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The Giant and How He Humbugged America

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Here at Teach Mentor Texts we are always looking for more ways to support teachers! We've found that teachers seem to be constantly on the lookout for great nonfiction. We know we are! To help with this undying quest for outstanding non-fiction, we are excited to participate in Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and The Nonfiction Detectives. Every Wednesday, you'll find a non-fiction review here - although it may not always be a picture book review. Please visit Kid Lit Frenzy to see what non-fiction others have to share, too.

Title: The Giant and How He Humbugged America 
Author: Jim Murphy    
Publisher: Scholastic Press 
Publication Date: October, 2012 
Genre/Format: Non-Fiction/Oversized Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Two-time Newbery Honor Book author has written an amazing account of one of America's most famous hoaxes!

When a 10-foot tall purported "petrified man" is unearthed from a backyard in upstate New York in 1869, the discovery immediately turns into a spectacle of epic proportions. News of the giant spreads like wildfire, and well over a thousand people come to view him in the first five days alone!

Everyone has their own idea of his true origin: Is he an ancient member of the local Onandaga Indian tribe? Is he a biblical giant like Goliath? Soon the interests of world-renowned scientists and people from around the globe are piqued as arguments flare over who he is, where he came from, and if he is real--or just a hoax.
In a riveting account of how the Cardiff Giant mystery snowballed into one of America’s biggest money-making spectacles--and scams--Jim Murphy masterfully explores the power of 19th-century media and the unexpected ripple effect that a single corrupt mastermind can produce when given a stage.  
What I Think: I'm so fascinated with how people act and what causes people to act in certain ways. The story of the Cardiff Giant certainly makes me think about the extent to which people will go when they are desperate. It also makes me wonder what puts someone in such a position to believe that pulling such a hoax makes sense and is worth it despite the utter trickery and that people will be taken advantage of. While I don't believe it was right, people definitely got creative and took matters into their own hands to make things happen despite many times it being at the expense of others.
     As I read this book, I couldn't stop thinking about The Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming. I was amazed and appalled and fascinated by P.T. Barnum and his life and career. He truly was larger than life and earned his monicker of being the great and only. But his work was based on manipulating and tricking the public. I also was reminded of The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, Loving Frank by Nancy Horan and even Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran. While these are considered to be more adult books, they still share how people respond and react in order to do what they need to do to survive and look out for themselves.
    I think this book has great potential for connecting text with other texts and gaining insight into how the world was different 150 years ago. It's interesting to think how vastly society has changed and to recognize how so much of what is in this book wouldn't be possible today for many reasons and also the implications of that.
Read Together: Grades 6 - 12 
Read Alone: Grades 7 - 12 
Read With: The Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, Loving Frank by Nancy Horan, Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran 
Snatch of Text: "The era (which came to be known as the Gilded Age) was also notorious for its unchecked greed, the ostentatious display of wealth by the rich, and political corruption. Ordinary people hungered for a simpler, less commercial, and what they saw as a more honest time, and began to criticize anyone who seemed avaricious or underhanded." p. 86
Mentor Text For: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Expository, Persuasive 
Writing Prompts: Choose a position in regards to whether you believe it was acceptable for Hull and others to pull of the Cardiff Giant hoax. Were they justified in some way or do you believe it was uncalled for? What do you recognize about our current society as you compare it to life in the late 1800's? 
Topics Covered: Responsibility, Honesty, Trustworthiness, Dishonesty, Fraud, Hoax

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The Last Free Cat

Title: The Last Free Cat

Author: Jon Blake

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

Publication Date: August, 2012

Genre/Format: Sci-Fi; Dystopian/Novel

Goodreads Summary: Jade has always trusted the authorities, but now she begins to question the very society in which she lives. Not far in the future, cat breeding is strictly controlled and cats are only for the rich in their private estates. When beautiful, sleek Feela turns up in Jade's backyard, she cannot resist taking the cat in, even though it could cost her everything. Soon the enforcement officials are raiding Jade's house. After her mother's death, the only person left for Jade to turn to is Kris, the cynical school loser. Soon Jade and Kris are on the run... 

What I Think: This book is such a compelling read and a great addition to the dystopian subgenre. 

