Literacy Now

Being a teacher means embracing constant change. Yet all too often, teachers are told when, how and why to change. In this monthly column, Mrs. Mimi takes on creating change for herself by rethinking old practices and redefining teaching on her own terms.

Happy World Read Aloud Day! If you are celebrating, I hope your day is fabulous and you revel in the joy that is reading. (Nerd alert, right?) And if you are not celebrating today, I hope your day is fabulous and you revel in the joy that is reading.

If you’re not picking up what I’m putting down, what I am saying is that whether it is World Read Aloud Day, a Monday, the third Tuesday of the month or the day back after a long vacation, reveling in the love of reading should be something that is considered and practiced each and every day.

Don’t get me wrong—days such as World Read Aloud Day are extremely important and make for wonderful celebrations. They help us to remember how lucky we are to share our stories, our opinions, and our knowledge with one another through the written word. However, I would say that celebrating the joy of reading, books, blogs, and all the other texts that deserve to be enjoyed just one or two days out of the year is not enough.

Think about your own reading instruction, and think about it honestly. Is it fun? Is there a sense of excitement about what you are reading and learning to do as readers? Is there an air of celebration for the accomplishments of students? Or is it task-oriented, test-driven and all about getting to the next level?

If you are a joy-filled wonderland of reading excitement and growth, go get yourself a cocktail and celebrate you. If not, I’ve been there too and I know how you (most likely) got there.

We are teachers, we are list-makers, we are afraid of dropping a ball, we are diligent, and we are just trying to navigate our way through an ever changing landscape of standards, mandates and programs. Am I right or am I left? The business of teaching small friends how to read is serious and should be taken seriously, but not so seriously that we beat every ounce of fun out of it, leaving it in a sad pile with nothing but a rubric and Scantron sheet to keep it warm at night.

So, how do you get your groove back? I would suggest reflecting on your own reading life. What and how do you read for pleasure? If you’re like me, it’s a reward at the end of a long day or a treat in the midst of a busy week. Why can’t this sort of reading for pleasure be reflected in our classrooms? Extra reading time in the midst of a busy week viewed as a way to treat ourselves and celebrate our hard work. Or extra reading time at the end of the day as a way to unwind and enjoy some time to get lost in a book. Reading is a pleasure (when your students are given choices) and should be viewed and practiced as such within the classroom.

p: ms. tea via photopin cc

Now think about your next unit of study or the next few weeks of instruction. What are your overarching goals for your students as readers? Do you have specific goals for each student that you can track and celebrate once they are accomplished? Keep your eye on the prize by holding two or three goals for your students in your mind as a way to avoid getting mired down in the day by day tasks of completing graphic organizers, logging titles and making it to all of your conferences on time.

Finally, think about the ways in which you celebrate the written word and your students’ accomplishments as readers. Do you celebrate at all? Do you celebrate with cupcakes and cheesy poofs? While I can certainly see the joy in a good crunchy cheesy poof and know that the rush of sugar that comes from cupcakes can make your little friends appear joyful (prior to the crash that is inevitable), is their joy related to their reading successes or is it related to the novelty of gloriously salty or sugary midday snacks? Consider moving away from the cupcakes (I know, they are fabulous) and toward more authentic celebrations in which children name their successes, compliment one another, become famous for their achievements and share their learning in more authentic ways.

The bottom line is if we get stressed and over burdened by day-to-day teaching points, we can easily lose what should be the common thread of our reading instruction – joy. If we are pumped up, they are pumped up. And if we can model our classroom practices after the real-life authentic joy that can come from reading, we are golden.

Happy World Read Aloud Day and happy celebrating…everyday.

Mrs. Mimi is a pseudonymous teacher who taught both first and second grades at a public elementary school in New York City. She's the author of IT'S NOT ALL FLOWERS AND SAUSAGES: MY ADVENTURES IN SECOND GRADE, which sprung from her popular blog of the same name. Mimi also has her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

In honor of Dr. Seuss’s March 2nd birthday and NEA’s Read Across America celebration, the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group would like to present a Tribute to Literacy in this week’s column. Today’s classrooms and libraries offer reading selections for children that they can freely select and enjoy. Reading will truly put tomorrow’s citizens on the path to success.

ReadWriteThink offers lesson plan ideas to support teachers and their individual celebrations of Read Across America. NEA offers a plethora of “Resources to Get Reading.”

 

GRADES K-3

 

Abouraya, Karen Leggett. (2012). Hands around the library: Protecting Egypt’s treasured books. Illus. by Susan L. Roth. New York: Dial Books.

