Genre: Informational
Publisher Information: Sleeping Bear Press (34 pgs)
Summary: This is a book that takes the alphabet and using each letter comes up with a symbol that represents North Carolina that begins with that letter. They take a page to describe the symbol and give some history of it, along with GREAT illustrations to make the symbols come alive.
Reading Level: 5.6
Interest Level: 3-5
Personal Rating: **** This book is a great book to use in the classroom! The illustrations are awesome and the information is interesting.
Integrations:
Social Studies: This book is a great way to introduce a unit on the symbols of North Carolina. My class creates a symbol book, where they write something about each symbol and then color a picture of it. This book would be great to use at the beginning of that unit.
Writing: Have students create their own alphabet book about a topic that interests them.
Possible Problems: none
Showing posts with label Alexis Merritt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alexis Merritt. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Publisher Information: Scholastic, Inc. (182 pgs)
Awards/Honors: Newberry Honor Book
Summary: This is a story about a little girl, named Opal, who lives with her daddy who is a preacher. They had just moved to Naomi, Florida and this little girl finds a dog in their local grocery store. The dog becomes the one stable thing in her life and helps her to become the strong-willed young lady that she needs to be.
Throughout the book, Opal befriends people from many different walks of life and therefore begins to learn a lot about herself and about life. At the beginning of the story she misses her mother very much, but as this story continues she learns to let go of her past and hold onto her future, all with the help of a dog!
Reading Level: 3.9
Interest Level: 3-5
Personal Rating: ****Great book!!! Really sweet plot!
Integration:
Writing: Create a newspaper article that covers the scene where Opal finds Winn-Dixie in the grocery store.
Write a letter to the preacher explaining why you wanted to work at Gertrude's Pets making sure that there are supportive reasons as to why you should work there and proof of your plan.
Math: You could create prices for the dog collar and leash that Opal wants to buy Winn-Dixie and help the owner of the pet shop come up with an installment plan so that Winn-Dixie can have a new collar and leash.
Culminating Activity: Dog Party-You could host a Dog Party that resembled the one that Opal had at the end of the story. This allows students to pay special attention to details.
Possible problems: None
Publisher Information: Scholastic, Inc. (182 pgs)
Awards/Honors: Newberry Honor Book
Summary: This is a story about a little girl, named Opal, who lives with her daddy who is a preacher. They had just moved to Naomi, Florida and this little girl finds a dog in their local grocery store. The dog becomes the one stable thing in her life and helps her to become the strong-willed young lady that she needs to be.
Throughout the book, Opal befriends people from many different walks of life and therefore begins to learn a lot about herself and about life. At the beginning of the story she misses her mother very much, but as this story continues she learns to let go of her past and hold onto her future, all with the help of a dog!
Reading Level: 3.9
Interest Level: 3-5
Personal Rating: ****Great book!!! Really sweet plot!
Integration:
Writing: Create a newspaper article that covers the scene where Opal finds Winn-Dixie in the grocery store.
Write a letter to the preacher explaining why you wanted to work at Gertrude's Pets making sure that there are supportive reasons as to why you should work there and proof of your plan.
Math: You could create prices for the dog collar and leash that Opal wants to buy Winn-Dixie and help the owner of the pet shop come up with an installment plan so that Winn-Dixie can have a new collar and leash.
Culminating Activity: Dog Party-You could host a Dog Party that resembled the one that Opal had at the end of the story. This allows students to pay special attention to details.
Possible problems: None
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deorah and James Howe
Genre: Fiction/Mystery
Publisher: Avon Camelot Books (99)
Awards: None
Summary: This is a story about a family who has a very smart cat named Chester that ends up turning into a detectivve when the Monroe family brings home a rabbit that was found during a showing of the movie Dracula. Harold, the family's dog, is not very happy about the newcomer in the house, but Chester notices certain qualities about the rabbit that makes him very curious.
Chester tries to get Harold to understand that the family has adopted a vampire bunny and that the bunny needs to be gotten rid of as soon as possible. Chester does everything to show the Monroes that they have made a BIG mistake. Chester fails at convincing the family, so he takes the situation into his own hand. He scares Bunnicula so bad that he refuses to leave his cage.
