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In Their Words – Part 4

Posted on June 20, 2014 by auburnchick

More book advertisements from my students (click the pictures to embiggen)…

A compelling book by one of my favorite YA writers. The book is deep, let me tell you, but written quite cleverly and with a wit that will make you chuckle throughout. I’m going to do this as a Read Aloud this coming school year. The vocabulary, in places, is advanced, so I’ll tie in lessons as well. This student, as you can see, enjoyed it immensely!

Another popular book with my students. It is written in prose form, which appeals to many teenagers. The book, from what I’ve heard from my students, is gritty and raw.

This is a book that my male students gravitate toward. Two of my students did their book advertisements about it.

This is the second book advertisement for this book. What I love is the picture of the main character, whose hair was vividly described and constantly referred to in the books. The student who created this project flew through the series!

The third book advertisement for this novel. I love how each project depicted different items. Take a look at the oxygen canister…so pivotal in the book!!! This novel never stayed on the bookshelf!

Students rave about this book, even though many have read it by the time they get to high school. I simply must add it to my list!

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In Their Words – Part 2

Posted on June 13, 2014 by auburnchick

This is Part 2 in a series of posts dedicated to the book advertisements my students made as their final project.

This student is a friend’s son. She requested that he be in my class…not a little bit of pressure on me to have him do well. 🙂 He was a joy to teach, and his taste in books was eclectic and spoke of an old soul. He ASKED me to buy the North and the South trilogy. I’d read these books when I was a teenager, so I was happy to oblige. Everything on this poster meant something, as he explained to the class…even the line across the middle of the paper, which symbolized the division that existed between the main characters, best friends, in the book as well as the citizens of the country. He used different colors to represent each side as well. The class adored this student and his quirky humor (his pants actually split during a tornado drill, and he LAUGHED it off instead of getting embarrassed).

Harry Potter made an appearance this year. One of my boys had read his way through half of the series by the time June arrived.

Bone is a graphic novel series that one of my students could not put down the last month of school. I frequently found him reading instead of doing his work. It was a great problem to have!

Legend was a series that was popular with the boys. I recently finished reading it after this young man insisted, for months, that I give it a go. It was similar to the Divergent series but with more likeable characters…softer in nature. The third book proved a satisfying end to the series.

This student read one Jay Asher book and was hooked. This is a favorite of mine simply because of the concept…being able to see into your future (two teenagers install America Online, log in, and are taken to their Facebook profiles…ten years before Facebook is invented). The student was drawn to the question of what you would do if you learned what your future held.

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In Their Words – Part 1

Posted on June 10, 2014 by auburnchick

Over the course of the next few posts, I will be sharing the book advertisements that my students created.

The final project I assigned them required that they create book advertisements for favorite books they had read during the year.

They had to list the main characters, draw pictures of them and a setting (I did not take points away based on artistic ability), and write summaries, without giving away the ending.

I explained that I would be displaying these around the classroom so other students could use them to make decisions about what to read.

It’s one thing for me to put a book in front of a student who is having a difficult time settling on something to read.  Students quickly caught on to the fact that I love just about every book I read.  Seeing a book being recommended from a peer’s perspective was more up their alley, as I had witnessed first-hand when I saw students in class talking up books that their classmates later read.

The final exam was comprised of presentations of these book advertisements to the class.  We displayed the posters under the document camera, and students talked in front of the Smartboard.  We grilled them afterward.  They were graded according to a presentation rubric.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.  They really do speak of my students’ love for reading, and I feel like a proud Mama showing them off to you!  Please click on each picture to enlarge it.

This student got to attend a book signing with John Green!!! I was completely jealous when I found out!!!

I read this series because of this young lady! We had a debate about the yucky movie of the same title (she liked it, and I did not).

This young lady fell in love with Jennifer Brown’s books after reading Hate List. She had a difficult time deciding which book to do her project on but finally decided on A Thousand Words. She got a few other girls in the class to read it too!

