The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker

I read, and enjoyed The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker-- I think that this is a wonderful book to encourage individuality and creativity- it will show students that no matter what they think, they are talented in many ways. I related to the story because I recall being very apprehensive in expressing what I believed were my talents when I was younger, only through maturation and support was I able to "break out of my shell" and start living life to it's fullest!

Made You Look by Diane Roberts

I really liked this book- I thought it was very clever and realistic. This is the story of a young boy named Jason, who wants more than anything to be on his favorite game show Masquerade Mania- when his family tells him that they are heading to California, he was sure that he finally had his chance to shine!- Until he found out that he was going camping....with his family...."oh how fun"...... MY favorite part was when Jason's mom turned his underwear pink- that is priceless.... every boys worst nightmare. I think this book would be a great read for children of all ages- it's funny and easy to read.

This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong

I recently submitted a book reivew on the Barnes&Noble website for this book! I absolutely love her work, and this book is one of my favorites- check out Barnes&Noble.com and write your own book review, on any title you want! It's actually pretty cool-

Upside Down and Backwards by Diane Bertrand

I read the book Upside Down and Backwards by Diane Bertrand

I really enjoyed this book! I like how it had all kinds of stories compacted into one crazy and funny book! I like how Monica described her worm "Wormia is my worm. She is slimy like Jelly on bread." I would definitely use this book in my classroom to show how important equality and individuality is within languages. I skimmed through the spanish side, and it only made me wish that I was able to speak spanish! The language looked so pretty, and I was curious to hear what it sounded like being read aloud.

Craft Lesson 3: How we are Different: Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs

Resource Material: The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs and a picture of brothers and sisters.

Discussion:
Everyone knows that when you have siblings, people expect you to be either vastly different or completely the same. I know that this myth of siblings acting the same because they look the same was broken with my younger sister and me. We look almost identical even though we are 5 years apart, and while our mannerisms are the same, we are two completely different and unique people. I would incorporate each book with a compare and contrast on the characters, I would use a Venn diagram to display how the billy goats and the three little pigs were alike and how they were different. Then I would bring it into focus: being unique in a world full of people.

How to Teach It:
I would first have all of the students put the pictures of their siblings up on the board (for those students who were only children, I would ask them to bring either a picture of their best friends or cousins, or have them draw a picture of what they would want their sibling to look like), and I would have each child introduce themselves and those in the photos. I would ask each student which one of their siblings they were most like and which they differed from the most. As a class we would then read the stories and I would have each story set up with a Venn diagram so that we could discuss how the characters were the “same” and how they were “different.” I would make it a point to explain that although the stories’ characters share many similarities (much like each student does with his/her siblings) they are very unique in their own ideas, thoughts, and actions. After reading the story I would ask the students to make a list of how they believe they are LIKE their siblings, and how they believe they are DIFFERENT than their siblings. This lesson would teach the children that even though they are one of two or three in the family, they have so many things to offer that maybe their other students do not. I would also include my own example of how my sister and I are alike and different to show the kids that I can relate.

Related Topics: gender differences, maturity, individuality, strengths

Craft Lesson2: Where Does Luck Come From: This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong

Craft Lesson 2: Where does Luck come from: This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong

Resource Material:
This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong. Every child will bring something that they feel is lucky.
Discussion:
There are so many items that hold value to people for many different reasons. We deem a thing “lucky” or “good” for many different reasons; maybe it’s lucky because the person who gave it to you was a good person, or maybe something good happened on the day you received it—any way you look at it, this item holds a special place in your heart. This book shows different superstitions that are supposed to bring you luck (ex. When your palms itch, you are supposed to be coming into some money soon). I would like to talk to the students about what they feel makes them good.
How to Teach It:
How many of you feel like you are a good person? What makes you feel lucky? Is there a certain object that you carry with you that brings you luck? (Then I would pull out the object that I feel makes me lucky to show the class.) I would say, “I always have this picture with me, because I think that when I have it, good things happen to me.” I would go on and let each child stand up and show their object and give a short explanation on why they believe it brings them luck. When we read the book, I would point out the different cultural superstitions that are supposed to bring good things. For example, lighting a string of firecrackers is supposed to ward off bad things for the Next New Year. Then as a class, we would think of things that Americans think are lucky (ex. rabbit’s foot, four leaf clover, pennies on the ground). I would have researched some of the more common good luck charms, and give the students a quick background on why these objects were considered lucky , and tie in traditions based on those facts. We have traditions that we learn from our ancestors, certain things that we believe, and although we are not sure why we believe them, we continue to pass them on to the generations after us.
Related Topics: Traditions, History, Superstitions

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer by Walt Whitman is a book about a young boy who hears an astronomer speak. Then all at once he becomes tired and sick, and goes off by himself to look at the stars in silence. Once again, this book stands out to me because of it's amazing artwork- the lack of text and plot are made up by visual quality. While I would not use this book in my classroom, I have to applaud the beautiful pictures.