Harold tries to save the bunny by getting Bunnicula something to eat from the Monroes dinner table. The Monroes finally pick up on what the Harold is trying to do and they load up all three pets to go to the vet. The vet gives Bunnicula a liquid diet, Harold a clean bill of health, and Chester, a diagnosis of sibling rivalry.
Personal Rating: *** Good-It was a little slow-moving for me...but it was a cute story!
Reading Level: 4.8
Interest Level: 4-6
Integration Ideas:
P.E.- The students can do the bunny hop!
Social Studies- There is a note on Bunnicula when he is found written in a strange language from the region of Transylvania. Students can research Transylvania to see if it is a real place and about it's location.
Reading- Compare/Contrast with other mysterys that have been read.
Potential Problems: This story revolves around the idea of vampires-could conflict some children's religous beliefs.
Publisher: Avon Camelot Books (99)
Awards: None
Summary: This is a story about a family who has a very smart cat named Chester that ends up turning into a detectivve when the Monroe family brings home a rabbit that was found during a showing of the movie Dracula. Harold, the family's dog, is not very happy about the newcomer in the house, but Chester notices certain qualities about the rabbit that makes him very curious.
Chester tries to get Harold to understand that the family has adopted a vampire bunny and that the bunny needs to be gotten rid of as soon as possible. Chester does everything to show the Monroes that they have made a BIG mistake. Chester fails at convincing the family, so he takes the situation into his own hand. He scares Bunnicula so bad that he refuses to leave his cage.
Harold tries to save the bunny by getting Bunnicula something to eat from the Monroes dinner table. The Monroes finally pick up on what the Harold is trying to do and they load up all three pets to go to the vet. The vet gives Bunnicula a liquid diet, Harold a clean bill of health, and Chester, a diagnosis of sibling rivalry.
Personal Rating: *** Good-It was a little slow-moving for me...but it was a cute story!
Reading Level: 4.8
Interest Level: 4-6
Integration Ideas:
P.E.- The students can do the bunny hop!
Social Studies- There is a note on Bunnicula when he is found written in a strange language from the region of Transylvania. Students can research Transylvania to see if it is a real place and about it's location.
Reading- Compare/Contrast with other mysterys that have been read.
Potential Problems: This story revolves around the idea of vampires-could conflict some children's religous beliefs.
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Publisher Information: First Aladdin Paperbacks (138 pgs)
Awards/Honors: Newberry Medal, An American Library Association Notable Children's Book
Summary: This is a sweet story about a little boy, Mary Preston, who finds a beagle while playing in the woods behind his house. He falls in love with this puppy and calls him Shiloh. This dog comes with lots of trouble. This little puppy is owned by an alcoholic named Judd Travers who is very aggressive, abuses dogs, and owns a gun. Shiloh ends up running away to Marty, and Marty knows he just has to keep him hidden and protected from his mean, abusive, owner. This secret is too much for one little boy to handle and so he puts his whole family in the line of Judd's horrific anger. This story is about Marty's adventure to protect little Shiloh.
Personal Rating: **** This book is a great feel good book, but be careful while reading aloud and have some tissues!
Reading Level: 4.4
Interest Level: 3-5
Integration Ideas:
Reading: Have students do an animal rights research report. This can be a group effort or an individual project. Have them research the laws that protect animals and figure out who they would contact if they were in Marty's position (knowing someone is harming an animal on purpose).
Art: You can make a montage (a picture made up of many separate pictures) that tells the viewer about your family/community. Then have students share and compare their families to Marty's family.
Writing: Discuss dialect and Nonstandard English. You can choose some quotes from the story and have the students discuss in small groups what that sentence or quote means and how it fits appropriately in the story.
Possible problems: There are a few inappropriate words, so if conducting this as a read aloud just skip them...just remember this if the students are reading aloud with this story.
Publisher Information: First Aladdin Paperbacks (138 pgs)
Awards/Honors: Newberry Medal, An American Library Association Notable Children's Book
Summary: This is a sweet story about a little boy, Mary Preston, who finds a beagle while playing in the woods behind his house. He falls in love with this puppy and calls him Shiloh. This dog comes with lots of trouble. This little puppy is owned by an alcoholic named Judd Travers who is very aggressive, abuses dogs, and owns a gun. Shiloh ends up running away to Marty, and Marty knows he just has to keep him hidden and protected from his mean, abusive, owner. This secret is too much for one little boy to handle and so he puts his whole family in the line of Judd's horrific anger. This story is about Marty's adventure to protect little Shiloh.
