Literacy Now

A $10,000 cash prize is part of the 2012 Norman Mailer Writing Award for High School Teachers, sponsored by the Norman Mailer Center and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The deadline for eligible full- and part-time high school teachers to submit entries is noon CST on July 23, 2012. 

There is a limit of one entry per person. The maximum length is 20 single-spaced pages in an easily readable font, such as Arial or Times New Roman, in 11 or 12 points. The entry may be part of a larger piece. Previously published writing may be submitted if the writing was published within the last 12 months. Entries are accepted online only. Teachers who live outside the U.S. but work in American-accredited schools are eligible to enter.

Submissions are read by national panels of teachers and judged by how well they achieve the following qualities: handling of image, plot, character, or other elements; originality; insight, voice, and style; and overall aesthetic, emotional, or intellectual effect. Stories that receive high ratings from the teacher panels are submitted to a distinguished panel of authors selected by the Norman Mailer Center, who will choose the winning entry. Authors retain copyright of their work. 

One winner and four finalists will be notified in September, 2012.  Results will be posted on the NCTE website. The winner receives a $10,000 cash prize along with travel and lodging to attend the Norman Mailer Center’s Annual Gala on October 4, 2012, in New York City, where the Mailer Prize and the Norman Mailer High School and College Writing Awards are also presented. Funding for travel to the Annual Gala for the award winner is limited to coach airfare within the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. If the winner lives outside of the U.S., a $500.00 USD payment toward travel will be allowed. Hotel/lodging at the awards event will be covered. The winner will also receive a fellowship to the prestigious Norman Mailer Writers Colony during the summer of 2013. 

Norman Mailer was one of the most important American writers of the post-WWII era and a leading public intellectual since the 1960s. The author of more than forty books, he is one of the most prolific American authors of the 20th century. The Castle in the Forest was the eleventh of his books to appear on the New York Times bestseller list. His first novel, The Naked and the Dead (1948) was on the Times list for 63 weeks. His 1968 nonfiction narrative, The Armies of the Night, won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. He won a second Pulitzer for The Executioner's Song and is the only person to win Pulitzers in fiction and nonfiction. Five of his books have been nominated for National Book Awards, and he won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NBA Foundation in 2006. The Norman Mailer Center honors the creative legacy of Norman Mailer by supporting writers who challenge readers’ perspective on the world around them. The Center promotes a vision of writers as “people of action.”

For more information or to enter, visit the Norman Mailer Writing Award website or e-mail nmw@ncte.org.

Gardens are a perfect way to engage young people in the process of learning, growing and harvesting plants. A simple pot, plant box or raised bed could become a garden at school or home. A garden has the potential to bring children, families and communities together to learn where food comes from and gain a better appreciation for how food impacts health. Below is a list of books from the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG). The titles in this column could accompany a garden unit.

GRADES K-3

Christensen, Bonnie. (2012). Plant a little seed. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

A community garden is the focus of this book as two gardeners, a young boy and a young girl, plan, plant, weed, water and wait for their garden. In simplistic rhythmic language, each page takes readers through the seasons of the garden with these children and their dog, and a family of rabbits that take an interest in the garden as well. An interested raccoon also appears in the corn. The actual waiting for signs of sprouts and imagining the rewards are part of the process of the garden and evidenced with each bold and energetic illustration as the end papers, front and back, add to the informational aspects of planting seeds and patiently watching them unfold. Teachers will find the lesson at ReadWriteThink “How Does My Garden Grow? Writing in Science Field Journals” a usable companion for this book.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library & Reading Consultant

Fry, Stella. (2012). Grandpa’s garden. Illus. by Sheila Moxley. Concord, MA: Barefoot Books.

Young Billy and his Grandpa are planning a garden. Billy quickly learns that it is hard work to dig and loosen the soil, plant the seeds and do the required weeding. As the growing season moves through the summer months, Billy patiently watches the garden develop into the vegetables they planted. Fall brings the enjoyment of the harvested crop. The time Billy spends with Grandpa in learning the facts and background about creating and maintaining a garden strengthens that special bond between grandchild and grandparent. “Watching a Garden Grow” lesson idea is a ReadWriteThink connection to Grandpa’s Garden.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library & Reading Consultant

Grigsby, Susan. (2012). First peas to the table: How Thomas Jefferson inspired a school garden.  Illus. by Nicole Tadgell. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman.

