Elements of Elementary

Freaky Friday is Back for 1 Day Only!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 03:36:00 +0000

Freaky Friday is Back for 1 Day Only!

Need some awesome plans for your students, but don't have time to make them yourself?
Find yourself digging out your personal credit card for interactive lessons and games for your students?
Take a stroll through almost 50 different resources from a variety of teachers, all marked down to $1 for Friday, October 28th only!

I love using task cards when my class gets squirmy before a holiday. These Halloween task cards are sure to please, with a fun take on some multi-step story problem practice!

Check out these fun, classroom-friendly task cards here!

An InLinkz Link-up

Essay Grading Thoughts...Oh, and Zombies are Running the International Space Station, Did You Know?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 00:11:00 +0000

So I'm sitting here grading 9 weeks assessment essays, eating candy corn by the handful and chugging Dr. Pepper to stay awake. (Don't judge, you know you've been there, too!)

And these responses are just killing me, for a variety of reasons. Parents really just don't understand how their child's essay affects us, and that doesn't even count the fact that I have 60 to grade!

Students were asked to write an essay stating whether they would rather go on a field trip to a museum or have an astronaut come speak to the class.

Let me share a few with you:

Student #1:

[internal thought: If I bang my face on the keyboard a few times, she'll never notice, right?] Produced result: asdofijweaoifj (repeat ad nauseum for a page).

Student #2:

I think we should go on a field trip to visit an astronaut because I've always wanted to go to the moon!

Student #3:

I don't like Science. (Yes, ladies and gentlemen. That was the extent of this student's essay.)

Student #4:

We should visit a museum because all astronauts are dead anyways. (Oops, sorry astronauts. Guess there's something someone forgot to tell the rest of us. Or you. By the way, did you know there are now zombies running the International Space Station?)

What are your favorite student essay responses?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 04:53:00 +0000

Book Title: Armstrong -
The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon

Author: Torben Kuhlmann

Publish Date: 2016
Publisher: NorthSouth Books

Armstrong by Torben Kuhlmann

Suggested Grade: 3rd & up

Suggested Format: Read aloud, Individual, Small group

Synopsis:
Armstrong is a mouse with his eyes pointed at space. Unlike his fellow mice, he is quite sure that the moon is a rock, and is not made of cheese. After meeting an old mouse from the Smithsonian and learning about the history of airplanes and mice, he begins to design the equipment for a trip to the moon. With a few struggles, some ingenuity, and a few disasters, Armstrong heads to the moon with his spacesuit and rocket-powered spaceship.

Teacher's Notes:
This is an AMAZING book for teaching some of the science and details behind space exploration. It's also wonderful for discussing failure, hard work, and creativity, even when others are negative. There are lots of opportunities for students to focus on STEM skills.
The illustrations and words are wonderfully detailed and historically and scientifically sound. There are tons of great details hiding in the story and images, which make this book so much more than just a picture book.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: NetGalley ebook

Suggested Interests: space, STEM, fiction, science

16 Awesome Books for Middle School That You've Never Heard About!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 03:53:00 +0000

16 Lesser Know but still AMAZING books for Middle School

Books are my thing, obviously. I teach about them, I read them, I blog about them, and nothing makes me happier than finding that perfect book that a student hasn't already heard about. Here are my top 16 awesome books that are not well enough known in my opinion. These are books I haven't seen in student's hands, on co-workers bookshelves, or in blogs or on social media. I bought all of these on my own for myself and my students, (with two exceptions) and love each of them equally. You may have heard of some of these, but I'm willing to bet you aren't familiar with all of them!

1. How I Came to be a Writer by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Everyone knows about Shiloh, but most teacher's I've met have never heard about her child-friendly autobiography. This is a quick and fun non-fiction read about the struggles and triumphs of life and writing.

Great for: students who love biographies, non-fiction, awesome women, and writing

2. & 3. Face-Off at the Alamo and Panic in Pittsburgh by Roy MacGregor

I had to include two of these, because they are both so much fun. MacGregor has created a hilarious, slightly miscehvious middle school hockey team that manages to get into trouble and solve mysteries along the way. I did receive these books for my classroom from the author, but I would have eventually found these and purchased them anyways.

Great for: students who love hockey, mystery, and humor

4. Protecting Marie by Kevin Henkes

Fanny had to give up her wonderful, beautiful dog because it disrupted her father's painting business too much. She is given another chance when her father brings Marie, a new dog, into her life. Fanny must overcome her sadness and mistrust in order to befriend and protect this new charge.

Great for: students who love dogs, animals, and sappier stories

5. The Chicken Doesn't Skate by Gordon Korman

Milo is working on his science fair project - a live exhibit of the life cycle - when disaster strikes! When his chicken hatches, most of the students decide to befriend it. Henrietta the chicken quickly becomes the mascot of the school's hockey team, whose championship game is about the same times as the science fair. The school must band together to save their mascot before he becomes chicken nuggets!

Great for: students who love animals, hockey, and humor

6. Ravenmaster's Secret: Escape from the Tower of London by Elvira Woodruff

Eleven year old Forrest Harper lives in the shadow of the Tower of London, helping his father tend to the ravens. He dreams of someday being able to prove his strength and loyalty by guarding prisoners in the tower. He gets his chance unexpectedly when a Scottish Rebel is captured, but the prisoner turns out to be the rebel's daughter instead! Forrest ends up facing a difficult choice - will he allow his new friend to be executed, or will he commit treason to help her escape?

Great for: students who love historical fiction, suspense

7. The Naked Mole-Rat Letters by Mary Amato

Frankie is a twelve year old whose world is falling apart. Her father is in love with a crazy zookeeper from Washington, D.C., her brothers are terrible, and school is worse. In an effort to fix her life, she begins writing anonymously to the woman, trying to ruin her father's relationship. In the end, she gains more than she bargains for from her correspondence.

Great for: students who love fiction, books about change, and coming of age stories

8. The Golden Door by Emily Rodda

One of my all-time favorite books! This is a fantasy page turner that will enthrall almost every reader. Rye's world is under attack, and his older brothers are missing. The only thing left for him to do is to lie about his age and join the government mission to stop the skimmers from attacking the city. He hopes the flying dragons don't eat him before he finds his brothers and returns home, but finds a world much larger and stranger than he had imagined.

Great for: students who love fantasy, dragons, and adventure

9. The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones

Max's grandmother used to tell him wondrous stories of the now-extinct owls and what the world was like before the Destruction. His teachers and the government wanted him to think something totally different, however. The owls were evil, they preached, and he was allergic to the sun and must never see the light of day. This is a fun, suspenseful post-apocalyptic tale that is not too gruesome or violent for middle school readers, with fun twists and turns.

Great for: students who love fantasy, post-apocalyptic, and plot twists

10. The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica: The Search for the Red Dragon by James A. Owen

Someone is kidnapping the children from the Archipelago of Dreams, and John, Jack, and Charles must return to save them. They discover a plot to find a Dragonship, which would mean disaster for the Archipelago. There is lots of myth, legend, and adventure woven into this fun tale, which is book 2 of the Imaginarium Geographica. (I don't own book 1 yet, which is why I couldn't feature it, but the library has it!)

