in the Byron V. Garrett Life and Literacy Skills Library have been selected because they demonstrate the importance of key life skills such as persistence, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and more!
Interactive Read-Aloud Titles Lead dynamic conversations as students ground their talk in the text and expand their appreciation and understanding of life skills.
Curated Classroom Library Collections Provide support for a variety of literacy experiences within the classroom with high- quality, authentic texts.
Take-Home Books Empower students to revisit and analyze texts, while growing awareness of diverse book options.
Life Skills in the Classroom and Beyond Life skills have the power to dramatically improve student attitudes and achievement. To help you seamlessly integrate these skills into literacy instruction, Scholastic has built this collection with educator and advocate Byron V. Garrett. In the classroom and at home, students explore key ideas through the lens of five essential themes :
Building Relationships
Understanding Myself
Managing Myself
Making Decisions
Respecting Others
These themes provide springboards for reading and discussion, allowing students to connect to concepts that resonate with their lives.
Library Components
Guide students toward academic achievement and personal success with resources for read-alouds, shared reading, family engagement, and more!
Each grade-level library includes: • 40 books (20 titles; 2 copies each)
Digital resource site for educators: • Read-aloud lesson
• Take-home books (1 per student)
• Digital versions of family letter with read-together prompts
• The ABC’s of Life by Byron V. Garrett (1 copy)
• Mentor videos
• Welcome letter/booklist
• And much more!
• Teacher’s guide
• Family letter with read-together book prompts
• Book bin
• Labeling stickers
Using the Read-Aloud Lesson To assist with the read-aloud, a read-aloud lesson is available on the digital resource site. This resource offers in- depth options for exploring the book as an interactive read-aloud, building vocabulary, practicing high-utility reading comprehension strategies, and extending literacy and life skills through discussion, writing, and creative activities.
An overview of the text explains why this book is suited to teaching life and literacy skills.
GRADE 4 READ ALOUD
Build background knowledge by prompting students to think about topics that will be explored in the book.
Ticktock Banneker’s Clock by Shana Keller and illustrated by David C. Gardner This inspiring picture biography talks about the accomplishments of Benjamin Banneker (1731–1806), who was born a free man in Maryland during a time when many African Americans were enslaved. While he had the opportunity to attend school for a short time, Benjamin Banneker was mainly self-taught, and he was very curious about the world around him. After examining a pocket watch, Benjamin decides he wants to build his own striking clock.
BEFORE THE READ-ALOUD Have students consider the following question as a class : If you wanted to reach a goal but did not have the resources you needed, would you give up that goal? Or would you think outside the box and determine another way to reach that goal? Invite students to share their answers. Then have students turn and talk with a partner: Think of a time when you needed to use a skill you have to achieve a goal. What was that experience like? How did it make you feel? Show the title and cover of the read- aloud book Ticktock Banneker’s Clock. In the biography we are about to read, the subject, Benjamin Banneker, sets a goal for himself to create his own clock. Benjamin motivates himself using his planning and organizational skills to achieve this goal. Academic Vocabulary familiar (p. 6) well-known fascinated (p. 8) strongly interested scale (p. 11) the size of a model or map compared to the size of the actual thing carve (p. 18) cut a hard material to make into something new chimed (p. 31) made a ringing sound
DURING THE READ-ALOUD As you read aloud the whole book, you may wish to pause and discuss the following questions, either as a whole class or through turning and talking between partners. These questions will allow the class to explore the library’s themes as well as comprehension strategies. pp. 4–9 Benjamin had taught himself to play several instruments and was curious about what the pocket watch looked like on the inside. What can we learn about Benjamin and his personality from these pages? (Make Inferences) pp. 10–13 Benjamin’s project moves from the fall into the winter. What details in the text and illustrations help you visualize the seasons changing? What does this make you realize about Benjamin’s process? (Visualize) pp. 14–19 Benjamin encounters a problem when he realizes that he cannot afford the supplies he needs. What is his solution to this problem? (Problem and Solution) pp. 20–27 Benjamin figures out a solution to his problem with the
Suggested prompts support the interactive
read-aloud, with an emphasis on
comprehension and making connections.