     When I started this book, I had never heard of it but I was intrigued by the concept and right away I was glad that this book had crossed my path. This book was non-stop action and was so hard to predict because of all of the twists and turns throughout. Just as you thought that things were going to get steady for Kris and Jade, something happens. I also enjoyed the back and forth between Kris and Jade. Whenever there is a boy and girl character who are blatantly flirting yet pretend they don't like each other, it makes me want to keep reading to see if they figure it out (and you'll have to read to find out if Kris and Jade do). 

     I was particularly enthralled with this book because it seemed to be something that could realistically happen in the near future. The idea of killing off animals who spread a disease already happens and the extreme that the book goes to could definitely happen. It actually hurt me to think of a world where people couldn't have cats- the companionship that cats provide is something no other animal can. 

     Also, I think this is another book that is a great example of "Don't judge a book by its cover" as the cover makes it look so boring! It isn't, I promise. 

Read Together: Grades 6 to 12

Read Alone: Grades 7 to 12

Read With: The Girl Who Remembered Horses by Linda Benson, Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie, The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Snatch of Text: "There was no way she'd let me touch her at first. Trust had to be built up slowly and painfully. I talked to her softly, offered her little treats, and took care not to make any sudden or threatening movements." (p. 10) 

"There was one person, however, who found me endlessly fascinating. Kris Delaney. Kris was the bane of my life. It was the entire aim of his existence to test me. I don't know why I interested him so much. It certainly bugged him that I wasn't born in the neighborhood and had lived in a greenhome and, OK, we'd had a boat if only a small one. But Kris was different, too. You'd see him with other lads, kicking a ball about, but you'd see him on his own just as much. There was always a distance between him and his mates." (p. 17) 

Mentor Text for: World Building, Conflict, Characterization

Writing Prompts: Jade goes on the run from the authorities to protect Feela. Do you agree with the choice she made? Use text evidence to back up your claim. What is something or someone in your life that you would risk everything for like Jade did for Feela? 

Topics Covered: Authority, Companionship, Choices, Death

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 1/14/13

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

After doing the meme for a couple of weeks, we realized this would be a fun meme to start up with a kidlit focus - anyone reading and reviewing books in children's literature - it can be picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, you name it in the world of kidlit and it's in! We have loved being a part of this meme and we hope you do too!  We encourage everyone participating to go and visit the other kidlit book bloggers that link up and to comment on as many posts as you can. We love talking books and believe in sharing and discussing what we're reading. We hope you join us!

Last Week's Book Adventures:

Jen Says: Happy Monday, all! I was super busy last week but not entirely with reading as much as I had hoped. I finished Tribes by Seth Godin this week, it was immensely inspiring and I tweeted lots of great insights that I enjoyed. I'll share some of my favorite quotes this weekend when I talk about it with Mindset and The Talent Code. I read lots of picture books to keep up with my #bookpic challenge of reading a book everyday. It's fun. I need to get a little more creative with my pictures but it's enough to keep up with the pictures for now. Again, if you want to check out the books I read, head on over to my GoodReads page.
     I did start listening to Curveball on audio and am enjoying it. Nick Podehl narrated one of Sonneblick's other books and I adore Nick Podehl as a narratro...this for Curveball is no Nick Podehl, but it's good. Since I didn't drive much this weekend, I left Curveball on audio in my car and have been listening to The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe instead. I think I enjoy it more on audio. I think I have read it before but I can't say for sure. I know the story and have seen the movies but I can't remember if I've read the actual book all the way through before....so I'm listening to it. It has never been one of my favorites but wanted to give it another try just because. This could actually count for my Book Gap challenge!

Kellee Says: Going back to school always puts a damper on my reading and this first week back was especially busy- my club is getting reading for their competition on 2/1 and the first yearbook deadline is today (!) and that doesn’t even include teaching :) Also, my weekend reading was minimized because I wasn’t able to get my late night reading- my husband, Jim, ran a half marathon on Saturday and I got up at 3am to go watch him. All this means that my reading did not go as well as I had planned. I did finish Curveball which I really liked (Sonnenblick has a way with stories) and I was able to finish listening to Spiderwick #3; however, I did not get to any of my review novels that I hoped to though I did finish 2 picture books that Jen and I will be reviewing for you: The Black Rabbit and Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard.  I also got some fun picture books and graphic novels from the library that I squeezed in too: Babymouse For President, Listen to my Trumpet (which may be my favorite Elephant and Piggie book so far), Let’s Go for a Drive (also a super cute E&P book; I swear Mo Willems can do no wrong), and Astronaut Academy.

