Poetry Friday: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You

INTRODUCTION

Here's a book

Of Aesop's Fables,

Tales where turtles

Turn the tables,

Tales with lions,

Tales with mice,

Tales where ants

Give good advice.

(to read the rest of the poem, you'll have to get your own copy of the book!)

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together

by Mary Ann Hoberman

illustrated by Michael Emberley

Little, Brown and Company, 2010

review copy provided by the publisher

At ALA last June, I got the chance to tell Mary Ann  Hoberman that she is a rock star in my classroom. On Poetry Fridays, her You Read to Me, I'll Read to You books are the most popular books on the poetry shelf in my classroom. And why not? They are so fun, and perfectly designed for buddy reading. They are easy enough for struggling readers to figure out, and easy enough for confident readers to read with dramatic expression. They are well enough known that sometimes the audience joins in the performance!

This newest volume is a welcome addition to the set. The fables Hoberman chose to include are well-known or have an easily-understood moral.  Emberley's illustrations start telling a story of their own from the title page on. Fun, fun, fun!

There's more fun to be had today at the Poetry Friday Round Up.  Karen, at The Blog With the Shockingly Clever Title, is hosting today.

MEMOIRS OF A GOLDFISH by Devin Scillia

My good friend and colleague Nicole, told me about this new book called MEMOIRS OF A GOLDFISH. As she was telling me all about it and why her 2nd graders loved it, I knew I had to have it. I picked it up last night and my 5th grade daughter had just heard it read aloud and she said it was hysterical. This is one of those books that will be great for many ages. It will make a great read aloud for the library.

The story reminded me a bit of the Diary of a Worm series by Doreen Cronin in that it is a diary format. I think kids who are fans of that series will enjoy this book too. This a 14 day "memoir" of a goldfish and the events that happen to him in his bowl. Day 1: I swam around my bowl. Each page/day gets a little longer and more complex as Goldfish's life gets a little more crowded. He is quite funny and his voice make the book amusing.

I can see using this book when talking about personal narrative. There is lots to learn about first person writing and about sharing events and feelings by the fish in this book. Kids of all ages will laugh out loud at this one. I imagine it will be a popular one in the library.

Tuck Me In! by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt

I just found a great new book for beginning readers, TUCK ME IN! by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt. This is a fun bedtime book for young children. It is also a great book with predictable text for young readers. Several baby animals are getting ready for bed. Each page asks Who needs to be tucked in.  Then an animal yells, "I do!" and the reader lifts the flap/blanket over to tuck in the baby animal and reads the Good night page.  This pattern continues throughout the book. It is fun for readers to tuck in each animal and the blanket prints and cut pages make it even more fun. The predictable text and large font makes it perfect for new readers.  Lots of repetition and picture support.  (This would make a great baby gift too!)

And Yet Another Song Book

As you know if you read my blog posts, I love new songbooks. I think they are quite fun and I also know how important they are for early literacy development. When I heard about THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED SOME BUGS by Johnette Downing, I ordered it immediately. I love all of the different versions of this story/song. And this one is a bit unique. The story follows the typical "There was an old lady" format and in this version, the old lady eats a variety of bugs including a mosquito, a worm, a slug and a roach. UGH! The illustrations are unique in that you don't see the entire Old Lady getting bigger and bigger. Instead, each page focuses on the tongue and the stomach--close ups of the "old lady" eating each bug and them gathering in her tummy. But this one has a fun surprise ending that I think kids will love.

The text of this one is a bit tricky in that some pages contain a lot of text and some of the bug names might be unknown to young kids but I think this book will be enjoyed by kids of all ages--a fun version of a well-loved song!

Overheard Conversation in the Library

In the library today, I overheard one of our second graders with a new student. She was walking around showing her the library and helping her look for a book. The new girl was not having any luck finding a book. So the "tour guide" turned to her and said, "Tell me about a book that you really really really love and I'll help you find another one."

I say that to kids all the time but didn't realize it until I heard this second grader saying it! Crack me up! It was too cute.

Columbus Metropolitan Library Website Demo

Have I mentioned lately that our public library system, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, won Library Journal's 2010 Library of the Year Award?  We are SOOOO lucky to have this library system in our community.  I imagine we take the library for granted at times and we probably shouldn't!

I have to admit that I don't visit many of the library's branches. I need to make some time to get downtown to the main branch. But our Dublin branch is so good and I always bump into one of the children's librarians there, that it is the one I visit most frequently. The 3 children's librarians at the Dublin Branch have been so supportive of our school and we have done great partner activities over the last few years to build relationships between the students and the librarians there. The 3 are all very familiar faces to our students and at least once a week, some child comes in to tell me that they talked with one of them on a recent visit to the library.  

As I move into my third year, I am able to bump things up a bit in terms of student learning.  This year, when Loren Scully and I met to set our year plan, one of the goals was to help students be more independent at utilizing the tools at the public branch library and to help them know the resources available. So, this week, Ray, the teen librarian at Dublin, spent time with every 4th and 5th grade class. He spent about 35 minutes with each class, giving them a tour of the CML website and some of the resources they could find there. He demonstrated how to go about reserving a book that they were hoping to read.  He also shared some resources available to the community such as CultureGrams. Kids learned how to search available books by favorite authors and more.  And, of course, Ray can't leave the school without sharing some great new books with kids.  He is so knowledgeable about books for this age group that many kids found new books to add to their "to be read" list.  The kids were GLUED to his talk. They seem excited to explore the CML website on their own.  I have to spend more time on it myself--there is so much there--really amazing resources. 

I know the librarians are hugely busy and we appreciate the time they give to the students at Riverside.  Our kids LOVE when they see one of the Dublin librarians whether they are at school or at the Dublin Library. Our students love anything connected with the library because of this.

