Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Anything But Typical

Schneider Family Book Award Winner
“Jason?” my mother says to me. 
“ I want you to know, 
this trip has been one of 
the best things I’ve ever done.”
“All this time I thought 
I was supposed to be teaching you, 
“ I was wrong.”
“ I thought you 
were supposed to learn
 how to get along without me.” 
“ But it was me, all along,’ she says. 
“ It is me who needs you, Jason. 
You’ve taught me so much this trip.  
You’ve taught me about being brave.”







Anything But Typical is: Fascinating, Powerful, Insightful, Realistic, and Breathtaking

Anything But Typical
Written by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Adults

Reading Level:
Lexile: HL640L
Grade Level: 5-6
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud, Independently, or Guided Reading

Summary:

Twelve-year-old Jason Blake just wants to be normal. He is always getting into trouble and people don’t understand him. Four years ago, Jason was diagnosed with Autism. At school everyone is mean to Jason except for one boy, named Aaron.  Jason has no REAL friends because when other students interact with him all they see is his AUTISM. His peers see a boy who throws tantrums, doesn't speak much, flaps his arms and makes funny sounds – they do not see the intelligent boy underneath his diagnosis. The one way that Jason can express himself is through his writing.  While writing a story on an online site, Jason meets a girl called Phoenixbird, Jason believes that Phoenixbird may be his first real friend.  When both Phoenixbird and Jason have the opportunity to meet in person at a writing conference, Jason is terrified that she will only see his autism and not the person who he really is.  Will Phoenixbird and more importantly, Jason accept himself for who he is?

Electronic Resources for Educators:



Baskin/9781416995005#video-73431317001
This website by Simon and Schuster has a video of Nora Raleigh Baskin talking about her book and also some great classroom activities related to the the book.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wES6ZeoDaUs
This short clip explains what autism is and what it is like to live with autism.

Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary:


Comprehension Activities for the Classroom Teacher:

Before Reading Activity: Word Wall-
Create a word wall in your classroom.  Post all of the letters of the alphabet on a bulletin board and leave space under each letter for students to place index cards of words that they come across as they read.  Explain to your students that there are many words in this book that they may not know, for example Jason has a new word that he talks about in almost every chapter.  Explain that as they read if they come across an unfamiliar word then it is their duty to take that unknown word and put it up on the word wall. Students will use index cards to write the word,  the sentence where they saw the word in the book, and a connotative definition. Each student will be responsible to find at least five words for the word wall.


During Reading Activity: Directed Reading- Thinking Activity

 Direct- For each chapter in the book have your students preview the chapter and make multiple predictions about what they believe will happen in that chapter. They should look at chapter titles and anything else that might give them a clue about the chapter.  Teachers should use open-ended questions to direct student thinking as they question the text and form predictions.

Reading- For each section that students read they should find evidence to support or change their prediction within the text.  Students should keep track of the page number where they find evidence. Use the reading rockets DRTA log below to keep track of predictions and evidence.

Thinking- After reading a chapter, students' thinking will be deepened by answering questions from the teacher and modifying their predictions to meet what actually happened in the story.

http://www.readingrockets.org/content/pdfs/DRTA%20Prediction%20Log.pdf- this is a log for students to use to keep track of their predictions and evidence.

Post Reading Activity: Exit Slip On http://padlet.com/wall/w7tqvejcvld4
Students should write a response to the questions on this padlet site.

Writing Activity: Why do you think Jason is no nervous to meet Phoenixbird in person?
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Sunday, February 15, 2015

January's Sparrow


IRA Teachers' Choice Selection
“ These here men,” 
he announced 
over the din of the mob, 
“ have the right, under the law, 
to reclaim their property!” 
The crowd roared. 
“Property! 
People ain’t nobody’s property,” 
a voice called out.