Although the January 2011 uprising against Egypt’s regime received much media attention, one smaller act of courage concerned books and the country’s literary treasures. This picture book describes how some of the nation’s most unlikely heroes banded together to protect the library of Alexandria from possible damage as the Egyptian protesters took to the city’s streets to express their displeasure with the current state of politics. Angry individuals intent on being heard by destroying whatever lies in their path don’t often stop to think about what might be lost by their actions. In this case, the quick thinking of those onlookers and protesters who linked hands with the building’s librarian, Dr. Serageldin, kept the building and its contents safe. They risked their lives by forming a human chain to protect the library. The library itself is a treasure, not just for the books it contains but for its architecture, its cultural significance, and the sanctity it provides to citizens. It even features stones containing letters or signs from 500 different alphabets. The book’s illustrations consisting of collage and photo montages are stunning and inspire contemplation of the power of literacy to form bonds among strangers. The love of some humans for their libraries knows no bounds, and acts of heroism are inspired for many different reasons.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Alexander, Claire. (2012). Back to front and upside down! Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

After Miss Catnip's students learn that today is the birthday of their principal, Mr. Slipper, they decide to make birthday cards for him. Stan is full of great ideas for what he plans to draw on his card, but he is frustrated once he realizes he must write a message as well as provide an illustration. No matter how hard he tries, he just can't get those letters to look like Miss Catnip's examples on the board. With encouragement from a friend, he asks his teacher for help, and realizes that he isn't the only one who is struggling with letters that seem to come out backwards and upside down. The soft colors of the illustration and text itself may feature a classroom of animals, but the simple story describes a common classroom challenge while offering suggestions for coping when things that seem easy for others are very hard for you. The expressions on the faces of these earnest students are endearing, adding to the pleasures of reading this title, whose author/illustrator is a recent recipient of the Schneider Family Book Award for this book.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Asim, Jabari. (2012) Fifty cents and a dream: young Booker T. Washington. Illus. by Bryan Collier. Boston: Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

Written in a free verse style, this beautifully illustrated biography tells the life story of Booker T. Washington. Previous interpretations of Washington’s life have often run contrary to concepts of the fight for freedom and true emancipation than other versions and approaches to civil rights. Author Jabari Asim has presented the determination of a young man born into slavery but given his freedom by the end of the Civil War years. Through hard work and just a few pennies in his pocket, he walked 500 miles to begin the academic life he so earnestly sought when he received admission into the Hampton Institute in 1872 Virginia. Working as a janitor while he was at Hampton, Booker earned his degree and went on to become a teacher truly living the dream he had placed before himself as a young boy. Detailed author notes at the end of the book provide a timeline and further details of the life of this determined young learner. Teachers will find an interesting interview with both author and illustrator at this popular children’s literature blog, Mr. Schu Reads.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Cline-Ransome, Lesa. (2013) Light in the darkness; a story about how slaves learned in secret. Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Disney/Jump at the Sun.

Under the cover of darkness, Rosa and her mother, both slaves of the master’s plantation, sneak away to find the “pit school” of Morris. Though expressly forbidden by law, Morris, himself a slave, was taught to read the Bible by the master’s wife. Now he has set up pit schools to teach other slaves who are willing to risk these clandestine learning sessions. Pit schools are shallow holes dug into the ground and often covered with branches and twigs so as not to be discovered by the plantation night patrollers. Rosa and her mother slip away as often as they can and are slowly learning their letters. Rosa is most anxious to learn whole words and now, even after a close call with the night patrollers, risks a harsh whipping with lashes for each letter learned, she is willing to continue learning. Pair this picture books with Gary Paulsen’s novel Nightjohn (1993), young readers will understand the strong desire these folks had to learn to read. Teachers might like to introduce this book with the video showing how illustrator-husband James Ransome created the beautiful watercolor illustrations for this story.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Fleischman, Paul. (2013). The matchbox diary. Illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Despite his inability to read and write, an Italian immigrant finds a way to keep a record of the events in his life. Finding several small matchboxes, he places a token of each important event in each of them, and then later stashes them in a cigar box. When his great-granddaughter comes to pay her respects and get to know her ancestor, she is fascinated with his treasure trove of interesting objects. He tells her that each of them represents a story. When she chooses the cigar box, he uses its contents to describe his story about life back home during desperate times when the family had little to eat and their subsequent journey to the United States. Once they join his father who had originally come to the country seeking a better life, they face prejudice and mistreatment. Eventually, he goes to school, learns his new country’s language, becomes a printer, and later, opens his own bookstore. As the stories draw the great-granddaughter closer to her relative, she expresses a desire to keep a diary of her own so she, too, can keep a record of the things that matter. The story is tenderly told, and is perfectly supported by the book’s lovely, light-filled acrylic and gouache illustrations showing perfectly the mixed emotions of the book's characters.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Grant, Joyce. (2013). Gabby. Illus. by Jan Dolby. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside.

