The Invisible Boy & ...I never saw another butterlfy...

The Invisible Boy
"The Invisible Boy" written by Trudy Ludwig and illustrated by Patrice Barton, is a story about a little boy that can't seem to fit in. Brian's teachers overlook him and his classmates ignore him. The book is filled with vibrant watercolors while Brian is colored in black and white representing the theme of being invisible. Brian eventually finds friendship with a new boy at school named Justin. The illustrator now paints Brian in color, he then becomes visible to his new friend.


...I never saw a butterfly...
 "...I never saw a butterfly...", is a book of poems written by young children under the age of fifteen that passed through the concentration camp of Terezin. The book is filled with poems depicting the highs and lows that the children experienced during times of starvation and disease. Many of the children are optimistic about their future while they are surrounded by death. The book is not just poems but illustrations as well. Some authors of the poems remain anonyms.

The Candy Monsters

Bell rings. Feet run on the newly polished floors in the cafeteria. "Line up!" I yell. Greedy eyes feast on the suitcase full of candy. "All my winners line up and get your prize first." Long fingers enclose over the Takis, Pringles, and Snicker bars. "Ok, everyone else get one piece of candy." I am pushed to the nearest wall while the monsters attack. As the smoke and the monster clear, I look to now empty suitcase and sigh.

Blog Post #7

Coming on Home soon by Jaqueline Woodson is a beautiful story that shows the life of a little girl dealing with her mother going off to work during the war. It shows a beautiful reality of what women went through to provide for their family. The daughter and grandmother wait patiently missing the presence of the mother. The pictures are realistic and warm and remind you of the love that poured out in your mothers hugs.


The War that Save my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is a beautifully written piece set in the time of WWII. It tells the gut wrenching story of a little orphan girl (Ada) and their brother being taken in by a woman who has no earthly idea how to raise a child. It shows how a relationship is grown between the children and Susan in the world's most difficult time.

Blog #7 Teaching Diverse Types of Notebook Entries

Reaching into Memory
It can be very intimidating for students to write about a new book or new content that they have learned that day. Simply requiring students to reflect on a memory to practice writing is a great way to begin a lesson. Not only are students describing an event in detail but this also could be a way to activate prior knowledge on a subject that may be discussed that day.




Thinking About a Person
Writing about a person who has inspired me or has special characteristics is another way to spark a writing experience. Writing has come easily when I am talking about my mother, someone who has made me the woman I am today. Kids are often interested in the people they can relate to. Whether it be a person on social media, a teacher, or even an important friend, the writing process can become easier when students' are able to write about the people that surrounds them.


Intentional Strategies Versus Assignments


The thing that stuck out to me the most was the use of notebooks in the classroom. The use of notebooks should not be a one-stop shop of assignments. As educators we want notebooks to be a place of refuge. Notebooks should be a place where students fell at ease when writing. We want to be able to hear students' voices within their writing and use notebooks as an extension for future writing assignments.

The Raven

The Raven is a Pacific Northwest folklore that explores how a raven stole the sun to provide light. The raven transforms itself into a pine needle that turns into a baby when the Sky Chief's daughter drinks the needle on accident. Once the baby its born, it stills the sun from the Sky Chief's home. The book is filled with a lot of dark colors why the raven is bright and colorful. The illustrations do not brighten up until the sun has been thrown into the sky.
Crow and Hawk is a Pueblo Indian Story that tell a story about how a crow leaves it's nest and a hawk helps hatch the eggs and feeds the crow babies. It is a story of how important your responsibilities are. The illustrations are bright and full of Indian art.
Both stories depict their cultures that shine through the illustrations in the books. I truly enjoyed this genre of children's novels.

Slice of Life- Scallop Delight

After a long day that consist of 133 kids screaming "Miss!"every other second, there is nothing better than the sizzling pure olive oil hitting a searing hot pan. The olive oil begins to pop as the fresh scallops plop down unto the silver steaming pan. The aroma of sea salt fills my nostrils while the sweet tunes of Earth Wind and Fire buzz in my ears. One tablespoon of garlic and butter are added to this scallop delight and I picture my feet in warm sand while the ocean breeze tickles my neck. The scallops make their way to a pearly white plate and all is well with my soul.

BHH-Speak

The Book Head Heart reading strategy is a great tool to use in the classroom not only for new novels  but for any text your students encounter. During our book club meeting for our choice novel Speak, we talked about all aspect of the book not realizing that we hit several elements that are used in the BHH strategy. As adults we have learned how to have meaningful conversation when discussing new content, but that may not come as easy to students'. The BHH strategy is a great guide to assist in purposeful reading. Not only does it encourage students' to fully invest in what they are reading but also comprehend what the text is discussing.
I have recently introduced this tool in my STARR tutorials. I believe that this tool can be effective not only in novels but in non-fiction, fictions, poetry, and many more resources. My students will be introduced to a non-fiction article this Tuesday in STARR tutorials, and elements from this strategy will be used to help make connections to the text.