Using “The Great Frog Race and Other Poems” in the Elementary Classroom

Frogs! Ghosts! Open fields! Rainstorms! It’s all here in “The Great Frog Race!”

 

“The Great Frog Race and Other Poems” by Kristine O’Connell George, 1997

Summary & Analysis:

ATOS Book Level: 3.8

Interest Level: Grades k-3

“The Great Frog Race and Other Poems” contains twenty-eight simple poems about a child exploring nature and scenes around her. Some of the poems are humorous, a few are icky, some are melancholy, and one or two may just touch your own memories from long ago. Kids will appreciate the varied themes, from bugs to rainstorms and pretty flowers to haunted playgrounds.

“The Great Frog Race and Other Poems” is an average size picture book with poems varying in length from four lines to two dozen. The text is surrounded by pastel illustrations, though easy to read due to quality layout design. The font is a medium print, serif and is placed in standard format spots. No prior knowledge is needed by the reader to understand or appreciate this book and its lovely illustrations.

The vocabulary in “The Great Frog Race” is too advanced for a typical first grader to read independently. However, the illustrations and themes will be appreciated by the targeted audience age.

Potential standards:

Due to the book and interest level, standards are from the CCSS Grade 1 lists. Also, this list is not exhaustive, as more or fewer standards could be incorporated according to the teacher’s instruction related to “The Great Frog Race.”

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1

Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.4

Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7

Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.4

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

 

Curriculum suggestions:

“The Great Frog Race and Other Poems” is a great book to teach young and upper elementary children then fundamentals of poetry, including imagery, word choice, line length, repetition, and alliteration.

Also, the poems are entertaining and could be used for attention getters or lesson starters.

 

Supporting digital content:

NEA’s webpage with lesson links for teaching k-5 poetry

http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/bringing-poetry-to-the-classroom-grades-K-5.html

A YouTube.com list of funny poems for kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDG2-bxpno0&list=PLmPjAK2dtmefR4N951bIF2ZEzVi0GNR0w

A list of links for poem template worksheets

http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/language_arts/poems/

 

Pairing “Ender’s Game” and “Earth Girl” in the Secondary Classroom

Be careful when you reach for the stars: you never know what you will find at your fingertips.

Earth Girl by Janet Edwards, 2013

ATOS Book Level 6.0

Lexile: 840

Interest Level: Grades 7-12

Awards: YALSA 2014 Teens’ Top Ten, Booklist Editors’ Choice for Youth

In 800 years, your family will not live on earth. You will probably never see Earth, other than on vid screens. But eighteen year old Jarra lives there, sleeps there, and dreams of embarrassing you, a normal person. Jarra is an “ape,” a human who will die if she leaves Earth because of a compromised immune system. One day Jarra concocts a plan to join an archeology program that is studying the remains of civilization on her home planet. To humiliate her visiting peers and prove herself worthy of recognition, Jarra pretends to be a “norm,” a girl from off-world, just like her new classmates. Then one day, Jarra must use all of her knowledge of Earth to save these norms from a catastrophic event.

 

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, 1985

ATOS Book Level 5.5

Lexile: 780

Interest Level: Grades 7-12

Awards: Hugo and Nebula Awards

As a nine year old boy, Ender Wiggin is sent into space to attend an elite military school. He learns battle strategy, the dangers of affection, military chain of command, hand to hand combat, the sting of betrayal, and how to kills without remorse. Then, the boy learns that he cannot return home, but must stay in space, constantly training and fighting. Unbeknownst to him, Ender’s true purpose at the school – and beyond – is to save humanity from the Buggers, the aliens who attacked Earth once and will again.

 

Analysis:

Both Ender’s Game and Earth Girl utilize standard young adult novel font size and margins. The books are roughly 350 pages and have standard chapter divisions. While the books are written at roughly a sixth grade reading level, sci-fi jargon frequently appears in the texts and may confuse readers. Also, in Earth Girl, numerous abbreviations of words appear, and the meaning of the original word must be discerned through context clues.