January's Sparrow is: Heartening, Creative, Emotional, Memorable, and Poignant

January's Sparrow
Written and Illustrated by Patricia Polacco
Published by Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2009

Reading Level:
Lexile: 760L
Grade Level(s): 3-6
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud

Summary:

January’s Sparrow is a true story about determination, courage, freedom, and love. After being told that their boys were going to be sold, the Crosswhite family decides to runaway from the plantation that they have been working on as slaves.  The family leaves behind everything they know for the chance to be free. As they follows the Underground Railroad they stop in Marshall, Michigan.  The family ends up staying in the quaint town much longer than expected, and they become an integral part of the it. Throughout their time in Marshall, the Crosswhite’s are constantly aware of the possibility that they could be identified as runaway slaves, and they are always on the lookout for slave catchers. When the Crosswhite’s worst nightmare comes true, it is heartwarming to see what the townspeople do to stand up for what is right and to protect their friends.  


Electronic Resources for Educators:


This is a book trailer for the story.  


This is a guide for educators on books written by Patricia Polacco that includes: curriculum connections, comprehension activities, and discussion questions.


In order to read this book, students need to have an understanding of the Underground Railroad.  This is a brief summary and introduction to the Underground Railroad.

Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary:

Before Reading Activity:  http://blabberize.com/view/id/1258713
Directions and questions for this activity can be found on the link above.
Build a chart on the board with your students about what they know about the underground railroad. Ask these questions: What was the Underground Railroad? Why was it called the Underground Railroad? Who traveled the Underground Railroad?? Why did they travel the Underground Railroad?  What were some of the challenges that slaves faced while they traveled the Underground Railroad?
-Use the resources in the electronic resources section to help explain the Underground Railroad to your students.

During Reading Activity: As you read January’s Sparrow, keep track of the characters who were part of the Underground Railroad and what they did to help others during the story. You can use the character scrapbook through scholastic to accomplish this task.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/scrapbook/

 Also discuss why the Crosswhite's left the plantation and their experiences after leaving it.

Post Reading Activity: Tossed Terms-

     This is a basketball  type of game where students are split into two teams. It is imperative that the students  know the key vocabulary terms in the book. There is a ball and a goal if they get the ball in the goal then they are asked a vocabulary word. They are only awarded points if they know the meaning of the word. 

 Writing Activity: Why do you think a slave or family of slaves would be afraid to leave their plantation and travel the Underground Railroad?

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

Wonderstruck

Schneider Family Book Award Winner
" We are all in the gutter,
but some of us are looking at the stars."
















Wonderstruck is: Moving, Intense, Fascinating, Heartwarming, and Imaginative
Wonderstruck
Written and Illustrated by Brian Selznick
Published by Scholastic Press, 2011

Reading Level:
Lexile: 830L
Grade Level: 5-8
Suggested Delivery: Independently, Guided Reading

Summary:

Wonderstruck tells the story of two deaf characters, Ben and Rose, whose stories are told fifty years apart. While one story is told through words, the other is shared through very detailed, ingenious drawings. Both characters set out on a quest to find their way in life.  After some traumatic events, Ben leaves his hometown in search of his father.  Fifty years before Ben’s story takes place, Rose is tired of being held captive in her home in Hoboken and is ready to explore New York City. She is sick of viewing the city from her bedroom window because her parents felt that letting a deaf child explore the city would be very dangerous.  After reading both individuals’ heartbreaking, inspiring stories separately, the characters meet up towards the end of the book to complete their journey.  This is an incredible story of how two individuals dealt with their disabilities and other intense struggles that they faced and overcame.

Electronic Resources for Educators:


http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/teaching-brian-selznick-including-virtual-field-trip
 Take a look at this link for ideas of various activities for students to complete that connect to the book and the characters' experiences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_EmsguJMic

Some children have never had any contact with a deaf person and they do not have a grasp on what being deaf means.  This brief video is a great tool to help students understand deafness and answer some questions that students may have about deafness.

Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary:


Comprehension Activities for the Classroom Teacher:

Before Reading Activity: Text Impressions
Have your students look through the text.  Point out that one character's story is shared through writing while the other is shared through illustrations. Give your students the opportunity to share their impressions of the text.

-use https://bubbl.us/ to have students share their impressions of the book with their classmates.  Bubbl.us is a free website where users can create a mind map.


