Literacy Now

Families in the twenty-first century often bear little resemblance at least in physical appearance to families of yesteryear. Where large, extended families with several generations living under the same roof were once the norm, today’s families often consist of one parent and a child or several children. While many children still live with a mother and a father, others find themselves spending part of the week with one parent and the rest with another. Others may live with two mothers, two fathers, a foster parent or even an aunt or an uncle, and share strong bonds with close family friends who are as much a part of the family as if they were related to birth. The older we get, the more likely we are to become a part of a created family filled with the individuals who mean the most to us. For some, pets are an integral part of a family, and the bond between humans and cats and dogs is as strong as those between humans. Whatever the size or composition of today’s families, they have one thing in common—familial love. This week’s book reviews from members of the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group focus on recent titles featuring families. ReadWriteThink offers numerous lesson plans about families across the grade levels and curriculum areas including interviews, comprehension activities, recording family stories, family timelines, graphing life events, family message journals, captions for photographs, poetry and much, much more.

 

GRADES K-3

Alsdurf, Phyllis. (2012). It’s milking time. Illus. by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher. New York: Random House.

The lines “Every morning, every night, it’s milking time,” thread through each page in this gentle memoir from the author’s childhood on a dairy farm in southern Minnesota. A young girl and her father go about the daily routine of caring for and milking their cows. Since many children today probably have little knowledge of where milk really comes from, the author has created this story to depict the daily work involved in getting milk from the farm to the table to the market. The relationship between the young girl and her father quietly working together adds to the book’s special feel. The illustrators have used acrylic paint to provide a gentle touch to the pictures of the farm routines portrayed in a nostalgic manner. Poetically written, this book will make a wonderful read aloud not only about girls and their fathers but for any pre-field trip to a local farm. Teachers may want to read more about the author’s background that contributed to the book at her website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Clements, Andrew. (2012). Because your mommy loves you. Illus. by R.W. Alley. New York: Clarion Books.

This new title is a companion book to Clements’ 2005 book, Because Your Daddy Loves You, but now the scene shifts to a mother and son camping trip to White Mountain National Forest. From the beginning when the young boy gets lost in the grocery store while they are buying supplies for the trip, his mother doesn’t come to his rescue but calls his name softly so that he can find her. After all, he is the one who wandered off. This is just the first of many scenarios in which the mother is patiently teaching her son self-reliance. For instance, as the two of them backpack into the woods and have to cross a log bridge, Mother goes first to show her son how it’s done. Later, after burning a few marshmallows, they both get to enjoy a really yummy toasted marshmallow treat. Each little episode repeats the phrase, “Your mommy could say … But she doesn’t.” As in the earlier title, the illustrations are created with ink, watercolor and acrylics, and depict the gentle nature of the story as well as the beauty of the outdoors. Readers will watch as the young boy grows in confidence and pride as he develops new skills and independence. Readers may enjoy visiting the author’s website to find fun extras about writing.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Egan, Kate. (2012). Kate and Nate are running late! Illus. by Dan Yaccarino. New York: Feiwel and Friends.

Told in a rhyming cadence, the story begins in a hectic way on one morning when Nate runs into his mother’s bedroom, leaps onto her bed, and announces that they are late. For single-mom Kate, this is not unusual, and she has her routine down pat. She leaps out of bed, robe flying, and dashes to the kitchen where she throws on the coffee and slaps breakfast together. Nate and his older sister, Maddie, begin their own preparations to hurriedly dash off to school. It isn’t easy, though, when pets have to be taken care of, lost socks found, backpacks gathered, and forgotten toys found. In the rush outside, Nate slips in a puddle. The gouache illustrations are caricature-like and add to the humor. On a final double-page spread, the little family squeals tires to get to school on time only to find out … it’s Saturday! All for naught! Readers will enjoy the illustrator’s website. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Harris, Robie. (2012). Who’s in my family? All about our families. Illus. by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Part of a blended family themselves, Nellie and Gus become particularly aware of the infinite varieties, sizes, and compositions of families while on a trip to the zoo. While they see families just like their own, they also notice extended families and single-parent families. Not only do the children consider the different places families live, but they also recognize that different families eat various foods for breakfast. Once they return home for a family dinner, the children also discuss the physical characteristics of family members with some having mostly wavy hair and others having mostly straight hair. The digital illustrations show happy children exploring the world around them and satisfying their curiosity about the members of their own family while acknowledging that not all families are like theirs--and that's perfectly fine. This is an appealing title to add to a family text set or one on diversity. In a matter-of-fact fashion it celebrates our many similarities and differences.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University, Pullman

 

Higgins, Melissa. (2012). We all have different families. Chicago: Heinemann/Capstone Press.