Reviewed Last Week:

   

 

Kellee's 2013 Un-Boring List

Just click on any picture above to go read the review

Upcoming Book Adventures: 

Jen Says: It's already mid-January. I think the next few months are going to go fast and it's going to be spring break before I know it. I'm planning to finish listening to Curveball and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and possibly start A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan if I manage to get through these two. I am still reading Hide and Seek and I did start Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool. I also need to finish The Giant and How He Humbugged America which I'm reviewing on Wednesday. 

Kellee Says: Currently I am reading Tilly’s Moonlight Garden, listening to Spiderwick #4 and had downloaded David Lubar’s It Seemed Funny at the Time to start. After this, I’m not sure what I am going to read. I have a ton of great books waiting for me and I’ll just have to see what I get through. Luckily, we have a 4 day weekend this week so I can hopefully get lots of reading done.

This Week's Reviews:

   

   

On Thursday, we'll have a blog survey up and we'd love your input! 

It'll only take a couple of minutes and will help us see how we can improve Teach Mentor Texts.

Please stop back and give us your feedback! 

   

Check back throughout the week to hear about these books. 

So, what are you reading this week? 

Link up below and don't forget to check out other blogs to see what they are reading!

To help build our community and support other bloggers, 

we ask that you please try to comment on at least the three blogs that posted before you. 

Also, if you tweet about your Monday post, don't forget to use #IMWAYR!

 and

Dragons Love Tacos

Title: Dragons Love Tacos 
Author: Adam Rubin 
Illustrator: Daniel Salmieri 
Publisher: Dial 
Publication Date: June, 2012  
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: This scrumptious read-aloud has a whole lot of kick!

Dragons love tacos. They love chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. So if you want to lure a bunch of dragons to your party, you should definitely serve tacos. Buckets and buckets of tacos. Unfortunately, where there are tacos, there is also salsa. And if a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa . . . oh, boy. You're in red-hot trouble.
The award-winning team behind Those Darn Squirrels! has created an unforgettable, laugh-until-salsa-comes-out-of-your-nose tale of new friends and the perfect snack. 
What I Think: I love tacos, I love burritos, I love fajitas. I love them all. Mexican is one of kind of food that I love as a vegan. Put guacamole on anything and I'm a happy girl.
     I also have a love of dragons. I loved watching Peter, Paul and Mary when I was a kiddo and Puff the Magic Dragon was one of my favorite songs by them (along with Leaving on a Jet Plane...ugh, they both make me cry my eyes out). I also loved the Disney movie Pete's Dragon. Pretty much I love dragons.
     This book combines dragons and tacos and I couldn't be more thrilled about this. I loved it so much that I dreamed up a way to celebrate it for my 2013 Bookish Un-Boring List. Peanut and I are going to have a taco party and read this book and other dragon books and do a dragon craft. We may even watch Pete's Dragon. We've started brainstorming a list of his friends to invite. I remember Martha Stewart one time talking about kids' parties and that kids should invite as many kids to a party as they are old. Seeing as Peanut is five, we're thinking of five of his close friends to invite to our dragon party. It's going to be awesome. We'll have a taco bar which is possibly the most awesome part. The right kind of food can totally make a party.
    It's probably time that I get to what I like about this book! It's written as if it's talking to the reader but then there are parts when the author talks to the dragon. There are lots of literary elements you can point out to kids or highlight as you read depending on which element you want to focus on. One thing I really enjoy about this book is that it's great for making predictions. It does take a while to get to what you pretty much know is going to happen but I think kids will enjoy the build up of excitement towards the end.
     I'm on the lookout for other dragon books so if you know of other books with dragons please put them in the comments for me!
Read Together: Grades K - 4 
Read Alone: Grades K - 5 
Read With: If I Had a Dragon by Amanda Ellery, Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton, Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges, Eragon (series) by Christopher Paolini, Firelight (series) by Sophie Jordan
Snatch of Text: 

"Why do dragons love tacos?