Great for: students who love fantasy, dragons, and adventure

11. Den of Thieves by Julia Golding (A Cat Royal Adventure)

With the Royal Theater closed, Cat is asked to take her acting on the road and join a dance troup in France. Once there, she discovers that she is expected to spy upon the French and report back to London during the first days of the French Revolution. Her friends are captured, and Cat may be next!

Great for: students who love historical fiction, suspense, action, and spies

12. The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda

Yes, Ms. Rodda gets 2 books in here, they are just that good! Leo inherits a magical music box from his great aunt, but he is always careful to follow the rules. When his cousin comes to visit, however, one of the first things she does is play with the box, which unwittingly releases a trapped sourceress and unlocks a hidden world!

Great for: students who love fantasy and adventure

13. Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse

Nyle has lost much in her young life, but she is happy living with her grandmother. An accident at the nearby power plant shakes up her world as she has to deal with masks, evacuations, and contaminated food. Once she adjusts to all of that, her grandmother decides to rock her world once more and take in two of the accident's survivors, a young woman and her son. Nyle has to choose how she will accept this change, and if it will finally break her.

Great for: students who love fiction, hope, and a classic story line

14. Hatching Magic by Ann Downer

A small wyvern is hunting for a nice place to lay her eggs when she accidentally stumbles into a time hole that dumps her in 21st century Boston. An adventurous race begins as evil and good sorcerers, magicians, and a few mortals hunt for the magical creature.

Great for: students who love fantasy, dragons, and time travel

15. The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson

Asha and Carey have just graduated from high school, and are trying to raise money. They start selling t-shirts to advertise for their club, the Latte Rebellion, which helps raise the awareness of mixed-race students. The plan takes off overnight, and Asha finds herself drowning in her own viral revolution.

Great for: students who love reading about other ethnicities, cultures, and social causes

16. Winter's Bullet by William Osborne

Tygo is forced to help the Nazis loot abandoned Dutch homes in order to survive after his father is killed in teh war. The Resistance wants to recruit him badly, but he knows that he must not join them if he wishes to live. He discovers a hidden refugee and finds out about a treasure hunt adventure, and has to make a choice whether to risk his life for wealth and a possible end to the war, or to live in relative safety working with the enemies he finds evil.

Great for: students who love WWII, historical fiction, action and suspense

What awesome, "underground" books do you love to read, or keep for your kids?

Teacher Planners: The 2016-2017 Erin Condren Life Planner & $10 Off Offer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 21:13:00 +0000

I love planners, notebooks, and anything else that seems organized and pretty. And I'm really good with keeping up with them...at least until October!

I've tried several different planners for lesson planning over the years... I started with the old fashioned ones that you can remember your teachers using back in the day, but they were huge and a pain to carry around, plus, they weren't very sturdy.

Then, I tried the Plum Paper Designs planner. It worked pretty well, and was a nice size for me, but it was very plain. Just black and white lines on a page with numbered dates. I got bored easily, but if you want to customize your own, or like plain and simple, theirs might be the planner for you! I ordered mine through Etsy.

My co-workers were raving about Erin Condren, so I decided to give it a try last year. I ordered the teacher planner, and was thrilled when it arrived. I quickly discovered, however, that I don't teach by subject, and it was a pain to have to go through and try to write in times at the top, plus a full day doesn't fit in to the boxes if numbered by hour.

I started pestering my co-workers again this May, and discovered that they were using the Hourly Life Planners instead of the teacher planners, and swore that they were amazing. So of course, that's what I chose to order this year. It's a few inches smaller all around than the teacher planner, but the layout makes up for it.

My order arrived today, and I am super excited to get started filling in dates for the year and outlining the basic units I plan to cover!

Here's what it looked like unwrapped but still in the box:

Erin Condren Life Planner & Party Pop Pens

Yes, that is a set of markers. I was going to be good and order just the planner, but they were calling to me, and I couldn't resist the siren song of brand-new, colored pens. I'm a teacher, okay? I have a problem with new school supplies - I can't say no!

Here's a look at the planner itself:

I love the cover I chose!

I didn't go with customization and my name on the cover because that's just my style, but they do that, too, if you want it. I chose to go with the neutral design on the inside, because my life could use some calm organization, and all the colors from the other one were a bit overwhelming for me. Some people thrive on color - I love that they offer both choices!

Here's a look at some of the inside:

Even in the "Neutral" theme, there is some color.

Quotes and color washes separate the months.

I am in LOVE with the black and white monthly pages.

The vertical hourly layout will work better for planning the school day.

Here's a closer view of the hourly. It goes from 6am to 7pm, which is great-- most school events have ended by 7!

If you're interested in buying this planner or any other product from the Erin Condren line for the first time, you can use my referral link for $10 off your entire purchase. Also, just a note that this is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own, however, I do receive $10 off my order as well when you use my referral link.

the dragon of the month club Book Review and Excerpt

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 May 2016 18:09:00 +0000

Book Title: the dragon of the month club

Author: Iain Reading

Publish Date: 2015
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Series: Book 1, sequel to come

the dragon of the month club by Iain Reading

Suggested Grade: 4th, 5th, 6th

Suggested Format: Small Group, Individual Reading, Read Aloud

Synopsis:
Ayana is the new girl in school, dealing with the move, bullies at school, and her father leaving. Tyler is a quiet, academic sort from the school down the street. After one particularly bad day, Ayana retreats to the city library's deepest, darkest corner to cry. There, she bumps in to Tyler, and a tentative friendship is born. In their reclusive corner of the library, a tiny book falls from the shelf. "how to conjure your very own dragon in six easy steps" looks silly to Tyler, but to make Ayana feel better, he agrees to give it a try. Several hours of practice and a few mistakes later, Tyler's room is covered in water, but a tiny dragon (made of water, of course), is flitting around his room.
Everything is going great - each month, new instructions appear, and Tyler and Ayana look forward to seeing each new and unique type of dragon. There are always warnings that a missed step in conjuring can have drastic consequences, but they are careful, and nothing ever happens. When they attempt a steam dragon, however, something goes terribly, terribly wrong, and suddenly, they find themselves in the world of Tyler's books that were spread throughout his room. Together with the dragons they have learned to conjure, they must find a way to get out of the books and make it back to normal life.

Teacher's Notes:
This is an AMAZING book! I absolutely could not put it down, and I can't wait to pass it on to my students. I will say that the moment I finished the book, I really wanted to throw it across the room, but in a good way. I won't spoil the ending, but I cannot WAIT for the next book to come out!
I will say that if you have students who want a book to end completely resolved and everything wrapped up nicely in one bundle, you might not suggest this story for them, as there is definitely an opening for book 2.
The vocabulary and word choice in this book is excellent for 4th/5th grade students, and I love that it pulls in just enough magic to be fun and exciting, but not enough to cause most parents any concern.
The character development is perfect, and I think will open the door for lots of great student discussion in small groups.
There is a definite, purposeful use of lowercase lettering in this story, but I like the opportunity it gives to discuss the reasoning behind mechanics conventions, and when it is okay to not follow conventions when writing.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: Provided by author for review through Book Publicity Services

Suggested Interests: Magic, Dragons, Fantasy, Adventure

Book Excerpt:
I loved this book SO MUCH that I asked if I could provide you with an excerpt so that you can see for yourself how amazing this story is, and how much you need it in your classroom life. :) Keep reading to get a taste!

