Books Around the Room



 

When I want to know which books are popular with my students right now, I look at their desks. The most sought after book never is on the shelf for long AT ALL, and is passed around like a plate of cookies with every one taking a share for themselves.

 

 

Here are two books that fourth graders are reading right now:

 

 

I read the ARC this  summer. The book is available in stores now.

Infinity Ring by James Dashner
Publication Date: 8/28/12
Published by: Scholastic, Inc.
Pages: 192

The main characters in this book live in a dangerous America where natural disasters are common, and they are on a mission! There's time travel, adventure, history and a lot of excitement mixed in this book, and it grabs readers from the beginning. It's the first in a series written by multiple authors, and my readers can't wait for the 2nd one coming out in November.

from barnesandnoble.com



Then there is SQUISH!

Squish 4: Captain Disaster by Jennifer L. Holm & Matt Holm
Publication Date: 8/25/12
Published by: Random House Children's Books
Pages: 96

My students cannot get enough of this graphic novel series. Squish is an amoeba in grade school who is trying hard to make it through! He has friends, faces challenges, and his dad gives him advice along the way. In this installment, his soccer team isn't doing so well! There's lots of action and fun in this book, and my students already want the next one!

Which books are popular in your school?

A Teaching Tool I Cannot Do Without

The Scholastic Book Fair is an annual event at my school. I look forward to it more than a shoe sale. People who know me understand this.

Before the Book Fair, our school librarian plays the preview video for classes to watch. The video highlights some of the books available for purchase, and my students always enjoy watching it. SO DO I.

I sit and watch it with them. Our imaginations are all held captive by the titles, the great book trailers, and the promise that a great book is within our reach.

I watched this year's Book Fair Preview with my new class in the library this week. Though we are a new community, we ARE a community. We were ALL "oohing" and "aahing", and this made my heart glad. Though we've only been in a school a few weeks, Reader's Workshop, exposure to books, and book talks have clearly had an impact.

I smiled as we watched together. We were all having a wonderful time. But then the preview for INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN by Thanhha Lai came on. And I stopped laughing.

I was immediately taken back to the experience of reading this amazing book last December.

When I heard Thanhha Lai talking about the book and the main character in the video, I started to remember what it was like to read the book. I started to go through the emotions of the character's struggle. The memories of the richness of language came flooding, and as I told my librarian "I've read this book!", I could hear my voice crackle, and small, quiet tears began to fall. They were enough tears for me to wipe away, and I could hear one of my students saying, "Mrs. Alaniz! You're crying!" I reassured them by saying, "I'm fine. Books just make me feel---sometimes they make me feel happy and sometimes they make me feel sad. That's what good books do."

And looking back on that moment now, I knew it was a powerful teaching moment. In that moment, I know my students are beginning to see just how passionate I am about books. I want them to know that good books affect me, and that even after I read them, I never forget them. They leave an imprint that makes me better. They leave a stamp on me that brands me in a good way. . maybe in ways I will never realize.

My passion for reading is more valuable to me than any PD book I could ever own. It is more valuable to me than any workshop. It is more helpful to me than any strategy, activity, or program. It will never fade, lose value, or need a new subscription. It goes with me, and it's easily shared.

That's a tool I cannot live without.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday, so I'm joining Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts in their weekly meme. We share our past, present and future reads for the week.

Afer not being able to read as much as I wanted to last week, I made it a point this week to read whenever I could. Reading for me is a necessity, not a luxury, not an add-on, not a when-I-can-get-to-it kind of thing. It's something I must do to be happy.

This week I read two books:

 

Infinity Ring by James Dashner (I read the ARC I picked up at ALA, but it's out now!)

 

 

This is an exciting adventure with lots of history mixed in! It's at the Book Fair now, and my students want to read it. It reminded me of the 39 Clues series since future installments in the series will have different authors. Check it out! 



 

from Amazon.com

Third Grade Angels by Jerry Spinelli

This is a classroom/school story of a boy who tries really hard to be good all the time at school and earn his "halo". I really enjoyed it! It teaches about responsibility and making good choices in a very fun way! 

 



 

What I'm reading now:

  

 

 

Skinny by Donna Cooner

 

I picked up this ARC at ALA this summer but haven't had the chance to read it.

