*Sometimes you have to use the sure fire classic that has been proven over time.
*This has been a favorite song of mine for many years. I've used it with many classes.
*I've found that my students love it as much as I do and find the video fascinating.
*The message is a bit hard to find, but I still think it is worth using for a Music Monday!
*This was our 20th Monday where we featured a musical selection.
*Each Monday I highlight a piece of music to share with my writers.
*We begin with showing a video that goes along with the musical selection.
*The class will watch the video between 1-2 times.
*After the second viewing, the writers begin to record their thoughts in the notebooks.
*As they write, I play the music in the background (minus the video).
*My fourth graders can record their thoughts, ideas, connections, likes/dislikes, or reactions to the song. They can also write about the message of the song.
*I have my students write between 5-10 minutes. At the end of our writing time, I see if a few of the writers would like to share what they wrote.
Music Monday Selections (2015-2016)…
Week #1: What I Am by will.i.am Week #2: Proud by Heather Small Week #3: Dreamer by Chris Brown Week #4: Live Like a Warrior by Matisyahu Week #5: Sunshine by Matisyahu Week #6: Better When I'm Dancin' by Megan Trainor Week #7: Thriller by Michael Jackson Week #8: Hopeful by Bars and Melody Week #9: Keep Your Head Up by Andy Grammar Week #10: The Rainbow Connection from The Muppets Week #11: What Does the Fox Say by Ylvis Week #12: Hall of Fame by The Script Week #13: Clouds by Zach Sobiech Week #14: Do They Know Its Christmas by Band Aid Week #15: What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong Week #16: Am I Wrong by Nico & Vinz Week #17: Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw Week #18: Today's the Day by Pink Week #19: Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne
Hi! I am Erin and I read the book called The Graham Cracker Plotwritten by Shelley Tougas.
I think this book is good because it is an adventurous story and I love stories that have lots of adventure in them. My favorite part in the story is when they were breaking the chemist out of Club Fedbecause it was action packed and a fun part of the story.
The character that I liked best was Daisybecause she was very brave and tried to rescue her father. I think the authors wrote this book because she wanted to show that you can make anything a reality if you try hard enough. I would recommend this book to my friends because it is a story of friendship. Reading to me is specialbecause I feel like I'm in the story with the characters. *This is the second year that we will be hosting Shelley Tougas, the author of this novel. *She joined us this morning for our "Breakfast with Books" book club. *We had the honor of hosting her in our classroom and talking all things Graham Cracker Plot. *Erin was one of the 13 members that joined us for this special book club.
How I Heard About It: On the way home from school on President's Day, I finished the audio book I was listening to. When I stopped by the public library, I realized they were closed for the holiday. Well, I couldn't head to work on Tuesday morning without an audio book. I headed over to the book store and found this title on the audio shelf. It was somewhat familiar so I bought it and hoped for the best. What It Is About: At the age of thirty-six Paul is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. He has just spent years getting ready to be a neurosurgeon. Paul has spent a lifetime getting ready to be the best doctor he can be. He also has a passion for literature. There was a time when he wasn't going to follow his dream of being a doctor and instead study literature and become an author. Just as he and his wife are ready to start the new phase of their life, Paul learns he has a "deadly" cancer. He goes from a passionate, personal, caring doctor to the life of a patient. He prided himself on his "bedside" manner and the way he dealt with patients and their life threatening illnesses. Now he must learn how to deal with his own illness, decide what the next step in his life will be, and lean on his wife for more support than he ever thought he would need. What I Thought Of It: This was one of the most beautiful memoirs I have ever read (listened to). The narrator was absolutely wonderful and I felt like Paul was telling me his story himself. His journey to neurosurgery was fascinating to read about. He was truly talented as a doctor and such a kind man. I enjoyed reading about his relationships with different patients that he wrote about throughout the story. The way he handled his illness was full of heart, courage, and grace. I myself had cancer back in 1997 so there were several moments I could relate to. When I finished listening to the book, I realized how important it is to live each and every day to the fullest and make the most of the time we have on this earth. Paul did that and I admire him for his bravery and integrity. Who Should Read It: To me this is an important memoir that should be read by as many people as possible. There are so many elements to the story that are relatable to all human beings. Writers and readers will be able to connect to his "literate" life. Medical professionals will be able to connect to his experiences as a doctor. Most importantly, any person will attach themselves to Paul's journey as a human being. This really is a must-read, or in my case, a must-listen to. Happy Reading!
