Working Toward Our Goal

As we continue to work toward our goal of moving our sixth grade group forward as readers, we try new activities each week. Last week we had the students choose new books, settle in, and read them. Their stamina has grown in just a few weeks to the point where they didn't become restless until almost 25 minutes into reading. We were so thrilled to see them reading and enjoying their books.

Following reading time, we asked each student to sketch the cover of the book they read and write at least one reason they chose the book. They completed this pretty quickly and then used the microphone and document camera to share their books and reasons with the class. It was fun to listen to the students compliment one another on their sketches and comment that they were interested in one another's books. We are building a community of readers with this group--and they are reading at least 90 additional minutes per week!

This activity worked well and went quickly. I have been thinking about several variations we might use in the future: sketch a scene and write about its importance to the story, sketch a character and write about why he/she is like you or not like you, make a Thinking Map using an idea from the book . . . the possibilities are endless. What quick activities have you used to foster a reading community?

 The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

 Clash of the Demons by Joseph Delaney

 Dear Julia by Amy Bronwen Zemser

 The Titan's Curse: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti

 The Usborne Introduction to the Second World War by Paul Dowswell

The Ascension by Michael Carroll

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.

Creative Writing in 5 Simple Steps

The Spilling Ink writing club at Maple Street has been busy preparing for our Literacy Night poetry slam. As they continue through the year, it's possible that more and more styles of writing and interests will begin to emerge and there is a new series that can help any young writer work on his or her craft. Write Fantasy Fiction in 5 Simple Steps is a book in the Creative Writing in 5 Simple Steps series. Each title is a guide for writers of a particular genre. In the fantasy title, students are encouraged to keep a journal, do research, learn more about the genre and its conventions, and complete other activities that will improve their writing.

Specific information about the genre is included, as well as excellent examples of work from popular authors that the students will recognize such as J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan, and Cornelia Funke. Advice about publishing is provided as well. The book ends will a detailed glossary, a list for further reading, and websites to visit so that students can extend their understanding beyond the pages.

In addition to fantasy, the other genres addressed in this series are: mystery, romance, graphic novels, science fiction, and horror. Students who enjoy reading these genres will love learning more about the conventions and each book provides opportunities for teachers to pull out elements that will help improve their students' writing.

Common Core State Standards Connections:

Sixth Grade:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W6.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W6.3aEngage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W6.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W6.3c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W6.3d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W6.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Seventh Grade:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W7.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W7.3a Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W7.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W7.3c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W7.3d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W7.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.

Eighth Grade:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W8.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W8.3a Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W8.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W8.3c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W8.3d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy W8.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.

Currently, this title is available at Maple Street. I am considering purchasing the whole series for Maple Street. Would you like to see it at your middle school as well?