Like many novice readers, Gabby loves reading her book. When the letters somehow spill from its pages, Gabby gathers them up and forms simple words, including cat, fish, and bird. As the letters make words, the animal each work represents appears on the page, and Gabby has quite a menagerie around her. But a cat, a bird, and a fish all in the same room might spell disaster unless Gabby moves quickly. She manages to swiftly fashion another word since the three animals aren't getting along. After they become friends, she can go back to what she really longs to do: her reading. The illustrations are filled with bright colors and a smiling Gabby, and the back matter includes two activity pages to add to readers' enjoyment of the book.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Winters, Kari-Lynn. (2012). Gift days. Illus. by Stephen Taylor. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside.

Reminding readers not to take for granted the right to go to school and become educated, this understated story about a young girl's desire to learn to read will tug at readers' heartstrings for several reasons. After the death of her mother in Uganda, Nassali assumes responsibility for her younger siblings and spends her days performing the necessary household chores. There is no time or money for school, at least not for a girl. Nassali longs to learn how to read, and after reflecting on their mother's goals for both of them, her brother gives her a precious gift. Once a week he gets up early and takes care of the chores so that his sister can practice reading and writing. This inspiring story shows just how important an education can be in attaining a better life. The softly-colored illustrations reveal the sheer joy on Nassali’s face once she has a chance to dream of a brighter future. The book’s back matter includes a glossary and discussion of Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as statistics about the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

GRADES 3-5

 

Pattison, Darcy. (2012). Desert baths. Illus. by Kathleen Rietz. Mount Pleasant, SC: Sylvan Dell Publishing.

Teaching students to wonder is the most crucial role of a teacher. To keep readers turning the pages is the work of an author. In this well-written and illustrated book, young readers learn about the inhabitants of the American desert. Readers will be amazed at the diversity of creatures living in the desert. Since these animals show up at different times of the day, the narration flows in a natural chronology. The accurate illustrations provide details to situate the young readers in the desert habitat. Using text and illustrations, readers actively participate in trying to figure out how each creature will find different ways to stay clean when there is no rain or water. One by one, the bobcat licks her cub, the pallid bat takes a spit bath, and the javelina rolls over thick, cool mud. In addition to six pages of activities, the book is accompanied by a teaching guide and numerous tools for classroom activities that provide opportunities for engaged learning. A great resource for any teacher because of its focus on the desert, this title may encourage many reluctant readers to search out similar texts.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

 

Polacco, Patricia. (1998). Thank you, Mr. Falker. New York: Philomel Books.

The well-loved author/illustrator returns to a painful period in her own childhood to describe the ultimately heartwarming story of little Trisha, who is at first overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But her initial excitement turns to dread and embarrassment as the numbers and letters in the school books jumble together in her mind. As Trisha struggles to read and write, school becomes even more challenging for her. A move to a new school and new city only results in Tricia’s being teased for being unable to read, and Trisha starts to hate school. Mr. Falker, a new teacher in the fifth grade, changes Trisha’s life when he stops a classmate from bullying her and gives her hope by promising that she will learn to read. Teaming with the reading teacher, Mr. Falker works with Trisha every evening after school, and four months later, she can read sentences and even a complete paragraph. Once opened for Tricia, the world of words never closes again. Decades after its events occurred, this autobiographical story is still potent, filled with the palpable pain and pride of self-determination, an everlasting tribute to literacy and readers.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

 

Scieszka, Jon, editor. (2013). Who done it? An investigation of murder most foul. New York: Soho Teen.

Kids love to have fun while reading … and writing, so what better way to show the fun and power of words than to start with Jon Schieszka as the editor who puts together over 80 of the most celebrated authors in children’s and YA literature and accuse them of the murder of the disgusting editor, Herman Q. Mildew? Through all sorts of responses from quick quips, Tweets, eulogies, denials and illustrations, the authors provide hilarious comebacks to adamantly prove their innocence. Just a few of the authors include David Leviathan, John Green, Lemony Snicket, Mo Willems, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Peter Brown, Barry Lyga, Rita Williams-Garcia, Lyren Miracle, Elizabeth Eulberg, Mandy Hubbard, Mac Barnett and more! This fabulous collection of hilarity will make for a great read aloud in addition to providing an example of the numerous forms writing can take.
Watch this TED production of Dave Eggers as he talks about the writing program called 826 Valencia or visit the website of the 826NYC project to learn about the history and background of this writing and tutoring program.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

GRADES 5-8

 

Fitzmaurice, Kathryn. (2013). Destiny rewritten. New York: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins.