One family is often quite different from another family, and this book provides many examples of the ways each one is unique. For instance, families come in different sizes as well as different forms and configurations. While some families consist of a mother and a father, others consist of only a mother or a large extended family that includes a grandparent or aunt or even two fathers. The book also discusses foster parents and adoptions in simple, straight-forward fashion. The photos are full-page in size, showing smiling family members enjoying their time together. Representations of various cultures and types of families are included in the simple text and photographs, but all of them have one purpose: insuring that readers recognize that the one thing all of these families have in common is love for one another. A glossary, suggested readers, and websites are part of the book’s back matter.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Klise, Kate. (2012). Grammy Lamby and the secret handshake. Illus. by M. Sarah Klise. New York: Henry Holt.

After hearing or reading this fun picture book children will automatically use “the secret handshake” when they hold a family member’s hand. Larry, who was a little lamb, didn’t care for his Grammy. When Grammy visited, she talked too much, sang too loud in church and dreamed of taking him to exotic places he didn’t want to visit. When Grammy taught him a secret handshake, he imagined it meant, “Please (squeeze). Go (squeeze). Away (squeeze)” (unpaged). But Grammy’s boisterous attitude proves to be helpful when a summer storm tears a hole in the family’s roof. Grammy immediately begins patching and repairing the home, while telling wonderful stories to Larry. She helps rebuild the community school and church. Even her sewing machine comes in handy as she makes clothes and curtains for anyone who needs them. Larry begins to see his grandmother in a different way, and when it is time for her to return home he has a special present that accompanies the secret handshake. Read Klise's "Beyond the Notebook: Start with a Transcript" on the Engage blog.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

 

Mackintosh, David. (2012). The Frank Show. New York: Harry N. Abrams. 

Something of a curmudgeon, the narrator's grandfather, Frank, is set in his ways, stubborn, and given to complaining. Family members have to be tolerant of each other’s eccentricities, but when the school has a show-and-tell day and the narrator must bring Frank as his guest, he is understandably anxious. After all, he hasn’t a clue about anything interesting about Frank that's worth telling to his classmates. But it turns out that Frank has had an adventurous life with a  tattoo to prove it. The book explores some familiar territory about the assumptions many of us make about anyone older than forty, but it does so in a charmingly original way. It’s easy to experience the narrator's dread over what a disaster Frank’s appearance will be and then his delight at Frank’s popularity. Especially appealing is the illustration near the book's end with Frank, the star of the show, hanging out with all of the narrator's classmates. Reminding readers that everyone has a story to tell, this picture book is fun to read while providing insight into human character. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

McPhail, David. (2012). The family tree. New York: Henry Holt.

This gentle story, told in sparse text, spans five generations. In the opening scenes, the family arrives in covered wagons to build a new home. They clear the land and build their house. However, one tree is saved to provide shade for the new home. The years go by and the country gets more and more developed, until the contemporary time comes when a work crew arrives to cut down the tree to make room for a highway. The great-great-grandson of the original owner decides to protest the cutting of this tree and stands in front of the tree and declares, “Not this tree.” The forest animals join the protest and move in to offer additional help and protest. Eventually a compromise is reached, and in a double page spread readers will see a new highway cutting a wide path around the tree. Reminiscent of Virginia Burton’s The Little House, this book makes an up to date environmental statement. For a detailed background on the author, visit Sharon McElmeel’s website. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Manushkin, Fran. (2012). Big sisters are best. Illus. by Kirsten Richards. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books.

New additions to a family may be hard for children to accept, and this simple story follows a young girl as she learns to love her new sibling and to help her parents care for "our baby" (unpaged). One of the most impressive aspects of this appealing account is how the parents reserved time for their first-born child rather than lavishing all their attention and affection on the newborn. This simple action helps her see that she is loved for herself and not what she can do for the family’s new addition. While being a big sister is a pretty cool role, there’s more to the main character than that, and her identity shouldn’t be wrapped up in being a sibling. The message here is positive, accentuated by the illustrations depicting rosy cheeks and smiling faces amid at atmosphere of trust, love, and acceptance. This would be a great title for anyone whose family is growing larger. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Rissman, Rebecca. (2012). What is a family? Chicago, IL: Heinemann/Capstone Global Library.