TELL THE TRUTH, B. B. Wolf by Judy Sierra

I enjoyed MIND YOUR MANNERS, B.B. WOLF by Judy Sierra when it came out.  I picked up TELL THE TRUTH, B. B. WOLF as soon as I saw it. I loved it. The story is about B.B. Wolf again and it takes place in the library.  The librarian, Miss Wonderly, invites B.B. Wolf to tell his story of how he met the 3 Little Pigs. But he is a bit nervous.  He says, "But I wasn't a hero."  As in the first book, lots of other characters we love are part of the story.  Rumpelstiltskin, The Three Little Pigs and the Little Engine to name a few.

B.B. Wolf doesn't exactly tell the story as it happens. Instead, he twists things a bit and the crowd does not like it. Many of the listeners (including the pigs) demand that B.B. Wolf tells the truth.  There is great word play embedded in the story. I love the line:  "No one is falling for your story," cracked Humpty Dumpty.  There are a few other fun words hidden throughout. Finally, B.B. Wolf admits that he wasn't so nice, tells the group he's changed and apologizes.  He even changes his middle name from "Bad" to something much more fitting. And he figures out a way to make it up to the pigs.

An overall fun story!

Poetry Friday -- Over the Rainbow

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far

Behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me.

from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

I've been wishing for a rainbow recently, and last weekend I got one. Now if only we could arrange for the "troubles melt like lemon drops" part...

But sometimes if you can't get your troubles to melt, at least you get some good news to sweeten things up -- our Poetry Friday Panel proposal ("Poetry Friday: Sharing Poems and Celebrating Poetry, One Blog at a Time") was accepted for KidLitCon! If you haven't signed up to go to Minneapolis (October 23), now you've got one more great reason: you can come chat about all things Poetry Friday with this great panel: Andromeda Jazmon of A Wrung Sponge, Elaine Magliaro of Wild Rose Reader, Laura Salas of Writing the World for Kids, Mary Ann Scheuer of Great Kid Books, Toby Speed of The Writer's Armchair, Amy VanDerwater of Poem Farm, and me of here. We're very excited to meet each other in person, and we can't wait to meet YOU and talk about poetry in the Kidlitosphere!! I even heard a rumor that the "founder" of Poetry Friday, Kelly Herold of Big A little a might be coming to KidLitCon. What are you waiting for? Go register now!



Because sometimes it makes you feel better just to sing along, here's Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and here's Judy Garland singing it.

Elaine has today's Poetry Friday roundup at Wild Rose Reader.

3 Great Nonfiction Books

As I work on updating the nonfiction section of the library, I am thrilled with the books I am finding lately. JUST ONE BITE by Lola Schaefer is a great book for all ages. Because LIFE-SIZE ZOO has been such a hit, I think this one will be too. Although the illustrations are not photos like LIFE-SIZE ZOO, it is an over-sized book with great illustrations.

Each spread gives information on one animal and what it can eat in one bite (or flick, when it comes to a frog.) The basic text is pretty predictable and inviting for new readers. The end of the book has more information on each of the animals included. There is a bit of invited prediction and a pull-out page, which are fun features for kids. I think this book would be a great lead-in to conversations about the food chain or any other animal unit that elementary students are involved in. So much information in such a simple book.

UP WE GROW: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A SMALL, LOCAL FARM by Deborah Hodge is a book about farming. It is often difficult to find books for kids that show farms now, rather than in the past. Hodge writes a great book that follows the seasons on a farm--the work, the activities, the fun. The text would make for a great read aloud. It is packed in terms of information, but written in a way that is accessible to kids. The author stops to ask questions of the reader throughout the text which will make the book engaging. The photographs by Harris help to capture animal life on the farm along with the life of the family.

THE BAT SCIENTISTS by Mary Kay Carson is the newest in the Scientists in the Field Series. This book is packed with so much great information. It is definitely a big read--for upper elementary kids, it would make a great read aloud or a great independent read for kids interested in the topic. The photos will draw readers in. The book includes great photos of scientists doing their work, diagrams of bats, basic information and more. The text is separated into short chapter-like parts. Extra resources as well as a glossary are listed in the back of the book.

AND THEN THERE WERE GNOMES

Guinea Pig Pet Shop Private Eye #2: And Then There Were Gnomes
by Colleen Af Venable
illustrated by Stephanie Yue
Graphic Universe, 2010
I bought this book because I'm a sucker for series books, and besides, you just can't have too many books with a guinea pig main character in your classroom library. Plus it's a mystery and a graphic novel all in one.

Sasspants the pet shop guinea pig who, in book one, was called upon by Hamisher the hamster to solve a mystery because the g on her cage label had fallen off, making her a GUINEA PI (private investigator, get it?), is once again needed to solve the mystery of where all the mice are going to. The pet shop is down to just one mouse, the pet mouse of the chinchillas, and the store is being haunted by a ghost to make things even more complicated and creepy.

In spite of the clueless (pardon the pun) pet shop owner, the airhead goldfish, the vain chinchillas, and the rabbits who borrow one of the mystery books from Sasspants' personal library but need to be told what books are for: "READ them, don't EAT them!" Sasspants manages to solve the mystery of the missing mice.

BINKY TO THE RESCUE

Binky to the Rescue
by Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press, 2010
my cat Willie Morris (who looks a lot like Binky except he's orange and white) made me buy this book

Last September, Franki reviewed the first of the Binky Adventures, Binky the Space Cat, and as soon as I laid hands on that book I was in love. This summer at the Kids Can Press booth at ALA (I'm beaming a million more thanks toward Canada even as I write), I got a Binky the Space Cat lanyard for my ID, which I've faithfully worn since the beginning of the school year. Imagine my chagrin when one of our reading support teachers came dancing in my room with HER copy of Binky to the Rescue before I had gotten MINE!

