If You Like This, Then You'll LOVE These

Why stop learning about reading, writing, and all things literature-loving here? There are a plethora of other book-based blogs out on the web, I'll even recommend a few for your intellectual pleasure.


1. Read and Explore; Succeed and Learn More
http://readandexploresucceedandlearnmore.blogspot.com

    

2. Lead_Learn_Love
http://leadlearnlove.blogspot.com/ 
   

3. Oh, The Stories You'll Read
http://ohthestoriesyoullread.blogspot.com 

   

4. Ms. Huhtanen's Novel Strategies
http://www.novelstrategies.blogspot.com/

     

5. The Book Nook
http://youngreadersbooknook.blogspot.com/

   

INDEX

Index

Two Newbery Award Winners
1. Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo and Illustrated by K.G. Campbell
2. The Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen

Two Nonfiction Book
1. The Man Who Named the Clouds by Julie Hannah and Joan Holub
2. Handle with Care: An Unusual Butterfly Journey by Loree Griffin Burns and Ellen Harasimowicz

One Historical Fiction
1. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

Three Titles Reflecting Diversity
1. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
2. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
3. Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

One Poetry Collection
1. The Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen

One Graphic Novel
1. El Deafo by Cece Bell

Two Read Alouds
Grades 3-4: The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Grades 5-6: Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco

Two Titles from the Choice List
1. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin
2. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet

Posts That Used Web 2.0 Interface
 1. Bitstrip: El Deafo by Cece Bell
2. Super Duper Story Maker: Write On, Mercy by Gretchen Woelfle

Infographics
1. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
2. Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

Voki
1. Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

Blabberize
1. El Deafo by Cece Bell

Beholding Bee

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

Beholding Bee

Fusco, K. N. (2013). Beholding Bee. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 

Reading Level: 790L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- It is a read that incorporates World War One into its plot which would accompany a unit on the war.
- It introduces diversity, giving students a better understanding of what difference is and why it is important to include everyone.
- The book can be a good introduction to discussing special needs as a class.
- Bullying is addressed in this text and this book would also accompany a unit on bullying.
- The story is engaging and will capture students' attention and hold it.

I would love to read this book as a read aloud, however, it would take a couple weeks to finish.

Online Resources:
Kimberly Newton Fusco's website contains information about this book, an audio recording, an excerpt available online, and her contact information. Having the students write her a letter about what they liked in the book could be a beneficial exercise that would teach letter format and show the power of communication. 
http://www.kimberlynewtonfusco.com/book_03.htm

Understanding Kids Who Are Different: Activities for Teaching About Disabilities" opens with a poem about disabilities that can be read to students in a classroom. The site also contains helpful teaching links for teachers to aid in their approach to helping all students learn. 

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson115.shtml

Keywords
Historical Fiction, Diversity, Difference, Relationships, Individuality

Vocabulary:
Tempest: a violent storm
Parched: extremely thirsty

Progressive: advocating for change, improvement, and reform

Suffragist: an advocate for voting rights, especially for women

Solemn: a grave, sober, or dark mood
Vigorous: strong, active, and energetic
Wince: to draw back or make the body tense

Reading Strategy:
Before reading this story, ask the kids what they think difference means. What makes them different? What happens to people when they are different? How do we treat people who are different?
During reading, frequently stop and ask the kids what is resonating with them. This story is a great one in matters of empathy. Encourage the kids to feel for Bee.
After reading, hold a class discussion about the book. This can either be done as a whole class or in groups, however, I would take a whole class approach. In the discussion, address what the students learned and have them compare how people of the past who were different were treated in comparison to today.

Writing Strategy:
After reading the story as a class, have the students write letters to the author about what the book has taught them. This exercise will reinforcement the standards associated with formal English, and will either introduce the letter format or reinforce it for students. 

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

I'm Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Image taken from Lexile.com

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Litwin, Eric. (2012). Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. 

Reading Level: AD350L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- This book is fantastic for struggling readers due to its repetitive sentence structure.
- The book also comes with a song to help students remember the words and gain language.
- The book also incorporates simple math.
- The book discusses emotions, such as not needing to cry about simple issues that may be upsetting.
- This book would benefit English Language Learners because of its repetitive sentence structure.

