Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Who is reading what and why?

Posted on October 8, 2014 by carriegelson

My students are very pleased to be reacquainting themselves with the classroom library after a long summer/strike break. I have been book talking, highlighting specific bins and handing particular books to particular readers for particular reasons. We haven’t done a huge focus on nonfiction titles yet but still, many are being read around the room. I always find it so interesting to see what is popular at any given time in my Grade 3/4 classroom.

Who is reading what? And why? A few highlights:

Weird but True titles by National Geographic Kids do not stay in their assigned basket. They are hugely popular with many students who love to read all of the facts and quiz each other. They would happily do this for hours.

Tigers by Valerie Bodden – part of The Amazing Animal series (published 2009) This book made its way into one child’s book box yesterday because, “I keep thinking about tigers and my book box is needing some books with information. I LOVE tigers. I am so excited!”

This Disgusting Critters series (published 2014) by Elise Gravel, is adored, as I suspected it would be. We are in the middle of a little art project to make our own disgusting critter in Gravel’s style. Of course, now these titles are even more popular.

“Can I read The Slug next?”

“Is there a list? I haven’t read The Rat yet.”

“When is the next one of these coming out? Can you buy it?

A Rock is Lively written by Diana Hutts Aston and illustrated by Sylvia Long (published 2012) One of my students has discovered this beautiful book and spends a lot of her free time examining its gorgeous pages. She has made lists of her favourite rocks and is now looking at rocks in our classroom rock collection to see what she might be able to identify.

Top 50 Deadliest Creatures by Camilla De La Bdoyre (published 2012)

I don’t know what it is about this book but almost every time we have a guest to our room, one child will go off in search of this title to read aloud. A visiting student teacher got to listen to some amazing facts about ferocious creatures today. I didn’t buy this book. It came in as a donation and ever since it travels from book box to book box being read by many.

What is popular in your nonfiction library right now?

Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2014. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!

My goal is to read 65 nonfiction picture books for 2014. Progress: 110/65 complete!

Monday October 6th, 2014

Posted on October 5, 2014 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. You are guaranteed to find something new to add to your list.

Picture book highlights:

Musk Ox Counts written by Erin Cabatingan and illustrated by Matthew Myers

One of my beloved #IMWAYR bloggers sent me a gift card when the strike finally ended to buy a few new treasures for my classroom. This is one of my selections – lots of silly, perfect humour delivered through illustrations, pacing and dialogue and some favourite characters – zebra and musk ox back again. I can’t wait to share this with my students and know it will quickly become a buddy reading time favourite. Thank you to Linda for the smiles and giggles all wrapped up in this title!

Perfect Square by Michael Hall

Some books go for a clever kind of creativity that manages to be bold without being loud. I finished this book and just smiled. Impressive.

Open This Little Book written by Jesse Klausmeier and illustrated by Suzy Lee

Yippee! This book makes me want to grab hands with a bunch of little ones and spin about and then settle into a story time session where I have the time to indulge in the requests to “read it again” please! A book that celebrates the magic of stories and quite literally pulls you in closer to examine every detail. What fun.

Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla written by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by G. Brian Karas

I read this first through teary eyes. The beginning sentence is too beautiful. And oh how I love Ivan. He occupied our hearts – my students and mine when we read Applegate’s special novel The One and Only Ivan in the spring. I have to practice reading this book multiple times before tomorrow so that I can read it without my voice catching when I look up at those little faces who love Ivan too.

I also read a lot of early/young chapter books in anticipation of lots of book talks on the horizon:

Princess Posey and the Perfect Present by Stephanie Greene

I have a number of girls in my class who have been asking me to get this series for our class library. I had read one title in the past and tried another. Definitely sweet and perfect for young readers. In my classroom, these are a comfort read for those students ready for chapter books but easing in to the whole idea of reading titles a little longer and more complex.

Mortimer Keene: Attack of the Slime by Tim Healey and Chris Mould

Amazing illustrations full of creepy and creative things, this title comes from Britain and is told in rhyming text. I think this would go over best if I read parts of it aloud and then let students read it on their own independently. There are many more complicated words and vocabulary so this is not for the beginning chapter book reader – a little more confidence and skill are needed to be able to tackle this title with success.