As soon as Willie Morris was done reading his my copy when it arrived, I took it to school. I immediately gave it to the overworked Instructional Support Teachers in the office next to my classroom. They looked like they needed a laugh. One started reading it and giggling out loud and the other insisted on a read aloud. Soon I could hear the healthy sound of laughter coming from their office.

Just about the same thing happened in my classroom. One of my most serious, get-down-to-business students was grinning (GRINNING!) and chuckling over Binky's belief that he's keeping the house safe from aliens (which are really just bugs), that when Binky falls out the window, he thinks he's in outer space, that he digs a tunnel to rescue his mousie Ted from the wasps, and that the story might not be quite over at the end of the book.

You look like you need a laugh today. Go get your (cat's) copy of Binky To The Rescue!

EMILY'S FORTUNE by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Emily's Fortune
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Random House (Delacorte Press), 2010
review copy provided by the publisher

When we finished Clementine, Friend of the Week (my review here), our first read aloud of the year, I asked my class what kind of book they wanted to hear next. They wanted action, adventure, scary and longer than Clementine.

My pick? Emily's Fortune.


Action? Tree climbing, stagecoach rides, near-drowning...Check.

Adventure? Orphaned girl disguised as a boy running away from an evil uncle who wants her ten million dollar inheritance...Check.

Scary? "The man at the bar wore black boots up to the knee, brown britches, and a brown shirt. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to the elbows; his large arms bulged out of his sleeves, and on one of the huge arms was...a tiger tattoo."  Well, probably not scary by ten year-old standards, but it will have to do.

Emily's Fortune is only 147 pages, so it won't qualify for longer than Clementine, but it takes a look at friendship and trust that will make a nice compare/contrast with Clementine, Friend of the Week. It will also give us more cliffhangers than one book should be allowed to have, as well as some extra-"juicy" words and phrases for our word wall:

"Who in flippin' flapjacks..."

"Where in tumblin' tarnation..."

"What in the hokie smokies..."

"How in the ding-dong dickens..."

Word Study

Locust, or cicada, is chicharra in Spanish. I know this because as we were looking at the shells and corpses of cicadas that one of my girls brought in (you go, GIRL!), one of my Spanish-speakers walked up and said with an authority that he does not have yet in English, "Chicharra." We all tried to roll our r's as well as he did and the more we said chicharra, the more we sounded like a bunch of cicadas in the trees. Say it! See what I mean?!?

I love that my students are bringing their passions to school already in the third week, and I love that we are adding first-language words to our "juicy" words we're collecting. When the one-third of my class who were gone for Eid on Friday return this week, we'll see if there are words from their language and their celebration that we can add to our list and learn.

Here's where we collect our "juicy" words:

This is the best solution for covering our classroom's mirror that I've ever come up with -- "Reflect on These JUICY Words." The classroom assistant has a pad of sticky notes, and whenever anyone come across a "juicy" word in the book they're reading or I'm reading aloud, in class discussion, overheard in a conversation, etc., they help the assistant put it on a note and post it on the mirror.

Every so often, I type the newest juicy words onto a blank page in the SmartBoard software. This is our electronic Word Wall! I've made each of the words on the word wall a piece of movable text so that we can sort the words, looking for similarities and differences, categories, parts of speech, prefixes, suffixes, etc.

Soon we'll need to make a second page, we've collected so many words. I can't wait to see how this Word Wall project develops. Out of all the ways I've tried to integrate my new SmartBoard into my teaching, this is my favorite so far.

Making Lemonade

Good thing our phone was on the fritz a couple of weeks ago. That meant we didn't have Internet access on a Tuesday night when all my work depended on getting online. Needed to pay bills. Little stuff like that.

We packed a book to read (him), a computer (her), and went to Scotties, the nearest Free Internet With Your Cup of Coffee joint that we could think of.

I was (more than) just a little tired and crabby about not being able to work at home in my jammies and then fall right into bed. As we walked into Scotties, my ears went, "Is that LIVE music?" and the crabby started to leak right out of me. Four old guys were playing 1940's-60's tunes on electric guitars that were amped but not cranked. They sounded like my childhood guitar teacher, Rudy Schlichenmayer. They sat slouched over their guitars in a wide half-circle so they could watch each other and riff off each other. When they sang, their voices sounded like the records my parents used to play. My crabbiness left me. I started noticing that they weren't really all that old, now that I'm on the near side of old myself. They were probably in their 60's. They obviously liked each other and enjoyed getting together to have a public jam session.

I got my work done. We checked the schedule. They play every Tuesday night. I'll be there whenever I can.

Poetry Friday -- Butterflies

One of the Butterflies

by W. S. Merwin

The trouble with pleasure is the timing

it can overtake me without warning

and be gone before I know it is here

it can stand facing me unrecognized

while I am remembering somewhere else

in another age or someone not seen

for years and never to be seen again

in this world and it seems that I cherish

only now a joy I was not aware of

when it was here although it remains

out of reach and will not be caught or named

or called back and if I could make it stay

as I want to it would turn to pain.

I took the pictures. (It's the same butterfly, showing off her outer and inner beauties.) I found the poem at The Writer's Almanac and couldn't figure out a way to divide it. Hopefully the copyright police will allow me this rare indiscretion.

The roundup today is at Picture Book of the Day, hosted by Anastasia Suen.