*It is Thursday and that means it is time for another "Life Lesson" video clip.
*This time of year can be difficult in an elementary classroom.
*Relationships and friendships can be difficult and all the earlier lessons have been forgotten.
*I wanted to share something with my students that reminded them about "friendship", being kind to each other, and doing the right thing.
*I'm always trying to find ways to help my students reach their full potential.
*Each Thursday I feature a different video with a "life lesson" in it.
*After viewing the video once or twice, we chat a bit about it as a group.
*I then have the writers record their thoughts in their writer's notebooks.
*They can write their thoughts, reactions, connections, wonderings, learnings, or whatever is on their mind regarding the video.
*Encouragement is also given to reflect on the "message" of the clip.
*After about 5-10 minutes of writing, we listen to a few of the students share what they wrote.
*It is my hope that through these "life lessons", my students can become the best young people they can be.
Life Lessons (2015-2016)...
Lesson #1 - Be Courageous
Lesson #2 - Be Kind
Lesson #3 - Be Courageous (part two)
Lesson #4 - Be Motivated
Lesson #5 - Be a Buddy, Not a Bully
Lesson #6 - Be Inspired
Lesson #7 - Be Spooky (Halloween Edition)
Lesson #8: Be Kind (Kindness Retreat)
Lesson #9: Be Shoutful
Lesson #10: Be Happy
Lesson #11: Be a Reader
Lesson #12: Be Powerful
Lesson #13: Be Merry
Lesson #14: Be a Team
Lesson #15: Be Giving
Lesson #16: Be Brave (part two)
Lesson #17: Be Positive
Lesson #18: Be Dance Like
Lesson #19: You Can Do It
Lesson #20: Be a Hero
*As I scrolled through the images I was fascinated by all of them. This one in particular caught my attention.
*It stood out as an image that my students would enjoy writing about.
*Each Wednesday we write in our writer's notebooks about a particular image.
*They can record their thoughts, reactions, connections, likes/dislikes, reminders, noticings, or anything else they would like.
*Some of the writers choose to write a fiction story based on the picture.
*We write between five and ten minutes and then do a quick share at the end.
*The photos always lead to lots of conversation and the sharing of ideas. I try to get them to write first and then we can share what we wrote and what we were thinking.
*The writers are really enjoying writing and talking about these photographs.
Treat Tuesday - Caribou Snowdrift
*I live in a family of coffee drinkers. No only does my wife enjoy a cup of "Joe", but my two college age kids enjoy coffee drinks.
*They usually pick them up at either Caribou and/or Starbucks.
*Recently, my kids recommended the Caribou Snowdrift for me to try.
*My wife and I stopped by a local Caribou to get her a coffee and I decided to give the "snowdrift" a try.
*All I can say is that it was completely delicious!
*This is what is contained in the tasty drink: Premium chocolate - dark, milk or white - with vanilla syrup, cookie bits and ice cold milk, topped with whipped cream and more cookies.
*While working at my desk before school last year I heard this song for the first time via radio.
*It caught my attention and I stopped working and began to listen to the lyrics.
*After school that day I looked it up on Youtube and listened to the entire thing.
*It was then I knew I had our next musical selection for our writer's notebook.
*This was our 19th Monday where we featured a musical selection.
*Each Monday I highlight a piece of music to share with my writers.
*We begin with showing a video that goes along with the musical selection.
*The class will watch the video between 1-2 times.
*After the second viewing, the writers begin to record their thoughts in the notebooks.
*As they write, I play the music in the background (minus the video).
*My fourth graders can record their thoughts, ideas, connections, likes/dislikes, or reactions to the song. They can also write about the message of the song.
*I have my students write between 5-10 minutes. At the end of our writing time, I see if a few of the writers would like to share what they wrote.
