High Interest Book Resources for Low Struggling Readers

So you have a 5th grade boy that loves Minecraft, Nascar, and Science, but he reads at a first grade level, so you have to provide him with a book at a first grade interest level. 

This is a big struggle for many special education teachers! How do we find high interest books for these struggling readers? Books that aren't babyish? Books that they love? Books that will keep them wanting to read? 

What you need are "Hi-Lo" books. Hi-Lo Books is a term used to describe high interest, low readability books. Hi-Lo Books will engage your readers by giving them the content they want, yet setting them up for reading success! Hi-Lo Books can be hard to locate, but here are some resources to get you started!

Saddleback Publishing is a good place to start! They offer engaging topics for our older students, but at a level they can be successful at. 

You can click for a free sample of each book to make sure it is appropriate for your students before you purchase!

High Noon Books is another great resource for Hi-Lo Books! You can search for just the right books for your struggling readers by reading level, interest level, and subject!

You can search by Hi-Lo Levels!

You can find books at an interest level appropriate for 8-12 year olds for example, but at a first grade reading level.

You can also take a peek inside and preview a sample chapter to make sure it is appropriate for your readers!

HIP Books is another great place to get Hi-Lo books for your students!

They offer interest level books for as high as 12th grade and as low as a 1st to 2nd grade reading level.

Choose the books that your students WANT TO READ!

Hip Books doesn't have a preview button right on their page, but you can click on "Read a google books preview" and then view a sample of the book to make sure it's just right for your readers.

You can also find a nice list of Hi-Lo Books here from Schools on Wheels.

Do you have some Hi-Lo resources you could share? Please share with us in the comments!!

SPEDtacular Sunday Freebies Link Up!

Welcome! Every Sunday I host this freebie link up here on my blog for Special Education Teachers! Visit every week to download free resources for your classroom! If this is your first time visiting, you can access all of the freebies from previous link ups by clicking on "SPEDtacular Sunday Freebies" under "My Files" on my right sidebar. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you're a TPT seller, blogger, or resource creator, I invite you to link up and share your own freebie(s) using the link up tool below! 

Link Up Rules

1. All resources must be FREE! It can be free for the day, but please delete your link once you mark it back to paid.
2. You may link up 1-3 freebies.
3. Your freebie can link to your blog or store.
4. Freebie does not have to be related specifically to SPED, but should be practical for SPED.
5. If you are linking up from your blog, using this image in your post and linking back to my blog is not required, but is greatly appreciated! 
6. Share this image on your social media so others can enjoy all of these freebies and drive more traffic to your store/blog!

*I recommend using an image of your freebie & not your button when linking up. 

 Feel free to share the image above all over your social media to let other teachers know about these freebies! 

The link up tool will close on Saturday each week, but "forever" freebies will remain accessible! Come back every Sunday to link up or download new freebies!

An InLinkz Link-up

SPEDtacular Sunday Freebies Link Up

Welcome! Every Sunday I host this freebie link up here on my blog for Special Education Teachers! Visit every week to download free resources for your classroom! If this is your first time visiting, you can access all of the freebies from previous link ups by clicking on "SPEDtacular Sunday Freebies" under "My Files" on my right sidebar. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you're a TPT seller, blogger, or resource creator, I invite you to link up and share your own freebie(s) using the link up tool below! 

Link Up Rules

1. All resources must be FREE! It can be free for the day, but please delete your link once you mark it back to paid.
2. You may link up 1-3 freebies.
3. Your freebie can link to your blog or store.
4. Freebie does not have to be related specifically to SPED, but should be practical for SPED.
5. If you are linking up from your blog, using this image in your post and linking back to my blog is not required, but is greatly appreciated! 
6. Share this image on your social media so others can enjoy all of these freebies and drive more traffic to your store/blog!

*I recommend using an image of your freebie & not your button when linking up. 

 Feel free to share the image above all over your social media to let other teachers know about these freebies! 

The link up tool will close on Saturday each week, but "forever" freebies will remain accessible! Come back every Sunday to link up or download new freebies!

An InLinkz Link-up

Really Fun Sensory Bottles

Sensory Bottles are so fun and therapeutic! They can be calming and mesmerizing for children of all ages! They serve as an excellent calming tool for anxious children and children that need help with self-regulation skills. And they're so easy to make too and I love how creative you can be! The possibilities are endless! Sensory bottles don't just have to be liquid AND they make great inexpensive Christmas gifts too! Let's get creative and create some fun sensory bottles!!

Here are some of my favorites!

Since we're in the season of Christmas!

How fun is this sensory bottle from "Stir the Wonder?" All you need is a green Sprite bottle, some pom poms or other Christmas accessories, glitter, and a star for the top.

Here's a fun snowman sensory bottle for the winter by "Little Bins for Little Hands".

Another fun winter sensory bottle that just uses water, blue glittery Elmer's glue, and some snowflakes. This sensory bottle is from "No Time for Flash Cards."

Spruce up any holiday in a jiffy with a holiday themed sensory bottle like this Valentine's Day one from "Rhythms of Play."

This marble sensory bottle by "Ryan & Marsha" is a favorite, that's made using hair gel, water, and glitter...and marbles of course!

Here's another fun slow motion sensory bottle using hair gel from "Childhood 101." 

Water bead sensory bottles are always a hit and require little work to put together. Kids will love watching the beads absorb the water and expand!

Learn more about these at "Parenting Chaos."

And why not get magnetic! How enticing is this one!? Check these out from "Play to Learn Preschool."

Put magnetic objects in your sensory bottle and give your students a magnetic wand or a magnet and let them play!! You can get magnetic wands here.

And sensory bottles aren't just limited to liquid! 

Fill your sensory bottle with rice and small hidden treasures that students have to find! Love this idea from "DIY Projects." I paid $25 for my "Original" "Find It" Games. These can be made for less than $10. 

Another "dry" sensory bottle you can make without liquid from "Preschool Inspirations."

Kids are sure to have a hay day shaking these up!

The possibilities are endless with sensory bottles! Be creative! Try whatever! I've made them with dish soap, corn syrup, baby oil, cooking oil, and even clear shampoo! You can't mess up! Just be sure to glue your lids on using super glue or a hot glue gun!

And sensory bottles aren't just for kids! Who knows, you might just find them to be a calming tool for you as well!

Check out my new Sensory Bottle Pinterest Board for more sensory bottle ideas!

SPEDtacular Sunday Freebies Link Up!

Welcome! Every Sunday I host this freebie link up here on my blog for Special Education Teachers! Visit every week to download free resources for your classroom! If this is your first time visiting, you can access all of the freebies from previous link ups by clicking on "SPEDtacular Sunday Freebies" under "My Files" on my right sidebar. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you're a TPT seller, blogger, or resource creator, I invite you to link up and share your own freebie(s) using the link up tool below! 

Link Up Rules

1. All resources must be FREE! It can be free for the day, but please delete your link once you mark it back to paid.
2. You may link up 1-3 freebies.
3. Your freebie can link to your blog or store.
4. Freebie does not have to be related specifically to SPED, but should be practical for SPED.
5. If you are linking up from your blog, using this image in your post and linking back to my blog is not required, but is greatly appreciated! 
6. Share this image on your social media so others can enjoy all of these freebies and drive more traffic to your store/blog!

*I recommend using an image of your freebie & not your button when linking up. 

 Feel free to share the image above all over your social media to let other teachers know about these freebies! 

The link up tool will close on Saturday each week, but "forever" freebies will remain accessible! Come back every Sunday to link up or download new freebies!

An InLinkz Link-up