The day before she is born, Emily’s English-professor mother buys a book of poems by Emily Dickinson. As fate would have it, her mother names her new daughter, Emily, and her destiny begins. Her mother would have her become a poet but young Emily does not even like poetry. In fact, she has another genre of writing she is much more interested in and that is romance novels and writing wonderful happy endings. Emily discovers one day the original book of poetry where her mother has actually written notes in the book including one page that reveals the identity of her long-absent father. The book somehow is misplaced, given away and Emily and her friends begin a desperate search trying to find where this book has ended up in second-hand bookstores. Set against the backdrop of the 2006-2008 Oak Grove tree-sitter controversy in Berkeley, California, this book is layered with several other themes as Emily learns about environmental issues as well as her own identity. Teachers might like to pair this book with The Emily Sonnets (Yolen, 2012) reviewed later in this column. Read more about the book or view the book trailer at the author’s website or download the detailed discussion guide at the publisher’s website. Learn more about the Oak Grove Tree Controversy at Berkeley at.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Hitchcock, Shannon. (2013). The ballad of Jessie Pearl. North Andover, MA: Namelos Publisher.

Based on the author’s own family history, Jessie Pearl’s life in the era of a 1920s North Carolina tobacco farm is not easy. Her own mother has died and now her older sister, Carrie, has tuberculosis. When Carrie passes, her infant son is left behind to be cared for by Jessie. Jessie’s own high school education is put on hold and that is devastating to her because graduating and attending teacher’s college is her lifelong ambition. She has always loved school, studied hard and been a good student. First her mother’s death and now the responsibility of her sister’s child make her dream seem impossible. J.T., a nearby farmer, has also entered Jessie’s life and has offered her a life being his wife and partner. In time for Women’s History Month, this book offers a realistic and heart-wrenching story of the choices, or lack of choices, women of earlier eras faced. Throughout the book readers will be eagerly awaiting the choice that Jessie makes to determine her future. Learn more about the author and her book at the author’s website, where she has created a CCSS curriculum guide for download.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Yolen, Jane. (2012). The Emily sonnets; the life of Emily Dickinson. Illus. by Gary Kelley. Mankato, MN: Creative Company.

Author/poet Jane Yolen has created a collection of sonnets to pay tribute to the distinguished poetic voice of Emily Dickinson. Through this series of 15 sonnets penned by Yolen she presents the life of Emily sometimes through the voice of her sister, sometimes a friend, sometimes a critic and also by Yolen herself. Jane Yolen actually lives near the family homestead of the Dickinson family in Amherst, Massachusetts, so the setting and period have given the author the appropriate backdrop for this volume. Gary Kelley’s somber and somewhat dark paintings add the right atmosphere that surrounded Emily’s solitary life. Yolen has included biographical information throughout the book interspersed with the sonnets. Teachers might like to use the volume with the book reviewed earlier, Destiny Rewritten (Fitzmaurice) or the 2012 YA novel, Emily’s Dress and other missing items (Burak). Read more about Jane Yolen on the Engage blog. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

GRADES 9-12

 

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. (2012). No crystal stair: A documentary novel of the life and work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem bookseller. Illus. by R. Gregory Christie. Minneapolis: Lerner/Carolrhoda Books.

Life was surely no crystal stair for Lewis Michaux, who grew up during a time when segregation still existed. After trying to make a living in various ways, Lewis started his own bookstore in Harlem with only five books, peddling his wares on the city streets. Eventually, his store became a meeting place for anyone interested in black heritage as well as a home away from home for writers such as Nikki Giovanni, and political figures such as Malcolm X. Amazingly, Michaux even encouraged patrons to use his bookstore as a library if they couldn’t afford to buy the books he had for sale. This story about the author's own great-uncle is inspiring, a fresh reminder that knowledge gained from literacy is power. Nothing mattered more to this man than providing literature written by African-American writers to African-Americans. The inclusion of FBI notes on its observation of Lewis over the years is rather chilling, reminding readers that those who spoke out against the status quo were often suspect. Clearly, this single-minded man and his bookstore were community treasures. Check out the interview with Vaunda Micheaux Nelson on the Engage blog. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Sa, Rachel. (2012). The Lewton experiment. Vancouver, BC: TradeWind Books/Imprint of Orca Books.

