Mrs. McGriff's Reading Blog

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April 30, 2013
by Mrs. McGriff
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April Books Read

 

I’m taking part in the weekly Slice of Life Challenge sponsored by Ruth and Stacey over at Two Writing Teachers, where teachers write and share each Tuesday. Join in yourself or head over to check out what’s happening with other slicers. If you’re taking part in the SOL, leave a link to your post. I’d love to read it.

 

43) Lincoln’s Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin – weirdest, wackiest history ever

44) For What It’s Worth by Janet Tashjian – I have some music lovers who will love this story

45) The Underdogs by Mike Lupica – I’m not a football fan, but even I ended up cheering for the Bull Dogs

46) Lincoln:  A Photobiography by Russell Freedman – very readable, entertaining, and informative

47) Black Cathedral by LH Maynard & MPN Sims – not my usual reading preference, but a student donated it to my library

I’m keeping my Slice of Life post short and sweet this week–just like my list of books I’ve read.  I’ve had some shoulder/arm pain that make typing difficult.  Then after two days of complete fiasco with online testing for ISTEP+, I’m so angry I might write something I regret.  I definitely need to sleep on some of what I’m writing in my head before sharing it with the public. Rest assured, there will be writing and action forthcoming.

I never kept lists of the books I read (except for summer reading challenges from our public library) until a teacher friend invited me to be a part of  the Centurians group on Faceebook.  It started as a challenge to read 100 books during the calendar year of 2010.  I wasn’t sure I could do it, and my husband thought I had completely lost my mind, but I did ii!  And I loved it.  I loved seeing the titles that other readers enjoyed.  I loved the community we grew.  I loved the challenge, especially since all reading was celebrated.  It didn’t really matter if we met the goal of 100 books or not, as long as we were reading and sharing.

That sense of challenge and community is one I strive to develop in my classes.  Maybe next week, I’ll reflect on how well I succeeded.   Now I’m back to reading Tom Newkirk’s book, Holding Onto Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones.  After the last two days, I’m ready to fight to get rid of bad ideas and make room for more good ones.

April 26, 2013
by Mrs. McGriff
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My Favorite Classes’ Reading Records

As our year is drawing to a close, I am amazed at how much we have read this year.  When you add it up all together, the numbers are quite impressive.

Since several students have joined my classes in the last month our so, our current count stands as follows:

136 students have read 3,786 books.  That’s an average of 27.8 books per student!

Here’s the breakdown by class.

  • 2nd period:  31 students have read 1,275 books, for an average of 41.1 books per student.
  • 3rd period: 22 students have read 800 books, for an average of 36.4 books per student.
  • 5th period:  27 students have read 464 books, for an average of 17.2 books per student.
  • 6th period: 29 students have read 744 books, for an average of 25.7 books per student.
  • 7th period: 27 students have read 503 books for an average of 19.3 books per student.

March 31, 2013
by Mrs. McGriff
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March books read

28) Nightmare by Joan Lowery Nixon – spooky read aloud for my 5th period class

29) The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – I’m glad I finally got around to listening to this one–much to think about.

30) The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix – lots of action and lots to think about.  Thank you, Austin M., for recommending it to me.

31) Legend by Marie Lu – more than lives up to the hype.

32) Wicked Bugs by Amy Stewart – Do not read while eating.  May make your skin crawl, but absolutely fascinating

33) 24 Hours That Changed the World by Adam Hamilton – a gift from my mother for Lent & Easter

34) The Red Pyramid (graphic novel) by Rick Riordan, adapted by Orpheus Collar – the fast action translates to dynamic pictures

35) Ungifted by Gordon Korman – funny and heartwarming

36) Zeus: King of the Gods by George O’Connor – graphic novel brings the first superheroes to life

37) Hera: The Goddess and her Glory by George O’Connor – who is the only god or goddess Zeus is afraid of?

38) Hades: Lord of the Dead by George O’Connor – To what lengths would you go to be with the one you love?

39) Athena:  Grey-Eyed Goddess by George O’Connor – the three Fates share stories of Athena, my favorite of the Olympians

40) Teaching Literary Elements with Picture Books by Susan Van Zile and Mary Napoli – I now have more books I want to buy.

41) Blindsided by Priscilla Cummings – What would you do if you knew you were going blind?

42) QAR Comprehension Lessons (Grades 6-8) by Jacquelin H. Carroll, Taffy E. Raphael, Kathryn H. Au – surprisingly interesting passages

That’s 15 books for this month.  My favorites included Legend, Wicked Bugs, and Blindsided.  What were your favorite reads in March?

February 28, 2013
by Mrs. McGriff
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February Books Read

14) Unwholly by Neal Shusterman – a chilling vision of the future that takes hold and never lets go.  I can’t wait to read the final installment

15) Bomb:  The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin- WOW!  I didn’t know how much I didn’t know about this thrilling episode in history

16) Nothing Special by Geoff Herbach –  Felton is back and in search of his missing little brother

17) House Rules by Jodi Picoult – a teen with Asperger’s is accused of murdering his social sskills tutor

18) Room by Emma Donoghue – powerful and thought provoking story of survival

19) Amulet, Book One:  The Stone Keeper by Kazu Kibuishi – a compelling fantasy GN

20) Amulet, Book Two:  The Stone Keeper’s Curse – I love Leon, the warrior fox.

