Jillian Anderer - 5121

Jillian Anderer

August 19, 2010

Annotated Bibliography: Comprehension Strategies

EDUC 5121

Silverstein, S. (1986) The Giving Tree. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

This is a classic story about the friendship between a boy and a tree. The boy and tree are the best of friends, happily playing together until the boy begins to grow up.

Rather than visiting the tree everyday to play, the boy only seems to come around when he is in need of something, asking for help as he goes through the different stages of life. As he grows up, his needs continue to change, and the tree keeps giving until one day, there seems to be nothing left to give.

Ways to use the questioning strategy:

1.

Before reading the story, ask students if they have ever done something nice for someone else for no particular reason, having them share their stories with the group.

2.

During the story, ask students to predict what they think is going to happen to the boy and the tree by the end of the story.

3.

After the story, ask students to write down what they were feeling for the tree at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Then, have them do the same exercise for the boy character. Finally, ask them if their feelings towards the characters changed as the story progressed and why.

Burton, V. (1942) The Little House. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

A small pink house set out in the countryside, sees the distant lights of the bustling city and often wonders what it might be like to live there. As time goes by, the city begins to expand, eventually reaching the little house. She finds herself surrounded by skyscrapers and missing the sight of the nighttime stars she used to gaze up at.

One fateful day, an ancestor of her original owner happens to pass by, and upon recognizing the little house, returns her to the countryside where she belongs.

Ways to use the connection strategy:

1.

Students will make connections between self and text - ask students to describe if they have ever felt the way the house does (aka: out of their element)

2.

Ask students to think about their own homes and neighborhoods, writing down changes these places have gone through since they’ve lived there

(examples: new houses being built, storefronts changing, neighbors moving out and new ones moving in and making changes to the homes)

Joel, B. (2004) Goodnight, My Angel. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

In this bedtime story, originally composed as a lullaby, Billy Joel expresses the deep bond that exists between a parent and child. Written for his own daughter, it captures the quiet beauty of the father-daughter relationship as a father puts his daughter to bed, promising to always be in her heart.

Way to use visualization strategy:

1.

Comparative and figurative language help children to imagine the story

(“When we went sailing on an emerald bay”, The water's dark and deep”,

“Inside this ancient heart”)

Way to use connection strategy:

1.

Students can make connections to their relationships with their parents

Including their own nighttime rituals (example: sharing bedtime stories,

getting tucked in, singing lullabies, etc.)

McCloskey, R. (1941) Make Way For Ducklings. New York, NY: The Viking Press.

Though it isn’t easy for duck parents to find a safe place to bring up their ducklings, during a stop in Boston's Public Garden, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard think they have found the perfect place. There are no animals that will harm their ducklings, passerby are generous with sharing snacks, and there is a kind police officer to watch over them.

As the duck family makes their way through the streets of Boston, passing various recognizable landmarks, the mother duck’s loving, protective ways stand out to readers.

Ways to use connection strategies:

1.

Students can think to a time when they were introduced to a new place and the things they found appealing about it; ask them to think of a favorite city they’ve visited and which landmarks they recall

2.

Students can make a list of the ways in which their own parents show protection over them

Freeman, D. (1976) Corduroy. New York, NY: The Viking Press.

Corduroy is a bear that lives in the toy department of a big store. A little girl wants to buy him, but her mother refuses because the bear is missing a button on his overalls. That night, Corduroy goes on a search through the store for a button so that he can fix himself up in the hopes that someone will want to buy him. Sadly, he finds himself lost in the store, and is returned to the toy department by a security guard who discovers him. The little girl returns the next day with money she has saved up and, though still button-less, buys Corduroy and takes him home with her where she sews a new button on his overalls.


1.

After reading the story, ask students, “Do you have a special toy at home that you consider a friend?, “Do you have any other toys that hold special meaning to you? Why is that?”

2.

After reading the story, ask students if there has ever been something they wanted so badly, that they saved up all of their money to buy it. Because they’d earned it themselves, did that toy bare special significance?

Viorst, J. (1972) Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Publishing.

Alexander wakes up and is greeted by a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day! He gets out of bed only to find gum in his hair and them immediately trips on his skateboard. His mom forgets to put dessert in his lunch box, and his dentist finds a cavity. This book proves to be a laugh-out-loud account of one boy's day of bad luck.


1.

Have the students write about a time when they had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day at school.

Way to use questioning strategy:

1.

Ask students about their own “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day”;

What happened? Did the day get better? How did it change? Who helped make it better?

 

Sendak, M. (1963) Where The Wild Things Are. New York, NY: Harper Collins

Publishers.

This is the story of Max, a little boy who, upon being sent to his room without supper. As Max’s imagination unfolds, his bedroom changes into the land of the Wild

Things, who make him their ruler. The Wild Things, led by Max, enjoy a lively time, until Max leaves, despite their loving plea that he not, and returns home to find his dinner waiting for him.

Way to use questioning strategy:

1.

Ask students if they were ever angry with someone they loved or was someone they loved ever angry with them? How did they react to this? How did it make them feel?


1.

After reading the story, have students share a time in which they felt the way

Max did at the beginning of the story

Seuss. (1990) Oh, the Places You’ll Go! New York, NY: Random House.

The main character of this story, a cheerful man in a yellow jumpsuit, receives the narrator's good wishes and heads out of town. He travels through a wide variety of colorful Seussian landscapes and finds himself in many different situations--some exciting, some disheartening, some terrifying. He learns he can make it through any circumstances that may come his way in life.

Way to use visualizing strategy:

1.

Students listen to the story by Dr. Seuss Oh, the Places You'll Go! and then brainstorm a list of places they would like to go. The students will write an answer to: "Oh, the places I will go! I will go____________.” and then illustrate their responses.

Way to use the inferring strategy:

1.

Students will participate in a class discussion to pinpoint the major themes found in the story. This theme can be inferred by both looking to the pictures and delving deep into the text. The children should infer that the primary theme of the story has to do with the endless possibilities for what you can do and where you can go in your life.

Keats, E. (1976) The Snowy Day. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

The Snowy Day is a story of a boy who wakes up to find that snow has fallen during the night. The little boy celebrates by venturing out and spending his day making footprints in the snow, forming snowballs, and creating snow angels. This happy tale reminds readers of those wonderful mornings, waking up to a magical, winter wonderland.

Way to use visualizing strategy:

1.

Have students draw pictures of the mental images the story evokes in them.


1.

Have students recall a snow day of their own. What types of activities did they engage in?

Pfister, M. (1992) The Rainbow Fish. New York, NY: North-South Books.

Rainbow Fish, with his beautiful sparkling silver scales, was the most beautiful fish in the ocean. Despite Rainbow Fish's beauty, he was not happy. Rainbow Fish did not have any friends. In the end, he must decide whether his beauty is more important than having friends.

Ways to use questioning strategies:

1.

The book, The Rainbow Fish, is all about sharing. After reading the story, ask students, “What are some things you share with your friends?”, “When a friend does not share how do you feel?”

2.

After reading the story, students will be able to answer meaningful questions: “Why do you think that sharing made Rainbow Fish so happy?” “If you were Rainbow Fish, would you share a scale or keep it?” “What lesson do you think Rainbow Fish has learned?”

Annotated Bibliography

Anholt, L. (1995). Sophi e and the new baby . Morton Grove, IL: Albert

Whitman & C ompany.

Sophie is an only child, that is until her parents surprise her with exciting news…soon she will be a big sister! Over the next few months, Sophie enjoys helping her parents prepare for the arrival of her baby brother. Sophie loves being a big sister, until her parents spend all of their time with the baby and seem to forget about Sophie! Will

Sophie ever get used to her baby brother?


1.

Students can make connections to their families and Sophie’s family. a. Pause at different times throughout the book to ask the class questions.

Example: How are the seasons involved in this story?

2.

Some students may relate to family dynamics. a. This would be an appropriate time for students to share their family dynamics.

3.

Students can express these connections with a visual activity: a.

After a quick lesson on family trees, the students will come in the next day with the names/ages/relations of their immediate family. b.

Students will use this information to decorate their pre-made family trees.

Burton, J . (2005). Mammals . Chi cago, IL: Worl d Book.

Readers wi ll find ans wers to t heir questi ons and int eresting facts in t his book on m amm als. Be s urpri sed b y the unusual anim al s m enti oned in this book! Pi ct ures , bri ef descriptions, and even a gui de to track down mamm als will surel y hold the i nt erest of an y young s ci entis t!

Wa ys t o use ques tioning s trat egi es:

1.

Students will answer questions about their mammal.

Example: What does my mammal eat? Where does my mammal live?

2.

Students will have time to ask their peers questions about their mammal after seeing the different mobiles.

Cullen, C.A. (2001). The Magical, mystical, marvelous coat . Boston, New York, London:

Little, Brown and Company.

Follow the character with her magical coat that leads her on a great adventure! The distinctive illustrations perfectly portray her extraordinary journey. Along the way, each special button on the coat is given to a friend in need. What will happen when the 6 enchanted buttons are gone?

Ways to use visualization strategies:

1.

Students will design their own magical coats

2.

Students will be given 6 empty circles (buttons) and assign a special, yet meaningful power to each a.

Have the class pick one of their buttons and be ready to explain why that specific power was meaningful b.

Who might they meet along their journey? c.

How could that button help those in need?

Fontes, J., & Fontes, R. (2003). A to Z italy . Danbury, CT: children's press.

Take a quick journey to Italy and learn about the culture. Explore everything from the foods the Italians eat, to the type of transportation they use. Discover what is important to this society from A to Z, and everything in between.


1.

While reading the book to the class, pause to write down each topic discussed on a piece of chart paper

Example (pg. 11): The next topic to add to our chart is Food a. Students will be pre-assigned to one of these topics for their venn diagrams

2.

Each student will make a venn diagram comparing and contrasting life in America to life in Italy

Helliwell, S. (n.d.). Twinkle little star . Retrieved from http://www.childrens- stories.net/bedtime-stories-for-children/bedtime-stories-for-children.htm

Have you ever looked up into the night sky and wished on a star? One dark night, Harry finds one bright star and wishes for a puppy. Up in the sky, the stars argue that Harry is too old to make wishes. Find out if age really matters and if Charlie ever gets his wish granted.


1.

Before reading the book ask the class to raise their hand if they have ever wished on a star.

2.

While reading the story, pause to explain that some wishes are kept private and some can be shared with others.

3.

Hand out pre-made stars to each student and have them write down their wish on one side of the star, and their name on the other side a.

Remind the class that they should be willing to share their wishes with others.

4.

Collect the stars and hang them from the ceiling at a later time.

Metselaar, M., & Rol, R. v. d. (2004). Anne frank her life in words and pictures . New

York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

Take a leap into the past and enter the life of Anne Frank. This simpler version of her story still has excerpts from Anne’s diary as well as pictures with captions. Join the

millions of young readers learning about Anne’s fiercely determined, yet tragic life during the Holocaust.


1.

Students will keep their own journals to write down any questions they have.

2.

Based on reading from Anne’s diary, they will ask Anne questions in their own journals

Example: Read the excerpt on page 72. Ask the students what it would be like to have to uproot their lives and go into hiding? What would they feel?

Sakai, S. (2005). The Snow day . New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Everyone enjoys a snow day. Hot chocolate, snowmen, and snowball fights! When a little rabbit wakes up and looks out his window, the whole world seems to be covered in snow!

Read on to see how Rabbit spends his snow day.

Ways to use comprehension strategies:

1.

Pause throughout the book to ask the class different questions

Example: Raise your hand if you like to have snowball fights. Raise your hand and tell me something else you love to do on snow days.

2.

Explain to the class that they will draw these activities on their snowflakes

3.

Give each student a pre-made snowflake and have each student draw their favorite winter activity

4.

Collect the snowflakes and hang them from the ceiling at a later time

Siebert, D. (1989). Heartland. Canada: HarperCollins.

Readers will immediately jump onto this path illustrated with beautiful images and flowing words. Travel through rolling hills, fields of green, and other wonderful places.

After the journey, readers will be brought back to a place that many call home.


1.

Students have the chance to listen to the book read to them without seeing the illustrations, in order to encourage mental images.

2.

Next, students will use a worksheet to draw the mental images they have created. a. Ask questions like, what made you draw this mental image? What words made you draw this?

3.

Comparative and figurative language helps students to create these images.

4.

Students will come away with the ability to let their imaginations do the work!

Silverstein, S. (1981). The lost cat . A light in the attic, 1981, 151. New York, NY:

HarperCollins.

“The Lost Cat” is a great way to introduce new readers to the world of poetry! Shel

Silverstein uses basic words that rhyme in this simple, yet silly poem. Read on to see if the cat is ever found.


1.

Students are introduced to the beginning stages of rhyming through the text. a. This would be a good time to talk about the meaning of rhymes. Ask the class if anyone can give a definition.

2.

Class activities allow students to recognize rhyming patterns.

3.

Students have a chance to begin writing their own poems.

Swinburne, S.R. (2006). Saving manatees . Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

This book captures the life of the gentle giant, the manatee. Read about different manatees species, living habits, and environments. Learn how to make a difference and prevent these creatures of the water before they are extinct.


1.

On page 28, pause to discuss the term ‘extinction’ to the class.

2.

Students will create “Save the Manatees” posters during an in class activity.

3.

Students will learn about extinction and other animals that are in danger.

Example: Students will be engaged in this activity and feel as though they are making a difference.

Max Bogaert

Annotated Bibliography

Cannon, Janell. (1993) Trupp: A Fuzzhead Tale.

Harcourt, Brace, & Company: Orlando.

This is a beautifully illustrated story of Trupp, a Fuzzhead who travels from a far away land to visit people on earth. As he arrives on earth, he finds that many of the people are not friendly. In fact, they are downright rude to him. Until he finds Bernice, who lives on the streets and keeps all of her possessions in a shopping cart. She protects him and takes care of him until he can return home. It is a wonderful story to read to children about class and how you can never judge a person by how they look.

Ways children can use connecting:

1.

When the fuzzhead is new, he clearly feels uncomfortable during his visit.

Students can often relate to what it feels like to be in a new situation. Have students respond about times they were new somewhere and what it was like.

2.

Students may or may not understand that Bernice is homeless, but helps Trupp regardless. Have students talk or write about a time they made a connection with someone different. Trupp made an original judgment that people on earth were not as friendly or kind as Fuzzheads. But he comes to realize that while some people are unfriendly, others are unbelievably kind. Have students write about a time they thought someone or something was a certain way, but turned out to be another.

3.

Incorporating the fact that Bernice is homeless is also important to the lesson. Have students write their assumptions or views on homelessness.

4.

Students can research and present statistics about homelessness to the class.

Dengler, Marianna. (1996) Illustrated by Sibyl Graber Gerig. The Worry Stone. Rising

Moon Printing: Flagstaff, Arizona.

This is the story of an old woman without friends who connects with a young boy through their loneliness. Amanda is able to recall how her grandfather told her stories of her heritage and how they overcame loss and succeeded. Amanda also recalls how she herself experienced loss when her beloved grandfather passes away. She finds her grandfathers worry stone, which she believes helps remove trouble or worry from the person that is holding it. The book contains many different narratives, bouncing between

Amanda now, when she was a child, and her ancestors who were members of the

Chumash tribe. The story has a wide variety of uses, including content and comprehension lessons.

Content & Comprehension:

1.

Write the words conquistadors, hacienda, sprawling, Chumash, and heal. Have students predict what the words mean, and then as you read the book, see if the students are able to figure out the actual meaning. Turn these words into vocabulary words.

2.

Incorporate the book into lessons about the Chumash tribe. Have students research and learn more about the Native American tribe.

3.

Use the book as an introduction into the importance of storytelling and oral history in Native American history. Have students research other important legends and stories that have Native American roots.

Golenbock, Peter. (1992) Illustrated by Paul Bacon. Teammates Harcourt, Brace, &

Company: Orlando

This is a story that was my favorite as I grew up. It chronicles the friendship that

Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese formed as Robinson became the first African

American to play Major League Baseball. The book also explains the social situation that is surrounding race relations in the United States in the 1940s. While the information is not overwhelming, it sets the stage to show how brave both of the men were. It combines beautiful illustrations as well as real pictures while also documenting the courage that it took for both men to do what was right.

Connecting & Content strategies:

1.

Even though it was difficult, Pee Wee does the right thing and stands by his teammate.

Because of this, Reese faces prejudice and hatred as well. Still, he stays strong.

Have students write down a time they did something that was hard but still the right thing to do.

2.

Have students research other African American pioneers. Report back about what their journey was like and the struggles that they went through. This book could

be used in conjunction with

Martin’s Big Words

, seen later in the bibliography. It could be a mini-unit on the Civil Rights Movement and major figures within it.

3.

The book could even the introduction into the Civil Rights movement. Robinson broke into the Major Leagues in 1947, so students could research and report the important civil and social developments that were happening before and after

Robinson’s debut. Students could also use his playing career as a timeline along the wall; marking major accomplishments of his with social and political milestones along side. That way there would be some framework for the class.

Keats, Jack Ezra. The Snowy Day. ( 1962) Viking: New York

This book may not have the text that some of the other books on the list do, but it is a classic. It is beautifully illustrated and follows the young protagonist around on a snowy day in his neighborhood. Every page is something new and exciting for Peter as he explores his new, snowy, world. It also explores what winter is like in the city. The book is also one of the first majorly successful books to feature an African American protagonist. I believe that this book would work with some of the younger grades who could be successful using a variety of strategies

Visualizing strategies:

1.

Read the story once without showing students the pictures. Have the students pick out a particular image or passage that stuck out with them. Have the class draw a picture of Peter and how they envision both him and what he is doing.

2.

Read the story again and have students discuss what the differences were between how they imagined the story to be and how it was actually represented on the page.

3.

Students can illustrate a picture of what they would do on a snowy day. Compare it to what Peter does. Could they do the same things that he does? Does where they live play a role in what they do?

Pearson, Emily. Illustrated by Fumi Koska. ( 2002) Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary

Deed. Gibbs Smith Publishing: Layton Utah.

This might be my favorite story of any of them. It is so positive and so uplifting, I would read it to almost any class. It has a fantastic message. It starts off talking about

Mary who finds a blueberry bush and picks enough berries to give to five different people. Those people are so thankful that they go out and do five nice things for other people. The story highlights the different kind acts and the “pay it forward” strategy.

Eventually, Mary is on the receiving end of her original kindness.

Comprehension & Connection Lessons:

1.

Have students as a class or individually model Mary’s model and do five kind acts for the school or the neighborhood. Have them write about how they feel when they are doing something kind for the greater good.

2.

Students can also connect to the text about when they saw or were on the receiving end of a stranger doing something kind for them. Have them reflect

about whether or not they believed that the kindness was something they could pass along.

3.

Most of the characters that are recipients of the kindness needed it for various reasons. Have students pick out one of the characters and write as the character about why they appreciated the kindness and how it helped them get through the difficult situation they were in. Also include why they believe the character was motivated enough by the kindness to pass it along.

Rappaport, Doreen. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. (2001). Martin’s Big Words: The Life of

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hyperion Books for Children: New York.

This is a fantastic picture book that explores the life and death of the civil rights pioneer. I love how this book breaks down the very serious and complicated social situation that was going on in the United States at the time. It also explains King’s goals in simple terms for younger children. I have found that this book generates unbelievable discussion from even young children. The illustrations are in collage style, which makes it standout from the countless other picture books about King.

Content lessons:

1.

Before reading, students can start to fill out a KWL chart about King. As a group, the students can pool their knowledge about the civil rights leader.

2.

After reading, students can discuss what they learned from the book. I have found that kindergarten students have a hard time understanding why someone would want to kill a man who did so much good. It would be a really good idea to allow for a lot discussion time. It’s also important to consider how to explain such senseless and sad violence to young children. I always explained it as how much love King had in his heart, while others had hate in their hearts

3.

