This week we are back to reading fiction titles (grades 3-5) and picture books in Lower School. Some of what we’re currently enjoying:
Jen Seely’s class is now listening to Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. See notes for that title under the 5th grade category tab.
Mary-Katherine’s class just finished Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate and we’ve just started on The Misfits by James Howe. This is a great story about middle school, politics, tie salesmanship and, of course, middle school relationships. At the end of every few chapters the main characters get together at the local ice cream shop to discuss whatever is on their minds~notes are taken and each speakers’ name is noted with what they’ve said. A few years back, I photocopied these meeting “notes” and they became a script which is handed out to whomever would like to have a small part in the “speaking” of the book that week. Since there is much ado about names & name calling in this book there are some negotiations as to what is said and who is saying it, but it seems to help the comfort level in discussing these things when the students have an opportunity to participate in the dialogue~literally and figuratively.
Mel Hickman’s fourth grade class is still enjoying Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay. There are many adventures in this book and recurrent themes of family & friendship are also well represented. We love this book for it’s interesting characters as well~even the parents of Saffy’s friend turn out to be more than you’d bargained for!
Kyle’s class is still listening to The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles. This book has many twists and turns in it and yet a consistent reliable theme~baseball~ which we are all enjoying!
Jed’s 3rd grade class continues to enjoy the summery playfuness of The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. I think that within each student they are busily trying to align themselves with the character most like themselves~despite the Penderwick family being made up of four girls and a sweet Hound dog, even the boys have some choices!
Sarah’s class is is still listening to Way Down Deep~there is a bit of mystery to this book, which we had not previously thought. Ruby is learning some very important lessons about family, expectations and friendship. There are so many interesting characters in this book, we find it to be very exciting not only due to the plot but also to the myriad of interesting folks all gathered together somehow, living in Way Down Deep.
We are reading titles for Second Grade which tie into their in class studies of Then & Now, as they get started on their study of Old Corte Madera. Some of these titles include:
Peppe the Lamplighter by Elisa Bartone; Maggie’s Amerikay by Barbara Timberlake Russell; American Too by Elisa Bartone; The Dream Jar by Bonnie Pryor and I could do that! Esther Morris gets women the vote by Linda Arms White
First Grade has been listening to stories about friendship and families. Some of these titles are:
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman; Horace and Morris but mostly Dolores *and* Horace and Morris join the chorus (but what about Dolores?) both by James Howe; The bully blockers club by Teresa Bateman; Remember, Grandma? by Laura Langston; Saving Strawberry Farm by Deborah Hopkinson and My Father’s hands by Joanne Ryder.
Kindergarten has started their farm study, with each of the classes becoming a different type of farm: Holly will become a vegetable farm, Hickories are working on a dairy farm and Sequoia is becoming an apple farm! Here are some of the books we’ll be reading to begin understanding what some variations of what farming, marketing and hard work look like:
Cider Apples by Sandy Nightingale; Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson; The market lady and the mango tree by Pete & Mary Watson; How much? Visiting markets around the world by Ted Lewin; Market Day by Eve Bunting and Apple picking time by Michele Benoit Slawson.
This week we are busy reading Halloween picture books to *all* the classes. Who can resist such favorites as “Piggie Pie”, “The Soup Bone” and “The Littlest Witch”. Enjoy the holiday~spooky or sweet, as you like it.
The museum was first built in San Francisco for the 1894 Mid Winter International Exposition, and most recently opened as the deYoung Musuem in October 2005, this a wonderful place for exploring, eating, visiting the amazing bookstore and just walking around in amazement.
This is just a partial list of what you can do at the deYoung:
Go on a Friday night date, family style. Every Friday night the museum is open until 8:45pm. There are fun programs for all ages which relate to the art on display. We have had a great time getting dinner at the cafe and then making crafts while listening to live music. You can also walk through the museum, enjoying the exhibits and the bookstore, all open late! Free~No reservations needed
Take an art class~After school classes are available for 4-8 graders and provide an in depth look at the deYoung’s collections and how art connects to social studies! Free~ Reservations required
Meet a working artist through the Artist Studio Program. Each month a different Bay Area artist turns the Kimball Education Gallery into a working art studio. Meet the artists, Wednesdays through Saturdays 1-5pm. Free~No reservations needed
Make art~Saturday art classes for 3 1/2 to 12 year olds: Drop in art classes taught by professional artist-teachers, every Saturday *excluding* holiday weekends. Free~No reservations needed
Check out the current schedule of programs at www.thinker.org for information on current program offerings.
The deYoung Museum is located at 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive in Golden Gate Park. Check the website at: www.deYoung.org for detailed hours and days open.
