By: John Reynolds
Chapter Book
The story of ten year old Willy and his dog Searchlight, who enter a dog race to pay his grandfather’s taxes on his farm, will touch the hearts of every child. Willy takes responsibility for his grandfather’s farm and decides to save what he can of the family he has. He takes his beloved dog and train to race in a dog race for a cash prize. Willy and searchlight’s struggles with the competition, Indian racer “Stone Fox” who ends up reaching out to Willy and helping them, prove that good character will hold strong in any situation. This book would be a great read aloud book and perfect for practicing analysis of characters. Sense the book ends on a hanger, the students could write a final chapter to the book. There are many web-quest online for stone fox which would also be great for the classroom.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Talent Show from the Black Lagoon
By: Mike Thaler
Graphic Novel- Chapter Book
This book is about a class who is forced to have preform in the school talent show by their mean teacher Mrs. Green. The rule is each student has to be on stage performing for exactly one minute or more. Students are terrified and very unmotivated. After practice and learning how fun the stage can be, the students have a change of heart and realize they were just scared of being in the talent show and should have given the idea a better chance before they decided to dislike it. With students, I would discuss topics cleverness, imagination, creativity, and confronting and resolving fears. Great book to read if the school is having a talent show of a similar public event where some students may need an extra hand coming out of their shell with.
Graphic Novel- Chapter Book
This book is about a class who is forced to have preform in the school talent show by their mean teacher Mrs. Green. The rule is each student has to be on stage performing for exactly one minute or more. Students are terrified and very unmotivated. After practice and learning how fun the stage can be, the students have a change of heart and realize they were just scared of being in the talent show and should have given the idea a better chance before they decided to dislike it. With students, I would discuss topics cleverness, imagination, creativity, and confronting and resolving fears. Great book to read if the school is having a talent show of a similar public event where some students may need an extra hand coming out of their shell with.
Julius Baby of the World
Fantasy
By: Kevin Henkes
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/695249/Julius_Baby_of_the_World
This is a wonderful book to analyze a character’s qualities. With this book, I would use it to reinforce how much we love our families, and emphasis the point of “we don’t pick our families but we automatically love them” especially when someone else may think badly of them. Stress the importance of love in our lives and making smart choices when it comes to our actions. This is a great character quality book! It does well with recognizing good and bad qualities in a character and deals with a changing character in a
story.
By: Kevin Henkes
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/695249/Julius_Baby_of_the_World
This is a wonderful book to analyze a character’s qualities. With this book, I would use it to reinforce how much we love our families, and emphasis the point of “we don’t pick our families but we automatically love them” especially when someone else may think badly of them. Stress the importance of love in our lives and making smart choices when it comes to our actions. This is a great character quality book! It does well with recognizing good and bad qualities in a character and deals with a changing character in a
story.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Chair for my Mother
By: Vera B. Williams
Multicultural
Voice Thread https://cedncsu.ed.voicethread.com/#e412843
Henry's Freedom Box
By: Kadir Nelson
Realistic/Historical
Voice Thread: https://cedncsu.ed.voicethread.com/#e412786Monday, March 23, 2009
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
By: Debrah Hopkinson
Realistic/Historical
This book is a great read when studying slavery and the under ground railroad. Student get and insight to life as a slave and how hard it was for the African Americans who were victims of slavery during this time period. It also teaches students about people coming together for a common cause and how one should never give up on their dreams despite what other tell them. This book would be wonderful for the classroom or to use at reading time.
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/681234/Clara
Realistic/Historical
This book is a great read when studying slavery and the under ground railroad. Student get and insight to life as a slave and how hard it was for the African Americans who were victims of slavery during this time period. It also teaches students about people coming together for a common cause and how one should never give up on their dreams despite what other tell them. This book would be wonderful for the classroom or to use at reading time.
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/681234/Clara
How My Parents Learned to Eat
By: Ina R FriedmanMulticultural
This story is a great read for classes with multiple cultures. The story of two people meeting and coming from two totally different backgrounds keeps the students on their toes wondering what will happen next. It is comical in the sense of understanding everyone does not grow up in the same way we do in this culture and how it can be difficult to learn other cultures if we are not open minded and accepting. This story teaches how people can get along even if they do not have the same culture background. This is a great story about the Japanese culture and how our soldiers may have to adjust when they are overseas.