This book would work very as a literature discussion for struggling readers or English Language Learners.

Online Resources:

Pete the Cat Video
I would use this video when working with  English Language Learners. I plan to bookmark videos that accompany books I have in my class. This way, English Language Learners can watch the videos and absorb the language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N28PGdQ1e0k&list=PL7F8g0Mudakn-Co6CacxUSDOkp1w_lUwZ 

Reading Rockets
This website contains information on how to encourage struggling readers. 
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/activities-struggling-readers

Key Words
Emotions, Problem Solving, Feelings, Cats, Strength

Vocabulary:
Button: a small disk that fastens to clothing as a way of closing garments 

Rolled: to move along a surface by turning over

Simply: easily and plainly

Groovy: excellent
Belly Button: a part of one's belly that was attached to an umbilical cord.
Goodness: excellence of quality

Reading Strategy:
Before reading this story, I would go over "good reader behaviors" such as pay attention when a friend is reading, follow along, and participate. 
During reading, ask comprehension questions and pay close attention to the words students are struggling with, for it may require a phonological fix. 
After reading, go over words and sounds students struggled with and ask comprehension and literal questions. Inferential questions can also be asked, but students may struggle more with these.

Writing Strategy:
After reading the story, have students take a piece of paper and fold it into a six pieces to create a comic strip. In the comic strip, they can recall the main events from the story and draw illustrations. Once they make a comic strip for the book, they can make one up themselves. 

Snakes

Snakes

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

Snakes

 Bishop, Nic. (2012). Snakes. New York, NY: Scholastic. 

Reading Level: 850L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- The book has vivid photography.
- The captions state how many times magnified the images of the snakes are, which provides students with greater understanding of snakes and magnification.
- The captions in the book are very informative.
- The book is very interactive due to its expandable pages.
- The book contains an index, about the author section, a glossary, and a further reading section.

This book would make a marvelous literature discussion text.

Online Resources:
Encounters with Snakes
This website contains behind the scene information about Bishop's encounters with snakes. This website contains information about the close calls he has experienced.
http://nicbishop.com/snake-encounters.html

Science Kids
This website would be one I recommend for students who find a great interest in snakes due to its abundance of facts. There is also a link to learn more about verminous snakes that is embedded into this webpage, 
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/snake.html


Key Words
Reptiles, Animals, Snakes, Informational, Nature

Vocabulary:
Molt: to shed an outer layer occasionally
Venom: a poison that passes through a victim when bit or stung
Brumation: a form of hibernation that helps snakes survive cold weather
Ambush: to lie and wait before attacking
Predator: an animal that hunts another animal for food
Prey: an animal that is hunted by other animals for food
Chink: a crack or cleft

Reading Strategy:
Before reading, ask students to use a KWL to fill in what they know about snakes and want to know about snakes.
During reading, have students summarize what they read on each page in their groups.This will be beneficial because each page contains a significant portion of information and summarizing the information that was covered will help the reading group with comprehension.
After reading, have students fill in the learned section of the KWL chart. Students will then talk about what they have learned from the book and what they still would like to know. 

Writing Strategy:
After the book has been read, students will create an acrostic poem about snakes using facts they learned from their reading. 

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus

Bryant, Jen & Sweet, Melissa. (2014). The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus. New York, NY: Ferdmans Books for Young Readers. 

Reading Level:  590L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- The front matter and back matter are actively used and is engaging to the reader.
- There are stimulating visuals and the author makes playing with words seem very fun.
- Timelines are integrated into the text.
- Interesting graphics, such as dialogue bubbles, are used.
- The book list synonyms for common words students use, which will help students expand their vocabularies.

This book would make a marvelous read aloud.