Los Gatos Black on Halloween

Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes is a book about halloween with both english and spanish words in it. Each page is attributed to an aspect of halloween from the black cats, to pumpkins, to ghosts and witches. The artwork is stunning and I think it really makes the book amazing! I really enjoyed how every aspect of halloween was identified in spanish (ex. los Fantasmas= ghosts). I'm not really a big fan of halloween in all honesty, however this book has given me a jumping off point for lessons in October!

Craft Lesson 1: Something out of Nothing: Dumpster Diver by Janet S. Wong

Craft Lesson 1: Something out of Nothing: Dumpster Diver by Janet Wong

Resource Material: Dumpster Diver by Janet S. Wong, each child will bring one “thing” from home that they view as trash.

Discussion: Everyone has heard the old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” – well I think that this book is a perfect example of turning nothing into something. This lesson will spark the students’ creativity, and make them think outside of their normal realm. By allowing each child to bring to class something that he/she would normally throw away (ex. toilet paper rolls, empty cereal boxes etc…) we will have a conglomeration of items with which to build our masterpiece!

How to Teach It:
Today I want you all to notice the pile of stuff we have on the floor at the front of the classroom. Now most of you are thinking, EW, there is trash on the floor. But as we learned in our book, though this is trash to some, to us, it is the necessities for a masterpiece! Just like Steve, we are going to be the dumpster divers today, and build something amazing from all that we have here in front of us. We can build it as big or as small as we choose, the only stipulation is that it must serve a purpose— now this can be a REAL or a MAKE BELIEVE purpose, but it must have a function. I have supplied scissors, glue, and a few pieces of poster board for us to use—
Now before we actually start building, I want us to brainstorm on the board—I’ll give everyone a chance to go to the front of the classroom (by tables) and look at what we have to work with, and when you come back to your table, I want you to raise your hand and tell me what you think we could make out of all of these treasures. Once we have brainstormed as a class, we will begin making our masterpiece as a team. We will each take turns putting something into our creation.

Related topics: Teamwork, Art

I love Saturdays y Domingos

I read the book I Love Saturdays Y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada, and I really liked it. It was about a young girl who spent time with both sets of grandparents on the weekends, on Saturdays it was with her grandma and grandpa and Sundays was with abuelita and abuelito. I love how this little girl speaks english and spanish when she needs to. She goes places with both sets, and talks about what they see, and also what they cook for her. (and when I read huevos rancheros- my mouth was watering) The book is really interesting to me because as it progressed, I can begin to decifer the spanish words by looking at the correlating english ones!

I think this would be a GREAT book to use for any bilingual students in the classroom- and also to open the other student's eyes to the spanish culture.

The Name Jar

I recently read The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. It's about a young Korean girl (UnHei) who begins school in a new class- upon entering her new classroom, she realizes that all of the children's names are very different from hers. When the students ask her what her name is she replies " I haven't chosen one yet". The students then take it upon themselves to fill a jar with names that they believe UnHei can chose from. In the end, UnHei decides to keep her Korean name. I really liked this book because once again it touches on culture and the importance of being who you are.

Graduation Pictures!!!!

My Name is Maria Isabel

over the weekend, i read the book My Name is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada. The book was about a little girl named Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez, whose family moves to a new city-- forcing Maria to switch schools. She is taken away from her friends and the life she once knew. When she arrives at her school, her teacher tells her that there are too many Maria's in the class already, and decides to call Maria "Mary". Maria doesn't say anything at the time, but as the class progresses, she is constantly getting in trouble for not answering the teacher when she is called upon. Oddly enough, what the teacher doesn't realize is that "mary" is not her realy name-- so of course she is going to have trouble answering to it. In the end, Maria is able to show her teacher that what is most important to her is to be called be her real name- Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez. I really enjoyed this book, because of the way it simplifies the multicultural concept. Names are really important, and I don't believe that anyone has the right to call you by anything other than your god given name regardless of how many other children share your name. I feel that a persons name is often something very important to them--and to be called by another name because it's easier is simply insulting. I know that the thought of someone changing my name, even if it's just slightly would not only bother me, but it would give me the impression that somehow I was not as important as the other students who were able to keep their names. I look forward to introducing this book to my classroom, accompanied by a lesson on the importance of individual voice and creativity.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just wanted everyone reading this to know that TODAY is my best friend Maddie's birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read Aloud

Yesterday I read the Book This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong. I became a fan of Wong last semester in my children's Lit class, and luckily I get to expand on my knowledge of her this semester! My favorite book of hers is Dumpster Diver, but she has several others...

Davin Caleb

Davin Caleb 11-03-06