Music Monday Selections (2015-2016)…
Week #1: What I Am by will.i.am Week #2: Proud by Heather Small Week #3: Dreamer by Chris Brown Week #4: Live Like a Warrior by Matisyahu Week #5: Sunshine by Matisyahu Week #6: Better When I'm Dancin' by Megan Trainor Week #7: Thriller by Michael Jackson Week #8: Hopeful by Bars and Melody Week #9: Keep Your Head Up by Andy Grammar Week #10: The Rainbow Connection from The Muppets Week #11: What Does the Fox Say by Ylvis Week #12: Hall of Fame by The Script Week #13: Clouds by Zach Sobiech Week #14: Do They Know Its Christmas by Band Aid Week #15: What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong Week #16: Am I Wrong by Nico & Vinz Week #17: Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw Week #18: Today's the Day by Pink
How I Heard About It: Several of my Twitter friends had received ARC's of this novel and were raving about it. I have had several connections with Donna over the last few years. My fourth graders even had the honor of Skyping with her about her book Death by Toilet Paper. After a few online conversations, Donna was gracious enough to send me my own ARC. I finished the book this morning and I was blown away by the story. Readers are in for a treat in May when the novel is released. What It Is About: Lily and Dunkin are both about to begin their eighth grade year. Dunkin has just moved to Florida from New Jersey with his mother. They are living with his grandmother. Lily lives with her parents and older sister. Lily is struggling to find herself because she was born a male and her parents named her Tim. She has always known she is a girl even though her "outside parts" are male. Lily has the support of her mother and sister, but her father just can't quite accept that his son wants to be a girl. Dunkin is struggling to deal with his life while living with bipolar disorder. When he is on his medication, everything goes well. When he isn't on the medication, everything in his life "amps" up, he images people and things, and has conversations with people that aren't really there. Lily and Dunkin have a few run-ins and seem to have a connection, but when school starts and the basketball boys see how tall Dunkin is, they want to recruit him for the team. Dunkin is torn between the "cool" kids on the team, and Lily who seems to be a true friend. With both their issues and struggles, they navigate a difficult year in their life and try to find themselves and a friendship that works for both of them. What I Thought Of It: I tweeted that this story was "perfection". I don't describe many books that way, but it is the case with this story. There is so much heart in the book and two of the most beautiful characters that I have ever read about. Donna's writing is thoughtful, meaningful, and touching. She handles teenage issues of being transgender and bipolar disorder with honestly and care. The chapters were short and had titles and made for a quick and enjoyable read. The plot was narrated by both Lily and Dunkin and worked perfectly for the story. It was an honor and privilege to be able to read this book before its release in May. Thank you Donna! Who Should Read It: All adult readers that enjoy middle-grade fiction have to experience the story of Lily and Dunkin. It is a one of a kind story. Because of the subject matter within the story I think it is best suited for readers in grades six and above. Middle-school readers will also be drawn into the worlds of these two incredible characters. Any young reader that may be struggling with being transgender and/or dealing with being bipolar, will find great satisfaction and meaning from the book. Happy Reading!
How I Heard About It: One of my goals as a reading is to always be reading from a middle-grade book, a young-adult book, and an adult novel. I was looking for my next young-adult read when I came across this title on the shelf at the local bookstore. The cover caught my attention. The title was intriguing. I read the book blurb and added this title to my stack of purchases. What It Is About: An entire story that spans over fifty-four minutes. I don't think I've ever read a story set up this way before. The setting is a small town named "Opportunity, specially the high school in town. The new semester has just begun and the principal is giving the annual speech in the auditorium. All of the students and staff are in this space. Well, everyone except for two students that are using this "opportunity" to sneak into the office to sneak a look at some student files. There is also one other student that isn't initially at the program. Tyler enters the auditorium as the principal is finishing the speech. Tyler has locked all the doors leading to and from the auditorium. He has a gun and more ammunition that anyone would care to realize. The entire student body is locked into this one space with a gunman that is on a mission. It is up to the two boys in the principal's office, two students out on the high-school track, and the entire student body to survive this horrific event and "take down" this student with as few killings as possible. What I Thought Of It: This is a hard story to review and share my thoughts. I've never read anything like it. As I was reading about this span of fifty-four minutes, I felt like I was right in the school along with the characters telling the story. It was raw, powerful, real, and disturbing. Once I started the book I really couldn't stop reading. Even when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about the story line. It felt like the events were taking forever to unfold and I had to keep reminding myself of the time frame. Each chapter captured what was happening in the high school over a period of a few minutes. The chapters were also divided up from multiple perspectives of characters experiencing this tragic event. All of the characters had some sort of relationship to the gunman. There were times when I was frustrated with the unraveling of events and thought that wouldn't happen in "real life". I just had to remind myself this was a work of fiction and wasn't the telling of an actual event in our history of gunmen in our schools. One word that would describe this reading experience would be "unputdownable"! Who Should Read It: In some ways, this could be required reading for high school students. In the wake of "historical" shootings in our school, most people will be able to relate to the tragedy and senselessness of these events. The story was handled with care and sensitivity. Adult readers will also find it a powerful read. I know some readers have reviewed this book poorly because of the content and how it was handled, but overall I think the author did a tremendous job of telling a story that she felt was important. This will definitely be a story I'll be sharing with people and recommending them read.