Chapter 2 – The Book

Following their most unlikely of beginnings, the friendship of Ayana and Tyler grew quickly, and before they knew it, they were the best of friends, meeting up with each other almost every day. Sometimes they met up with Ayana’s mother after school at the downtown Dairy Queen for ice cream. Other times they climbed the edges of the coulee behind Ayana’s school and went to Tyler’s house where they did their homework together in his room. But most of the time, they just agreed to meet up at the place where they’d both accidentally bumped into each other on that very first day—amongst the dusty old bookshelves of the old library at the row between the history of the anatomy of earthworms and the illustrated guide to the indigenous mosses of Iceland.

It was on just such a day that Ayana and Tyler first discovered THE BOOK—a name that would be forever capitalised in their minds whenever either of them dared to utter the phrase aloud.

It was a magical book. That much was clear almost from the outset, so perhaps the manner in which these two unlikely friends happened to come across it was magical as well.

It all started on a typical Friday afternoon. Ayana and Tyler had agreed to meet at the library right after school. Tyler had a dentist appointment and would either be a few minutes late or a few minutes early, depending on how long that took. Not surprisingly Tyler was a few minutes late. This could have been expected since Tyler took dentist appointments very seriously. For weeks ahead of time he would be sure to brush his teeth five times every single day—once when waking up, once after breakfast, once after lunch, once after dinner, and once again before bed—which was two more times a day than he usually did. (He normally deemed the wake-up and after dinner steps unnecessary.) All of this was in addition to flossing, rinsing, and otherwise generally trying to keep his teeth in the best possible shape for the check-up.

To Tyler, going to the dentist was like studying for a test in school. Failure was not an option. So it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that once he was actually in the dental chair, he expected the dentist to be every bit as thorough as he was, a process that required a bit more time than it normally would with less fastidious patients.

So Tyler was late.

And so, when he finally arrived, he hurried down the stairs and quickly navigated through the maze of shelves at the back of the library and found Ayana sitting there, crouched on the floor, sobbing her eyes out.

Tyler sighed heavily. He could already guess what must have happened: Heather van der Sloot... again.

He took off his backpack and set it on the floor. Folding his legs under him, he lowered himself down until he was sitting next to Ayana, not too close, of course, but as close as he dared to.

“What happened this time?” Tyler asked.

Ayana sobbed and buried her face even deeper in her hands. After a moment her left arm shot out, pointing an accusing finger toward a stack of soiled and dishevelled papers lying in a heap on an empty space on the shelf opposite them.

“That,” Ayana cried, her voice thin and cracking.

Tyler stared at the papers, and it took him a moment to realise what they were.

“Your poems,” he gasped.

Tyler had to take a breath and swallow. Ayana’s poems were a work of art, neatly written in careful flowing script, one to a page. Ayana carried them with her sometimes in a stiff green cardboard folder with trees on it that had little strings that you used to tie it shut.

Ayana nodded, still sobbing.

“She threw them all over the playground,” she said, her voice raspy. “She grabbed my tree folder away from me and threw them everywhere. I... I ....”

Ayana stuttered and couldn’t speak for a second.

“I don’t know if I got them all back,” she finally said, finishing her thought. “I think I lost some.”

Tyler nodded and crawled over on one knee to pick up the chaotic stack of papers. He sorted through them, one by one, trying to put them back into some kind of order. They were smeared and scratched and crumpled. One even had a dirty footprint stamped squarely on it.

Normally Ayana wouldn’t even let Tyler glance at one of her poems, so he was surprised that she wasn’t bothered by his looking through all of them now. She clearly wasn’t thinking straight, so he tried to make as neat a stack out of them as possible and set it down on the carpet in the middle of the row of shelves.

“There are a lot there,” he said, sitting close to her again. “Maybe you did get them all.”

Ayana shrugged her shoulders hopelessly.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, staring blankly at the pile of papers. “I don’t care.”

Tyler felt a sudden squeeze around his heart. He had no idea what he was supposed to do to make Ayana feel better.

But as his mind was racing, trying to think of something, the universe intervened.

“I hate her, Tyler,” Ayana said. “I HATE her!”

On this second last syllable, Ayana kicked at the opposite shelves with the heel of her shoe, making the wooden frame shudder and some of the books rattle around. One particular book—a small, thin one high up on the very top shelf—tipped forward as if in slow motion until it was hanging precariously at an impossible angle, almost as if it was levitating, before tumbling end over end to the floor.

Tyler tried to catch it but he was too slow, and instead it crashed into the stack of papers, scattering them slightly, before it fell flat on its back, right side up right in front of them.

how to conjure

your very own dragon

in six easy steps

...read the front cover of THE BOOK in bright yellow letters against a wavy blue background.

Tyler frowned and Ayana stopped crying for a moment. They both stared at THE BOOK with wide-open eyes, neither of them quite able to believe what they were seeing.

“How to conjure a dragon?” Ayana asked, kneeling forward to grab THE BOOK.

Tyler crawled next to her as she opened the front cover.

THE BOOK was very thin—more like a pamphlet, really— with no table of contents, no copyright page, no dedication page. There wasn’t even an indication of who the author might be. It just went straight into the first chapter, which was entitled:

the water dragon

“A water dragon?” Tyler read over Ayana’s warm shoulder.

Underneath the chapter title was a brief list of the various characteristics of the water dragon.

category: lesser dragon

difficulty: medium

classification: common

Below that was a basic introduction and explanation of the dragon followed by some advice to those who might want to conjure one:

this spell is a relatively simple one, but be forewarned that the water dragon is a damp and clumsy creature, prone to making messes and causing trouble. It is recommended to have plenty of towels at hand when undertaking this conjuring.

Underneath this brief introduction was a list of materials needed to actually conjure the dragon.

required material(s): water, towels (optional)

And last but not least came the instructions, six simple steps to conjuring your very own dragon. Tyler could hardly believe what he was reading. The steps were so simple. Just a series of strangely specific hand gestures performed by two people simultaneously. The instructions even had little helpful sketches to help you understand what to do.

It reminded Tyler of IKEA assembly instructions when his parents bought new furniture and let him put it together for them. But that was furniture made of wood and fabric and those little IKEA screws that needed a special tool to screw them in. This was supposed to be a dragon, whatever that meant. How could such simplistic instructions possibly result in assembling anything, much less an actual dragon?

“We have to try this!” Ayana said excitedly.

Celebrating The Small Things -- Standardized Testing Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 May 2016 22:01:00 +0000

One of the things I love to do is make people smile. It's just in my nature. I was never the class clown, and I don't want everyone's attention at the same time, but I can't stand to see people who are not happy.

Notice that I didn't say unhappy, I said not happy? My husband tells me all the time that they are two totally different things, and I'm beginning to learn that. Maybe that means I'm finally becoming an adult, although if being an adult means not being happy all the time, I think I'll pass and stay young forever. And yes, I am that strange person that smiles all the time, no matter what. At least, until this year.