The young lady who read this could not put it down! She had fought silent reading time all year…until she began reading this book. I frequently had to ask her to stop reading it while I was providing instruction to the class. It moved her beyond words, and I ordered the second book for her after she asked. For a non-reader, this was a huge milestone!

Another Jennifer Brown book. The student who read it talked about how she had gotten out of an abusive relationship. This led to a class discussion about teenage dating violence. It was eye-opening for me.

Filed under: Books, Teaching | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Unbroken – A Book Review

Posted on April 16, 2014 by auburnchick

I just finished book #15 of 2014, and what a doozie!!

I originally purchased this book because I have a student who is very interested in military history.  While this student was finishing a different book, I decided to bring it home.

It is, hands-down, the BEST biography I have ever read (and I’ve read quite a few, let me tell you). I became interested in this book after a segment about Louie Zamperini aired during the Olympics. It appealed to my love for history as well as my appreciation for athletics.

This book really doesn’t read much like a biography. Hillenbrand’s storytelling skills are PHENOMENAL. There was certainly a lot of information poured forth in the book’s pages, but she presented the information in such a way that I didn’t want to stop reading! I could not put this book down and resented my need to sleep, eat, and work because I wanted to read it straight through.

Zamperini’s antics as a child and young adult made me laugh…out loud. His bravado during his time drifting at sea and in the POW camps was truly inspiring. His collapse after his return home broke my heart, and his restoration brought tears to my eyes.

This is a MUST-READ.

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The Scorpio Races

Posted on April 12, 2014 by auburnchick

I just finished book #14 for this year…The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater.

I had read a few reviews and knew I had to purchase it for my classroom.

What a gem of a book!  I read it in three days!

The story centers around an annual ritual in which water horses, caught from the sea, are raced across the shore, handled by experienced and inexperienced men.  The prize is a large purse of money and prestige.

Sean Kendrick is a four-time winner, vying for his fifth win.  His motives run deeper than tangible rewards.

Puck Connolly is an orphaned young lady who enters the race to save her home.

I’m trying to put my finger on what makes this book so magical.

Part of it is the setting.

I’ve been on a few cruises, and I’ve seen a few tropical locations.

There’s a ethereal feel when you step on an island, and it was that connection that I felt when I read this book.

A thread of mystical power runs through this story.

Sean reminds me of the Horse Whisperer.  His connection with the wild horses from the sea is intriguing and touching.

Puck is a strong female character who doesn’t wait for life to happen to her.  She literally takes the reins in her hands to drive her own destiny.  This is a theme my teenage charges need to read about.

I think what I loved most about this story was the constant pull between what one loves (in this case, the ocean) and what needs to be done, pragmatically.  It’s a struggle I can identify with…that any reader will connect to.

I highly recommend this to anyone…middle school and above (it’s a good read for adults too).

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Comments from the Classroom

Posted on April 10, 2014 by auburnchick

Truly do I wish I could record some of the conversations that transpire between me and my students.

I want to replay some of them over and over.

Thank goodness for this blog, which has become a snapshot of the things I want to hold close to my heart.

Here are a few comments I overheard yesterday.

Before school started, one of my students popped in.  He was on his way to take FCAT because he is an eleventh grader.  As I began wishing him good luck, he proudly opened his backpack and displayed the HEALTHY snacks he had packed for the day…carrot slices and peanut butter crackers!  He also told me that his friend, another student of mine who won’t be testing until next week, had MADE him eat breakfast that included PROTEIN!!!!

I.

Kid.

You.

Not.

Later, I saw one of my students walking past my classroom before second period.  He was on his way to another class and would be seeing me later, but he said, as he made eye contact, “Mrs. AuburnChick, I went to bed an hour earlier like you said.”

You see, I’ve been asking my students to eat healthier and get more rest in preparation for the FCAT test they will be taking next week.

In fact, nutrition has been an ongoing theme in my room all year as they inquire about my vegan lifestyle.

These are conversations that most of my students do not have with their parents.