Based on the true story of Thomas Jefferson’s pea-growing contest with his neighbors, Maya’s teacher begins a gardening project with her class. Maya and her classmates are challenged to raise peas in their school garden but they can also grow peas at home to race to see who can bring the “first peas to the table” contest, just like Thomas Jefferson did many years ago. Taking the challenge to heart, Maya reads and researches how to raise peas including information she found in Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Book. Maya and her friend Shakayla select different methods of growing their peas while learning about the scientific method in addition to historical background on America’s former president and his interest in agriculture. Additional background on Jefferson can be found at the end of the book. Teacher resources, coloring pages, a pea-growing contest and more can be found at the publisher’s website, or try Mrs. Obama’s pea salad recipe from the White House blog Obama Foodorama. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library & Reading Consultant

Quattlebaum, Mary. (2012). Jo MacDonald had a garden. Illus. by Laura J. Bryant. Nevada City, CA: Dawn Publications.

The familiar Old MacDonald of folklore and song now has a young granddaughter, Jo, tending the garden with her cousin Mike. The two cousins work at planting and watering and weeding as they watch the garden grow. Written in the pattern of the traditional song, readers will enjoy singing along with each new turn of the page on the alert for new things happening in the garden. In addition to watching the plants get bigger, young readers will be watchful as critters start to appear and visit the garden. The book offers back matter to offer suggestions and tips for gardening. Teaching guides and downloadable activities are available at the publisher’s website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library & Reading Consultant

Rosenberg, Madelyn. (2012). Happy birthday, tree!: A Tu B’Shevat story. Illus. by Jana Christy. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman.

The birthday of the trees or Tu B’Shevat is a Jewish holiday that celebrates trees and reminds us to take care of our earth. In vibrant watercolor illustrations Joni climbs the broad tree in her front yard. She sings Happy Birthday but notices the tree just stands there. Joni then convinces her friend to help organize a party. Together they give the tree water, make a soil cupcake and put a bird in the branches. The tree continues to be still, yet looks happier. The friend then suggests that maybe the tree wants to be with other trees so Joni persuades her mother to take them to a nursery to purchase a little tree. They plant the little tree across the yard from the big one so that they can be friends. Then they give each tree a party hat and promise to take care of the trees by protecting and watering them. Both trees wave their branches and rattle their leaves in happiness. The book closes with suggestions and ideas to help the Earth in the branches of a large tree on the end pages. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Spurr, Elizabeth. (2012). In the garden. Illus. by Manelle Oliphant. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.

This board book, for very young children, has only one or two words per page. First, a boy prepares the soil by spading the Earth, pulling weeds and making rows. Then he, “Digs holes. / Drops seeds. / Covers / Wets / Waits.” In one illustration readers will notice adults working in the garden, yet this child is able to do everything on his own. Rain and sun help the tiny green sprouts to peep out. Then the boy lies on the ground to observe the leaves, shoots and blossoms. Finally, the fruit appears to everyone’s delight! The simplicity and size make this the perfect book for budding gardeners. 

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

GRADES 4-8

Gourley, Robbin. (2011). First garden: The White House garden and how it grew. New York: Clarion. 

Filled with watercolor illustrations that simply make readers lick their lips in anticipation of the healthy meals that can be made from these delicious fruits and vegetables grown in the White House garden, this book is also a tribute to sustainability. A perfect introduction to gardening, it is filled with Presidential history as well as ecological notes. This particular garden was planted in 2009 as part of the First Lady’s campaign for healthy eating, but it wasn’t the first time the White House's pristine lawns have been used for agriculture. In fact, in amusing vignettes, the author provides several examples of Presidents whose cows and sheep grazed on the lawn. She also includes Presidential quotes about gardening, making this a useful title for science and social studies. Not only does the garden provide food for the White House, but it also provides fresh vegetables for others as well, providing hands-on experiences for local school children about planting seeds and then nurturing the growing plants through each phase of the cycle of life. The theme of sustainability runs through the entire book, and a photograph of the White House staff, the First Lady, and the local children proudly displaying the fruits of their labor attests to the boost in self-esteem a project such as this one can have. The book also includes recipes using garden produce. This book might inspire other schools and communities to start digging and planting. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Potter, Ellen. (2012). The humming room. New York: Feiwel and Friends.

Inspired by the classic The Secret Garden, this story begins with 12-year old Roo orphaned when her drug-dealer father is killed along with her mother. She is sent to live with a widowed reclusive uncle on Cough Rock Island in the St. Lawrence River in upstate New York. Her uncle travels most of the time so his assistant, Ms. Valentine is sent to fetch Roo and bring her to Maine to begin a new life in a very mysterious old mansion, formerly a tuberculosis sanitarium. Roo begins to explore and soon hears mysterious noises and sounds that eventually lead her to a homeless boy, a secret box under the floorboards and a hidden garden. This suspenseful ghost story can stand alone on its own merit but might also lead readers to the children’s classic, The Secret Garden. The Humming Room could become a companion piece and create a comparative discussion for students between the two books. A book trailer and author information including her Skype classroom visits can be found at the author’ website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library & Reading Consultant