Online Resources:
Discussion Guide
This is a beneficial resource for educators. It contains before reading strategies and after reading strategies. It even contains activities that teachers can do in their classroom regarding this book.
http://www.jenbryant.com/pdfs/The%20Right%20Word_Discussion%20Guide.pdf

Thesaurus.com/Roget
Thesaurus.com is going to be the thesaurus that students are most familiar with. This link brings students to Roget's version of the thesaurus so they can use the type of thesaurus Roget created.
http://www.thesaurus.com/roget/

Key Words
Informational, Biography, Individuality, Dreams, Factual

Vocabulary:
Thesaurus: holds information about synonyms and antonyms of words
Clattered: to make a loud rattling sound
Latin: an old Roman language
Peppered: to sprinkle
Dandy: fine or excellent
Categorizing: a way of classifying or grouping
Fret: worry

Reading Strategy:
Before reading, show students a thesaurus and discuss what it is and why it is important.
During reading, point out the text structures. Language is displayed very creatively in this book and reading this story is a great opportunity for teachers to show students how fun language can be. 
After reading, have students partake in a word sort. Terminology from the book and other class vocabulary words can be added to the sort. 

Writing Strategy:
Students will write about how they would plan a birthday party for a certain vocabulary word. They have to take into consideration what the word they have chosen means when planning the menu, activities, and decorations. Once students have written about their own word, they will be put into pairs where they will have to plan a joint birthday party with another vocabulary word. This activity will give them a deeper understanding of their vocabulary words. Once the students have written about the party, they can present it to the class. 

Write On, Mercy!

Write On, Mercy!

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

Write On, Mercy!

 Woelfle, Gretchen. (2012). Write On, Mercy!. Honesdale, PA: Calkins Creek. 

Reading Level:  HL860L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- It gives students historical background on the Revolutionary War through ELA.
- Women rights issues are addressed in a student friendly manner.
- It contains excerpts of Mercy Otis Warren's writing.
- The book contains a timeline at the end to give students a chronological understanding of the events that took place.
- The book comes with a list of websites that students can investigate to learn more about Mercy.

This book would make a marvelous read aloud.

Online Resources:

History of American Women
This website contains background history on Mercy Otis. It gives information on her friends and family and important connections to politics. It contains decent information if students want more information about Otis or have interest in the time period.
http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2008/11/mercy-otis-warren.html

Road to the Revolution Game
This is a game for students to gain knowledge about the Revolutionary War while having fun. Students answer questions and see a blinking light move all over the colonies when they get an answer correct.
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road.html

Super Duper Story Maker
The free version of this app contains online materials for students to create stories with. They can chose from computer generated images and characters to fill their pages and can use their voice to narrate their stories. I would have students use this to present biography information with, because it requires them to gather factual information but lets them display it in a create form while integrating ELA activities.
https://www.superduperinc.com/products/view.aspx?stid=661#.VvngFOIrLIV 


Key Words
History, Biography, Women's Rights, Independence, Individuality

Vocabulary:
Loyalist: A person who supported Britain during the American Revolution.
Patriot: A person who supported a separate government from Britain in America.
Imposed: to force or set upon something.
Taxes: money a government demands to support the services it provides.
Assassin: Someone who kills people.
Hubbub: A loud confusing noise.
Domestic: relating to the home or family.

Reading Strategy:
Before reading, add the new vocabulary from this text to the word wall. Go over the definitions and vocabulary words as a class.
During reading, model comprehension by making asking yourself questions while reading, and making and asking for prediction from the class. 
After reading, have the students become writers like Mercy and search for found poetry in the text. The instructor can copy pages of the book and distribute them in class for the students.
Writing Strategy:
After reading the story, students can be divided into groups to write their own plays about a historical event. They can use the class computers to research an event and must include everyone in the dialogue and writing process. 

The Day the Crayons Came Home

The Day the Crayons Came Home

(Image taken from Amazon.com)

The Day the Crayons Came Home

 Daywalt, D., & Jeffers, O. (2015). The Day the Crayons Came Home. New York, NY: Philomel Books. 

Reading Level: AD490L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- It teaches kids about inclusion.
- Quick jokes are used that the kids can catch.
- Kids love this book and find the jokes hilarious.
- The book is very interactive with the speech bubbles.
- The story is engaging and will capture students' attention and hold it.

This book would make a marvelous independent read.