No prior knowledge is needed to read these young adult science-fiction novels. However, building conceptual awareness of dystopian and apoplectic literature would help with improving plot appreciation.

The two novels are recommended for readers in middle and high school. The content, though, is young adult in both books. Ender’s Game has violence and genocide, while Earth Girl refers to college life and dating relationships.

 

Potential content area standards:

Due to the lexile and interest level, standards are from the CCSS Grade 11-12 and Next Generation Science Standards, Appendix H, High School level lists. Also, this list is not exhaustive, as more or fewer standards could be incorporated according to the teacher’s instruction related to the novels.

Common Core State Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2

Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3

Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.6

Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.9

Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

Next Generation Science Standards

Appendix H: Understanding about the Nature of Science

Category: Science is a Human Endeavor, High School

-Scientific knowledge is a result of human endeavor, imagination, and creativity

Category: Science Addresses Questions about the Natural and Material World, High School

-Not all questions can be answered by science

-Scientific knowledge indicates what can happen in natural systems – not what should happen. The latter involves ethics, values and human decisions about the use of knowledge.

Many decisions are not made using science alone, but rely on social and cultural contexts to resolve issues.

 

Curriculum suggestions:

Ender’s Game and Earth Girl possess parallel plot structures, though with interesting contrasts. Ender Wiggin is exiled from Earth, while Jarra cannot leave the home planet. Both protagonists are brilliant and ultimately save companions through creativity and intuition. Ender attends Battle School, and Jarra joins a university program for anthropology and archeology.

English and science teachers could teach the two novels in a compare/contrast unit, focusing on Science-Fiction, exile, coming of age, and dystopias as themes. Comparing the open, trusting nature of Ender to the highly conniving and sneaky personality of Jarra would require text-based research and citations. The protagonists’ similarities – leadership, intelligence, creativity, internet use, adolescence, and home life – may also be analyzed. Also, an analysis of Earth’s potential futures would require advanced level thinking with areas of potential scientific and psychology research.

 

Supporting digital content:

Lesson on running an ethics debate based upon material in the text

http://novelinks.org/uploads/Novels/EndersGame/Discussion%20Web.pdf

Great unit introduction video “What Is Science Fiction: A Video Compilation”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbJrqZaB4oI

 

Series information:

Ender’s Game is the initiating novel in two series: the Ender’s Game series and the Ender’s Shadow series.

Earth Girl is the first girl in Janet Edward’s series of the same name.

Using “Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland” in the Classroom

What secrets are buried in the past? Dig into some of America’s oldest graves in “Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland” to discover scandals of greed, abuse, poverty, and misfortune.

“Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland” by Sally M. Walker, 2009

Summary & Analysis:

ATOS Book Level 9.0

Lexile: 1140

Interest Level: Grades 6-9 (School Library Journal), Grades 5 and up (publisher), Grades 7-11 (Booklist), Grades 9-12 (AR BookFinder)

“Written in Bone” uses science, history, and human interest stories to pull teen readers into studying the lives and deaths of American colonists on the East Coast. Archeologist and author Sally Walker details the events, discoveries, and theories developed at an archeology dig around the Chesapeake Bay. To provide human interest, Walker focuses on eight bodies from the site, using forensic science and history to build the likely life stories for each body. The studies include a teenage boy, a ship captain, an indentured servant, a government worker, and a young slave. The book contains narrative text and many visual materials including maps; site, tool, and reenactment photos; and diagrams. Walker does a superb job of introducing jargon, explaining the terms, and using them throughout the text for solid context. Students interested in Colonial America, forensic science, archeology, and/or anthropology might thoroughly enjoy this book.

The physical format of “Written in Bone” is an average sized, illustrated children’s book. Some pages are primarily text, though at least each alternating page has a graphic that covers between a fourth and the entire page. The font is mildly difficult to read, as it is a slightly ornate serif font. Headings fonts are similar to Papyrus font. The book is composed of chapters that can easily be read in a single sitting, and each chapter has sections within it.

