Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color



Using poetry this book tells the story of Prudence Crandall and her black students.  There are 24 sonnets that use various voices as they tell the history in Canterbury, Connecticut in the 1830’s.      

Reading Level:
     Lexile:  850
Genre/Theme:
     Nonfiction
     Poetry
     Diversity
     Racism

Subject:
     English Language Arts
     Social Studies - Prudence Crandall - 1833

Teaching ideas for a 6th Grade Classroom:
     Web Resources: http://www.ct.gov/cct/cwp/view.asp?a=2127&q=302260 – students can use this site to help further their research and understanding.  This site offers links to information on the trials, Prudence Crandall’s annotated biography, and information on all the students that attended her school.

http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4984 – Elizabeth Alexander talks about what poetry is and what if offers to us.  This motivational speech also includes the art of writing poetry.

Suggested Delivery:  Small Groups

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to introduce:  ignorance, pantaloons, dutiful, genealogy, valise, abdicate, alabaster, infinite
Have students watch the video from the link above to motivate students' reading and writing of poetry.
Using a KWL chart, ask students what they already know and what they want to learn about Prudence Crandall.  Write their responses.

During Reading:
Have students continue working on their KWL chart, filling in what they learned.  Have students participate in literary discussions based on the following questions:  How would this be viewed from the perspective of a Southerner?  Why do you think Prudence Crandall wanted to educate African-American girls? 

After Reading:
Have students use the following link to conduct research on Prudence Crandall and her students:  http://www.ct.gov/cct/cwp/view.asp?a=2127&q=302260 .  Have students work in pairs to write a Poem for Two Voices.  One student can take the role of Prudence Crandall while another student can take the role of one of the students or students may choose any 2 characters from the story or website.

Alexander, E., Nelson, M., & Cooper, F. (2007). Miss Crandall's school for young ladies and little misses of color: poems. London: Wordsong.


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Chocolate Fever


What happens when a boy loves chocolate so much that he eats it with every meal?  He will become diagnosed with "chocolate fever" of course.  In this humorous story, Henry Green loves chocolate so much that he makes himself sick.  When he wakes up one morning with large brown chocolate-smelling spots, the school nurse takes him to the hospital where he is diagnosed with "chocolate fever".  Will this be the end of his chocolate obsession? 

Reading Level:
     Lexile: 680

Genre/Theme:
     Fiction
     Humor
    
Subject:
     English Language Arts

Teaching ideas for a 3rd Grade Classroom:
     Web Resources: http://www.mce.k12tn.net/chocolate/fever/chocolate_fever.htm  has activities and questions for students to complete.  Teachers may have students use this website to complete portions of the activities or questions online or may choose to print the questions.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/chocolate-fever-discussion-guide gives teachers examples of questions for a literature circle guide.

Suggested Delivery:  Read aloud

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to introduce:  predicament, infirmary, revolting, bound, desolate, keen
After showing students the cover and reading the preview, have students make predictions. 

During Reading:
Have students begin a graphic organizer that has the character, setting, conflict, and resolution.

After Reading;
Students will use their graphic organizers to write a summary of the text.

Smith, R. K. (1972). Chocolate fever. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Eve of the Emperor Penguin


In order to save Merlin, Jack and Annie must continue their quest to find the secrets of happiness.  In this mission the Magic Tree House takes them to a place they have never visited before:  Antarctica.  It is here that they meet scientists, reporters, and penguins.  There goal is to find the Cave of the Ancient Crown.  This book was awarded Children's Choice in 2009.

Reading Level:
     Lexile: 530

Genre/Theme:
     Fiction
     Penguins
     Antarctica

Subject:
     English Language Arts
     Science

Teaching ideas for a 3rd Grade Classroom:
     Web Resources:   http://www.magictreehouse.com/#- students can use this site to create their passport, play games, or watch book trailers.

http://www.magictreehouse.com/#teachers-guide-40-penguin - teachers can use this site to get ideas that will help increase students comprehension through various activities.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/emperor-penguin/ is another great website which students can use to research facts about the Emperor Penguin.