Changing topics…

My second period class was taking their five-minute break between classes (we are together for second and third periods).  One of my students proudly announced that he had read twelve books this year!  Another student chimed in by saying she had read six.

They’ve been keeping lists.  I had no idea!

Another student told me he needed a new series of books to read.  He’s read Neal Shusterman’s Skinjacker and Unwind series.  He recently finished the I am Number 4 series, written by Pittacus Lore.  He’s read a number of other books this year as well, but he likes series, where he can establish long-term relationships with characters and story lines.

Three female students were discussing how they liked/disliked a prominent male character in one of the books they’ve passed around.

One of the girls said she didn’t like him because he has one dimple, which students in my classroom have been teasing her about, saying they would make the perfect couple because she has one dimple and the character’s dimple is on the other side.

Ahhh…teenagers.  You’ve gotta love them!

I love listening in on these conversations.  They reflect the atmosphere in my classroom…one that has fostered a love for reading…a camaraderie among vastly different teenage personalities…a sense of accomplishment.

This is not something that has existed to this extent in my previous three years of teaching.

These things show me that my ability to connect with my students…read their interests and supply their needs…is improving with each year I am in the classroom.

Go ahead and be envious.

I’m doing a job that pays these kinds of dividends every single day, and I am a fortunate gal indeed!

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I Have a Little Problem

Posted on April 3, 2014 by auburnchick

I have a little problem that I thought I’d share here.

This problem has been in the works for several months now.

It all started when my first box of books arrived.

You see, I had been observing my students…listening to my students’ comments about the types of books they liked.

It wasn’t long before THE PROBLEM happened.

My students were reading…

Without me asking them to…

And asking for more reading time.

They were reading after the timer went off, signaling an end to independent reading time.

As the months have passed, the problem has gotten worse.

Students are reading when they are supposed to be doing bellwork.

They are reading instead of listening to my carefully-prepared lessons.

They are hiding books under the paperwork they are supposed to be completing.

They are leaning over their chairs, gripping their stomachs in feigned sickness, all the while reading the books they have crammed into their laps.

Oh, and the problem is even worse than that.

My students are talking even more in class…

About the books they are secretively reading.

They are making threats too.

Threats against me…

Threats to reveal twists in the plots of the books I am planning on reading during summer vacation.

And they are laughing in demonic voices as I implore (vocabulary word from yesterday’s reading) them to keep their secrets to themselves.

Do you want to know the VERY, VERY worst problem of all?

Instead of buying more bling for myself, I am buying the above offenders MORE books, thus encouraging the problem to continue.

The newest batch of books…newly arrived as of yesterday afternoon…

Sheesh.

Honestly, I don’t know what to do!

I guess I’ll just have to let this problem time out on its own…as in June 6th…the last day of school.

What a WONDERFUL problem to have!!!!

Filed under: Books, Teaching | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

The Luck is in the Hodgepodge

Posted on March 12, 2014 by auburnchick

Another week has gone by, and I can hardly believe it!  As I was typing last week’s post, I was preparing myself mentally for the observation my principal would be conducting in my room the next day.  I am happy to report that my students were AMAZING, and the lesson had the intended impact that I’d hoped for.  God is so good!

This is a brand new week, and Joyce has prepared a fresh batch of questions for us.  Play along by posting your own answers on your blog and then linking back up with Joyce.

1.  Do you have an interest in learning about your family’s heritage? Why or why not? If you know a little bit about your roots, share an interesting piece of trivia or a fun fact about someone who goes way back on your family tree.

I know a few things about my family’s heritage but, unfortunately, my father passed away in 2001, taking much of the information with him.  It’s rather difficult to track French family lines that run outside of this country.

I do know that my grandparents came from families on opposite sides of WWII, which made their marriage quite the controversial thing.  One of my grandparents was French, and the other German.  You fill in the blanks.  I’ll bet the stories they told throughout the years were quite colorful.

I also know that my great-grandfather fought in WWI.  I have a picture of him in his uniform somewhere.  I really should dig it out and frame it.