Students can write their own “I have a dream” speech. It is important to model what Martin Luther King Jr. meant when he wrote the speech. Children can then illustrate and share their speeches about how they dream to make the world a better place for everyone.

Scieszka, Jon. Illustrated by Lane Smith. (1989). The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.

Penguin Books: New York.

This creative tale is “written” by A. Wolf and told to Scieszka about what really happened during the famous story of the three little pigs. It all starts out with Wolf needing a cup of sugar while he is suffering from a sneezing cold. But the author does a fantastic job showing the “other” side of stories that usually are only told by one voice.

He makes a compelling argument for the wolf, including an explanation about why wolves get a bad rap for eating cute animals. The story is also illustrated in a unique style, seemingly a collage of different textures and colors.

Writing lessons:

1.

After reading the story to the class, ask them if they agree with or buy A. Wolf’s argument.

2.

Have them brainstorm as a class other fairytales that have villains or characters that do not have their side of the story told. For instance: the step sisters in

Cinderella.

3.

In either groups or individually, have students pick one of these other characters and write the characters side of the story in the voice they create. This will work on both creative writing as well as students developing a voice in their writing.

Students can then share their work with the class after they complete it.

Silversteen, Shel. The Missing Piece.

(1976) HarperCollins Publishers: New York.

In this Silversteen classic, the Big O feels incomplete because it is missing a piece. It believes that it is inadequate without a final piece. During its journey, the shape finds lots of pieces, but none of them are quite right. And when it does, the piece eventually leaves the Big O. It is a great story to teach children to celebrate what makes them different from everyone else around them.

Comprehension Lessons:

1.

Read the story aloud to the class and have students generate ideas about why the

Big O is looking so desperately for his missing piece.

2.

Have students generate a list inferring who both the Big O and the missing piece could represent. Students can either be specific or general in their assertions. ( a boy looking for a girl, someone looking for a friend, etc).

3.

Afterwards, have students work independently to infer who they believe

Silverstein was writing about ( a couple, friends, etc). Have students go back to the text to provide support for their answers.

Van Allsburg, Chris. (1990) Just a Dream . Houghton Mifflin Company : Boston.

This story is seemingly ahead of its time. Walter is a litterbug who has no consideration for the environment. He throws his trash on the ground and doesn’t understand why his neighbor Rose wants a tree for her birthday present. Every day, Walter does one little thing that is inconsiderate to the environment. His thoughts and actions do not go beyond his immediate gratification. Then Walter has a dream and his world is changed forever.

Content lessons:

1.

Both Walter and Rose do one small action, but those actions add up. Students can discuss how doing one thing everyday can add up. This can also lead in to a discussion about how students’ actions can change the world around them.

Whether they are good or bad, students really can change the world around them.

2.

Students can write and illustrate a picture about how one of their actions can change the world around them for the better. It could be as simple as “By recycling paper, I save trees.”

3.

This book could also be used in a science or social studies class to discuss climate change and how the environment is changing around the world. It would provide students with motivation to make the world around them a better place. They could use small group work to pick a topic (deforestation, the ozone, water consumption, energy use, etc) and research the situation worldwide. Students

could then present that information, as well as providing suggestions about what could be done to change it.

Van Allsburg, Chris. (1991) The Wretched Stone . Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston.

In this beautifully illustrated book, a captain’s journal reveals a ship full of well read and happy shipmates that come upon a mystery island. After searching the island for food and water, they only come back with a mysterious stone that ends up almost destroying the ship. Van Allsburg takes on modern plugged on society on a variety of levels in this wonderful book.

1.

As we discussed in class, this book is fantastic for questioning. The teacher can model questions they read the story. What is the stone? Why do they change? Is this a true story? After reading, have students to generate questions as a whole about what they think the wretched stone is.

2.

Have students provide proof for their answers and inferences about what the stone is. After figuring out that the stone is a T.V., discuss with the class what they believe Van Allsburg is trying to say about television. Debate whether or not this connection could carry over the other forms of media. Have students pick another electronic device (cell phone, computer, video game) and have them describe the device in the style that Allsburg describes the television.

3.

Allsburg is clearly making a statement about how he believes that reading and social interaction is hurt by watching television. Not only that, he seems to be saying that reading and playing games with other people create more well rounded individuals. Have the class debate whether or not this is true. Then have the discussion carry over to the other electronic devices that the students wrote about.


Bang, M. (1999). When Sophie gets angry – really, really angry…New York, NY: Blue

Sky Press

Molly Bang tells the story of Sophie, a young girl with a powerful temper. The pictures tell the story, sometimes to greater effect than the words. After an outburst Molly runs away.

This book could be used to prompt text-self connections. All students can relate to not getting their way and to getting angry.

Bunting, E. (1991). Fly away home. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Fly Away Home tells the story of a little boy who lives in the Airport with his father. They have been homeless since his mom died and cant afford an apartment. They live a life of hiding in the open to make sure security doesn’t catch them.

This book could be used in conjunction with the adapting mental images graphic organizer. Students should start with their image of homelessness and then adjust it throughout the book.

Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky night. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace & Company.

Smoky Night tells the story of Daniel. They are trapped in their apartment in the middle of the night because of the rioting and looting in the Los Angeles streets below. A fire breaks out in the apartment and they are forced to run outside. But, Daniel forgot his cat in the apartment, as did the neighbor, Ms.

Kim.

This book can be used to make text-text connections in conjunction on with

Chrysanthemum. Both stories feature characters that do not get along but end up becoming friends. Likewise, these stories can be used to make personal connections.

Henkes, K. (1991). Chrysanthemum. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Chrysanthemum has been told by her parents that her name is perfect and she always believed it until she started kindergarten. When kids start making fun of her name her parents are loving, but non-responsive.

This book could be used for students to make personal connections between the story and their own lives. Most kids have experience being made fun of or have seen someone else being picked on.

Parnel, P. & Richardson, J. (2005). And tango makes three. Simon & Schuster

Children’s Publishing.

And tango makes three tells the true story of two male penguins who raise a baby penguin together.

And Tango Makes Three could be used in conjunction with In Our Mother’s

House to guide students in making text-to-text connections since there are similarities and differences between them.

Pinkney, J. (2009). The lion and the mouse. New York, NY: Little, Brown and

Company Books for Young Readers.

Jerry Pickney tells this classic Aesop’s fable without words. The pictures are beautiful and it will help young readers and writers understand the way a story flows.

This book could be used for making surface/plot predictions to help guide student understanding.

Polacco, P. (2009). In our mother’s house. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

The story centers on a lesbian couple who raise a family together. The book focuses on the family activities and how happy they are. Controversy arises

when a neighbor yells at them, “I don’t appreciate what you two are!” But, the family pushes through, and the rest of the multicultural community supports them.

In Our Mother’s House could be used in conjunction with And Tango Makes

Three to guide students in making text-to-text connections since there are similarities and differences between them.

Polacco, P. (2008). Someone for Mr. Sussman. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Mr. Sussman is looking for a wife so he sees the matchmaker, Mrs. Zukin. He is very hard to please but Mrs. Zukin does her best. Whatever he says he is looking for in a wife she does before his next visit. Each time she overwhelms him. Eventually she loses patience and throws him out. Will either of them ever find love?

This book could be used for making surface/plot predictions to help guide student understanding.

Yolen, J. (1992). Encounter. Orland, FL: Voyager Books.

Encounter tells the story of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World.

Unlike most versions of the story it is told from the perspective of a native.

He tries to warn his people to be wary of the newcomers but no one will listen.

This book could be used in conjunction with the synthesizing during reading graphic organizer. Students should start with their image of native North

Americans or Columbus and then adjust it throughout the book.

Yolen, J. (2008). Naming Liberty. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Naming Liberty tells two stories at once. One is the story of Shmuel, who lives in Russia. His family decides to move to America to find peace, prosperity and freedom. The other story is of Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the designer of the

Statue of Liberty.

This book can be used to help guide students in asking questions to monitor comprehension. The two interwoven stories can make following the story tricky at times. These confusions can be used to prompt discussion on fix up strategies when a text is confusing. Students could also make guesses about the connection between the stories; this should help them to follow the story.

Rebecca Cohen


7/31/10

1. Sanderson, Ruth. The Enchanted Wood

This is a beautifully illustrated book about a king with three sons who go on quests to save their kingdom; but who are faced with temptations along the way.

In the end the son who stays on the true path succeeds. This book would be good to use for Questioning as there are many moral issues that it brings up.

2. Mazer, ann. The Salamander Room

This is a great story about a boy who wants his salamander to share his room with him. He keeps having bigger and bigger ideas from putting in a pond so the salamander can drink, and bringing in trees for shade. Eventually his whole room turns into a forest for his pet. Its a very imaginative and visual book that could be used to teach kids about ecosystems and nature. It would be great to use with imagery or visualization as its full of descriptive images.

3. Dennis, Major Brian. Nubs

This book is great for showing what the Iraq war looks like, and can be used to show a positive spin on the war. It is a very heartwarming story of a soldier and a ferrel dog that bonded with him and him alone in the middle of the

Iraqi desert. It would also be good to use to teach current events.

4. Steig, William. Shrek

This is the book that began the movie series. It features an ogre who leaves home to fulfill a prophecy of finding a repulsive princess to be his bride.

This book gives children the message to be happy as you are, and that there is someone for everyone out in the world. This book might be good to use for questioning, delving deeper in what kids think about what makes something ugly

or pretty.

5. Gerstein, Mordicai. The Man Who Walked Between The Towers

This book tells the famous tale of Phillip Petite and his wire walk between the twin towers before 9/11 occurred. Its an exciting adventure which shows kids they can do anything if they work hard and practice. It is also a sweet remembrance of the twin towers. This could be used to teach current events as well, and to have an open discussion about our recent history and how it effects people currently.

6. Kimmel, Eric. Hershel and the Hannuka goblins

This is a great book to teach children about Hannuka. It focuses on one man who uses wits to outsmart the 8 goblins of Hannuka. This is a fun and exciting way to show diverse cultures and beliefs; with this story children can be introduced to other celebrations people have and what they mean to them.

7. Scieska, J. The True Story of The Three Little Pigs.

This is an excellent retelling of the three little pigs from the perspective of the wolf. It gives children a wonderful message that things can be deceiving and not what they seem. It is also great for teaching kids different points of view and how there can be so many sides to a single story.

8. De Seve, R. The Duchess of Whimsy.

This is a story of two different people, one of which doesn't like the other because he is different.

It also as a good moral that no one should change themselves so someone else will love them; that people should be loved for who they are. It also shows that different minds can get along and just because

someone looks or acts different doesn't make an outcast or a looser;

Appreciating differences is a theme in this book. This book would be good for teaching vocabulary and comprehension as the words are very rich.

9. Batt, Tanya. The princess and the white bear king

This book is a retelling of the old fairy tale "The Polar Bear King". A cursed prince turned into a bear is given the chance to return to his human form if his new bride can wait one year before seeing him in human form; when he transforms at midnight. She doesn't respect his rules and the curse is altered and he is forced to wed the troll queen. This leads the heroine on a journey to rescue her husband from the troll empire; which she does with brains rather than brawns. This book would be good for Questioning; as there are many instances in which the main characters have choices and end up making poor decisions. It is also a good representation of a strong female lead, which we could use some more of these days.

10. Berenzy, Alix. A Frog Prince.

This is a fanciful retelling of the frog prince, where the frog simply decides the princess is annoying and rides of on horseback to find his true princess, who also happens to be an amphibian. This would be great for comprehension and making guess's as the story is being read. The ending is out of the norm and unexpected, so it would be neat to see what ideas they might come up with.

Alice Duket

August 19, 2010

EDUC 5121

Bibliography

Great Books for Teaching:

Nonfiction:

Ramadan Moon, by Na’ima B Robert

This book follows the month of Ramadan, as the Muslim people wake before sunrise to eat all they are allowed before the sun takes over. After sunset, they may eat again, all the while appreciating and feeling grateful for food. The book also expresses the emphasis on prayers and thoughtfulness throughout the days of

Ramadan.

Ways to use Connection Strategies:

1.

Students can read “We look for things to give away, collect money for charity, be kind and caring and polite, try not to get angry,” and connect with how their various religions treat people.

2.

Students can read that “when the new crescent moon is seen, and the Eid day is announced, the Muslim world rejoices for our festival has begun. For Eid there will be haircuts and pretty henna patterns and visitors and brand new clothes that rustle as we walk,” and connect how they may celebrate their own holidays with how the Muslims celebrate Eid and Ramadan.

Oodles of Animals, by Lois Elhert

This book describes numerous animals on each page. Their descriptions rhyme.

Ways to use Determining Importance in Text Strategies:

1.

Students will see a page that has multiple subjects on it. Each animal’s name is written in bold, connected to a picture, and then described. The students will have to understand which animal is being described and drawn.

Realistic Fiction:

Pipaluk and the Whales, by John Himmelman

This story is based on the true events that happened off Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula in 1984. The story however, replaces the original main character with a young

Chukchi girl, named Pipaluk. The story illustrates how far a young girl and her village people would go to save their animal friends. The book shows its readers that we need to be appreciative of our environment.

Ways to use Questioning Strategies:

1.

Students can ask what song Pipaluk sang to the whales? And why the Chukchi people felt they needed to feed the whales while they were stuck in the ice?

2.

Students could do a question web based on “why the Chukchi people felt they needed to feed the whales while they were stuck in the ice?” Lines like “The whales have helped our people” and “the whales are growing weak” would web off as support from the story.

I Want to Be Free, by Joseph Slate

The story follows a runaway slave as he escapes the Big Man. Along his journey, he saves an orphaned slave child. The boy gives him love and gratitude for saving him and that love eventually sets the man free forever. The story is in rhyme.

Ways to use Visualization Strategies:

1.

Students can use their multiple senses. The children see “I thanked the Lord he banked the sun.” They hear the “Big Man’s whip whistles with fear.”


1.

Students can use How Come Questions: How come the slave referred to the plantation owner as “the Big Man?” How come when the boy “touched the ring. It fell away?”

First Come the Zebra, Lynne Barasch

This story follows a budding friendship between a Maasai boy and a Kikuyu boy in

Kenya. Their villages hate each other. Eventually, the two boys begin to share their resources; the Maasai boy trades some cow’s milk for some of the Kikuyu boy’s vegetables. By the end of the story, both boys hope that their villages can learn to share the land’s resources, just like the Zebra, Wildebeests, and Gazelles do.

Ways to use Connecting Strategies:

1.

Students can compare their daily chores with those of the Kenyan boys. For example, he “wakes up early in the morning. He drinks a cup of milk for breakfast and goes outside. He is ready to take the cattle out to graze for the day.” The students can share what they have to do at home in the morning?

Do they have jobs?

2.

Students can compare what their parents do for work with the work of the

Kenyan people. For example, “Cattle are the wealth of the Maasai. They are a good source of food and money.” The students can share what their parents do for a living? Do they think it would be fun to be a farmer raising cattle? Do they think their parents would be successful cattle farmers?

Who’s Been Here? A Tale in Tracks, by Fran Hodgkins

This story follows a family’s dog through the woods and field around his house. The dog locates a particular set of tracks and eventually finds the animal the tracks belong to.

Ways to use Visualizing Strategies:

1.

The students will use comparative language to identify the multiple animals described in the book. For example, “Who’s been here? Willy has. But who else? These tracks are about half the size of Willy’s tracks. There are about four toes.”

Fiction:

Doctor De Soto, by William Steig

This story follows a dentist, who happens to be a mouse, as he has to outwit one of his patients. He decides to help a hurting fox, even though it could be dangerous to him. In order to save himself, the dentist ends the fox’s procedure by gluing his teeth shut so that he must leave the dentist’s office without a meal.


1.

Create a question web based on the thought “Should we let him in tomorrow?” Ideas to answer the question would include “he didn’t know what he was saying,” and the fox saying, “I beg you, do something, my tooth is killing me!”

Tikki Tikki Tembo, by Arlene Mosel

This story tells of the Chinese tradition to honor the firstborn son. In this case,

Chang was given a short name because he was the second born son, while his older brother was named Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo to show his importance to the family. The long name ends up endangering the child when he falls into the well and his younger brother cannot communicate to his elders that his brother is down in the water quick enough! By the end of the story, it suggests that the Chinese stop honoring their firstborn sons with extravagant, impractical names.


1.

Students will use verbal responses. Picture a movie in your mind with such phrases as “…step over step, step over step he went into the well, picked up little Chang, and step over step, step over step brought him out of the well,” and “…he pumped the water out of him and pushed the air into him….”

Koala Lou, by Mem Fix

This story follows Koala Lou as she trains for a contest so that her mother will be proud of her and proclaim, “Koala Lou, I do love you.” She trains all throughout the book, but is eventually out beat. In her sadness, her mother finds her and speaks that wonderful phrase.


1.

Students will use verbal responses. Picture a movie in your mind with such phrases as “she jogged and puffed and lifted weights and panted. She hung from one claw at a time until she ached. She did push ups till her stomach hurt.”

Babar Learns To Cook, by Laurent de Brunhoff

This story follows Babar, the elephant king, and his family as they host a worldrenowned chef to teach cooking lessons. Eventually, the children run off to cook their own foods and end up making a huge mess. In the end however, they create a delicious feast for the whole family to enjoy.


1.

Students can envision the many descriptive words used to describe the foods in the book. For example, the “golden brown color,” “delicious,” “excellent,” and “bright white chefs hats.”

2.

Students will acknowledge their multiple senses. For example, they would identify taste with “Of course, they couldn’t help eating a few. Fresh strawberries taste so good!” and sight with “then they decide to make cucumber juice. They are so excited that Pom starts the blender before Flora can put on the top!...”

Julie Dunagan

EEDUC 5121.02

August 18, 2010

Literacy: Integration of Language Arts Summer 2010


Batt, T. (2003) The Faeries’s Gift. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books

This is a folktale about a man that goes out to work in the forest and saves a faerie from a hawk. The faerie is so grateful that he gives the man the only gift he can give…the gift of one wish. Everyone in the man’s life has a different idea of what he should wish for. Discover the man’s clever way of pleasing everyone.

Ways to use the Connections Strategy:

1.

The students can make text-to-text connections with other Fairytales and

Folktales that they have read such as The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the

Three Bears, The Gingerbread Man, etc.

Ways to use the Questioning Strategy:

2.

Students can read the story with questions in mind. What do you think the

Faerie’s gift will be?

3.

Students can use lingering questions to expand their thinking. Is there a meaning to the story? What is it? What would your wish be?

Bregoli, J. (2004) The Goat Lady. Gardiner, ME: Tilbury House Publishers

Two children and their artist mother move to a new neighborhood. Their new house is next door to an old, rundown farmhouse. The other neighbors complain about the look of the house and noises of the many farm animals, especially the goats. Once the children meet the elderly woman that lives in the house, they form a unique friendship and learn about the special ways the woman and her goats help others.


1.

Use verbal responses and predictions: Who do you think lives in the house?

Why do you think there are so many goats? Why do you think the neighbors complain? Etc.

2.

Use lingering questions to expand thinking: What do you know about the

Heifer Project International? Do research at www.heifer.org

. Have you ever used a home remedy when you were sick because there was no medicine that would help you? Why do you think the neighbors and townspeople were more accepting of Noelie after the Art Show?

Ways to use the Determining Importance in Text Strategy:

3.

Create a Facts/Questions/Response (FQR) think sheet.

Fact: Noelie has arthritis Question: What is that?

Response: when bones ache

Fact: the children’s mom was an artist

Response: painter of portraits

Question: what type of art?

Gordon, S. (2000) All Families are Different. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books

The title of this book says it all! There are all kinds of families and no matter whom you live with or who you consider part of your family, the most important thing is that you love each other. Not all families start off the same way, or are all the same color, or are perfect. Each family is special in their own way. This book is a great addition to a family or multicultural unit.

