This has been a wonderful book week! I've been getting my first of the year book stack ready for my first read alouds, while trying desperately trying to finish my summer book stack, and time is running out. August days are more valuable than June days - I am more protective of them.

Manfish A Story of Jacques Cousteau by Jennifer Berne. I received this lovely copy at the Choice Literacy Conference in Ypsilanti last week. What a great mentor text for non-fiction writing!  I was drawn in by the poetic language, as well as the beautiful artwork by Eric Puybaret. I hope kids will see what a difference one person can make.

Now & Ben the Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by author/illustrator Gene Barretta. I love that a biography doesn't have to start with..."Benjamin Franklin was born in..." I think this text is a great model for narrowing the focus. The story is set up with "Now we have..." & "Ben was the person who made this possible..." It covers his most well-known inventions, as well as some lesser-known ones like the rocking chair with a fan on top and one that churned butter. Who knew?

Three Times Lucky by Shelia Turnage. This might possibly be my first 6th grade read aloud! (Wonder will be my 7th.) If the wonderful language doesn't make you fall for this book, the amazing characters will. The protagonist, Moses LoBeau, is a rising sixth grader and lives with the Colonel and Miss Lana. She was washed up in a basket after a hurricane as a baby (that's how she got her name) and has no idea who her parents are. Her life is about to get exciting when a community member is found dead. Together, with her best friend Dale, they are trying to find the murderer. Thank you Mandy for recommending this!

it's monday!

From Mandy:
I have hit the travel bug portion of my summer break!  Last week I was visiting with family in Alabama, this week I'm with Cheryl in Michigan for Choice Literacy workshops, and next week I'm cruising to the Bahamas!  My mind wanders way too much during audio books, so my reading time was a little limited last week. 
I finished:
The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm #1) by Michael Buckley - A new series to love!  I was lucky enough to pick up the next 3 books in the series when I visited one of my favorite book stores last week.  I'm pretty sure these will be a big hit in my classroom.

In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Ellsworth - My favorite thing about this book was that it was set in the 80's!  I have a whole list of 80's fads that were mentioned, like crimped hair, jelly shoes with lacy socks, banana clips.

Currently reading:
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage - I'm almost done with this and actually hope to finish it right after I'm done posting!  Mo, the main character, is my favorite kind of character... a quirky, spunky girl who learns about herself while taking control.  Coming to love Mo while reading this has me thinking about all those spunky girls and some new thoughts are still swirling about all of them...

From Cheryl:
I read started Divergent by Veronica Roth and couldn't put it down. It is filled with great writing & fabulous characters. I found myself wondering what faction I would have chosen, but I think I agree with Four, I want to be all five. Must find sequel.

Fourth Stall chapter 3. As recommendation from Mandy, I've picked this book up many times and was intrigued by the teaser on the back. I'm curious as to where this story is going when you're office is in a bathroom stall.

I'm just starting What Really Matters for Struggling Readers by Richard Allington. One of my summer goals was to read professional books that I didn't have time to read during the school year. Mandy picked up this copy for me on her visit to Alabama. The title for chapter 2: "What Really Matters: Kids Need to Read a Lot." Allington writes, "the more effective teacher routinely had children reading for forty to forty-five minutes of each hour allocated to reading instruction." It is making me rethink the structure of my reading block.

it's monday!

from Mandy:

Something major happened to my reading plan this past week.  I visited my favorite used bookstore & also discovered a new store (kind of like Big Lots & TJ Maxx had a love child) that had an amazing selection of books!  In my world, new books mean new plan.  Luckily it's ok for plans to change!  So, here's what I'm reading:

American Boy The Adventures of Mark Twain by Don Brown.  I bought this because a) I'm a sucker for picture book bios, b) I'm a sucker for Don Brown, & c) I thought it would pair nicely with The Adventures of Mark Twain by Huckleberry Finn by Robert Burleigh.  The past few years Cheryl & I have had our 6th graders write biographies.  I've found that Don Brown's books are a great tool for me to use as mentors.  His style is evident throughout each book, but I love the varied ways he chooses to begin them.  I rely heavily on his books for my "Biography Beginnings" lessons.  This particular title is organized my date, so will also be good to use for sequencing or timelines.  Great addition to my collection!

Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School We Are the Children by Andrew Clements.  I think the biggest reason I loved this book is because of how different it seems from the stock Clements books.  It is the first in a series & as I was reading I wasn't sure if I would be intrested in the rest... until it pulled me into the adventure & ended in a big fat cliffhanger.  This book begins with the fact that Ben's "harbor-side school is going to be bulldozed to make room for an amusement park.  It sounds like a dream come true... Or is it more like a nighmare?"  Ben realizes the school is holding a few secrets & sets out with his friend Jill to save the day.  And, I can't wait to read book 2!  I think this will be perfect for my 5th graders.  This is my favorite quote from the book, "That was the moment when Ben first glimpsed how every single moment happens only once during a person's lifetime; and how each moment arrives in a particular order, one event after another; and how every separate event shapes all other events that come next.  Forever."