2.  Branch Rickey, the baseball exec credited with signing Jackie Robinson, is quoted as saying-

“Luck is the residue of design.”

Agree or disagree? Why?

For a Reading teacher, I’m having a little trouble deciphering this.  Is this quote saying that we have a hand in our own luck?  If so, I might agree with that.  I think that some people are lucky, such as when they win the lottery.  However, I believe that it is hard work (not to mention God’s hand) that earns results.

3.  In the town where you currently reside, what’s your favorite green space?

I guess we have a couple of parks in my small town, but I honestly can’t say that they stick out to me.  I’m not much of an outdoorsy kind of gal.  If I had to select a green space, I’d say that my front yard is my favorite simply because it’s home.

4.  Who is your favorite comedian?

Oh, I am such a stick in the mud!!!  I don’t listen to comedians.  I don’t watch late night shows (as opposed to watching DVR’d shows late at night).  I don’t find most comedians funny because they always throw in crude jokes, which I have no stomach for and refuse to laugh at.

Going back to the 80’s, I would say that Bill Cosby was a favorite.

5.  March is National Nutrition Month, and almost everyone needs to improve their diet in some way.  What about you? How can you improve your nutrition on a daily basis? Will you try?

I have been, with the exception of a cupcake and a brownie on Monday, without processed sugar since before New Years.  I’ve been conscious about my eating habits for years but more so since becoming a vegan four years ago.  I read labels and ask what is in the dishes on menus at restaurants.  I don’t eat much…rarely breakfast or lunch.  When I do, I eat fruit.  I’m a fairly simple eater and quite honestly would be happier juicing most of the time.  I have some food issues, I know, but I’m determined not to gain weight or die from plaque in my arteries.

6.   Which of these green expressions have you ‘experienced’ in recent weeks -green with envy, green thumb, green around the gills, or give the green light? Explain.

I’ll go (get the pun?) with give the green light…to my students, that is.  My lesson plans have increasingly become more student-centered, allowing students to take more control over the learning they are doing in my classroom.  It’s difficult to do, and I have to go with the flow more, but I’m enjoying the process…watching students discover things with my gentle guidance.

7.  Where is one place you don’t mind waiting?

I don’t mind waiting in line at my favorite pizza place, Red Brick.  It’s a gluten-free, vegan-friendly place, and I look forward to indulging once or twice a month.  We’ve hit Spring Break season, and our beaches are nuts.  The mall where our Red Brick is located stays busy, but it’s worth it for that pizza!

8.  My Random Thought

I’ve been a busy girl again…buying more books for my classroom…

I really can’t help myself.

I read too many book reviews, and various students come to mind.

I’ve been known to add books to my Amazon cart while a student is looking over my shoulder.  The joy in delivering that book to that student is indescribable, as is the knowledge that I’m helping to foster a deep love for reading.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

Seeing My Way Through the Hodgepodge

Posted on February 26, 2014 by auburnchick

It’s time for the Hodgepodge!  How I do love these questions and look forward to them every week!  A huge thanks to Joyce for hosting!

1.  What is something you’ll never forget about the age you are right now?

Let’s see…I’m 43, going on 44.  I guess the thing I’ll never forget about this age is how one child left home and began earning her own way.  Sometimes I feel too young to have grown children!

2.  What’s a household chore you’ve never done? How have you managed that???

I’ve pretty much done every household chore, from cleaning out the gutters to mowing, to unstopping clogs.  I do all of the home repairs and a lot of cleaning.  I can’t think of anything, short of reroofing the house, that I haven’t done!

3.  Does nature shape our personalities more than nurture? Explain?

This is a tough question!  While I certainly believe that nature determines our personalities, I also think that nurture has a gigantic impact on them as well.  I look at my students and can see who comes from a caring home and who doesn’t.  I know, from personal experience, how not being nurtured affected me and the person I am today.  My insecurities stem directly from a difficult childhood devoid of consistent love.  Ultimately, I think that a nurturing environment can help turn our personalities toward those that are more positive in nature.  The same can be said in reverse.

