Women Who Broke the Rules: Judy Blume

Inspiring, Important, True, Witty, Honest 

Women Who Broke the Rules: Judy Blume by Kathleen Krull

Illustrated by David Leonard

Published by Bloomsbury, Copyright 2015

Judy Blume faced many obstacles on her journey to becoming a writer, but that didn’t stop her from doing what she loved. She was determined to help kids feel comfortable confronting their everyday concerns and questions. In this biography, we learn her inspirations, beliefs, and struggles that she endured in order to become one of the most beloved and influential children’s author. 

Grade level: 3

Lexile Measure: N/A

Description: Biography

Suggested delivery: Independent aloud 

Electronic Resources:

Judy Blume's Website

This a good website for students to visit either before or after they read the book to learn a little bit more about Judy Blume and her own books. The site includes a short biography, her views on writing and a list and summary of all of her books, and many more resources. 

Interview with Judy Blume

This interview is something students can read if they are interested in learning more about Judy Blume. She talks a lot about her books, her life, and how she comes up with her ideas. She also offers some writing strategies that students can use in their own writing. 

Teaching Strategies

Key vocabulary:

·         Stifling – not allowing something to be done or expressed

·         Outlet – something that people use to express their emotions or talents

·         Regulation – an official rule or law that says how something should be done

·         Oracle – a person who has a lot of knowledge about something and whose opinions and advice are highly valued

·         Squelch – to stop something from continuing by saying or doing something

·         Confide – to tell something that is secret or private to someone you trust 

Before reading: Ask students if they have ever read any books by Judy Blume and what they know about her and her stories. Introduce some of her books to students who may be interested. By having some knowledge about what she writes about, it will help students better understand some of the criticism she faced addressed in her biography.

During reading: Have students write down any comments, questions, or vocabulary words that they would like to have clarified in their reading notebooks.

After reading: Have students create a mock twitter account for Judy Blume which includes at least 3 tweets, a profile, and an image. 

Writing activity: Have students write a paper in the form of a diary entry relating to Judy Blume’s experience as an author. She continued writing and doing what she loved despite the constant criticism and disapproval that she received. Recall a time in your life where you faced a similar problem. 

 Krull, K. (2015). Women Who Broke the Rules: Judy Blume. New York, NY: Bloomsbury. 

  

Pandas and Other Endangered Species

Educational, Fun, Interesting, Informative, Helpful 

Pandas and Other Endangered Species by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce

Published by Random House, Copyright 2012

This Magic Tree House Fact Tracker book showcases tons of photos, illustrations, information, and fun facts as it explores some of the world’s most endangered animals. All of Jack and Annie’s questions about pandas and endangered species are answered in this nonfiction companion to Mary Pope Osborne’s “A Perfect Time for Pandas.”  

Grade level: 4

Lexile Measure: 880L

Description: Nonfiction

Suggested delivery: Independent aloud 

Electronic Resources:

Video Preview

Students can watch this short video clip to get an idea of the things they will read about in the book. It may help them decide if this book is something they would be interested in reading. 

Magic Tree House Website

This is a good website for students to visit if they are interested in the series. The site includes lots of information about the author and the books. They can preview some of the books and find a list of every book in the series if they want to read more. The website also includes a “Fact Tracker Showdown” trivia game on some of the nonfiction books in the series. 

Teaching Strategies

Key vocabulary:

·         Species – a group of plants or animals that are alike in certain ways

·         Conserve – to keep something safe from being damaged or destroyed

·         Habitat – places where certain plants and animals live

·         Pollution – the process of making land, water, and air dirty and not safe or suitable for use

·         Endangered – used to describe a plant or animal that has become very rare and could die out completely

·         Extinct – no longer existing

·         Hibernate – to spend the winter sleeping or resting

·         Omnivore – an animal that eats both plants and other animals

·         Nutrients – a substance that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow 

Before reading: Have students create a KWL chart either about pandas or endangered animals in general. They should fill out the “Know” and “Want to know” sections before they start reading.