Today, it feels like the right time for me to read this book. Do you ever feel like there is a right time for a certain book? It's hard for me to put it down, but that's exactly the kind of book I needed! This is a YA novel about a teen who faces the struggles of obesity and the decision she makes for herself. I can't wait to finish it.

 

What I WILL read:

 

Lately, my reading moods have been particular. I don't really know what I will read until I walk over to my shelves and take a look. I do know one book that's in my future:  SQUISH #4 by Matt and Jenni Holm! (I will also be reading a few grad school textbook chapters.)

 

Shoe choice today: My silver/orange Nikes that are great for a teacher to wear on a busy Monday!

 

 



Our Graffiti Wall

This is the Graffiti Wall outside my classroom. I got the idea from Donalyn Miller, author of The Book Whisperer. It's black butcher paper stapled to the wall. We will use it to write quotes/favorite lines from books we read. We'll write on it using metallic markers. Students will share their quotes with me, then I'll hand them a marker to write on the wall. My students will write the title of the book, the author's name, and the page number where the line can be found. (Again, all of these ideas are from Donalyn Miller.)

I didn't introduce it until the second week of school. I thought I'd establish my reading community first, and I think that was the right decision. To do this, we read some great picture books together:

We read:
C.R. Mudgeon by Leslie Muir & illustrated by Julian Hector (a sweet picture book about a hedgehog who is stuck in a rut!) His new neighbor is named Paprika, and she is VERY different. It's a great story about friendship.

 

 

 

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

This is a GREAT picture book about a bear who has lost his hat. It's a very clever, and it inspires a lot of debate/discussion. My 4th graders loved it. We still talk about this one. (Buy a copy for yourself!)

My students are reading more and more, and they are learning to spot quality writing. When I read picture books aloud, I highlight lines I think are really terrific.

Now when I read aloud, THEY are pointing out the lines to me.

"That should go on our wall," they say.
This was the first quote:

(Capture the Flag is a middle grade chapter book that's making its rounds in my classroom these days! Check out all of Kate Messner's books!)

When the wall is filled, I'll take a picture of it, take it down, and put up another sheet of butcher paper.

It's a display that doubles as a writing tool. But it's also a way we capture the word gems we come across. I'm anxious to see how it looks when it's filled!

Thanks, Donalyn! You continue to inspire teachers with your great ideas!

PD That Makes You Think

Have you ever been to a presentation where the speaker said so many interesting things you just wanted to write them ALL down? You try to write it all, but you just can't keep up. So many insightful things said. So many things you want to remember but just can't keyboard fast enough.

This was the case for me tonight. Luckily, I had Twitter, so I just tweeted out as much as I could.

Our speaker was Angela Maiers. She's an educator/speaker and the author of Passion Driven Classroom: a book I read this summer for a group study. Angela spoke about Twitter and its value. I'd heard her speak this summer, but this session was different and I learned more tonight.

But before she spoke to our faculty tonight, she stopped by my classroom this afternoon (accompanied by my principal). Imagine how excited and nervous I was!
My students showed Angela our classroom blog, and she had a GREAT discussion with them about blogging and tweeting (we just started tweeting as a class).

Angela Maiers in my classroom showcasing our blog!

I watched in pride and amazement. My students answered her questions with a brilliance that made me think just how privileged I am to be a teacher. Even though we've just been together for three weeks, my students have learned so much & all the credit goes to them! I realized then just how much we teach when we model in front of our students. Every time we blogged together, every time I modeled my own writing, and every time I shared my thinking with my students, learning was happening! I was so proud I couldn't speak.

At her presentation, Angela said a lot of insightful things about being connected and the value of information. But there's one concept that I am taking hold of tonight. And I'm blogging to share it here:

Our students must be digitally literate, and teachers must model this literacy just as they model reading and writing. (Book recommendation here: THE DIGITAL WRITING WORKSHOP by Troy Hicks. I read this one for my National Writing Project Summer Institute.)

This was my big AHA moment. This made me appreciate the importance of my contribution and participation. Every time I take part in digital forums & spaces, I experience something that prepares me to teach my students to do the same.