Happy Friday! And, hey, don't let your happiness get away from you like a butterfly that doesn't sit still for a picture -- pay attention to your happiness and enjoy it NOW, while it's right there in front of you!

3 Picture Books for Young Readers

THE BOSS BABY by Marla Frazee is hysterical.  The story starts out with these words, "From the moment the baby arrived, it was obvious that he was the boss."  The story goes through those typical things new parents go through dealing with the demands of a new baby 24/7.  The illustrations really make the book what it is. The baby is dressed like a top executive--in a suit and tie. He sets up his office in his bouncy seat and "calls meetings" from his crib.  You will LOVE this baby!

I bought KIKI's BLANKIE by Janie Bynum because I immediately fell in love with Kiki the monkey.  She is ADORABLE.  And she LOVES her polka-dot blankie. (My favorite page is when she is using it as a beach towel, laying out wearing sunglasses.)  Kiki never goes anywhere without her blankie and then she loses it. She has to have courage to get it back.  She so loves her blankie! This would be a fun companion book to Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems.

I found out that the author of DEAR TYRANNOSAURUS REX, Lisa McClatchy, lives in Columbus.  I had so many kids looking for books with dinosaurs this week in the library, that I am sure this will be a popular one.  It is a cute story of a little girl who sends a letter to the dinosaur in the museum, inviting him to her birthday party. The book is actually her letter.  She tells him all of the great things that will happen if he comes. Each page begins with, "If you come to our party...". I think this would be a great mentor for writing.  Each page uses the repeated phrase to give a detail about the birthday party.  The ending is a fun surprise!

THE ROBIN MAKES A LAUGHING SOUND: A BIRDER'S JOURNAL by Sallie Wolf

A colleague at work shared THE ROBIN MAKES A LAUGHING SOUND with me and I ordered it right away. I loved this book for lots of reasons--even though I know almost nothing about birds and I am not a bird-watcher.  Our library overlooks a courtyard and it would be a great place for bird watching if I can figure out how best to set up feeders to attract them. Until then, I am picking up great bird books for kids. This one may be my favorite.

The intro of the book is a note from the author, telling us that her 7th grade teacher introduced her to bird watching and describes some of the work that she did in that class. She has been hooked ever since.  The rest of the book is a birder's journal. It is filed with poems, sketches, observations and more.  The pages are made to look like a real journal--with some things taped in, etc.  There is a variety of writing and I can see kids learning so much from this book--both as a writer and as a scientist.

When I was in the classroom, I always looked for great books that showed how writers worked in the real world. This is a great example of a "writer's notebook" to share with students if you use notebooks in your classroom. It might invite kids to try new things in their own notebooks.

Another Great Song Book--IF YOU'RE A MONSTER AND YOU KNOW IT

Now that the kids in the library are totally excited about books they can sing because of PETE THE CAT, I am on the lookout for new books with downloadable songs.  I so love the work of Rebecca and Ed Emberly that I was excited to see IF YOU'RE A MONSTER AND YOU KNOW IT just in time for the Halloween season.

This is a new version of the classic song, "If You're Happy and You Know It."  But it takes on a fun twist asking kids to do things like "smack your claws" and "twitch your tail".  Just as with other books that are coming with songs these days, there is a fun song that can be downloaded for singalongs or just listening.  It is at Scholastic's site along with other information on the book.

As with their other books, the illustrations in this one are bright and colorful and set against black.  I think if I put bright paper out, kids will have a great time trying to create some of their own monsters using Emberly's art as a mentor.

A PIG PARADE IS A TERRIBLE IDEA: Great Mentor Text For Persuasive Writing, but More Importantly, A GREAT, FUN READ ALOUD

I have been waiting patiently for my copy of A PIG PARADE IS A TERRIBLE IDEA by Michael Ian Black. Since I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED CHICKEN CHEEKS, when Bill at Literate Lives shared this new one, I ordered it right away!

A PIG PARADE IS A TERRIBLE IDEA by Michael Ian Black is a crack up! This book would make for a great fun read aloud. This is a great book about all of the reasons that a pig parade is a bad idea--my favorite reason is that "pigs absolutely refuse to wear majorette uniforms". There are many, many reasons that the authors give us, but that one was my personal favorite. The humor is quite sophisticated and I will have to try it out but I am pretty sure it will make my BOOKS I COULD READ A MILLION TIMES list.

I could see using this book in writing workshop as a great mentor text for persuasive writing. (If you do use it for writing workshop, please, please, please make sure to read it aloud to your kids a few times first--just for the fun of it.) The authors begin the book with a great lead about thinking that maybe a pig parade might be a good idea. Then they go through point by point and explain why this is a terrible idea. At the end of the book, they summarize again why this is so bad. When I did units with upper elementary kids on persuasive writing, finding great examples was often a little bit difficult. I'd find a few things online and lots of op ed pieces, but there weren't many great picture books that kids could study to learn about persuasive writing. This book is one of the best pieces of persuasive writing I have seen. Readers are clearly convinced by the last page, that a Pig Parade is definitely a terrible idea!

The Marshmallow Challenge: Starting a Yearlong Conversation about Communication, Creation and Collaboration

Last week was the first week that I saw classes in the library. I have been thinking hard about where to begin this year and about the big goals for the students. Because this is the 3rd year I've had with these students, I have an idea of where they are when it comes to the way they use the library. I have worked over the past few years to focus on the tools in the library and about building independence. This year, kids will be checking out themselves so that we are freed up to do more work with students as they dig into their learning.

After looking hard at our state Library Guidelines and thinking about the skills our students need to be literate in the 21st Century, I wanted to move to a new level of what kids could do in the library. I continue to refer back to NCTE's definition of 21st Century Literacies as I think and plan.