Firegirl by Tony Abbott.  I think I picked up this book because the title & cover reminded me of Stargirl (one of my all time faves), and I read The Postcard by him last year & really liked it.  It was a quick read, I think it will appeal to my 6th graders, but I felt it just hinted at a bigger possibility.  One of the TN reading standards deals with characters having moral dilemmas.  This book is perfect for helping students understand that.  It's full of moral dilemma.

Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon.  I had seen these books in stores, but hadn't really paid much attention to them, read them or added them to the classroom library.  Franki, at A Year of Reading, had it on her list last Monday, then I saw some on my book shopping last week, & decided to try one.  Danny is so quirky! 

Northward to the Moon by Polly Horvath.  This book is a sequel to My One Hundred Adventures.  I really love Polly Horvath.  Lots.  I love how she uses words.  This story starts with Jane & family out West, but Jane is longing for her Massachusetts coast.  Horvath describes Jane as worrying that her little brothers will have the prairie as their "place memory of growing up."  I love the idea of place memory & it makes me want to explore my own place memory of growing up.  I liked MOHA better than the sequel, but there were moments of the same beauty from the first book.  Since I am also all about adventures, like Jane, this is my favorite quote: "It is not a place I would ever have thought to come on my own.  Sometimes it is good to have things happen to you outside of your control.  There are parts of yourself you would never discover otherwise."

I just started the first book in the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley yesterday.  Again, Cheryl has been telling me to read these.  Again, I don't know what took me so long... I love fairy tale twists!  Loving it so far & already can tell I will need them all!

I'm still working through ChoiceWords & didn't make it to The Wednesday Wars.  I added the second Percy Jackson book (yes, Cheryl, finally!) & Welcome Home or Someplace Like It by Charlotte Agell.

from Cheryl:

My Maggie Steifvater books were never in my classroom library - middle schoolers loved them! So even though I got Forever as soon as it came out, I never got more than halfway through before someone wanted to read it. I finished it this week! Great ending to the triology. One of my favorite quotes from one of the main characters, Grace, as she was looking at the titles of someone's personal collection of books: "I wanted a library...a cave of words that I made myself." I feel at home surrounded by books too, a cave of words.

I'm working on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, again. After hearing Rachel Thompkins speak at the Niswonger Symposium about it, I felt like I needed to try it again. I'm appreciating it so much more. I am swept away by her real characters.

I read the picture book, Have I Got a Book for You! by author/illustrator Melanie Watt (Scaredy Squirrel). Mandy & I heard Debbie Diller read this at her Institute in Richmond, and I knew I "needed" it. It is fabulous for teaching propaganda techniques, as well as a great addition to the Recommend a Book work station.

I'm reading Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College by Doug Lemov. This would be a great text to use in a teacher preparation program. It's well written and organized in a user friendly manner, but most of all Lemov describes practical strategies that can easily be implemented in any teaching situation from grades K - 12.

I recently finished What Readers Really Do: Teaching the Process of Meaning Making by Dorothy Barnhouse & Vicki Vinton. Wow! My copy is full of sticky notes and writing in the margin. This book looks at current practices and considers a deeper approach to making meaning of narrative texts. It is grounded in Peter Johnson's work, while weaving in common core expectations. I will definitely visit this text while planning my lessons this year!



it's monday!

This is my first It's Monday post!  Don't know why I haven't joined up before, but am looking forward to keeping it up now!  So, what am I reading?

Today I finished up two books I'd been reading off & on for the past week.  The first was Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith.  I thought it would have a little more action in it, but really liked how Scrub ended up solving a huge problem.  I know several of my students will really enjoy this book.  Next, I finished The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander.  I had read the sample on my kindle app when this first came out, but just now got around to actually reading the entire book.  I loved it!  I think there are some really strong characters, especially Mac & Vince.  I want an entire book of nothing but Vince's grandma's hysterical sayings!

This past weekend I finished two books Cheryl let me borrow, one I requested, one was strongly suggested.  Do you have a friend that strongly suggests books to you?  If you don't, find one!  She knows books I will like, even if I'm questioning the choice!  I had requested The Maze Runner by James Dashner.  I was really pulled into this story almost immediately.  I couldn't quit trying to figure out the Glade while I was reading it!  So many questions just kept coming.  I can't wait to read the sequel.  The suggested book was Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury.  Seriously, I wasn't so sure about it.  But, I should know by now not to doubt what Cheryl tells me to read.  I loved it.  Totally not what I was expecting.  It's probably the book I've read the fastest this summer, because I couldn't wait to see what would be revealed!

The professional book I'm reading is Choice Words by Peter H. Johnson.  Like others have said I thought this would be a quick read full of great thinking.  Well, it's full of great thinking, but I'm really having to make myself slow down & let it all soak in!

I'm rereading Wonder by R. J. Palacio to get ready for the Twitter book club next week.

Next up?  Well, for sure...
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Hazel Green by Odo Hirsch
Northward to the Moon by Polly Horvath.  I love Polly Horvath!  Really looking forward to this one.