Online Resources:
The Day the Crayons Came Home Video
This video is a reading of the story. I would use this video for English Language Learners and struggling readers to familiarize themselves with the language and to promote fluency.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1D1dyPBOvo

Drew Daywalt Video
This is a video of the author of the book promoting the book. I would use this video as an initiation because it is quick and silly and will get students interested in the text.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAWolzzeYQ4

Key Words
Comical, Adventure, Acceptance, Relationships, Family

Vocabulary:
Marooned: to abandon or isolate
Postcard: a form of mail people send that has a picture on one side and area for a short statement
Magnificent: splendid or beautiful
Sienna: a yellowish brown color
Indigestible: something you cannot eat
Horrified: shocked and upset
Desperate: needy and hopeless

Reading Strategy:
Before reading, have students create shades of meaning cards. To make it more fun, you could name the color cards off of the crayons in the book. Vocabulary from the text can be used and additional class vocabulary.
During reading, use echo reading to promote fluency among the class. They echo reading can be used when reading the postcards in the pictures.
After reading, have the students find colors and emotions associated with those colors, such as "green with envy".

Writing Strategy:
After the students have read the story, and identified a color and emotion, have them make "Color me ?" posters using the laptops. The students need to find images to represent what their color means but cannot google the saying, ex. the students cannot google "green with envy". This will promote students' inference making and vocabulary knowledge.  

El Deafo

El Deafo

Image taken from Scholastic.com

El Deafo

Bell, Cece. (2014). El Deafo. New York, NY: Amulet Books. 

Reading Level: GN420L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- The book covers topics of diversity, such as disability.
- The book teaches inclusion
- It presents a story in a contemporary format that students are not regularly exposed to (graphic novel).
- The picture will be beneficial to English Language Learners
- The story line is relatively simple and will be easy for struggling readers to follow.

This book would make for a captivating literature circle.

Online Resources:

Cece Bell
This is Cece Bell's website and it is very interactive. She has information about her book and herself on the website. There is also a spot for students to comment on her website. I would have the class comment something together.
https://cecebell.wordpress.com/

Understanding Deafness
This is a video that is very easy for children to understand. It has simple illustrations and a person signing in it to explain what deafness is at a simple level. It teaches students to be kind and helpful toward their peers. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_EmsguJMic

Blabberize
I made a blabberize to accompany this story. It is of my cat talking about her super power. Students can use this tool to think of a special super power they have, like Cece, that makes them unique. They can then use blabberize to share it with the class. 
http://blabberize.com/view?id=1420938

Bitstrip
Students can use this free tool to make their own ELA comic strips. For this text, I would have students create a bitstrip comic about what acceptance is. 
http://www.bitstrips.com/create/comic/

Key Words
Acceptance, Inclusion, Diversity, Relationships, and Individuality 

Vocabulary:
Audiologist: someone who studies hearing impairments
Hearing Aid:an electronic amplifier worn on the ear to improve hearing

Meningitis: an infection that causes high fever, headaches, and stiff muscles

Accosted: to boldly confront 

Feats: an extraordinary act of achievement
Foe: an enemy

Reading Strategy:
Before reading this story, have the students go on a word scavenger hunt. Pick out key vocabulary and give clues as to where the students can find the words.
During reading, have the students partake in split-page notetaking. This can involve one half of the notes focusing on the story and the other half focusing on what it means to be deaf or questions the students might have. 
After reading, use exit slips to have the students write down what scene from the text they would make into a billboard and what the billboard would advertise.

Writing Strategy:
Have the students create their own graphic novels using Bitstrip. Their novels can be about whatever they choose, so long as they establish a narrator, situation, and characters and organize a naturally unfolding event sequence (W.3.3).

Chains

Chains

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

Chains

 Anderson Halse, Laurie. (2008). Chains. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 

Reading Level: 780L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- It gives students historical background on the Revolutionary War through ELA.
- Historical terminology is used in a context that will help students understand the meaning.
- It gives insight into the horrors of slavery without being too graphic.
- The book comes with previously generated discussion questions that can aid the students and the teacher.
- There is a sequel to the novel to continue the students' interest in this topic.

