Moon Over Manifest Winner of the 2011 Newbery Medal

Written by Clare Vanderpool

Copyright 2010

Published by Delacorte Press

Reading level: ages 9-11, grades 4-6, Lexile measure 800L, DRA 50

Suggested delivery: independent read or small group read
Genre: Historical fiction

Insightful ~ Powerful ~ A gripping story ~ Historical ~ Interesting

Summary: 

Twelve year old, Abilene who lives a rough live with her father is sent away for the summer to a town called Manifest to live with a friend. Jumping on a train to Kansas, Abilene is on a mission to find out what kind of person her father once was. After arriving to the dry and unexciting town, Abilene soon realizes that there is something here to keep her on her toes. She ends up finding old letters which mention a spy named Rattler. With the help of these letters and her new friends, Abilene is on a spy-hunt. During her hunt, Abilene discovers from a fortune tellers that Manifest once held history, and many secrets. New information keeps Abilene on her mission to learn more about her father's history as a boy. She soon finds out that many of the stories weave many different people together.

Vocabulary to Know:

Antiquity: an artifact surviving from the past

Armistice: a state of peace agreed between opponents so they can discuss peace terms

Bauble: trinket; trifle

Bona Fide: not counterfeit of copied

Cantakerous: ill tempered and disagreeable

Discombobulated: discomposed; confused

Suggested Lesson Ideas:

+Before Reading Activity: For a book like this one, Shared Reading is a great way to get students reading aloud to each other and practicing with their fluency without them realizing it. It is always good to have students reading together than always by themselves, this way they can talk about what they just read and gather ideas and answer each others' questions. After shared reading, it is also always good to go over the few pages or chapter than was just read. Always be sure to follow up on their reading so that there are no misconceptions.

+During Reading Activity: Text to Self, Text to Text, and Text to World! What a great way to get students thinking. I have learned so much about this activity. This is a great way for students to be able to make connections to themselves, the world and other texts based on this book. When students have to make connections in three different ways, they really have to think about how to make those connections. "Moon Over Manifest" will provide students with many opportunities to do this.

+After Reading Activity: Questioning the Author is a great tool to have students go beyond the text and questions why a certain part of the text and wonder why the author thought it was important. With this, students can critically think about a particular passage in the book or a certain chapter and question the author's intentions. 
+Writing Activity: Have students describe in detail the last memento given to Abilene by her father at the end of the story. Have the students describe its significance. 

For Further Knowledge and Exploration...

Want your questions answered about Clare Vanderpool? Check out her website!
http://www.clarevanderpool.com/

Clare Vanderpool

Book Trailer

 

Pura BelPre Award Winner: Esperanza Rising

Written by Pam Munoz Ryan

Copyright 2000

Published by Scholastic Inc.

Reading level: ages 8-12, grades 4+, Lexile measure 750L, DRA 50

Suggested Delivery: read aloud, independent read

Beautiful ~ Courageous ~  Historical ~ Creative ~ Hopeful

Summary:

Esperanza Ortega has always lived a life of luxury on a large ranch in Mexico with her mama and papa. That all comes to an end when her papa is murdered in an ambush and her beautiful home catches fire and burns down. Together with her mother, they have no choice but to move their life and all that they have left to California and start over. After a difficult journey by train to California, they finally arrive and find out that life is not as easy as they had been used to. When Esperanza's mama falls ill with Valley Fever, Esperanza is on her own to learn how to earn money. Through an emotional journey, the pampered Esperanza learns about hard work and compassion as she grows into a young woman.

Vocabulary to Know:

Quinceaneras: a Hispanic tradition of celebrating a young girl's coming of age- her 15th birthday

Bandit: or robber/outlaw

Beggar: a person who begs; lives off of begging

Immigration: to come to a country of which one is not native, usually for permanent residence  

Valley Fever: a disease cause by inhaling dirt or fungi characterized by fever, respiratory infection, and reddish bumps on the skin, common in hot, semiarid regions, especially in southwestern U. S. and Mexico

Manual labor: or manual work is physical work done by people, most especially in contrast to that done by machines, and also to that done by working animals

Strike: a concerted stopping of work or withdrawal of workers' services, as to compel an employer to accede to workers' demands or in protest against terms or conditions imposed by an employer

Suggested Lesson Ideas:

+Before Reading Activity: Student Questions or Purposeful Learning could be done before reading this book to guide students in their thinking. Generating questions to guide instruction will help students to better understand and comprehend what they are reading. Get the students thinking about character change, and how Esperanza starts out in the beginning of the book and how she evolves throughout the book and to the end. 