My students learn this about me early on every year. I want to see and hear them smile, so I encourage them. Yes, we have classroom rules, and we are a mostly well-behaved, semi-calm class, but we take our encouragement and excitement very seriously. Now, I know what you are thinking. I'm not the kind of teacher that hands out participation ribbons for everything, or congratulates students for sub-par work. Instead, we celebrate effort in my class, and especially that "ah-ha!" moment that kids have when they suddenly understand a concept. We practice this to the point that sometimes, I don't even have to say anything. I'll walk by and hear my students encouraging each other as they work in small groups, which we do almost daily.

This year has been really hard for me, though. Without going into detail, there have been health, family, and financial concerns, and then of course the ever-present state and school district changes and pressures. By the time we got to state standardized testing, I was tired, and I was very, very not happy. I was seriously wondering if teaching was worth my time and effort right now, not because I didn't know that the kids are worth it, but because life was just trying to steal my joy away. Basically, I was burned out, like every teacher hits at some point.

Needless to say, the celebrations and encouragement continued, but I know for a fact there was a lot less true encouragement and excitement. The same words were coming out of my mouth, but they didn't mean as much. And then testing day for my kids came.

My students had just finished taking their 2+ hour Reading, Writing, Language test. One of my academically strong girls walked out of the room and straight up to me, looking very unsure of herself. I smiled a very fake smile and asked how the test had gone. I was dreading the answer, but I knew I couldn't get away with not asking her.

"I... think I did okay." "It was better than last year," she hurried to add, and I smiled a little remembering how absolutely terrible the test last year was for everyone.

"The reading was easy, and the language was ok." [That leaves writing, the thing we've been pushing the most this year, I'm thinking as she talks, and I'm seriously considering resigning on the spot if my strongest academic students just bombed the writing class, because there will be no hope for the rest of my class.]

"But the writing said to write an essay, and I got nervous and I couldn't remember how long an essay is supposed to be." [Deep breath, here it comes, try to keep smiling...]

"So I made it 5 paragraphs, because I knew I needed an introduction, and some details, and a conclusion. Was that okay?"

I cannot even begin to describe the smile that girl got. 5 paragraphs was what we had been practicing all year, what we had drilled in for 8 months. It was everything we had worked towards, and she had gotten it. Instinctively.

We shared a high-five and some excitement right there in the hallway, because for a 5th grader, making the "right" decision on a big test is huge, enormous, life-changing. I walked away with the energy to celebrate with all of my students, even the ones I know won't have met state proficiency levels this year. Life is awesome, and as long as they gave it their best, I know they made more improvement than even they realize. I spent some time celebrating my own success that day - not that my kiddo will score well on the test, but that she had grabbed on to the reason why we do 5 paragraphs, and she had internalized it.

We both needed some encouragement that day, and we both got it by celebrating something that most people will think is little and silly. And that's okay. I will continue to celebrate the small things with my students, and the year I can no longer celebrate at all with my students (not just a temporary lapse like this year) is the year that I will know that it is time for me to walk away and change what I am doing. For now, I am going to go jump up and down with my students who have improved their DIBELS oral reading scores when we reassess next week.

The Kingdom of Oceana Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 May 2016 02:04:00 +0000

Book Title: The Kingdom of Oceana

Author: Mitchell Charles

Publish Date: 2015
Publisher: Butterhorse Publishing

Series: Standalone, sequel to come?

The Kingdom of Oceana by Mitchell Charles

Suggested Grade: 6th, 7th

Suggested Format: Individual Reading

Synopsis:

Ailani is your normal 16-year old boy living on a Hawaiian island, except for the fact that he's a prince. Oh, and it takes place when Hawaii is still just a conglomerate of tribes on islands in the Pacific. And did I mention that in addition to surfing and fire walking, he also has a sorcerer best friend who can shape-shift?

Prince Ailani is living the good life - he is happy with his position as a student and the son of the king, but he has a serious problem with his brother. His brother is older, in line for the throne, and seems determined to harass his brother to no end, even to the point of almost killing him. As the story progresses, Ailani learns that no only does he have to deal with his brother, but impending war with a nearby island takes them away from their home, and an ancient evil curse of zombie sea creatures arrive to complete the disaster.

Ailani must learn to overcome his insecurities and step up to face the neighboring tribes and defeat the ancient sorcery before the islands are permanently destroyed.

Teacher's Notes:

This was a fun read, although a bit predictable from a teacher's standpoint. As I read, I had several of my student's already in mind who will eat this up. I feel good about having it on my shelves, as it is not too violent or "scary," yet it contains that fun zombie style-action that my students love. And for those of you concerned, we are talking traditional island-style zombification, which is more like being a mindless drone. There are no half-decayed humans running around trying to eat brains. (Which will no doubt disappoint a few of my students, but that's ok) :)

It has the classic love triangle, the sibling rivalry, and the action and adventure of magic. It can be a bit confusing because of it's fast pace, but everything comes to a satisfactory conclusion that explains any leftover questions.

I really enjoyed the treatment of the Hawaiian vocabulary words, which were littered throughout the book with footnotes, giving a fun and more realistic feel to the setting of the story.

Overall: 7/10

How I Got the Book: Provided by author for review through Book Publicity Services

Suggested Interests: Island life, fantasy, shape-shifting, sibling rivalry

2016 New Years Book Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 00:57:00 +0000

While the new year has been here for a few days now, I'm still adding to my New Years resolutions. They are simple-I'm not one to make resolutions about life changes or something so drastic I probably won't make it to February. In my mind, those changes are better made after winter is over and I finally thaw out for the year. Not all of my resolutions are education related, but almost all of them are book related.

1. I resolve to spend my Christmas money on a new chair and bookshelf for the office, to carve out a reading space in the same room my husband will often be found in the evenings. I resolve to do it now, and not keep putting it off until I finally forget or use the money for something else. Besides, we NEED another bookshelf, our current ones are stacked and piled deep, with books spilling out.

2. I resolve to read some adult books-not the racy or questionable kind, but books written for adults, by adults, instead of just YA all the time. I'm starting with Dee Henderson's newest book.

3. I will read all the YA books I have (and review them) before dragging my husband to the store to spend the $50 book gift card I got for Christmas.

4. I will share with you my personal book list challenge for the year, so that you can read along if you wish.

5. I will not openly mock people when they find out that I teach English, and feel the need to tell me that they hate reading, or that reading isn't for adults, or that it's been years since they've picked up a book, or that there is no reason they should ever have to read anything but work emails and a TV guide again. Ok, so let's be real. This one might not happen.

6. I will give my students and parents better book list suggestions this year, and will refrain from throwing Magic Tree House, Flat Stanley, and A to Z Mysteries at anyone who asks what their struggling reader should try. Not that they are bad books, but anyone can suggest those. I should be able to come up with more than that-I'm supposed to be the expert!

7. I will finish my novel. I will finish my novel. I will finish my novel... (Clicks heels together)

What book and education resolutions have you made this year? Any I need to add to my list?

Island of Fog Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 15:19:00 +0000

Book Title: Island of Fog

Author: Keith Robinson

Publish Date: 2009
Publisher: Unearthly Tales

Series: Island of Fog series book 1

Island of Fog by Keith Robinson

Suggested Grade: 5th, 6th

Suggested Format: Individual Reading

Book Format: Currently e-book only

Synopsis:

Hal lives on an island with 7 other 12 year olds and their families. He knows life is a bit different, because they have only ever seen the fog, and sometimes their parents mention what life used to be like. Hal and his friends have never questioned their life too much, but all of that changes quickly when the children begin to change into monsters! What is going on? Can they trust their parents? What about the mysterious Miss Simone who appears from somewhere else?

Hal and his friends have to find the truth, while avoiding the mysterious and violent Manticore who has appeared on the island and trying desperately not to become the monsters they fear.

A real page turner! It can be a bit confusing, because there are lots of unknown variables, but the overall premise is great. Written in a casual but meaningful way, students will find themselves truly living vicariously through Hal and his friends as they battle monsters, parents, and themselves. A great story, questions are finally answered, but the reader knows that the adventures for Hal and his friend are not finished!

Teacher's Notes:
I love this book for my 5th grade students. It is fun and exciting, but is not too complex or scary for any student in the class. It holds the attention of even my more reluctant students, and is perfect for students that do not enjoy the traditional classic middle grade books. I recommend this series for every 5th and 6th grade classroom library.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: Classroom e-book library

Suggested Interests: Mystery, Action, Fantasy, Fiction

The Hundred Dresses Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Book Title: The Hundred Dresses

Author: Eleanor Estes
Illustrator: Louis Slobodkin

Publish Date: 1944
Publisher: Scholastic

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

Awards: Newbery Honor Book

Suggested Grade: 4th, 5th, 6th

Suggested Format: Read Aloud, Whole Group, Small Group, Independent Reading

Synopsis:

Maddie is friends with the nicest, most popular girl in her class, Peggy. She knows that Peggy would never do anything wrong, so when Peggy wants her to have fun with Wanda, she doesn't think anything of it. That is, until she starts to wonder if having fun with Wanda is really making fun of Wanda. But Wanda, the poorest girl in school, shouldn't lie and say she has 100 dresses in her closet! After all, Maddie has only ever seen her wear one dress, every single day of school.

Teacher's Notes:

A+! Maddie is scared to stand up to the unintentional bullying, but she realizes that her cowardice is even worse! By the time she decides to do the right thing, though, it may be too late.

Perfect as a read aloud or for whole group instruction, this short tale crafts a powerful message about bullying. It addresses the issue of not thinking about how words can hurt others, as well as learning to voice an unpopular opinion in order to do what is right.

If I could choose, EVERY 5th grade student would have to read this book!

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: Purchased for Classroom

Suggested Interests: Fiction, Realistic Fiction

A Wind in the Door Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 15:45:00 +0000

Book Title: A Wind in the Door

Author: Madeline L'Engle

Publish Date: 1973
Publisher: Dell Publishing Company

Series: A Wrinkle in Time series #2

A Wind in the Door by Madeline L'Engle

Suggested Grade: 9th grade and up

Suggested Format: Independent reading

Synopsis:

Meg and Calvin are back with some strange new friends. Blanjey, a Teacher, Proginoskes, a cherubim, and Sporos, a farandole, team up to face three challenges to save Charles Wallace. Charles Wallace is dying from "mitochondritis," a syndrome that his mother has only begun to understand using her new scientific equipment.

Full of adventure, the team travel from the mundane of school to the outer cosmos and back to Earth in the form of inhabitants of Charles Wallace's mitochondria. How can an enemy that is nothing be defeated? And why is it attacking Charles Wallace?

Teacher's Notes:

This is a much more difficult read than A Wrinkle in Time. An excellently written fantasy, it engulfs the reader in the world of the macrocosmic and microcosmic. Full of scientific jargon and settings, this story is not for the general casual reader. I would not recommend this book for anyone until at least High School, and even some college students will have difficulty with it. It does offer a wonderful glimpse into the mind of L'Engle's fundamental understandings of being and voids, and the importance of naming and living completely.

Overall: 7/10

How I Got the Book: Purchased for my collection

Suggested Interests: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction

The Monster's Ring Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Book Title: The Monster's Ring

Author: Bruce Coville

Publish Date: 1982
Publisher: Scholastic

Series: Magic Shop Books #1

The Monster's Ring by Bruce Coville

Suggested Grade: 3rd, 4th, 5th

Suggested Format: Independent Reading

Synopsis:
Russell Crannaker loves Halloween. He loves monsters, magic, scary stories, and all things creepy and crawly. But this Halloween, Russell is struggling with being the target of the school bully, Eddie. That is, until a mysterious man in a magic shop sells him a ring. Russell is delighted to discover that he can turn into a monster with the help of the ring, anytime he wants. He even reads through the included directions:

"Twist it once, you're horned and haired;

Twist it twice and fangs are bared;

Twist it thrice? No one has dared!

Use with caution, and never on the night of a full moon."

Russell thinks that this is the solution to all of his problems, at least at first, but learns he might not like everything that being a monster really means.

Teacher's Notes:
A fun story, this is a quick Halloween read. Its take on magic is lighthearted and fun, and is not "magic-y" enough to concern most readers. There are no truly creepy or scary elements, and paired with a great moral and theme, it is a perfect read for all students. This would make a great read-aloud for 2nd graders all the way through middle school during the month of October.

Overall: 8/10

How I Got the Book: Gifted to my classroom

Suggested Interests: Fantasy, Monsters, Halloween, Fiction

Son Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Book Title: Son

Author: Lois Lowry

Publish Date: 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Series: The Giver Quartet #4

Son by Lois Lowry

Suggested Grade: 7th, 8th, High School

Suggested Format: Independent Reading

Synopsis:
The surprising ending to the Giver Quartet, the reader begins the tale in the mind of Claire, a Vessel in a town that seems familiar to the reader. Claire is unfit to be a Vessel, however, and is transferred to another position within her Community. During a strange time of unknown panic and disruption within her Community, Claire finds herself taking refuge on a boat, but a storm soon washes her overboard and into the strangest village she has ever seen. The only problem-she does not remember who she is, or where she is from. This story is the emotional and moving story of her rediscovery of who she is, and her rebuilding of her future, with the son she never knew.

Teacher's Notes:
This is the most stark and moving story in The Giver Quartet. Lowry has definitely grown her stories along with her audience. I do not keep this book on my 5th grade shelves, as I feel very few students would be ready for the themes within this story. As a read for High School or adults, I would recommend this book for those who could not get enough with the first three books of this Quartet. For readers who were not enthralled by the tales from the first three books, this is probably a pass, as it will not hold their interest.

Overall: 8/10

How I Got the Book: Gift

Suggested Interests: Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy

A Prince Without A Kingdom Book Reivew

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 18:44:00 +0000

Book Title: A Prince Without A Kingdom

Author: Timothee de Fombelle
Translated by: Sarah Ardizzone

Publish Date: 1st US Edition 2015
Publisher: Candlewick Press

Series: Sequel to Vango: Between Earth and Sky

A Prince Without a Kingdom by Timothee de Fombelle

Suggested Grade: 8th grade and up

Suggested Format: Individual Reading, Book Club

Synopsis:

Vango is being chased. He is not completely sure who is chasing him, or why. All he knows is that he must escape, must continue to run, and must find out who he really is. Orphaned at a young age, Vango has lived most of his life hiding: from pirates, from the government, from the police, even from the girl he loves. In this book, Vango decides it is time to stop hiding, and start finding answers.