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/681230/How_my_Parents
This story is a great read for classes with multiple cultures. The story of two people meeting and coming from two totally different backgrounds keeps the students on their toes wondering what will happen next. It is comical in the sense of understanding everyone does not grow up in the same way we do in this culture and how it can be difficult to learn other cultures if we are not open minded and accepting. This story teaches how people can get along even if they do not have the same culture background. This is a great story about the Japanese culture and how our soldiers may have to adjust when they are overseas.
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/681230/How_my_Parents
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
By: Jon Scieszka
Traditional/Folk
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/681223/The_true_story_of_the_three_little_pigs
Traditional/Folk
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/681223/The_true_story_of_the_three_little_pigs
Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding
By: Lenore Look
Multicultural
This intriguing book tells the story of a girl who not quite ready to see her uncle be married, and the fact that her uncle is marrying into a unfamiliar culture makes her even more adamant. Through out the story the girl complains about the differences between her uncle’s soon to be wife and how she is not happy with anything that is going on. She does not get as much attention from her uncle as usual and she becomes very upset. When the wedding final gets here she is still very discourage with everything until it is time for her uncle and his new wife to leave. Her new aunt pulls her aside and gives her a very special gift and tells her how excited she is to have a niece now. The girl’s attitude about the situation changes drastically. She becomes happy for her new aunt and uncle. This story is great for students who may be getting a new family member. Probably a great approach for student who have step parents also because it express the importance of marriage and being happy. This also introduces a great deal of the Chinese cultural and their traditional weddings
Multicultural
This intriguing book tells the story of a girl who not quite ready to see her uncle be married, and the fact that her uncle is marrying into a unfamiliar culture makes her even more adamant. Through out the story the girl complains about the differences between her uncle’s soon to be wife and how she is not happy with anything that is going on. She does not get as much attention from her uncle as usual and she becomes very upset. When the wedding final gets here she is still very discourage with everything until it is time for her uncle and his new wife to leave. Her new aunt pulls her aside and gives her a very special gift and tells her how excited she is to have a niece now. The girl’s attitude about the situation changes drastically. She becomes happy for her new aunt and uncle. This story is great for students who may be getting a new family member. Probably a great approach for student who have step parents also because it express the importance of marriage and being happy. This also introduces a great deal of the Chinese cultural and their traditional weddings
They Boy and His Violin
By: Gavin Curtis
Illustrated by: E.B. Lewis
Realistic/Historical
This book is a very moving and powerful story. Besides the beautiful illustrations, the story can relate to most students. A boy, who is the son of a former Negro baseball player, has a gift for playing the violin. He would rather play than take any interest in his father’s manager position of the Negro baseball team, The Dukes. One day his father tells him he will be their new bat boy. Worried he will not be able to practice as much, his negotiates with his father and they work out a deal where he can practice in between innings. The boy is a much better musician than a bat boy and the team prefers his music over his bat boy skills anyway. So he plays. He plays Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and many familiar melodies for the players. The team goes on a winning streak and they so appreciation to the boy. When they lose their final game, the boy fears his father will go back to disliking his music. His father simply tells him no ball game or violin will stop him from loving his son. This book does well with connecting a father and son with different interest. It also relates well with the segregation history during the time of the civil rights movement. Using this book in the classroom will enlighten students to the past times and also introduce the many shapes of family and relationships.
Illustrated by: E.B. Lewis
Realistic/Historical
This book is a very moving and powerful story. Besides the beautiful illustrations, the story can relate to most students. A boy, who is the son of a former Negro baseball player, has a gift for playing the violin. He would rather play than take any interest in his father’s manager position of the Negro baseball team, The Dukes. One day his father tells him he will be their new bat boy. Worried he will not be able to practice as much, his negotiates with his father and they work out a deal where he can practice in between innings. The boy is a much better musician than a bat boy and the team prefers his music over his bat boy skills anyway. So he plays. He plays Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and many familiar melodies for the players. The team goes on a winning streak and they so appreciation to the boy. When they lose their final game, the boy fears his father will go back to disliking his music. His father simply tells him no ball game or violin will stop him from loving his son. This book does well with connecting a father and son with different interest. It also relates well with the segregation history during the time of the civil rights movement. Using this book in the classroom will enlighten students to the past times and also introduce the many shapes of family and relationships.