Maybe it's the smell from the sizzling pan.

Maybe it's the crunch of the crispy tortillas.

Maybe it's a secret."

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connection, Making Predictions, Making Inferences
Writing Strategies to Practice: Descriptive, Alliteration, Repetition, Anaphora, Point of View, Onomatopoiea, Expository
Writing Prompts: Write about your favorite food. Write a how-to piece that describes how to make your custom taco, give your taco a unique name.
Topics Covered: Parties, Food, Dragons

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Endangered

Title: Endangered

Author: Eliot Schrefer

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: October, 2012

Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel

Goodreads Summary: The compelling tale of a girl who must save a group of bonobos--and herself--from a violent coup. The Congo is a dangerous place, even for people who are trying to do good.

     When one girl has to follow her mother to her sanctuary for bonobos, she's not thrilled to be there. It's her mother's passion, and she'd rather have nothing to do with it. But when revolution breaks out and their sanctuary is attacked, she must rescue the bonobos and hide in the jungle. Together, they will fight to keep safe, to eat, and to survive.

     Eliot Schrefer asks readers what safety means, how one sacrifices to help others, and what it means to be human in this new compelling adventure.

What I Think: Sophie is a normal teenager who struggles with going between her divorced parents mostly when they live in completely different cultural situations- her father has a office job in America and her mother runs a bonobo sanctuary in Congo. Though she was born in the Congo, the last handful of years have been spent in America with her father and returning to Congo and her mother's sanctuary. The book begins with Sophie being picked up and while waiting in a check point, she spots a baby bonobo who is not being treated well and, against everyone's wishes, buys him. Otto now enters into her life and ours. He becomes the co-star of the book and begins to change Sophie's feelings about being at the sanctuary. But then, right before she is about to leave, chaos at the hand of revolutionaries envelopes Congo and Sophie finds herself in a completely type of situation. 
      Now if you follow me here or on Twitter, you know that I am a sucker for ape books and I have been lucky that many people who care a lot about apes write some amazing ape books - this is a book to add to that list. It left me with even more of a passion for saving these animals who are our closest relative. I. Love. This. Book. It quickly moved into my favorites list even while I was only half way through with it. It is such a journey that you take with this young lady and the growth you see in her (and Otto) is incredible. On top of that, Eliot Schrefer is an author who not only can tell a good story, but he can help you become part of the story and visualize and feel everything that is happening. And I am not alone in this love. Endangered was a finalist for The National Book Award, Eliot Schrefer was a hit at the Scholastic Brunch at NCTE, and it is being gushed about on Twitter: 

• "ENDANGERED is one of those books that has a powerful impact, makes you think, and sticks with you long after you've closed the final pages." -Jillian Heise (@heisereads) 
• "ENDANGERED was a can't-put-down book with an emotional and intelligent story that left me wanting to learn more about bonobos and the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I enjoy books that engage me and leave me thinking, and Eliot Schrefer has balanced that beautifully in this novel." -Jillian Heise (@heisereads) 
• "ENDANGERED is so, so good! Highly recommend to everyone, even though I am only halfway through it. @kelleemoye, you weren't kidding." -Ricki Ginsberg (@ReadwithPassion) 
• "@kelleemoye @eliotschrefer It is such a complex book. Would be great to teach! Very accessible for kids, too." -Ricki Ginsberg (@ReadwithPassion)

Read Together: Grades 6 and up

Read Alone: Grades 7 and up

Read With: Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel, Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, The Chimpanzees I Love by Jane Goodall, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya (via Jillian Heise), Non-fiction books about bonobos and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Snatch of Text: "The man released the bonobo. The little ape sat down tiredly in the dirt and lowered his arms, wincing as his sore muscles relaxed. I kneeled and reached out to him. The bonobo glanced at his master before working up the energy to stand and toddle over to me. He leaned against my shin for a moment, then extended his arms to be picked up. I lift him easily and hugged himself to me, his fragile arms as light as a necklace. I could make out his individual ribs under my figures, could feel his heart flutter against my throat. He pressed his lips against my check , I guess to get as close as possible to my skin, and only then did I hear his faint cries; he'd been making them for so long that his voice was gone." (p. 3-4)

Mentor Text for: Imagery, Emotional Impact, Figurative Language

Writing Prompts: Sophie makes many decisions throughout the book that many people, specifically her parents, would not have agreed with. Would you have made the same decisions as her? Were there any you would have done differently? Do you think her decisions were worth it? Use text evidence to back your answers. 