The Common Core State Standards suggest that students read more nonfiction literature. This book, part of a new series on families, could help teach young learners understand how families are different and that a family need not be limited to direct relatives. Each of the titles in this series contains a table of contents, bold headings, highlighted vocabulary words, photographs and an index. In addition, there is a note for parents and teachers on how to read and share this book with children. This particular book asks, “What is a family?” (p. 4). The colorful photographs showcase how different families are by answering, “A family is a group of people who care for each other” (p. 4). After discussing siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, the text then highlights foster parents—adults who care for children to whom they are not related. The text says, “Foster parents help keep children safe” (p. 18). An illustration of a family tree with the different members that make up a family closes the book.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

 

Sitomer, Alan. (2012). Daddies do it different. Illus. by Abby Carter. New York: Disney-Hyperion.

Based on his own experiences as a young father, the author has written a playful look at the differences between a mother and father through the day as told through the voice of their young daughter. When Mother gets her ready for the day, the child’s clothes are fashionably put together complete with matching socks and barrettes. When Dad is in charge, the stripes and plaids and crooked hairpins seem to get the job done. While Mom always prepares a nutritious breakfast, Dad’s turn at breakfast offers waffles heaped into a fort with syrup ending up everywhere including topping the dog. Although a bit stereotypical, the story’s intent is playful and fun. The watercolor illustrations add to the text’s humor with cartoon-like pictures that frolic alongside Sitomer’s repeated phrase that, “Daddies do it different.” At the end of the day, however, when it is time for bed, both parents tuck their daughter in with a kiss and tell her they love her in exactly the same way.  Readers will enjoy learning more about the author and this book at his website. And check out his Engage blog series "A Fun Look at Our Serious Work."

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Verplancke, Klaus. (2012). Applesauce. Toronto: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press.

Although Johnny's father lovingly spends time with him and even painstakingly prepares applesauce for his son, there are other times when he's too tired to play or annoyed with him. But when his father sets limits or tells him to do his chores, Johnny becomes angry and wishes for a different father. After sulking and wandering into the woods, he returns home to feast on applesauce once again, confident in his father’s love. The colored pencil and acrylic illustrations show Johnny's reactions vividly while in his imagination, his angry father resembles a savage beast, eyes flashing, lips thinned in annoyance, fingers pointing, and face covered with hair. After Johnny has calmed down, he realizes that his father still loves him, and his beast-like qualities have softened. Intended to reassure young readers that love transcends anger, this picture book may prompt reflection about the messages we deliver to the children in our lives, and how those messages may be received. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Walsh, Melanie. (2012). Living with mom and living with dad. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

With approximately half of all marriages ending in divorce there are many children who live with one or both divorced parents throughout America. This simple picture book begins with, “My mom and dad don’t live together anymore. So sometimes I live here, with my mom and my cat in our house with the pink door…” (unpaged). In the accompanying illustration a little girl peeks out one window while her mother looks out of another one, and their black cat is sitting on the front stoop. Children will delight in the opportunity to lift a flap that reveals another home showing the little girl with her father and dog. The text continues, “And sometimes I live with my dad in our apartment at the top of the building!” (unpaged). The book continues in this manner, comparing and contrasting the two different places she calls home where she lives with each parent. Each page features a flap to help children interact with the book even more. The book concludes with the reminder that while they are no longer together, her Mom and her Dad love her very much, and so does everyone else in her family.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

 

Wells, Rosemary. (2012). Yoko learns to read. New York: Hyperion.

When Yoko’s teacher motivates her beginning readers by awarding a leaf for every book they read, Yoko is eager to earn even more leaves for the school book tree. However, since she has only three books at home, she and her mother head to the library for easy-to-read titles. As Yoko learns new words, she gains confidence, and inspires her mother, who only knows Japanese, to learn to read in English too. Yoko's steadfast determination to master reading amid the naysaying of some of her bullying classmates and with her mother’s constant support shines through the book’s illustrations that show her eager-eyed wonder as the world of words opens up before her. The illustrations, rendered in oil pastel and collage and brimming with swirling colors and cats representing humans dressed in vivid kimonos, are particularly eye-catching as are the endpapers filled with replicas of the one-syllable word cards and images used by someone cracking the alphabetic code and learning word families. Together, the illustrations and text capture perfectly the joy with which Yoko celebrates her ability to read better with each book she tackles.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

GRADES 4-6

 

Adderson, Caroline. (2012). Middle of nowhere. Toronto: Groundwood Books. 