Seventeen-year-old Sherri has accepted a summer internship as a newspaper reporter in Lewton, Ontario. When she arrives in Lewton expecting a city teeming with activity, she is sorely disappointed to discover a near-phantom like downtown existence. She soon learns that the newly constructed big-box store, Shopwells, has hired many of the people who formerly worked at the businesses on Main Street. Sherri finds it odd that these people have boarded up their businesses to support and work for “the enemy” business so she sets out to investigate what is happening in this town and why these changes have taken place. As the mystery proceeds, a love interest turns up for Sherri that gives her pause to reflect on the relationship with her boyfriend back home. This fun mystery read with a touch of romance and investigative journal writing will appeal to aspiring writers.
Read about the author’s experience as a reporter at her website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (Hyperion Books for Children, 2005-2009)
Written by Rick Riordan
Grades 4–10

THE LIGHTNING THIEF, the first in this five-book series, introduces us to 12-year-old Percy Jackson. Percy has always had a tendency to get into trouble and is constantly stumbling upon unusual situations. Over the course of this novel, Percy learns that he is a demi-god, meaning that one of his parents, in this case his mother, is mortal and the other is a Greek god, in Percy’s case, Poseidon. Before he has time to acclimate to this life-changing information, he is sent on a quest to recover Zeus’ master bolt. His companions are Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, and his best friend Grover, who is revealed to be a satyr. The book is punctuated with characters and legends from Greek mythology.

Percy’s story and adventures continue in THE SEA OF MONSTERS, with both returning and new characters. One of the most interesting new characters is Percy’s new friend, Tyson, who isn’t quite who he says he is, nor is his relationship to Percy what it seems. Percy is off on another quest, this time the goal is saving Camp Half-Blood, the only place where demi-gods are protected. In order to save Camp Half-Blood Percy, along with Annabeth, must sail into the Sea of Monsters, and if that wasn’t enough, they must rescue Grover from certain death along the way. The pages are again filled with characters from and references to Greek mythology.

In THE TITAN’S CURSE (Book 3), the goddess Artemis is missing, the return of an ancient monster is immanent and a deadline rapidly approaches—basically, just another week in the life of half-blood Percy Jackson and his friends Grover and Annabeth. The gods are on the cusp of war with the Titans and the success or failure of Percy’s quest may influence whether war erupts or a fragile peace is maintained. Grover has also discovered two powerful half-bloods, whose parentage is unknown, but who may have something to do with the prophecy of the Titan’s curse.

Against the odds, Percy has survived long enough to enter his freshman year of high school. However, things immediately go down hill with the arrival of a mortal acquaintance and demon cheerleaders (THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH). Kronos is gaining strength and his army continues to grow. This army is preparing to invade the once impenetrable Camp Half-Blood, the only place that Percy and his friends have truly felt safe. In order to protect Camp Half-Blood and to forestall the coming war between the gods and the Titans, Percy and his friends must travel through the underground labyrinth and survive its many dangers.

THE LAST OLYMPIAN, the final book in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, culminates in a battle against the Titans and their leader, Kronos. New York City, the current location of Mount Olympus, is besieged by the monster, Typon. Soon-to-be 16-year-old Percy Jackson and his half-blood friends battle for their lives and the survival of Western civilization in the streets of Manhattan. As Percy’s sixteenth birthday grows closer, the prophecy regarding this moment unfolds. This is a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to the series.

Additional Texts:

Beyond the five novels, there are two published guides to the series, a graphic novel version of the first book, and a movie based on THE LIGHTNING THIEF. A movie based on THE SEA OF MONSTERS is forthcoming as well. These additional and alternative texts provide a number of great opportunities for comparisons across texts, as well as a source of supplemental activities and means of differentiating instruction.

Riordan, Rick. (2009). THE DEMIGOD FILES (Percy Jackson & the Olympians). New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

Knight, Mary-Jane. (2009). PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE. New York: Disney/Hyperion.

Riordan, Rick. (2010). THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 1). New York: Disney/Hyperion Books.

Motion Picture: PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF (2010). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Motion Picture: PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: SEA OF MONSTERS. Scheduled for release in August of 2013.

In addition to these texts, Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series, which will eventually be composed of five novels as well, features some of the characters from the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series as well as new demi-gods, new quests and unexpected twists.

Cross-curricular Connections: History/Social Studies, Language Arts/English, Art

Ideas for Classroom Use:

Create a God

Many Greek gods and myths developed out of a need to explain natural phenomenon; for example, Zeus’ mastery of the sky served to explain thunder and lightning. Have students brainstorm modern natural and social phenomenon that may be difficult to explain, such as global warming or dropped cell phone calls.

After each student has selected a phenomenon of interest have him or her develop a portfolio of the “god” of this realm. The portfolio might include the following items: a description of the god, a list of the god’s powers, the god’s origins, a picture of the god, a myth featuring the god, or an explanation of why the phenomenon happens (for example, thunder and lightning are a result of Zeus’ anger). You could add an art project to this lesson by asking your students to create a physical representation of their invented god—perhaps a drawing or even a 3-D model.