“Written in Bone” requires background knowledge in the concepts of archeology and Colonial America. While key vocabulary is explained, many terms require prior knowledge for solid understanding. The content ought to at least moderately appeal to the reader, or digesting the material will likely become arduous.

The book works as an introduction to excavating land for historic study, autopsies, anthropology, and Colonial America lifestyles. Due to the advanced reading level, students must have at least moderate interest in the subjects and enough literary support or comprehension to learn from the text.

“Written in Bone” is written for high school and higher reading and interest levels. The material, tone, and text should be used with the recommended age levels as a minimum, and teachers should be prepared to provide additional assistance.

Potential Education Standards:
Because this book has a broad age range of appeal and would most likely be used for individual or small group study, the standards for potential application are from the Grades 9-12 band.

Common Core State Standards – History/Social Studies

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.8
Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claims.

Common Core State Standards – Science & Technical Subjects

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.2
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text’s explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.6
Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the author seeks to address.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.8
Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.

Curriculum suggestions:
“Written in Bone” makes an entertaining read for young adults and/or social and physical scientists. The book could be used as supplementary material for a unit on archeology, anthropology, or early American history. Furthermore, the text could be recommended for book report or literature review assignments.

Digital content to consider:

Looking to explore some real archeology digs? Check out this site sponsored by Archaeological Institute of America and Archaeology Magazine

http://www.interactivedigs.com/

The Society for American Archeology has created an extensive website for helping people of all ages to discover and participate in archeology

http://www.saa.org/publicftp/public/home/home.html

Want to learn more about the first thirteen colonies and Jamestown?

http://www.history.com/topics/thirteen-colonies (includes videos!)

http://www.nps.gov/jame/index.htm

http://historicjamestowne.org/

Awards:

• American Library Association (ALA) Notable Book
• ALA/YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults
• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Recommended Book
• National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) / Children’s Book Council (CBC) Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
• National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Books
• School Library Journal Best Book
• Cybils Finalist
• Moonbeam Children’s Book Award – Bronze Medal

Series information:

“Written in Bone” is one title in the series Exceptional Social Studies Titles for Intermediate Grades. The series has several different authors and significantly varying topics: “Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World,” “The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon,” “Long Ball: The Legend and Lore of the Home Run,” “Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal,” and “Tales from the Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest With Pete Athans.”

Using Usborne’s “Big Book of the Body” in the Classroom

Which has more bones: a baby or a grown up? Why do people blink? How many times a day does your heart beat? Read “Big Book of the Body” to answer these puzzles and more!

“Big Book of the Body” by Minna Lacey, 2016

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: Grade 5

SMOG Index: 5.2

Interest Level: Ages 3-7

Budding scientists and the generally curious will enjoy “Big Book of the Body,” an oversized book with “giant fold-out” diagrams of different body systems. The book provides hundreds of facts with corresponding, small illustrations. “Big Book of the Body” goes over parts of the body, such as hair and eyelids, the skeleton, and the digestive process. The illustrations are simple, but show anatomically correct parts, locations, and functions of the body. Pages are fun, colorful, entertaining, and educational. Enjoy this book on your own, as a class, or with your friend!

“Big Book of the Body” is written at about a fifth grade reading level, mostly because of the anatomical vocabulary. However, the presentation of the content fits well with the targeted interest level and children of middle elementary age. Young biology fans will enjoy the book, especially if an adult guide is available to help with the terminology. Also, the book does not contain paragraphs, but has floating text boxes of information. Some of the boxes need to be read in sequence – only some of the sequences are readily apparent, via the use of numbers or clear visual connectors – but many can be read as stand-alone facts. This loose layout may confuse early and intermediate ability readers. In addition, the book has a good balance of white space, illustrations, and text. The physical book seems visually appealing to reluctant and young readers.

Readers do not need any prior knowledge to read this book: it is a primer on the human body with a very young targeted audience. With this young group of readers, “Big Book of the Body” will entertain and educate, plus provide great illustrations and fun facts.