Personal Rating: **** This book is a great feel good book, but be careful while reading aloud and have some tissues!
Reading Level: 4.4
Interest Level: 3-5
Integration Ideas:
Reading: Have students do an animal rights research report. This can be a group effort or an individual project. Have them research the laws that protect animals and figure out who they would contact if they were in Marty's position (knowing someone is harming an animal on purpose).
Art: You can make a montage (a picture made up of many separate pictures) that tells the viewer about your family/community. Then have students share and compare their families to Marty's family.
Writing: Discuss dialect and Nonstandard English. You can choose some quotes from the story and have the students discuss in small groups what that sentence or quote means and how it fits appropriately in the story.
Possible problems: There are a few inappropriate words, so if conducting this as a read aloud just skip them...just remember this if the students are reading aloud with this story.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Writing Groups
Writing groups are used during the revising stage of the writing process to help with CONTENT only! This activity is not used for mechanical errors. The process is a read aloud process so that the students do not get bogged down with the mechanical errors present in the writings. This process MUST BE MODELED in order for it to be successful. The writing groups form after 2 or more students have completed their rough drafts. During the group time students will complete the following steps with EVERY member of the group.
1.Read drafts: only the reader looks at the paper (does not focus on mechanics!)
2. Make Compliments: The listeners offer the reader compliments on the content of his or her story.
3. Ask Clarifying Questions: The writers ask the listeners if there are any spots that they should redo. This might be a time for the writer to ask for help on predetermined areas (writers block).
4. Others offer Suggestions: The listeners provide the reader with helpful tips to improve their writing. (It is helpful to create charts of examples of good ways to offer suggestions).
5. Repeat the process: Steps 1-4 will be repeated with all group members.
6. Make plans for revising!
The Mystery at Kill Devil Hills by Carole Marsh
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
Publisher Information: Gallopade International/Carole Marsh Books (145 pgs)
Awards: Learning Magazine's Teacher Choice Award
Summary: This is a mystery that revolves around 2 kids, Christina and Grant, who are heading to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with their grandparents to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wright's first flight. They meet up with their cousins in Manteo and are going to the festival with their aunt and uncle as well. Christina and Grant's uncle is on the team working to creat the replica of the plane used in the first flight. Things begin taking a turn for the worse when the replica ends up getting stolen. The children set off to solve this mystery together. They are bound and determined that the festival WILL go on and nothing (including horrible storms) can stop them.
Personal Rating ****Great! It is a great way to teach history using a mystery.
Reading Level: 4.5
Interest Level 3-5
Possible Integrations:
Social Studies: This is a great novel to integrate social studies with. You can discuss the history of the first flight. You can also practice using map skills to follow all the different places that the kids and their family travel during this mystery.
Reading: You can discuss cause and effect by listing the causes and effect of why someone would take the Wright Flyer. You can also talk about the elements of advertising and have students create a Flyer asking people to help locate the missing plane.
Science: You can discuss the elements of weather and hurricanes.
Potential Problems: None
Publisher Information: Gallopade International/Carole Marsh Books (145 pgs)
Awards: Learning Magazine's Teacher Choice Award
Summary: This is a mystery that revolves around 2 kids, Christina and Grant, who are heading to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with their grandparents to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wright's first flight. They meet up with their cousins in Manteo and are going to the festival with their aunt and uncle as well. Christina and Grant's uncle is on the team working to creat the replica of the plane used in the first flight. Things begin taking a turn for the worse when the replica ends up getting stolen. The children set off to solve this mystery together. They are bound and determined that the festival WILL go on and nothing (including horrible storms) can stop them.
Personal Rating ****Great! It is a great way to teach history using a mystery.
Reading Level: 4.5
Interest Level 3-5
Possible Integrations:
Social Studies: This is a great novel to integrate social studies with. You can discuss the history of the first flight. You can also practice using map skills to follow all the different places that the kids and their family travel during this mystery.
Reading: You can discuss cause and effect by listing the causes and effect of why someone would take the Wright Flyer. You can also talk about the elements of advertising and have students create a Flyer asking people to help locate the missing plane.
Science: You can discuss the elements of weather and hurricanes.
