25: Reading Nonfiction

Are you a teacher?  Of secondary level students?  Then, this is a must read for you.

This past week I shared this book...Reading Nonfiction by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst...at the Arkansas Reading Conference, where one third grade teacher said that, based on the overview, she, too, could use this book's content within her class.  Yes, a must read.

With such an emphasis now on nonfiction texts (even within our secondary English classes), close reading strategies remain a pertinent topic.  Authors Beers and Probst suggest teaching students the following:

• Three BIG Questions
• Five Signposts
• Seven Strategies for before, during and after reading

At Teachers Pay Teachers, several teachers have created resources for both this book and the authors' previous book Notice and Note.  Cute, colorful posters.  Bookmarks.  Yes, those items that make us happy!  AND some of the resources are free!  

The primary difference between the two books is that Reading Nonfiction focuses on informational texts, while Notice and Note zones in on literary texts.  Both good.  Both needed.  I hope to work with all the signposts, incorporating them, as I begin even more diligently readying my students to take the ACT Aspire next spring, on which they will be asked to analyze two texts, choose a common claim, and support with three pieces of evidence from the texts.  We have worked much practicing this with one text; must now incorporate multiple texts.

These books go nicely with the premise of Penny Kittle's Write Beside Them...a practice I am attempting to journey back (as our new current curriculum has eaten much of my time as I read and prepare and think...that I could have spent creating and writing beside my students...stay tuned for my next post at Treasure Chest of Thoughts).

I would love to host or participate in a book study of either book.  Should you know of such a book club or be interested in our creating one, please share!

Happy reading!

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Also posted at Treasure Chest of Thoughts.

23-24: The Magisterium Series

Some say The Magisterium Series might be the new Harry Potter series...I may agree!

Authors Holly Black (Spiderwick Chronicles) and Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments Series) teamed up to write this five-book series featuring Callum Hunt, who, at the age of 12, learns more of the world of magic, a world that explains some of the oddities in life, a world of which he has not desire of which to be a part, mainly due to his father's discouragement.

Much like Harry attends Hogwarts, Callum and other trainees attend the Magisterium to learn more about their powers and the Enemy they must conquer. These characters, some you love; some you don't.

These authors writing style I appreciate and plan to take into the classroom as models for my students to emulate.  When I began first reading book one The Iron Trial, I annotated for all types of phrases, clauses, and sentence structures.  That, of course, only lasted for a few pages as I became swept up into the whirlwind of conflicts and character developments.

As I read, I was so glad that I had already purchased book two The Copper Gauntlet, a book I have already promised to loan to two others, both of whom are involved in either our teacher or student book club, both of whom have chosen The Iron Trial as our first group read for this fall.

Please...if you loved Harry Potter, go ahead and dive into this series.  You will want to adopt Callum, also!

Happy reading!

22: The Autobiography of Malcolm X

This book I read in preparation for potentially teaching it to high school seniors.  The decision was made to not teach the book.

19-21: The Dark Witch Trilogy

Nora Robert's The Dark Witch Trilogy was interesting...I read all three in less than a week, during a time that I had a major project going and at times just needed that mental escape.  This was the perfect journey to take!

18: The Walk

This was my book of choice for one of book clubs for the month of July.  I began this series a few years ago and thought The Ladies would enjoy it...and they did.  One shared, when we met to eat (of course!) and share our thoughts, that she had already read the next two in the series.

Richard Paul Evans is an author I would recommend...much.  He also writes young adult and publishes a new Christmas novel each year.

17: I Am the Messenger

Markus Zusak has done it again...written a captivating novel on such a unique topic in book entitled I Am the Messenger.

This book, I selected for our faculty book club based on what I remembered about The Book Thief.  Thus, when I began to read, I was immediately check by his abundant word choice that could be offensive to some.  I pressed on...remembering Of Mice and Men, remembering that vocabulary is often an indicator of culture rather than author preference, as is true in the case of this novel.

Main character Ed, a taxi driver by trade, a player of cards, begins receiving a card from a deck with a message that he had to deliver...just as soon as he determines what that message is, for often all he receives are hints:  a name, an address, a reference.  As he delivers the messages, one-by-one, encountering and passing many rights of passages, Ed changes, growing more confident, in himself, his surroundings, in the hand that he has been dealt.

While discussing this novel with a fellow reader, she mentioned this would be a good book for boys.  I agree.  The narrator is male, as are two of his best friends.  I also disagree, for girls will appreciate this one, also, for Ed has heart.  Full of compassion and love, full of hurt and oppression, he exhibits many characteristics of the young today.

I am now looking forward to Book Club Meet and Greet in a week or so to discuss this one!

Happy Reading!

16: Explore the Bible - Minor Prophets

This past Sunday, our Sunday School completed the study of the minor prophets, a study organized by Lifeway for adults.  So interesting and informative.  May I admit that I had never studied this books?

Because I lead/teach one of our classes, I learn more.  Yes.  That's just how it is, isn't it?  I am always encouraging others to step up and lead a class, for there they will learn as they have never learned before.

Why are they called minor prophets?  The message they had was short, usually the books were one to three chapters.  This is the first lesson I need to learn from this study:  say what needs to be said and then hush.  Right!?

This study also reiterated that the books of the Bible are not in chronological order.  No, I don't know why.  That might be some interesting research, though.  In the meantime, I do encourage a chronological read of the Bible.  I am working on that now...all over I go, flipping back and forth.  Very interesting...also very interesting how much more I am learning!

Next, we study I, II, III John and Revelation.  Yes, I have whole lot of learning coming my way!

Happy reading...and studying.