Resources for READ 180

Each of the district's middle schools has READ 180 classes. There are nine units of study throughout the year. I have begun to compile lists of resources that may be used to extend the concepts in each unit. The resources are listed on each library's home page under "READ 180 Resource Lists." Please click through and check out the lists--many of the topics also relate to classroom curriculum and would be a great way to connect what the students in READ 180 are learning with what is happening in your class.

Edgar Allan Poe's Pie

Taking a cue from classic poems, J. Patrick Lewis has written Edgar Allan Poe's Pie:  Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems, a series of poems that contain math riddles to get students thinking about numbers. From Robert Frost ("Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" becomes "Robert Frost's Boxer Shorts") to Shel Silverstein ("Boa Constrictor" becomes Shel Silverstein's "Hippo-po-tah-tum"), teachers will appreciate being able to reference the original poem, as well as tying in the new poem and working with their students to solve the math problems. This book is a fun way to tie literacy and numeracy together. Problems include adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing, as well as fractions, decimals, and percentages.

In order to understand the poems and locate the math problems hidden with each one, students will have to look at textual evidence--a skill that is present throughout the Common Core State Standards, so the book, as well as the math contained within, will be useful at several grade levels.

Common Core Connections:

CCSS ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Edgar Allan Poe's Pie:  Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Michael Slack is currently available at Maple Street and Linden Grove.

Experiments With . . .

Students are curious about all kinds of scientific processes. Trevor Cook's Science Lab series, including Experiments with Heat and Experiments with States of Matter will allow them to extend their curiosity beyond the science lab. Each title includes basic background information, a list of necessary materials (my favorite supply is "friends can help"), and about a dozen experiments students can complete to learn more about the world around them.

Each process is clearly photographed, step-by-step, and a basic explanation of what is happening is given. However, maybe the best part is that there is a section at the end of each experiment that asks, "What else can you do?" and then provides extensions beyond the basic experiment. The book also includes "jargon busters" to help students with unfamiliar language and the author includes a glossary and website to help students further their knowledge.

Many times students read about scientific processes in connection with their classwork. These books present experiments that will help students understand the concepts from a hands-on perspective, as well as think deeply about how the process connects to their lives.

Common Core State Standards Connections:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.

In addition to Experiments with Heat and Experiments with States of Matter, other titles in the series include Experiments with Electricity and Magnetism, Experiments with Forces, Experiments with Light and Sound, and Experiments with Plants and Other Living Things. Maple Street, Milwood Magnet, Linden Grove, and Hillside all own Heat and States of Matter. Would you like to see the other titles in your library?