Ways to use the Determining Importance in Text Strategy:

1.

Students can use the text to determine what they think is important in a family. They can use the ideas from the text to understand that although each type of family is different they are all important to the people that are in those families.


2.

Students can make text-to-self connections when looking at the families in the text and their own families. They can also use text-to-real world connections when comparing the different types of families in the text to the families of their friends and classmates.


3.

Students can read with a question in mind: How are all families different?

Students can use lingering questions about the text to expand their thinking about families. Are all the families within their extended families the same?

What are some benefits of understanding different types of families?

Herriot, J. (1972) Blossom Comes Home. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press

A farmer decides he needs to sell his old cow, Blossom, to make room in the barn for a younger cow. He sends Blossom to be sold at market. When Blossom escapes from the man taking her to market, an amazing thing happens.

Ways to use the Visualization and Inferring Strategy:

1.

Students can infer themes and ideas by using evidence from the text.

Themes: love of animals (Mr. Dakin & Mr. Herriot), family (Mr. Dakin and his farm animals), what home is.

2.

Students can create mental images from the text. “a smile spread slowly across his face”, pulled again at his long moustache”, “crumbling timbers”.

3.

Students can use the text to infer meaning of unfamiliar words: scallywag, lass, enquiringly, etc.

McLerran, A. (1985) The Mountain that loved a Bird. Natick, MA: Picture Book

Studio USA

One spring during her migration, Joy, the bird, stopped to rest on the mountain. The mountain had never seen or felt the touch of a bird or any living creature before.

The mountain asks Joy to stay but because there is no vegetation, Joy explains she must go on. She agrees to stop again next year and comes up with a plan to ensure the mountain has a visitor every year, even after she has gone. It is a beautiful story with vivid colors and pictures by Eric Carle.


1.

Students and teacher can use questions to wonder about the reading. Why did the bird bring a seed? Is this where streams come from? What do you think will happen to the seed?


2.

Students can make text-to-self connections when talking about the emotions of the mountain and reasons people cry.

3.

Text can be used to make text-to real world connections. By reading this book in the spring, it could be tied into a larger unit about growth cycles and ecology.

McCloskey, R. (1963) Burt Dow Deep-Water Man. New York, NY: Viking Press

Burt Dow is an older man who lives near the ocean with his sister, Leela, his pet gull, and his favorite boat the Tidely-Idely. Burt has always sailed the seas and now continues to do so in the Tidely-Idely. One day Burt goes out fishing and has an interesting encounter with a whale. This is an old-fashioned “fishing story” that is very entertaining.


1.

The teacher can stop reading and ask questions about the text. Do you think a man could get that close to a whale? Would the whale(s) and Burt understand each other?

2.

Students can ask questions and make predictions. Why do you think the whales are circling Burt? Why is one whale content? Why does Burt “study the color of the sky, the color of the water, and the direction of the wind”?

Ways to use the Inferring Strategy;

3.

Students can use the text to infer meanings of unfamiliar words: sediment, cod, pollock, sculpin, etc.

Polacco, P. (1998) Mrs. Mack. New York, NY: Philomel Books

Ten year old Patricia’s biggest dream in life is to ride horses – not the ponies tethered to a turnstile, but real horses. When she goes to her Dad’s for the summer, he surprises her with a trip to a farm in “Dogpatch” – a rundown area outside of

Lansing, MI. This is far from what Patricia had in her imagination, but things are not always as they seem and this is the summer that changes her life.

Ways to use the Visualization Strategy:

1.

Using the text, students can visualize what Dogpatch looked like to Patricia.

“The houses were run down, some of them were even shacks.” “…the most shabby stable I had even seen.” “A couple of real tough-looking kids leaned against a hitching rail beside two tired-looking horses.”

Ways to use the Connection Strategy:

2.

Students can make text-to-self connections. How do you think Pat felt about being in a new place with new people? Have you had a similar experience?

How do you think Pat felt about learning something new? Has anything like that ever happened to you?

Ways to use the Inferring Strategy:

3.

Students can use clues from the text to determine why Pat brings cookies to

Hap, why Pat’s parents live in two different cities, why Pat is sad at the end of the summer, etc.

Polacco, P. (1995) Tikvah means Hope. New York, NY: Delacorte Press

In Oakland, CA, two children are helping their older neighbors prepare for Sukkoth, the Jewish harvest holiday. The children are enjoying learning another way to celebrate thanksgiving. Even Tikvah, the Roth’s cat is having fun getting ready for the celebration. The day of the feast bring a terrible catastrophe that no one could have predicted. This is a story of friends and neighbors that must come together to help and support each other after a tragedy.


1.

Students can make connections to their own lives and use their background knowledge. Does your family celebrate a thanksgiving holiday? What are some of your traditions? Does anyone make special food? Where do you celebrate?

2.

Students can make text-to-self connections. Relationships with neighbors and friends. Has there been a time in your life where many people have had to come together to help each other?

3.

Students can make text-to-world connections. Forest Fires. How they happen? Where they happen? Is there anything similar going on in the news currently?

Schuch, S. (1999) A Symphony of Whales. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Inc.

Living in a remote part of Alaska, Glashka is a young girl with a special gift. She is able to hear the songs of the whales. When nearly three thousand Beluga whales become trapped in the rapidly freezing waters, Glashka is able to hear their songs and rally an entire village and a Russian icebreaker to help free them to the open ocean. The story is based on true events.


1.

Students can compare how they do things to how children in Alaska do things. For example, where does Glashka get her food and household supplies (from fishing and the nearby villages), where do the students get most of their food? How do Glashka and her family travel from one village to another compared to how the students travel to neighboring towns (dog sled vs. car, bus or public transportation).

2.

Students can compare the weather in Alaska to the weather where they live.

How often does it snow where the students live – is it often below freezing temperatures like it is in Alaska?

3.

Students can connect how they have worked as part of a team to how the villagers and Russian crew worked together to save the whales. (Chipping away at the ice, finding the right music, alerting surrounding villages.)

Yolen, J. (1995) The Ballad of the Pirate Queens. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Brace &

Company

This is the story of the legend-inspiring pirate queens Anne Bonney and Mary Reade that sailed on the Vanity as part of “Calico Jack” Rackham’s crew in the early 1700’s.

The two women are alone on watch while the men are drinking and playing games below the deck when they are attacked by the Governor’s ship. The men do not hear their calls to help them fight the Governor’s men. The women fight, but the ship is captured. It is written in poetic prose with captivating illustrations.

Ways to use the Visualization and Inferring Strategy:

1.

Students can create mental images by using the words from the text.

“…silver the coins and silver the moon, silver the waves on the top of the sea”,

“the roiling sea”, “shoulder to shoulder and back to back”, etc.

2.

Students can infer themes and ideas from the text: bravery, courage, teamwork.

3.

Students can use the text to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words: gallant, lads, sloop, forsaken.


Erin Haggerty

Lesley University

EEDUC 5121-02, Summer 2010

Tricia Stodden

August 13, 2010

John Steptoe. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. New York, NY. Lothrop, Lee &

Shepard Books.

An African tale about Mufuro and his two beautiful daughters named Nyasha and

Manyara. Nyasha is kind and considerate while Manyara is selfish and cruel. The king of the land has decided to take a wife and has sent for both Nyasha and

Manyara to appear before him. Manyara thought she was the only one worthy of this honor so set out to make sure she was the chosen one. On her way to see the king, she only had her sites on becoming the king’s wife and never helped those in need.

Nyasha, on the other hand, patiently waited and set out in the morning with the bridal party for the king’s castle. Nyasha helped those along the way that needed it and in the end was chosen, because of her kindness, as the king’s wife.


1.

Compare Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters to the story of Cinderella. If the students don’t know Cinderella, read them the story and make connections. Although the settings of the books are different, a group discussion can be moderated between the similarities and differences of the books. Discuss the theme of the books and that good always wins over evil.

Ways to use the determining importance in text strategy:

1.

As students are reading the book, they use sticky notes to mark three important points throughout the book. At the end of the story, each student will be asked to defend their reasons behind their three important points. This will help students understand that the text has

2.

many different meanings/concepts and not just one main idea.

Students are asked to write down what they learned that they think is important to remember. Students are then asked to write down what they think the author wants them to remember.

Ludwig Bemelmans. Madeline’s Rescue. New York, NY. Penguin Putnam Books.

Madeline is a rambunctious little girl who lives at school with 12 other girls. One day when Madeline falls into the river and nearly drowns, she is rescued by a dog that becomes her prized pet and the envy of all the other girls. Genevieve, as the girls name the dog, goes everywhere Madeline goes. Miss Clavel is struggling with the fights the girls are having over the dogs. Then, after Genevieve disappears for a day she comes back and has enough puppies for all of the girls!

Ways to use the visualization strategy:

1.

As the book is being read out load to the students, they will visualize each scene, creating a movie in their minds. Explain to the students the importance of visualizing what is happening and encourage the students to stay alert during the story. It will begin with Madeline falling into the ocean and Genevieve pulling her out. It continues as Genevieve creates a raucous in the school and then ends with Genevieve giving birth to her puppies, giving each student their own puppy.

2.

Through the use of the language in the book the students can visualize what it was like for Madeline as she is “dragged her safe from a watery grave” and why she loves Genevieve as much as she does. Have students think about and visualize how this actually makes Madeline feel. Remind students to also use their senses including site, taste, think, smell hear, to bring the story alive.

Ways to use the inferring strategy:

1.

Students will read the book and throughout it they will make inferences of what is happening from the pictures and text. On pages 13-15, for example, it says “but for a dog that kept its head, and dragged her safe from a watery grave.” In this example, the students can infer that Madeline was in trouble and would have died if the dog did not save her. In an example on pages 55-

56 the text states, “that suddenly there was enough hound to all go around” but never says that Genevieve gave birth to 12 puppies. Here the students can infer from the context clues and the pictures in the book that Genevieve gave birth to 12 puppies so all the students now have a puppy of their own and can stop fighting about Genevieve.

Mordicai Gerstein. The Man Who Walked Between The Towers. New York, NY.

SQUARE FISH, an imprint of MACMILLAN.

As the World Trade Centers were being built in 1974, a French aerialist named

Philippe decided he wanted to walk between the two towers. One night he and his friends rode the elevators up to the top of the towers and threw a tightrope between them. For over an hour, Philippe danced and performed a quarter of mile up in the sky for the onlookers below. This angered policed and when Philippe decided he was finished he let the police arrest him.


1.

Students write down three questions that they wonder about regarding the book. For example, why did Philippe wait until night fall to climb the stairs in the towers? How did he coordinate with his friends to ensure there were people in each tower to connect the rope? Where were Philippe’s thoughts when the towers were gone so he could never tightrope between them again? Why did this stunt make Philippe so happy?

2.

Students are encouraged to ask thick questions regarding the book: How long did it take Philippe to climb the 180 stairs to the roof? Why did he wait until

the sun was up to walk on the wire between the tires? What made him feel satisfied at the end when he turned himself into the police?


1.

In the wake of 9-11, students can make a connection between the importance of the World Trade Towers and their own lives. What do you know about what happened on 9-11 with the World Trade Towers? How did this historical event impact your lives? How did 9-11 change the USA and other countries?

2.

The students can make a connection between a time in their life they did something they should not have done, yet they felt liberated and dealt with the consequences after the fact.

Marcia Brown. Stone Soup. New York, NY. Aladdin Paperbacks.

Three hungry soldiers wandered through a village asking for food and a place to sleep. No one in the village would provide food or a place to sleep for the soldiers as they were all greedy. In the end, the soldiers out smarted the villagers but gathering everyone together to make stone soup. As the soup making process began, all the villagers went back to their homes to get ingredients for the soup that they originally told the soldiers they did not have. In the end, they all contributed to the feast and the soldiers each had a bed to sleep in.


1.

Before the book is started, tell the students the name of the book and show them the title. Ask them to make a prediction about what the story is about.

As the book is read out load, have students write down more predictions. At the conclusion of the book, have the students discuss in a group how their predictions changed throughout the book.

Ways to use the summarizing strategy:

1.

As the students read Stone Soup, have them write down what they think is important, write it in a way that makes sense, and tell them not write too much. An example would be writing words down such as soldiers, village, villagers, stone soup, ingredients, and feast. The teacher will also give the students examples that are brief and to the point by talking about her summary as well as writing her thoughts on a chart paper. A group discussion can then be had as to why the students and the teacher wrote down the words they did.

Robert McCloskey. Blueberries For Sal. Caldecott Honor Book.

Sal and her mother go blueberry picking on Blueberry Hill. Mother wants to can the blueberries for winter so her and Sal both have a large bucket to collect the berries

in. A Mother Bear and her cub are also on Blueberry Hill eating lots of blueberries so they can get ready for winter. Sal ends up following the Mother Bear while the cub ends up behind Sal’s mother. When neither saw their children, both mothers’ were very surprised to see what was behind them and both were a little scared! The mothers walked quickly looking for their children and both found them for a happy ending.


1.

At the end of page, have the students ask both thick and thick questions and write them on chart paper. Examples of questions include: Did Sal’s mother expect her to fill her pail with berries? Why was mother Mother Bear afraid of Sal? Why did mother bear want Little Bear to eat a lot of berries? How do you think Sal felt when she was following Mother Bear? At the end of the story, students will go up to chart paper to and right an “A” next to the questions that were answered in the text. For the questions that were no answered, have a group discussion about what the students think happened and/or how the characters felt.

2.

Have students ask questions about blueberries based on their background.

What does a blueberry look and taste like? Where do you pick blueberries?

What do you make with blueberries? Why would you can blueberries for the winter?

Ways to use the prediction strategy:

1.

Take the students through the book looking only at the pictures, not reading any text. Ask the students to make predictions about what happens in the book based on the pictures. Then, read the story and have a group discussion based on the initial predictions and what predictions were actually correct.

Berta and Elmer Hader. The Big Snow. New York, NY. Aladdin Paperbacks.

As the days grew longer and colder, all the animals were getting ready for winter.

Some flew south while others grew thicker coats of fur, piled up for food, or got ready to sleep until spring. Snow slowly started to fall and then on Christmas the wise owls saw a rainbow around the moon which meant a big snow was on its way.


1.

By reading the book’s title, The Big Snow, and showing the students the book’s cover, students should be able to infer that the story is about a snow storm. Through reading the text of the book as well as looking at the pictures, students can dig deeper into the theme of the book. They can infer that the main theme is about the animals getting ready for winter, what animals migrate south, what animals make shelter for the winter, and what they do or don’t do when the big snow hits.


1.

The cover of the book can raise many questions to the students including:

When does it snow? What do the animals eat when it snows? What animals migrate south during winter? On chart paper, questions can be written down before the story is read and additional questions can be written down as the story is read. At the conclusion of the book, students can go back and write down answers to the questions showing evidence of where there answers were found.

Ways to use the connecting strategy:

1.

Have the students make connections between what they know about winter and the story. For example, students can make a list about everything they know about winter: it gets darker earlier, it is cold out, it snows, there are no leaves on the trees, the heat is turned on, etc.

Sarah Stewart. The Gardener. New York, NY. SQUARE FISH, an imprint of

MACMILLAN.

In the 1930s, Lydia Grace’s family is struggling financially so her parents and grandmother send her to the city to live with Uncle Jim. Uncle Jim is a baker who never smiles. Lydia Grace knows nothing about baking but loves to garden. She brings pockets full of seeds with her and starts planting flowers in the window boxes and in a secret place. Lydia Grace’s goal is to make Uncle Jim smile and she is sure that she’ll accomplish this by showing Uncle Jim her secret place.

Ways to use the visualization strategy:

1.

On July 4, 1936, Lydia Grace’s letter to her mama, papa, and grandma says:

“I am bursting with happiness! The entire city seems so beautiful, especially this morning.

The secret place is ready for Uncle Jim. At noon, the store will close for the holiday, and then we’ll bring him up to the roof.

I’ve tried to remember everything you ever taught me about beauty.

Love to all,

Lydia Grace

P.S. I can already imagine Uncle Jim’s smile.

Before reading this passage, ask the students to close their eyes and visual

Lydia Grace’s secret place. After a few minutes, have the students open their eyes and have each of them describe the secret place. When the discussion

about what they have visualized is complete, have the students draw what the secret place looks like.

Ways to use the summarizing strategy:

1.

Have students summarize what they have learned about gardening in a letter to their parents. Students can use Lydia Grace’s letter style to summarize what they have learned about the book. Make sure to explain to the students the importance of a greeting i.e. dear; body; complimentary close i.e. your friend; signature; and post-scrip--p.s.

After, have the students pick a friend or family to whom they can write a letter about a hobby they have.


1.

Have students make a list of what they would bring with them if they were going away for a period of time. For example, a toothbrush, a jacket, a favorite doll, a baseball glove, etc. Have the students discuss how packing for a long trip would make them feel and how they think Lydia Grace felt prior to arriving in the city.

Matt Tavares. Zachary’s Ball. Cambridge, MA. Candlewick Press.

One day Zachary’s father takes him to his first Red Sox Game. Zachary is in awe of the surroundings and everything going on at Fenway Park. When his father catches a foul ball and gives the ball to Zachary something magical happens. Zachary is suddenly at the pitcher’s mound, wearing a Sox uniform, and striking out the opponent. As long as Zachary has this magical ball all his baseball dreams come true.


1.

This story will allow students to make the connection between being from

Massachusetts and loving the Boston Red Sox. Students will use their background knowledge that the Red Sox play in Fenway Park, that 3 strikes you are out in baseball, and even the excitement one gets in dreaming.

2.

As the text is read aloud to students, they can make connections of how they relate to Zachary by writing down activities that they do with their father, mother, or loved ones: going to the Children’s Museum, cheering for the NE

Patriot’s, enjoying a movie and popcorn, or even just riding bikes through their neighborhood.

3.

Students can also make connections from a dream in their life that seemed real and magical. Students can write down their dreams and share with the class.

Helen Cooper. Pumpkin Soup. A Sunburst Book

The Cat, the Squirrel, and the Duck live together in an old white cabin. Every day they work together in the kitchen to make pumpkin soup. One day, the Cat and the

Squirrel get in an argument with the Duck about who is going to prepare what for the soup. The Duck gets very angry and lives the cabin with his wagon. The Cat and the Squirrel miss the Duck so go out in to search for him. They can’t find him and are sure the Duck has found better friends who let him help. When the Cat and the

Squirrel arrive home, they are happy to see the Duck in the kitchen waiting so they can all make their pumpkin soup.


1.

Students can make connections to a time in their life when they may have had a fight with a friend or sibling. They can recall a time in their life when in the end it was better to speak with and resolve the conflict than to not be friends/amicable with someone.

2.

Students can make connections about what a pumpkin is, how a pumpkin grows, and what time a year people use/see pumpkins. Ask students what they know about pumpkins and what they like about the fall and Halloween.

Taro Yashima. Crow Boy. New York, NY. Scholastic, Inc.

In a small Japanese village, Chibi is teased by all of the kids at school for being different. When the students enter their sixth year, Mr. Isobe, their new teacher, sees something very special in Chibi. At the year’s talent show, Chibi gets on stage and all the students wonder what the stupid boy is doing. To their pleasant surprise,

Chibi starts imitating the voices of crows. The students are all impressed and Chibi is given the new nickname “Crow Boy.”


1.

Students can ask questions before, during, and after reading the text. By looking at the cover, the students will wonder: Why is the book balled Crow

Boy? As the students get deeper into the book, they may wonder: Where is

Japan? What is a village? Why is Chibi different? What sounds does a crow make? At the conclusion of the book, the students may ask: Does he like being called Crow Boy? Students will also be able to answer the initial question of why the book is called Crow Boy.


1.

Students can connect to Chibi by discussing how they have felt when they have been treated poorly or excluded by other students. Students can discuss how they think Chibi felt based on their experiences. They can then discuss how they think Chibi felt at the end of the story when he was finally accepted by the other kids. Lastly, the students can discuss how they should treat others and practice it in their daily activities.