Suggested Delivery:  Small Groups

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to introduce: cloak, enchanters, Gondwana, petrels, parkas, altitude sickness
Provide students with an anticipation guide that has the following three questions: 1) What do Jack and Annie have to look out for on Mount Erebus?  2) What scientific research station do Jack and Annie visit in Antarctica?  3) Eons ago, Antarctica broke away and drifted south from what supercontinent?

During Reading:
Have students use split-page notetaking to write down the main idea on one side and supporting details on the other.  Also, have students (after the main idea) state whether they believe this is fact or fiction.  This will help them as they conduct their research after the reading.  Have each student share their notes with their group.

After Reading:
Introduce the research guide that accompanys this book, Penguins and Antarctica.  Have students use the information from both books to conduct research about the Emperor Penguin.  Students may also use the website from above from National Geographic Kids.  Students may continue working in small groups as they take notes, write, edit, and revise their research findings.

Osborne, M. P., & Murdocca, S. (2008). Eve of the Emperor penguin. New York: Random House.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Pink and Say



This picture book takes place during the Civil War.  When 15 year-old Sheldon Curtis is wounded badly and left for dead, African-American Pinkus Aylee comes to his rescue.  Even though both boys are fighting for the Union, both are fighting for different causes. 

Reading Level:
     Lexile: 590

Genre/Theme:
     Diversity/Friendship
     Historical Fiction
     Civil War
     Courage

Subject:
     Social Studies
     English Language Arts

Teaching ideas for a 5th Grade Classroom:
     Web Resources: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/pink-and-say-lesson-plan offers a lesson plan which gives the idea for this book to be used as an initiation for the Civil War.

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/acquiring-vocabulary-through-book-170.html?tab=3#tabs also offers a lesson plan which helps students aquire new vocabulary through the reading of this book.

Suggested Delivery:  Small Groups

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to introduce:  mahogany, winderlight, marauders, vittles, spectacles, inconsolable
Using a KWL Chart, ask students what they know about the Civil War.  Record their responses.  Ask students what they hope to learn.  Record their responses. 

During Reading:
Students should continue working on KWL Chart.  Students should use highlighting tape to mark any unfamiliar words they come across, or keep a list of unfamiliar words in their reading journals.

After Reading:
Students will complete KWL Chart.  Students will pretend to be reporters working during the Civil War.  There job is to interview either Pink or Say at Andersonville Camp.  They must ask (and answer) atleast 5 questions.

Polacco, P. (1994). Pink and Say. New York: Philomel Books.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Who's Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse?



This graphic novel is an interpretation of The Lion and the Mouse, one of the most famous Aesop fables.  The lion claims to be the baddest in the land until he steps on a thorn.  None of the other animals want to help lion except the mouse.  The mouse helps lion and then quickly feels like he is the baddest in the land.  It's at this point that lion can see how he was acting.  The last line sends the message as lion says, "Is he who wants to be a bully just scared to be himself?"

Reading Level:
     Lexile: 490

Genre/Theme:
     Graphic Novel
     Aesop's Fables
     Bullying

Subject:
     English Language Arts

Teaching ideas for a 3rd Grade Classroom:
     Web Resources:
http://authors.simonandschuster.net/tagged_assets/ak01_0743222490_648.pdf gives teaching ideas for before, during , and after reading.

http://www.hbavenues.com/highpoint/library/LevLib.asp?CollectionID=1- offers teaching strategies for cause and effect, making inferences, summarizing, and paraphrasing.

Suggested Delivery:  Paired Reading

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to introduce:  strutting, savannah, bounded, sauntered, contraption, pestering
Have students make predictions based on the title and cover of the book.  Ask students what is meant by "got game".  Explain that it means "who's better".  Ask students what makes someone a bully.  Have them pair-share a time when they themselves were being bullied or they know someone that was being bullied.  Explain that throughout this story the characters change.  The purpose of this reading is to see if students can identify the various cause and effect relationships. 

