April 2011 archive

April books read

42) The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell – a spooky historical romance

43) Peak by Roland Smith – heartpounding adventure at the top of the world

44) The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan – love and loss and zombies, oh my

45) The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan – hope triumphs over fear and hate

46) Empty by Suzanne Weyn – How would you survive it the world ran out of oil?

47) Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah – a humorous look at combining Lebanese-Muslim-Australian heritage

48) This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer – What would you be willing to do to ensure your survival and that of your family in the devastation caused by an asteriod knocking the moon out of orbit?  This third book brings together Miranda’s family (Life As We Knew It) with Alex and Julie (The Dead and Gone).

49)” The Hare Moon” by Carrie Ryan – an original story set before The Forest of Hands and Teeth reveals Sister Tabitha’s past.

50) The Diamond of Darkhold by Jean du Prau – Lina & Doon head back to Ember to find a treasure left behind

51)  Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs – you’ll want to get this one when it releases this summer

52) Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg – a fun, modern twist on an old classic

Fun on a Friday

Lots of you have been reading this year’s Young Hoosier books for middle school.  Enjoy this video of books and remember your favorites.

Young Hoosier books

Now it’s time to vote!  Check your favorite title.  You can only vote for a book you actually read.  If you haven’t read any, you might check out the results to see what’s hot with your classmates.  It’s a great way to find a good read for the summer.

The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau

diamond of darkholdLina and Doon’s adventure began with The City of Ember as they solved the puzzle to lead the citizens of Ember safely out of their dying city.  In The People of Sparks, they learn to survive on the surface of the earth with the help of survivors of the great disaster.  Jeanne DuPrau goes back in time with The Prophet of Yonwood to fill us in on why Ember was founded. 

Now Lina and Doon head back to Ember in The Diamond of Darkhold (A Yearling Book, 2008).  Even though the citizens of Ember and the people of Sparks have worked out their problems, the winter was cold and harsh.  Food is running out, and so is hope.  When a roamer comes to town with the remains of a book, Lina and Doon become convinced that it describes a treasure meant for the citizens of Ember.  They set off together to search the underground city in hopes of making a better life for everyone.

Once Lina and Doon make it back to Ember, they discover unexpected surprises–not all of them pleasant.  Will they be able to find the treasure and decipher the instructions?  If they succeed, the people of Ember and Sparks will be able to create a better life for themselves and spread a little light in a dark world.

I thought this was a satisfying conclusion to the series.  Lina and Doon’s adventures keep the action coming as they descend underground.  I enjoyed the growth of their friendship and the new introduction of new characters.  The clever, but not-too-smart  Maggs and Trogg provide both threat and comedy as they cluelessly move the story forward.  Most of all, I enjoy the message of hope DuPrau shares with this ending.  Life may always be hard and full of challenges, but it can be good.  With hard work and careful observation, the people who survive can rebuild the world.  I love the future glimpses of that new world, first imagined in Lina’s drawings. 

(image from Titlewave)

Week at a Glance: April 25 – 29

Monday
Poetry Scavenger Hunt.  Students will look for examples of different forms of poetry and poetic devices.    For each poetic form and device, students will list the title of the poem, the poet, lines of the poem or an explanation for how the poem fits the definition. 
HOMEWORK: Read 30 minutes. Choose five words for Weekly Word Study.

Tuesday
Finish poetry scavenger hunt.
HOMEWORK: Read 30 minutes.

Wednesday
Language arts ISETP+
Homework: Read 30 minutes. No Word Study due tomorrow.

Thursday
Language Arts ISTEP+.
HOMEWORK: No Word Study due today. Read 30 minutes. Get Reading Log signed!

Friday
Choose a book to read for literature circles.  Students will preview books by “speed reading” the opening pages of each book selection.  Once students have selected their book choice, they will meet in groups of students reading the same book and complete an introductory activity.
HOMEWORK: Reading Logs due.  Read over the weekend.

Fun on a Friday

Have I convinced you  yet that you need to read Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton as soon as it comes out in June?  If not, maybe this sneak peak from chapter five, performed by Tessa, will convince you.

Stock up on summer reading

Here’s the deal.  You can order great books through Scholastic.  Sometimes they even give you a great deal.  (Always check out the $1 book on the front page.)  An even better deal, the more books you order, the more free books I can get for our classroom library.  There are two ways to order:

1) Fill out the paper form and bring it with your money (checks made out to Scholastic) by Friday, April 29.

2)  Order online at Scholastic (for parents only).  On the parent page, click the “REGISTER” button under “First time here,” then register for your own user name and password.  When prompted, enter the one-time activation code code (GPBPV).  This code ensures that your orders are sent to me.  Select the books you want from over 500 titles.  Take advantage of on-line only discounts and specials.  SEND your order to me on-line.  I will deliver the books in class.