Brian Kline


EEDUC 5121

8/14/10

Comprehension Strategies

DePoaola, Tomie. Bill and Pete to the Rescue. New York, NY. G.P. Putnam's

Sons.

When Little Jane Allison Crocodile goes missing from the Nile, Bill (another crocodile) and Pete (his toothbrush bird friend) go on a long adventure to rescue her. Bad Guy's Big Bad Brother is from United States and is surely the culprit. Bill and Pete sneak onto the ship back to the United States. Pete is captured by a Rich

Lady and placed in a cage within her house. Pete escapes and reunites will Bill. Bill rounds up a troupe of alligators to help him release all the caged animals from Bad

Guy's Big Bad Brother. When Bill finds Cousin Jane to rescue her, he also finds out that his father, William Everett is locked up with her as well. Bill releases them both and helps all the other animals return to their homes.

Ways to use questioning strategies

Questions/Facts. Students might ask, “What's going to happen to the animals when they are taken to the United States? Where is Bad Guy's

Big Bad Brother going to take them?” Students can group together and make inferences about why they think the animals are being taken away from their home and what they think will happen to them.

Students can discuss what they know about animals that are going/have gone extinct.

Question webs. Children might ask “How is Bill going to rescue Pete from a bird cage?” Also, “what kind of plan are the alligators hatching to help Bill out?” And lastly, “what will happen to the animals if they all escape from Bad Guy's Big Bad Brother?”

Polacco, Patricia. Oh, Look! New York, NY. Philomel Books.

A trio of goats escape from their pen one day to climb hills, cross streams and bridges, play in mud, and charge through a circus. They ride around on the carousel ride and look at themselves in the wobbly mirror. Then, they spot a huge green ogre and fearfully retrace their steps back to their pen.

Ways to use inferring strategies

1.

Students can make inferences about the farmers trying to catch the goats. The farmers will eventually catch the goats by... Students may also infer where they think the goats will go after escaping from their pen. Will they ever return?


2.

Create a question web to help document why the goats ran away.

“What is the big green ogre going to do when he sees the goats?”

Students may come up with a list of inferences about what will happen next. “The ogre will eat the goats, the goats will run away, the goats will fall over and play dead...”

St. George, Judith. Zarafa the Giraffe Who Walked to the King. New York, NY.

Philomel Books.

Zarafa was a beautiful giraffe born in Egypt. The ruler of Egypt offered her as a gift to the king of France. Zarafa travels by camel through Africa, sails the Nile in a felucca, crosses the sea, and walks the last five hundred miles to Paris. The people of France are delighted to meet her. The king is entirely thrilled with Zarafa and places her in his royal garden, where all of Paris comes to visit her.

Ways to use connection strategies

1.

Zarafa walks the last leg of her trip from the seacoast all the way to

Paris, France. Try to think of how long it may have taken humans to walk 550 miles. Is it possible? How do you think we would have survived? What sort of strategies would have been used for such a long journey?


2.

The ruler of Egypt is giving Zarafa as a gift to the king of France. Can you think of why he might be giving such a gift? What are some reasons that we give gifts? What about in international relations, why might we be interested in giving gifts to other countries? Create a cause/effect chart about why we give gifts.

Polacco, Patricia. When Lightning Comes in a Jar. New York, NY. Philomel

Books.

This year, Gramma has promised Trisha to bring something new to the family reunion. She calls it lightning in a jar. Each year, the reunion is full of great rituals, including a great feast with an assortment of Jell-O, a croquet game, and story-telling time. Each of the great-aunts try to top one another with their memorable stories.

Gramma presents her story and then calls for the children to gather around for lightning in a jar. She gives each child a jar and then recites a short poem. Suddenly, firefly's light up the sky and the children capture them into their jars. The lightning in a jar tradition is passed down through the generations.


1.

Before starting the book, have students come up with a list of what they think “lightning in a jar” might be. Allow them to use the cover of the book to help create inferences. After reading, have students go back and edit their inferences. Were they correct?


2.

Have students speak of their own family reunion experiences. Has

anyone had similar experiences? Does anyone have different experiences? What kind of things do you do at your family reunion?

Does your family have specific rituals that are followed every year?

Does your family do something instead of a family reunion?

Hatkoff, Isabella. Hatkoff, Craig. Kahumbu, Paula. Owen & Mzee. New York,

NY. Scholastic Press.

A true story about two great friends: a baby hippo named Owen and a 130year old giant tortoise named Mzee. After a giant flood wiped out a large portion of the hippo population in Kenya, rescuers brought Owen to shore, all alone. They decided to bring him to Haller Park, where he met Mzee. Owen and Mzee quickly became friends. Owen snuggled with Mzee, ate his meals with him, and followed him around. Even Mzee, who was not known for being a friendly animal, was very happy to have Owen around. This is a great story about a hippo and a tortoise, two great friends.

Ways to use visualization strategies

1.

Create a movie in your mind. Think of how Owen and Mzee might have gone through the stages of becoming friends. Create visual clips of the sequence of events. Did they become friends right away? What sorts of things did they do together? How did the keepers know they were such good friends?


2.

Why do you think Owen and Mzee became such good friends? Create a venn diagram about the similarities and differences between tortoises and hippos. Are there more similarities? Differences? Does

Owen and Mzee's friendship defy natural instincts?

Speed, Toby. Brave Potatoes. New York, NY. G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Late at night at the county fair, all the potatoes sneak out to ride the Zip.

Soon, they are spotted by Hackemup the Chef. The Chef is doing his best to make a tasty stew. He's got all the ingredients he needs, except potatoes! He tricks the potatoes into his kitchen and lines them up to prepare for the stew. The potatoes bond together and tip him into the giant boiling pot. They release themselves and the rest of the vegetables from the kitchen and off into the evening they go!


1.

Judging from the cover of the book, what is this story going to be about? Come up with a few ideas in list format about what the story will entail. As we read through the book, edit your list. Were any of your ideas correct?

2.

When the book introduces Chef Hackemup, do any of your inferences change? Can you make a good guess about what the title “Brave

Carle, Eric. The Rooster Who Set Out to See the World. New York, NY. Franklin

Watts, Inc.

Potatoes” refers to now? Why didn't any of the other vegetables resist their fate?

A rooster meets up with two cats, three frogs, four turtles, and five fish to set out to see the world. After assembling his party, the rooster and his friends begin their journey. Soon into the night, his friends realize they are not well-prepared for this quest. One by one, his friends return back home and leave the rooster alone to continue. The rooster reconsiders as well and returns back home. He falls asleep and dreams of a trip around the world.


1.

Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Come up with a list of items that you could not live without if you left tonight to travel the world. What could you live without? Why, or why not? Compare your list with a classmate and determine what items could be left behind.

Do we really need all of the items that we pack?


2.

Come up with a movie in your mind of what the scene might look like, with the rooster, cats, frogs, turtles, and fish traveling across the globe. What sort of obstacles might they endure? How would they help each other along the way?

Polacco, Patricia. Thunder Cake. New York, NY. Philomel Books.

Thunder cake is on the menu as Grandma sees a storm coming. Patricia hides under the bed at the sound of thunder. But soon, she'll be assembling ingredients for Thunder cake. Eggs, milk, chocolate, sugar, strawberries, all needed for the famous cake. Grandma gets the cake into the oven just in time as the storm rolls over the house. Thunder cake is officially served as the storm crashes down around them.


1.

Come up with an inference about what the story is about. Look at the cover and take a good guess about what “Thunder cake” refers to. A few pages into the story, re-visit your guess and edit it accordingly.

After another few pages, do the same. Have you figured out what

Thunder cake is yet?


2.

Draw your own picture of what you think “Thunder cake” might look like. What is the significance of the “thunder” and how does it relate to your cake? What kind of ingredients are needed for your cake?

How long does it take to make, and who gets to eat it?

DePoala, Tomie. Helga's Dowry: A Troll Love Story. New York, NY. Harcourt

Brave Jovanovich, Publishers.

Helga is the loveliest troll in the parish, but after being orphaned, she is also the poorest. When handsome Lars asks her for her hand in marriage, she realizes she needs a dowry to marry. When Lars insists to help her with a dowry, he changes his mind upon speaking with Old Rich Sven. Sven offers his own daughter's hand in marriage and a dowry of thirty cows, three chests of gold, and a mountain pasture.

Surely, Lars cannot turn down this offer and the wedding is scheduled. When Helga hears the news, she bursts into tears and sets out on a journey to assemble her own dowry. She completes the dowry of thirty cows, three chests of gold, and a mountain pasture. Upon her return, she denies Lars' hand in marriage and instead is accepted by the Troll King as his wife. Helga becomes the queen of the troll parish.


1.

Have you ever had someone tell you one thing and then do something completely different? How did you find out? Write down some descriptive adjectives about how this made you feel. What did you do? Did you tell them how you felt?


2.

Use a storyboard to document the sequence of the story's events.

Why do you think Helga goes through all the trouble of attaining her dowry just to refuse Lars' hand in marriage? Why do you think she refused Lars' proposal? What is the significance of this? Does this relate at all to your answers to the connection strategies?

Polacco, Patricia. Pink and Say. New York, NY. Philomel Books.

Sheldon was shot and lay helpless in the grass during the Civil War. A fellow soldier, named Pinkus came to his aid and dragged him all the way back to his home.

Pinkus' mother, Moe Moe Bay took good care of the two boys as they healed their war wounds. Sheldon and Pinkus shared stories of their life before facing the fact that they had to return to war. The night before they were about to leave, marauders entered their house and killed Moe Moe Bay. Pinkus and Sheldon left and were eventually captured by Confederate fighters. They were taken away to a prisoner camp. Sheldon took one last chance to shake Pinkus' hand – the hand that had shaken Abe Lincoln's hand.


1.

Instruct the students to create a movie of the book in your mind.

Draw a few pictures of each scene. Allow for students to share these pictures with classmates. How has race been documented in these

picture scenes? Have the students documented race in a significant way? Have students share their pictures and create venn diagrams to determine similarities and differences between their creations.


2.

Have students create a storyboard of the book. From beginning to end, consider the feelings that both Pink and Say may have had. How did these feelings change throughout the book? Create a list of how you might have been feeling throughout different stages of the story.

Compare and contrast your list with a partner.


EEDUC 5121

August 19, 2010

Samantha Lovell

Henkes, Kevin. (1992) Chrysanthemum. New York, NY: The Trumpet Club.

Chrysanthemum is a heartwarming story about little mouse girl with an unusually long and tricky name. Chrysanthemum loved everything about her name until she started school and everyone else in her class had simple, short names. The story uses wonderfully descriptive verbs to describe Chrysanthemum’s feelings, such as ‘wilted’ and adjectives such as, precious, fascinating, and winsome. The whole story chronicles the ups and downs of how Chrysanthemum feels about her name. It takes the praise of a favorite teacher to help the whole class understand that Chrysanthemum is a beautiful name and no one should be making fun of her.

Ways to use Connecting:

1.

Although this story is about a mouse, the mouse is in kindergarten, has trouble with friends, has loving parents and has to deal with bullies, much of which students who are reading this story deal with. As a teacher, you could do a simple connecting activity looking at different types of names and researching what students in your class names mean by looking in books and asking parents. The connection activity could be based on what the mice are talking about on page 10: “I’m named after my grandmother,” said Victoria.

“You’re named after a flower!” Students could make a connection between

Chrysanthemum’s interesting name and the possible interesting names of students in your class.

2.

Students could role-play and try to explain how, if they were

Chrysanthemum, they might feel. Such as when Victoria tells

Chrysanthemum, “If I had a name like yours, I’d change it.” Then you could have a class discussion about how the situation could have been handled better.

3.

Throughout the story Chrysanthemum is bullied. Students could connect by writing a story about a time they were bullied, saw bullying or even make up a story about a student who was bullied and share it with the class.

Ways to use Predicting:

1.

Although this story is simple and predictable in its plot, it gives students some clues to what might happen to Chrysanthemum. This would be a great book to pause occasionally and have the students predict what they think might happen. A teacher could read the first few pages, have the students go back to their seats and draw a picture of what they think might happen. You could continue this process until you finish the story. Students could share all of their pictures and talk about how their predictions changed throughout the story. A great place to stop reading and predict as a class would be when

Mrs. Twinkle is introduced. Pause after the line, ‘”My name is long,” said Mrs.

Twinkle’, and ask the students to predict what they think will happen next.

Ways to use summarizing and synthesizing information:

1.

Chrysanthemum is a great story to practice summarizing and synthesizing information with your students. Because the story is very relatable and endearing, students will follow the complicated plot easier. The story of

Chrysanthemum follows a cyclical pattern of the young mouse loving her name, getting teased, hating it, parents/teachers making her feel better and loving her name again. This poses a great opportunity for teachers to start a storyboard project with students in which they are summarizing and synthesizing information. Students could fold paper/ poster board/ use a computer, to create a comic strip layout. On this layout they could pick on image to draw in each of the boxes that would represent a section of the story. Then students could retell the story by presenting their story board/ comic strip.

Henkes, Kevin. (1991) Chester’s Way. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Chester’s Way is another wonderful book by Kevin Henkes. It follows the routine of two best friends who are very much stuck in their ways. When a new girl moves into town, both boys exclude her and seem afraid of her. It is not until the little girl shows an act of courage and kindness that the boys realize that they could get along and be friends with the new girl in town.

Ways to use Connecting:

1.

This classic ‘new kid in town’ story is a great way to use the strategy of connecting with students. After the first time Lilly is introduced as the new girl, students could write, or talk about a time that they were the new kid in the class, knew someone who was new or even just felt left out of a group of friends.

2.

Students may also use the connecting strategy when Henkes writes about

Wilson and Chester’s many different types of traditions of what they eat,

what they play, what they were for Halloween and so much more. “He always cut his sandwiches diagonally. He always got out of bed on the same side. And he never left the house without double-knotting his shoes”. This book is very relatable for elementary school aged children.

Ways to use predicting:

1.

There are multiple moments within this book in which a teacher could stop and have the class predict what they think will happen. One of these moments is after the line, “And then Lilly moved into the neighborhood”.

After this line students could be asked: What do you think will happen when

Lilly moves into town? Wilson and Chester seem to be pretty stuck in their ways; do you think that they will include Lilly? The teacher could also pause after a line later on in the story, when Lilly goes out of her way to defend the boys from bullies. “Are you who I think you are?” Chester asked the cat. “Of course,” the cat (Lilly) replied. The teacher could pause at this moment and ask the students what they think would happen next? Do you think their actions and friendship with Lilly will change? Chester’s Way is a great way to practice the strategy of predicting and using clues to predict with the students.

Kellogg, Steven. (1984) Paul Bunyan. New York, NY: William Morrow &

Company.

The tall tale legend of Paul Bunyan is retold in this picture book with entertaining visuals and details. The story starts off with Paul Bunyan as a baby and spans his life. The story follows him through all of his overly exaggerated adventures. He meets a large ox on his journey and Paul and the Ox, Babe become life long friends. Paul, Babe and a lumbering crew make their from Maine, across the United States, clearing land as they go. Paul not only creates the St. Lawrence

River and fights wild Gumberoos, he also accidentally carves the Grand Canyon.

Through imaginative, descriptive writing and illustrations to match, Steven Kellogg retells the American legend of Paul Bunyan.


1.

The descriptive language used in this text and the funny imagery makes this a perfect story to practice visualization with. Because Paul Bunyan is a Tall

Tale, Kellogg included many over the top exaggerations that may have to be explained to the students. The story opens with the line, “Paul Bunyan was the largest, smartest, and strongest baby ever born in the state of Maine”.

After almost every page, the teacher could pause and have the students draw what they think the image would look like, verbally tell a friend what they are picturing or share it with the class. Although the pictures that accompany the text are beautiful and detailed, there is so much descriptive language within the text that even if the teacher shows the students the pictures, students will be able to come up with their own interpretation of the text and make their own visualizations.

Ways to use determining importance:

1.

What is great about tall tales is that a lot of the time they use plays on words and exaggerations to paint literary picture. Sometimes these visualizations can be important for students to understand on a larger scale. For example, on page 33 Kellogg writes, “Paul’s great ax fell from his shoulder, gouging a jagged trench, which today is known as the Grand Canyon”. This is a great way to integrate this book into a lesson on geography as well as metaphors.

With little visual exaggerations such as this throughout the story, students can work together or in class to determine the importance of this American

Tall Tale.

2.

The main idea of what Paul Bunyan did in this story may need to be explained to the students. Because the story itself is so funny and interesting, students may need to guidance in understanding that Paul Bunyan was important because it was said that he cleared land for the Pioneers. His land clearing ability is the main idea of the story, while there are many other details that can be pulled out of and explained in the story.

Marshall, James. (1972) What’s the Matter with Carruthers?: A Bedtime Story.

New York, NY: Houghton Miffin Company Boston.

This heartwarming story is perfect for all ages. Its simple but colorful illustrations are interesting to look at as well as help tell the story. What’s the

Matter with Carruthers? begins with two cheerful friends going for a walk and running into their unusually grumpy friend, Carruthers. The story follows

Carruthers bad manners, lack of sharing and mean behavior. The two friends, Emily and Eugene, decide that if they do not do something, Curruthers will have no friends left at all. “No one likes a grouch”. Emily and Eugene try many different techniques to get Carruthers in a better mood. But there is only one reason that Curruthers is in a bad mood, and it takes the whole story to figure it out.

Ways to use connecting:

1.

Students will have an easy time connecting this story to their life (text to self). Manners are commonly taught at home as well as in schools. Many students know what it feels like to have bad manners or be treated with bad manners. Carruthers is in a grumpy mood throughout the entire story and students can connect grumpy behavior to rude behavior. This book enables schools to bring up the topic of manners and how they make others feel in and out of school.

2.

This book also enables an opportunity for role-playing. A teacher could stop reading and assign roles, or wait until the book is finished and assign roles to the students. Students could act out the way Carruthers is acting, but as students in a class. The scene on page 16 might work perfectly:

“It’s another beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“Not really,” said Carruthers.

“You must enjoy strolling in the park,” said Eugene.

“Not especially,” said Carruthers.

Role playing a situation like this may help students connect to the way

Carruthers bad manners and attitudes effect the way Emily and Eugene are

feeling. After play-acting, students could meet back together and talk about how Carruthers (or the students who acts like Carruthers) made them feel and why. These little skits could range from school situations to playground situations, home situations as well as parent situations.

Ways to use questioning:

1.

This book is also a good way to practice questioning with the students.

Because we don’t find out the reasoning behind Carruthers nasty attitude until the end of the book, there are a lot of peculiar things Carruthers does. A teacher may pause during a reading and say, “hmm I wonder why Carruthers is still in a bad mood?” What kind of things might put Carruthers in a bad mood?

Polacco, P. (2001) Mr. Lincoln’s Way. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Mr. Lincoln’s Way is a heartwarming story about a beloved principle who finds his way into the hearts of all of his students. All of the students at school loved

Mr. Lincoln, except one. Polacco’s book follows the journey Mr. Lincoln takes to try to befriend the school’s bully, Eugene Esterhause (“mean Eugene”). By following

Eugene’s interest in birds, Mr. Lincoln is able to bond with the boy and make a difference in his life. This book enables readers to see that not all bullies are mean all of the time. Sometimes they need support from people around them to pull them out of their shell.

Ways to practice determining importance:

1.

Students could pull out ways that Mr. Lincoln befriended and helped Eugene, such as when Mr. Lincoln and Eugene built bird feeders together. They could determine how this could have made Eugene feel and why Eugene changed his attitude. This could be done in a classroom discussion, in small group discussions or as a writing assignment.

2.