During Reading Activity:
- Students should look for similarities and differences between Rose and Ben's stories to try to predict how they might be related or connect. They can use sticky notes to mark down pages where they find similarities.
-Students can also fill in  a venn diagram as they read to compare and contrast Rose and Ben's experiences
-Talk with your students about why they think Ben and Roses' stories are shared in the same book. What could this mean?




Post Reading Activity:Exit Slip-
http://padlet.com/wall/9kc6qpm99d3l

-Students can write their ideas and opinions about the ending of the book. 

Writing Activity: 
-At the beginning of the book Ben is having nightmares about wolves and by the end of the book he is a peace with the Wolves in his thoughts and dreams.  What do you think the wolves symbolize for Ben?

-How does Rose coming into Ben's life fulfill his desire to know his father?





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Sunday, February 8, 2015

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans

Coretta Scott King Award (Author & Illustrator)
among many other honors
“ Our centuries-long struggle for freedom 
and equal rights had helped 
make the American promise of life, liberty, 
and the pursuit of happiness
 a reality for all Americans.  
We have come a mighty long way, honey, 
and we still have a good ways to go, 
but that promise and the right to fight 
for it is worth every ounce of its weight in gold. 
It is our nation’s heart and soul."

Heart and Soul is: Extraordinary, Illuminative, Encouraging, Great Read, and Educational




Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans
 Written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Published by Balzer and Bray- An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2011


 Reading Level:
Lexile: 1050L
Grade Level: 3-7
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud

Summary: 

This country was built on the idea that all men are created equal, but unfortunately not all men were treated equally for a long period of time. This book is about the journey that African Americans took to get from being slaves to free men and women who are integral parts of American society. Readers will learn about the transformation of African Americans from  the times of slavery, to fighting in American battles, to working the fields as sharecroppers, to women craving the right to vote, to participating in peaceful protests, and finally earning the right and ability to vote.  Read Kadir Nelson's heart-wrenching, inspiring story of the African American experience.

Electronic Resources for Educators:

Please use the following resources to extend your students learning and to provide background knowledge before reading the book.

Book trailer

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16735646
This is an interview with Kadir Nelson, he shares the meaning behind his artwork and gives some insight on his book.

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
This website is a great tool to learn about the Civil Rights Movement.  There are videos, interviews, pictures and detailed summaries of the different events that occurred.


http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-world-war-i.html
Heart and Soul goes into detail about the different American wars that African Americans were involved in.  This link has pictures and a summary of African Americans involvement and roles in World War I.

http://nmaahc.si.edu/

This is the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/

There are some great pictures, audio clips, and primary documents for you to use on this website.

Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary:


Comprehension Activities for the Classroom Teacher:

Before Reading Activity: 
1. Introduce key vocabulary.


Wordle.net


Brainstorm as a class and create a K-W-L chart on what students know and want to know about the African American Experience. 

During Reading Activity: 
-After reading each section of the book, break students into small groups and have them continue to fill in the K-W-L chart.
-While students are filling in the K-W-L chart write questions on the board after each section for them to discuss as a group. For example after Nelson talks about Jim Crow Laws, ask students what were Jim Crow Laws and how did they affect African Americans?
- Take time to model what a good literary discussion looks like and sounds like.
-After students have had time to discuss let them share their key points that were made with the rest of the class.
-This would also be a good time to extend on important topics that Nelson touches upon.  Please make use of the electronic resources that I have provided for you under electronic resources for educators. 

 Post Reading Activity: Finish filling in the K-W-L chart.  Break students into small groups and have them discuss the following questions. 
1. What was life like for a slave? Think about where they lived, who they lived with, how they were treated.
2. What were Jim Crow laws? How did they affect African Americans?
3. Today, African Americans have the right to vote and can sit anywhere on a bus.  What event(s) or people made this possible?  Talk about the Civil Rights Movement.

Writing Activity:
After reading and discussing Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson, why do you think Nelson chose to name his book Heart and Soul? Provide evidence from the text to support your answer.
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