Abraham Lincoln
By: David A. Alder
Biography
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/680148/Ab_Lincoln
This book is full on history and interesting facts and details of Ab Lincoln’s amazing life. Students will be able to get a look at his life before his was president and some of his experiences that encouraged him to become such an inspiration to our nation. Great book for president’s day or even to read of Feb. 12th, Lincoln’s birthday!
Biography
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/680148/Ab_Lincoln
This book is full on history and interesting facts and details of Ab Lincoln’s amazing life. Students will be able to get a look at his life before his was president and some of his experiences that encouraged him to become such an inspiration to our nation. Great book for president’s day or even to read of Feb. 12th, Lincoln’s birthday!
Paul Bunyan
By: Landoll
Traditional/folk
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/680123/Paul_Bunyan
This book would work well with the 3rd grade tall tales unit. This is a good introduction to who Paul Bunyan is and why he is considered a hero. Students will be enlightened by the exaggeration and elaboration of this story. Teacher could also explain the different version of this story and how they compare or contrast. Also, it would be great to discuss the relationship between Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox.
Traditional/folk
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/680123/Paul_Bunyan
This book would work well with the 3rd grade tall tales unit. This is a good introduction to who Paul Bunyan is and why he is considered a hero. Students will be enlightened by the exaggeration and elaboration of this story. Teacher could also explain the different version of this story and how they compare or contrast. Also, it would be great to discuss the relationship between Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox.
Johnny Appleseed (my story)
By: David L. Harrison
Traditional/Folk
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/680103/Johnny_Appleseed_(my_story)
Great introduction to Johnny Appleseed! This book touches on a little bit of everything, as far as the different versions, with relating small details to his overall big Legend. Explanations of where and why Johnny Appleseed traveled are given in this version and also details of his childhood. Teacher could use this book to introduce the Legend of Johnny Appleseed or they could read other versions first and use this version to tie all the small details together. Great for teaching legends and tall tales.
Traditional/Folk
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/680103/Johnny_Appleseed_(my_story)
Great introduction to Johnny Appleseed! This book touches on a little bit of everything, as far as the different versions, with relating small details to his overall big Legend. Explanations of where and why Johnny Appleseed traveled are given in this version and also details of his childhood. Teacher could use this book to introduce the Legend of Johnny Appleseed or they could read other versions first and use this version to tie all the small details together. Great for teaching legends and tall tales.
If Dogs were Dinosaurs
By: David M. Schwartz
Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Wow! What a fun and imaginative book to read. This book provides all kinds of “if/then” scenarios great for sparking children’s imaginations. The first scenario is “if a dog were as big as a dinosaur then his food would fill up the living room”. My personal favorites include: “if the moon were a marble, then you could play baseball with planet Earth” and “If cruise ships were the size of kayaks, then you could race speed boats in your cereal”. Reading book like this to students would not only be enjoyable and fun but it will encourage children to use their imagination when they are writing. This book will teach children that it is okay to get creative with your writing and understand how much fun imaginative and creative writing is!
Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Wow! What a fun and imaginative book to read. This book provides all kinds of “if/then” scenarios great for sparking children’s imaginations. The first scenario is “if a dog were as big as a dinosaur then his food would fill up the living room”. My personal favorites include: “if the moon were a marble, then you could play baseball with planet Earth” and “If cruise ships were the size of kayaks, then you could race speed boats in your cereal”. Reading book like this to students would not only be enjoyable and fun but it will encourage children to use their imagination when they are writing. This book will teach children that it is okay to get creative with your writing and understand how much fun imaginative and creative writing is!
Young Martin Luther King, Jr.