21) Amulet, Book Three:  The Cloud Searchers  – More characters to intrigue me.

22)  The Cruisers:  Checkmate by Walter Dean Myers – The Cruisers at at it again – this time to deal with the stress of chess

23) Amulet, Book Four:  The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi – Once they reach their last hope in the lost city of Ceilis, Emily realizes that danger still lurks

24) Amulet, Book Five:  Prince of the Elves by Kazu Kibuishi – No, it’s not the end!

25) Scarlet by Marissa Meyer – even better than the first one!

26) Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff – beautiful, heartbreaking, hopeful

27) Falling Down the Page edited by Georgia Heard – I love this collection of list poems tied to a year of school.

February 20, 2013
by Mrs. McGriff
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Reading rates and reading totals, oh my!

I’m a little late with this latest update on how much we are all reading.  It’s been tough to take count with all the absences (thank you, cold and flu season).  I’m still missing the numbers from one students, but the numbers can only go up from here.

In addition to having my students keep a list of all the books they read this year, I’ve started having students track their reading rate.  I use a method shared by Penny Kittle in Book Love.  Every Monday students read for 10 minutes and record how many pages they read in that time.  Then they multiply that number by 6 and then double the answer to figure out how many pages they can read in two hours.

I’ve been fascinated to see what my students’ reading rates are.  Many complain to me that they are slow readers (and there’s no way they could ever read 40 books in a school year), but are they?  Some are slow readers.  Some are quite fast.  I’m also able to see who is reading more or less than the class expectations.

One thing I’ve discovered is that my students are readers–even the ones who loudly insist that they still hate reading.   Many are reading far more pages than their weekly goal.   With the totals below, it’s hard to believe they are not readers.  Just look at what we’ve done and decide for yourself.

I currently have 132 students in my classes (plus one absent).  They have read 2,759 books as of the first of this month.  That’s an average of almost 21 books per student.

Here’s how it breaks down by class period:

  • 2nd period:  31 students have read 960 books, for an average of 31.0 books per student.
  • 3rd period:  21 students have read 576 books, for an average of 27.4 books per student.
  • 5th period:  25 students have read 319 books, for an average of 12.8 books per student.
  • 6th period:  29 students have read 539 books, for an average of 18.6 books per student.
  • 7th period:  26 students have read 365 books, for an average of 14.0 books per student.

January 31, 2013
by Mrs. McGriff
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January Books Read

1)  Charles and Emma:  The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman – what a lively and engaging read for my first nonfiction book of the year

2) Ashes by Kathryn Lasky – It seems wrong to call this book about the rise of Hitler and book burning beautifly, but Gaby’s story is beautifully written and filled with compelling characters

3) Help Thanks Wow The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott – This slim book holds a powerful lesson–more than one

4) Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner – beautiful!

5)  Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet – a fascinating history of how the balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade were created

6) Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald – hilarious!

7) Shades of Earth by Beth Revis – a stunning conclusion to the trilogy.

8) The Search for Coyote Woman by Debbie Mosely – Loss, adventure, and family weave a mystery in southern  Indiana.

9) Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis – another hit that made me laugh out loud and  tugged at my heartstrings

10) Taking Sides by Gary Soto – much more than a basketball story

11) I Am the Book:  Poems Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins – what a treasure!

12) Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale illustrated by Nathan Hale – a rip-roaring sequel to Rapunzel’s Revenge

13) The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater – breathtaking!

January 10, 2013
by Mrs. McGriff
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Wow! Look what we’ve been reading!

You have blown me away!  Even more than the totals below, I am excited to see you enjoying the books you are reading.  I’m looking forward to seeing what you read, learn, and share with our author research projects, too.  But before we get too far involved with the research, it’s time to look back and celebrate what we’ve accomplished already.

Drumroll, please…

Before we got out for Christmas break, 132 students read 2,163 books!  Here’s how it breaks down by class period.

  • 2nd period:  31 students read 750 books, for an average of 24.2 books per student.
  • 3rd period:  22 students read 459 books, for an average of 20.9 books per student.
  • 5th period:  25 students read 284 books, for an average of 11.4 books per student.
  • 6th period:  29 students read 378 books, for an average of 13.0 books per student.
  • 7th period:  25 students read 292 books, for an average of 11.7 books per student.

Now that we are halfway through the year, what books and authors are your favorites?  What are your reading goals for the rest of this year?