This story has many layers. Depending on the age group being read to, a teacher could discuss the family issues that Eugene has, including racism, and how this could have affected his attitude towards those around him. Half way through the book Eugene says, “My old man got real mad when I got

home late from helping you.” He sobbed. “He said you’re not our kind.”

Students could determine the importance from this quote by asking and inferring how Eugene’s family could have influenced the way he acts in school.


1.

Students could connect this story of a bully to their own lives or lives of someone they read about in a book. This book is very realistic and relatable.

Even if students have not had a bully in their lives, there are numerous TV shows and books that have bullies in them. Eugene is considered the school’s bully: “To just about everybody in school, though, Eugene WAS trouble, spelled

with a capital T”. Students can connect this story to their selves or to another text.

2.

Students could connect the way Mr. Lincoln treated Eugene to the change in

Eugene’s behavior, and how what Mr. Lincoln did may have changed

Eugene’s behavior. They could relate this to something they have done or someone that they look up to. The class could also make some kind of

Eugene chart or reminder that not everyone who is mean is a bad person.

Polacco, P. (1998) The Keeping Quilt. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco is a story of family and tradition. The story is written in the perspective of Patricia. Patricia describes the journey the quilt Anna (Patricia’s great Grandmother) made after she traveled from Russia to

America. The quilt has pieces of cloth and clothing from family members as a way for Anna to be continuously connected to Russia. Spanning generations, the quilt is used as a tablecloth for Sabbath, a canopy for weddings as well as the blanket to welcome a new baby. This story of tradition engages readers through repetition, a predictable story plot and creative language.


1.

Students may connect the Jewish traditions that Patricia’s family participates in to the traditions his or her own family’s practice. Students could make a chart comparing their family traditions to Patricia’s family or draw a picture of something that has been passed down in the student’s family for many generations.

2.

Students may also connect to the theme of immigration to other books they have read in class. There are many other children’s books that touch on the theme of immigration. On the first page Palacco writes, “When my Great-

Gramma Anna came to American, she wore the same thick overcoat and big boots she had worn for farm work”. A teacher could use this book to draw forth the implications of immigration and the many different types of cultures that are found in America.

3.

Students could connect the characters in this book to their family members.

A teacher may want to use this book as the basis for a roots project with the students. The students could interview their parents, grandparents or aunts and uncles to ask where their family came from and what traditions they still practice from their homeland.

Siebert, D. (1989) Heartland. New York, NY: Thomas Y. Crowell.

Heartland is lyrical poem accompanied by large, beautiful paintings by

Wendell Minor. The poem personifies the Heartland, the American Midwest, into a first person account of a description of the land, the people as well as the towns and cities. “I am the heartland, great and wide.” While the poem contains detailed descriptions of the land and the people, it also mentions the power of man versus the power of nature. “A land where, despite man’s power, nature reigns.” The paintings accompanying the poem create a wonderful visual for students.


1.

Heartland is a great story in which to practice visualizations with students.

Although the language is complex, the vivid verbs used and interesting

adjectives paint a clear picture for the students. Students reading Heartland could be read the story with out being shown the pictures. The students could then draw what they visualized the text to look like. After they have finished all of their mental picture drawings, the students could look back in the text and talk about how their mental image, and the image on the page were similar and different.


1.

While Heartland is full of vivid and beautiful language, there is an important underlying theme throughout the pages that students may not necessarily understand. Students could discuss or write about why the heartland, or the

Midwest, is so important for America. A teacher could pose the questions,

“what does the heartland supply the rest of the country with?” “Why could

America not function without the heartland?” Pulling out important questions such as this will help the students understand the full meaning of the text.

2.

There are specific parts in the text that allude to greater themes that a teacher may need to pull out and discuss with students. After clarifying certain vocabulary words, a teacher could ask the students to write about what they think, “Despite Man’s power, Nature reigns” means. Why in this quote is Man and Nature capitalized? What does the author mean by Man’s power? These are all wonderful topics to delve deeper into through a classroom discussion, a project on the importance of the mid west or even personification.

Yolen, J. (1992) Encounter. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanvich,

Publishers.

Encounter, by Jane Yolen is a beautifully illustrated book (David Shannon) about the first encounter the Native Americans had with Christopher Columbus in

1942. The book is written in the perspective of a young Native American boy. In the first page of the text, the small boy has a dream of what is to come, but because he is a child, no one will listen to him. The text describes the friendliness the Native

Americans showed Christopher Columbus and his men and the way the sailors took advantage of the Native Americans. This book is a wonderful way to see the effect

Europeans had on the Native Americans. The last page shows the young boy as an old man in European clothing. This is a great way to visually portray the change that occurred once the Europeans landed.

Ways to use Questioning strategies:

1.

While going through the text, ask the class questions and let them ask questions about who the characters are, what is happening and what will happen next. After the first page, the teacher could show the class the picture and say, I wonder what this dream means? Does anyone think they know what these big scary birds could be? As you read the story ask questions such as, do you think these men have good intentions? Who could these men be? Why did the young boy jump out of the boat?

2.

You could also create a class chart to post in the classroom. It could have three columns stating: first I thought, and then I thought; now I think.

Students could write their responses on post-it notes and post their ideas on the corresponding column. After the whole class has participated, the teacher could post the chart somewhere visible in the classroom.

Ways to use the inferring strategies:

1.

During a class discussion, students will discuss the main idea of the text referencing the pictures texts and questions they had. The students will infer what they thought to be the main point of the story and how it is significant and affects us today. The final picture in the story shows the young Native

American boy as an old man sitting on rock. It is important that a teacher asks the students what they think is important about this picture. The students should notice that the old man is now wearing European clothing. A teacher could ask why. Why is the Native American man wearing European clothing and why is that important to what happened in our country.


1.

Students need to understand stories from all possible perspectives. While students learn about the explorers throughout their history classes, there are rarely accounts on how the people who were ‘discovered’ felt. This is a wonderful fiction story to help the students understand the importance and implications the European explorers had on the Native Americans. Students can pull out information that is presented in this text that they have learned about previously. “The baby canoes spat out many strange creatures, men but not men. We did not know them as human beings, for they hid their bodies in colors, like parrots. Their feet were hidden too.” Students could discuss and write about what this could really mean.

2.

Again, students could look at the last picture in the book at the old Native

American man dressed in European clothing and could determine why that is significant to the story and to the history of America. A discussion could be had on why this is important and what this picture could potentially represent.

Yoleny, J. (1992) Eeny, Meeny, Miney Mole. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace

Jovanvich, Publishers.

Eeny, Meeny, Miney Mole is a story about three Mole sisters who live down in the deep, dark earth. Meeny and Miney Mole are content living in the dark, while

Eeny is keen on burrowing, exploring and talking to other earth creatures. It is through meeting a worm, centipede and a snake that Eeny learns of light, and seasons. After multiple attempts of trying to excite her sister’s with the thought,

Eeny gives up and burrows up in the earth alone. She eventually breaks through and sees light and hears the sounds of spring. The story ends with Eeny taking a yellow dandelion and burrowing her way back down into the earth to tell her sisters. The illustrations, by Kathryn Brown, are beautiful and detailed.

Ways to use Predicting:

1.

This is a great story to use prediction with. The story repeats the language and pattern of the story three different times. After the first run in Eeny has with the worm, the teacher could ask the class to think about what could happen next. You could make a prediction chart. You could do simple columns, or create a little underground ‘mole map’ with different stops in the underground tunnel for the students to post their predictions.


1.

Students could describe a time in which they were explained something that they had never thought about of seen before, just like the worm did to Eeny about the sunlight. “I have just heard the most astonishing thing,” she announced to her sisters. “I have heard that Up Above”—which is what they

called the world on the top of the ground—“things are both dark and light.”

Students could even write their own story, modeling the format of the Eeny,

Meeny, Miney Mole story, about something that they discovered with the help and inspiration of people around them.

Zelinksy, P.O. (1997) Rapunzel. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Books.

This classic tale is retold and illustrated by Paul Zelinksy. In a way this book could be told without any text. The illustrations are so beautiful and detailed, that a teacher or parent could easily picture walk through the book. While the paintings are incredible, the text used is creative and poetic. Although Rapunzel is a well told and common story among school aged children, Zelinksy’s version is a version that should not be ignored.

Ways to use visualizing and inferring:

1.

The language in this version of Rapunzel is beautiful and vivid; it is a wonderful book for students to practice their visualization strategies with.

On the second page, the description of the garden is perfect for students to draw; “The wife liked to sit by a small window at the back of their house and look down into a beautiful garden. Flowers grew there, and rare fruits and

herbs of every kind.”

2.

Although students will most likely know the story of Rapunzel, Zelinksy goes into detail about Rapunzel’s childhood. This provides the teacher with the opportunity for the students to create their own mental image of what

Rapunzels childhood was like. Students could draw their visuals or discuss it with the class.

3.

Before reading the entire story, a teacher could read the second have of the story, starting with the sentence, “The tower was a great column rising in the

middle of the woods,” or another version of Rapunzel. Then the students could write their own version of what they think Rapunzel’s childhood was like. This would be a wonderful way to have the students think about cause and effect and what could have lead to Rapunzel’s banishment to the top of a tour.

Ways to use Questioning:

1.

The visual images in this story may be frightening for some students, so it would be successful for a teacher to pause every few moments to pose questions to the students about how they are feeling, and wonder out loud about what could happen next. Posing questions without having the class answering as well as having the class answer is a wonderful way to get the students to think about what is happening in a more in depth way.


Finchler, Judy (1995). Miss Marlarkey Doesn’t Live in Room 10. New York.

Walker Publishing Company, Inc.

A boy, who is a 1 st grader, thinks his teacher lives in a room at school. He gives explanations for why he thinks this, based on his observations at school along with assumptions. One day he finds out that his teacher is moving in to his apartment building, so he realizes she doesn’t live at his school…


1.

Have students find clues in the text showing why the narrator thought his teacher lived at school (e.g. “After dinner she plays in the gym. And she never forgets her clothes.”).

2.

Have students identify how the narrator takes new knowledge to change his thoughts about something (seeing that his teacher is moving into his apartment building, he can infer that she does not live in a room at school).

This book has stunning illustrations that correspond directly to the text. Should be used for younger grades in particular.

Heyward, Du Bose (1939). The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes. Boston and New York. Houghton Mifflin Company.

A female bunny as a child longs to become one of the five Easter bunnies, who are the kindest, and swiftest, and wisest bunnies in the whole wide world. When she grows up she finds a husband and has 21 children. She teaches them to run the house and take care of her. One day, she finds out that a new Easter bunny, so she and her children go to the Palace where the kind Grandfather Bunny would chose the next Easter bunny. Thanks to her children she is eventually chosen and is given a most challenging task…


1.

The story is filled with suspense, as each time the author does not let the author know what is going to happen next (e.g. Is the bunny going to become one of the Easter bunnies? What are the little gold shoes mentioned in the title?)

Kaopuiki, Stacey S. (1990). Peter Panini and the Search for the Menehune.

Kahului, Maui, Hawaii. Hawaiian Island Concepts.

A boy named Peter Panini hears about a group of mysterious little Hawaiian people called the Menehune in a letter from his cousin, Kalei. Peter learns more about these people from his mother and decides to try and find one to see if they truly exist. So,

Peter and his dog set on an adventure to their Uncle’s house where the Menehune are said to live. There, Peter, Kalei and his dog wander the lands without any luck, until they are ready to give up…

Ways to use the connection strategies:

1.

Find meaning of foreign (Hawaiian) words from using clues in the text and background knowledge. May refer to glossary at the end of the book for confirmation of word meanings (e.g. May understand word “Aloha” from its placement in the letter sent to Peter; at the end of the letter before Kalei signed his name).

Ways to use visualizing strategies:

1.

Students may form mental images from vivid descriptions in the text (e.g. “It was a rainbow they not only saw, but felt. The red was as bright as the feather cloaks of the Hawaiian Alii. The yellow shown like the sun. The green was like the deep forest of the cool mountain valleys. And the blue and purple melted into each other to remind them of the sea.”Across from this description is a beautiful picture illustrating the rainbow).

Kurokawa, Mitsuhiro (1992). Dinosaur Valley. San Francisco, CA. Chronicle

Books.

A small plant eating dinosaur called Orodromeus protects her children from the moment they hatch from their eggs in the dangerous valley of the time long ago from now. She guides them and teaches them survival skills. When the young dinosaurs were old enough, they left their mother to go off into the valley on their own. The story ends on a fold out of the slow and careful process to dig for dinosaurs today. At the back of the book there is a section “Dino Facts for Older

Readers,” “A Note from the Editor,” and an extensive glossary of complicated words and Dinosaur names.


1.

May be used for different reading levels. Find meanings of unknown words from context and background knowledge (e.g. the meaning of “predators” in the sentence “All the while, she kept an eye out for the many dangerous predators that lived in the valley” can be understood from context).

2.

Students can make connections to their background knowledge of how mother animals behave (protect their children and teach them to survive) for a better understanding of the story.


1.

Detailed descriptions for different level learners to help created mental images to enhance understanding (e.g. Comprehensive diagram of 24 steps of the digging for dinosaurs process numbered and sketched).

2.

For more advanced learners, detailed illustrations, diagrams and sketches in

“Dino Facts for Older Readers” may help to develop understanding about dinosaurs.

Langen, Annette & Droop, Constanza (1994). Letters From Felix. New York, NY.

Abbeville Publishing Group.

A young girl named Sophie loses her little rabbit named Felix at the airport at the end of vacation. Sophie and her family are unable to find Felix and end up having to fly home. Sophie misses Felix who is her best friend and is very sad until she comes home from school and a letter from Felix is awaiting her…from England! When getting lost at the airport, Felix had ended up on the wrong flight, to London and decides to continue to travel the world. He sends Sophie letters from each place he goes, so Sophie is able to learn about all the places and know that he is OK…


1.

Labeled pictures of different places may be used to enhance understanding of places Felix is exploring (e.g. When Felix travels to Egypt, Sophie goes to the museum, “That afternoon she finds out how the pyramids and the sphinx were built” and right above this text is a picture of the pyramids and the sphinx labeled accordingly).

2.

As the book includes in pop-out envelopes, the letters Felix sends Sophie in his hand writing, students can be exposed to a letter format and could use this as a sample to write their own letter.

Ways to use strategy of determining importance:

1.

As this story describes real places in the world with real facts, students can pull out factual information from the text (e.g. “With Dad she looks in the encyclopedia under London. It says there: “Capital of Great Britain and

Northern Ireland, lying on both sides of the Thames River, population almost seven million, residence of the royal family…One of the largest cities in

Europe.””

Paraskevas, Betty (1993). The Strawberry Dog. New York, NY. Dial Books.

A stray dog who loved to be free settled to live underneath the porch of a café in a seaside town. He became known by everyone in the town and was named “the

Strawberry Dog” because he arrived in the middle of strawberry season. In particular, he developed a close relationship with a man named Eli, who came from the city. Every day during the summer, they would go driving together in Eli’s brand-new sandrail. Alas, the summer came to an end and everyone left the town, so the dog was left all alone…


1.

The story provokes many questions about the dog on the cover of the book.

Students may take note of questions before, during, and after the story is

read (e.g. Where did this dog come from? How did he end up underneath the porch of a café? What happens to the dog at the end of the story?).

Pfister, Marcus (1994). Dazzle The Dinosaur. New York and London. North-

South Books.

A mother dinosaur, Mother Maiasaurus, finds an odd-looking egg next to her own egg in her nest. When the two dinosaurs are born, they are alike, except for the other dinosaur had glowing spines along his back so she named him Dazzle. She names her daughter Maia. Dazzle and Maia became good friends and decided to go looking for the cave their mother used to live in and to win it back from the Dragonsaurus, who took over the cave a while back. The two little dinosaurs on their adventure encounter some dangerous situations in their attempt…

Ways to use summarizing and synthesizing strategies:

1.

As the story presents events in a chronological order that follow easily from one to the next, students can make a list of what happens in the story by summarizing each incident in the text (e.g. Dazzle and Maia climb onto what they think are rocks, which turn out to be the spines of a giant Stegosaurus).

Seabrooke, Brenda (1990). The Boy Who Saved the Town. Centreville,

Maryland. Tidewater Publishers.

A boy named Barnaby Sharpe grew up in the town of St. Michaels and was always found up high in a tree. He explained that he did this to practice climbing masts because he wanted to become a ship master. One day, the British were known to be attacking the town soon and Barnaby suggests that they hang lanterns in the trees so that the British overshoot the town… There is Historical note at the end of the book.


1.

As the story is founded on some truth, students could make connections with this story and the British attacks of the seventeenth century (e.g. In the

Historical Note, it says, “To this day, St. Michaels is known as the town that fooled the British”).

2.

Students can make connections between the skills of climbing trees and climbing the masts of a ship (Barnaby practices climbing trees because he wants to be a ship captain and needs to know how to climb masts).

Scieszka, Jon & Smith, Lane (1995). Math Curse. New York, NY. Penguin Group.

A boy was told one day by his math teacher, Mrs. Fibonacci, “You know, you can think of almost everything as a math problem.” The boy starts having problems from then on and thinks about everything he does and sees as a math problem.


1.

This book contains extraordinary imagery incorporating words and symbols, making this a visual experience. In this way, students may find multiple

perspectives in reading this book, enhancing their comprehension (e.g. one page of the book has a fraction symbol “÷” the size of the page with text about fractions inserted in the two circles of the fraction symbol).


1.

As this text is rich with open and close-ended questions, students can think further about these questions and the language they are reading (e.g.

“English is a word problem: If mail + box = mailbox: 1) Does lipstick – stick = lip? 2) Does tunafish + tunafish = fournafish?”).

2.

Students can distinguish between thin and thick questions using examples from the text (e.g. “I have 1 white shirt, 3 blue shirts, 3 stripped shirts, and that ugly plaid shirt Uncle Zeno sent me. 1) How many shirts is that all together? [Thin question] 2) How many shirts would I have if I threw away that awful plaid shirt? [Thin question] 3) When will Uncle Zeno quit sending me such ugly shirts? [Thick question]).

Tudor, Tasha (1971). Corgiville Fair. New York, NY. HarperCollins Publishers.

A town called Corgiville was inhabited by corgis (small dogs the color of foxes), cats, rabbits and boggarts (trolls) and this town has a fair every year in October where goats are raced in the Grand Race. One year, a corgi named Caleb worked hard to prepare his goat Josephine for the race. Edgar Tomcat, a cat, bet money on the race and did not want to lose. On the day of the race, he gives Caleb and Josephine food to make them sick and prevent them from running in the race…

Ways to use inferring strategies:

1.

The story contains many levels in language, so students can infer meaning in expressions depending on their reading level (e.g. “He watched her weight like a teenager”).

2.

The story leaves a lot understanding up to the reader, so students can use clues from the text to understand what is meant by the author (e.g. “The rocket display seemed a bit short, but only Mert and Caleb knew why,” and so can the reader if he or she has read carefully!).


1.

As this text uses complex language, yet there are lots of pictures illustrating the scenario, students may create elaborate mental images to form a vivid representation of the story in their minds.

Jennifer Meader

EEDUC 5121

Annotated Bibliography:

Comprehension Strategies

August 2010

Bunting, Eve and Himler, Ron.

(1990) The Wall.

New York, NY: Clarion

Books, Houghton Mifflin

A boy and his father visit the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. to search for the name of the boy’s grandfather. A moving, direct, and concrete approach to dealing with the loss of a loved one to war. The author does not shy away from addressing an emotionally fraught, mature political topic and succeeds in making it accessible to young children.

Ways to use questioning and inferring strategies:

1.

2.

Students infer feelings and attitudes through text and illustrations: “A man in a wheelchair stares at the names. He doesn’t have legs. His hat is a soft, squashed green and there are medals on it…” “A woman old as my grandma is hugging a man, old as my grandpa would be. They are both crying. “Sh,” he whispers. “Sh!”