Your Quirk or Unique Ability

Percy Jackson has been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. His ADHD is attributed to his finely tuned fighting skills, which he possesses as a result of being a half-blood. His dyslexia is a result of his brain being hardwired to read Greek rather than English.

We all have unique quirks, abilities or difficulties. Have each student select one of their own characteristics and write an explanation for why they possess such a trait. For example, particularly bad snoring could be the result of a protective spell placed upon me by my fairy godmother in order to keep the monsters away as I sleep.

This activity should be framed in such a way that students are able to embrace their quirks rather than made to feel bad about them.

Greek God Charades

After reading from the Percy Jackson series or studying the Greek gods, goddesses and creatures organize a game of charades focused around Greek mythology.

Without using words, students can act out the behaviors or traits of different characters from Greek mythology. For example, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, may be indicated by air kisses, hugs and swooning. This would be a great way to review the gods and goddesses.

Additional Resources and Activities:

Rick Riordan’s Website
Prior to becoming a full-time author, Riordan was a teacher, and he remains loyal to his teaching roots in the resources he provides on his webpage. This is seriously the best place to start when looking for information on Riordan and his books, or for activity suggestions. Information abounds regarding Riordan, including transcripts from interviews, frequently asked questions, and links to videos. Teachers will find teaching guides for several books in the Percy Jackson series as well as reader’s guides. There is also a reader’s theater script for a scene from THE LIGHTNING THIEF, as well as a link to a unit built around THE LIGHTNING THIEF. Finally, there is a collection of project ideas submitted from schools and educators across the country.

Putting Books to Work: George O’Connor’s HADES: LORD OF THE DEAD
This previous “Putting Books to Work” post is a great pairing to the Percy Jackson series. George O’Connor is creating a series of graphic novels that feature the Greek gods and goddesses. Eventually each of the twelve gods and goddess will have their own graphic novel. This post focuses on HADES: LORD OF THE DEAD. In addition to information about O’Connor’s series, this post also includes suggestions for other activities related to Greek mythology.

Episode 19 — Greek Mythology for Kids
This podcast from ReadWriteThink includes a book chat about three mythology-related titles that are appropriate for reading levels ranging from K through Grade 5. It also includes an activity in which students create a Zeus trading card and a discussion with children’s book author Carolyn Hennesy (Pandora series).

Aimee Rogers is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota studying children’s and adolescent literature. Prior to her return to school, Aimee taught high school students with special needs, in a wide variety of settings, for ten years. She misses working with adolescents but is developing a passion for working with undergraduate pre-service teachers. She has a growing interest in graphic novels for children and young adults and is hoping to make them the topic of her upcoming dissertation.

The March IRA Member of the Month is Cory Lemoine from Louisiana. The Baton Rouge Center for Visual & Performing Arts (BRCVPA) third-grade teacher was given the Master Teacher Award in 2011. He tells Reading Today his thoughts on teaching literacy, technology in the classroom, and how IRA councils got him out of his "bubble!"

What made you want to become a teacher?

After exploring a variety of ideas, I decided that teaching was the best use of my various talents. My interests lie in many content areas, so I knew I would be knowledgeable and hoped to inform my students on how to become successful citizens in our world.

As a literacy educator, how do you motivate kids to want to read?

To motivate kids to read, I generally make reading aloud part of everyday instruction. I try to make it fun in many ways, be it through questioning techniques, relating the content to their life experiences, or making sure to find reading that is not only at their independent reading level, but is also within their interests as well. For boys especially, I work to try to stock my classroom library with lots of nonfiction books and magazines at varied levels to help motivate them to read. 

What books or genres do you recommend to parents/families looking help their kids become better readers?

This question depends on what level reader a child is. For those below their grade level, I recommend parents find books that are easy readers to help motivate a child to become fluent in lower reads so that the joy of reading can gradually grow as the child grows as a reader. Any series or genres are great for this, especially if they are what the child/children are interested in. I do find that fiction tends to lend itself more to helping students work at reading more fluently because children typically are familiar with how stories work. For those who are on grade level, I suggest fiction books such as the Magic Tree House series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, or the Big Nate series. These have proven successful, especially the latter two, in motivating and helping average readers to be successful at a higher level. I also suggest any nonfiction books in which students have an interest. As an elementary teacher, I enjoy pushing my top readers to reach as far as I can. I have been known to work with this small group on middle school books to continue to push them upward. These are generally fictional, many of which are more in the realm of fantasy (these tend to entice their imaginations). 