Potential Problems: None
Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
Genre: Fiction
Publisher Information: Philomel Books (31 pgs)
Awards: none
Summary: Thunder Cake is a story written about a little girl and her grandmother from Russia. The little girl is terrified of thunderstorms and so at the first sound of thunder her grandmother helps her to become preoccupied with baking a Thunder Cake, so that she will not worry about the storm that is heading their way. They count from the first flash of lightning until they hear a clap of thunder in order to tell how much time they have left to get their Thunder Cake in the oven. By the time the storm reaches their little farm house, the cake is complete, and the little girl and her grandmother enjoy eating their Thunder Cake while the storm rolls around them!
Reading Level: 3.5
Interest Level: 2-5
Integration Ideas:
Reading and Math- You can bake the Thunder Cake at the end of the story and discuss the elements of a recipe and following the directions of a recipe.
Math- Students can look at the different illustrations in the book, focusing on the patterns on the clothing and rugs, to find different patterns used. You can discuss patterns and how they can repeat. You can teach the students how to figure out the missing picture or number in patterns.
Social Studies: You can discuss your family tree and allow the students to make a simple family tree.
Writing: The students could write about a fear that they have and how they overcame it.
Personal Rating **** Great! This book is full of vibrant illustrations and a great story to bring about a discussion of fears and how to overcome them!
Potential Problems: None
Publisher Information: Philomel Books (31 pgs)
Awards: none
Summary: Thunder Cake is a story written about a little girl and her grandmother from Russia. The little girl is terrified of thunderstorms and so at the first sound of thunder her grandmother helps her to become preoccupied with baking a Thunder Cake, so that she will not worry about the storm that is heading their way. They count from the first flash of lightning until they hear a clap of thunder in order to tell how much time they have left to get their Thunder Cake in the oven. By the time the storm reaches their little farm house, the cake is complete, and the little girl and her grandmother enjoy eating their Thunder Cake while the storm rolls around them!
Reading Level: 3.5
Interest Level: 2-5
Integration Ideas:
Reading and Math- You can bake the Thunder Cake at the end of the story and discuss the elements of a recipe and following the directions of a recipe.
Math- Students can look at the different illustrations in the book, focusing on the patterns on the clothing and rugs, to find different patterns used. You can discuss patterns and how they can repeat. You can teach the students how to figure out the missing picture or number in patterns.
Social Studies: You can discuss your family tree and allow the students to make a simple family tree.
Writing: The students could write about a fear that they have and how they overcame it.
Personal Rating **** Great! This book is full of vibrant illustrations and a great story to bring about a discussion of fears and how to overcome them!
Potential Problems: None
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Genre: Fantasy
Publishing Information: Puffin Books (206 pgs)
Awards: none
Summary: The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) is written about the many adventures of the giant with a little girl that he captured when she woke up one night while the BFG was trying to steal her dreams. The BFG and Sophie go on many different adventures to ultimately try and stop all the bone-crunching giants once and for all. This is an account of all the exciting things that these two friends run into.
Personal Rating: ***Good-this book is a little hard to read aloud due to the made-up words and language.
Possible integration: This book reinforces and gives the teacher ample opportunity to use their context clues. Because of all the nonsense words, it is imperative for the students to use their context clues to figure out what the word is they are discussing.
The use of figurative language in this is very dramatic. This gives teachers the opportunity to discuss the different types of figurative language and how they are used in writing.
Reading Level: 5.8
Interest Level: 3-5
Potential Problems: The amount of nonsense words make it extremely difficult to read and to understand. It is important to use those context clues to figure out what is being discussied.
Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Book Genre: Realistic Fiction
The Putnam& Grosset Group (35 pgs)
Awards: None
Summary: This story is about a little girl named Trisha who can not wait to get into school and learn how to read. After she starts school, reading or anything academically driven does not come easy for her. She is constantly made fun of and receives no help from her teacher. When her mom gets a new job and she moves across country, Trisha is hopeful that her new school will not realize how much she struggles in school. That is not the case. She is still made fun of on a daily basis and still struggles in the "academic world." A new school year begins and there is a new teacher in the school Mr. Falker is a teacher who looks out for Trisha's every move and makes sure she is comfortable with who is is and he puts time and effort to fulfill Trisha's dream to read and write. At the end of the story, the author reveals that this is, in fact, an autobiographical account of her life.