Content area standards:

Becausethis book has a broad age range of appeal and would most likely be used for individual or small group study, the standards for potential application are from the Grades 2 Reading: Informational Text Common Core band.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.3
Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.6
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.7
Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.

Curriculum suggestions:

“Big Book of the Body” is a good book to have in a classroom library. Teachers of lower elementary grades may use separate body system pages to present biology lessons. The book may be used for an independent book report, as well.

*At time of this review’s publication, no Accelerated Reader test exists for “Big Book of the Body.”

Supporting digital content:

List of digital apps for children to learn about human anatomy

http://igamemom.com/apps-for-kids-to-learn-about-human-body/

Kid-friendly videos on human anatomy (lots more themes available)

http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/how-the-body-works-interim.html?WT.ac=ctg#catmovies

Instructions and example for kids to create their own human anatomy book

http://refinedmetalsacademy.blogspot.com/2010/01/unit-study-human-body.html

Instructions and images for making a human systems model

http://lifewithmoorebabies.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-body-map.html

 

Using “Stubby the War Dog” in the Classroom

Dogs really are man’s best friends. Meat Stubby and learn about his bravery and constant friendship with the men fighting in WWI.

“Stubby the War Dog” by Ann Bausum, 2014

Analysis & Summary:

ATOS Book Level: 7.4

Lexile: 1110

Interest Level: Grades 4-8

Dogs really are man’s best friends. In WWI it was true for the soldiers fighting in the trenches, working the communication tents, and riding on transport ships. Stubby earned the name of “Bravest Dog” in the Great War. As this book chronicles his war time adventures, readers enjoy his playful antics, intelligence, and gentle nature with his comrades. Author Ann Bausum seamlessly interweaves Stubby’s tale with facts about battles, troop numbers, military protocol, and American history from the era. Stubby’s delightful story keeps young and young-at-heart readers entertained, while educating them about WWI, and naturally progresses with excellent pacing and balance of material.

“Stubby the War Dog” is an image laden non-fiction biography of an Army mascot in WWI. The physical book is of standard illustrated book size, with an attractive patriotic cover. Inside readers will see images on every page, creating a visually appealing and approachable format. Reluctant readers may read the captions throughout the book and still gain knowledge about both the dog and the war.

The book requires no prior knowledge for readers to understand and enjoy the content. Key ideas and terms are clearly explained with context providing further meaning. “Stubby the War Dog” has several layers of meaning and potential purposes: enjoy hearing about a quirky, tough dog; discover US military policy and practices during WWI; peek into troop lifestyle during times of active combat; and/or receive a superficial lesson about Europe and WWI. While the content appeals to readers because of its varied key ideas, chapter beginnings and endings are not visually clear. Also, the font used for captions may be difficult for readers to decipher because of the blurry typewriter styling.

While “Stubby the War Dog” is marketed for upper elementary and middle school readers, the technical reading level of the book is generally too high for that age range. With guided reading, though, many students within that age bracket would enjoy the content, both military and human – or should I say dog – interest.

Potential standards:
Due to the lexile and interest level, standards are from the CCSS Grade 6-8 lists. Also, this list is not exhaustive, as more or fewer standards could be incorporated according to the teacher’s instruction related to “Stubby the War Dog.”

Language Arts: History/Social Studies
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4\
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.5
Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.8
Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9
Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

 

Curriculum suggestions:
This book would make an excellent WWI mini-unit text for a fourth or fifth grade class. Each day, the teacher could read and discuss one or two chapters with the class, explaining key ideas, studying the timeline format, exploring the indicated geography, and/or learning about other concepts within the text.

“Stubby the War Dog” would also make great fodder for a non-fiction book report done by a higher ability elementary or junior high student.

Many military units adopt “mascots.” While Stubby and others are included in this text, further research could be done by students intrigued by the topic.