You were given the Master Teacher Award and your school received the ACHIEVE3000 Power of Technology Reading and Writing Award. Plus, you have a great classroom website. How do you see technology playing a role in education for elementary school children, both now and in the future?

Since I began teaching 10 years ago, technology in my classroom has changed greatly. With the amount of technology in the classroom, generating data and being an efficient instructor are two huge outcomes of the continued wave of technology. At present, using an interactive whiteboard on a daily basis in my classroom has allowed me to be able to more efficiently make connections to concepts from the past than ever before. Technology also helps me to reach students through different modalities to ensure a greater student success rate. No longer do I have to go and find an encyclopedia to show a picture to a student of a volcano. The internet is right at our fingertips so that not only can we see pictures of volcanoes, but we can also see a video of one erupting, someone’s personal experiences with one, and even a satellite imagery of one from different angles. Technology also allows the current generation to learn in a manner that is more consistent with the world that they are growing up in. In the future, I think a time will come when we no longer have textbooks in the classroom taking up so much space. Instead each student will have some sort of electronic reader or tablet computer where all textbook information, worksheets, notes, etc. will be stored on. A new wave of electronic tables/desks is beginning to rise, and the adoption of these and various other technologies that are around make many teachers feel that we are truly in a science fiction movie that we never thought would come true in our lifetimes.

How did you become involved in the International Reading Association (IRA) and the Louisiana Reading Association (LRA)? What do you value most about your membership?

When I was in my fifth year of teaching, I was contacted by a supervisor in my school district that asked if I would consider being vice-president of my local reading council. The idea was that I would learn for two years becoming president of the council after that. Well, things don’t always work out the way they are expected to. The next year I became the president of a council that had decreased in membership and activity for several years, so I was tasked with working to build back up to a historically prosperous council. It is through the work that I did with my local organization that I became familiar with the state and international organizations. My five years in the organizations have been a treat! I have become part of a community of teachers and learners from not only around my state, but also my world. No more getting stuck in the little bubble that I lived in! I have made relationships with so many wonderful people that I never would have if it weren’t for the reading councils. I value the dedication, service, and learning from members of these great councils that have helped me to become a better organization member as well as teacher.

What do you consider to be your proudest career moment?

This is too difficult to pinpoint. Every time one of my current or former students receives any kind of award or recognition at my school, or any time my students work in a production of some sort and I see their joy, dedication, and success, I get teary eyed and feel very proud. No matter what awards, accomplishments, or successes I achieve, my proudest moments will always be seeing all of my students excel in some way. I love all of my students and they make every day the proudest moments in my career.

What’s the best advice you could offer someone new to the profession?

For those new in the field, I suggest staying informed and connected to other professionals beyond their school assignment. Also, keep your chin up and your attitude positive! Times will get tough and stressful! Remember that you are in your first year and that you are doing the best you can. No one is super teacher, not even after ten years. We are all constantly learning. If you are having trouble, don’t be afraid to ask. There are a multitude of websites and blogs out there dedicated to making teaching more fun and creative at the same time as meeting the rigorous standards that our students face. No need to reinvent the wheel when someone out there is willing to share their knowledge and activities. I also suggest making sure to have a life outside of teaching. This will help life to stay balanced keeping teaching from becoming all-consuming. I LOVE teaching, but I also cherish the time I get to spend with family and friends.

What do you like to do when you’re not wearing your educator hat?

I enjoy two things the most when I’m not in teacher mode. Firstly, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my two nieces and two nephews. Seeing their happy loving smiles and playful attitudes toward life help me to stay young. Secondly, (but really tied for first) I exceedingly enjoy gardening. I love being outdoors, and nothing brings me more at peace than working in dirt to create something beautiful. Be it vegetable or flower gardening, or even raising five chickens, being outdoors centers me and completes the balancing in my life that I need.

 

 

 

by Paul Morsink

At what point does a new technology become so ubiquitous, so familiar and taken-for-granted, that assessing students’ performance in the absence of that technology is seen by researchers, educators, and students themselves as artificial or unfair?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) offers different answers, depending on whether we’re talking about reading or writing.

In 2010, the authors of the NAEP Writing Assessment clearly felt a tipping point had been reached. They voted to deliver the 2011 Writing Assessment in a fully digital format and, for the first time, to give students the option of accessing a variety of digital writing supports (e.g., copy/paste, text-to-speech, spell-check, thesaurus).