OR:

An Anticipation Guide can also help to get students thinking critically. Check out this guide found from Scholastic! 

Proverb	Agree / Disagree
The rich person is richer when he becomes poor, than the poor person when he becomes rich.
There is no rose without thorns.
He who falls today, may rise tomorrow. The person who does not look ahead stays behind.

 http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/esperanza-rising-storia-teaching-guide

+During Reading Activity: Give students a Concept Map to fill out as they read "Esperanza Rising" this concept map will hep them to keep track of the main character, Esperanza and her journey as she grows up and changes. Try out this character map! Give this to students when they first begin reading and again when they have finished reading, to see how the main character has changed over time.

+After Reading Activity: Use SPAWN Writing as a post activity! It is a great comprehension strategy. SPAWN stands for S: special powers, P: problem solving, A: alternative viewpoints, W: what if?, N: next. For this activity, you as the teacher will pick which letter you want to focus on based on what has been read. For example, with "Esperanza Rising" you could focus on letter P and have students focus in on the main character and how she solves arising problems in the story. As a class you could brainstorm how this activity will be done. Write some ideas down on the board to get the students thinking about what they will need to do on their own. For example, start a list of some of the problems that come about in the beginning of the story and ask the class how the main character goes about solving them, then send the students to work independently on the rest.
+Writing Activity: In the beginning of the story, the reader sees two parents who love their daughter. What kind of life do Esperanza's parents prepare her for? This writing activity allows for students to think back to the beginning of the book when Esperanza's father was alive, and the love that her parents demonstrated. Students also have to think back to all of the important events in the book, and how Esperanza's parent's love shaped her into a young girl.
http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/esperanza-rising/shortessay.html#gsc.tab=0

"Do not be afraid to start over"

 "There is no rose without thorns"

 

 

For Further Knowledge and Exploration...

Map of Mexico and Aguascalientes

Learn more about the author!
http://www.pammunozryan.com/

Check out this video interview with the author from Reading Rockets!
http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/ryan

A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray

Written by Ann M. Martin

Copyright 2005

Published by Scholastic Press

Reading level: grades 3-5, ages 8-12, Lexile measure 870L

Suggested delivery: independent read, read aloud
Genre: Animal stories, Autobiography

Touching ~ Loving ~ Heartwarming ~ A Great Story ~ Beautifully Written

Summary:

Newbury Honor author Ann Martin tells a story from the point of view of a stray dog. Squirrel and her brother Bone start out their lives as puppies living in a toolshed behind someone's home. Their nurturing mother tends to their needs and cares for them by teaching them the skills they will need when they grow up as stray dogs like her. But to their shock, their mother is taken away, leaving her young puppies to fend for themselves. They two of them face busy highways, the changing of seasons, and gentle and brutal people. But just like that, Bone and Squirrel also become separated. Now, on her own, Squirrel is left to fend for herself and see where new friends and paths take her. 

Vocabulary to Know:

Stray: a domestic animal found wandering without a owner

Predator: an animal that lives my hunting other animals for food

Abandon: to leave forever, to give up

Wary: cautious and careful

Rabid: Affected with rabies, an often fatal disease that can affect humans, dogs, bats, and other warm-blooded animals. Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the brain and spinal cord and is spread by the bite of an infected animal

Venture: To put yourself at risk by doing something daring or dangerous

Scrounge: To get things from people without paying

Instinct: Behavior that is natural rather than learned

Suggested Lesson Ideas:

+Before Reading Activity: Use a Pattern Guide to help students understand why the text in the book is organized the way that it is. For example, in Ann Martin's book, she has divided the book into 4 different parts. With the students, you could discuss why it is that the author chose to divide the book this way, and what made her decide to include "parts" versus just only having chapters. This activity will help students to understand the book when they go to read it independently or even if it was read as a read aloud.

+During Reading Activity: Directed Reading is a good way to keep students focused and interested in what they are reading. This 3 part activity has students splitting their notebooks into 3 sections: one for making predictions, one for evidence found during reading to support those predictions, and another for reasons/evidence that does not support the predictions. This activity keeps students thinking ahead, while proving their predictions right or wrong, while also learning to pull information/evidence from the book itself.

+After Reading Activity: Provide the students with an opinion worksheet. An opinionnaire is a tool for eliciting attitudes about a topic. Opinionnaires can help students to design their own opinions based on what they have read and learned. This is a great post reading activity, because it has students re-visit opinions that they may have made while first reading the book. With this activity, you'll want to make it clear that there are no right and wrong answers, only opinions! 