This book would make a marvelous literature discussion.

Online Resources:
Social Studies for Kids
This website contains information about the Revolutionary War for students. What is great about this website is that it contains links embeded in it to provide students with more information about specific acts or battles. 
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/revolutionarywar1.htm

Mad Woman in the Forest
This is Laurie Hale Anderson's website. The link I embedded brings you to the teacher resource page. This page includes activities that link to the Common Core, her inspiration for the book, hands-on activities, and many other resources. 
http://teachers.madwomanintheforest.com/historical-chains/


Key Words
History, Diversity, Revolution, Freedom, Relationships

Vocabulary:
Chamber pot: a portable container people used as a toilet.
Kindled: to start a fire
Bodily Humors: were bodily liquids such as blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm, that people believed controlled the body
Hullabaloo: a loud disturbance
Insolence: rudeness
Contrived: faked or forced
Indentured: a contract requiring someone to work for an extended period of time

Reading Strategy:
Before reading, the instructor can find an interview with a person from the Revolutionary War to read to the class. This excerpt can be read to the class to get them thinking about the time period and lifestyle back then.
During reading, have students partake in reciprocal teaching. This can be done through having the group members summarize, generate questions about the text, clarify areas of concern and predict what will happen next in their groups.
After reading, have students hold a debate from the side of the loyalists and the side of the rebels on whether America should have freedom or not. This activity is a great way of integrating social studies into ELA.

Writing Strategy:
After the text has been read by the entire group, students will write about a historical event either before their lifetime or during their life time from the perspective of someone going through the event. This activity will allow for the integration of social studies into ELA. 

Out of My Mind

Out of My Mind

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

Out of My Mind

Draper, Sharon (2010). Out of My Mind. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Reading Level: 700L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- The book is from the perspective of a person with a disability, which is a perspective rarely visited in texts students read in school.
- The book teaches about inclusion and why it is important to have inclusion in school.
- The story is a great way to represent students with disabilities in the class reading.
- The book covers a quiz competition so the readers of this text will also gain various fact information from the story.
- The book uses exceptional vocabulary words.

This book would be a marvelous text for a literature circle.

Online Resources:
Infographic
I created an infographic to accompany the reading of this text. The infographic contains a short summary of the book by covering main events from the text. Students can use this when refreshing themselves on the story.
https://magic.piktochart.com/output/12133053-untitled-infographic

SharonDraper.com
The author has her own website where she discusses Out of My Mind. On the website, there is a section where Sharon answers questions about Out of My Mind and Melody.
http://sharondraper.com/bookdetail.asp?id=35

Cerebral Palsy
This website contains information about what cerebral palsy is at a level students will understand. This website is beneficial because it gives information about what the condition is and the different forms it comes in. I would recommend this website if a student wanted to learn more about the condition.
http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/cerebral-palsy.html

Key Words
Diversity, Disability, Individuality, Relationships, Community

Vocabulary:
Amble: to stroll at an easy pace.
Bellow: to utter in a loud deep voice
Cerebral Palsy: a paralysis caused by prenatal brain trauma or a brain injury
Convulsion: moving the body due to sudden muscle contractions
Diagnosis: determining a condition through examination
Flail: to thresh about
Indignation: displeasure toward something considered unjust

Reading Strategy:
Before reading, I would invite my brother to speak to the class. He was born with cerebral palsy and can speak first hand on experiences that people with cerebral palsy have. I could even see if he would read a portion of the text to the students.
During reading, have the students who are reading this text in their literature circle hold a fishbowl discussion. This will make sure the students are all comprehending what they are reading and will give them a chance to talk to their group members about the text.
After reading, have students partake in Reader's Theater.  They can create their own script or the instructor can create or find one online. This will help the students understand the main character's feelings and will benefit the students in their future writing activity.

Writing Strategy:
After students have finished reading the story, they can write their own story from a perspective they are unfamiliar with, such as an animal or the president of the United States. This activity will help students understand what goes into writing from different perspectives and will also touch upon point of view aspects from the standards. 