Topics Covered: Democratic Republic of Congo, Bonobo, Guerilla Militia, Revolution, Race, Nationality, Survival

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Kellee's 2013 Un-Boring List

Jen has inspired me. I sometimes have trouble breaking loose and getting away from routine as I like consistency; so, when Jen published her 2013 Bookish Un-Boring List it really pushed me to do my own Un-Boring list. Now, I started off wanting to make a bookish or educational list, but it turned into more of a personal one though it does include some educational and bookish elements. Without further ado....

Kellee's 2013 Un-Boring List

1. Work on writing a professional book

2. Go to a comic book store on Free Comic Book Day

3. Go to a comedy club

4. Visit Winter the Dolphin in Clearwater

5. See manatees at Blue Springs National Park

6. Go see a Daytona Cubs game

7. Read outside more

8. Volunteer somewhere

9. Watch PBS's Sherlock Holmes 

(per my promise to Lauren Myracle)

10. Visit all (or most) of the used bookstores in Orlando 

and hopefully find one I like

Extra. Join Jen in releasing books into the wild through 

Book Crossing to celebrate Donalyn Miller's new book 

Reading in the Wild out in 2013

What is something you hope to do in 2013? Did you write your own Un-Boring list? Share below :)

People in the News Biographies

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Here at Teach Mentor Texts we are always looking for more ways to support teachers! We've found that teachers seem to be constantly on the lookout for great nonfiction. We know we are! To help with this undying quest for outstanding non-fiction, we are excited to participate in Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and The Nonfiction Detectives. Every Wednesday, you'll find a non-fiction review here - although it may not always be a picture book review. Please visit Kid Lit Frenzy to see what non-fiction others have to share, too.

Title: People in the News: Jon Stewart; People in the News: Suzanne Collins

Author: Randy Scherer; Elizabeth Hoover

Publisher: Lucent books

Publication Date: November, 2011; June, 2012

Genre/Format: Biography/Non-fiction book

Goodreads Summary: "People in the News" profiles the lives and careers of some of today's most prominent newsmakers. Whether covering contributions and achievements or notorious deeds, books in this series examine why these well-known individuals garnered public attention.
What I Think: Whenever my school library gets a new set of non-fiction books, I always try to grab a couple of the ones that interest me so I can try to find some good ones to share here and with students. When my media specialist received a new stack of biographies, I quickly grabbed these two because they are both people I admire yet don't know too much about their back story, how they came to be where they are today or their personal life. I'm always hesitant when I pick up a biography because I find most of the basic biographies quite boring. Now this may be because they are usually about the same old people and include no narrative aspect at all. These books are definitely not about the same old people and I found that they were better than average when telling the story of the lives of these people. It was a nice mix of information and narrative. 

     This series includes books on entertainment, political, sports and literary stars including Ellen Degeneres, Al Gore, Alex Rodriguez, J.K. Rowling, and Justin Timberlake. 

Read Together: Grades 4 to 10

Read Alone: Grades 5 to 9

Snatch of Text: "Comedy Central's Ongoing Indecision Comedy Central had used the title Indecidion once before for politically themed broadcasting, when Al Franken hosted the network's coverage of Bill Clinton's 1992 run to the White House. Hoever, Jon Stewart developd the concept further. Under Stewart's lead, Indecision satirizes more than just politics - it also takes aim at how the news media covers politics." (Jon Stewart, p. 41) 

"Mythical Inspiration for Contemporary Times If The Hunger Games reads like a myth, as Miller says, it is because Collins found her inspiration in Greek Mythology. She fell in love with these ancient tales when she was young, reading her mother's copy of A Child's Book of Myths and Enchanted Tales. One myth in particular - that of Theseus and the Minotaur - resonated with Collins because it showed how ruthless leaders keep their power by threatening the population and how one courageous person can stand up to a tyrant. (Suzanne Collins, p. 11) 

Mentor Text for: Non-fiction text features, Primary vs. Secondary sources, Research

Writing Prompts: Using evidence from the texts, share how Collins's and Stewart's parents influenced their career. How would their life have been different if they had different parents? 