Ethel has not seen the man she loves in years, but she still holds on to the scarf she still has that belongs to him. Her parents dead, her brother in Spain fighting a war, the scarf is her only comfort. She spends her evenings sitting by the fire, staring at the stitched "V" on the blue cloth. During the days, however, she is busy with a very important, very secret project.

Padre Zafiro is on a mission to find and eliminate the most notorious arms dealer in the world. His two problems? The man knows he is coming and is watching for him, and he is trying to keep everyone else he knows safe. Can a priest really do whatever it takes, including murder, just to bring a criminal to justice?

Boulard is the Superintendent of the Paris police force, but he is being blackmailed by a Russian crime lord. He knows that there is more at stake than his own life, so he blindly follows orders, at least for now. At the back of his mind, he is trying desperately to create a plan to get rid of this problem once and for all. His time is running out, however, and not everyone is who they seem to be.

Linked together, characters step in and out of each other's lives, living through the chaos they are trying to control. Travel with them around the globe, from Paris to Scotland, New York to Russia, monasteries to prisons. Live vicariously through the eyes of people who have seen the wars in Spain, pirates of the Mediterranean, the first acts of discrimination against Jews in Paris, and the beginning of the second World War.

Teacher's Notes:

A Prince Without a Kingdom is an excellent tale of mystery, intrigue, and tragedy mixed with an ounce of comedy, written in a historically accurate setting. The sequel to Vango: Between Earth and Sky, this book actually serves quite well as a stand alone tale. Readers may at first be a bit confused about a few of the readers, but given the writing style in which the author introduces new characters and later delves more deeply into their connections and past, there is no guarantee that the first book would not also be so complex.

Each character is artfully woven together into the full tapestry that is finally completed and shown at arm's length in the last few sentences of the book. There are many characters within this tale, and several are introduced even towards the very end of the book. This makes the book more difficult for students to understand, as seemingly important pieces are missing.

From a classroom standpoint, this book is perfect for students to read independently. I would not suggest a whole group application of this text, as it can be confusing, and not all students will be willing to put in the effort to truly understand the story line progression as it crosses through multiple characters and continents.

There are plots of assassination, glimpses into occupied Paris during World War II, and scenes of death and destruction within the book. They are written with respect for the deceased and a hand that artfully describes accuracy without being too violent or gory for students in upper grades. The historical and social aspects of the movie are an excellent study of how historical events vary from the basic history lesson when viewed through the eyes of a character living deep within the event.

There are several love stories interwoven into the tale, but none are indecent for the public or private school setting. The most intimate of actions are a brief kiss or the holding of hands, with a few mentions of weddings, pregnancy, and children. The tale is so well constructed that even students who shy away from stories of love or "chick flicks" will not mind the account.

If not for the complex construction of the text which makes the story inaccessible to all readers within a classroom, I would gladly recommend this book as a whole group activity for high school students. There are many wonderful topics to delve into, both thematic and relating to the writer's craft. This would be wonderful as a book study for more advanced students.

Overall: 9/10

How I Got the Book: ARC from publisher through LibraryThing

Suggested Interests: Historical fiction, fiction, mystery

Messenger Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Book Title: Messenger

Author: Lois Lowry

Publish Date: 2006
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Series: The Giver Quartet #3

Messenger by Lois Lowry

Suggested Grade: 7th, 8th, High School

Suggested Format: Small Group, Independent Reading

Synopsis:
Matty has the perfect life now, living in the Village and helping the Seer. His world is changing, however, and Matty doesn't think it is changing for the better. Something evil is changing people in the Village, and they no longer want to accept the outsiders that they once were. Matty acts as messenger between the other communities, and now with the boundaries closing, Matty must take one more message, this time to try and convince Kira to return to the Village. Along the way, he discovers a power that he holds inside of himself. But when the time comes, can Matty bring himself to make the necessary sacrifice?

Teacher's Notes:
A wonderful read, this is the saddest of the Giver Quartet. I definitely cried through the ending. The story has a haunting presence on the reader, and is definitely for a slightly more mature audience than the first two stories. I would recommend this book to older students on a case by case basis. It is more abstract in nature than The Giver and Gathering Blue, and will not interest as many students. Those students who are interested, however, will once again be drawn into a wonderfully crafted world.

Overall: 9/10

How I Got the Book: Gift

Suggested Interests: Dystopia, Fantasy, Fiction

Gathering Blue Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Book Title: Gathering Blue

Author: Lois Lowry

Publish Date: 2000
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Series: The Giver Quartet #2

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Suggested Grade: 6th, 7th, 8th, High School

Suggested Format: Small Group, Independent reading

Synopsis:
Kira is an anomaly in a world where the weak are cast aside. An orphan with a deformed leg, she fears what her future will be. Kira is granted reprieve because of her skills as a gifted weaver, and is given an important task within the society. The singer's robe needs repairs, and Kira is the only one who can fix it. History itself resides within the robe, as the singer uses it every year to remind the community of their past. As she lives in the city center and begins her important work, Kira realizes that there are secrets in the community--secrets that are not necessarily for the good of the people. Kira sets out to find the truth about her world, and the unknown world beyond.

Teacher's Notes:
An amazing book, this is my personal favorite book in the Giver Quartet. This book is always a big hit with some of my more introverted girls, as they feel they can connect with Kira. It can be read as a stand alone book, or as a follow-up to the Giver. Some students every year put the book down claiming it is "too slow" or "not exciting" enough, as it is a bit slow to start. You really get the feel of the characters, and who they are as the story begins. This is an awesome book, but is not for everyone.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: Purchased for my personal collection

Suggested Interests: Fantasy, Fiction, Dystopia

The Giver Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Book Title: The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry

Publish Date: 1993
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Series: The Giver Quartet

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Awards: 1994 Newbery Award

Suggested Grade: 6th, 7th, 8th, High School

Suggested Format: Whole Group, Small Group, Independent Reading

Synopsis:
Jonah lives in a perfect world: no pain, no war, no fear. Everyone has a role in the Community, and everyone lives in harmony. Every year, a rite of passage assigns 12-year-olds to training for their future jobs in the Community. At the ritual, however, Jonas' name is passed by. He is singled out instead to become an apprentice to the Giver, the man who holds all of the Community's memories and history. As Jonas learns the truth, however, his world will never be the same again.

Teacher's Notes:
This is a wonderful book for older students, and has quickly become a staple of the Junior High classroom. A lighter version of the dystopian/utopian concept, this is a great lead into more complex and meaningful discussions in the classroom. A must read for all students.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: Purchased for my collection

Suggested Interests: Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy

The War Within These Walls Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Book Title: The War Within These Walls

Author: Aline Sax
Illustrator: Caryl Strzelecki

Publish Date: 2013
Publisher: Eerdman's Books for Young Readers

The War Within These Walls by Aline Sax

Suggested Grade: 7th, 8th, High School

Suggested Format: Independent Reading, Small Group

Synopsis:
The War Within These Walls is a compelling read about the Holocaust of World War II. The narrator is a young (teenage) Jew living in Warsaw, Poland. The story starts when the first relocation of Jews in Poland began after the German occupation, and ends in the rebellion of Jews still remaining in the walled ghetto of Warsaw.
This book is very true to the nature of the cruelties that children lived through during this time. Holocaust, injury, genocide, torture, and death are all present. While it is written in a fictional format, it is very much a non-fiction tale of what really happened.