Personal Rating: ****Great! This book is a great "feel good" book. This book gives everyone who reads it a new outlook on life in education.
Reading Level: 4.1
Interest Level: 3-5
Possible Integration:
Reading (connections): This is a great book to use on making connections. There could be a journal writing time where students are allowed to write about a time where they did not feel like they were being successful in some dream they were trying to achieve.
Character Development- Trisha has very distinct character traits during certain times during the story. This can lead to great use of a graphic organizer to show the change in character development.
Writing: Students can write a thank you letter to someone who has made a difference in their life.
Walter the Baker by Eric Carle
Book Genre: Fiction
Publishing Info: Simon & Schuster Child(28pgs)
Awards: none
Summary: This is a story about Walter, the baker, who is famous in his town for his rolls, cookies, tarts and pie. The Dutch and Duchess of this town are very fond of his sweet rolls that are hand delivered to them every morning by Walter's son. One day, the cat spilled the milk and therefore Walter had to improvise and used water instead of milk. He sends these "new rolls" to the Dutch and Duchess and the royalty are greatly disgusted. The Dutch threatens Walter, saying he will be banished from this town unless he can take the same dough and make a wonderful roll that the sun can shine through three times. After much hard work, Walter the Baker creates the pretzel to fulfil his obligation.
Personal Rating: ***Good story! The illustration and cute riddle outline helps keep the students attention.
Reading Level: 3.7
Interest Level: 2-4
Possible integration: After reading this story we discuss the different types of governments that are set up in the countries around the world. This gives a great opportunity to talk about the local, state, and national governments that are set up in our country. After some of that discussion you can discuss whether or not Walter the Baker should be banished from his town for not fulfilling his job. It's a great story to use during election discussions.
Potential Problems: none
Pancakes! Pancakes! Eric Carle
Genre: Fiction
Publisher and Pages: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (38)
Awards or Honors Received: none
Summary: This fictional story is a great walk-through a life of a pioneer breakfast. Jack wakes up to the roosters crow and decides that he wants a giant pancake for breakfast. Today's child could easily fulfill this request in no time at all, but in Jack's world it takes just a little more time! The readers will really enjoy reading this book on how the pioneers had to make pancakes. The "just add water" recipe has nothing compared to this "made from scratch" recipe that the readers can see during this story.
Personal Rating: **** This book is a great way for students to make a connection with the "olden days."
Reading Level: 3.6
Interest Level: 2-5
Uses across the Curriculum:
Social Studies: This is an easy book for students to complete a Venn Diagram with making breakfast today verses making breakfast in the "pioneer days." This book is used in my class to open up our study on pioneer days.
Math: Following a Recipe/Measurement-I have found two very different recipes one being a "made from scratch" recipe and another "just add water" recipe and allowed my students to create pancakes and practice following a recipe. The kids LOVE doing that...and it is yummy too!!
Potential Problems: None
Publisher and Pages: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (38)
Awards or Honors Received: none
Summary: This fictional story is a great walk-through a life of a pioneer breakfast. Jack wakes up to the roosters crow and decides that he wants a giant pancake for breakfast. Today's child could easily fulfill this request in no time at all, but in Jack's world it takes just a little more time! The readers will really enjoy reading this book on how the pioneers had to make pancakes. The "just add water" recipe has nothing compared to this "made from scratch" recipe that the readers can see during this story.
Personal Rating: **** This book is a great way for students to make a connection with the "olden days."
Reading Level: 3.6
Interest Level: 2-5
Uses across the Curriculum:
Social Studies: This is an easy book for students to complete a Venn Diagram with making breakfast today verses making breakfast in the "pioneer days." This book is used in my class to open up our study on pioneer days.
Math: Following a Recipe/Measurement-I have found two very different recipes one being a "made from scratch" recipe and another "just add water" recipe and allowed my students to create pancakes and practice following a recipe. The kids LOVE doing that...and it is yummy too!!
Potential Problems: None
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
My First Post
During this course I am looking most foward to taking the time to read 10 new books that I can use within my classroom. I love to read children's literature but rarely have time to do so. I will now be forced to take the time to read these books and think about how I can use them within my class. I am most concerned about the new technology and making sure that I complete all tasks and all tasks will be received. It will take some time to get used to, but after some practice I am sure that it will be very beneficial.
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