Silvey, Anita. (2012). The plant hunters: True stories of their daring adventures to the far corners of the Earth. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Our theme this week is about gardening and we tend to think about planting seeds, taking care of the garden and watching it grow. This book, The Plant Hunters, is about how scientists acquired many of those seeds. This reads like an adventure story as explorers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries traveled around the globe in search of new seeds and plants to bring back to North America. Many exciting, even life-threatening scenes unfold as these adventurers brave hazardous weather, dangerous animals and insects, and remote locations as they seek exotic and unusual plants. Using many primary sources and beautifully illustrated plant artwork, sketches and photographs, this volume opens the doors to the history behind many of the plants we enjoy today.Teachers can use the interactive white board activity from the New York Botanical Garden called “Become a Professional Plant Hunter”. From ReadWriteThink, teachers can find a research project for middle schoolers entitled, “Let it Grow; an inquiry-based gardening research project”.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library & Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Neff, Beth. (2012). Getting somewhere. New York: Viking.

Filled with exquisite phrases amid a somewhat predictable plot line, this book describes an imaginary alternative to a detention setting for teen girls who have fallen off the beaten path. This may be the last chance for Lauren, Cassie, Sarah, and Jenna who end up working on a vegetable farm along with three women in rural Michigan. All of them have emotional baggage and complicated histories and secrets, which begin to be revealed over the course of the two months they spend planting, digging, weeding, and harvesting. At first, of course, each girl complains about having to work in the soil and labor in the hot sun, but over time they come to appreciate the food they are growing and the bonds they are slowly building. It is clear from the beginning that Lauren will have the most difficulty changing since she constantly plots to escape while the other girls seize the second chance and affection they are being offered by Ellie, Grace, and Donna, who are in charge of the farm and alternative program. For some, hard outdoor work, trust, and sharing are precisely what they need to change their live changes and stay on the road to recovery. Realizing that not every broken person can be repaired, readers will pity those who return to the same problems they left behind when they landed on the farm. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Obama, Michelle. (2012). American grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America. New York: Random House.

After planting a kitchen garden on the White House’s South Lawn in 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House staff were delighted as fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs flourished in the garden. This book, filled with beautiful photographs of the plants, tells the chronological story of that garden seasonally from spring to winter. As is the case with any brand-new gardener, the First Lady describes her initial concerns about whether the seeds would sprout or the plants would grow. Just as any 4-H member knows, the hard work and worries are long forgotten once the plants begin to flourish and it is time to harvest the fruits and vegetables. Readers will surely want to try the recipes using the garden’s bounty. And maybe, just maybe, they will feel inspired to cultivate a garden in their own backyards or dedicate a small portion of their patio to gardening. The book also contains stories of other American gardens that are first steps in eating and living more healthily. It all starts with a small seed, as this book, perfect for sharing with the whole family, vividly shows. 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Also, visit IRA's Common Core State Standards resources section to read Lesley Mandel Morrow's Reading Today article entitled "A Primary Grade Science Unit Using the Language Arts/Literacy Common Core State Standards".

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 Fourth of July! It’s summer! You made it! How is your love affair with the snooze button going? Or have you gone into full relax mode and (gasp) stopped setting an alarm all together?!

Either way, I hope you are enjoying the ability to be an independent being, free from the insane schedules, endless meetings, and mouse poop that tend to fill up our days and take us away from our students.

Speaking of independence…let’s take a moment (with or without a beverage of your choice) to rethink the idea of independence in the classroom, shall we? After all, it’s summer; we have a bit more time to think idealistically about these types of things. I find it’s easier to be all reflective at times when I’m sitting in my pajamas with nary a pile of classroom data in sight.

Can I tell you about one of the saddest moments of my year? A moment that I continue to replay in my mind wondering, “How can we better empower teachers?”

I was running a small discussion group for teachers working with high percentages of English Language Learners. We were wading in the fabulous muck that is the workshop model of teaching reading and writing when a teacher came up with a brilliant modification that had the potential to make a significant difference for her little friends.

Me: That is brilliant! I say yes! Do that.
Her: Yeah, but my principal would never allow me to do that.
Me (struggling with the use of the word “allow”): Have you talked to him or her about your ideas?
Her: No, but I know he prefers us to all do the same thing at the same time.
Me: What if you went to him and presented your thinking? Just like you did here. Explain what you’ve tried, how it went, what you’d like to change and why. You’re making a thoughtful and purposeful decision about instruction.
Her: I’m just really afraid to say anything or to stand out.
Me: …

And I am rarely speechless, people.

I am sure we can all agree that cultivating independent thinkers who have a love of learning is a pretty basic goal that most of us hold for our students. I know there isn’t a score on a test to measure that but still—it’s kind of important, no?