Hi! I am AnaLiz and I read the book called The Graham Cracker Plotwritten by Shelley Tougas.
I think this book is really great because the kids were always doing these really goofy things and I liked that in the story. They went on a great adventure. My favorite part in the story is when Daisy and Graham got to the prisonbecause it was one of the most suspenseful parts of the story.
The character that I liked best was Daisybecause she was interesting, brave, and would do anything to help her dad. I think the authors wrote this book because she wanted to entertain the reader and wanted a career as a writer. I would recommend this book to my friends because it was funny, had lots of adventures, and some mysteries too. I know lots of kids in my class are reading it for book club. Reading to me is LIFE because I love to read, I have a shelf full of books, and I read them all the time. *This is the second year that we will be hosting Shelley Tougas, the author of this novel. *We are excited to have her join our book club and be able to ask her questions about the story. *AnaLiz is one of my most avid readers and she was the first one to finish the book. *The plot is amazing, fun, and engages the reader from the start to the very end.
*It is Thursday and that means it is time for another "Life Lesson" video clip.
*Kid President is always a sure winner with my students and I want them to know they are heroes!
*This one fits that bill perfectly.
*I'm always trying to find ways to help my students reach their full potential.
*Each Thursday I feature a different video with a "life lesson" in it.
*After viewing the video once or twice, we chat a bit about it as a group.
*I then have the writers record their thoughts in their writer's notebooks.
*They can write their thoughts, reactions, connections, wonderings, learnings, or whatever is on their mind regarding the video.
*Encouragement is also given to reflect on the "message" of the clip.
*After about 5-10 minutes of writing, we listen to a few of the students share what they wrote.
*It is my hope that through these "life lessons", my students can become the best young people they can be.
Life Lessons (2015-2016)...
Lesson #1 - Be Courageous
Lesson #2 - Be Kind
Lesson #3 - Be Courageous (part two)
Lesson #4 - Be Motivated
Lesson #5 - Be a Buddy, Not a Bully
Lesson #6 - Be Inspired
Lesson #7 - Be Spooky (Halloween Edition)
Lesson #8: Be Kind (Kindness Retreat)
Lesson #9: Be Shoutful
Lesson #10: Be Happy
Lesson #11: Be a Reader
Lesson #12: Be Powerful
Lesson #13: Be Merry
Lesson #14: Be a Team
Lesson #15: Be Giving
Lesson #16: Be Brave (part two)
Lesson #17: Be Positive
Lesson #18: Be Dance Like
Lesson #19: You Can Do It
Wonder Wednesday: Book Give Away
*My "wonder" post seem to fall into my lap just at the right time.
*As of Monday morning I wasn't sure what type of post I would do this week.
*While browsing Twitter, I came across a really cool Tweet. Actually I came across many tweets all mentioning and retweeting some great news from one of my favorite middle-grade authors.
*I've had the chance to Skype twice with Lynda. If you don't know her or haven't had the honor of meeting her, she is absolutely awesome.
*She is a talented writer and an author that supports teachers 100%.
*This past November at NCTE15 I had the privilege of finally meeting her face to face. She did not disappoint and I so enjoyed chatting with her.
*Lynda Mullaly Hunt is "running" a really cool book give away.
*As I read her blog post, I just kept smiling at all the information she was sharing and all the book titles that are included in her book give away. It is absolutely incredible!
*All you have to do to enter, is post a comment on her blog and "retweet" the information. Easy!
*Before I began my conferences on Monday morning, I shared my "post" on her site and of course sent out a retweet of the contest.
*I'm sharing the link to her blog so you can read about this WONDERful give away and enter yourself.
*It is authors like Lynda that make my teaching career so incredibly rewarding!
*One of my favorite aspects of teaching is to get my students to really think. Think deeply!
*Photographs that don't have an exact answer are my favorite type of picture.
*I want to encourage my students to write about topics that lead to a real life discussion.
*The last few Wednesdays, we have had some fun and "light" images.
*This week we are going with a more serious subject matter.
*Each Wednesday we write in our writer's notebooks about a particular image.
*They can record their thoughts, reactions, connections, likes/dislikes, reminders, noticings, or anything else they would like.
*Some of the writers choose to write a fiction story based on the picture.
*We write between five and ten minutes and then do a quick share at the end.