During reading: Give students a list of important vocabulary words that appear in the book. As students read, have them fill out the definitions to create their own glossary for the book. Some definitions are clearly stated in the book while others must be determined using context clues or prior knowledge.

After reading: Have students complete their KWL charts by filling in the “Learned” section about pandas and endangered animals using information that they have acquired from the book. Put students in small groups and use the Socrative Student app to have students compete in a "space race" using vocabulary words from the book.
 

Writing activity: Sometimes animals become endangered due to changes on the planet or natural selection, but often their endangerment is caused by humans. Have students write an article for an environmental magazine about ways we can help endangered animals and prevent animals in the future from becoming endangered or extinct. They can use information from the book or do additional research on their own. There are several books and websites provided at the end of the book that may be useful. 

 Boyce, N.P., Osborne, M. P. (2012). Pandas and Other Endangered Animals. New York, New York: Random House.

  

One Crazy Summer

Diverse, Enlightening, Captivating, Unexpected, Cultural  

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Published by Amistad an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, Copyright 2010

Sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, set off on an adventure to Oakland, California to stay with their mother for the summer—the mother who abandoned them when they were babies. As soon as they arrive they know they are not welcomed there. Cecile makes them eat Chinese takeout every night and sends them to a summer camp run by the Black Panthers. Despite her secretive behaviors and resistance to show love, Delphine and her sisters end up learning a lot about their mother than they thought they would.

Grade level: 5

Lexile Measure: 750L

Description: Historical fiction

Suggested delivery: Group read 

Electronic Resources:

Video of Author

Rita Williams-Garcia talks about her book, “One Crazy Summer” at Vermont College of Fine Arts in this video. She talks about how the story relates to her own life which may help students make their own connections. She also explains how she got ideas for the personalities of her characters and what she wants readers to get out of the story. This would be a good video to show students after they have finished reading the book. 

Black Panther Party Article

This is an article about the Black Panther Party from an encyclopedia made for kids. This would be a good resource for students to look at before they start the reading so they can acquire some background information that will help with comprehension. The article is written at an age-appropriate level and contains several links to information on important people that were involved and related topics.   

Teaching Strategies

Key vocabulary:

·     Scrutiny – the act of carefully examining something in a critical way

·     Infiltrate – to secretly enter or join

·     Riot – a public act of violence by an unruly mob

·     Militant – showing willingness to use strong or forceful methods to achieve something

·     Revolution – a drastic change in ways of thinking

·     Excursion – a short trip especially for pleasure 

Before reading: Since culture is the backbone to this story, have students do a little bit of research on the Black Panther Party and the civil rights movement before reading the book. Having this background knowledge will aid their comprehension as they read the story.

During reading: Have students separate into three groups to participate in a "jigsaw". Each group will be responsible for analyzing a different aspect of the story: characters, plot, and setting. Once each student has acquired enough information about their topic they will go to different groups and tech them the material.

After reading: Have students get into their small groups to practice and perform this reader's theater script:

 http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.oklibs.org/resource/resmgr/imported/Sequoyah_2013_RT_One_Crazy_Summer.pdf

Writing activity: Students should pay attention to ways they can relate to the story as they read. They should use either the text-to-self, text-to-text, or text-to-world model. Have students write a short paper going into detail about their connections. They should refer to specific examples from the story as well as specific examples from their life, other books, movies, etc. 

A Tangle of Knots

Whimsical, Imaginative, Surprising, Quirky, Charming  

A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff 

Published by Philomel an imprint of Penguin Books, Copyright 2013

Living in a world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old orphan, Cady, meets several fascinating people after she moves into a room upstairs in the Lost Luggage Emporium. A series of seemingly unrelated events slowly come together like pieces of a puzzle. In an almost magical twist of fate, Cady discovers much about herself and the people around her. 

Grade level: 5-6

Lexile Measure: 840L

Description: Fantasy

Suggested delivery: Read aloud 

Electronic Resources:

Interview with the Author

This interview with the author, Lisa Graff, focuses on her book “A Tangle of Knots.” Students can read this interview to learn a little bit about the author and how the story came about. She talks about her inspirations to write the story and why she included several cake recipes throughout the book.  

