Alrighty! Here we go into a new school year! After spending 14 years in the general education classroom, I am going back to special education. I will be working with students in the general ed classroom and in small groups. I can't wait! I am so excited about the change for this year and getting back to where I started 22 years ago! Year 22, that is hard to believe! Hoping to keep up with this blog a little better now that I don't have to keep up with a website for my gen ed classroom! Here's to an awesome year!
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Lots of reading over Thanksgiving Break!!!
I read Fudge-a-mania, Maniac Magee, Dog Whisperer, Ghost. I enjoyed reading all of these books. We are starting these books for our literature circles in class. Fudge-a-mania is your typical humorous fiction with a few laugh out loud moments. If you want something light hearted - this is for you. The other two books were a little more "deep." In Dog Whisperer, Ghost an adopted little girl wants to know more about her "real" mom and dad, but she discovers other adventures that are just as important. Maniac Magee really surprised me on the content. Part of it shows how Maniac Magee (a white boy) is discriminated against by black children and adults. It is also about a special relationship he develops with various people (his parents were killed in an accident when he was little).
Pick up these books and give them a try! It is well worth it!
Pick up these books and give them a try! It is well worth it!
Friday, November 21, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Books, Books, and More Books
We had Book Fair this week, so my students bought me some FABULOUS books! I got Shadow by Michael Morpurgo, War Spies by Daniel Polansky, My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen, Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, and Sisters by Raina Telgemeier.
I am also getting ready to start novel studies in my classes, so that means I have to read the books that I haven't read yet. I just finished Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff. This was an amazing book. It was recommended to me of course - isn't this how you choose most of your books to read? The story is about an orphaned girl named Hollis Woods who loves to draw. Actually, she is an amazing artist. But she is also a trouble maker and does not stay in one home for very long. Finally she meets a family and they love her and she likes them. She wants to make this her forever home and family, but something goes wrong and she is on to another adventure. This book is written in first person and includes lots of flashbacks. It can be somewhat confusing if you are not reading this carefully. It would take an advanced reader to be able to focus and stay with this book.
I also read the graphic novel, Sisters this week. It is super easy to read and can be done in one sitting. This is the second book to Smile by the same author. These are true stories about her family. She portrays the situations in humorous ways. In Sisters, the mother, two daughters, and son go on a journey across the western part of the US to visit other relatives. Many families probably have similar experiences, that is what makes this so much fun to read.
I decided this was the year to read out loud to my fifth graders. They love it and I think it is important to keep up with this as students get older. I have to keep reminding myself to take time to read aloud. This year, I started with My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulson (author of Hatchet). This is a nonfiction book that chronicles many of Gary's dogs he has had throughout his lifetime. Each story is unique, heartwarming, and captures the reader. If you are a dog lover or even an animal lover of any kind- you have to read about the special and sometimes hysterical relationships he has with his dogs.
It feels so good to get back to reading books again! This teacher loves the Aggies and Books! Whoop!
I am also getting ready to start novel studies in my classes, so that means I have to read the books that I haven't read yet. I just finished Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff. This was an amazing book. It was recommended to me of course - isn't this how you choose most of your books to read? The story is about an orphaned girl named Hollis Woods who loves to draw. Actually, she is an amazing artist. But she is also a trouble maker and does not stay in one home for very long. Finally she meets a family and they love her and she likes them. She wants to make this her forever home and family, but something goes wrong and she is on to another adventure. This book is written in first person and includes lots of flashbacks. It can be somewhat confusing if you are not reading this carefully. It would take an advanced reader to be able to focus and stay with this book.
I also read the graphic novel, Sisters this week. It is super easy to read and can be done in one sitting. This is the second book to Smile by the same author. These are true stories about her family. She portrays the situations in humorous ways. In Sisters, the mother, two daughters, and son go on a journey across the western part of the US to visit other relatives. Many families probably have similar experiences, that is what makes this so much fun to read.
I decided this was the year to read out loud to my fifth graders. They love it and I think it is important to keep up with this as students get older. I have to keep reminding myself to take time to read aloud. This year, I started with My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulson (author of Hatchet). This is a nonfiction book that chronicles many of Gary's dogs he has had throughout his lifetime. Each story is unique, heartwarming, and captures the reader. If you are a dog lover or even an animal lover of any kind- you have to read about the special and sometimes hysterical relationships he has with his dogs.
It feels so good to get back to reading books again! This teacher loves the Aggies and Books! Whoop!
Friday, October 17, 2014
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
WOW! I haven't been able to read as much since school started. I have been trying to find the time, but...it hasn't worked out.
I did just finish a book my daughter, Courtney, recommended. It is 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass. It is about a boy and girl from two different families that share the same birthday. They have their first- tenth birthday parties together. But at the 10th birthday party, they get into a fight and don't speak to each other for an entire year. They have their 11th birthday parties separately. That is when things all start going wrong. The parties are not very good, so they go to bed upset. When they wake up in the morning, it is their 11th birthday again! The day is repeating. They are both stunned. This continues to happen for several days in a row. Finally the two start to talk to each other and devise a plan to stop the repeated day. Read 11Birthdays to see how they solve this mystery.
I did just finish a book my daughter, Courtney, recommended. It is 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass. It is about a boy and girl from two different families that share the same birthday. They have their first- tenth birthday parties together. But at the 10th birthday party, they get into a fight and don't speak to each other for an entire year. They have their 11th birthday parties separately. That is when things all start going wrong. The parties are not very good, so they go to bed upset. When they wake up in the morning, it is their 11th birthday again! The day is repeating. They are both stunned. This continues to happen for several days in a row. Finally the two start to talk to each other and devise a plan to stop the repeated day. Read 11Birthdays to see how they solve this mystery.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Spirit Animals
I just recently finished the first two books in the series Spirit Animals. In these fantasy books, children are paired with a spirit animal on their 11th birthday. The Great Spirit Animals return, and an adventure starts out for the children. After finishing the first book, I had to read the second one to see heat happens to the children and animals. If you are into fantasy and magic, you will enjoy this series.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Catching up on Books read...
Among the Impostors by Margaret Peterson Haddix is the second book in the series Shadow Children. The first book is called Among the Hidden. Among the Impostors started where the first book in the series left off. For me, it had a very slow start, but as I continued reading - I enjoyed the ending of the story. I wonder what Luke will do next. Among the Hidden is an excellent book and pretty exciting throughout the entire story line.
I also read Firegirl. This book is about a girl who was severely burned in a fire who begins attending a private Catholic school near the hospital where she is receiving treatments. This book only takes place over a two week period where she attends the new school. When it comes time for her to leave, the has affected one particular classmate in a strange way.
My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian is hilarious. There were parts where I LOLed! As I was reading, I made some connections to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Derek reminded my of Greg. If you do not like to read, this would be a great book to start with. I was totally thrown off by the title - the book was not what I expected at all. Take a chance and read this one!
I also read Firegirl. This book is about a girl who was severely burned in a fire who begins attending a private Catholic school near the hospital where she is receiving treatments. This book only takes place over a two week period where she attends the new school. When it comes time for her to leave, the has affected one particular classmate in a strange way.
My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian is hilarious. There were parts where I LOLed! As I was reading, I made some connections to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Derek reminded my of Greg. If you do not like to read, this would be a great book to start with. I was totally thrown off by the title - the book was not what I expected at all. Take a chance and read this one!
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