Making Connections

To launch our adventure into realistic fiction, I chose Wonder by R.J. Palacio for my read aloud. Due to the weather, we’ve had many stops and starts. (Although I am not complaining about snow days!) This week, we finished part 1, told by August’s point of view and began part 2, told by August’s sister Via’s point of view. I could tell the students were disappointed to leave August, but recovered quickly when they were able to learn more about August from his sister. We are practicing making connections while we read in order to understand and make meaning. Our connections should help us empathize with a character or understand how an event in the story is important to the unraveling of the plot and author’s purpose for writing.

To summarize: August just overheard someone who he thought was his friend, share some hurtful comments to another student, Julian. Julian has not made it a secret that he doesn’t care for August. Also, Via tells us what it feels like to be August’s sister. She relates her four week trip to Grans while August has one of his many surgeries. She confesses that Grans considers Via her favorite since August already has many angels looking out for him.

Here’s what the students said:

Jessica: The part where August walked into the room and overheard Julian reminded me of when I walked in on my parents talking about Christmas because they didn’t know I was there.

Carlie: The part where August heard them (Julian & Jack) talking about him reminds me of the time I walked up on people talking about me. It made me sad just like they August felt sad when he heard them.

Kai: The part where August heard Jack talking to Julian like he doesn’t like him (August) reminds me when people talk about me behind by back. Just like August, I was made fun of.

Taylor: When I read the part about August and Via’s grandmother dying so quickly, it reminded me of my uncle dying to quickly and unexpected.

James: When I read the part about how August shows emotions by certain movements, it reminded me of how people that can’t hear show emotions with certain movements.

Phebe: When I read about August having so many things wrong with him, it reminded me of the book You Had Me at Woof because the lady that owns the dog, Otto, has problems just like August.

Cassidy: When I read the part about Via going to the hospital to see her grandmother, it reminded me when I went to the hospital to see my great aunt and she was dying when I got there. 

Please write

I just finished this with my 5th graders today.  We read a few pages everyday before lunch and then they would giggle their way down the hall.  Ms. Wurtz hides a notebook in the room with a note telling the first to find it to "have fun", "talk to each other", & "sign your name."  Well, needless to say, things don't quite work out... at first.  My students really got the humor & I was happy when they pointed out how they could tell which character was writing based on the word choice.  The book ends with an imaginative narrative the students work together to create, & my class commented right away that it reminded them of the writing we've practiced all year for their state writing assessment (just a few short weeks away!!!)  Please Write in This Book was a perfect read for this group!  Just hearing them laugh everytime I said "posterior", yes meaning bottom, made it worth reading.  The book is perfect for sharing about voice, writer's notebooks, & imaginative narratives.  I love Mary Amato's website!  She has lots of neat stuff that I know students will like navigating.
My favorite part of the day?  When one of the boys looked up at me & said, "That would be so cool if you hid a book like that!"  My response?  "How do you know I haven't?"  Because, of course I have!!!!  Cannot WAIT for them to find it!

At the Scenic City Literacy Conference, Lester Laminack emphasized that our students need to be "residents" of literacy land, rather than visitors or tourists content to walk along the edge. As the school year begins, our goal is to help our kids find the music on the page and fall into books. One way we do this is to hook them with powerful read alouds. We might choose a dependable author or a book in a series that makes them want more.







In The Book Whisperer, Donalyn Miller says, "...my life is marked by the road signs of my beloved books, each one symbolizing who I was when I read it, shaping who I have become. The uninitiated might say I am lost in my books, but I know I am more found than lost." Don't we want our students to be both found and lost in life changing books?







A book Cheryl began the 6th grade is Priscilla Cummings' Red Kayak. Her ordinary characters are faced with tough decisions. She creates the need for the reader to turn the page so eloquently and forces us to ask, "How does she do that?" and "How can we do that in our writing?"







From one of our favorite authors, Wendy Mass, Cheryl chose Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life for her read aloud for seventh graders. This book about friendship and finding what is lost is packed with memorable truths. Mass is an excellent storyteller and brings it home with, "finding what you've looking for is wonderful, the harder something is to acquire, the more satisfying it is when you finally find it."





Mandy started her 5th graders out with Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher. The characters and the writing in this book make a impact on students right from the beginning. Students can't wait to hear how the day without a teacher develops.





The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau is the book Mandy's 6th graders are enjoying first this year. This book really lends itself to teaching the basic concepts of character/setting/plot. Another reason Mandy choose this book was to introduce students to a series of books with which they may not be familiar. They will also be able to work along with Lina & Doon to decipher the mysterious message found in the book.



Skeleton Creek. Need we say more? Mandy's 7th graders came through the door on day #1 asking about these books. How do you say no to that?! Patrick Carman is a master of suspense that pull those middle grade readers right into the story. The format he has created by meshing written narrative and video narrative is pure genius.