Check out this worksheet that could be used as a starter:

+Writing Activity: After reading "A Dog's Life", have students pick a part of the story that really stood out to them. After, they will use the writing bubble shown below to write how they think Squirrel felt during that time. They will be writing their own version of Squirrel's thoughts. They should think back to the book, and details about the event they have chosen to complete this assignment. After they have completed writing, their final draft will be written in the thought bubble. The thought bubble will be presented above the dog, which students can color after they've written. These are a great visual that can be hung around the room!

For Further Knowledge and Exploration...

Author Ann M. Martin and her dog

"A Dog's Life The Autobiography of a Dog" Book Trailer

http://www.teachertube.com/video/a-dog039s-life-the-autobiography-of-a-stray-136748

How to help stray dogs:

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/what_to_do_stray_pet.html

National Book Award Winner: Brown Girl Dreaming

Written by Jacqueline Woodson

Copyright 2014
Published by Nancy Paulsen Books
Reading level: ages 11-13, grades 4-6, Lexile measure 990L
Suggested delivery: independent read, small group
Genre: Autobiography and Biography, Poetry and Rhymes

 

Memorable ~ Powerful ~ Thoughtful ~  Moving ~ Poetic

Summary:

As a young girl raised in South Carolina and New York, Jacqueline had trouble knowing that she had a home in two different places so far from one another. Woodson is creative in the way that she creates several poems to tell her live story, and what it was like to grow up as a young African American in the 1960's. Each poem in her book leaves the reader emotionally engaged. The poems allow for one to visualize Woodson's life as she did, and how as a young girl, she searches for her own place in the world. 

Vocabulary to Know:

Civil Rights movement: The national effort made by black people and their supporters in the 1950s and 1960s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights

Ethnicity: a social group that shares a common and distinctive culture, religion, or language

Memoir: a record of events written by a person having personal knowledge of them and based on personal observation

Negro: relating to, or characteristic of one of the traditional racial divisions of humankind, generally marked by brown to black skin pigmentation, dark eyes, and tightly curled hair and including especially the indigenous peoples of Africa south of the Sahara

Segregation: the act of separating, or setting apart of people or things from others or from the main group

Race: refers to groups of people who have differences and similarities in biological traits deemed by society to be socially significant

Jacqueline Woodson

 

Suggested Lesson Ideas:

+Before Reading Activity: A really great before reading activity to do with students would be to conduct a Read, Write, Pair, and Share. You could have the students pre-read articles related to the history of "Brown Girl Dreaming" in order to give them some great background knowledge prior to reading the book. After they read, have them write about what they read (thoughts, feelings, questions etc.), after that you can then have the students come together in partners to then share their thoughts and what they wrote about. This type of activity is an excellent way to get students thinking about what they will be reading. 

+During Reading Activity: Fishbowl Discussions are an interactive way to get students thinking about what they are reading. A fishbowl discussion is when you have a few selected students sit in the center of the classroom while the rest of the students sit around them. The students in the center discuss a certain topic, while the ones on the outside of the circle listen or take notes on what is being discussed by their fellow classmates. As a teacher, you could provide the students with thoughtful prompts to get them to better comprehend their reading, discuss a particular problem in the book etc. "Brown Girl Dreaming" would be a great book to use for a Fishbowl Discussion.

+After Reading Activity: Response Writing is a way in which you have the chance to communicate a particular viewpoint to a book you've just finished reading. In response writing, it is great to be able to make connections, ask unanswered questions, but it is not necessarily intended to be a comprehension test. 

A good response paper could include the following:

l. What (meanings, values, etc.) was the author trying to promote?

2. What is my personal position relative to the author's

3. How has reading and reflecting on this affected my lived world experience?

+Writing Activity: Woodson wrote her book by writing several poems. Have student create their own "I Am Poems" following the template shown below. Before sending students on their own to write, I would recommend completing a sample "I Am Poem" so that they all know how the poem works. Students' poems should be well developed and edited by the teacher. After students have finished the draft of their poem, have them put it on the final template. These poems can be hung around the room for other to see!

For Further Knowledge and Exploration...