When I watched the TED Talk on The Marshmallow Challenge, I knew it was the activity I wanted to kick off our year in the library with. So, this week, every 3rd, 4th and 5th grade class participated in the Marshmallow Challenge. Each team of 3-4 had 18 minutes to create a structure using the materials included with a big rule being that the marshmallow had to be on top. I had several goals when I decided that it was worth counting out so many pieces of uncooked spaghetti.

First of all, I want the library to become a schoolwide community. One challenge that is different from the classroom is that not all members of the library community are in the space at the same time. So I need to connect their conversations in different ways. I knew that if I did this with all 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, it would become a topic of conversation on the bus, at dinner tables and at recess. From what I heard from the kids, I was correct in my thinking. I will also expand on the conversation by creating a display in the library highlighting some of the things that each group created and learned.

I also want the library to continue to be a place where kids can create--we'll build on the work with film-making that we did last year, do more content-connected projects, etc. and I want them to have thought hard about collaborating and problem solving.

So, every 3rd, 4th and 5th grade class spent the first 18 minutes of their library time this year participating in THE MARSHMALLOW CHALLENGE. ( I let them use tape on the base which may be against the official rules, but I think that was the only difference.) I learned so much from watching the groups. I know that if kids are going to use the library in the ways I hope they do, collaboration is key. It was interesting to watch them share ideas, deal with frustrations, and stay focused (or not) on the task.

The powerful piece was the conversation kids had afterwards. The challenge is designed so that groups MUST collaborate. There is not enough time to not collaborate. So the conversations following the Marshmallow Challenge about collaboration were key. It seems that many young children think that collaboration is about being nice, being a team player. But I think when I look back at the work in 21st Century Literacies, I want more than that for our kids. I want them to problem solve collaboratively--to listen to others' ideas, build on people's thinking and to be able to create ideas and projects together that they could not possibly create on their own.

So, following the activity, each class talked about collaboration. They shared the things they did that felt collaborative. Just as I used to do in Reading Workshop, we had a 2-column conversation. I asked them to answer these two questions: What does collaboration look like? What does collaboration sound like? These initial conversations were amazing. Kids really thinking about the kind of collaboration they did and how they might improve it next time. Did they listen to others' ideas or just try to push their own? How did they deal with frustration? How did they include teammates? What did they do when another teammate became frustrated. Kids said things like,

"When something messed up, we didn't complain. We laughed and fixed it."

"It is better when you talk before you work.

"We learned from our mistakes and to combine ideas to make something we like."
“Wh learned to learn from our mistakes and to combine ideas to make something we all liked
This led right into a conversation about creating because they quickly realized that so much of collaboration comes from problem-solving when things don't go well. We also talked about creation and the fact that trying things that didn't work forced them to think about a new way to do something. So many kids are so worried about doing things the right way and not making mistakes that I loved this part of the conversation.

Follow-Up
For the classes I've seen a 2nd time, I did a quick 15 minute follow-up activity using Marbleworks. Kids were again assigned to a team of 3-4 and we talked about setting challenges or goals for ourselves. For the last few years, kids have been doing lots of great exploration with many of the building toys and games. Although I think free exploration time is important, I also want to bump it up a bit since it hasn't happened naturally. I want the toys to be a source of independent hands-on research. So, I gave kids a challenge--"In 5 minutes, create the tallest structure you can with only 8 pieces." The 8 pieces threw them a bit but they quickly took on the challenge. We discussed the difference in free play and committing to a challenge and they talked again about having to dig in and try new things when something didn't work. Then they brainstormed other challenges that kids might try with Marbleworks. (Build a track in which the marble goes through all of the pieces. Build the lowest structure you can that works and used 8 pieces. Create a track that takes exactly 45 seconds for the marble to travel on.) I will add these challenges and spaces for kids to add new ones to the area around the Marbleworks--inviting others to think differently about the way they design. I think this piece will be key when it comes to research--asking your own questions, finding answers, documenting work over time. For young children, this step will help them understand more text-based research.

I'm glad that we started the year like this. Yesterday, I developed the 180+ pictures that I took and will add those to a wall display near the door, along with quotes from the kids on what they learned about collaborating and creating. I am hoping that conversations will begin to happen across classes and that kids will see things in the pictures that spark new thinking and talk. I have always believed that it is these yearlong conversations that make a difference to student learning and this one on creating and collaborating will be one we add to every week throughout the year.

August Mosaic

No, I didn't forget to do my monthly mosaic, it's just that August kind of galloped away from me, what with school starting so early this year.

My favorite images of the month are of the little boy taking pictures at the British Car Show in Dayton (click on mosaic once or twice to enlarge). He was so passionate! He'd take a picture, look at the image he'd captured, say, "Yes!" to himself, and find another shot to take. It killed him that he couldn't see inside the Rolls, but his dad helped him out with that one. I wanted to ask him what he would do with or make with his pictures. I imagine him at home at the computer sorting them, organizing them, writing about them, maybe making a mosaic with them!

The view outside my classroom window is going to be interesting this year. I'm near the southeast corner of the building, and we're getting several new classrooms and teaching spaces added to the northeast corner. First, they built a road on the green space outside the window leading to the staging area for their materials (and the storage place for the topsoil they scoured to build the road). Luckily, they left our two sweet gum trees. At the end of last week, they poured the cement foundations. It's just a little disruptive to have the arm of the backhoe swinging around outside your window when you're trying to teach...

No, that's not our new puppy. Perhaps in a year we will have a pup from that breeding pair. (It's an English Shepherd -- a herding dog that looks a lot like a robust Border Collie, but with a calmer disposition and an upright herding style.) In the meantime, we help out the breeder by doing temperament testing to help her place the pups in the right homes. Here's a video I made of two of last year's pups tussling.

