Book-A-Day June 20
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery (nonfiction, grades 7 & up)
This book surprised me in so many ways! The book looks and reads like a 250 page fiction chapter book. There are a few pages in the center with color photos but otherwise it is just text. As an assigned book for my summer course, at first I dreaded reading it figuring it would be lots of dry facts about an animal that I knew little about. I was so wrong! The author became fascinated with octopuses (yes that is the correct plural form-not octopi like many think) and this book is as much about her experiences, her journeys, her joys, her heartbreaks, and her friends as it is facts about octopuses. The author has a light, easy-to-read style and she brings so much heart into her book. Along the way, I learned lots of information about octopuses including how surprisingly smart and inquisitive they are. After reading the book, I want to visit the aquarium to have a closer look at this unique animal! While a few middle school students might appreciate the book, it seems to be more geared towards the YA and adult populations. Sy Montgomery also wrote The Octopus Scientist which is a nonfiction picture book about octopuses and how scientists study them in the wild. Both books pair together very nicely!
Sam the Man & the Rutabaga Plan by Frances O'Roark Dowell (fiction, grades K-3)
What in the world is a rutabaga? That’s exactly what Sam wants to know! For a science project, each student in Sam’s second grade class is given a different vegetable to take care of and study and Sam is left with a rutabaga. Sam doesn’t even like vegetables! Sam draws a face on his rutabaga and learns that they grow in the dirt. Soon, he’s grown attached to his new “friend” and wants to find the best dirt he can, even if the best dirt involves worm poop. Read this funny book to find out how Sam’s family and his neighbors (and their chickens) help him in his quest to save his rutabaga. This early chapter book has likable characters as positive role models and has themes of working together and perseverance. It is the second book in a series (although reading the first book is not necessary) and would make a great read aloud, especially during a science unit about plants and growing or a healthy eating unit.
Malala: Activist for Girls' Education by Raphaele Frier, Illustrated by Aurelia Fronty (biography, grades 2-5)
This beautiful picture book biography tells the fascinating story of Malala's life and how she has fought for the right to education for girls. The book explains what life is like in Pakistan, who the Taliban are, and the problems that girls face in Pakistan. At a very early age, and with the support of her parents, Malala started speaking up for the rights of girls. Even after she was shot by the Taliban, she continued to speak out and soon earned the Nobel Peace Prize. Many of Malala's actual quotes are in the book and the author references other peaceful civil rights activists including Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. The many illustrations are bright, colorful, and set the tone for the book. Although some of the concepts in the book are more mature (Taliban, shooting, etc), the author explains them in a way that isn't frightening and the overall tone of the book is hopeful. The strong message of equal rights and standing up for what is right is highly emphasized making this a great read aloud for upper elementary school (and even middle school) students.
Book Snaps!
What a fun way to make learning and thinking visible!! Recently, #BookSnaps have been showing up on my Twitter feed. Curious, I looked into it more and found out that BookSnaps are a relatively new way of using technology in order to highlight quotes and important parts of books. All you need is a smartphone or iPad with the SnapChat App. You can find more specific directions, and a how-to video, here: http://daveburgess.com/booksnaps/. Once the BookSnap is created it can be saved as a photo (or a video if there are more than one) and shared with the world. This is a great tool for students to use to share their thinking and learning with others. It uses technology that they are familiar with and most of all, it's FUN!!