Vocabulary words add context and empower students to think more deeply about the text.
wood while doing his farm work. How does he come to a solution? As the season turns to winter, how does
Benjamin’s farm change? How does Benjamin’s work in winter compare to his work in the fall? (Problem and Solution, Compare and Contrast) pp. 28–31 It took Benjamin nearly two years to complete his project,
from the time he drew his diagrams to the time he set the striking clock on his mantle. The bell chimed on the hour for the next 40 years! Think of the amount of time and dedication that Benjamin Banneker put into his project. People were able to enjoy the clock for many years afterward. How can planning and being patient help you achieve a goal in the long run? (Make Connections)
Note: You may wish to read aloud the Author’s Note on page 32 to provide more information on Benjamin Banneker’s life and his accomplishments.
Writing, creative, and collaborative activities offer opportunities for
Discussion prompts allow the class to focus more deeply on the five themes in relation to the book.
students to think further about life skills and the book in unique ways.
Ticktock Banneker’s Clock
AFTER THE READ-ALOUD After completing the read-aloud, allow time for class discussion. Sit in a circle or in another configuration that is comfortable and allows for class interaction. Acting as a facilitator, invite children to have accountable discussions: remind them to use evidence from the text, their own inferences, personal connections, and other text connections in order to learn from one another. Q The gentleman in Elkridge Landing who loaned his pocket watch to Benjamin Banneker believed in Benjamin’s curiosity and knew he would enjoy studying the watch. What happens when we show others we believe in them and their goals? (Building Relationships) Q Benjamin taught himself how to play instruments as a form of entertainment. But on that summer day at the beginning of the book, Benjamin decides to study the pocket watch instead of playing his instrument. Why is it important to challenge yourself? (Making Decisions) Q Benjamin creates diagrams of the pocket-watch pieces to help him build his own striking clock. How can planning ahead help you reach a goal? (Managing Myself) Q Once Benjamin’s striking clock was complete, neighbors from nearby and others from far away came to see his hard work. Why do you think people were interested in seeing Benjamin’s clock? How does it feel to show your support to someone who has worked hard at something? (Respecting Others) Q As Benjamin first carves the pieces of wood, his “excitement turns to frustration.” Benjamin stops carving until he figures out a solution to his problem. How can taking a step back when you’re frustrated help you find a solution to a problem? (Understanding Myself) Name:
Activity Bank Writing Activity
(with Graphic Organizer) Write a letter to Benjamin Banneker. Tell him what you found most interesting about his process and why. What have you learned from the story of Benjamin Banneker and his striking clock? (Managing Myself) Draw a Diagram (Technology) Have students work in pairs to design a diagram for a new clock, with a catch: They must build their clocks using materials they can find around the classroom. What special features would their clock have? What would it look like? Remind students that Benjamin Banneker created diagrams of the striking clock before he began to build it. Why is it responsible to have a plan in place before you begin building something new? Invite students to share their diagrams with the class and talk through the challenges they might face while building their clocks. (Making Decisions) Ticktock Banneker’s Clock
A graphic organizer supports students’ exploration of the text through writing.
The Family Letter and Read-Together Book Prompts Provide families with an introduction to the Byron V. Garrett Life and Literacy Skills Library with a family letter. The Read- Together Book Prompts give families simple suggestions to facilitate discussion and connection.
The Family Letter introduces families to the collection and the concept of the Take- Home Book.
Family engagement materials are available in English and Spanish.
Take-Home Book
Families learn about the book’s themes in a gentle, engaging introduction.
These prompts provide family members with context even if they have not read the book and allow families to have conversations with their children about the book before, during, and after they read.
The same vocabulary words used in the Read- Aloud Lesson are used here to reinforce learning, further the discussion, and add context.
Meet Byron V. Garrett
Byron V. Garrett is the Executive Vice President of Government Partnerships at United Way Worldwide (UWW), leading the development of UWW’s strategic framework for government partnerships and collaborations, and scaling program growth across the United States and abroad. He also oversees the Emergency Food and Shelter Programming. Garrett is an Ed.D. Candidate in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy at Pepperdine University, holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations from High Point University. He has served as a subject matter expert for multiple national news outlets, and he has been recognized for his leadership as Ebony ’s Power 150 Most Influential Black Americans and on Black Enterprise ’s Modern Man 100 list.
scholastic.com/ByronGarrett
Item# 767559 5326-07 11/23
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