Reading, connecting, writing and learning! My students and I are on this journey together, but I'm traveling ahead to be ready!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Today, I'm joining Jen and Kellee over at Teach Mentor Texts in their Monday meme called "It's Monday! What are you reading?" We blog about what we've read and what we are reading now.

My reading this past week can best be described in the form of a math equation:

2 grad school assignments due in same week + lesson planning + many tasks related to teaching + reading some wonderful notebook entries + keeping to a writing deadline = 1 teacher who had little time to read but did so when she could (especially in front of her students so that they can see that she reads, too)

When solving the problem above, complete the part in parenthese first. ;-)

I'm not sure if that math equation makes any sense numerically, but I understand it perfectly.


I WAS able to finish these books:

THE ADVENTURES OF NANNY PIGGINS by R.A. Spratt (Illustrated by Dan Santat)
Published: 6/12/2012
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 272

This was a very entertaining and funny book! Nanny Piggins cares for the Green children, but she is not your typical nanny! She lets the kids eat all the sugar they want and does the same herself. This book made me laugh out loud, and I really needed it this busy week. It's full of crazy adventures with some very interesting characters. (Note: This book comes with a disclaimer from the author who warns the reader NOT to imitate Nanny's eating habits or behaviors. )

LEGENDS OF ZITA THE SPACEGIRL by Ben Hatke
Published: 9/4/12
Publisher: First Second
Pages: 224

This graphic novel is the sequel to ZITA THE SPACEGIRL (which is one of the Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees this year). My students can't wait to read this one, but they have to wait a day because I had to read it first! It was was just as good as the first one. I know I'll have a long list of students wanting to read this one.

What I am reading now:

THIRD GRADE ANGELS by Jerry Spinelli (I've had this since ALA.)

I hope my reading is better this week, and I think it will be. I only have one assignment due (and it's almost done).

My experience helped me realize how important reading is to me as a person--not just as a teacher.  I felt like I was missing out. Many great things were happening in books without me! Well-written words existed around me waiting for me to enjoy them! I could only do so if I opened a book!

Even though I was able to finish two books, I know I can do better. 

Thank goodness for a new week!

"Making your mark!"

Today is Internation Dot Day. The event is based on a wonderful book called THE DOT by Peter Reynolds. It's a really cute picture book about a teacher that inspires a student to be creative!

I read this to my class this week, and we celebrated by designing dots using paper and crayons, but they also created some wonderful work using our iPod Touches.

Here are a few of their pieces:

The students used apps such as Doodle Buddy or Whiteboard. I'm so proud of them! Our school will continue to celebrate Monday as we have all been asked to wear dots to school!

One of the book's messages is that we must "make our mark" on the world. With my students we've been discussing how to do just that. Fourth graders have many ideas on this.
I asked myself the same question: How will I make my mark on the world? But I wanted to know more about my mark. What IS my mark? What does it look like? Is it a mark worth leaving?

I'm considering these questions carefully. One thing I am sure of is this:  I've decided I want to my mark to have something to do with learning and literacy. Books and words have meant so much in my life! The fact that I am a reader has made a world of difference in the way I live, and I want the same advantages and MORE for the children I teach. I want the same for the children at my school. I want the same for ALL children. 

I'm making a mark each time I walk into my classroom, interact with a teacher, help a student, recommend a book, or serve on a campus committee. My mark will change, but hopefully, it will become more and more distinct, and more and more helpful.

Because it will be distinct, it cannot look like anyone else's. I shouldn't expect that! Others will make their mark, and I will make mine.

I'm still considering these questions.

How will YOU make your mark on the world?

***********************************************************************
SHOE CHOICE FOR THE DAY: Even though the weather is cooler, I stuck to my flat brown sandals with leggings today. But it feels like fall so I'm thinking about my boots now!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

On most Mondays, I join Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts in their meme called "It's Monday! What are you reading?" We discuss our reading for the week and share what we will read in the future.

This week was super hectic! It seems all things converged this week to make it practically impossible to finish a book: a presentation/meeting, Curriculum Night, and a headache that made it painful for me to read. Plus, I had two big assignments due today (one for my grad class) which took up a lot of time.