Book Trailer

Students can watch this book trailer before reading begins to spark interest in the book and to get an idea of what the book will be about. By understanding the gist of the story, students will be able to focus their attention on making connections between the characters and events. 

Teaching Strategies

Key vocabulary:

·         Wield – to have and use

·         Guffaw – to laugh loudly

·         Conundrum – a confusing or difficult problem

·         Lore – traditional knowledge, beliefs, and stories that relate to a particular subject

·         Admonished – to speak in way that expresses disapproval or criticism

·         Dissipate – to cause something to spread out and disappear 

Before reading: Ask students to discuss what different talents they have. This will help them create meaningful connections to the text since almost every character in the story has a Talent, or is looking for one.

During reading: Facilitate a directed reading-thinking activity throughout the book. Read the chapter titles, recipes, and short passages from the book and ask students to make predictions. As the story progresses have students rethink their predictions and make changes if necessary. At the end of each reading session have students reflect on their predictions. Ask them what in the text made them change their predictions or what in the text proved them to be true. 

After reading: Have students create a character map, similar to a family tree, to show how each character in the story are related to each other.

Writing activity: What if Cady wasn’t adopted by Toby? What if she never found that perfect peanut butter recipe? What if Marigold didn’t accidently get her brother shipped off to New Jersey? Have students write a creative alternate ending to the book if fate hadn’t worked out the way it did in the story. 

The One and Only Ivan

Heartwarming, Brave, Moving, Exceptional, Powerful 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 

Published by Harper, Copyright 2012

Ivan is a very unique gorilla. He spends his days watching TV, talking to his friends Stella and Bob, and painting in his home, a shopping mall. It’s not the most exciting life, but it’s what he is used to. It wasn’t until a new attraction came to the mall—a baby elephant named Ruby—when big changes started happening in Ivan’s life. The one and only Ivan must rely on his art in his efforts to help his new friend find a happier home. 

Grade level: 3-4

Lexile Measure: 570L

Description: Fiction

Suggested delivery: Read aloud 

Electronic Resources:

Book Trailer

This book trailer can be shown to students before reading to spark interest in the book and give them an idea of what the book will be about. 

Book Website

This is a good website to let students explore before or after reading the book. It contains information about the book and author. It also tells the story of the real Ivan. Students can use this information to build background knowledge or to compare parts of the story that are real and parts that are fiction.  

Teaching Strategies

Key vocabulary:

·         Domain – territory

·         Silverback – an adult male gorilla with an area of silver hair on his back who is a figure of authority

·         Forage – to eat growing grass or other plants

·         Amend – to change or improve a mistake or bad situation

·         Tactful – careful not to upset or offend other people

·         Addled – unable to think clearly

·         Shroud – to cover or hide 

Before reading: Since this book is based on true events, introduce the story by providing background information on the real Ivan. Understanding the true story of Ivan will aid students’ comprehension as they read the story.

During reading: Have different small groups of students facilitate fishbowl discussions throughout the story regarding the characters, setting, and plot. Each discussion will be different depending on how far the students are in the book. Each student in the group should come prepared with one question. 

After reading: Have students pick one quote that they believe is significant to the story and write a short paragraph explaining the context of the quote and why they think it is important. They can also draw an illustration to go along with the quote.

Writing activity: Have students write an opinion piece about different environments for wild animals. The paper should be in the form of a letter to the character, Mack, addressing whether or not they believe the Big Top Mall was a suitable place for Ruby and the other animals to live. 

 Applegate, K. (2012). The One and Only Ivan. New York, New York: Harper.

  

Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job

Informative, Surprising, Inspiring, Fascinating, Bright  

Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Published by Bloomsbury USA, Copyright 2014

Dogs can be more than just a part of your family. They have been getting put to work for years with jobs such as herders, hunters, guards, and even detectives. With their keen sense of smell dogs are able to sniff out bombs, detect diseases, find avalanche victims, and much more. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent explores the hard work and training of some very talented dogs as she shares their stories of saving lives. 