This was a good month for photographing insects! For one thing, I got a new camera that allows me to get lots closer (and do fun stuff like miniaturizing and fisheye-ing.) But the camera's nothing if the subject's not there! The cicada was on the school building, the butterfly was on my car, and the katydid was on our porch wall. How about those red eyes?!?!

Poetry Friday -- Okay, I Won't Complain

photo by Fouquier

ONE TIME MY DAD
by Richard E. McMullen

One time my dad said to me, I don't
see why people complain about how hard they work
or how tired they are. Nobody works hard but
farmers, miners, lumberjacks and foundry workers.

(the rest of the poem is at at The Writer's Almanac)




Here's hoping you have an enjoyable Labor Day weekend, whether that means a long weekend of rest, or a long weekend with a long to-do list (sigh).

Susan has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Susan Writes.

Mr. President Goes to School

Mr. President Goes to School
by Rick Walton
illustrated by Brad Sneed
Peachtree, 2010
review copy provided by the publisher

Whenever I start getting overwhelmed by all the paperwork and meetings and soothing of petty quarrels on the playground that my job entails, I think of the mountains of work the President has to face day after day for four years (and with hostile legislators and press corps thrown in for extra measure), and somehow, I can face another day of lunch duty or another set of papers to grade.

In Walton's humorous look at an overwhelmed President, the way he manages to survive the demands of nutball splinter groups (the National Gopher Society), uncooperative cabinet members (can you believe what the VP did to the ping pong table?!?), and quarreling world leaders ("It's the Sticks and Stones issue again sir. What should we do?") is to put on a disguise, walk a few blocks from the White House, and rejoin his kindergarten classroom. It is there that he remembers everything he learned that will help him to do his job: "It's hard to solve problems when you're hungry," "Polite people always raise their hands," and the hokey pokey is what it's all about.

When Mr. President returns to work, he and the grumpy leaders of Bulrovia and Snortburg sit crisscross applesauce on the carpet, take turns talking nicely, eat cookies and milk, and do the hokey pokey. (Headlines the next day read, "Hokey Pokey Leads to Okey Dokey.")

If only it were that easy.

And yet...isn't it?

I nominate Mrs. Appletree, the teacher who reminds us that we really did learn all we need to know in Kindergarten, if only we would have the courage to live by those simple rules, for our Cool Teachers in Children's Literature.

Dotty

Dotty
by Erica S. Perl
illustrated by Julia Denos
Abrams, 2010
review copy provided by the publisher

"When Ida started school, she took her new lunch box...and Dotty."

Dotty is Ida's red spotted, horned (imaginary) monster friend. And Dotty's not the only monster friend in Ida's classrom -- it is quite full of friends of all sizes and shapes. As the year goes on, however, many of Ida's friends stop bringing their friends to school. When Ida's Dotty gets mad at another girl and pushes her, Ms. Raymond, the teacher, makes both girls write apology notes. After school, Ms. Raymond talks to Ida about Dotty, telling Ida to "explain to Dotty that we don't behave like that at school." When Ms. Raymond goes to get Ida's blue string for Dotty out of her desk, she comes up with a red string...for her own (imaginary) monster, Gert.

This is a sweet story about how imagination is sometimes lost as we grow up, and sometimes never lost at all. Especially not if you teach very young children and your classroom gets crowded with monsters at times.

Ms. Raymond is definitely one of our Cool Teachers in Children's Literature!

A FABULOUS FAIR ALPHABET by Debra Frasier

When I taught Kindergarten and 1st grade, I had a huge collection of alphabet books in my classroom. They are such a great genre for young children.  Now that I am a librarian, I don't think we can have too many good alphabet books. So, I am always thrilled when I find a good new alphabet book to add to the collection.

Yesterday at Cover to Cover, I spotted A FABULOUS FAIR ALPHABET by Debra Frasier. The colors on the cover immediately caught my eye. Bright, bold colors against a white background.

Each page of this great alphabet book focuses on one thing that you see at the fair. Cotton Candy....Lemonade....Tractor. Alongside the illustration of the object is the word, made up of various letter styles from the fair.  Around the page are many versions of the letter that the word starts with. From reading the inside flap of the book, I learned that Debra Frasier loves the state fair and took photos of the lettering at the fair.  She used these photos to create this book and the end pages give a clue into some of her work. They are filled with photos of the fair--photos that include lettering and photos that do not include lettering.

I love so much about this book.  First of all, I love cotton candy and any book that includes cotton candy is a must-have for me.  But I love the letter and they way they are used on each page. So many different types of each letter.  For young children who are just starting to recognize the different ways one letter can look, this is a great resource. I can see kids wanting to create their own words out of letters they find in newspapers and magazines.  For older kids, this is an amazing piece of art.  So much to look at on every page.

I was thrilled to find a fun game and video from Debra Frasier connected to this book. If you visit her website, you can download a game card to take with you to the fair--looking for words all over.

Planning for My Professional Learning 2010-11

I am so energized by all that I have been learning lately.  There are so many exciting opportunities for our students. I know that, for me, my own learning is key to the work I do with kids. Even though so much of my learning comes from reading blogs and finding resources on Twitter, I like to go to a few conferences every year.  I have always found it important to keep up with the thinking and learning through these kinds of events.  They all help keep me focused on the right work. There are so many opportunities for learning and I want to take advantage of those that I think will support my goals this year. There are so many great opportunities, it is always hard to decide on the most worthwhile and doable events. Luckily, most of these events take place on weekends. I have always thought it was well worth it to spend a few weekends dedicated to my own learning. I can also take a personal day or two each day to attend conferences if I need to.