December 31, 2012
by Mrs. McGriff
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December books read

182) I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga – fans of Criminal Minds will love this take on serial killers

183) Among the Free by Margaret Peterson Haddix – a satisfying conclusion to the series

184)** Strings Attached by Judy Blundell – even better than Blundell’s first book with lies, secrets, dancing and danger

185) The Secret of Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger – Dwight and Origami Yoda may be gone, but Fortune Wookie and Han Foldo come to the rescue

186) The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem by Adam Hamilton – a fresh look at an old and familiar story

187) Guideposts: The Joys Of Christmas – I inspiring stories, just like in the magazine

188)  Titanic Book I:  Unsinkable by Gordan Korman – four different characters find their fates intertwine aboard the biggest, most luxurious boat ever built

189) Titanic Book 2:  Collision Course by Gordan Korman – the lives of our four characters collide in ways they once thought unimaginable as the ship heads for its collision with an iceberg

190) Titanic Book 3: S.O.S. by Gordan Korman – Who will survive the night?  Who will die in the icy waters?

191) War Dogs and Other Tales of Courageous Canines by Joanne Mattern – inspiring stories that will be a hit with my readers

191)** Breadcrumbs by Anne Urse – a moving tribute to the power of stories

192) Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan by Rick Bowers – the man of steel battled the men of hate

193) Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson –  our actions ripple out in ways we can’t always see

194)** My Ideal Bookshelf edited by Thessay La Force – what books are on your ideal bookshelf?

195)** Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson – When the pressure to meet perfection gets to be too much, a cataclysmic change rocks Kate’s life

196) The Humming Room by Ellen Potter – a new twist on an old favorite

197) Scooby Doo Makes a Splash – I enjoyed reading this one to my nephew–and Scooby chimed right it, too!

198)** Wonder by RJ Palacio – Oh, I get it now.  Go and read if you’ve missed it.

199)** Book Love by Penny Kittle – I will go back to these pages again and again.

200)**  Endangered by Eliot Schrefer – I learned about the Congo and bonobos and the importance of caring

Woohoo!  I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, but thanks to #bookaday challenge during Christmas break, I just did make my goal of 200 books this year.  It has been a good reading year, filled with many treasures.  I’m not about to list favorites for the year.  I starred favorites just for this month and came up with seven–and wanted to add several more.

What have been some of your favorite reads of the year–or this month?

December 1, 2012
by Mrs. McGriff
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November books read

166) Cardboard by Doug TenNepal – may be my favorite yet

167) Just for Fins by Tera Lynn Childs – the problems may be bigger than she expected, but Princess Waterlily can meet the challenge with some help from unexpected places

168) The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan – Just when things start looking up for the demigods, Riordan leaves them with a cliffhanger ending.  Now I have to wait a year to find out what happens

169) Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – It’s better every time I read it!

170) How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg – I alternated between laughing and gagging as I read.  I can’t wait to share this title.

171)  Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix – Book 3 takes a different twist.  Will Nina betray her new friends?

——— This is where the challenge with my afternoon classes starts.  Can my coteacher and I read more than each class?  We shall see! ——-

172) Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton – I actually loved this one even more than the first one

172) Unstrung by Neal Shusterman and Michelle Knowlden – I loved getting another glimpse into the world of Unwind

173) Among the Barons by Margaret Peterson Haddix – Luke does not know who to trust as he is drawn into the family of the Grants with his new identity

174) Poe by J. Martin Mitchell – an interesting twist that incorporates Poe’s stories into his life

175) Among the Brave by Margaret Peterson Haddix – Trey discovers his own courage

176) Avengers by Paul Toben and others – more humor than I expected

177) Excaliber: The Legend of King Authur, a graphic novel by Tony Lee and Sam Hart – no matter what form it takes, I love stories of King Arthur

178) Trouble Maker by Janet and Alex Evanich – explosions, kidnappings, and angry chickens lead to a grand adventure

179) The Clique: A Graphic Novel by Lisi Harrison & Yishan Li – this will be a hit with my girls who like graphic novels

180) Among the Enemy by Margaret Peterson Haddix – Now it’s Matthias’s turn to decide what he will do to survive

181) The Latte Rebellion by Sarah Jamila Stevenson – What do you do when your idea sparks a movement?

November 15, 2012
by Mrs. McGriff
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How much can we read?

It’s midterms again, and time to total up just how much we are all reading.  I must say, my students have blown me away again.  Some of them may not be ready to admit it yet, but I am noticing definite signs that some of them are actually starting to enjoy the books they are reading.  How do I know?  Well, many books are no longer making it back to the shelf.  Instead, they get passed hand to hand.  Other students begged to go to the book fair first thing on opening day so they could buy books or make a wishlist.  Others are asking to be added to a list to read a particular book.  Slowly, we are creating a community of readers.

Now for the numbers!

I currently have 131 students enrolled in my classes.

Those 131 students have read 1564 books, for an average of 11.9 books per student!  Here’s the breakdown by class period.

  • 2nd period:  31 students have read 542 books, for an average of 17.5 books per student.
  • 3rd period:  22 students have read 352 books, for an average of 16.0 books per student.
  • 5th period:  25 students have read 205 books, for an average of 8.2 books per student.
  • 6th period:  28 students have read 248 books, for an average of 8.9 books per student.
  • 7th period:  25 students have read 216 books, for an average of 8.6 books per student.

I’m beginning to wonder just how many books can we read this year.  Even more I’m getting excited by how much book love we are sharing.  Join us by telling what are your favorite books.  Which titles do you think my students should NOT miss out on?