Teacher's Notes:
For classroom use, however, this book will be on my personal bookshelf. It will only be shared with students who are ready (and whose parents agree are ready) to read the book with an understanding of the dark, stark factual representation of death that occurred. While the reading level is fairly simple, most of my students are not emotionally ready for the portrayal of death in this story.

A wonderful read for mature students and adults, however, this book is a reminder of the horrors of history that are often glazed over in history class.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: ARC from publisher through LibraryThing

Suggested Interests: War, Historical Fiction

A Wrinkle In Time Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Book Title: A Wrinkle in Time

Author: Madeline L'Engle

Publish Date: 1962
Publisher: Dell Publishing Company

Series: A Wrinkle in Time series #1

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Awards: Newbery Winner

Suggested Grade: 5th, 6th, 7th grade and up

Suggested Format: Whole class, Independent reading, Small group

Synopsis:
Meg Murray feels like a misfit. No one at school understands her, her teachers think she's dumb, her peers think she's weird, and to top it all off, the adults are all whispering behind her back that her dad has run off. It's true, Meg's dad is missing. But he was working on a super-secret project as a physicist, and Meg just knows he's going to return soon. And then there's Charles Wallace, her genius little brother who won't talk around anyone but family. Meg isn't sure how she is going to make it through school until one wild and stormy night when Charles Wallace introduces her to Mrs. Whatsit.
Meg is thrown into a whirlwind of events where she meets Calvin, a student a few grades ahead of her at school, three "stars," Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, and is tessered across the universe in search of her father. With the help of her brother and her new friends, Meg must figure out how to use the wrinkles in time and her own uniqueness to save her father.

Teacher's Notes:
I haven't put this book down since I was in 5th grade! (I read it at least once a year, sometimes more) I wholly recommend it for anyone, including adults! The concepts are a bit tricky, so I would suggest 5th grade unless the reader has a voracious vocabulary. Well, written, creative, positive, and perfectly balanced, this is a definite 10/10.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: Purchased for my collection

Suggested Interests: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction

8 Ways to Own Your Parent Orientation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 13:00:00 +0000

Here it is, ready or not: Back to School Orientation for parents. You have everything out, you're excited, you're nervous, and then that one parent walks in the door. You know the one that I mean. The one who wants to find fault with everything, or tell everyone about their old school, or argue that that isn't they way they learned it, or even the one with 12 kids around their legs (or pets, heaven forbid!) who spend the evening undoing your nice neat classroom. And you're stuck holding the bag, with an orientation that is disrupted and miserable for everyone involved. We've all been there, or at least, I'd like to think we have. I'd hate to be alone!

It's time for teachers to take back these parent sessions! I'm here to provide information, answer questions, and help parents. I am doing my job if I do not give in to the few parents who would, intentionally or unintentionally, derail the meeting.

"Respect, simple respect. I expect nothing more, and I demand nothing less."
(Thank you, Margaret Houlihan!)

The last few years, I've been perfecting my orientation to avoid the most common pitfalls a teacher deals with. I realize that virtual orientations are a bit different than in a physical classroom, but I've had everything I mentioned above during virtual orientation-the littlest of kids have managed to wreck the slides and cause commotion, and the pets in the background mean no one can hear what's going on. So what have I learned that I will be doing differently this year?

8 ways to own your parent orientation:

1. Plan. And then plan some more.

Adults are much more observant than children. The more you prepare, and the more familiar you are with your material, the easier it will be for you to bluff convincingly when the time comes. Note that I say when, not if! Something will go screwy. Someone will ask a stumping question, someone will pull the fire alarm, you'll run out of papers you swore you printed enough of (and then later discover said pet ate them :) )... If you don't have to stop and think about the plan, you can devote your brain power to the more important, pressing matters. Remember to overplan, but never expect to finish!

2. Set a schedule that won't bore.

Parents nowadays have about the same attention span as their children. Don't expect to change the world with your moving speech about literacy if they have been sitting for more than 15 minutes! Remember-if you are bored, so are the parents! Be sure to plan in opportunities for them to talk, collaborate, or move around. This can be done without it feeling cheesy. Think about those wonderful faculty meetings you've sat through. No adult wants to have to think pair share. But they might want to break into self-selected groups to discuss reading strategies, after school programs, volunteer opportunities, or the latest kid-friendly activities in town.

3. Take time for quality questions--and plan your wording to spark those quality questions!

You might be thinking that it's your job to present information and fulfill a task, and you are correct. No parent wants to feel like a student again, though. Remember to leave ample time for quality questions. You know the questions I mean. When you are discussing parent volunteers and Mrs. Johnson asks if there are any special requirements for who is allowed to help, it's a valid question worth your time. Mr. Stewart may not have understood how the homework log works, and if he is confused, chances are someone else is as well. Be sure that you are asking for thoughtful questions. Don't say your piece and then say "any questions?" Instead, ask "does anyone have any concerns about helping their student with the homework log?" That way, Mr. Peterson does not feel validated about asking when lunch is for the third time.

4. Have a plan for deferring misleading or distracting questions.

Have a set of redirects in mind before you begin for those non-relevant questions. When Mr. Peterson asks what time lunch is three times before you hand out the schedule, make sure you are polite when you tell him that "Schedule information is next on the list." To that thought, you want to make sure to have an agenda handy for parents to follow along with. If they know their questions will be addressed, they will be more inclined to wait. Whatever you do, don't start answering questions about other topics that will get you off track, even if they are good topics. Acknowledge the questions, make a note of them, and then cover them when they come up. Every time you get off topic, three more parents will think their questions are more important than your plan.

5. Share plenty of relevant info.

Parents came to your orientation to learn about your classroom and school. They took time out of their schedule in order to come, and might have even hired a babysitter so they could come undistracted. They want to hear relevant information that matters to them. One of the things I do is find a parent who is involved with the school and subject them to the CliffNotes version of my presentation beforehand. This works well because I trust this parent to be honest with me. Sometimes, she will tell me "I don't really need that information," "Can you tell me that when it is closer to time? I'll just forget before then," or even "Honestly, as a parent I really don't care!" If you can't borrow a parent to steal their feedback, try to put yourself in their shoes. What matters most to your grade of parents, and in your community? There is no one-size fits all answer.

6. Don't share too much info.

Oversharing can be as detrimental as undersharing. Not only will parents be frustrated, they will forget the most important things! Make sure that you give them the method you will share further information, and leave it at that. Even if one person asks about the Valentine's Day party, you really don't want to answer that in front of the whole group. The next thing you know, someone will bring a card box for the Christmas party, and no one is happy. One of the best things you can do other than paring down your info is to make sure to summarize the high points at the very end of your session. That way, parents will leave remembering what you want them to, and not whatever random fact stuck in their mind.

