Archive for the 'Books Boys Would Like' Category

Squirrel’s World by Lisa Moser

Schema: Squirrels live in trees, cute, furry, eat nuts “A Busy, Busy, Busy Start” Drawing Conclusions: What text evidence supports the conclusion that squirrel is not a good listener?   He makes many apples fall when mouse told him she only needed one. Cause and Effect: Because Squirrel rolled 10 ears of corn down the hill [...]

So Far From the Sea by Eve Bunting

Schema: sea, setting Questions to activate background knowledge: Can you think of another time in history where a group of people have been treated unfairly because of the color of their skin? Can you imagine being taken away from your family because of your ethnicity? Why is the title so far from the sea when [...]

The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino

Schema: flippers on the cover connect with swimming, title mentions sea Author’s purpose: to share real information about sea scientist, Jacques Cousteau. Metaphor: Cousteau’s quote on the first page makes a mental image of the sea a casting spell over him and holding him with “its net of wonder.”   The sea is like a net [...]

Pirates by David L. Harrison

Schema: Pirates or sailors on ships, missing a hand or a foot, we can infer that they take risks if they are missing a limb, they wear funny hats, have parrots for pets, brave, hunt buried treasure, modern pirates steal and harm Text to self connections: Pirates of the Caribbean’s Jack Sparrow, Peter Pan’s Captain [...]

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

Schema: civil wars, traveling alone, the title which is a phrase from the U. S. National Anthem Before beginning, read the guide produced by the publisher which provides a background for understanding: Author’s purpose: The author takes us into the world of a refugee and helps refugee’s to see that they are not alone. POV: [...]

14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy

“To heal a sorrowing heart, give something that is dear to your own.”   from the Note from Kimeli Naiyomah at the end of the book. Schema: cows, feeling sorrow for someone’s pain Text-to-self connection: remembering or hearing about September 11, 2001;  being kind to others; feeling the emotion of something being “sweet and sad” because [...]

Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker

Schema: wild birds Read the note at the back of the book so the students can understand the problem better before you begin the book. Text-to-self connections: doing a project with a sibling, feeling sorry for the birds, seeing problems that wild birds cause What city animals help keep the balance of nature in our [...]

Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog by Eileen Beha

Anne of Green Gables meets the animal version of  Swiss Family Robinson in this coming of age novel that incorporates a realistic plot about a young girl, McKenna, who is passed from foster home to foster home seeking love while trying to find her place in the world.  She believes she is related to the [...]

Duck Tents by Lynne Berry

Schema: camping, ducks, fall Text-to-Self Connections: fishing Cause and Effect: Because one duck slips, the effect is that the other ducks “sprawl.” Use the Observation graphic to chart the activities that go with the five senses. Inference: What do you infer that the whooo whooo noise is from? Drawing Conclusions: What do you conclude about [...]

Have I Got A Book For You! by Melanie Watt

Schema: people who sell things with commercials on TV; a fox is the character telling the story so what is our usual stereotype of a fox in a story-usually a bad guy?  What preconceived ideas do we have about salesmen or telephone marketers who call and try to get us to buy something? Persuasion: This [...]