Enjoy~Stay warm~Get your art smarts!
Must have Adobe Flash Player to view~Download here:
We have been talking a bit with each of our classes about finding a “just right book”. Things to consider when choosing a just right book are:
- No more than 5 difficult to read words on the page~there should be some words to work on, though
- Is this a new book for you? Not one they have read multiple times with ease~
- The story or topic is appealing
- The print is easy for you to read~not too small or too close together
- I can understand the story and retell what I have read
When choosing books for your child to read at the library or at the Book Fair, keep these tips in mind~It is also useful to ask them “What was the last book you read that you enjoyed?” This gives a helpful gauge as to what they are interested in and what their reading level might currently be~
This is what we’ve been reading this week in class:
Doug’s class listened to two books about autumn this week:
In the woods: who’s been here by Lindsey Barrett George and Possum’s Harvest Moon by Anne Hunter.
In continuing with last week’s theme of food & vegetables & gardens, Richards class listened to ~
I will never not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child and The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst. There seem to be many enthusiastic vegetable eaters in this class~you may want to test them on this at home!
This week in First Grade, we read:
Pri’s class and Jenny’s class both got to listen to: Mr. Carey’s Garden by Jane Cutler and G. Brian Karas and The Biggest House in the World by Leo Leonni. Mr. Carey has a “different view” than his neighbors about what should be done about all the slugs in his garden. It isn’t until full moonlight that we discovered what Mr. Carey had in mind.
The Biggest House in the World happens to be MUCH TOO BIG for little snail to go exploring anywhere or doing anything, including find food. They quickly figured out that there is a limit to how big a house should be. Talk with your children about finding a just right book and mention that there is also a “just right house”!
In Jen’s class, we had just enough time to read The Boy who was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris. This was a delightful story about a boy who LOVES his library and the librarians, Marge, Bettylou and Leeola. They love to help him identify the bugs he’s found, study hundreds of words for the spelling contest and finally welcome him back from his long years at school where he was studying to be…..A librarian!
Second graders have started learning about Folktales in the classroom so we have started to read them folktales in the library as well. In Claire & Katherine’s class this week, the children listened to Ali & the Magic Stew by Shulamith Levey Oppenheim. This is a wonderful story about the choices a boy makes in order to help heal his father.
From www.mcdsblogs.org/8books, a book review blog put together by the 8th graders and their teachers here at MCDS~
“Meggie started to discover the reason she ever went there in the first place. A book. A small black book by the name of Inkheart, which Mo had tried to hide from Meggie for the past nine years of her life.”
Click on the Inkheart link above to read the entire book review, as reviewed by Kirk. Scroll to the bottom to hear the podcast as well!
It has been a very busy and very exciting time here in the library~We have been working hard to make our new library catalog friendly and accessible as well as making connections with the curriculum work done in the classrooms.
We paired with Lower School music teacher Carolyn Balfe on some titles to read to Kindergarten and First Grade. First we read Sebastian; A book about Bach by Jeannette Winter and then Geraldine, the Music Mouse by Leo Lionni. The children really loved listening to both of these books and yet had some questions about why there weren’t any photographs of Sebastian Bach~They were also very excited to share any instrument playing that they do, which is always very exciting to hear about.
Fourth graders in Kyle and Mel’s classes continue to hear the book titles mentioned in previous posts, but I apologize for not including the title heard by Cynthia Lee’s class~They are listening to Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine. This is an exciting story about Dave who ends up in an orphanage after his father dies. It is a cold and strict environment in the orphanage and nothing like the mystery that exists outside the orphanage walls~jazz musicians, swindlers, parties and mystifying strangers. Dave will be searching for a home and possibly friendship amid all this excitement and change.
Clara’s class is listening to The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood. This is a fast paced historical novel tying together Shakespeare’s Hamlet along with friendship, loyalty and survival. Gary Blackwood’s other titles include similar themes of “boy against world” so if your child is enjoying this, you may point them in the direction of some of his other titles: Shakespeare’s Scribe, Shakespeare’s Spy and Wild Timothy.
We have been busy clearing the shelves of old (really old!) titles and learn our new library catalog. This new catalog is much easier to use and will have an inviting interface with bold colors in the next few weeks~If you are on campus, come visit the library and find some new books for your family to share.
This week in First Grade we read Little Cliff’s First Day of School by Clifton Taulbert. Little Cliff is *not* happy about leaving his toys and family at home, but once he gets to school and realizes that there is time for *play* and that his friends will be there, he is happy to spend the day in this new environment.
In Second Grade we continue to read Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry~Gooney Bird is quite the storyteller, indeed~Have your second grader share one of Gooney Birds Absolutely True Stories with you today!