Learn more about Jacqueline Woodson

http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/ 

A Reading Rockets video interview

http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/woodson

Jacqueline Woodson talks about her book "Brown Girl Dreaming"

The Turtle of Oman

Written by Naomi Shihab Nye and illustrated by Betsy Peterschmidt

Copyright 2014

Published by Greenwillow Books

Reading level: ages 8-10, Lexile measure 700L

Suggested delivery: read aloud or independent read
Genre: Fiction

Exquisite ~ Nature loving ~ Gentle ~ Adventurous ~ Intelligent

Summary:

In this novel, a young boy, Aref from Oman is moving with his family all the way across the ocean to Michigan. Aref does not want to leave the life that he has always known, and move to a new place. Aref loves so much about Oman, including his friends, his school and of course his grandfather. For several days Aref refuses to pack his suitcase, and continues to tell his mother that he does not want to move. So, to pass the time Aref and his grandfather, Sidi go on fabulous adventures, including a visit to the camp of a thousand stars that sits deep in the desert. This novel is one which explores the many different themes of moving, family and nature, while having an attention grabbing story with each turn of the page.

Vocabulary to Know:

Muscat: a city in Oman

Cold-blooded: pertaining to animals such as fish and reptiles, whose blood temperature ranges from the freezing point upward

Oasis: a small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually having a spring or a well

Turban: a man's headdress consisting of a long cloth made of silk, linen or cotton, worn directly around the head

Sandstorm: a windstorm, especially in a desert, the blows along great clouds of sand

Suggested Lesson Ideas:

+Before Reading Activity: An Anticipation Guide can be a useful technique to use with students. Anticipations Guides can relate to main ideas, setting, purpose of the story, and objective questions. Provide students with an anticipation guide in order to prepare them for the reading whether it be an independent read or a read aloud. Students will be able to organize their ideas and thought about the story they're about to read.
+During Reading Activity: Generative Reading is an activity that really gets the students involved! It allows students to be independent readers. They can read chapters in the book and then you an have them come up with questions (about 5 or so) to discuss with the rest of the class. As a teacher, you can model what should be done before sending them on their own. Students love having a sense of independence and this is a great way to do so.
+After Reading Activity: Found Poems are so creative! Found Poetry is a type of poetry where you take words, phrases and sometimes whole passages from other sources and reframe them as poetry but making changes in the spacing and lines, or by adding and deleting some of the text to create new meaning. "The Turtle of Oman" is just a thoughtful book that would be great for an activity like this one. Students will have the chance to be creative, while also using what they have learned from the book to create a poem of their own.
+Writing Activity: After reading "The Turtle of Oman" have students write about how they would feel if they have to travel, and move all the way across the world to a new place. Have them write about what they would feel, would they be scared or excited and why? Students can relate to the main character and his feelings. Students can write in their writing journals for this assignment.

For Further Knowledge and Exploration...

Map of Oman

 

Learn more about turtles in Oman!
http://www.omantourism.gov.om

Learn more about the Oman culture
http://www.omansultanate.com/culture.htm

Turtle in Oman

Newbery Honor 2015: El Deafo

Written by Cece Bell and color by David Lasky

Copyright 2014
Published by Amulet Books
Reading Level: grades 4-6, ages 8-12
Suggested Delivery: independent read
Genre: Graphic Novel, Non-Fiction

Loving ~ Funny ~ Different ~ Unforgettable ~ Powerful

 

Summary:

"El Deafo" is a powerful and moving story of a young girl who at a very young age learns that she will no longer be able to hear like she used to. Not only will Cece need to learn to cope with her hearing issue, but she is moving to a new home and starting a new school, while leaving her old home and friends behind. At her new school, Cece realizes that the other kids are not deaf like she is. But soon, Cece will learn that with her Phonic Ear she can become El Deafo, and learn to use her hearing difference to her advantage. This graphic novel memoir is all about growing up, and learning to make all of the embarrassing moments something to laugh at in the end.  

Vocabulary to Know:

Deaf: partially or completely lacking the ability to hear; unable to hear

Sign language: also called sign; any of several visual gestural systems of communication, especially employing manual gestures, as used among deaf people

Meningitis: inflammation of the meninges, especially of the pia mater and arachnoid, caused by a bacterial or viral infection and characterized by high fever, severe headache, and stiff neck or back muscles.

Audiologist: the study of hearing disorders 

Hearing aid: a compact electronic amplifier worn to improve one's hearing, usually placed behind the ear

A sneak peak at "El Deafo"

Suggested Lessons:

+Before Reading Activity: An awesome activity to do before or after reading this book would be to have a Guest Speaker. Having the author of this book come to the school or your classroom to talk about how she grew up, and tell her story would be a great experience for all. Even if the author of the book could not make it to the school, a virtual guest speaker would work just as well. The author of the book could speak via computer. Guest Speakers can give students a new and different outlook on the book they are reading as well as a better understanding of what they are reading.