7. Have a plan for unexpected guests.

This will differ from school to school, but always make sure there's a plan for unexpected guests, even if your school discourages them. Will your school have a sitter in the library for younger siblings? Is there an area of your classroom you can designate for roamers? If you have fragile things in your classroom, like technology, put it high enough up that little fingers won't be able to pull it off of shelves. I know that we shouldn't have to worry about it, but Mrs. Casey will turn her back on her precious angel to talk with Mr. Carter, and the next thing you know, you new markers are open, and your bulletin board is a new color. If you can, set aside a special place for small children, or at least provide them with something to occupy their time quietly to reduce the possibility of commotion.

8. Take a deep breath and have FUN!

I know, I know. You can't have fun, you're too nervous. There's too much to do. If you smile, they'll eat you. I've heard it all, and believe me, it's not true. You can relax and have fun. If something wrong happens, if you roll with it, parents will implicitly trust you so much more with their kids than if you fall apart! Remember, you're making a first impression. Parents are more worried about you being nice, polite, and prepared than they are about you being a rule follower or a by-the-book teacher.The more confidence you have in yourself, the more confidence they will have in you.

Let me know below, what strategies do YOU use to have a successful orientation?

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Book Title: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Bagram Ibatoulline

Publish Date: 2007
Publisher: Candlewick Press

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Suggested Grade: 3rd, 4th, 5th grade

Suggested Format: Independent reading

Synopsis:
Edward Toulane is a very vain china rabbit, with no thought for anyone or anything but himself. He is given the best of everything, and has no reason to change his thinking until one day when he is lost over the side of a boat and sinks to the ocean floor. Feeling an emotion other than pride and smugness for the first time in his life, Edward is afraid. He is found by a fisherman, and finally begins to feel something for people, when he is discarded by another. This book chronicles his tragic and wonderful travels as he journeys through love, pain, fear, and sadness to discover what it truly means to be.

Teacher's Notes:
This book is beautifully illustrated, and will catch the eye of even some of the more reluctant readers in your classroom. It is a very sad book, with many emotional journeys. As an adult, I cried when I read the book. I would suggest that 3rd grade teachers and parents consider their individual child before selecting this book for them, as it can come across as a bit depressing, although it details a very realistic emotional journey through life.

Overall: 9/10

How I Got the Book: Purchased for my classroom

Suggested Interests: Fiction, Toys

My Top 10 Pinterest Pins from July 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 13:30:00 +0000

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is putting off Back to School planning by "planning" on Pinterest! Today while I was in one of those wandering, searching modes on Pinterest, I realized I was trying to repin ideas I had found last year. Even more embarrassing for myself-they were great ideas that I had never used in my classroom because I forgot they were there!

If I'm trying to save this great idea more than once, I MUST really like it, right? So I decided to make a list of my top 10. What pins have been repinned and shared the most this month, and what pins am I still wanting to use for Back to School?

Here are my Top 10:

1. A Peek at the Week: A great free resource to help get us organized for Back to School! Original Blog post by Ms. Houser here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/258816309808827428/

2. Back to School Read Alouds for Big Kids: I can't wait to try some of these out! Original blog post by Mrs. Beer's Language Arts Class here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/287597126182362509/

3. 9 Math YouTube Channels for Kids: Do I even need to explain this one? :) Original post by IGameMom here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/287597126182403221/

4. 10 Rhetorical Questions Teachers Shouldn't Ask, & 10 Effective Replacements: This is something I always need to work on! Original blog post by Blair Turner here.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287597126182362504/

5. Grungeball: A fun way to engage kiddos in multiple subject areas. Original blog post on To Engage them All here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/287597126182356826/

6. 7 Great Apps for Social Studies: With a 1-1 classroom, I'm always looking for great new apps. Original article on EdTech Review here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/258816309812842745/

7. Team building activities for Back to School: I really want to incorporate more team building and group activities this year. Original blog post on Runde's Room here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/258816309812904539/

8. Make Thinking Visible - Tug of War: I am trying this on DAY ONE with my class! (I have tried to repin this so many times lately, so I must really want to try it!) Original blog post by Secondgradealicious here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/258816309812842741/

9. Order of Operations Madness: It's back and better than ever! Math that my boys (and girls!) LOVE. I am definitely utilizing this again this year! TPT product link here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/287597126182403222/

10. Close Reading in general. This one was a tie, so I included a pin that links to lots of great Close Reading activities. I use all of these in the classroom every year, some as whole group activities, and some as small group intervention or assessment. TPT product link here.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/337981147013554771/

There you are, (and there I am!) my Top 10 Pinterest Pins from July 2015. I can't wait to utilize these in...17 days! YIKES!

What are your top 10 pins for the month? I would love for you to share in the comments below!

A Hen in the Wardrobe Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 15:00:00 +0000

Book Title: A Hen in the Wardrobe

Author: Wendy Meddour

Publish Date: 2012
Publisher: Francis Lincoln Children's Books

Series: Cinnamon Grove #1

A Hen in the Wardrobe by Wendy Meddour

Suggested Grade: 3rd, 4th grade

Suggested Format: Independent reading, small group

Synopsis:

Ramzi is concerned when very strange things start happening in his home at night, like someone looking for a hen in the wardrobe. He is even more concerned when he realizes that it's his dad! His dad is sleepwalking because he is homesick, so the family decides to pack up and visit his Berber village in Algeria. Ramzi experiences a whole new world, very different from his home in London. Will the move and his secret plan help cure his dad so they can go back home?

Teacher's Notes:

A different read for students in America, this book takes you on an adventure to Algeria in the mind of a child from London. Some of the words and phrases may be difficult for students depending on their familiarity with British English. This story does have several mentions of the Muslim faith, as their travels take them to a Muslim village, where his father grew up in the Muslim faith. I keep this book aside in my classroom, where I can be sure that a student who wants to read it has the blessing of their parent(s), as this can be a hot topic. While not my favorite book, it is a solid read.

Overall: 6/10

How I Got the Book: ARC from publisher

Suggested Interests: Fiction, Cultures and Travel

The Owl Keeper Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Book Title: The Owl Keeper

Author: Christine Brodien-Jones

Publish Date: 2010
Publisher: Scholastic

Series:

The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones

Suggested Grade: 6th and 7th grade, advanced 5th grade

Suggested Format: Independent reading

Synopsis:
Maxwell Unger loves the night, mostly because he is allergic to sunlight. At night, the world seems right, unlike during the day, when everything seems strange and slightly off. He also loves owls, especially silver owls, because his grandmother used to tell him so many wonderful things about them. In this post-apocalyptic story, Max finds himself making an unusual friend, Rose, who is unlike anyone he has ever known. She causes him to begin to question who he really is, and what is going on around him. When they discover that the government has been working on a secret weapon, Max has to be brave to save both of his new friends -- Rose, and the silver owl that the government says is extinct.

Teacher's Notes:
As far as post-apocalyptic stories go, this one is not your run-of-the mill Zombie apocalypse. With the exception of Max and Rose, everyone is buying into the rhetoric that the government is preaching, and truly believe that the government is keeping them safe and providing a better life. This story is a fun read that leaves you guessing. I recommend it to my adult friends all the time, even though it's a YA read. Max learns courage, and also learns the importance of thinking for yourself and being unique.

Extra Activities: You can find an author-created discussion guide here.

Overall: 10/10

How I Got the Book: Purchased for my own collection

Suggested Interests: Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic, Fiction