I am taking another course via distance learning (University of Alberta's amazing program) toward a degree in Teacher-Librarianship.  My fall course focuses on Web 2.0 and it is right where my thinking is right now. Talking and thinking and learning with others on this topic will be great fun and I am hoping to figure out what all of this means for the elementary library.

On October 2, The Literacy Connection is sponsoring a daylong workshop with Christian Long on Designing a 21st Century Learning Environment.  This will be perfect timing for this thinking.  As you know if you read this blog, it was Christian Long who introduced me to The Third Teacher and I have had the opportunity to hear him talk at the Ohio Summit and at Dublin City Schools' Opening Day Convocation. He is grounded in his beliefs about kids and I am anxious to learn from him for a full day at this event.  Plus, I love the Literacy Connection events because I love having time to learn from and with this group of people.

Jennifer Branch of the University of Alberta told us about the 2010 SLJ Leadership Summit-The Future of Reading in Chicago this fall.  The speakers look amazing. There are a few of us from my district who will attend and I'll also get to meet the people I am taking classes with--face to face! I have already learned so much from my online course that it will be nice to get to meet "in real life". This summit looks to be packed with information and new learning, specific to school libraries.

Of course, my highlight of the fall is always NCTE's Annual Convention in November in Orlando.  It is always the place where I reconnect with others and learn from amazing educators each year.  I went to my first NCTE convention about 20 years ago and have been hooked ever since.  As a literacy educator, this is the place where the best thinking comes together and grows each year.  This year, I am looking forward to Thursday's sessions with Bud Hunt, Troy Hicks and Sara Kajder. I am also thrilled to be able to be part of the Elementary Section Get-Together in which Philippa Stratton will be honored. On Sunday, I'll be presenting with Mary Lee, Donalyn Miller, and Aimee Buckner.

I have been wanting to attend Educon at SLA for a few years . This year, I am planning to attending Educon 2.3 in January. I so appreciate that the bulk of this conference is over the weekend.  I have learned so much from the work of Chris Lehmann and all of the others who have been part of Educon that I am looking forward to hearing their latest thinking and in participating in this event. (If you have not heard Chris Lehman's TED talk or his graduation speech, they both give you a sense of what SLA is about.

In February, we will host the 22nd Dublin Literacy Conference. This year, professional speakers include Kelly Gallagher, Patrick Allen, Troy Hicks, and Christian Long. Children's authors include Brian Pinkney, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Wendy Mass and Loren Long.  (Site for that will be coming soon.)

In April, I will have the opportunity to hear Debbie Miller in Columbus. Debbie will be the speaker at The Literacy Connection's yearlong study. We will begin the year in October and we will study Debbie's newest book,  Teaching With Intention. In April, Debbie will do demonstration teaching as well as a workshop for participants. This yearlong study is always a highlight.  Last year, Samantha Bennett was amazing and I am so looking forward to learning from Debbie Miller this year.

And, I would LOVE to attend November Learning/BLC 11 again next summer. BLC10 was the best learning I've had in a long time and I find myself reflecting on the speakers there often.  Alan November and his group put on such an amazing event.

So, my year is packed with great learning opportunities already. I am sure some new events will pop up as the year goes on, but I find that a monthly dose of great thinking and learning is perfect for me.  It helps focus my thinking a bit when working with students.

Four More Cool Teachers

Keep those nominations for Cool Teachers in Children's Literature coming in! These newest Cool Teachers bring us up to 139!!


•Mr. Tripp in Justin Fisher Declares War by James Prellar, reviewed by Franki here.

•Mrs. Peterson in The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco, to be reviewed by Karen at Literate Lives soon.

•Miss O'Grady in Busing Brewster by Richard Michelson, reviewed by Carol at Carol's Corner.

•Mr. Boldova in the Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo, nominated by Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference.

Patrick at All-En-A-Day's Work sent along a link to his review of Word After Word After Word by Patricia MacLachlan to stand in for the woefully missing review here.

Mister Gee in Once Upon an Ordinary School Day was already on our list, but you can check out this review from Playing By the Book to see why Mister Gee's a Cool Teacher (and to get some ideas for extending the book with music and art).

Poetry Friday: Twitter Search Poem

I've searched every poem site I know for poems about voice (lost mine on the second day of school) or hot tea (I'm drinking some now, with lemon and honey and a little extra sumpin' to help me sleep).

Nothing spoke to me, so I invented a new poetry form: the Twitter Search Poem. (Googled it; can't find any. I claim the invention.)

Here's how I wrote my Twitter Search Poem: I searched "laryngitis" on Twitter. I wrote/found this poem using bits and pieces of actual recent Tweets:

How's Ur Voice Dear?

found on Twitter by Mary Lee Hahn

Feels like I've been hit by a bus,

Sounds like a chipmunk with laryngitis.

If I have laryngitis I will GET. CRAZY.

I just want to be able to speak again.

Even with laryngitis I WILL WIN.

I beamed laryngitis rays at him; I laryngitis you.

Right now I wish dogs could get laryngitis...

Can cats get laryngitis?

Skillful listening is the best remedy for

loneliness, loquaciousness, and laryngitis.


Kate has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Book Aunt.

Some Great New Middle Grade Novels

I have read quite a few amazing middle grade novels this summer.  I am thrilled with a trend I am seeing with authors expanding the notion of what it means to be a family.  I am also excited about the way children are being portrayed in some of the books I've read. I am also thrilled that many of the books deal with looking beyond a child's disability or life circumstance.  These things do not define the child. So often, a book about a child with a difficult life circumstance focuses on the challenge or issue the child faces.   Since I am late on reviewing these, I will connect you to lots of others who have reviewed these books. They are all definitely worth reading if you are a teacher of middle grade/middle school kids.