+During Reading Activity: Another great activity that can be done would be to use Padlet. Padlet is a website which is interactive for students and teachers. Teachers can post a question or a comment and then students can go on and respond to that question or comment. The students' comments are anonymous, which allows for all students to fell comfortable in posting. http://padlet.com/schnitmank/869lcyhayr5o  Check out this link for an example!

+After Reading Activity: Have students write an informative/explanatory text to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. Students can write about what they have learned by reading "El Deafo" (Grade 3-5). Have students write an informative/explanatory text to examine a topic, convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization and analysis of relevant content (Grade 6).
+Writing Activity: Talk about Cece and the many different friends that she encountered as she grew up. Talk about how they treated Cece and how those interactions affected Cece. After discussing, have students write a narrative piece where they can imagine that they were a new friend to a deaf person at their school. Have them write about how they would interact with the new student. The students should use details from the text to help them. 

+Padlet! So many ways to use Padlet. Check this out and see how you could use it!
http://padlet.com/schnitmank/869lcyhayr5o

For Further Knowledge and Exploration...

 Check out this site to hear an NPR interview with the author of "El Deafo"!

http://www.npr.org/2014/12/14/369599042/el-deafo-how-a-girl-turned-her-disability-into-a-superpower

Watch this video and see Cece Bell herself as she describes her book "El Deafo"

Cece Bell's site!

https://cecebell.wordpress.com/coming-soon/

2010 Newbery Medal Winner: When You Reach Me

Written by Rebecca Stead

Copyright 2009

Published by Wend Lamb Books

Reading Level: grades 6-8, Lexile measure: 750L

Suggested Delivery: independent read, or read aloud
Genre: Historical fiction, Science fiction

Clever ~ Mysterious ~ Friendly ~ Smart ~ Unforgettable

Summary:

Mysterious letters are about the change Miranda's life...

As a sixth grader, Miranda has already mastered New York City. She can easily navigate her way around the city with her best friend Sal. Living in the city, they know where it is safe to go, and all the places they should avoid. Things begin to get crazy for Miranda when she begins to receive mysterious letters from an anonymous person. She starts to wonder who these letters could be from, and how she is finding them in the strangest spots. But when the notes keep on coming, Miranda realizes that the person who is leaving them knows a lot about her... things that have not even happened yet! She will come to find out that each note will bring her closer to figuring everything out.

Vocabulary to Know:

Omen: a sign of something about to happen

Obstruct: shut out from view, or get in the way as to hide from sight

Nasal: sounding as if the nose were pinched

Prosecutor: a government official who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state

Prolong: lengthen in time, cause to be or last longer

Pending: awaiting conclusion or confirmation

Epilepsy: a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by loss of consciousness and convulsions

Plea:  a humble request for help

Suggested Lesson Ideas:

+Before Reading Activity: For this book I think that a good activity would be to perform a Vocabulary Self-Awareness before reading. In doing this type of activity, it prompts students to understand words that they will encounter while reading. Also, in doing this activity, students will be prepared to understand what they are reading better, due to the fact they challenging or key words have already been reviewed. (See list of key words above)
+During Reading Activity: Concepts Maps are a really great strategy to use in the classroom. A concept map is a visual organizer, which can be used for any content area, that helps to make connections to what is being learned. For a mystery book, this could be very useful for many students so that they will be able to connect their life to the book, make predictions, and to outline the major events that took place. 
+After Reading Activity: After reading the book, have students discuss cause and effect. When reading a story, it is important to note the causes and effects of important events. A cause leads to an event. It is the reason the event happens. An effect is what happens as a result of an action. Understanding how events are related will help you understand the story as a whole. Give students a cause and effect map that they can fill out. They will have to use their knowledge from reading and what they remember from the book in order to fill out the map.
+Writing Activity: After reviewing the themes in "When You Reach Me" have students respond to the prompt - Friendship is an important them in "When You Reach Me". Can you cite an example to support this theme? Name two other themes and cite examples to support your answer.
This prompt gets students thinking about themes in books, and why they are important to a book. This also has students thinking back on the text in order to better understand the theme of friendship in this book.
http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/when-you-reach-me/essaytopics.html#gsc.tab=0

 

For Further Knowledge and Exploration...

Want to learn more about the author, Rebecca Stead? Check out her website!
http://www.rebeccasteadbooks.com/

Author Rebecca Stead

Are you curious about New York City? Check out this site!
http://www.nycgo.com/