Ten Reasons to Read Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl

10.  It is Dahl's most realistic book.

  9.  Danny and his father are living in poverty and yet their poverty does not define them.

  8.  Danny earns the respect of his father and the other men he admires.

  7.  The story line is a little "dangerous."

  6.  The description of the MEAT pie Danny eats will make you hungry.

  5.  Danny realizes the great love once shared between his mother and father.

  4.  The book has you cheering for the "bad guys."  Or are they bad guys?

   3.  Two Words:  Danny's father.

   2.  Danny's feeling and thoughts are SPOT ON for a 9 year old boy.

   1.  There is something beautiful in Danny's deep love for his father.

The Art of Miss Chew: Ten Discussion Questions

I have a large collection of picture books because students are never too old for picture books. If you are looking to build a collection Patricia Polacco is a great author to start with! (Take a look at half.com if you are looking for great deals on a certain title. Half.com does not in anyway pay me to say that. :o)

 Here are some great discussion questions for The Art of Miss Chew.  Print these off and then keep them handy in your copy of the book.  When you have a 20 minute gap to fill in your day (For example, the JA teacher is running late) grab a book, read aloud, and discuss.

1. Describe Miss Donovan with three adjectives.
2. What does Miss Donovan do to help Patricia pass the test?
3. Who tells the story? Who is the narrator?
4. Patricia says she "danced on air all the way home." What does this mean?
5. Describe Miss Chew
6. How might the story be different if it was written from the perspective of Miss Chew?
7. Describe Mrs. Spaulding with three adjectives
8. Miss Chew called a meeting with "all the players." Why does Miss Chew call these individuals "players?"
9. Why do you think Patricia lets Miss Chew call her the wrong name? Would you do the same thing if you were Patricia?
10. How might Patricia's life be different if she never met Miss Chew?

Pax - A Quick Review

Pax by Sara Pennypacker has been on my nightstand for awhile and I'm happy to have finally finished it.  Pax is rumored to be in the running for this years Newbery Medal and is being hailed a modern classic by many.  Here are my first thoughts in list form.

-The book is heavy.  Peter, the main character is living with anxiety and trying to find more than just the fox that he loves (and that loves him). He is trying to find inner peace and the courage to confront his angry and emotionally distant father.

-The book is rich in character development.

-The book has a  modern tone and feel but could be set in any time or place.  Peter is a boy who loves baseball and his fox - there is not one mention of cell phones or snapchat.

-Peter is angry at his father and recognizes that he hopes to become a different man than his dad while fearing that will become just like his father.

-Peter and Vola's relationship is refreshing.  Vola is an middle aged woman Peter encounters on his journey.  Peter challenges Vola as much as Vola challenges him.

-There is a brief moment of self-injury in the book.

-Spoiler alert........In the end Peter learns to let go of Pax.  Letting go of Pax is really a symbol of letting go of so much more.

Discussion Questions and more on Pax to follow!

Teaching Kindness through Literature #1

I'll admit, I didn't realize how much of teaching involved teaching kindness, respect, and decency, but it does. We could sit around and complain about "kids today," or we can do something about it.  We can teach our students to be the best version of themselves and open the door of conversion about what kindness, respect, and decency look like and how these habits can change us and change the world really.

I have a small composition notebook full of great quotes from great stories (Literature geek here, I know).  I loved to pull a quote out and put it on the board for discussion.  The quote above is an example.  Here are some questions to consider when discussing this quote with your class.

1. What does this quote mean?
2. What does this quote tell us about the character who said it?
3. How can you apply insight from this quote into your daily life?

And of course, I would always put in a shameless plug for the book the quote came from, because getting my students to read GREAT books is always a priority.

Last Day Activities in the ELA classroom.

When I was a student teacher my cooperating teacher gave me a great piece of advice about the last day of school...GO ON A FIELD TRIP!  I agree this was sound advice, but unfortunately it didn't work with the how my school ran field trips.

If you are like me, and can't get your students out of the building on the last day, jump in with a great story.  I like to use the last class period as a great way to get my students hooked in and plugged into a great book or series for the summer.  I also include popcorn and something to drink as a little treat.  

Here are my top two picks for the last day of school summer reading.

*While Echo is not a series it is a long, and fantastically written book.  It is one of the few books I prefer the audio edition to the print edition because the music, that is so beautifully bond to the story, is heard in the audio edition.  I would certainly love to run into my students reading something as wonderful as Echo on the beach this summer. Also , WWII also sparks the interest of my students, and since this book is set during WWII, it draws my students into its story.

  

So much going on in this book.  The story has a strong narrator, but you will come to love all three sisters and their story.  Another novel I would be proud to find my students reading at the beach.  

Teacher Appreciation Sale

I had this great post planned for publication today on outside of the box vocabulary study activities.  I'm holding off on that post for a day because I have to let you know about the Teacher's Pay Teacher's Teacher Appreciation Sale.  If you're like me you use this as a time to stock up!

Great Read Alouds for the Last Month of School

It's that time of year...the countdown has begun; everyone has that end of year itch.  Here are a few read alouds (or audiobooks) that sing of summer.


1. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck.

Set during the great depression, the book tells the story of Joey, his sister Mary Alice, and  and their outside of the box grandmother: Mrs. Dowdel.  The book chronicles nine summers spent with Grandma Dowdel, with each chapter representing a new summer.  Please Note; This book requires  deep inference as much of the humor is indirect.  It also contains some "questionable" content, such as when the children and their grandmother come across the town sheriff and his buddies on a fishing trip.  The men are drunk, in their underwear, and acting obnoxious - you might want to avoid if you think your students are not mature enough for this or they will find this offensive.

2. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit.

Set during one HOT August week, Tuck Everlasting tells the story of a family that lives forever.  This book is sure to get your students thinking even if they are already have "checked out" for the year.

3. No Talking by Andrew Celements 

Andrew Celements just gets school politics, student-teacher relationships, and student to student interactions, and he proves this best in No Talking.  This book tells the story of two smart kids, a exceptionally talkative fifth grade class, and a boys vs. girls no talking competition that turns into so much more.  This book is GREAT if  you have a 5th grade class preparing to graduate to middle school.  Also, it is lighter reading than numbers 1 and 2 on my list if  you are looking for something not quite so heavy.

4. Bud, Not Buddy
Bud, from Bud, Not Buddy, is in my opinion one of the most enduring child characters in the great hall of children's/young adult literature.  Bud's story is told through humor, emotion, and beautiful figurative language. The story is set in the summer months and is usually well received by students.

"You are almost there, the light is at the end of the tunnel, deep breath, finish strong."  I told that to my students daily during May and that first week of June, but little did they know I was really telling myself that too!   I hope you dig into a book or two from this list as you round out your year.