Although Curtis is one hundred percent positive that his mother will come back soon from wherever she is, another part of him doubts that she will. After all, she's left him before, prompting an unhappy stay in a foster home. With each passing day, Curtis’s doubts increase. Curtis begins running errands for their elderly neighbor Mrs. Burt, and eventually the boys come to confide and trust in her. Eventually, she concocts a plan involving a road trip to a family cabin near a lake far from their home, certain that the distance and isolation will keep the police and social services from bothering them. The boys have the time of their lives at the cabin, and Artie faces many of his fears. Curtis, however, can't quit thinking about his mother, and wants to head back to town. The book has many unexpected twists and turns, and the kindly Mrs. Burt turns out not to have been as truthful as she might have been in her own desire to cobble together a family while also maintaining a level of independence. The author skillfully plays with many readers’ assumptions about family and maternal instincts, revealing that making one mistake doesn't make someone a bad mother. Any mother whose sole treasure is the first baby tooth lost by a child can't be all bad. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Atinuke. (2012). The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird. New York: Walker & Company.

This short chapter book featuring the No. 1 Car Spotter in the Village is just as delightful as the first one. Although No. 1's ideas often meet with resistance from his family members at first, eventually they turn out to be creative solutions to problems. For example, when a leopard preys on the villagers' goats, No. 1 is unable to use a slingshot skillfully enough to frighten the leopard away, but he coats a shirt with chili pepper soup and wraps it around the goat. When the leopard gets a taste of the hot stuff, he runs away with a burning taste in his mouth. One of the hilarious aspects of the story has to do with his suggestion that Mama Coca-Cola build a house made of cement with results that are totally unexpected. Every page in this title shows the affection family members have for one another even through life’s challenges.

-  Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Lean, Sarah. (2012). A dog called Homeless. New York: Katherine Tegen Books.

Fifth-grader Cally Fisher lost her mother a year ago. Her father and brother, Luke, are not handling their grief very well. Cally’s father has become closed off and withdrawn while Luke seems to have disappeared into the world of video games. Cally is yearning to talk with someone about her mother when she begins seeing her mother in various places – or is it a ghost? Her father tells her she is imagining things and will discuss it no further. In addition to her mother’s spirit, a strange and possibly homeless dog appears whenever her mother is around. As Cally continues to question what is really happening here, a charity fund-raiser at school requires the students to be silent for a day. Comfortable with the silence, Cally decides to continue not to speak. When the family has to move, Cally soon meets Sam, her downstairs apartment neighbor who is blind and nearly deaf. As a friendship blossoms, so does an understanding of surviving difficult situations. This first novel from Sarah Lean offers a tender and thoughtful story about life, loss and healing to middle grade readers. Readers may be interested in visiting the author’s website devoted to this book. It includes a variety of resources and extension activities.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

GRADES 7-8

Creech, Sharon. (2012). The great unexpected. New York: HarperCollins.

There are two narrative strands at work in this novel that bears some resemblance to Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Two orphans, Naomi Deane and Lizzie Scatterding, become best friends while living with families in the small town of Blackbird Tree, but their friendship is threatened when a boy named Finn literally falls through a tree. Naomi is strangely drawn to him and anxious that he might be attracted to her friend. Meanwhile, in Ireland, a wealthy woman named Mrs. Kavanaugh is busily concocting her revenge. Although there are references to murder and hints of revenge that may lead readers to assume the worst of Mrs. Kavanaugh, she turns out not to be the villain of the book. In fact, her revenge comes from giving gifts to those who don’t expect them. The notion that there are often unexpected, mysterious connections among individuals that somehow shape lives and change fortunes is a powerful idea that moves throughout the book, heightening readers’ enjoyment. As that Finn boy causes the same sort of problems between Naomi and Lizzie as he did in an earlier generation, the past and the present seem to collide improbably. In the end, unanticipated love, fortune, friendship, and forgiveness change the characters’ lives in unexpected ways.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

GRADES 9-12

 

Hartman, Brett. (2012). Cadillac chronicles. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.

Although the road traveled in this novel by a debut YA author has been well-traveled by others, it's hard not to root for sixteen-year-old protagonist Alex Riley as he figures out where he belongs. Alex and his mother don't get along, and he knows next to nothing about his father who lives in Florida. Because it will make her look good and advance her political career, Alex's mother agrees to take in elderly Lester Bray but then changes her mind after he proves to be too troublesome. As Alex becomes increasingly annoyed with his mother, he and Lester set off on a road trip in Lester's Cadillac. Enroute from New York to the South, the two bond as Alex learns the truth about his father’s sexual identity and loses his own virginity while visiting Lester's hometown. Conversations with Lester and detours help Alex come to understand himself better and develop tolerance for those around him, including his own family members. Readers will certainly fall in love with Selma who deflowers Alex and shows him how to please her physically. While road trips may provide opportunities for growth and self-reflection, so can practicing a little patience and listening to others. Teen readers will look forward to the next title from this author who balances humor and pathos so skillfully.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

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.