Students are left with “lingering questions” at the completion of this story, ( How did

3.

his grandpa die in the war? What was the war about? Why were we at war?) .

The story opens the door for further discussion and research into “researchable questions” of the Vietnam War and its after effects. “This is the wall, my grandfather’s wall. On it are the names of those killed in a war, long ago.”

Bunting, Eve and Himler, Ron.

(1991) Fly Away Home. New York, NY: Clarion

Books, Houghton Mifflin

This stark yet warm story is about a homeless boy and his father who make their home in an airport, moving from terminal to terminal in order to blend in with travelers. The author handles this difficult social issue with delicacy and hopefullness, allowing young readers safe access to the complexity of the world they live in.

Ways to use questioning, inferring, and connecting strategies:

1.

Students question throughout the story, as they try to make meaning and sense of the unusual living circumstances the boy and his father call home: “Why don’t they have a home? Where is the boy’s mother? Do they have any money? Where do they sleep, eat, and wash up? Do they have friends? Will they ever leave the airport?”

2.

Students infer that the bird in the story represents the boy’s desire to be freed from his life in the airport: “ Then I remember the bird. It took a while, but a door opened. And when t he bird left, when it flew free, I know it was singing.”

3.

Students can make text-to-text connections with other books by the same author. Eve

Bunting frequently writes about contemporary social issues and students can be encouraged to discover patterns in her writing around how she handles subjects that are not easy to talk about.

4.

Students can make text-to-self connections between The Wall and Fly Away Home because both feature a close bond between a father and son. Both stories should be used in classrooms in which students could particularly benefit from modeling strong, positive male relationships.

Cooney, Barbara.

(1982) Miss Rumphius. New York, NY: Viking Penguin Books

This very personal story based on the life of the author’s great aunt, tells of the early 20 th century world of a liberated woman adventurer and artist who traveled the globe before settling down on an island off the coast of Maine. Ever striving to “do something to make the world more beautiful”,

Miss Rumphius decides to sow lupine seeds on the island and becomes known to locals as the

“Lupine Lady” because of the gorgeous fields of lupines she spread throughout the island.

Ways to use connecting and visualization strategies:

1.

Use story to show travel through both time and place, illustrating a circular story as Alice moves from girlhood to old age and travels throughout the world, all in the span of one picture book. A graphic story board organizer can highlight the circular path:

1 Alice is a little girl living in a coastal seaside manufacturing city

2 Young Alice learns from her Grandfather’s wisdom in his artist workshop

3 Adult Alice moves to another city far from the sea and works as a young librarian

4 Alice (now called Miss Rumphius) seeks adventure and travels to a tropical island

5 Miss Rumphius climbs tall mountains, travels through jungles, and across desserts

6 Middle aged Miss Rumphius settles down on an island in Maine

7 Miss Rumphius grows old, suffers from a back injury, and is bedridden for a year

8 Miss Rumphius, now recovered but weak and quite elderly, finally figures out how to make the world more beautiful

9 Miss Rumphius (now known as “That Crazy Old Lady) scatters lupine seeds across the island

10 Miss Rumphius (now called the Lupine Lady) is very old, but happy and surrounded by children eager to learn from her wisdom and hear stories of her

2. adventures to far away places.

Use the story to explore biographical texts, personal family stories, genealogical stories, and historical fiction.

Cooney, Barbara.

(1994) Only Opal: The Diary of a Young Girl . New York, NY:

Philomel Books: The Putnam and Grosset Group

Born around the year 1900, Opal Whitely was orphaned at age five and sent to live with an

Oregon family, moving from one lumber camp to the next and being worked to the bone morning to night. Opal survived her experience through her writing and her imagination, keeping a secret diary of her life “in her fifth and sixth year” and finding friends and peace of mind in the quiet of the plants, animals, birds, and fresh air.

Ways to use connecting, visualization, and inferring strategies:

1.

Help students connect by previewing the story with a picture walk to establish time and place: What do you see in these pictures? Does this story appear to be present day or take place long ago? Where do you think the story takes place?

(A girl is

2.

3.

dressed in old-fashioned clothes. The story seems to be from long ago because of the clothing, the cabin in the woods with no running water or electricity and heated by a woodstove. The story takes place in the woods somewhere in this country).

Make text-toself connections by identifying with Opal’s feelings: “My mother and father are gone….it is lonesome without them. When I feel sad inside I talk things over with my tree. I call him Michael Raphael. It is such a comfort to nestle up to

Michael Raphael…

Descriptive language written in the narrator’s own voice illustrates both mood and set ting for students to visualize and infer Opal’s desire to be free: At night the wind goes walking in the field, talking to the earth voices there. I did follow her down potato rows, and her goings made ripples on my nightgown. While I was listening to

the voices of the night Brave Horatius did catch the corner of my nightgown in his mouth and did pull in a most hard way to go back to the house we live in.

Dorros, Arthur and Kleven, Elisa.

(1991) Abuela.

New York, NY:Dutton

Children’s Books

A child and her Spanish-speaking grandmother travel through New York City by bus to feed the birds at the park. Imagining what would happen if the birds could lift them up into the sky so they could fly, the girl and her “Abuela” take the reader on an adventure high above the city, traveling through vivid, colorful scenes of city life, with many Spanish words introduced throughout the narrative.

Ways to use visualizing, inferring and connecting strategies:

1.

Students use context clues to learn Spanish word vocabulary, for example: “Tantos pajaros,” Abuela says as a flock of birds surrounds us. So many birds. “Mira,”

Abuela would say, pointing. “Cerca del mar,” we’d say. We’d almost touch the tops

2.

3.

of waves.

Students make connections by comparing the things they do with their grandparents with those that the narrator and her Abuela do together ( visit the park, explore the city, go to the ocean, visit an outdoor market, visit a famous landmark, watch planes land at the airport, go to the store for refreshments).

Include book as part of an inter-generational unit, cultural studies unit, diversity unit, or means of reaching out to and including Spanish-speaking students in the classroom.

Koller, Jackie French and Sewall, Marcia.

(1999) Nickommoh! A Thanksgiving

Celebration. New York, NY: Atheneum Books; Simon & Schuster

This descriptive festive prose poem of the Narragansett tribe harvest celebration called

Nickommoh, meaning “give away” or “exchange”, weaves together rhythmic language and vibrant illustrations to bring to life this festival, as the People make their preparations and travel from villages near and far to give thanks to their Creator.

Ways to use inferring, visualization strategies and content literacy:

1.

Use context clues to make meaning of unfamiliar words: Students are introduced to numerous words of the Narragansett tribe in the story: All through the long hot days of

Quaqusquan , the growing time…; From villages far and near they come, their mocussinass treading silently on the foot steps of the Grandfathers…; The men cut poles and set them in the earth, bend them over and bend them tight; bind them to make the

Qunnekamuck, the great lodge that will hold the people, etc. Students can create

Narragansett word vocabulary books and/or charts with English translations and illustrations.

2.

Visually descriptive language helps students imagine the time and the place: Now frost lies thick on the fields at dawn, and the winged ones pass overhead in great numbers, calling out their goodbyes.

Who are the winged ones? What time of year is this?

Describe the scene in you mind.

3.

Use as part of a Native American studies unit and/or early colonial /New England studies unit. Classroom Nickommoh!

Celebration could be a culminating event, with ideas for preparations derived from the story.

Ray, Mary Lyn and Cooney, Barbara.

(1999) Basket Moon. Boston: Little,

Brown and Company

Set in the 19 th century highlands of Upstate New York, a young boy waits excitedly for the day he is old enough to walk with his father into nearby Hudson, to bring handmade Taghanic baskets to sell. But when his first trip to town ends with overhearing some men call his father a “hillbilly”, the young boy struggles with his shame and identity and questions the value of becoming a basket maker after all.

Ways to use inferential questioning strategies:

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Students determine the setting (time and place) by inferring from the text and illustrations: “It took all the days a moon grew for Pa to make a load of baskets to take into Hudson to sell. We had no horse or wagon, so he had to walk. And he always went when the moon was round, to have it for a lantern if he was late returning.” What clues tell us that this story took place before cars and electricity?

(Horse, wagon, lantern, needs the moon to see, walks into town, the formality of the writing, narrator calls his dad “Pa”)

Students determine the dilemma/problem of the story and why the boy’s feelings and attitudes change: “Next morning, Pa went on making baskets. But I felt no pleasure watching. The pleasure was gone from tracking ash. Pulling splint. Smelling splint.

Stacking baskets in the shed. Baskets were nothing to be proud of. Hillbillies made baskets.”

Students engage in a discussion about the critical need for and acceptance of diversity in the world:

Biodiversity (The high land where we lived was poor land, no good for growing crops.

But it grew basket trees. Black ash, white oak, hickory, maple.)

Diverse skills and talents that people have ( I knew already that black ash was best for baskets. I knew how to tell ash leaves from maple and pine and oak…Some learn the language of the wind, and sing it into music. Some hear it and write poems. The wind taught us to weave it into baskets.)

Shulevitz, Uri. (2008) How I Learned Geography. New York, NY; Farrar, Straus,

Giroux

Based on the author’s childhood as a Polish refugee living in Kazakhstan during World War II, a young boy escapes his hunger and misery by immersing himself for hours on end studying a huge world map. Purchased by his father with money that was supposed to be spent on food for the family, the boy overcomes his initial anger and forgives his father, realizing that the map has nourished him far more than a loaf of bread could ever have.

Ways to use visualization strategies and content literacy:

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Students are swept up in the colorful illustrations and descriptive text to journey alongside the boy: “I landed in burning deserts. I ran on beaches and felt their sand between my toes. I climbed snowy mountains where icy winds licked my face. I saw wondrous temples where stone carvings danced on the walls, and birds of all colors sang on the rooftops…”

The book can be incorporated as part of a geography/map unit as well as an example of using a primary source document to obtain factual information (the back page is devoted to facts about the author’s childhood and includes a photograph and

original hand-drawn map). “I drew this map of Africa at age 10 on the back of a letter. I was lucky that the letter was written on one side only, because paper was a luxury and most letters were covered with writing on both sides…”

Stewart, Sarah and Small, David.

(1997) The Gardener. New York, NY:

Square Fish Books; Macmillan.

Set during the American Depression, Lydia Grace is sent from her home in the rural countryside to live with her gloomy Uncle Jim in the city. Lydia relies on her seed packets and green thumb to cheerfully set about bringing color to her uncle’s bakery and the rooftop of his tenement building.

Everyone’s spirits are uplifted by her efforts, but the true challenge is whether she can bring a smile to her Uncle Jim’s face!

Ways to use connecting and inferring strategies:

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Students make text-to-self connections to their own lives by reading a story that is told completely through letter writing. How many of you have written letters to friends and relatives before? Were you able to describe how you felt, what you were doing and seeing?

Students can make text-to-self connections by relating to a time that they were away from home for a time. How many of you have ever traveled away from home? Were you on your own or with family/friends? How did you feel? Were you homesick?

Students can make text-toself connections by sharing their own “special places”.

“ I’ve discovered a secret place. You can’t imagine how wonderful it is. No one else knows about it but Otis.”

Students can make text-to-self connections by sharing their personal tal ents/interests. “ I forgot to tell you in the last letter three important things that I’m too shy to say to your face: 1. I know a lot about gardening, but nothing about baking. 2. I’m anxious to learn to bake, but is there any place to plant seeds? 3. I like to be called “Lydia Grace” - just like Grandma.

Students can predict through the story whether Lydia will be successful in her quest to make her Uncle Jim smile. “P.S. I’m planning on a big smile from Uncle Jim in the near future. P.S. I’m sure Uncle Jim will smile soon. I’m almost ready to show him the secret place.”

Yolen, Jane.

(1987) Owl Moon. New York, NY: Philomel Books: The Putnam and Grosset Group

A young girl and her father go “owling” together late one winter night. Wordlessly the two companions walk through the snow and into the silent woods. A wonderfully descriptive and

“quiet” story, the reader is drawn fully into the setting, feeling as closely connected to the natural world as though experiencing it first hand.

Ways to use visualization and text-to-self strategies:

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Students use multiple senses as they listen to the story (touch, sight, sound): “There was no wind. The trees stood still as statues. And the moon was so bright the sky

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seemed to shine. Somewhere behind us a train whistle blew, long and low, like a sad, sad song.”

Students compare the narrator’s experience “owling” with her father to their own adventures outdoors, during winter… how did they feel? “We walked on. I could feel

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the cold, as if someone’s icy hand was palm-down on my back. And my nose and the tops of my cheeks felt cold and hot at the same time. But I never said a word. If you go owling you have to be qui et and make your own heat.”

Students compare the narrator’s experience in the woods at night to their own feelings about being outdoors in the dark: “We went into the woods. The shadows were the blackest things I had ever seen… I didn’t ask what kinds of things hide behind black trees in the middle of the night. When you go owling you have to be brave.”

Myra O’neill

Reading bibliography

Book: Home of the Brave-By Allen Say

Strategy Suggested: Inferring and questioning to understand historical concepts.

Description: A man experiences some of the realities of children (both Japanese and Native American) in World War II internment camps in the United States. The pictures and vast language captures the isolating dismal desert during this time period.

Inferring and Questioning should be used for Home of the Brave because this book has very mysterious writing. Because this book is rich in content and fictional writing this book serves purpose for prompting further investigation into internment camps as well as a fictional story of a lost man. Example from text “The tunnel widen into a large cave lit by a single shaft of light. He did not e the ladder till he crawled out of the water. He climbed up. “

Book: Sky Boys – How they Built the Empire State Building- By Deborah Hopkinson and James. E. Ransome

Strategy suggested: Determining Importance in text:

Description: During the period of the great depression, Sky Boys captures the hope, prosperity and desperation that people felt as the Empire State Building is built in

1931. Sky Boys provides step by step of the construction of the then tallest building.

Determining importance in text seems necessary for this historical fiction trade book. Helping students determine what is important is necessary in this fact filled book. Example from text: “As each beam is place the riveting gang is there to fasten the frame together. Four men work as one. First man, the heater, gives the rivet red hot in the forge and tosses it up quick. A throw of fifty feet is nothing to him.”

Book: Walter the Baker- By Eric Carle

Strategy suggested: Summarizing

Description: By order of the Duke, Walter the baker must invent a tasty roll through which rising sun can shine three times. This enjoyable book is filled with bright pictures and friendly language.

Walter the Baker, a relatively simple trade book is a great way for students to practice this summarizing strategy. Eric Carle provides a clear beginning, middle and end with one conflict and one solution making is possible to use summarizing

Example from text: “Walter the Baker was known even outside the walls of the town. He was the best baker in the whole Duchy. “

Book: Thank You, Mr. Falker - By Patricia Polacco

Strategy suggested: visualizing

Description: This story is based on real life experiences from the author’s childhood; this story involves two main characters Tricia and Mr. Falker. Tricia struggles in school until fifth grade where she meets Mr. Falker. Mr. Falker teaches her how to be successful without changing her. A great story for inclusive learning.

While this story could be utilized for every reading strategy, it seems appropriate for visualizing because Polacco’s writing is so engaging that allowing students to practice visualizing strategy will make a movie come to life in their head. Example from text: “One summer day she and her grandma were walking together in the small woods behind their farm. It was twilight. The air was sweet and warm.

Fireflies were just coming up from the grasses. As they walked, Tricia said,

“Grandma, do you think I’m…different?”

Book: Mama, I’ll Give you the World- By Roni Schotter and S. Saelig Gallagher

Strategy suggested: Inferring

Description: Filled with vibrant pictures of Walter World of Beauty – a beauty salon. The main character plans a very special birthday celebration for her hard working single mother who is employed as a hair stylist.

Allowing students to practice making inferences seems most appropriate for this book, the vibrant pictures and allowing student to differentiate between story and theme. Example from text: “At six o’clock time at last to go home. Luisa exchanges secret winks with Walter, Georges, and Rupa. Then she and mama hang up their smock and empty their pockets, heavy with tip money. It all goes into a special envelope ‘first things first,’ Mama says. She is saving for Luisa-for college.

Mama wants Luisa to learn everything. “

Book: The Salamander Room- Stephen Johnson

Strategy suggested: Visualization

This story is a sort of a little boy’s fantasy-taking home a salamander and making all the nece3ssary accommodations to make it comfortable. He eventually imagines his room full of starry moss, with boulder filled with water pools for drinks, buzzing with insects and swooping birds to gobble up the extras. If a picture tells a thousand words then Steve Johnson’s speak volumes.

The Salamander Room is a great book to practice visualization, particularly having students practice creating mental images with the vast descriptions of the accommodations the boy would make for the salamander. Example from text: “ “I will sleep on a bed under the stars with the moon shining through the green leaves of the trees; owls will hoot and crickets will sing and next to me on the boulder with its head resting on soft moss, the salamander .”

Book: The Girl on the High-Diving Horse an Adventure in Atlantic City- By Linda

Oatman High Illustrated by Ted Lewin

Strategy Suggested: Inferring

Description: A young girl spends the summer of 1936 in Atlantic City with her father who is photographer. She dreams of being the girl who perches on a horse as it dive into a tank of water.

Inferring is an excellent strategy to practice with the book The Girl on the High

Diving Horse. Students can practice using their background knowledge with clues from the text that aren’t explicitly stated. Example from text: “I close my eyes, picturing myself as the girl on the high-diving horse. But of course I know that Papa would be too afraid to let me attempt a stunt so crazy and brave. Every day, as Papa works, I ride the rolling chair alone to the Steel Pier. I watch the show over and over, dreaming each time of being the girl on the high diving horse.”

Book: Leopold the Liar of Leipzig- By Francine Prose Illustrated by Einav Aviram

Strategy Suggested: Questioning

Description: After a scientist accuses Leopold of lying, Leopold who has told tales in Leipzig of years is surprised to find that he must teach the nature and art of storytelling.

Questioning is a great strategy to teach and practice when reading Leopold the Lair of Leipzig. While the story this fairly simple; it is a great opportunity to practice asking thick and thin questions. There are some underlying topics that could be addressed that aren’t specifically answered in the story such as differentiating between storytelling and lying. Example from text: “Why was no one interested in my adventures? Asked Doctor Doctor Professor Morgenfresser. A young boy spoke up. “Because they were also boring compared to Leopold’s!”

Book: Pumpkins- By Jacqueline Farmer Illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes

Strategy Suggested: Determining what is important

Description: Pumpkins presents the variety of pumpkins, history o f pumpkins from the pilgrims and Native Americans. Farmers show how pumpkins are grown and their nutritional value. There is also a part of how the jack-o-lantern came to be and recipes using all parts of a pumpkin.

In this friendly to read nonfiction trade book, students are able to practice determining what the most important information is in the text; as it covers everything from recipes to historical events where the pumpkins was involved.

Example from text: “Every year more than one hundred million pumpkins are gown on large farms in the United States. Growing pumpkins takes lots of water and fertilizer. Farmers loosen the soil so that air and rainwater can reach the roots of the pumpkins plants, then they add animal manure or other fertilizer. Finally, when the soil is warm they plant the pumpkin seeds.”

Book: Guess Who my Favorite Person Is By Byrd Baylor Illustrated by Robert

Andrew Parker

Strategy suggested: synthesizing

Description: A girl and a young man meet in a field and trade information about each other's favorite color, best memory, all things that matter to them. It’s watching to very different people become friends while exploring their similarites and differences.

Using the strategy of synthesizing can beneficial to reading the book Guess who my

Favorite Person is; students can practice noticing the craft of a piece of writing as well as the content and the

reading process. Example from text: “Then we chose our favorite sounds. She said here was bees but not one or two. She said it takes about a thousand bees buzzing in all the fields around to make the kind of loud bee sound she likes. For mine, I chose a bird I’d heard one morning in the mountains in New Mexico and never saw and never heard again and couldn’t even say why I still remember it. She said it was all right that I didn’t know its name.”