 

Supporting digital content:
The Price of Freedom Smithsonian Exhibit, of which Stubby was a component

http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/exhibition/flash.html?path=8.1.r_15

Stubby’s Wikipedia page with links for further study

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_Stubby

A video segment about WWI animals from The Great War YouTube series,
the dog section begins at 5:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRN45tje2X0

Stubby’s Obituary

http://www.ct.gov/mil/cwp/view.asp?a=1351&q=257958

Using “Anno’s Counting Book” in the Classroom

“Anno’s Counting Book” by Mitsumasa Anno, 1977.

 

Lexile: NA, wordless book

ATOS Level: NA, wordless book

Interest Level: ages 2-6

Practice the numbers zero through ten in a colorful, engaging book by famous children’s artist Mitsumasa Anno. Count me in!

“Anno’s Counting Book” is a well known pre-literacy counting book. The book contains eleven page spreads that illustrate basic number concepts from zero to ten. Each page spread shows the same quaint country scene, a pair of hills separated by a river. As a number is introduced, the corresponding amount appears in multiple ways on the page. For example, while the page for zero is two blank hills and a river, the one page has one bridge, one house, one sun, one bird, and more. The two page contains many representations of twos, some in obvious pairs – two kids, two trucks – while other pairs are less apparent: two chimneys, a road forking into two routes, two hands on the clock, two open windows among many closed win

dows, etc.

The book’s premise is quite simple, but concepts can be used for higher observation and math skills: the zero page has two hills and one river, the two page has four people (2X2=4), ten lower windows plus two dormer windows equals twelve windows, and so on.

“Anno’s Counting Book” is part of a collection of books, all similarly titled with the author’s name. Most contain zero or few words. While several of the books are math focused, there are also books about letters, world cultures, brain teasers, and literature. Anno’s work has won numerous awards, most notably the Hans Christian Andersen Award and Horn Book Award.

 

Analysis:

“Anno’s Counting Book” is a wordless book with a low-level cognitive format. The scenes progress sequentially from zero to ten and an accompanying ten-block counting stick is filled on the left side of each page, concretely representing the current number. The number concept is presented with three formats: a counting stick, illustrated images, and the numeral.

Since there is no text in the book, language demands are needed only for potential discussion of the images and number concepts. No prior knowledge needed for reading the book: it is intended to be an introduction to the foundational concepts of counting and numerals.

While “Anno’s Counting Book” is intended for toddlers and preschool age children, the book can be used to introduce concepts such as multiplication and looking beyond immediately apparent data. Art students may analyze the water color technique, and students in teacher training programs can study the multiple modalities used for introducing numbers.

 

Curriculum suggestions:

Use “Anno’s Counting Book” in a preschool or kindergarten classroom to introduce the concept of numbers and counting. If desire, make high contrast black and white photocopies of the pages for coloring activities. Also, a coloring and number writing worksheet could be created. For the number one, write a dotted line numeral one, then include one tree, one raven, one building, one person, and one dog for the student to color. Possibly modify this to have a dotted line numeral one next to each of these objects so that students are practicing writing the numeral and visually connecting it to an object. Repeat concept on subsequent number worksheets.

The book could be turned into a class play, giving students verbal and kinesthetic learning with the number concepts. If an independent project is desired, have students create dioramas of one or more numbers.

 

Potential Common Core State Standards:

Due to the lexile and interest level, standards are from the CCSS kindergarten lists. Also, this list is not exhaustive, as more or fewer standards could be incorporated according to the teacher’s instruction related to “Anno’s Counting Book.”

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.1

Count to 100 by ones and by tens.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.3

Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4

Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.5

Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1-20, count out that many objects.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.G.A.1

Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.

 

Building a Preschool Counting Unit:

• Games with dice and counting blocks for building numeracy skills http://www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/subjects/mathematics/numbersenseactivitiesbfinal.pdf
• Inexpensive counting activities for independent or small group work

http://www.education.com/activity/counting-numbers/

• Worksheets for counting, number recognition, number writing, and coloring http://www.kidzone.ws/prek_wrksht/math-readiness/counting.htm

 

Using “Queen of the Falls” in the Classroom

Tagline:

Love daredevils? Big fan of extreme sports? Read “Queen of the Falls” to discover a true American original, Annie Taylor, the woman who tumbled down Niagara Falls.