The rationale for this move (laid out in the 2011 NAEP Writing Framework document) makes for interesting reading. After describing at some length the reality that new “communications technologies [have] changed the way people write and the kinds of writing they do,” the authors asserted the following:

[E]liminating access to common word processing tools on the computer would create a highly artificial platform for composing, since a writer normally has access to and uses at least some common tools when composing on a computer. The purpose of assessing writing produced on the computer comes into question when access to such common features of word processing software is eliminated. (p. 9)

The authors acknowledged that some students “who are not comfortable with electronic composition” may be disadvantaged by the digital format. At the same time, they pointed out that “a paper and pencil assessment would create similar issues of bias for students who commonly use computers to write” (p. 8). At the end of the day, then, they decided to go digital and allow digital writing supports because the “NAEP Writing Assessment [should reflect] the way [most of] today’s students compose—and are expected to compose—particularly as they move into various postsecondary settings” (p. vi).

So much for the design of the 2011 NAEP Writing Assessment. (See Dana Grisham and Jill Castek’s October blogpost for discussion of the 2011 Writing Assessment results—in particular the finding that students who used digital tools scored, on average, higher than students who did not use them.)

By contrast, the authors of the NAEP Reading Assessment see the world differently. In the 88-page Reading Framework document they do not devote a single sentence to acknowledging the fact that in U.S. classrooms, and especially outside school, K-12 students starting in Kindergarten are today spending more and more time reading on screens, in an expanding array of genres and formats, for traditional and new tasks and purposes (e.g., studying for an upcoming test as well as exploring a friend’s social media platform profile), and with access to a variety of digital reading supports (text-to-speech, online dictionaries, etc.) (e.g., Barone, 2012; Beach, 2012; Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010; Lenhart, 2012; Rainie et al., 2012).

Indeed, the Reading Framework document uses the word computer only once, simply stating that, “it is difficult to include [computer-based electronic texts] in ways that reflect how students actually read them in and out of school” (p. 6). (The paragraph does not elaborate on the precise nature of the difficulty.)

For these authors, apparently, the tipping point has not yet been reached. For now, in their view, a paper and pencil assessment of “what students know and can do” is still fair, accurate, and valid. Eliminating the tools that readers normally have access to and use at least some of the time when reading on a computer, tablet, or mobile device does not pose a problem.

Figure 1. Two contrasting visions of 21st century literacy. Half of these photographs are from the NAEP Writing Report; the other half are from the Reading Report. Can you guess which are which? (Move your cursor over the image to see answers.)

As of next year, however, the Writing Assessment and Reading Assessment will no longer be the only NAEP literacy games in town. NAEP is currently developing a new assessment, the Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment, to be inaugurated in 2014. Among other things, it will contain questions and performance items pertaining to Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Students will be assessed for their ability “to employ technologies and media to find, evaluate, analyze, organize, and synthesize information from different sources” (p. 8).

In many ways, this new NAEP assessment looks like what could be the future of the Reading Assessment—a future that the authors of the Reading Assessment have so far refused or ignored. Consequently, it appears that—for a time, at least—we may have two different sets of NAEP data to turn to when we want to know how well U.S. students are reading. The NAEP Reading Assessment will tell us about students’ levels of proficiency with traditional print literacy. The NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment will tell us about their proficiency with the new literacies of ICT-enabled reading and learning. And this may be a very positive development. If nothing else, it may deepen our understanding of the idea that, today more than ever, reading and writing are non-unitary constructs (Duke, 2005).

Figure 2. Area 3 (“Information and Communication Technology”) of the NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment contains five “sub-areas” in which students are assessed. Area B covers “information research.” Source: 2014 Abridged Technology and Engineering Literacy Framework.

References

Barone, D. (2012). Exploring home and school involvement of young children with Web 2.0 and social media. Research in the Schools, 19(1), 1-11.

Beach, R. (2012). Uses of digital tools and literacies in the English Language Arts classroom. Research in the Schools, 19(1), 45-59.

Duke, N. K. (2005). Comprehension of what for what: Comprehension as a nonunitary construct. In S. G. Paris & S. A. Stahl (Eds.), Children's reading comprehension and assessment (pp. 93-104). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Kaiser Family Foundation. (2010). Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-to 18-year-olds. Menlo Park, CA: Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia012010nr.cfm

Lenhart, A. (2012). Teens, smartphones & texting. Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Teens-and-smartphones.aspx

National Assessment Governing Board. (2010). Reading framework for the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress. Washington, DC: National Assessment Governing Board.

National Assessment Governing Board. (2010). Writing framework for the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress. Washington, DC: National Assessment Governing Board.

Rainie, L., Zickuhr, K., Purcell, K., Madden, M., & Brenner, J. (2012). The rise of e-reading. Washington, DC: Pew Internet & Family Life Project. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org

Paul Morsink is a doctoral student in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology at Michigan State University, morsinkp@msu.edu.

This article is part of a series from the International Reading Association Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).