 

 

by Melanie D. Koss

There something special about sharing a book with a child; turning the pages, pointing to pictures, and enjoying the closeness. But there is a new trend changing the reading experience – children’s book apps. Although both print books and book apps share a story, they are different media and can be used for different purposes. Book apps can make words and stories come to life, allowing a child a different experience with a story. They can aid in comprehension and help children make to connection between words, sounds, and supporting pictures. As technology becomes more integrated into our daily lives, children’s book apps are one way to begin this digital reading process.

What Types of Apps Are Available and How Do We Evaluate Them? 

The first thing to think about is why you’re using an app. We’ve identified four major purposes, including using an app solely for reading, as a source of entertainment, to extend the reading experience, or as an educational tool.

One feature to look for is types of narration. Book apps often contain multiple narration options including Read to Me, Read by Myself, Read and Do, and Read and Record. The Read and Record feature allows the reader to develop a sense of ownership, practice fluency, or record for another listener.

Another feature is animation, including passive and active, each of which requires different levels of engagement. Passive animation includes animation built into the program that does not require interaction. Active animation is designed for interaction between user and app and includes animation activated via actions such as tapping the screen or tilting the device. Other active animations include visual cues or use of additional devices such as webcams and microphones.

App enhancements can include linked glossaries, relevant animation that adds to the text, or the ability to repeat narration. This includes additional scenes or text not found in the print version, or the ability to interact with elements of the pictures to cause images to move and add layers of meaning.

Some apps include educational features designed to impact student learning, including highlighting words as they are read, words or objects narrated when touched, cause and effect sequences, available comprehension activities, and vocabulary support. Also, some apps provide differentiation, including the ability to adjust the reading level of text, the rate of narration, the size of the text, and the availability of alternative output such as sign language.

Extra features and controls to look for include the ability to choose different languages, help buttons, scene selection screens, sound on/off switches, or away to personalize the app with children’s names, photos, or other personal information.

Favorite Apps

A favorite app example is the classic story The Monster at the End of This Book. This Sesame Street favorite has been adapted to provide a range of reading, entertainment, enhancement, and education opportunities. The words are read aloud and highlighted, and readers can click on a word and have it repeated. On top of the original illustrations and text, readers can tap Grover to make bricks fall, ropes untie, or for him to talk to the reader and add additional comments. If the reader does not click to turn the page, Grover will prompt by saying, for example, “Remember, touching that corner will turn the page, so do not touch it. Do not even look at it. Ack, you’re looking at it!” Additional features such as parent notes are provided.

Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton is a well-known app with a variety of interactive elements that add to the print version. It has options for Read to Me or Read it Myself, and when a word is tapped it is highlighted and read aloud. Each animal interacts with its article of colored clothing when tapped, and there is always an extra element with the turkey, such as an explosion of underwear that can then be flicked around the screen. 

Nosy Crow created a version of The Three Little Pigs that includes a number of features. Unique to this app is a Read and Play version, so the reader can choose whether or not to enable additional interactions. When interactions are enabled, the reader can blow on the microphone to help the wolf blow down the houses, tap on each character to hear characters’ internal thoughts that reveal their individual personalities, and tilt the screen to show more of the background illustrations.

The Strange and Wonderful World of Ants by Amos Latteier is a nonfiction title strong in differentiation. What makes this app stand out is the ability to change the reading level, which adjusts the difficulty of the vocabulary, the size of the text, the font, and the amount of information provided. Narration is only available for the beginning level. Also available are a glossary, questions, and links to other ant websites.

There are also apps developed for older readers. One popular book series, Nancy Drew, has been developed into an app series called Nancy Drew Mobile Mysteries. These apps are designed as crossovers between books and games, and have multiple components for interacting with the text. Nancy leads readers on a choose-your-own-adventure, in which they read through 8 chapters, unlock mini-mysteries, and play games that provide additional story information. This app provides glossary and sound supports with certain words highlighted throughout the text.

Chopsticks, a new novel by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral, is written entirely in photographs, pictures, and other assorted images. Piano prodigy Glory has disappeared and the text is told in flashbacks leading up to her disappearance. The app extends the print version by adding additional images, music, color, and embedded videos, all of which add additional layers of meaning to the already visual text.