My only reading time came before the day started. Each morning, before my students walked through the door, I managed to sit down for a little bit at my desk and take in a few pages. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than no reading at all. DIVERGENT was my book of choice (an excellent YA novel). I'm close to finishing and the second book is waiting for me.

The last book I finished was THE YEAR OF THE BOOK by Andrea Cheng.

THE YEAR OF THE BOOK by Andrea Cheng
PUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
PUBLICATION DATE: May 22, 2012

I really enjoyed this book. It's about a friendship between two very girls with different backgrounds. It's about the love of reading. It's about understanding others. It's about showing compassion and learning from differences. I highly recommend it.

I also read two chapters in my grad textbooks for my class. Reading these chapters really helped me understand what my students must do as they read expository text.

This week of merging deadlines and hard-to-come-by-reading-time made me realize something: HAVING READING TIME IS SUCH A GREAT THING.

Is it something others take for granted?

I wonder.

Check Your Success!

Teachers are notorious for having long to-do lists. My list has no end it seems. I look at it in hope & despair at the same time. There's always so much I want to do for my students and my school. There's always so much to learn.

But while I focus on the things that haven't been done, I lose sight of the the things that are completed. They are gone and forgotten.
I'm thinking that's a mistake. Maybe to fuel my work, I need to REMEMBER what's been accomplished.

Here I go:
Set up Reader's Workshop: check
Set up Writer's Workshop: check
Introduced blogging to class: check
Students building reading stamina to 35 minutes: check
Tweeting as a class: check
Having students begin to work together:  check
Students seeking answers to their own questions: check
Presented to fellow team leaders: check
Had a successful Curriculum Night with parents: check
Matching books with readers: check
Started faculty book club: check
Began my second grad class of my second master's: check

I think I feel a little better! Really!

I know. That list of mine is still just as long.
But I'm a little happier to complete it now that I can see what's behind me. 
Now I'm off to get some more things checked off.

And remembered.

SHOE CHOICE THIS WEEK:
FLATS. Finally wore my silver glittery TOMS. They hold up & shine at the same time.

The Beginning of Reader's Workshop

We had our first day of Reader's Workshop yesterday. After having built up to 30 minutes of solid independent reading in a quiet environment, I introduced my students to the format of RW. I had them find their own place to read, and though there was no writing in our Reader's Notebooks yet, they were productive. Pages are being read! Here are their reactions!

 

 



 

 

 

I've already had mini-lessons about how to take care of books, how readers choose books, and this week we will learn about choosing a "just right" book.

 

The launch of Reader's Workshop takes time. I must always remind myself of that.

 

 The lessons will come. Progress will be made. But right now, we are settling in to our routine of reading together as a class.

 

I'm reading with my students, too.

 

 



Let Them Read

This has been the first full week of school. The supply kits have been opened, the notes have been sent home, and schedules are slowly falling into place.

It has also been a week of good reading for my new students. They are digging into the classroom library and bringing their own books from home, too. Each day we are reading more and more, building our reading stamina.

The conversations are beginning, too. During discussions and impromptu conferences, students will share their excitement about a series, or compare one book to another. I am seeing my students return to the same box in our library, and I am beginning to learn their preferences. One student cannot get enough of anything written by Rick Riordan. Another has just about read every one of my graphic novels. (Need to buy more!) One student has now decided that she will read every Nancy Drew book because they're mentioned in the Judy Moody books. Yeah!

One group of girls is sharing books. Their own impromptu book club!

When we have a few minutes here and there in the day (separate from our Reader's Workshop time), my students are all beginning to open their books and read. Some are taking their books to lunch to read while they wait in line.

These are great happenings that make me happier than a new pair of shoes. How do they come about? I think my classroom library has something to do with it, as well as the fact that I have shared my own passion for reading AND that I read with them.
One other part to this is the class read-aloud that starts and ends our day.
I also give credit to The Book Whisperer, a wonderful book by teacher Donalyn Miller.

The Reader's Notebooks and conferences come next week. Little layers get added on each day as this teacher observes her students and determines their needs and preferences.  But no matter what gets added on, there is always a time for reading. My students can count on the time. With each passing day of this, they come to appreciate reading even more. As I continue to support them with conferences and mini-lessons, this will only grow.