A Visit with Robert Burleigh

"Writing is a way of attending to the world around you."  This was just one of many bits of advice our visiting author, Robert Burleigh, shared with our students last week.  We were very excited to host this award winning children's book author in our classrooms.  Burleigh has published over 40 books including such titles as: Home Run: The Story of Babe Ruth, The Secret of the Great Houdini, Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic, Pandora, One Giant Leap, and Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson Against All Odds.

Sixth and seventh grade students worked on publishing a piece of writing to be on display for a free community author's night. Most of them chose to write some form of poetry (found poems, 100%, fortunately/unfortunately, etc.) During this time, Mr. Burleigh spoke with families and community members about "One Writer's Journey."

  

During his classroom sessions, Mr. Burleigh connected with the students by asking, "Who wants to become a writer some day?" He said at their age he was more interested in sports, but sometimes "a book or a poem can change your life." He said that's what happened when he read Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." He said it felt like "a homerun with words." He shared where he gets his subjects for writing: from his reading, from his life, and from his imagination.

He explained that he writes a small part of a person's life, for example, Amelia Earhart's flight across the Atlantic Ocean. He wants to give the reader a "feeling of being in the person's head." He narrows his focus to a small event, like in his book Home Run. This book describes only one of Babe's at-bats.  As is always the case with an author visit, hearing the stories behind their books makes them all that more interesting!

Mr. Burleigh shared with the students how he keeps a writer's notebook. This is a place to keep ideas or noticings safe. He also uses a little notebook that he can carry wherever he goes. He quoted Langston Hughes by saying, "Poems are like rainbows, you gotta catch them before they're gone." He emphasized the importance of keeping an idea list. 

We were able to provide each 6th & 7th grader with a copy of one of Robert Burleigh's books. He was gracious enough to personalize and sign each one.  Several students were also selected to participate in a "Meet the Author" lunch and eat lunch with Burleigh.

biographies

My 6th graders are writing biographies for their research papers.  It's been a long process.  I've read a picture book biography to them every day for weeeeeks.  Last week we looked specifically at different ways authors begin biographies.

Each student picked a biography from the basket and reread the beginning.  We gathered in our workshop space, I asked students to raise their hand if their lead contained a date, and we specifically looked at those titles.  We talked about all the different ways authors can start biographies by using dates and came up with these categories: birth linked to other historical event, birthday & what family wanted for them, building historical background knowledge, early life linked to what created fame, date of famous event.

After creating the list of categories I challenged students to settle into a writing space and write a lead for their biography subject using a type of lead from the list.  There was a lot of gathering research materials and settling down and in the middle of it all I remembered I was going to try a transition song to writing (from hearing Ruth Ayres speak at the Dublin Literacy Conference).  Once they finally got settled & writing they worked hard!  They wrote for 10 minutes and then met me back at the workshop space.  Many of them had written more than one type of lead.  It seemed to spark a renewed interest in their subject!

The next day we did basically the same thing, but looked at beginnings that relied on specific word choices (not centered around a date).  While looking at them we also noticed that those beginnings could be divided into two smaller categories- those that started when the subject was young and those that started when the subject was already famous.  This is what our list looked like: young - describe setting of hometown, describe family, description linked to future fame; already famous - a quote, description of piece of fame & linked to setting, build suspense from an important event.  Again, I challenged them to choose one and write.  I also remembered the transition song & the difference was amazing!

These discussions of specific crafts have renewed my students interest in their biography subjects. Even though we had already read all of the books we used, focusing on just the beginnings helped get my students focused on the home stretch of writing their research!

Our Dates chart.  I was digging around in some cabinets in my room and found a huge roll of paper that was like really wide register tape.  I wrote examples of each beginning on a piece and hung them on the wall beside the charts.  That is what is on the wall to the left of the chart.

A small sampling of the picture book biographies I've read to my students over the past several weeks.

Reader's Notebooks

We have had the pleasure of sharing how we use reader's notebooks in our classrooms at two recent conferences - the Dublin (Ohio) Literacy Conference and the East Tennessee Literacy Conference in Morristown, Tennessee.

Over the years we noticed that our middle schoolers needed help organizing their learning as readers. Reader's notebooks are a place to, not only record their daily reading, but a place to respond to what they're reading.

The first thing students do is number their pages in a spiral notebook (hopefully this will discourage them from tearing out pages to use for something else). Then as a group we create a table of contents by using different color sticker dots to note the four sections: response, strategies/workshop, workstations, and wonder (informational).

The first few pages are dedicated to their "Books I've Read" & "Books I Want to Read" lists. The inside cover includes a genre checklist & a monthly calendar to record their daily reading.

We labeled the first section "response." In this section, students are able to respond to what they read by writing a letter, completing a four-square, or summary/response. The next section is titled "strategies" or "workshop." This section becomes a visual reminder of the reading strategies & skills that we practice throughout the year. It is an anchor chart at their fingertips. Items in this section might include: t-charts, Venn diagrams, foldables, sample passages of text, graphs, etc. The "workstation" section is next. This is the section that students can document what they work on is literacy workstations. It keeps them accountable for the work they do while the teacher is working in small group. The last section we included is labeled "wonder." This space is reserved for informational & non-fiction reading strategies. Items in this section might include: informational poems, t-charts, examples of text features, foldables, and sample passages.