Third Graders in Jed’s class are listening to The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, which is a delightful way to start the school year, as we get to travel “back in time” and hear stories about the summer adventures of Rosalind, Skye, Jane, Batty and of course, their dog, Hound.
Sue Tischler’s class is listening to Witch Catcher by Mary Downing Hahn~Jen’s father has a new girlfriend who may be more “supernatural” than most.
Sarah Shields’ third grade class is listening to Way Down Deep by Ruth White. Ms. White is also the author of Belle Prater’s Boy and in Way Down Deep she writes the story of an orphan named Ruby June. We’ll find out more about Ruby June’s past once a new family moves to Way Down Deep the year that Ruby turns twelve.
Fourth graders in Mel’s class are listening to Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay~this is about a large, rambling, artistic family who live in the Banana House and features Saffy and the story of how she came to be a part of the Casson family.
In Kyle’s class, we are reading The Aurora County All Stars by Deborah Wiles. In this book the author revisits some wonderful characters who were introduced in her two previous books; Love, Ruby Lavender and Each Little Bird that Sings. Her writing is wonderful, the settings pitch perfect and the characters are folks you wish you could take home with you. The baseball team, The Aurora County All Stars, does not allow girls to play, which is just one of the things we’re excited to learn more about.
Fifth graders in Jen’s class are listening to Butterflies and Lizards, Beryl and Me by Ruth Lercher Bornstein. This is similar to the friendship that develops in the book Because of Winn-Dixie and promises to be filled with the same sweet sentiments and some lessons along the way as well.
Mary-Katherine’s class is listening to Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. This is the story of Kek, who moves from Africa to Minnesota in the middle of winter to live with the only family he has left~his aunt and cousin. Written in free verse, this promises to be a modern day story of immigration, friendship and memories.
Enjoy the weekend~Happy Reading!
The best way to predict the future is to invent it~ Alan Kay
In the spirit of invention and progress, here are some books and websites to share~
Buildings in Disguise: Architecture That Looks Like Animals, Food and Other Things by Joan Marie Arbogast
Construction Zone by Cheryl Hudson
A Kids’ Guide to Building Forts by Tom Birdseye
Build It! Activities for Setting Up Super Structures by Keith Good
Steven Caney’s Ultimate Building Book by Steven Caney
Here are some sites to visit for information and interactive “construction zones”: Please note grade levels for each are different~
Grade K-3: Everything About Construction Equipment: This fun and informative site from Japan features cartoon drawings of heavy machinery at work, from a bulldozer to a transformable hydraulic excavator. There’s also a “Great Picture Book of Construction Equipment” that includes diagrams, data and videos of dozens of machines.
Grade 4 up: Building Big: This companion site to the PBS series and the David Macauley book includes a databank of building wonders of the world, profiles of modern engineers and interactive simulated construction challenges, along with an educator’s guide.
Grade 6 and up: Build It & Bust It: In this “webside construction zone”, users arrange beams and joints to build a two-dimensional structure, then analyze its strength and effectiveness online. The “builder”, “tester” and “viewer” are Java applets with instructions that take a bit of figuring out, but the interactive experiment is worthwhile.
Teacher Resources:
Structures around the world: Activities for the elementary classroom : Brought to you by The Exploratorium. Using Bamboo skewers, plastic straws and other simple supplies, kids can explore concepts of physics and engineering in several appealing projects. Clear instructions, good visuals and “teacher tips” make this a useful site for parents and educators.
The information above is from the article: From Snowforts to Skyscrapers: Focus on Construction: by Steven Engelfried
All was busily moving along today as school got underway. It was thrilling, really, to see so many kids and parents making their way over the bridge to the sounds of digging, drilling and pounding. The construction was really just a background show as classes got underway and students found new paths to get to new and old classrooms.
In first grade today, we read Elizabeti’s School, by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen. This is a series of books which star Elizabeti, the main character who lives in Tanzania. We read the book and then talked about the things that looked the same in Elizabeti’s world: friends, cats, love of being at home~as well as some of the things that looked different: school uniforms, walking to school and many more children at the desks.
We also read Brand-new Pencils, Brand-new Books by Diane DeGroat. This book showed us the first day of school for Gilbert and the many new things he is looking forward to. Gilbert’s little sister is going off to preschool which she doesn’t think holds quite as much mystery.
In second grade, we started reading Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry. This is a fun book all about a second grade class with a very admirable and enthusiastic member. We talked about some of the words in the book which they didn’t know~admiration, character and origami.
All in all, a very good first day and an exciting time here at MCDS!
-
Reading & Listening