Seedfolks

Seedfolks 

Image taken from Lexile.com

Seedfolks 

Fleischman, Paul. (1997). Seedfolks. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. 

Reading Level: 710L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- Each chapter is from a different character's perspective which can help the students understand different character traits.
- The book has a strong theme of relationships and change.
- The book discusses immigration, which can provide a nice bridge to talk about historical topics.
- Cause and effect is a prevalent theme in this text.
- Some of the chapters briefly touch upon world history, such as World War II, which can be a gateway for discussion.

This book would work very well with literature circles.

Online Resources:
Voki
Students would use Voki to record the perspective of the character they chose (see more information in Writing Strategy). They can customize the Voki so that it looks like the character illustrated, or how the character looks in the student's imagination. 
http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=12593710&height=267&width=200


Infographic
Students can use Pictochart to create an infographic, showing cause and effect relationships. They can use cause and effect relationships in the text between characters, the environment, and the town.
http://piktochart.com/

Key Words
Diversity, Relationships, Change, Understanding, Community

Vocabulary:
Vacant: empty

Spouts: to discharge with force.

Troughs: a container that is long, narrow, and open used to hold food or water for animals. 

Altering: to make different in a particular way.
Locket: A necklace that opens and has a little place to hold a personal item, like a picture.
Immigrants: A person who moves to a new country

Reading Strategy:
Before reading this story, have students complete a KWL chart as a class about what they know about immigration and want to know about immigration. Save the L part for after the story is finished.
During reading, model comprehension, while addressing important concepts in the text and talking aloud about how you understand what it happening. 
After reading, have the students fill in the L part of the KWL chart, using evidence from the text to support what they learned. Have the students hold a collaborative conversation in their book groups, about the themes of relationships and change from the book. Have them come prepared with questions and points for discussion.

Writing Strategy:
After reading the story as a class, have the students write from the perspective of one of the characters in the book. Have them study a specific character and write about what that character's earlier life could have been like and what brought them to where they are in the story. This writing will be used with Voki.

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds

Image taken from Lexile.com

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds

Moss, M., & Hendrix, J. (2011). Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Reading Level: AD820L 

Why Should You Read This Book?

- It covers American history in a fast paced, entertaining way.

- The story focuses on a real person that once existed, which can help aid kids in learning about different biographies.

- The book addresses the poignant topic of gender verses sex. Although this concept may be too advanced to discuss in detail with elementary schoolers, seeing diversity represented in text will be beneficial for them.

- The book briefly touched upon race through showing how hard the work was for African Americans in the war and how they were treated. 

- This book works well in integrating social studies into ELA.

This book would make for a splendid read aloud.

Key Words
History, War, Women's Rights, Biographies, Individuality

Vocabulary:

Peachy: excellent, wonderful

Canteen: a small container that can hold liquid

Revolt: an uprising against an authority

Cherish: to value and care about something

Ramparts: mounds in the earth that serve the purpose of a barricade. 

Sentry: someone standing guard

Online Resources:

BrainPop

This website contains an interesting animated video for the students that they will most definitely enjoy. There is also a quiz available about the Civil War.

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/civilwarcauses/

Mr. Nussbaum!

This website contains just about all the information you could think of covering in a Civil War unit. There are pages dedicated to: causes and effects, significant battles and people, Abraham Lincoln, African Americans in the war, and women in the war. 

http://mrnussbaum.com/civil-war-for-kids/

Reading Strategy:

Before reading, ask the students what they know about wars, particularly the Civil War. Explain to the students that the war was caused because some people believed in ending slavery and they were willing to fight for it.

During reading, ask the students questions such as: "Was it important for Sarah to stay disguised?" and "Do people still need to wear disguises to accomplish something?"

After reading, ask the students what they learned from the text and ask them if they would be willing to fight for something they believed in.

Writing Strategy:

This book would give the students the opportunity to write a persuasive piece about what they would be willing to fight for. Explain to the students that they are going to be writing to an authority figure (parent, principal, president) to encourage them to fight with them for a cause they believe in. Go around the class and garner ideas before the students begin writing. Once the students finish their writing, have them share it then have them deliver or mail their pieces to the person they were trying to persuade.