Grade level: 3

Lexile Measure: NC1210L

Description: Nonfiction

Suggested delivery: Independent read 

Electronic Resources:

Scholastic News Article

This article, also entitled “Super Sniffers,” appeared in an issue of Science World magazine. The article contains additional information about dogs using their noses to save people’s lives and the training that it requires. 

Penn Vet YouTube video

This is a video of how puppies at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center are trained to become drug and bomb search dogs. Students can watch this video to acquire more information about what goes on during the training of these dog detectives. 

Teaching Strategies

Key vocabulary:

·         Odor – a particular smell

·         Molecule – the smallest possible amount of a particular substance that has all the characteristics of that substance

·         Reinforce – to encourage or give support to a behavior

·         Elite – the most successful or powerful group of people

·         Vital – extremely important

·         Detect – to discover or notice the presence of something 

Before reading: Before adding the book to the classroom library, take a survey of the class about which students have pet dogs at home. Ask students if their dogs or any dogs that they know (fictional or nonfictional) have a special talent. This will activate students’ prior knowledge about dogs and build an interest in the book.

During reading: Have students create concept maps to summarize the main ideas and supporting details from the text. 

After reading: Put students in small groups and have them play a word toss game by writing six vocabulary words from the book on a cube or beach ball. Each student takes turns rolling the cube and has to define whichever word it lands on. Every correctly defined word earns a point for the group.

Writing activity:  Have students pick one specific job for dogs from the book that interests them the most and do additional research on it. Some examples include medical alert dogs or drug detecting dogs. After they gather enough information have them write a short research paper on their chosen topic. 

 Patent, D. (2014). Super Sniffers: Dog Detectives on the Job. New York, New York: Bloomsbury. 

The Lost Boy

Mysterious, Magical, Dynamic, Thrilling, Dark 

The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth 

Published by Scholastic Inc. Copyright 2013

Shortly after Nate moves into a new home, he discovers an old tape recorder hidden under the floorboards in his room. Nate suddenly finds himself in the middle of a dark mystery surrounding a boy who went missing many years ago. He teams up with his neighbor, Tabitha, and encounters several strange creatures as they go on their quest to solve the mystery of the lost boy. 

Grade level: 4-6

Lexile Measure: GN370L

Description: Graphic novel 

Suggested delivery: Independent read 

Electronic Resources:

Author's Website

Greg Ruth’s website offers preview pages of the book that students can read before they start the book, as well as a map of the fictional Kingdom from the story. It also contains an inside look at the making of the book, including the beginning stages of the story and story extensions. 

Interview with the Author

This is an interview with the author about the makings of the book. Students can read this interview to learn more about Greg Ruth and his ideas and inspirations to write the story. 

Teaching Strategies

Key vocabulary:

·         Relic – something that is from a past time, place, or culture

·         Sleuth – someone who looks for information to solve crimes

·         Malevolent – having a desire to cause harm to another person

·         Vengeance – the act of doing something to hurt someone because that person did something to hurt you or someone else

·         Tyrant – an unfair ruler who has complete control over a country

·         Envoy – a person who sent by one government to represent it

·         Deception – the act of making someone believe something that is not true 

Before reading: Have students make predictions of what the book will be about by using the picture on the cover and the title. Have them write down their predictions in their reading journals.

During reading: Encourage students to come up with “I wonder” questions as they read the book. Have them keep track of all of their questions using sticky notes.

After reading: Have students reflect on their predictions and questions to see if their predictions were correct and if their questions were answered.  

Writing activity: The author leaves the end open for a continuing story. Have students extend the story by adding on to the ending. Students should first write their extension stories in narrative format and then turn it into a graphic novel format. They can use an online comic strip creator such as http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/ to make their story extension look more the book. 

 Ruth, G. (2013). The Lost Boy. New York, New York: Scholastic.