“Queen of the Falls” by Chris Van Allsburg, 2010. Several reprintings have been done, and the book is available in ebook, hardback, and paperback formats.

ATOS Book Level 5.7

Lexile: 1060

Interest Level: Grades K-3

Niagara Falls is the most famous waterfall in North America. It shakes the surrounding land and attracts millions of tourists every year. In 1921 a well mannered old lady decided to “ride the falls,” achieving what no one else ever had. Annie Edson Taylor needed money in her old age; she was childless and a widow, and she had never been very good at saving her income. “Queen of the Falls” tells the amusing story of Annie’s hard work, clever plan, and national travels in an attempt to make herself famous and rich. What did people think of the sweet lady’s idea? How did America react to a gray-haired daredevil? How many brave souls have ridden down Niagara? Enjoy Annie’s journey in “Queen of the Falls” to find out. And, by the way, she is the only woman to this day to have dropped down the mighty falls alone.

Analysis:

“Queen of the Falls” fills a narrow picture book with lovely sepia-toned illustrations and an easy to read, medium sized, serif font. The content can be read in a single sitting with upper elementary and older children, though the text has several places where the story could be left to be resumed at a later time.

For readers to appreciate the story, limited prior knowledge is needed for comprehension. Readers would benefit from knowing about different waterfalls and their characteristics, plus some US geography for locating the places Annie travels to. The technical language of the book is easily understood at an early elementary level, though some vocabulary could be taught in conjunction with the book.

“Queen of the Falls” is meant as a historical text for young readers to develop an understanding an appreciation for the “American Spirit:” hard work, ingenuity, and determination. These themes are fairly obvious.

“Queen of the Falls” has a technical reading level significantly above the age range of its intended audience. Early readers could not easily read this book independently, even with a popcorn style class reading. However, the targeted audience may be overly narrow. The content – adventure, engineering, US geography, American turn-of-the-century history, and human behavior – are presented in a manner that many upper elementary and junior high children would find interesting.

 

State Standards

The Common Core State Standards for History/Social Studies exist only for grades 6 and above. After averaging the intended audience’s lowest age and the book’s lexile, Grade 3 content standards for the Common Core’s Reading: Informational Text were determined appropriate for general recommendations.

Reading: Informational Text

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.2

Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6

Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.8

Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).

 

Curriculum suggestions:

This book would make an excellent supplementary or entertaining text for a lower elementary class. Each day, the teacher could read and discuss several pages with the class, explaining key ideas, studying the timeline format, exploring the indicated geography, and/or learning about other concepts within the text.

“Queen of the Falls” would also be a super title for a non-fiction book report done by an upper elementary student.

Supporting digital content:

An interactive photo map of the Niagara Falls area

http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/Map.aspx

The USA National Park Service’s webpage for Niagara Falls

http://www.nps.gov/nifa/index.htm

A coloring page of Niagara Falls, including the USA and Canadian flags

http://www.kidzone.ws/t.asp?t=http://www.kidzone.ws/geography/ontario/tours-niagara.gif

Niagara Falls Fact Sheet

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/earth/niagarafalls.html

http://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/niagara-falls.html

 

Using Hattie Big Sky in the Classroom

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, 2006. Several reprintings have been done, and the book is available in audio, ebook, hardback, and paperback formats.

ATOS Book Level 4.4

Lexile: 0700

Interest Level: Grades 6-9

Tagline:

A sixteen year old moves to Montana during WWI, trying to run a successful small farm on her own. Will she thrive or barely survive?