Additional Resources

Additional resources on finding and using apps can be found on the following blogs and websites: Kirkus Reviews, Moms with Apps, Digital Storytime, and the iTunes App Store.

Melanie D. Koss is an assistant professor in the Department of Literacy Education at Northern Illinois University and is a member of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG).

In the spring of 2012, a group of English Language Arts educators from Franklin, MA, launched a highly successful middle school reading program around The Hunger Games. In this five-part special series, the teachers who orchestrated the whole-school read will detail, step-by-step, this year’s initiative. Part I focused on how the team made this year’s book selection. In Part II, Erin O’Leary offers a look into how they encouraged and sustained the enthusiasm of their middle school students.

With last year’s read-a-thon in our rear-view mirror, and The Hobbit unveiled at last, it was time to analyze some of the priceless takeaways only experience can offer as we started our journey over the Misty Mountains. You’ve heard of Monday morning quarterbacking? Call this Monday morning Hobbit-backing.

Publicity. We knew we needed good publicity right from the beginning. Citing last year’s success, we contacted our local newspaper as soon as we scheduled “the big reveal.” Just having the newspaper take notice made this more exciting for the kids. We were blessed to have a terrific reporter—and rabid Tolkien fan—assigned to our story. He spent over an hour at our school on Reveal Day walking the halls, talking to staff and interviewing students.

Teachers are notoriously humble—we don’t like to toot our own horns. Well, for the sake of your students, get over it. No one is going to make this connection for you. Be prepared to gush about your fantastic school, your dedicated colleagues, and your enthusiastic and supportive principal. Keep in touch—let them know how many kids have committed to reading the book, or which classroom is performing that famous Gollum scene. People like good news, and it doesn’t get much better than a school-full of kids reading.

Plus, parents buy papers and lots of ’em—including parents of thirty-something-year-old reading specialists.

Keep the conversation going. Middle-school students are deliciously divergent, their tastes changing on a dime; thankfully, you can usually use this to your advantage. They will be your best salesmen, your supporters, and your angels on the days you need them most. As distractible as they are excitable, they will also let you know what is working and what is not.

After a few weeks, the initial buzz of Reveal Day had dissipated. Although my concern was met with “That’s okay—they’re reading!” we knew the students needed something. Not since Michelle Kwan took the ice has my sign-making cheerleader-self come out in such force. Have enough enthusiasm and blind faith for everyone. Keep the halls decorated, take pictures of students reading, pose teachers with the book, cut out news articles, record teacher testimonials, and show that movie trailer one more time!

When in doubt, pit them against each other in competition. In one day, we launched a “Get Caught Reading” campaign: If your photo is “captured’ by an “elf,” you’ll receive part of Smaug’s Treasure (a $5 gift card and a pencil). I still have students who tote their copies of The Hobbit to the bathroom, just in case.

If you have to deal with an unexpected hurricane or snow day, have a contest for who can read the most. We even tossed around the idea of a faculty “beard-a-thon,” but if you want to keep your friends, the competitions are better left to the kids.

The major benefit to choosing The Hobbit was the visibility of the book itself. We knew there’d be a Hollywood premiere, magazine articles, TV commercials, and paraphernalia for sale. There’s a “Hobbit Second Breakfast” menu at Denny’s, and a Tolkien display at our local bookstore. On this, you can’t put a price. When students feel as if they are part of something bigger than themselves and sharing a common experience, they buy in, and they remember.

Don’t be intimidated. During one of my crazier moments, I e-mailed the folks at Warner Brothers. You know, one of those "comments@" addresses. To my complete surprise, I received a response from one of their local reps. Now I have a name and a phone number, and before too long, boxes of insanely cool Hollywood swag—all for free.

Don’t tell the kids, but there is talk of tickets to the premiere. Even more surprising is that they want to work with us. They think we are doing a phenomenal job. They think we are doing them a favor.

We are so much cooler than we think we are.

The Peeps. Surround yourself with people who are as crazy as you are and have just as much blind faith in the read-a-thon’s potential. When you are one person trying to pull this off, you’re an easy target for the demons of doubt and negativity. You are an anomaly, exhausted and probably a little nuts. When you are a literary posse, you are a movement (though still exhausted and a little nuts).

You will need their different opinions—the logical one telling you that you can’t buy t-shirts for the entire school, the creative one who peppers the hallways with posters delineating Rivendell and Mirkwood, the savvy one who reminds you of early and often teacher communication, and the literacy soul mate—the one who shrieks and cheers when she spots that Galadriel costume on sale. Ebb and flow with each other’s insight, excitement and concern. As long as no two people throw their hands up and cry at the same time, your read-a-thon will be just fine.