Kung Pow Chicken Let’s Get Cracking by Cyndi Marko

I continue to be impressed by Scholastic’s Branches series. This is full of action and lots of images – kind of a cross between a heavily illustrated chapter book and a graphic novel. Lots of silly escapades and much kid humour. I am predicting this series will be very popular in my class.

And two graphic novels:

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Okay, yes, I admit, I have never read Smile until this weekend. I had read parts of it. I had heard it summarized by my daughter in huge detail numerous times, but I had never sat down and read it cover to cover. No reason for this – just a fact. Then I went to see Raina this week when she was in town promoting Sisters and of course, I was completely charmed. And now, I have read Smile and yes, I am in the fan club.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Well, wow. All kinds of honest and vulnerable and powerful and hilarious. I could not put this book down. There are too many reasons why this book is fantastic and so beginning a list is just silly. But, wow, am I in awe of how this story is told, how friendship issues are explored and highlighted, how the power and powerlessness of a “disability” was portrayed through a child’s perspective . . . Okay, yes, I just started a list. If you haven’t yet, go read the book. Immediately.

What’s Next? Probably Sisters by Raina Telgemeier I am currently enamoured with these authors telling their stories and their truths through the graphic genre.

Reading Goal Updates:

2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 64/100 novels complete

Goodreads Challenge: 450/650 books read (currently 44 books behind – slowly trying to get this down to 0 from the scary 54 I noticed a few weeks ago)

#MustReadin2014: 20/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 108/65 complete

Celebration: Two Weeks in

Posted on October 4, 2014 by carriegelson

It’s a strange feeling to be writing October on the board but yet, after a prolonged strike, we only have two full weeks of school under our belts.

Usually two weeks into a school year means routines are still being practiced and set, schedules are not fully organized, new staff are building relationships with the students and “school stamina” is steadily increasing.

While this is all happening in my classroom, it also feels like we are all a little ahead of the game. Is it a typical beginning of October? Not quite. But for a variety of reasons, we have hit the ground running and I couldn’t be prouder. Maybe, it is my excitement to be back and fully immersed in all of the learning. Maybe it is the exact same thing for the students. A lot has to do with the fact that I have again looped a class of students from a 2/3/4 into a 3/4 so that 17 children were in the room last year. Whatever it is, we are back in a big way and this is what I celebrate: our enthusiasm, our passion and our commitment to learning.

I thought at first that I was going to highlight all of the academics we have so quickly embraced, but as I was selecting pictures, I realized that our strength and our growth is always such a balance of learning, community and joy.

As I often do, I will let these photographs tell our stories.

Our week began with an all day field trip up Grouse Mountain into the rain and the clouds. Despite the weather, the kids were troopers.

On the mountain, our experiences included time in art galleries and a session in the Feast House with an artist. Students were respectful, curious and engaged.

Our first classroom art activity was a Picasso inspired cubist self-portrait project. I love the playfulness it brought out in the children.

Finished portraits are bright and beautiful. These two portraits are not only stunning, they are also of two new friends in our classroom 🙂

One of the best parts of our week is our gratitude circle where everyone shares small and large things that we feel grateful for. Always, it is a lovely exercise in sharing and listening.

I have been taking individual photos of everyone in our class for a photo project we are working on. Of course, with a camera we can capture all of the energy that is who we are as a class community. Some of my many girls reveal their personalities. Oh yes, girl power.

We have leapt fully into the land of 3 and 4 digit numbers – building, comparing, ordering, representing. Math is busy and messy with students and materials everywhere – just how we learn best!

Within the first few minutes of Reading Workshop, these boys have staked out prime reading real estate. They are doing all of the things we have been talking about when we ask what independent reading looks like: find a comfortable spot, have a collection of interesting things to read, build stamina, etc.

We welcomed a lovely guest to our room Friday morning and some of us wanted to share some favourite picture books. The image is a little blurry because it is an action shot. These girls didn’t just read the books, they acted them out! Love the spontaneous enthusiasm.

A new year and a new grade means new writer’s notebooks and the introduction of felt tipped pens. Using the pens was a recommendation from Colleen Cruz in a session some of my staff and I attended last fall here in Vancouver. As you can see, they sure allow the ideas to flow across the page!

Some more busy little writers sharing ideas and the excitement of our new pens!

Two weeks in and wow, we have much to celebrate!

Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I treasure this #celebratelu community.