Magic Tree House #2: The Knight at Dawn by: Mary Pope Osborne (Science Fiction/Modern Fantasy)

Click the link below to view a comic strip about The Knight at Dawn.

http://www.toondoo.com/cartoon/2894756

After reading this book to my class, I will show them my comic strip. We will then discuss the importance of a sequence of events. The students will then proceed to create their own comic strip abou their favorite part of the book. Once they have finished they will present their comic strips to the class.

Mrs. Katz and Tush by: Patricia Polacco (Multicultural)

                                                                            
Larnel didn't know Mrs. Katz very well until he asked her to adopt an unwanted kitten. He went to visit her everyday after and she loved sharing stories about her belated husband as well as how she came to America from Poland. Mrs. Katz explained her Jewish ways and made connections to the similarities of Larnel's "people." She talked about how they both used to be slaves in search of freedom. Larnel became very fond of Mrs. Katz and kept in touch with her even when he grew up and had a family of his own.

 After reading this book to the class, students would split up into groups of four to have written discussions. Each student in the group would write a couple sentences about themselves and a tradition their family has. After 3 minutes they will pass their paper clockwise and then the students will be given another 4 minutes to make a connection to the statement at hand or tell about how they differ. The written discussion will make a full circle twice and then we will discuss as a class things they learned, similariteis, and differences.

             

Coming on Home Soon by: Jacqueline Woodson (Historical Fiction)

 Ada Ruth's mom decides to go to Chicago for a job washing train cars since they are hiring colored women because all the men are off fighting at the war. She tells Ada Ruth that she is going to make money to send back home to her. Ada Ruth is sad to see her mom leave. A snow front comes and brings a cat to her door. Since her mom is still not back yet, her Grandma allows the cat to stay for the time being. Day after day the mailman walks by without stopping until one day he finally dropped off an evelope filled with money. Ada Ruth knew it wouldn't be long before her mom came home.

I would use this book to lead a discussion in class about people going off to war and how the times of present and future are different. After reading this book to the class, I would discuss with the students the emotions families expereience when a loved one is called off to war. Also, we would discuss how times used to be (as exemplified by the book) and how times have changed today. After our discussion, students will write a reflection on what they have learned and provide their own opinions of the matter.

A Boy Called Slow by: Joseph Bruchac (Multicultural/International Literature)

Slow earned his name due to the way he acted when he was young. It was a custom of the Lakota people, but anyone could earn a new name by doing a brave deed or having a powerful dream. Slow desperately wanted to this vision of bravery to come to him so he could prove to his people that he earned a different name. Around the age of 17, he was known as one of the strongest boys and could ride a horse as if they were one. One evening he heard that his father and some other men were going to ride out against the Crow (enemies) and Slow jumped at the chance to go. That night Slow earned a new name, one of his fathers, and he is now known as Sitting Bull.

I would use this book as a tool to help children understand that just because someone might have a learning disability or doesn't grasp material as quickly as others do doesn't mean that they can't succeed. After reading this book to the class, we will discuss what happened throughout the story and make connections to real life expereineces. 

No Talking by: Andrew Clements (Realistic/Historical Fiction/Chapter Book)

While researching for a social studies project, Dave discovered a man named Mahatma Gandhi. For one day each week Gandhi decided not to talk because he believed it was a way to bring order to his mind. After reading this bit of information, Dave decided he'd give it a shot. Eventually, with the help of Lynsey  Burgess, the whole "Unshushable" 5th grade was involved in a 3 word max to all school staff members only no talking rule. It started out as a boy vs. girl competition which made it interesting to see how well they all worked together. Some teachers were frustrated and some were simply amazed, but they both adapted their teaching to the circumstances to create productive learning environments. Embark on a fascinating learning experience as Dave partakes in his own experiment based on the information he found while researching for his project.

I would challenge students during a math lesson or a literature lesson to have a 3 word max discussion. For math, the students will discuss how they got their answers using only 3 words at a time and through representation to provide a visual. During literature, students will have a debate on different genres to define and distinguish their similar and different characteristics. After each lesson, I will discuss with the class as a whole about what was difficult for them and they liked about only being able to use 3 words at a time.  



Safely to Shore: America's Lighthouses by: Iris Van Rynbach (Non-Fiction)

Many keepers of America's lighthouses were challenged by storms, shipwrecks, and the upkeep of their lighthouse. Some of the keepers were unable to see their families for years because it was too much of a risk for them to live in such locations. Travel through the many different lighthouses to find out the obstacles these keepers faced. People at sea relied on the bright light or the sound of the fog cannon, for when fog was to thick to see light, for guidance. Over time the use of lighthouses has changed in many ways. Some are still under operation while others serve as tourist attractions.

I would ask the class to pick a lighthouse of their choice and create a brochure telling about the lighthouse. They are to include the significance of their lighthouse, background information (when, where, and how it was built), information on the keeper(s), occurrences that stand out in history involving their lighthouse, and a few interesting facts. "Safely to Shore" would be a great resource to get students started along with the aid of other lighthouse books and Internet research. Once students have completed their brochure, they will present them to the class.