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

 DiCamillo, K., & Campbell, K. G. (2013). Flora & Ulysses: The illuminated adventures. Candlewick Press. 

Reading Level: 520L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- The book utilizes a marvelous vocabulary selection.
- Graphics are inserted periodically which entice the readers.
- The graphics also convey part of the story. Thus introduction can be used in preparing the class for a graphic novel.
- The novel is humorous which will lead to a delightful read by most who read it.
- The book won the 2014 Newbery Award. This award can be explained to students, along with other awards, to guide them in their selection process of quality reads.

This book would make for a marvelous reading group read or read aloud.

Online Resources:
Kate DiCamillo's website hosts a video interview that could interest the class. This video would probably be most interesting to an upper elementary class. The website also contains a backstory on the novel.
http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/flora.html

This video is an interview with DiCamillo about her writing process. The video also gives a tour of her writing space and can be a interesting glimpse for the students into the life of a writer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k8jP4Ivf18

Key Words
Comical, Animation, Action, Adventure, Relationships

Vocabulary:
Surreptitious: done in a secretive manner
Cynic: a person who sees humankind as selfish and does not believe in selfless acts
Malfeasance: something that is harmful and can ruin public trust
Audacious: bold and daring
Mundane: boring or monotonous
Positing: to place or set

Reading Strategy:
Before Reading: ask the students about the purpose of illustrations. Have them ponder why there are fewer illustrations as they advance in school. Also, mention how this book contains advanced vocabulary and encourage the students to use context to figure out the meaning of words.

During Reading: point out some of the author's word choice and have the students come up with meanings for the words based off the context. 

After Reading: Present the students with a list of vocabulary words from the text and have them record the words and meaning in their vocabulary journals.

Writing Strategy:
Have the students search for  new vocabulary words they want to introduce to the class. Have them utilize these words in a writing piece (can be geared toward any topic), in which context can aid in understanding the meaning of the new words. After the writing pieces are finished, have the students share what they wrote aloud and have the class guess the meaning of the new words. 

Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night

(Image taken from Lexile.com)

Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night

Sidman, J. & Allen, R. (2010). Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Reading Level: 1020L

Why Should You Read This Book?

- Eloquent language is used to introduce readers to the use of rich language in poetry.
- The poems are captivating for all ages.
- A scientific explanation accompanies each poem, providing the reader with a greater understanding of what takes place at night.
- There are beautiful illustrations with adept color choice.
- It is a text easy to integrate into a science unit. 

Online Resources:
Poetry for Kids contains an abundance of information and resources for the students when they begin writing their own poems. It also includes a list of poetic terms and a rhyming dictionary.
http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/lessons/poetry-writing-lessons/

National Geographic has an informational section on multiple nocturnal animals, such as owls. The website also has specif species information and photography.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/great-horned-owl/#GreatHornedOwl1.jpg

Keywords
Poetry, Animals, Creative Writing, Nature, Newbery Award Winner

Vocabulary:
Nocturnal: active at night
Stanza: a group of four lines in poetry
Fungi: spore-making organisms that feed on decaying organism matter
Migrate: in birds, to move from one region to another in order to raise young more successfully
Photosynthesis: how plants make energy from sunlight
Camouflage: coloring or body parts that help animals blend in
Predator: an animal that hunts other animals for food

Reading Strategy:
Before Reading: There is some advanced vocabulary present in the text, such as words like "vagabond" and "omnivorous". Although these words are not essential to understanding the text, they give the poems greater depth and will allow the reader to appreciate the language more. A quick vocabulary lesson on words like these and the vocabulary words listed above would be beneficial before reading.

During Reading: Ask the students questions about the poems while you are reading it. Point out examples of figurative language. By doing this, students will have a greater understanding of the poem. 

After Reading: Have the students discuss in groups what the poems meant and what makes the poem a poem.

Writing Strategy:
Combining this text with an animal science unit would be a stellar idea. Have the students mimic the book in how it has a poem about a subject on the right and subject content on the left. Students can transfer knowledge gained in their science unit and put it to use in their poetry.