Because of Winn-Dixie

Title:  Because of Winn-Dixie

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Illustrator:  n/a

ISBN:  0763625582

Summary: 

Opal and her father move to Florida.  When they got there they never realized the impact the move would have on them or the town.  Winn-Dixie finds her way into Opal and her father’s heart, and helps them transform the town.

 Rating:

This is a new classic.  I love this story of friendship.  

 

(The AR and Lexile information is pulled straight from their websites. Arbookfind.com and lexile.com)

AR Information		Lexile Information
Level	3.9	Age range	Not Listed
Quiz Point Value	3	Book type	Fiction
Grade Interest Level	4-8	Lexile measure	610L

 

Curriculum Connections: (These standards are simply the ones I found right off as some I may use for a lesson with the book listed.  I in no way am trying to state these are the only standards that fit this book.)

CCSS

RL.3.1- RL.3.4

W.3.1

Reading:

I would probably use this in guided reading groups more so than a read aloud.  Either way it would be very affective.

 Writing and Speaking:

The students would write a reflection each week on the part of the story we covered.  The students will write a story using photostory about their pet or their dream pet.

 

Additional uses:

 

Related Internet Resources:

http://www.scholastic.com/winndixie/

http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/bowd.html

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/characters-because-winn-dixie-866.html

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=680&a=1

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=680&a=1

http://www.pinterest.com/moniquita73/because-of-winn-dixie/

http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=80c92485-2306-4263-9ebe-503655a27c12

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Title:  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author: Mark Twain

Illustrator:  Donald McKay

ISBN:  0448405601

Summary: 

Tom is a young lad that is rambunctious to say the least.  He loves getting into things including a fighting, pranks, getting lost in a cave, but the most scary adventure is when he and his friend are witness to a murder.  The good thing though is Tom also has a girlfriend.

Free Online Copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyr

Free Audio Book of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Rating:

This is a true classic.  I love Mark Twain.   There is something for everyone in this book.  There is enough adventure to keep the boys interested and the girls love a good romance.

 

(The AR and Lexile information is pulled straight from their websites. Arbookfind.com and lexile.com)

AR Information		Lexile Information
Level	8.1	Age range	8-12 years
Quiz Point Value	12	Book type	Fiction
Grade Interest Level	6-up	Lexile measure	970L

 

Curriculum Connections: (These standards are simply the ones I found right off as some I may use for a lesson with the book listed.  I in no way am trying to state these are the only standards that fit this book.)

CCSS

RL.6.1- RL.6.7

W.6.1 – W.6.4

W.6.9

SL.6.1 – SL.6.5

Reading:

WOW!! There are so many things that come to mind when reading this book.  It is truly a great place to attack any lesson.  This would be an entire unit on Mark Twain.  We would use a variety of different medias for the students.

 

Writing and Speaking:

The students would write a reflection each week on the part of the story we covered.  The students will write a letter to one of the characters.  The students will explain which media type they can better understand.  The students will participate in Book Talks and Readers Theater.  This could even be something that could be done as a school production.

Additional uses:

This book could also be used as a Geography mini-lesson.

 

Related Internet Resources:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/adventures-tom-sawyer-lesson-plan

http://www.neabigread.org/books/theadventuresoftomsawyer/teachers-guide/schedule-lesson-plans/ (free resources and printables)

http://mrslivaudais.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Huck-Finn-POV.pdf

http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/education/for-teachers/lesson-plans

 

The Price of Freedom How One Town Stood Up to Slavery

Title:  The Price of Freedom How One Town Stood Up to Slavery

Author: Judith Bloom Fradin and Dennis Brindell Fradin

Illustrator:  Eric Velasquez

ISBN:  9780802721679

Summary: 

A town dedicated to helping slaves thru the Underground Railroad, and how this one town stood up for freedom.

 

Rating:

The book is a great book.

AR Information		Lexile Information
Level	5.7	Age range	8-10 years
Quiz Point Value	.5	Book type	Not Listed
Grade Interest Level	4-8	Lexile measure	940L

 (The AR and Lexile information is pulled straight from their websites. Arbookfind.com and lexile.com)

 

Curriculum Connections: (These standards are simply the ones I found right off as some I may use for a lesson with the book listed.  I in no way am trying to state these are the only standards that fit this book.)

CCSS

RI.5.3

 

Reading:

I would use this book as a read aloud and in guided reading groups.  It would be part of my thematic unit on slavery.

 

Writing and Speaking:

The students would do a research project on influential person in slavery and making slavery unconstitutional.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-slavery

 

Additional uses:

This could also be integrated into Social Studies.

 

Related Internet Resources:

http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/juneteenth-proclamation-jubilation-lesson-plan/

http://www.pinterest.com/heatherknox07/reading/

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/slav_fact.cfm

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-revolution/1917

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/teachers/lessons.html

http://americanhistory.mrdonn.org/slavery.html

The Potato Man

Title:  The Potato Man

Author: Megan McDonald

Illustrator:  Ted Lewin

ISBN:  0531085147

 Summary: 

This book is based in late 1800 early 1900’s.  It is about a little boy who steals from a mean vegetable farmer.  Then one day the farmer disappears.

Rating:

The book is a cute little book.  I would use this as a read aloud or in guided reading groups. 

AR Information		Lexile Information
Level	3.2	Age range	Not Listed
Quiz Point Value	.5	Book type	Not Listed
Grade Interest Level	K-3	Lexile measure	Not Listed

 (The AR and Lexile information is pulled straight from their websites. Arbookfind.com and lexile.com)

 Curriculum Connections: (These standards are simply the ones I found right off as some I may use for a lesson with the book listed.  I in no way am trying to state these are the only standards that fit this book.)

CCSS

RL.3.2

RI.3.2

W.3.2

SL.3.5

Reading:

I would use this book mainly in my guided reading group.  It has many aspects that can make the students think and give a lower group a good place to start.

 

Writing and Speaking:

Students would give a book talk about the book to the entire class.

 

Additional uses:

This could also be integrated into the Science and Social Studies. You could also use this book to start a conversation about healthy eating or farming.

 

Related Internet Resources:

http://www.finegardening.com/video/homegrown-homemade-how-to-plant-potatoes.aspx

http://www.letsmove.gov/eat-healthy

http://www.idahopotato.com/kids

http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education-printables/category/8-free-kids-printable-farm-table-teaching-worksheets-fun-farm-foods-coloring-pages-learning-sheets-farming-fruits-vegetables-activities

http://www.momtastic.com/uncategorized/174423-this-mini-farm-teaches-your-kids-how-vegetable-grow/

Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall

Title:  Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall

Author: Leo Yerxa

Illustrator:  n/a

ISBN: 

Summary: 

Part creation myth, part father/son initiation story, the book beautifully depicts a journey through the woods as the scene changes from fall to winter.

David Lanz - Before The Last Leaf Falls

http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/WhyTheTreesLoseTheirLeaves-Cherokee.html

Rating:

The book is a great way to start a thematic unit on seasons.  With this book and several other resources you could easily integrate this into both social studies and science. For ELA, this could be used as an aide in a poetry unit because of the rhyme in the book. 

AR Information		Lexile Information
Level	4.5	Age range	Not Listed
Quiz Point Value	.5	Book type	Not Listed
Grade Interest Level	K-3	Lexile measure	Not Listed

(The AR and Lexile information is pulled straight from their websites. Arbookfind.com and lexile.com)

 

Curriculum Connections: (These standards are simply the ones I found right off as some I may use for a lesson with the book listed.  I in no way am trying to state these are the only standards that fit this book.)

CCSS

RL.3.2

RI.3.2

W.3.2

SL.3.5

 Boy Least Likely To - The First Snowflake

 Reading:

I would use this book to aide in my poetry unit.  The students would recount the story and determine the main idea. 

Writing and Speaking:

Students could do poem research and use technology to create an audio recording of their poem or musical composition they will create based on seasons. 

 Additional uses:

This could also be integrated into the Science and Social Studies.  The links above are for integrating the arts via different genres of music.

 

Related Internet Resources:

http://www.gobookee.org/last-leaf-teacher-guide/

http://mercury.educ.kent.edu/database/eureka/detail_book.cfm?BooksID=256

http://voices.yahoo.com/science-lesson-plans-fall-animals-ready-6777230.html

http://exchange.smarttech.com/search.html?q=Seasons%3A+Spring%3A+Summer%3A+Winter%3B+Fall%3A+Four+Seasons