Topics Covered: Politics, Religion, Comedy, Television; Scripting, History, Mythology

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Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon

Title: Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon 
Author: Patty Lovell 
Illustrator: David Catrow 
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile 
Publication Date: October, 2012 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Molly Lou Melon's grandma taught her to be happy with herself no matter what, but  that's not all she learned. Molly Lou heard all about how her grandma didn't have fancy store-bought toys when she was little. She made dolls out of twigs and flowers and created her own fun in her backyard.
So Molly Lou does just that, proving that the best thing to play with is a huge imagination! 
What I Think: Molly Lou Melon is back and better than ever! If you remember, Molly Lou Melon is one of my favorites here at Teacher Mentor Texts. I love her strength and that she's not afraid to be herself. In Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon, her grandma helped her have confidence in herself and who she is. This time, her grandma tells her all about her childhood in the olden days. She encourages Molly Lou to use her imagination when she's playing around the house. Together Patty Lovell and David Catrow come up with some wonderful creations for Molly Lou. I love David's colorful illustrations. His artwork is definitely busy, filling up the page with color and bringing the text to life. It's fun to stop and really take time to look closely at the illustrations and to see al that is happening.
     This book provides readers with a wonderful opportunity to stop and think about life. To stop and think of where we have come as a society. To stop and think about what's really important. So often, we get caught up in everything new and shiny but using our imagination and putting our brains to work is important and fun, too. As a parent, I can't tell you how many times we have boxes come into the house and the kids absolutely love the boxes. I try to look for toys or games that will encourage my kids to develop their creativity and their imagination. I believe it's important that we are able to do imagine things and then bring them to life.
     Here are some ideas for activities to do with kids that, like Molly Lou, ask them to put their brains to work!
1. Gives kids some props and then ask them to create a skit to tell a story. They can write a script and then act out their own version of readers' theater. We have two Bilibo seats in our house that the kids use to get really creative - they can be seats, they can be a rock for a lookout, they can be turtle shells.

2. Offer kids art supplies or other household objects and let them loose to create some kind of creative creature. Afterwards, ask kids to sit down and draw and describe what they have created (or maybe they draw first as part of their creative process...) and then to write a story with their creature as the main character. For Christmas, Peanut got this amazing bucket from Land of Nod that is full of art supplies so he can get to work. Lakeshore Learning also has bulk art supplies you can buy. 

3. Give kids some good old-fashioned wooden games to play or card games to play. Set aside a time for kids to learn and play these games. In partners or small groups, ask students to write their own how-to guide for playing the game. Maybe they have some insights as to how to hold the cards or strategies to share. Or ask them to create their own game from the materials of one game. I loved Pick-Up Sticks as a kid. They don't look like much...they are really just a simple little box of sticks...but they are challenging and engaging with just a little encouragement from an adult to get started.

Most of all, have some fun!

Read Together: Grades K - 4.
Read Alone: Grades K - 4 
Read With: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, House Held Up By Trees by Ted Kooser, Grandpa Green by Lane Smith, It's a Book by Lane Smith
Snatch of Text:   

"Molly Lou Melon's toy chest overflowed 

with whoseywhatsits of all shapes and sizes.

Her grandma had told her, 'Back in the

olden days, I didn't have fancy dolls or

action figures. I made them out of twigs,

leaves and flowers like holly hocks 

and daisies.'

So she did just that."

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Making Predictions, Making Inferences 
Writing Strategies to Practice: Descriptive, Word Choice, Alliteration, Assonance, Rhythm, Expository, Interview
Writing Prompts: Write interview questions for a grandparent or other elderly adult. Record the answers to your questions and then compare and contrast his or her childhood with your own.
Topics Covered: Imagination, Creativity, Friendship, Ingenuity, Technology, Changing Times

I *heart* It: