It’s Monday, December 16! What are you reading?
“It’s Monday! What are you Reading?” is a meme co-hosted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts. Just like #booksaroundtheroom, it is a way to share books you’ve been reading, reviewing, and loving during the last week. I read a lot, both on my own and with my two kids, Corbchops (2008 days) and The Iza (1253 days). I’m excited to hear what you’ve been reading.
Got this one in at the wire. At the expense of tree-side reading, unfortunately. I’m gonna bust this out quick!
Here’s what I’ve enjoyed during the last week:
Middle Grade:
I finished two middle grade novels.
- Each Little Bird that Sings, by Deborah Wiles. A nice story about funerals and death. The holiday season helped me notice the carol connection to the names: “O tidings of comfort and joy.” I listened to the audiobook.
Picture Books:
I read nine new picture books. Here are my favorite three:
- Little Red Writing, by Joan Holub and Melissa Sweet. So fun. A little tricky for large group read aloud.
- Mr. Wuffles, by David Wiesner. The Corbchops and I had fun guessing what the aliens were saying.
- The Bear’s Song, by Benjamin Chaud. It’s French.
Poetry:
I don’t read enough poetry, but I read one short collection last week.
- It’s Snowing! It’s Snowing! Winter Poems, by Jack Prelutsky. I liked them.
Informational:
I read three informational books.
- The Tree Lady, by H. Joseph Hopkins and Jill McElmurry. Nonfiction picture books are the perfect way to learn about something you had no knowledge of.
- Frog Song, by Brenda Z. Guiberson and Gennady Spirin. The craziest frogs were the one that had froglets break through its back skin and the one who stored the tadpoles in its throat sac for seven weeks and then just let them hop out of its mouth. What.
- The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees, by Sandra Markle. Another good scientific mystery by the author of The Case of the Vanishing Golden Frogs.
AND
Right now When I finish this blog post, I’m reading:
Wake Up Missing, by Kate Messner
SO
What are you reading?
The View from Two Days Ago, Which Was Saturday #14
Well, that one slipped away from me. Just some quick reflections here.
Though many in my class are still infuriatingly inattentive and jabbery, I saw signs that students are learning and growing. In Writing Workshop, we’ve started our unit on opinion. I kicked things off with a little pep talk about work. That workshop depends on them listening, thinking, sharing, and trying things out. When I give them a strategy and say, “Today, try this in your writing,” then I mean actually try it in your writing. Some of them are starting to get it.
I really liked the prediction work we did in Reading Workshop last week. One, it allowed me to expand our paltry 10 minute read aloud slot into our Reading minilesson. And two, students seemed pretty engaged with envisioning and jotting predictions at different points. Most students, at least. There are a few I need to talk to…
This week is disrupted and disjointed, with a tour of our new school, a holiday concert, and assorted other distractions. I’m looking forward to a longer reflection time during my sixteen days away from fourth graders.
I’m glad you’re with me.
It’s Monday, December 9! What are you reading?
“It’s Monday! What are you Reading?” is a meme co-hosted by Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts. Just like #booksaroundtheroom, it is a way to share books you’ve been reading, reviewing, and loving during the last week. I read a lot, both on my own and with my two kids, Corbchops (2001 days) and The Iza (1246 days). I’m excited to hear what you’ve been reading.
Sorry, I missed you last week. You know how it is. But I did get to read.
Here’s what I’ve enjoyed during the last two weeks:
Middle Grade:
I finished two middle grade novels.
- P.S. Be Eleven, by Rita Williams-Garcia. A great sequel to One Crazy Summer. I enjoyed the strong connections to time and place.
- Finally, by Wendy Mass. The Willow Falls books always start really slow for me, but the end up good by the end. I listened to the audiobook.
Picture Books:
I read five new picture books. Here are my favorite three:
- I’m a Frog, by Mo Willems. I got this for a Christmas present, but I had to read it early. Because Mo Willems is the king of everything.
- Rosie’s Magic Horse, by Russell Hoban and Quentin Blake. Just weird fun.
- Little Santa, by Jon Agee. Such a clever idea.
Graphic Novels:
I read three graphic novels and one comic strip collection. I love graphic novels!
- Adventure Time, Vol. 1, by Ryan North, Brandon Lamb, and Shelli Paroline. I’ve never seen Adventure Time, but my students like it. The comic was OK.
- Aphrodite: Goddess of Love, by George O’Connor. I love this series. Olympians dress a little skimpy, though. I don’t mind, but 4th grade boys are…well…you know.
- Dogs of War, by Sheila Keenan and Nathan Fox. A good companion for Kirby Larson’s Duke and Dorothy Hinshaw Patent’s Dogs on Duty.
- Darth Vader and Son, by Jeffrey Brown. More a comic strip collection. But pretty funny.
Informational:
I read one informational book.
- Ben Franklin’s Almanac, by Candace Fleming. I reread this for my Guys Read book club. But then no one showed up. So. Sigh.
AND
Right now When I finish this blog post, I’m reading:
The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees, by Sandra Markle.
And I have 26 books to pick up from the library tonight.
SO
What are you reading?
The View from Saturday #13
Warning: Just a bunch of sad mope-iness today.
Maybe thirteen is unlucky.
It was a hard week. One of the hardest. Shouldn’t the hardest be in September/October, and not December? I don’t even really want to write about it. I just want to pretend it didn’t happen.
Not because of Reading and Writing Workshop. Just because of…students. Or, really, because of me, and my inability to motivate/tolerate/manage/help those…students. How do we get to December with these same problems? What am I doing wrong, and how can I make it right? How can I help students see the impact of their choices, and want to change to make them more positive?
Frustrating.
Infuriating.
Disappointing.
Exhausting.
I know why new teachers leave.
But I’m not a new teacher.
Next week is a new week.
I’m so, so glad you’re with me. I couldn’t make it through this without you.
Also, if it’s going to be this cold, can’t we have some snow?
Shaped Like A Blogg... 