Summary & Ananlysis:

In Hattie Big Sky a teenage girl moves to Montana on her own in order to gain ownership of a homestead. The book is set during WWI, and tensions occur amid Hattie’s Montana friends about German Americans, in addition to a romantic tension between her and Charlie, a friend fighting in the war in Europe. Hattie writes letters to Charlie about life in Montana and begins writing newspaper columns about homesteading. The sixteen year old learns many life lessons about hard work, personal values, racism, and injustice, not to mention how to cook!

Hattie Big Sky uses a standard novel format for paragraphs, margins, and chapters. Occasional letters and newspaper columns appear, though both are still in the novel’s font, but with larger margins and some italics. The book is told in a first person narrative and does not switch narrators. Because of the book’s subject and setting, author Kirby Larson includes a few short German phrases, but they are easily understood through context clues. The book also contains farming terminology, but this too is explained as the character Hattie learns about agriculture.

Larson wrote the book so that very little prior knowledge is needed for understanding. She includes context about WWI and agriculture. However, building students’ knowledge of the Homestead Act and legal issues surrounding orphans in the early Twentieth Century would greatly benefit readers’ appreciation of the text.

Hattie Big Sky can be used in both English and History courses, especially for middle and lower high school courses. If a vocational agriculture course is available, the book could be used as a literature component for that as well. The novel’s readability level matches the intended reader level, so readers of higher ability may benefit from having extra research or reading tasks paired with the book. If a reader needs assistance with the text, audio formats are available, or they could explore the book in pairs or literature circles.

 

Potential Common Core State Standards

Due to the lexile and interest level, standards are from the CCSS Grade 8 lists. Also, this list is not exhaustive, as more or fewer standards could be incorporated according to the teacher’s instruction related to Hattie Big Sky.

Language Arts Reading: Literature

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1

Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.5

Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.

 

Language Arts History/Social Studies

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.5

Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6

Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.8

Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

 

Curriculum Suggestions:

Hattie Big Sky is a moderately paced novel that would appeal primarily to middle school students who enjoy coming of age, American West, and/or “girl power” stories. If a student needs to read a historical fiction book, this is a strong text, especially with the extensive list of titles for further study at the back of the book.

This book works well for a reader’s theater class reading. Characters are equally represented from both genders. Also, the text has a multitude of scenes depicting different emotions: humor, stress, loneliness, friendship, fear, excitement, and so on.

Hattie Big Sky utilizes several media formats, so Language Arts teachers can incorporate instruction on these different formats, building understanding when and why different texts are used to present information and stories. Also, several points of view are presented through the inclusion of letters, so the text can be used to instruct on that component.

The novel would be excellent for a co-teaching unit between Language Arts and American History. While an LA teacher might cover the above topics, a History teacher could provide instruction and information pertaining to homesteading in the USA and WWI.

 

Supporting digital content:

Kirby Larson website

http://www.kirbylarson.com/

http://kirbylarson.podomatic.com/

Stories and digital content from Montana’s homesteading past

http://homesteadingmontana.org/

Keepers of the Land, a Montana PBS mini-series about three families’ homesteading legacies

http://www.montanapbs.org/KeepersoftheLand/

Primary source material from the University of Montana’s collection of government and person documents of the homesteading era

http://content.lib.umt.edu/omeka/exhibits/show/homesteading/sources

 

Subjects & Themes:

• Coming of age
• Homesteading/Pioneer life
• WWI
• German immigrants
• Orphans
• Montana history
• Northwest history
• Self reliance
• Farming/Agriculture
• Racism
• Social justice/Injustice

 

Awards:

• 2007 Newberry Honor Book
• Montana Book Award
• American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults
• American Library Association Notables book
• National Council of Social Studies and Children’s Book Council Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People

 

Series information:

• Hattie Ever After is the sequel, published in 2014

What Did I Learn in LIBR 200?

I have spent three months exploring the ides of genealogists as researchers. I’ve also read numerous articles on other information communities and the role librarians serve in assisting information communities. So what?

People are naturally social. We date, make friends, have children, mentor those younger than us, and seek to die surrounded by loved ones. Belonging to communities is simply a part of our social aptitude.