OUT OF MY MIND by Sharon Draper

This story is told by Melody, a child who is in a wheelchair and cannot talk.  The story deals with her struggles and accomplishments and the frustrations she often feels at not always being able to communicate.  The book definitely looks beyond Melody's disability to all that she is. 

(Reviews at Kidslit, Becky's Book Reviews, and Literate Lives.)

TOUCH BLUE by Cynthia Lord takes place on a small island in Maine. Because the island school may close due to the small number of children on the island, several families decide to take in foster children to keep it open.  This is the story of Tess's family and their foster child, Aaron. A powerful story of wat it means to belong. (Great reviews of this book at Carol's Corner and Sarah Laurence Blog.)

KEEPER by Kathi Appelt is the story of a little girl named Keeper. Keeper's mother left when she was three and Keeper believes that she is a mermaid. Keeper goes looking for her mother when things go wrong, hoping she can fix things.  She learns that the people who love her are the ones who are right there.  

(Reviews at Reading Nook and A Fuse #8 Production.)

In MOCKINGBIRD by Kathryn Erskine, Caitlin's is dealing with the loss of her older brother in this story. Caitlin is a child with Asperger's Syndrome and her brother was the person who helped her make sense of the world.  As Caitlin and her father work through their grief, they also learn to understand each other better.

AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS by Sarah Weeks takes on a different issue. Verbena discovers that she was exposed to alcohol before birth and begins to wonder about the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome.  Although it explains her small size and learning difficulty, she worries about what else it means about who she is.
(Reviews at Literate Lives and Library Voice.)

A Great Day at Princeton Day School

Bev and Rebecca enjoying some lemonade before dinner!

A few weeks ago, I spent a day working with teachers at Princeton Day School in New Jersey. It was a great day put together by 3rd grade teacher, Bev Gallagher. If you don't know Bev, she is an amazing 3rd grade teacher who is also committed to quality professional development. I had met Bev several times and had heard about the work of the Princeton Day School from others who had visited. As I expected, Bev organized an amazing day for teachers. We met in a great room and had energizing learning and conversations all day. It was such a brilliant group of teachers. So much powerful discussion on so many topics connected to literacy.

One of the highs of the day was hearing Rebecca Kai Dotlich read from Bella and Bean. Bella and Bean is one of my all-time favorites. Love those girls! So, imagine how thrilled I was when I found out that I'd get to meet Rebecca during my day at PDS. Well, not only did I get to meet her, but I got to hear her presentation and we had lots of time to chat on the way to/from the airport, etc. What a thrill! To hear an author you love read a book you love, what could be better!? I am waiting patiently for the next Bella and Bean book to be published. I have hoped that these girls become their own series since the first time I read the book. Still crossing my fingers!

Rebecca reading from BELLA AND BEAN!

I was also thrilled to discover that IN THE SPIN OF THINGS: POETRY IN MOTION has been released in paperback. Rebecca was kind enough to share a copy of the book with me. I have a copy from long ago but its availability in paperback opens so many doors. Having several copies of this book in a room would be great for poetry reading and writing. This poetry book, if you don't know it, is a book filled with poems about ordinary things. Rebecca brings a joy to these things that only her poetry can. The rhythm and surprising word choice makes these fun for kids of all ages. If you know WHEN RIDDLES COME RUMBLING by Dotlich, this book has a similar feel to it. I am excited to know that it is out in paperback.

I feel so lucky to have spent the day at Princeton Day School with such amazing teachers. I learned so much from Bev and Rebecca. But I also learned from all of the participants of the workshop. I was lucky this summer to be part of some amazing professional development sessions across the country. To end the summer at Princeton Day School was quite a treat!

Justin Fisher Declares War by James Preller

JUSTIN FISHER DECLARES WAR was my last read of the summer. I am a huge James Preller fan but this may be my favorite from his list. Most of my teaching life has been in grades 3, 4, and 5. I feel very at home in 4th and 5th grade classrooms. I love the age and James Preller must also love this age. He really understands them and the struggles they deal with. Over the years, I have learned what a huge transition this age is for kids. They go from being little kids, to being big kids and it is sometimes a little confusing.

In this book, we learn that since 3rd grade, Justin Fisher has been the class clown. He is always up to something. He has good friends but in 5th grade, that seems to be changing. His friends and classmates have had enough and are starting to keep their distance. For me, this book is about figuring things out. Things that are cute and funny when you are 8, are no longer cute and funny when you are 11. This is a hard lesson for kids and finding their place in the world gets trickier. But Justin finds his way, thanks to an amazing young teacher (one that clearly deserves a spot on 100 Cool Teachers in Children's Lit!).

If I were in the classroom this year, this would probably be my first read aloud. The first read aloud has always been key and the choice is always a hard one but there are so many reasons that JUSTIN FISHER DECLARES WAR would make a great first read aloud. First of all, it will appeal to both boys and girls. Justin is a character that you cheer for and also one that does some crazy things that make you laugh. For me, laughter is always important in that first read aloud. It helps the community grow and helps everyone feel comfortable. The message "we will laugh here" is one I want kids to know right away. Secondly, the conversation that would happen around a book like this would be powerful. And this book will only provide the beginning of these conversations. James Preller understands this age level and kids will see themselves and their classmates in this book. Finally, the book's length would give lots of time for discussion--135 pages makes it short enough to set the stage for great books and great conversation. I am so hoping someone reads this book aloud early in the year and blogs about the conversations!

(Bill at Literate Lives also reviewed this book and created a great mosaic to go along with his review!)