But how can we honestly hold our students to this standard, or preach about the importance of independent problem solving and being a creative thinker and blah blah blah when many of us are too afraid to do it ourselves in our own work lives?

Now, I know that many of us may work in school environments that make it difficult to take a strong stance about our teaching practices, but I’m not asking you to run into the main office and burn a teacher’s manual. I’m asking us to rethink the way that we model independent thinking and independent practice in our classrooms.

How does your classroom reflect your beliefs and ideals as an educator? How does the work of your students reflect their true independent skills and interests?

When I think about a truly independent learner, I think about a student who knows what to do when their pencil breaks (hint: it does not involve asking me for a new one), a student who can see multiple solutions to a problem, a student who isn’t afraid to try something new or get something wrong, a student who has a strong reading life, a student who can name the interests and passions that they want to pursue.

I do not think about a student who wants to know exactly how many pages have to be read (so they don’t have to spend an ounce more effort than necessary), a student who just wants to be told how to do something rather than give it a try or a student who comes to something difficult (um, like a new word) and just stops.

As professional educators, are we simply asking, “What should I teach tomorrow and how do I do it?” Or are we considering the curriculum in front of us and how we can adapt it to suit our needs? As teachers, are we creating an environment where our students are completing a series of tasks, or are we fostering them to demonstrate true independence in their work?

So, stay in your pajamas, head to the beach, sit in your favorite coffee shop, or really, do whatever you want because it is summer. But in the midst of your well-deserved relaxing, take a moment to think about your independence as an educator.

Who do you want to be and how can you take a few small steps to get there?

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.

by Terry Atkinson

During this past year, several university colleagues have joined me in observing local K-12 teachers described by their principals as distinguished for technology integration of their classroom teaching. With ISTE’s NETS-T standards in mind, we are particularly interested in several innovative teacher risk-takers who are not only open to trying new technologies, but also to putting them into students’ hands.

Paul Bunyan is a mythical character who may or may not have sprung from earlier stories inspired by real lumberjacks who once lived in eastern Canada and northeastern United States. In PAUL BUNYAN, MY STORY, I had to decide which among the nearly endless tall tales told about Paul I would include in the book. I only scratched the surface!

June 28th is Paul Bunyan Day. It’s a good time for students to become better acquainted with Paul and his pals, learn some history, and practice writing skills. I suggest beginning with an interview. You’ll need the following characters: Mama Bunyan, Papa Bunyan, Baby Paul, Adult Paul, Babe the Blue Ox, Sourdough Sam the Cook, and the interviewer(s).

Provide each cast member with a question the interviewer will ask and a prop (doesn’t need to be much) that helps them identify with their character. After the characters have had time to read and decide on their answers, let the interviewing begin. Here are examples of how the exchanges might go.

Q: Mama Bunyan, when did you first know that your new baby was going to be so big?
A: I knew when it took five storks to deliver him instead of the usual one.

Q: Papa Bunyan, how big was your baby son?
A: Three hours after he was born he already weighed 80 pounds. In a week he was wearing my clothes.

Q: Baby Paul, were you too big for a baby buggy?
A: Nope. My buggy was a wagon. It took two oxen to pull me.

Are these fibs really meant to fool anyone? No. Tall tales told about a fictional character fall under the category of folktales. Paul Bunyan is a folk hero. His character depends on lots and lots of folktales that people have been making up about him for nearly one hundred years!

Now that your students have had fun getting into the spirit of Paul Bunyan, it’s time for them to write a few tall tales of their own! Begin by listing your characters on the board (Mama, Papa, Paul, and so on) and brainstorming at least one question (prompt) for each so that your kids will have plenty of choices.

• Sourdough Sam, what did you put in your pancakes for all those hungry lumberjacks?
• Babe, describe how cold it was the day you fell in the lake when you were a calf.
• Paul, what do you like to eat for lunch?

Work out one or two responses on the board until your kids get the hang of it. Remind them that tall tales are usually outrageous exaggerations! (Hint: No telling what Sam put into those pancakes or how much of it!) Next, choose a new prompt and ask everyone to work on it independently. Sharing tales through read alouds reinforces the concept.

Soon, your students will be writing a brand-new Paul Bunyan book! In the process, they will have practiced their skills in interviewing, reading, listening as writers, learning the difference between untruths and tall tales, exercising their imaginations, and writing new material that fits with existing patterns (that is, the Paul Bunyan myths from the North Woods).

Thanks, Paul!

David Harrison has published 80 books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for children. As Poet Laureate for Drury University he writes and hosts This Week with David Harrison, an ongoing podcast series of writing tips for use in elementary classrooms. David lives in Springfield, Missouri with his wife, Sandy, a former high school counselor.