Libraries have historically gotten a bum rap for social skills. We are the shushers, the guardians of knowledge, the enforcers of order. However, the 21st Century librarian no longer fits this pattern. We rarely shush: we joke and encourage and participate in the excitement of discovery. We do not guard knowledge: we freely give to any who ask, and we delight in helping our fellows grow. And, well, I guess we may still enforce order, but it’s much more boisterous than half a century ago.

As a librarian and information professional, I now glimpse the potential information needs of my community. I see that I may help yarn crafters find patterns and tips. I may need to quietly and kindly assist a LGBTQ girl locate statistics and blogs. I may joke and ease a techno-phobe into using a computer to conduct genealogy research. The potential field of assistance is unlimited for a librarian. And that’s what I love about this career.

 

**Note, you do not need a library card to visit or regularly stop into a library. Just come: we’ll talk to you and help you in any way we can!

 

I am a passionate learner. I am absolutely social. My skills will grow through interacting with patrons and their information requests and through continuing education via courses and webinars. I am now completely comfortable with database research. For when I encounter something unfamiliar, I have begun a casual network of information professionals from whom to seek advice.

The coming years are full of promise. Our nation continues to evolve with social and moral norms. Our world is bonding through the means of e-commerce and internet society. And libraries continue to be a hub on the wheel of development and change. Thank goodness I am in the midst of a lovely revolution.

A Librarian’s Meme

One man’s reality is another man’s madness. One woman’s window is another woman’s black hole. One kid’s chocolate cake is another kid’s anaphylactic shock. Perception affects every decision we make, every ideal we possess, every item we covet.

In the world of libraries, perception affects how information is communicated, both in sending and receiving. Perception affects who decides to use library services, who avoids the building, and who joyfully donates to the coffers. How do you perceive your local library? How about your local librarian?

What my friends think I do: (image source unavailble) When I talk to my friends about work at the library, I usually mention a book I read or that a coworker read that my friends would enjoy. I bet they think of me as a girl with her nose buried in a book!

What my dad thinks I do: (This photo probably comes from an old campaign for libraries; however, I can’t seem to find the original source. You can view where I found the image here) I am Daddy’s little girl and a nerd. He knows how much I love reading, and I think a picture like this shows how he sometimes thinks of his librarian daughter.

What society thinks I do: (I found these two lovely ladies on this site) It doesn’t matter which lady I am; I see this photo as a passing of the torch in the old library systems. The matron shows all her secrets – locked in a book, of course – to the maiden apprentice.

What genealogists think I do: (image source not available) In an earlier blog, one genealogist said, “Librarians are indispensable!” Numerous articles state the librarians, especially archivists or those in genealogy departments, act as gatekeepers and guides for genealogists, much like the goddess in this image appears to be.

What I really do: (I think the young woman is supposed to appear deified for a reason. Check out her accompanying article on this site.) The contemporary librarian – myself included – must help patrons with locating library materials, learning to use electronic devices, accessing public computers, information seeking behaviors, and much more.

What I think I do: (The famous librarian pinup by Gillette Elvgren copied for this project from here) Well, I may not be a sexual fantasy, but every gal that I know likes to think of herself as desirable, smart, and a tad flirty.

What computer users think I do: (Mark Anderson creates a number of library cartoons, including this one. Check out more on his site.) Watch the circulation desk – where people actually talk to a librarian and usually check out their books. Watch the people who sign up to use a public computer. This little cartoon explains it all.

What middle school kids think I do: (This “shhhh”ing librarian was found here) Middle school kids come into the public library after school and sometimes get a bit crazy. Plus, their parents told them all through their earliest years to be quiet in the library. I can’t help the stereotype in their developing minds. Give me a few years, please.

What storytime kids think I do: (A classic image from H.A. and Margret Rey’s “Curious George”) I read to little kids. We play together and do crafts and are friends. Sometimes we share a bench and read. It’s great!