Be flexible. Last year, we had a relatively new dystopian bestseller on our hands, threw together a read-a-thon in six weeks, and ended up with half of the school at the movies on a sunny Monday in March. We didn’t have the luxury of planning for what-ifs; instead, we were forced to make decisions as we went, which is not always a bad thing.

A year ago we didn’t have a clear vision, and end-game, time to worry, or a budget. We also didn’t have a precedent. Now we do. Dripping with the kind of symbolism only English teachers can appreciate, we found ourselves with some reluctant participants. They were pretty sure they wanted to go on this adventure (“The movie is during school, right?” “Will Ms. Cotillo dress up again?”), but “The book is just so long, and I really don’t understand it, and there are words I don’t know…I kind of just want to go back to my little hobbit hole.”

Okay, so maybe they didn’t mention that last part, but the hobbit-ness of their responses was profound. Quite frankly, they need a Gandalf to inspire them, and a mob of dwarves to encourage them right along the trail. Now is not the time to doubt the integrity of your choice; however, be open to what they need—be it YouTube links, audio books, chapter summaries, book discussions after school, or timelines and quotes lining the hallways.

Remember, in The Hobbit, Gandalf leaves. He does not solve every problem—he trusts Bilbo. We need to trust our kids. They will rise to your high expectations. Let go and have faith. Every year, every book, every child is different; it is up to us to see the brilliance of its potential, even when no one else is looking.

Erin O’Leary received her B.S. in Elementary Education and English from Framingham State University and her M.S.Ed. in Language and Literacy from Simmons College. Currently enjoying her eighth year teaching, she channels her inner Gandalf while working as a reading specialist at Horace Mann Middle School in Franklin, MA, and looks for any opportunity to combine a good book with crazy kids and lavish costumes.

Read the rest of the series here:

Six Buses: The Quest for School-Wide Reading Begins!

The Quest, Part 3: Goblin Caves and Spider Webs

The Quest, Part 4: Some Shall Not Pass

The Quest, Part 5: The Journey Pays Off in Unexpected Ways

This post originally appeared on the Engage/Teacher to Teacher blog in December 2011.

If we ask our elementary students how they determine which words are important words in content area text, what would they say? Chances are some of our children would say words in bold print or italics are important. Others might go by the length of words. Long, technical words that they hadn’t seen before might also be words they would choose.

Those strategies for identifying important words might work for science and social studies text, but they don’t work with all content text. Math is one example that doesn’t always play by the rules. With math word problems, we must help students recognize important words that normally they might not even notice in text. Small words such as from and more might be skimmed over, but they can be important words when looking at word problems.

We need to work with children to help them take a closer look at word problems.

Step by Step

Arrange the students’ desks so all of the students are in one of four small groups. On a white board, draw a large rectangle with a circle in the middle. Then draw a horizontal line and a vertical line dividing the rectangle in four equal parts. It should look like this:

Review with the students the mathematical operations they have learned so far. Ask the class which type of math problems they learned to solve first. Then put a small addition sign in the top right box. Then discuss which mathematical problems they learned to solve next. Going counterclockwise, write a small subtraction sign in the square at the top left. Continue on putting a multiplication and division symbol in the two remaining boxes. In the circle in the center of the square, draw an equal sign.

Each group will focus on addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. After the students know which type of math problems their group is assigned, give each group an envelope containing an assortment of word problems which require their assigned mathematical operation. These word problems might be ones created during the year by classmates or published examples. (Ideally the problems will be printed on individual pieces of paper, so students can highlight the important words.) The goal for each group is to work together to read the word problems and identify any important words which might help the reader to identify the operation required. Ask each group to highlight the important words they found in their problems.

Now it is time for students to get feedback from peers. The group looking at addition problems will exchange their envelope of word problems with the subtraction group. The multiplication and division groups can also exchange their envelopes of word problems. Each of the groups should examine the word problems they received to determine if there are any additional important words that might need to be highlighted. If there are additional words, they can be highlighted. Then the envelopes are returned to the original group which was assigned the mathematical operation.

At this time have each student take a sheet of paper and fold it into four equal squares. Then they can draw a circle in the center so that their sheet resembles the rectangle shown on the white board. This will serve as the student’s individual sheet.

It is time for the students in each group to share the important words they found in their word problems which alerted them to their assigned mathematical operation.