During Reading:
Have students use a cause and effect graphic organizer.  After reading each section, students should work with their partner to identify any cause and effect relationships and fill in their chart. 

After Reading:
Have students check their predictions.  Since this story is a graphic novel, students can work in pairs to create a comic strip that explains what happened next to mouse or to lion.  Have the students share their completed comic strips with the class. http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/games-tools/comic-creator-a-30237.html offers a way for students to use technology and create their own comics.

Morrison, T., Morrison, S., & Lemaître, P. (2003). Who's got game?: the lion or the mouse?. New York: Scribner.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Library Mouse A World to Explore


Sam is a mouse that lives in the library.  He loves to read and research subjects and then write about them.  Sam quickly meets another mouse named Sarah.  She is quite the explorer. She loves to climb to the tops of shelves and explore the darkest corners of the building. Sam is too afraid to climb up far. Sarah doesn’t know much about writing or research, but could reading and research help her learn more about the places she wishes to visit?

Reading Level:
     Lexile: NC 830 - This book is ideal for students who are in 3rd grade and reading at a higher level.  The  Lexile Level is higher than the author's intended audience. 

Genre/Theme:
     Fiction
     Research/Writing

Subject:
     English Language Arts
    
Teaching ideas for a 3rd Grade Class:
     Web Resources:  http://issuu.com/hnabooks/docs/librarymousefinal offers a teaching guide including discussion questions, journal activity, and research project.

http://www.danielkirk.com/ is the author/illustrator of Library Mouse A World to Explore.  His website offers ideas such as having students create their own books.

Suggested Delivery:  Read aloud

Before Reading:
     Vocabulary to introduce:  reference books, gazing, gracefully, research, pharaohs, clenched
Ask students to brainstorm what they know about libraries.  What types of books will they find?  Introduce the text and have students make predictions based on the cover.  Introduce to students a Word Scavenger Hunt in which they are to listen for any words that relate to the library.

During Reading:
Pause throughout the reading and have students share any words they have found that relate to library. 
Have students check their predictions.

After Reading:
Have students share their responses to the Word Scavenger Hunt.  Write their responses on chart paper.  Did any of them mention research?  Sam loved to research various places and things and then write about them.  Have students choose a topic to research and write about.  Topics may include a current event, person, place, or thing.

Kirk, Daniel. (2010). Library Mouse A World to Explore. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the world's strangest parrot


On a remote island off the coast of New Zealand live the last 91 kakapo parrots on earth. Humans brought predators to the island which has brought this species near the brink of extinction.  Now this island serves as a refuge and a team of scientists are trying to restore the kakapo population.

Reading Level:    

     Lexile: 950
   

Genre/Theme:    
     Nonfiction
     Birds

Subject:    

     Science
     English Language Arts

Teaching ideas for a 4th Grade Class:
    
Web Resources:  http://www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/ is a great website for students to visit.  This website offers a Kids Track to follow the Kakapo rescue.  It also lets students meet the people who are working to save this beautiful bird. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbQgu0ilg8U Stephen Fry offers a 2:14 minute insight to the Kakapo and Codfish Island

Suggested Delivery:  Read aloud

Before Reading: 
     Vocabulary to introduce:  extinction, conservationists, quarantine, autopsy, predators, incubator
Give students an anticipation guide that will have the following questions:  What makes the Kakapo the world's strangest parrot?  What are some of the reasons they are near extinction?  Where is Codfish Island?  (Locate on world map)  Where is Lisa's nest?  What is meant by "mast years"?  What are nest-minders and why are they important?

During Reading:
Have students work on anticipation guide questions.  Help students take notes by using a split-page note taking technique.

After Reading:
Have students visit the Kakapo Recovery website from above.  Students can then compare information from their split-page note taking to the actual website.  Have students write a paragraph that entails the current status of this beautiful bird.
Montgomery, S., & Bishop, N. (2010). Kakapo rescue: saving the world's strangest parrot. Boston Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.