4.  Friday (February 28th) is ‘Something on a Stick Day’…funny because Zoanna over at A Penchant for Pens recently sent me an idea for a question relating to this topic. What’s your favorite food eaten on a stick?

I don’t eat food on a stick, so I really can’t answer this question.  I’m rather lame, am I not?

5.  Which of your five senses do you treasure most, and why?

I thought a lot about this, and I think I’d have to say that I treasure my sight the most.  I was very nearsighted through my 20’s…nearly legally blind in one eye…with severe astigmatisms in both eyes.  Thankfully, I was able to have corrective eye surgery performed by an excellent doctor in South Florida, and my vision was restored to 20/20.  When I sat up on the table after the laser surgery, I cried when I discovered that I could see the hands on the clock.  I couldn’t remember how to tell time at that point, mind you, because I was so emotional, but nothing was blurry.  All the way home, I read out sign names as if I’d been blind the entire duration of my life.  I even drove myself to my follow-up appointment the next day.

I guess you can see why I think vision is so important to me.  I don’t take beautiful sunsets for granted…the sight of my children…my fuzzy fur babies.  They are all beautiful and a blessing to behold.

6.  What’s the best music, theatre, or sporting venue you’ve been to? What made it great?

My favorite venue has to be Auburn’s football stadium.  The love that the fans have for all things Auburn makes the feel of the place contagious.  I love that I can be sitting next to somebody I don’t know and be exchanging email addresses by the end of the game…drawn together by a mutual love for our Auburn Tigers.

I took this picture when we got to step on the field during a tour two seasons ago.

7.  It’s the last week of the month…in five words or less bid adieu to your February.

Four weeks until Spring Break.

8.  My Random Thought

I have become addicted to buying books for my classroom.  I constantly read book reviews, am a member of a group page on Facebook where each member is trying to read 100 books in a year and post reviews of the books we’ve read, and take note of my students’ reading selections so I can purchase more that they like so they will keep reading.

My latest purchase (before the one I placed yesterday afternoon) was this bunch…

Unbroken tells the story of Louis Zamperini, a member of the Air Force, who was shot down and taken captive during WWII.  I saw his story highlighted during Olympic coverage because before entering the military, he had been in the Berlin Olympics.

I bought this book because I have a student who loves the military and books related to it.

City of Bones was a purchase I made at the request of another student.  I want to read this series and plan on collecting all of the books.  I may not get around to reading them until the summer, though.

The third book was recommended by my mentor, Cinda.  It provides suggestions on how to foster a love for reading through specific and novel (pun intended) strategies that go beyond those that are passed around among most teachers.  I can’t wait to dig into it but will wait until Spring Break or after FCAT because the print is small.  It’s a “teacher” book, that’s for sure.

 

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 5 Comments »

Prisoner B-3087: A Book Review

Posted on February 25, 2014 by auburnchick

Last week, I finished my seventh book of the year…Prisoner B-3087, by Alan Gratz.

This book caught my attention the week before the book fair at my school.  During announcements, a book trailer was shown…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJHJKu3lx9s

The book was so popular that the media specialist had to order more of them!  I bought one (no surprise there, eh?).

This book is based on the true story of Yanek Gruener, a young Jewish boy, who lives in Poland before and during the outbreak of World War 2.  He watches as his parents get led away one day and, eventually, he is rounded up as well and sent to his first concentration camp.

He would wind up living in ten different camps throughout the war.  His description of each camp, the prisoners, and the atrocities he witnessed both there and during marches between camps will break your heart.

That he lived through them is a testament of the human spirit.

This is a book geared for middle and high school students.  It was a quick, easy read, but what sets it apart is the descriptions, told from a teenager’s point of view.  Although I am an adult who has read quite a number of stories about the Holocaust, this story will always stand out.

Found this through a search on Google images. This is Yanek (Jack) showing a class the tattoo of his prisoner number.

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