As the teacher writes the words shared on a white board, the class can write on their own individual sheets of paper. As ideas are shared, be sure to discuss how the important words in math differ from important words in other content areas. Often the important words in math word problems can be easily overlooked. They don’t draw attention to themselves through bold print or italics, and they aren’t necessarily large words. Often they are words students would see in other text and skim right over. However, in word problems, they must be noticed. Math word problems must be closely read.

After the four groups have shared the important words they found, ask all of the students to glance one last time at their word problems to see if there are any important words that mean equal. Those words can be circled in the word problems and then shared with the class. As the teacher writes the words in the center circle on the white board, students can write them in the center circle on the individual sheets.

Additional Ideas

Allow students to keep their individual sheets of paper or place the sheets in their math notebook. That way they can continue to add words on to the sheets as they encounter more word problems during the year. It might even be desirable to print a large copy of the ideas on the white board to put on the wall as a form of local text. This not only familiarizes children with the terms, but it also serves as a basic copy should their copy be lost.

Teachers working with very young children can modify the activity by dividing the paper into two parts so students can focus on only addition and subtraction. The class can also complete the sheet as a whole class activity. This activity also helps students to realize that important words aren’t always the ones that stand out to the reader. Small words such as more, plus, take away, left, is, and others can be very important in solving word problems.

Let’s Extend the Activity

Students might also use some of the words on the sheets to create math word problems for other students to solve. This not only helps with writing skills, but it gives them additional practice with math word problems.

Jennifer L. Altieri, Ph.D. is the Literacy Division Coordinator at The Citadel in Charleston, SC. She has worked as a reading consultant with elementary and middle schools in St. Louis, Missouri, and an elementary school in Beaufort, South Carolina. Her interests include sharing multiethnic literature, creating poetry with young children, and developing disciplinary literacy skills.

Jennifer recently released her newest book, CONTENT COUNTS! DEVELOPING DISCIPLINARY LITERACY SKILLS K-6.



Reviews of K-12 Books with Mathematical Perspectives

Engage: Teaching Tips

by Tammy Ryan

Before 1980, people found quiet, cozy spots to log the day’s most interesting thoughts in a diary or journal. Entries were logged using a pencil or pen, written on paper, and detailed with sketches or doodles. Content remained private to the author, and diaries were locked with a special key. During the late 1980s, Doogie Howser, M.D, a character played on a television comedy-drama, exposed Americans to “digital” diaries as he weekly logged his thoughts in a computer. Today, people create and use online diaries or blogs, short for “weblogs,” to log interesting thoughts and discoveries. Entries are composed online using a computer, laptop, or mobile device, photographs and videos are uploaded for detail, and content is open to the public to read and post feedback.

Many blogs focus on important educational topics. These topics range from educational news, policy, teaching trends, to research, and technology. Blogs are created by and for administrators, librarians, teachers, parents, and students and are designed to inform teaching and learning. See Top 100 Education Blogs and Scholastic’s Top 20 Teacher Blogs for 2012 blog favorites.

Below, I highlight three educational blogs informing the field of education. The first provides an example on how a community of teachers co-construct a blog to share important teaching tips. The second illustrates ways a classroom teacher uses a blog to chronicle monthly literacy happenings. The third demonstrates how a blog creates a powerful virtual space for educators to discuss educational issues.

Teaching Blog Addict (TBA) is a blog created by and for prekindergarten through 6th grade teachers. It offers teaching tips across subject areas, common core, assessments, classroom management, technology, etc. It includes free templates, freebies, and information on how to create your own classroom blog. Below is an example of a TBA second grade page.

 

Ms. Cassidy’s Classroom Blog creatively captures through pictures, videos, and narratives the monthly learning experiences of six and seven year olds in Saskatchewant, Canada. Ms. Cassidy invites the world into her classroom to learn how she integrates a class Tweeter account, Skype, iPads, Web 2.0 tools, and digital technologies into reading and writing events. The site includes access to individual student blogs that also include videos, pictures, and stories.

Chris Guerrieri’s Education Matters Blog is a forum for educators to stay abreast of current issues affecting education such as policy, electing leaders, and accountability. The site includes links to other blogs such as Diane Ravitch’s Blog, Journal of Educational Controversy, and Schools Matter. Below is a sample from the Education Matters Blog.

Undoubtedly, blogs are creating important spaces to socially construct what we know about teaching and learning. To easily create your own blog, you can download free software from a site such as Edublogs or WordPress. Then, you can enjoy sharing your educational discoveries with a global community.  

Tammy Ryan is from Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida.

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