By: Joanne Mattern
Non-fiction/ biography
The Biography of Martin Luther King Jr. is great for the classroom. Children will not only be intrigued but able to connect to this story mainly because the author provides stories from Dr. King’s childhood that would be easy for students to relate too. Starting with Dr. King’s childhood, the story tells the readers about how he grew up and at only 6 years old he had his first racial encounter from his friends’ mother who was white. Dr. King was a very smart man, graduating at only 15 from high school; he went on to Boston to get his college education. There he met his wife and they married. He became a preacher like his father and little did Dr. King know he would grow up to be one of the most profound men of his time. He helped change unfair laws and game the African Americans of his time a reason to stand up for what was right.
Non-fiction/ biography
The Biography of Martin Luther King Jr. is great for the classroom. Children will not only be intrigued but able to connect to this story mainly because the author provides stories from Dr. King’s childhood that would be easy for students to relate too. Starting with Dr. King’s childhood, the story tells the readers about how he grew up and at only 6 years old he had his first racial encounter from his friends’ mother who was white. Dr. King was a very smart man, graduating at only 15 from high school; he went on to Boston to get his college education. There he met his wife and they married. He became a preacher like his father and little did Dr. King know he would grow up to be one of the most profound men of his time. He helped change unfair laws and game the African Americans of his time a reason to stand up for what was right.
Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket
By: Barbara Park
Chapter Book
This book does well with relating to children who have a fear to overcome. Junie and her class plan to take a field trip to the farm. Meanwhile, Junie hears that roosters are mean at every farm. Junie struggles with many excuses of why she absolutely can not go to the farm. She pretends to be sick, acts like her homework load is too heavy, and many other trying tasks to escape the farm. Finally her mother tries to excite Junie by buying her overalls and a disposable camera to take pictures. Her efforts did excite Junie but did not take away Junie’s fear of the rooster. While at the farm she finds a baby chick that she falls in love with. When the farmer tells her the chick will soon become a rooster, Junie realizes that ALL roosters are not mean. I would use Junie’s example to emphasis giving something’s a chance before we decide we do not like them.
Chapter Book
This book does well with relating to children who have a fear to overcome. Junie and her class plan to take a field trip to the farm. Meanwhile, Junie hears that roosters are mean at every farm. Junie struggles with many excuses of why she absolutely can not go to the farm. She pretends to be sick, acts like her homework load is too heavy, and many other trying tasks to escape the farm. Finally her mother tries to excite Junie by buying her overalls and a disposable camera to take pictures. Her efforts did excite Junie but did not take away Junie’s fear of the rooster. While at the farm she finds a baby chick that she falls in love with. When the farmer tells her the chick will soon become a rooster, Junie realizes that ALL roosters are not mean. I would use Junie’s example to emphasis giving something’s a chance before we decide we do not like them.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Pictures from our Vacation
Pictures From our Family Vacation
By: Lynne Rae Perkins (winner of the Newbery medal)
Moonpowder (Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction)
Moonpowder
By: John Rocco
Beautiful Illustrations!!!!
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/614588/Moonpowder
By: John Rocco
Beautiful Illustrations!!!!
http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/614588/Moonpowder
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Watson's go to Birmingham 1963 (Chapter Book)
This book was very eventful and fun! This is definitely the type of easy read you just don't want to put down. With Byron keeping the family on their feet and, Kenny and Joetta reminding Mama and Daddy there is hope for their children, the Watsons stumble upon a series of challenges and find ultimate rock of the family. Kenny's role in the family can be argued the most important. He's level headedness and lightheartedness, he makes his mark on the entire family and also the community. In the classroom, it would be very easy to read a chapter aloud in class and have time to discuss events from the chapter and important details. For the book to be set in 1963, the racial discrimination of this time was not obvious until the final chapters of the book. This of course, was because the family were in Flint, (the north) during the most of the book and traveled south to Birmingham. This was a change and was a reality for the family. Byron's attitude completely changed after his visit to the south. In fact, Byron's first experience with Grandma was a change for him. When she asked him to go to the store, it was not an option, it was a order. He had to obey, no questions. Kenny's reactions to his experience with the bombing of the church really but an emphasise on how much he really hold this family together. While he was hiding behind the couch everyday, the family was not the same. Byron finally broke down and explained to his little brother how important he was to the family. The southern experience and church bombing changed the entire family forever.
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