*The photos always lead to lots of conversation and the sharing of ideas. I try to get them to write first and then we can share what we wrote and what we were thinking.
*The writers are really enjoying writing and talking about these photographs.
How I Heard About It: It was time to select a new audio book and while browsing the shelves at the public library I came across this title. I thought the cover was interesting, the title was intriguing, and the summary grabbed my attention. I thought I would give it a try. What It Is About: Odran Yates is a priest. He didn't necessarily choose this occupation on his own, but circumstances when he was a young boy sent him on this course. He grew up in Ireland and settled here to do what he believes is the right thing. He first begins his career at a private Catholic school where is is quite happy living the simple life. After some scandals within the church he is asked to fill in at a church where his life-long best friend was the priest. Odran has a simple view on the church and how the world should be, but after being put into this new occupation, he begins to learn everything isn't as it seems. When he learns that his nephew has secrets that he has kept since childhood and Odran was involved in a round about way, Odran is put to the test of protecting his friend and doing the right thing for his family. What I Thought Of It: The narrator was a plus to begin with. He was Irish and was so enjoyable to listen to on my commute to and from work. The story started a bit slow, but after the first CD or so, I found myself interested and enjoying the story. I liked how the author took me back and forth in time to describe the different life events in Odran's life. The sequence didn't always go chronologically and this worked really well for the story. Being told from first person brought me into this man's life and I often could relate and feel his "lonely" pain. By the end of the narrative, I was engrossed and invested in the book. Who Should Read It: I would think if you are Catholic, you would be fascinated by the story. If you are Irish, you would be able to relate to many aspects of the story. Lovers of well-written fiction will also be greatly satisfied with the novel. The story is definitely a character study. There isn't a lot of "action" or "surprises" throughout the story, but there is an element that brings the reader/listener to the very center of the plot. Happy Reading!
How I Heard About It: One of my favorite middle-grade novels is The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart. I think I read it in one sitting and it tore me apart (in a good way). I was thrilled to pick up an ARC of Dan's second novel at NCTE15. I finally got around to reading it and this is another sure winner! What It Is About: The author has switched gears this time and created a beautiful historical fiction story about Joseph and a journey that will change his life forever. Joseph has lost everyone he has loved. His mother and sister have died due to illness and now his father has been killed in an accident. It is just Joseph and his prized horse Sarah. After Sarah is taken from Joe, he ventures out into the wild to bring her back to where she belongs. When his journey begins he comes across Cheng, a young Chinese boy. They can't communicate via words, but they learn how to "talk" in other ways. The two boys venture into the woods where they come across dangerous animals and even more dangerous men. Many times they come close to getting Sarah back only to be stopped by the elements of nature and humans. Even with many hardships, they continue on with strength and never ending perseverance. Joseph has only one goal in his mind and heart and will stop at nothing to be reunited with his beloved Sarah. He has to decide at what cost this "reunion" will come at. What I Thought Of It: Loved it, loved it, loved it. When I first began the book I was surprised that this time the setting was in the past and not realistic fiction like Dan's first novel. When authors can completely switch gears in the types of stories they write, I'm always in awe. The character of Joseph was one of a kind and I found myself side by side this young man on this journey of a lifetime. When he was successful I felt successful. When he had setbacks, I felt those in my heart. I'm not sure I have ever rooted for a character so much as I did with Joseph. All characters that he met along the way added greatly to the story with each and every one of them necessary to the plot. The pacing of the story was excellent and kept me on the edge of my "reading chair". There were lots of "OMG" moments and times when I was truly nervous for Joe and his situation. Who Should Read It: When I closed the book I knew I was going to share it with my fourth grade students THIS year. I'm actually going to pick it as a Breakfast with Books book club selection for later this spring. I so want my students to experience this incredible story. The book is perfect for readers in grades four and above. If you are looking for a strong cliffhanger type story to read aloud to your class, this is the book. Adult readers you also need to experience this story. Happy Reading!
– Whip up a batch of your favorite brownie mix. Follow the baking instructions for heat and time on the box. – Spray a muffin tin – Fill the cups up half way – Grab another muffin tin and spray the bottom – Put the empty muffin tin over the one with the brownie mix and squeeze down until there is a half inch gap.
Don’t worry if brownie mix spills over the side a bit, it happens. They don’t always come out of the tin looking amazing. You might need to trim away some of the excess brownie that spills over the top. But after cooling they hold the ice cream really well and are fun to eat at the end.