How Many Seed in a Pumpkin- By Margaret McNamara and G. Brian Kara’s

Charlie, the smallest child in his first grade class is amazed to discover that of the three pumpkins his teacher brings to the school the smallest one has the most seeds.

The Frog Who Wanted To See the Sea by Guy Billout

Summary:

This is the story of a small frog, Alice, who lives comfortably in a pond until learning of the great big ocean. She decided to set off on an adventure to see the sea. Each time she sees a new sight, she surprises herself with the bravery she displays. From small pond to lake and rushing river, Alice dreams of life in the unknown ocean. One day she reaches the ocean only to discover that the vastness of it terrifya her! She wants nothing more than to go home, so with a friend’s help, she does. However, soon she longs for the ocean and the great wide world once more. Knowing that this time she could face the scariness of the world and the ocean, she sets out for the sea on a new adventure.

For Teachers:

This story would nicely accompany a comprehension lesson plan that focuses on inferring. As this story has a plot that changes several times (first Alice wants to go to the ocean, then home, then again back to the ocean), it would be helpful to stop after the first few pages to think aloud about what may happen next; ie modeling inferring. After the next plot twist help guide the students to infer what they think will happen next. By the end of the book the students should be able to infer what they think will happen next.

This can be assessed by handing out worksheets to the students and having them draw and write what they infer will happen next, giving reasons from the story why they believe this to be so.

The Bravest Of Us All by Marsha Diane Arnold

Summary:

This is the story of a family, in particular two sisters who live on a farm in the Midwest.

The youngest sister Ruby Jane always looks up to her older sister Velma Jean as being the brave one. Velma Jean isn’t scared of anyone or anything, until the day a tornado comes into town. When the family needs Velma Jean’s braveness the most, she is too scared to help. Ruby Jean learns to find the braveness inside of her, and realizes that

everyone is scared of something. From then on she displays a level of confidence and feels proud when her sister looks up to her as being the brave one.

For Teachers: This book may be helpful when accompanying a comprension lesson that fosters the skill of questioning. The relationship between the two sisters can be a bit confusing so for clarification purposes it would help to have a teacher model and think aloud some questions (and answers) about the two girls. The content of the book also focuses on tornadoes, which is likely something the students will be curious about. It would be a good activity for them to write questions they have about tornadoes and then as a follow-up activity do some research on the science behind tornadoes.

The Magic Bed by John Birmingham

Summary:

Georgie is growing up and buys a new bed from a used furniture store. The man at the store says it is a magic bed that can travel, and that night Georgie goes home and goes to bed early, hopeful that he will be transported somewhere special. That night and every night he flies to both real and imaginary places, meeting all sorts of new friends.

One day Georgie goes on vacation and comes home to find that his grandmother has

‘surprised’ him with a new bed. He searches through the dump until he finds his bed, and drifts off into the sky.

For Teachers: This story would be a good accompaniment to a comprehension lesson that focuses on visualizing. The text and pictures in this story are rich in imagery which would support the development of the skill of visualizing.

. Because the language in this book is fairly simple, the teacher could either read the book to the students while they draw accompanying pictures, or break the class up into groups where one child reads while the others draw.

The Gift of Gracias by Julia Alvarez

Summary:

Maria lives in Mexico with her family on their farm, hoping for the day when her father will no longer have to make dangerous trips into town to make money. One night in a dream she sees ‘Our Lady of Thanks’ -Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia who tells her that in order to save her farm and family she must 1. plant orange seeds as the new crop, and 2. give thanks for what they do have as a family. Miraculous ly, the family’s orange seeds grow almost overnight into rich fertile orange trees that bring the family fortune and happiness. Maria and her family continue to pay homage to the saint of Altragracia.

For Teachers: This would be a helpful book to read to focus on the comprehension skill of connecting. For teachers who may have had a unit during Hispanic Heritage month that focused on some of the important cultural and historical markings of the Latino culture, this book would go perfectly. As the book focuses on Latino culture and often repeats the phrase, “As my people do” it would be effective to connect learned information with the current book. The book gives an anecdotal story of one family’s financial struggle after their immigration from Spain to Mexico so there are many possibilities for helping the children connect from text-to-text.

The Night Worker by Katie Banks

Summary:

Young Alex watches as his father leaves for the night shift, curious about where he goes. One night his father surprises Alex with a trip to accompany him. Alex watches all the different night workers he sees- street sweepers, policemen, etc. His father is a construction worker who shows Alex all that he does. Alex is fascinated with how much happens while he is normally alseep. After the construction work is done Alex’s father takes him home where he goes home and gets into bed, one day hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps.

For Teachers:

As the boy in the story is curious about his fathers job, this may resonate with students who wonder what their own parents do for jobs. It may be a great way to make text-toself connections. Teachers should read the book to students while thinking aloud “I used to wonder what my parents did during their jobs, and once I was lucky enough to be able to go to work with my mom. I wonder if any of you have thought the same thing.”

Teacher can encourage students to think about (and at the end of the story) share their own experiences with their parents jobs. This may tie in nicely with a writing lesson about the student’s own experiences where they connect Alex’s curiosity from the story

(and what he learned) with their own curiosity (and what they learned) about their own parents jobs.

Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg

Summary:

Calvin and his friend Rodney love to do magic tricks, and mostly idolize their favorite magician, Lomax the Magnificent. After seeing a show where Lomax hypnotizes his fans, Calvin and Rodney decide to invent a hypnotizing machine. While Calvin’s mother is out shopping, the boys decide to test out their magic skills on Calvin’s little sister,

Rudy. They use their machine to make her act like a puppy, however once they say the magic words they cannot remember how to change her back! Although Rudy’s transformation is humorous, they know they are in big trouble if they cannot repair their magic trick. Just before Calvin’s mother gets home they throw a bucket of water on Rudy to shock her into changing back to the girl she used to be, and hope they will get away with their mischievous magic.

For Teachers:

This story would tie in beautifully with a comprehension lesson that fosters the skill of inferring. This story has several covert clues that propel the plot (Calvin not getting dinner because he hypnotized his sister), and it would ensure comprehension if the teacher were to stop at various points in the story to ask students what they believe will happen next, how they believe the characters are feeling, and (most importantly) how they arrived at these predicitons. The teacher can set up a worksheet as well that is in the format, “I believe _______ will happen, because______.” .

The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg

Summary:

The crew on board the Rita Anne brings aboard a mysterious rock which has a mystifying effect. The once lively crew becomes lethargic, hypnotized by the glowing light from the rock. The captain continues to write in his diary as he watches the crew transform from men into apes! He worries that all is lost. Finally he takes action, covering the rock and trying to re-engage his crew by reading to them. Slowly, the crew becomes themselves again and the rock is burned along with the shop. No one ever knows the secret shared on the Rita Anne, and the men vow never to speak of it. The only lasting

symptom is the crew’s new love of bananas.

For Teachers:

This book would be helpful for teachers who are working on the comprehension strategy of questioning. Throughout the book there are several mysterious events that occur , and it would be effective to encourage students to question at these various points. The teacher can record an ongoing list on the board of the students questions.

The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg

Summary:

Bilbot is a wealthy, particular dentist who lives in Paris with his dog, Marcel. One days he helps a woman who cannot pay him for his dentistry; instead giving him two figs. He begins to realize that when he eats the figs, his dreams from that night become a reality.

He beings to dream lucidly, developing an awareness while dreaming in hopes that he will be able to control what he dreams (and what comes true) when he eats the second fig. Unfortunately, all does not go according to plan when Marcel eats the fig and Bilbot wakes up with Marcel as his master, and he as the dog.

For Teachers:

The style of writing in this book is often not quite linear, and the plot jumps from here to there. Moreso, the books point of view jumps from character to character. As this may be confusing for younger students, it may be helpful to focus on the skill of synthesizing.

The teacher can break up the class into 3 sections: the beginning, middle, and end of the book. Each group is responsible for summarizing a given amount of pages. After the teacher reads the story and the groups summarize each section; the class will come together as a whole to synthesize the beginning, middle, and end of the book into a cohesive whole.

Hush Harbor by Freddi Williams Evans

Summary:

Simmy is a slave who lives with his family on a plantation. He and his family encounter hard times, but draw hope from their secret prayer meetings near the water- hush harbor. If any of the slave owners were to find out they would all be in grave danger.

Simmy is the lookout during these meetings and describes both the terrible worries he feels and the great joy he receives from being able to bring prayer and hope to his family and friends.

For Teachers:

Perhaps after African American Heritage month, it may be helpful to tie in some text-totext connections between lessons taught about history/slavery and this particular book.

This book gives a first-hand account of life as a slave, and may be helpful for linking the concept of oppression and slavery from a historical to an anecdotal perspecive.

Teachers may even want to encourage students to think about some text-to-self connections by having students write about, “If I lived in the time of slavery...”

Brothers by Yin and Chris Soentpiet

Summary:

Ming is a newly arrived Chinese immigrant living in New York’s Chinatown with his family. He is happy to be in a place where he and his family can open their own store and prosper, but feels confined to Chinatown. He wants to see the city and meet people.

One day he sneaks out and spies on a group of children reading books at school. One boy, Patrick, sees him and instead of telling on him, he befriends him. The boys become fast friends, soon inseparable, and are able to share their respective cultures with each other. Ming learns about Patricks Irish traditions and regains a sense of pride in sharing his own Chinese traditions with him.

For Teachers:

For teachers who are focusing on the comprehension strategy of synthesizing, it may be a nice accompaniment to use this book. The style of writing in this book is written from a

1st person perspective, but often shifts narrators. It may be a nice activity to have the children re-write the story using an objective 3rd party narrator, thus having to synthesize all the points of view (and information gathered from each view) into one cohesive story.

Tiffany Roberts

July 25, 2010

EEDUC 5121


1.

Allsburg, C.V. (1988). Two Bad Ants. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company

Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg is the story of a queen ant who was given a delicious crystal to eat. She decided it was the most delicious food she ever had. Soon, all of the ants traveled to get more crystals for the queen. The crystals are in a strange place, unlike the home and smells the ants are used to.

Two ants decide that the place where the crystals live is a better place to live than their home. So, when all of the other ants return home, they stay behind.

Unfortunately for the two ants, this was a dangerous place to stay. They soon find themselves bumped and bruised all over from the chaos that ensues within the strange place. In the end they decide that they much prefer the comfort of their own home.


1.

Text to Text: One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor Pinczes is the story of one hundred ants that march to get food from a picnic. One ant stops the ants many times in order to rearrange their lines, with the goal of getting to the picnic faster. This story, as well as Allsburg’s

Two Bad Ants are imaginative fiction that can both teach students the actual habits of the invertebrate, an ant. Students can use text to text connections in order to better understand a science content area concept. Also, students could make the connection that in both stories, the ants are intend to eat human food.

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Text to Self: in Two Bad Ants the ants find that leaving the comfort of home becomes more treacherous than they could have ever imagines.

Students could discuss a time when they felt uncomfortable or scared in a new situation (maybe a sleepover at a friend’s house? Did they decide that their own home was more comfortable?) Also, the could use this discussion to make another text to text connection with the theme of the story, The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston (see below).

Futhermore, students could discuss if they have ever seen an ant in their own kitchen. They could begin to wonder where those ants had come from and what they are now looking for.

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Text to World: The way that the ants journeyed into the unknown world of a kitchen is very similar to the way that any explorer has journeyed into unknown territory. Using their background knowledge that they have gained from previous lessons about explorers, the students could work in small groups to make connections to compare and contrast the ants’ adventure to a famous explorer.

2.

McGovern, A. (1997). The Lady in the Box. Connecticut: Turtle Books

The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern is the story of two young children who notice a woman living in a box outside of the Circle Deli. The two young children decide to bring the woman some food because they think that she looks hungry. The children also noticed that in the cold winter weather, the lady did not have warm clothing. So, they decide to give her a scarf that the girl did not often wear. One day, the owner of the Circle Deli told the woman that she had to leave.

The children’s mother noticed that there was a lot of food missing from the house as well as the missing scarf. The children have to tell their mother about the lady and the Circle Deli. The children and their mother meet the lady. The mother decided to advocate for the lady to the owner of the Circle Deli. The owner agrees and allows the lady to move back to her first spot. The children wish to do more for people like the lady in the box. Their mother takes them to work in a soup kitchen serving those who are less fortunate. The family and the lady in the box become friends.


If a teacher used The Lady in the Box as a think aloud…

1.

The teacher could ask questions that the text could answer. For example, when the text describes the woman’s life as living in a box outside of the story, the teacher could ask, “I wonder why the woman is homeless?” This question is answered later in the text when the lady explains that she lost her job and could not afford to pay her rent.

2.

The teacher could ask questions that require background knowledge to answer. For example, because Massachusetts is a New England state, it is likely that the students have experienced temperatures ten degrees

above zero. The teacher could ask, “If the owner makes Dorrie leave the heated area of the Circle Deli, do you think she could survive the cold?” or, the teacher could inquire if they have ever seen a homeless person before.

3.

The teacher can ask questions that need to be inferred from the text, such as “How do you think the mother was feeling after Dorrie told her about why she was sleeping in a box?”

4.

The teacher can stop to ask questions where the text may have caused the students confusion. When Mama puts Ben to bed, they talk about how they wish they could help Dorrie more. The last line of text says,

“Mama said she’d think of something and go to sleep now, honey.” It may be confusing to read “and go to sleep now, honey” It is not in quotation format and therefore may not be easy to understand that the mother is actually saying, “go to sleep now, honey.” The teacher could show the text to the students and show them where quotation marks belong to make the sentence make more sense.

Lastly, the teacher could ask a question that requires further discussion to answer or further research to answer. A question that could inspire class discussion after

Ben works at the soup kitchen might be, “What other ways can you think of that a person could help homeless people?” A question that might require further research might be, “How many homeless people do you think are living in Boston right now?”

3.

Cannon, J. (1993). Stellaluna. Florida: Harcourt Books

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon is the story of a young bat that was knocked from her mother’s arms by an owl. The bat, which was named Stellaluna, landed into the nest of baby birds. Stellaluna learned how to be like the birds. The only difference was the fact that Stellaluna liked to sleep upside down. The birds mimicked Stellaluna which angered Mama bird. So, Mama bird threatened to banish Stellaluna from the nest if she hung by her feet. Stellaluna becomes separated from her bird family during one flying lesson. She is discovered by another bat. The bat happens to be a member of her long lost bat family.

Stellaluna’s mother is so glad to have her back and Stellaluna finally learns how to be a bat. However, Stellaluna and the birds are friends forever.

Ways to use the synthesizing strategy:

1.

At first, when the bat falls into the bird nest, one might think that the birds will not welcome him into their nest or that the mother bird will get rid of him in order to protect her babies.

2.

Then, when the mother bird begins to treat Stellaluna as one of her own, thinking would change that maybe Stellaluna will learn to be like a bird.

3.

Then, when Stellaluna cannot learn how to fly, thinking might change that

Stellaluna can’t fit in with the birds, she needs to be with her own kind.

4.

When Stellaluna is reuinited with her bat family, I would change my thinking that maybe she will feel like she doesn’t fit in with birds or bats.

5.

In the end, Stellaluna learns a valuable lesson that she can be different but still be friends with the birds. Instead of not fitting in at all, she fits in with birds and with bats.

4.

Rosen, M. J. (1999). Thanksgiving Wish. New York: The Blue Sky Press

Thanksgiving Wish by Michael Rosen is tale that will help children cope with a death in the family. In the story, the grandmother saves a wishbone for each of her grandchildren to wish upon. On the year that she passes away, the family has their Thanksgiving feast without her. Amanda, the youngest grandchild, mourns the loss of her grandmother and the loss of the tradition of breaking a wishbone. Family and friends work together to help keep the grandmother’s memory alive. Amanda learns that her grandmother’s love transcends the Earthly world.

Ways to use connecting strategies:

1.

Text to Text: Many trade books deal with the issues of death. Tomie dePaola’s

Nana Upstais and Nana Downstairs is the story of a boy who loses his grandmother, and the ways he copes with that loss. When Tomie sees a shooting star in the sky, he is reminded of his grandmother. Many people make wishes on shooting stars just like many people make wishes on animal bones.

2.

Text to Self: Children often have to deal with death in their lives. If a student has ever lost a loved one or even a pet, they can identify with the feelings of

Amanda in Thanksgiving Wish.

On the other hand, the story also deals with family traditions and a national holiday that Americans celebrate. If a student has never dealt with death before, they can still connect to the celebration in the story.

3.

Text to World: The American tradition of breaking a turkey wishbone at

Thanksgiving began when the Pilgrims brought the tradition with them from

England. The teacher could use this opportunity to teach about traditions of various cultures around the world or just the Italian origin of breaking a chicken bone and how that tradition came to America.

5.

Johnston, T. (1985). The Quilt Story. New York: The Putnam Publishing

Group.

The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston is about a quilt that a little girl’s mother made for her. The quilt was the child’s prized possession and it traveled with her

wherever she went. One day, the family moved away to a place that was new. The quilt and her mother comforted her in this difficult transition. The quilt was loved many years until one day it is folded neatly and stored in the attic. One day, a little girl discovers the quilt and keeps it as her prized possession. Since it is old, it needs to be re-sown and re-stuffed. The girl’s mother fixes it for her and it becomes as special to this girl as it was to its previous owner.


If a teacher used The Quilt Story as a think aloud…

5.

The teacher could ask questions that the text could answer. For example, when Abigal’s family moves away, the teacher could ask, “I wonder if the quilt will get lost when she moves?” or “Will the quilt help Abigail feel better about moving away?”

6.

The teacher could ask questions that require background knowledge to answer. If the class had learned about pioneers, the teacher could also stop at the page where Abigail’s family moves away to ask, “If they are traveling on covered wagons across rivers and rock-hard trails, when do you think this story is set? Where do you think they are going? Why do you think they are going there?”

7.

The teacher can ask questions that need to be inferred from the text, such as “How do you think Abigial’s old quilt made her feel compared to the new house in the woods, new bed and new rocking horse?” The teacher could also ponder, “Why did Abigail fold the quilt and put it carefully in the attic?”

8.

The teacher can stop to ask questions where the text may have caused the students confusion. After Abigail leaves the quilt in the attic, a cat comes to the quilt. The text says, “It rolled on the stars, and stuffing spilled out like snow. Then the cat curled up in the snow and purred.”

The teacher may read that and exclaim, “Huh? What does that mean that the cat rolled on the stars and curled up in the snow?” Then, the teacher could turn back to the beginning page and show the illustration of the mother stitching a picture of stars on the quilt. Then, the teacher could explain that the cat rolled on the blanket that had a picture of stars, rather than rolling on actual stars. Next, the teacher could point out the simile that said, “stuffing spilled out like s?

now.” She should tell the class that the insides of the blanket started coming out of a hole in the blanket. The stuffing is white and looks like snow, it is not really snow.

Lastly, the teacher could ask a question that requires further discussion to answer or further research to answer. A question that could inspire class discussion might be, “Moving away from their homes made both of the girls sad, has anything major ever happened in your lives that made you sad?” A question that might

require further research might be, “A grey mouse, a raccoon, and a cat all got into the attic, how could they have got in there? Then, the students might research the habits of these types of animals.

6.

Demi. (1990). The Empty Pot. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.

The Empty Pot by Demi is a story of truth and honor. In china, an emperor sought his successor. He determined that with his special seeds, whoever could grow the most beautiful flower would be his successor. A boy named Ping was sure that he would grow the most beautiful flower. He used the best soil and watered it each day. But, as each day passed, nothing grew. When the big day came that the emperor would choose his successor, Ping’s father told him to bring the empty pot to the Emperor, he had done his best. Obediently, yet disheartened,

Ping followed his father’s orders. On the big day, the emperor surprising chose

Ping to be his successor. He announced that he gave each child cooked beans and that it would be impossible for any flowers to grow. Therefore, all of the other children had lied about the flowers that grew. Ping was the only honorable child in the land.

