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Simply Special Ed

Resource Downloads & Teaching Advice

Back to School Blog Book Recommendations Fall Seasonal Simple Classroom

The Best Book Companions for Back to School

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

Book companions are a fun and engaging way to get students interacting with a read aloud picture book! When I was teaching I had a lot of difficulty finding leveled book companions that would meet the needs of students in my self-contained classroom, so I made my own. Here’s a look inside the best book companions for special education classrooms (Back to school themed).

((This blog post contains affiliate links for your convenience. You don’t pay any more by clicking my link (and I actually find the best prices for you!) but I make a small commission off of sales. This helps me to test out more materials and bring you more quality content. Thanks for supporting my little blog!))

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

WHAT ARE BOOK COMPANIONS?

Book companions are a set of effective extension activities that go along with a published book. Book companions are a SUPPLEMENT to the book and do not contain any text from the book. You must have access to the book to use the book companion (you can get access by purchasing the book on amazon, finding the book at your library, or listening to a read aloud on youtube.)

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

HOW DO YOU USE BOOK COMPANIONS?

First, the teacher would read the book aloud in a whole group setting. Then the students would break apart into independent work and small group to use the companion materials at their own level.

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

MY BOOK COMPANIONS INCLUDE:

Leveled Comprehension Quizzes

– Level 1: Picture Comprehension

– Level 2: Written Response

– Level 3: Blank Response

Visuals

– Craft (with real picture visuals)

– Whole Group

Vocabulary

– Clips Cards

– Matching Cards

Worksheets

– Craft Sequencing

– Sequencing

– Story Map

Teacher Planning Guide

– Suggested Schedule

– Suggested Materials

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

WHY ARE SIMPLY SPECIAL ED’S BOOK COMPANIONS DIFFERENT?

My book companions are specifically created with special education and self-contained classrooms in mind. What does that mean? My book companions include leveled materials that will meet the needs of every student in your classroom. This makes the planning easier on the teacher. I also select the books with special education classrooms in mind.

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

Here are the Back to School book companion books!

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

WHAT BOOKS ARE INCLUDED FOR THE BACK TO SCHOOL SET?

The Back to School Set of Book Companions includes the following picture books (affiliate links below):

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

READY TO TRY BACK TO SCHOOL BOOK COMPANIONS?

Grab Fall Book Companions on TPT here.

Grab Fall Book Companions on SSE here.

Book companions are an engaging way to get students interacting with a book. Check out the best book companions for special education.

((This blog post contains affiliate links for your convenience. You don’t pay any more by clicking my link (and I actually find the best prices for you!) but I make a small commission off of sales. This helps me to test out more materials and bring you more quality content. Thanks for supporting my little blog!))

Interested in more book companions?

The Fall Set is available here.

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Hi amazing teachers!
I'm Alyssa Shanahan -- a former Elementary Special Ed & Life Skills teacher. My classroom focus was always to keep things simple, increase communication, and build independence. Simply Special Ed's goal is to help teachers and students reach their full potential in and out of the classroom!

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