Here are some of my top picks from this flyer:

March TAB

  • Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulsen
  • Incarceron and Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
  • The Batboy, Summer Ball, Heat, The Big Field, Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
  • Empty by Suzanne Weyn
  • Everlost and Everwild by Neal Shusterman
  • The Shadow Children Collection by Margaret Peterson Haddix
  • Peak by Roland Smith
  • Brian Tri (Brian’s Return, Brian’s Winter, Brian’s Hunt) by Gary Paulsen
  • Percy Jackson & the Olympians boxed set by Rick Riordan
  • Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn
  • Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
  • Smile by Raina Telgemeier
  • The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

April TAB

  • The Hidden Girl by Lola Rein
  • High Heat by Carl Deuker
  • Chronicles of Vladimir Todd (five books) by Heather Brewer
  • The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
  • Notes from the Dog by Gary Paulsen
  • Alex Rider: Crocodile Tears, Storm Breaker, Skeleton Key, Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz
  • The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
  • Letters from a Nut by Ted L. Nancy
  • Inkheart, Inkspell, Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
  • Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras by Scott Westerfeld
  • Battle Dress by Amy Efaw
  • Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper
  • The Outsiders by SE Hinton
  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  • Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

Parents:  I would like to offer a book giveaway at the end of school.  Many of my students have few or no books of their own.  I would like to give every student a high-interest book for the to take home–and hopefully read–for summer vacation.  If you would like to help, there are several ways you can contribute. 

  • If you order online, I earn $3 to spend on books for each online order. 
  • You can also buy books on my wishlist (on the Scholastic site) to donate.  All books on the wishlist will go for the summer give away.
  • Clean out your bookshelves of teen books in good condition to donate. 

Congratulations, Academic Teams!

If you didn’t make it to Tuesday’s Academic Competition, you missed out on an exciting event.  Both the seventh grade and eighth grade competitions were close races with frequent lead changes.  Good job to the 8th grade Pioneers who regained our trophy!  Both Pioneer teams held the lead at different times during the competition and ended up in first and third places.  For seventh grade, the Adventurer Team won.  It was a good night to be orange!

Let’s Glog!

Here’s my example of a Glogster poster for the Young Adult author Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. 

 

I didn’t explore all the features available, but enjoyed the ones I did use.  What do you think of this web tool?

Week at a Glance: April 18 – 21

Monday
Plan out information to include on poster about author.  Your poster may be done online through Glogster or on posterboard.  If you are choosing the Glogster option, you need to give me the name of a partner you are working with.  Your partner must be in a different Langauge Arts period.  You poster should include a title, the name of your author, legal images (photo with Creative Commons license or book covers), and important information in an easily read format.  We will brainstorm in class what types of information you might include on you poster. 
HOMEWORK: Read 30 minutes. Choose five words for Weekly Word Study.

Tuesday
Work on author poster in class.  We’ll look at examples of good and bad design choices.    We will be participating in The Great Indiana Shakeout earthquake drill this morning about 10:30.     
HOMEWORK: Read 30 minutes.

Wednesday
Work on author poster.  In the morning, Pioneer students will walk to the high school for a tour and orientation.
Homework: Read 30 minutes. Word Study due tomorrow.

Thursday
Reading day.  Turn in posters.  Parent meeting for incoming freshmen at 6:30 at Jennings County High School Auditorium. 
HOMEWORK: Word Study due today. Read 30 minutes. Reading Log due today!

Friday
Good Friday.  Enjoy your day off from school. 
HOMEWORK:  Read over the weekend.

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

this world we live i nMiranda is back, still keeping her diary as a record of her family’s struggle to survive the devastation caused when an asteroid hit the moon, knocking it out of orbit. It’s been a year since the disaster, and life has settled into a new normal. They get weekly bags of food distributed by the town–at least until the shipments dry up. It has started to rain–ending the drought and marking warmer temperatures–even though the sky is still filled with as.

Miranda and her brothers, Matt and Johnny, discover the art of breaking and entering (only abandonded houses) to claim stuff they need. No food is left in the already scavenged homes, but they grab soaps and toilet paper and fishing supplies. Matt comes home from the shad run with bags of fish to salt and dry and a new wife. Just when it looks like they might make it after all, Miranda’s dad shows up with his new wife, baby and three strangers–Charlie, Alex and Julie. Now ten people are trying to survive on the food that fed four.

Miranda is intrigued and infuriated with Alex, the last teenage boy on earth. Sparks fly in more ways than one as they sort out just who is family in this new world, and who counts for survival in a world that quickly weeds out the weak.

I’ve read all three books this year and was satisfied with this ending in This World We Live In. Susan Beth Pfeffer portrays the horror in both the environmental and human changes caused by this disaster. How do you deal with piles of dead bodies? Do you help the weak if it endangers your own survival or that of your family? Just what would you do to survive?  The immediate disaster may be past, but the odds for survival are still not good.  Now why did we move out of the house with a wood stove and its own well?

(picture from Titlewave)

1 2 3