Ways to use the synthesizing strategy:

1.

When Ping’s pot will not grow flowers, the reader might make an initial inference as to the reason why nothing is growing. For example, after the text says, “Day after day passed, but nothing grew in his pot.”

The reader might conclude that Ping was not using the right soil or pot.

2.

Then, when Ping changes his soil and his pot, the reader might change her mind and think that the flower is not growing because of Ping’s arrogance. In the beginning he said that he was “sure he could grow the most beautiful flower.”

3.

After a whole year passes and nothing grows, the reader might change her mind and decide that perhaps the seed was an indoor plant and

Ping should have been growing it inside instead of outside.

4.

When Ping presents his empty pot to the Emperor, the reader might predict that the Emperor will be angry with him.

5.

When instead of being angry, the emperor chooses Ping as his successor, the reader might change her mind to infer that the Emperor actually lied and wanted the choose the person who grew the worst plant instead of the best.

6.

Finally, when the story ends, the Emperor declares that he has given cooked seeds to everyone. It proves that every child except for Ping lied about growing a flower. This concludes that all of the predictions about why the seed was not growing were incorrect.

7.

Samton, S. W. (1993). Tilly and the Rhinoceros. New York: Philomel Books

Tilly and the Rhinoceros by Sheila White Samton is about a rhinoceros that blocks the road that leads to the market. People and animals (personified)

cannot buy or sell so long as the rhinoceros blocks the way. The rhinoceros decreed that anyone who wanted to pass him had to answer a riddle. The prince offered a reward to anyone who could answer the riddle. Tilly, a friendly goose, was not concerned about answering the riddle. She became more concerned with how uncomfortable the rhinoceros must be on the ground out there. She decides to bring him a large feather pillow. Later, Tilly also brings the rhinoceros a large blanket. This kindness made the rhinoceros feel like he didn’t want to be a bully anymore. Soon the rhinoceros softened and helped Tilly to figure out his riddle.

Forevermore, he only told riddles for entertainment and became one of the kindest animals in the land. He and Tilly remained best friends forever.

Ways to use the visualizing strategy:

1.

Read the story aloud to the class without showing the pictures. Note the description and vivid language used in the story.

“Tilly Gobble, the tiniest goose in the neighborhood”

“But one crisp morning, when the leaves were changing color, Tilly went to the market and discovered a huge rhinoceros lying across the road. His big body blocked the way to the market…”

“In the apple orchards, the fruit began to rot. In the mills, sacks of flour lay stacked, waiting to be baked into bread. All over the land milk and butter spoiled, eggs spilled out of coops, and mountains of shoes grew up around cobblers’ benches.”

2.

The subject matter is relatable to children. It is more than likely that they would have the background knowledge to know what a goose and a rhinoceros look like. In the event that they do not, the teacher could show them a picture or movie of live geese and rhinoceroses. The setting and events that occur in the story (Tilly bringing pillows and hats to the market, the rhinocerous eating the florists’ bouquets, the rhinoceros laying with a pillow and blanket, etc.) are not too farfetched that the students could not imagine it.

3.

The students could draw pictures of one scene in the book that particularly evoked some emotion within them and share with the

4.

class.

8.

Brett, J. (1994). Country Mouse and Town Mouse. New York: Puffin Books

Country Mouse and Town Mouse told by Jan Brett is a classic tale of those who think the grass is greener on the other side. The town mice, tired of living in fear of the cat, think that it would be nicer to live in the country. On the other hand, the country mice, tired of avoiding the owl, think that it would be nicer to live in the town. The country mice and the town mice switch living arrangements.

Soon they find that they do not particularly like the lifestyle of the other and become homesick. Scared silly, both sets of mice scurry back to their own homes.

The predators, the owl and the cat chase after the two sets of mice. They collide and decide to switch homes with one another.


1.

After reading the first two pages, where the town mice and country mice express their desires to vacation, the students could infer from the text that the two sets of mice are going to switch places or at least that they are going to experience something new.

2.

After switching places, the text says, “As they said good-bye, each of the mice thought that they had the better part of the bargain.” From this, students could infer that something is going to go wrong for both sets of mice.

3.

In Brett’s illustrations, there are pictures clues on the sides of each page that show the reader hints about what is to come. Pictures of an owl in the country and a cat in the town will help the reader to infer that there is danger for the mice.

4.

In the end, the mice decide that there is no place like their own home and the perils that they are used to. The owl and the cat, however, determine to switch places. From this, the reader is left to infer that more danger is in store for the mice. The reader could infer that there could be a sequel to this tale.

5.

Polacco, P. (1990). ThunderCake. New York: PaperStar Books.

Thundercake by Patrica Polacco is a story about Polacco’s childhood.

When she was young, she was afraid of the sound of thunder. Her grandmother distracts her from this fear by telling her that it was perfect weather for baking

“Thunder Cake.” They go around the farm gathering ingredients for the cake.

Trisha has to count the seconds between thunder and lightning in order to get the cake to the oven before the storm comes. While inside, her grandmother tells her that she was very brave when gathering ingredients and it is nonsense to be afraid of a sound.

Ways to use the visualizing strategy:

1.

This story appeals to the senses, “When you see the lightening, start counting…real slow. When you hear the thunder, stop counting.”

2.

The names of the animals provoke an image. Each animal is named for what he or she does, “Nellie peck hen”, “Kick cow”

3.

Onomatopoeia helps the reader to hear the sound of the thunder,

“CRACKLE, CRACKLE, BOOOOOOOM, KA-BOOOOOM”, “KA-

BANG, BOOOOOOOOAROOOOM”, “The thunder RRRRUMBLED and CRASHED”

4.

Allow the students to play with onomatopoeia. Tell them to create written words for a sound that they want someone else to understand, then put it in the context of a sentence.

5.

Without having seen Polacco’s illustrations, have students discuss what they think the physical traits of the girl and her grandmother

6.

would be. Ask them what they think the cake would have looked like?

9.

Steig, W. (1969). Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig is about a donkey named Sylvester who loved to collect pebbles. One day, he found a red pebble, it was magic. When Sylvester wished something while holding the rock, it came true. In the face of a dangerous lion, Sylvester wished he were a rock, so that the lion could not attack him. Unfortunately, Sylvester’s magic pebble landed beside him and he was unable to hold it and make a wish. Sylvester’s parents search and ask all of the neighbors if they have seen him. Deeply saddened by Sylvester’s disappearance, his parents attempt to cheer themselves up by going on a picnic.

Their picnic took them right to Sylvester’s rock where his father discovered the magic pebble. He picked up the pebble and noted how much his son would have liked it. Then he wished that his son was there to see it. Sure enough, Sylvester transformed back into the donkey he once was.


1.

Students could infer what would have happened to Sylvester if he did not have the magic pebble when he confronted the lion.

2.

Students could infer the types of things Sylvester might have seen while he was a rock rather than if he was still a donkey.

3.

Students could infer what Sylvester would have said to his parents when they sat on him as a rock.

4.

Students could infer whether or not the family of donkeys would ever wish on the pebble again?

5.

Lastly, the students could infer the message that the author is trying to convey in the story: “Be grateful for what you have.”

Annotated Bibliography: Comprehension Strategies

EDUC 5121

Karen E. Schmidt

August 26, 2010

1. Fitzpatrick, ML (1998) The Sleeping Giant. Dublin 2, Ireland: Wolfhound

Press

Off the coast of Ireland there lies an island. It looks just like a giant sleeping in the sea. What if it really is a giant-and what if, one day, the Sleeping Giant wakes up?

Fitzpatrick tells the story of a Kerry giant whose size and clumsiness annoy his neighbors so much that they appeal to their king for help.

Ways to use visualization/inferential strategies:

Children will enjoy the vivid illustrations and figurative language in this story, which will help them understand Tier 2 words such as awkward, cauldron, hermit, pub, and pandemonium. “Now, the big fellow loved music, but he couldn’t hear it properly, so...he lifted the roof off...Pandemonium!” The illustrations show a room in hectic disarray. “The Druid stirred a thick cauldron of stew.” Children will infer how lonely and sad the giant is and that when it rained it was actually the giant crying. “He cried so much that big clouds formed around his head and it began to rain. And rain, oh, how it rained.”


“No one would talk to the Giant. He wandered into a deserted valley...he sat down and cried and cried.” Text-to-Self connection to activate background knowledge.

Children will be able to relate to a time when perhaps they felt lonely because their friends moved away, or didn’t want to play with them. Text-to-Text connection. There are many children’s books with giants as a character in a story

(e.g., The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Davidson, Giant John by Arnold Lobel).

Lionni, L. (1989)

Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse.

New York, NY:

Scholastic Inc.

Eye-catching, boldly colored collages illustrate this classic “grass is always greener” story in which a live mouse is envious of his mechanical counterpart.

Ways to use connection and inferential strategies:

Students can activate background knowledge by thinking of a time when they have a best friend who is very special. They can visualize their favorite toys, and toys that were no longer played with. Using clues from the text, students can infer the meaning of words like envy and vain. “For days and days Alexander searched the garden for a purple pebble in vain. He found yellow pebbles and blue pebbles and green pebbles--but not one tiny purple pebble.” Children can make a prediction what Alexander will wish for with his purple pebble: “I want to be...” Alexander stopped. You hold your breath as you wonder what he will wish for! They

“danced until dawn” will infer how happy they are.

3. Jalali, R. (2010) Moon Watchers. Gardiner, ME: Tilbury House Publishers.

Looking through the tall trees in their backyard in Maine, Shirin and her dad search for a glimpse of the new moon, the sign that the month of Ramadan has

begun. Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world pray, fast, and pay special attention to doing good deeds.


This book is can be used in many ways for teaching, depending upon the age of the children. Text -to-Self connection to activate background knowledge.

Teacher can ask children to compare and contrast their own religious/cultural traditions. A Text-to-World connection could also be made if any of the students have friends, family, or neighbors that are muslim.


Comparative and figurative language helps children to imagine the story

[description of a flashlight] “I watch the light dance wildly over the grass as we walk back.” “When Pishi dips her paw in the pond, the moon breaks into hundreds of tiny silvery pieces. It’s so beautiful!”


The book goes into detail about the cultural fasting, clothing, and food used to celebrate Ramadan. Questioning using a KWL chart to answer What is fasting? Why do they fast? Why do the woman wear scarfs on their heads? Is fasting unhealthy? etc.

2.

Bahr, M. (1992)

The Memory Box.

Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman &

Company.

Zach's summer visit with his grandparents takes an unexpected turn when he learns that his grandfather has Alzheimer's disease. Gramps tells him that it's time to start a special box to store their family tales and traditions. As the visit progresses, punctuated by several episodes of the illness, Zach and his grandparents reminisce and fill their memory box with mementos of past times together.

Ways to use connection & inferences strategies:

Children can make text-to-self connections to the story from their own life and relationships with their grandparents as they recall a special time spent with their own grandparents and relatives. The students can make connections to a time in their life when they were faced with a sad event or even a death. Perhaps a student is experiencing an illness of a close family member. Students can make inferences about their own family relationships and how special those can be.


The memory box that is created in the story could be used as a class activity to fill momentos that children cherish in their own memory box using a shoebox or make a class memory box. Questions such as why do we save things? What would you save? text-to-world: Why do we save historical items in museums?

A writing activity could follow to answer these questions.

2.

Schanzer, R. (2004) George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen

By Both Sides. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society

England's George III and America’s George Washington, great leaders in the

American Revolution— they had much in common even though their politics put them on opposite sides of the issue of independence as well as the Atlantic.

Serious information about the men, their struggles, and the times in which they lived.

Ways to summarize and synthesize text:

Students can start to think about cause and effect and what is similar/different about these two influential leaders in history. This book will awaken students to want to learn more about American history with its vivid and fun illustrations and easy format. Students will also be able to summarize facts and large concepts, and set the basis for comprehending more formal nonfiction text. Teaching strategies can aid students to discern fact from opinion.


Students may question why the war happened. Why do we have war? Who was right? They may begin to infer that there are two sides to every story. Was there a moral lesson to be taught? Was George Washington a traitor?

Using text to text, students may be able to compare other nonfiction text.


Vivid illustrations will assists students to appreciate the somber weather conditions that influenced the battles. “he spent an entire afternoon and night crossing the ice-choked Delaware River in blinding sleet and snow.” They covered their muskets with blankets to keep them dry and marched nine miles toward Trenton in “profound silence.” Students can view the pictures to make a prediction at what profound silence means.

6. Winter, J. (2005) Roberto Clemente, Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates. New York,

NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

This true story--a bibliography of Roberto Clemente, who was born in Puerto

Rico. He dreamed of nothing but winning at baseball. With no money, but with plenty of determination, Clemente practiced on muddy fields with a glove made from a coffee sack. He rose from the ranks to become one of the most admired players of all time.

Using connection strategies:

Activating background knowledge students will be able to connect text-to-self if they have ever played sports, particularly baseball, and have dreamed of making it to the “big leagues.” Also, since RC was born and raised in Puerto Rico, some

students will make an hispanic connection, and others perhaps will make a text-toworld since many players (or children) are of hispanic descent.

ELL students will be able to make connections: [Coming to Pittsburgh], “instead of palm trees, he saw smokestacks. Instead of Spanish, he heard English.”

Using visualization strategies:

The vivid language helps to create a movie in the mind: To his new fans, Roberto was like a jolt of electricity.” He could hit towering home runs..he was always leaping, diving, crashing, rolling...He slammed into the right field wall falling to the ground.”

Using questioning and inferential strategies:

Context clues and vivid images help children to contrast how different cultures live. will assist students to infer he was very poor: “His baseball gloves were made from trees found in Puerto Rico...”He made one from a guava tree branch.”

His first glove was from a coffee-bean sack.” “He used soup cans for baseballs in hitting practice.”

What do people think of when they think of Roberto Clemente? A discussion can ensue about inferring a theme: being a great player to a team, but a better person to the world.

2.

Bruchas, J. (2000) Crazy Horse’s Vision. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books

Inc.

Winner of the “Parent’s Choice Award,” this story is about “Crazy Horse,” one of the best-known Native American heroes. He was named Curly as a boy, because of his head of curly hair. Even as a young boy, Curly was a leader, taming wil horses and hunting powerful buffalo. But his bravery did not prepare him for the trouble the Lakota Indians would face from the white settlers.


Using text-to-self to connect to a possible Native American heritage. “Crazy horse was always different.” He was small, but a born leader among his friends.

A connection to being different in some way may be a connection students would make. Text-to-world strategies for context clues: He prayed for strength to help his people. “Great Mystery, even though I am small and pitiful, I want to help my people.”


Vivid illustrations help readers to comprehend the story of Native Americans and the settlers that passed through and overtook their land. They can contrast and compare where they live and how Indians lived in Tipis. They had names like

Chief Conquering Bear instead of Robert or Michael. They can use context clues

to understand the meaning of Tier 2 words: “Conquering Bear was mortally wounded.” or “Holy Man”

Using questioning or inferential strategies:

What is a “vision quest?” “Then a vision came. A horse and man floated in the air. They could infer that maybe a vision is like a dream.” What happened to the

Indians? Are there still Indians? Where do they live?

2.

Brown, D. (2010) A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood &

Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison. New York. NY: Houghlin Mifflin

Harcourt.

Thomas Edison had a thirst for knowledge, a taste for mischief, and a hunger for discovery. His personal motto: “The more to do, the more to be done”, and then went out and did. He became a legend and had over 1,000 inventions, but his most famous was the electric light bulb.


Text-to-self connections are activated by prior knowledge. Children who explore and discover or even get into a little mischief will connect to Thomas Edison.

Thomas Edison was from a poor farming family in Michigan. Tom was home schooled. Maybe someone in the class has a friend that is home schooled. He loved to read and would visit the public library. “He would start at the first book on a bottom shelf and read one after another until it was time to move to the next shelf.” Students who love to read will relate to Tom’s love of reading.


Vivid illustrations of Thomas experimenting with chemicals in his friend’s cellar.

“Poor Mrs. Edison worried that they would “blow [their] heads off.” He would sell newspapers and candy to the commuters on the train.

Using questioning strategies:

Tom began to notice his hearing was fading. Students may ask how did this happen or infer that it may have been from being thrown off the train by his ears!

Using context clues, students can infer the meaning of words like tingering, or

“feasting on books.” What else did Thomas Edison invent?

2.

Bunting, E. ((1990) The Wall. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

This is the wall, my grandfather’s wall. On it are the names of those killed in a war, long ago. The story of a little boy and his father. They have come very far to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.


Using text-to-self if a student has a loved one who was in the Vietnam War or any war. Using text-to-world strategies to question where is Vietnam and why was there a war there?

Using questioning and inferential strategies:

Why do we have memorials? Why do people leave things like flowers, stuffed toys, candles at memorial places? “Flowers and other things have been laid against the wall. There are little flags, an old teddy bear, and letters, weighted with stones so they won’t blow away. Someone left a rose with a droopy head.”

Students can infer the droopy head of the rose means the droopiness you feel when you are sad.

Students can ask the same questions as students in the story: “Is this wall for the dead soldiers?” What is the significance of the wall? Why is it in Washington

DC?

Using vivid language to visualize: “The wall is black and shiny as a mirror. In it I can see Dad and me.” Sensing sadness as the dark, gray pictures remind us how lonely it was to be there: “I can see the bare trees behind us and the dark, flying clouds.” “The letters march side by side, like rows of soldiers. They are nice and even. The wall is warm.”

3.

Ranson, C. (2003) Liberty Street. New York, NY: Walker & Company.

The story of Kezia, a young negro slave born on wash day in Fredericksburg,

Virginia. They must work all week except on Sunday afternoons, when Missus

Grace’s slaves are free to travel through town and visit with friends.


Making text-to-text connections with other books about the Civil War and slavery.

Using vivid illustrations to infer the pain and hardship of this small family. Using text-to-world strategies about racism, slavery, the Civil War.

Using visualization and inferring strategies:

Their faces are expressions of despair and sadness. Except on Sunday, sweet

Sunday, they are full of glee and joy for they are free for just this one day. They’d eat Mama’s peach pies and listen to Papa’s stories. Using the illustrations of them sitting around the table, the expressions on their faces full of delight, with Papa’s hands thrown up in the air. Students can infer that a good story is being told. or use of comparative language to describe how frightened Kezia and the other students are of being found out-- “SHHH...she closes the door to the windowless room, then drags something heavy across the door to hide it. We quickly douse the lights. It is as dark as a crow’s pocket in there. My stomach becomes a hard knot of fear.” Using figurative language to visualize the length of the day: “from candlelight to candlelight.”

“Liberty Street was our street, it was made from the pounding of many bare feet.”

“Silver coins slip through her fingers like a glimpse of freedom.”

Using questioning strategies:

Why does a little girl have to work so hard? Why isn’t she in school? Why does she have to hide? What will happen to her if the constable finds her? What is a constable? Why do they use such funny words: Missus/Misses, Why does Missus sell her father?

Why did people have slaves? Why did the war happen? Why did her Mama have to buy her freedom?

Jon Swift

EEDUC 5121.02

8/11/10


Van Allsburg, Chris. (1985). The Polar Express. New York, NY. Houghton-Mifflin

Company.

On Christmas Eve, the boy struggles with that notion that Santa Claus is real. His friends tell him that Santa is not, but the boy wants proof that Santa is real. A magical train arrives, whisking the boy away to the North Pole where he gets all the proof he needs, the first gift of Christmas. With a bell from Santa’s sleigh, the boy heads home and realizes that he has lost the bell through a hole in his robe. In the morning, the surprise he finds under the tree keeps the boy believing for a lifetime.


 Students can discuss times in their lives when they have searched for proof to a burning question they had (i.e. Is Santa Claus real?) and connect with ways they proved it.

 Students can recall sensory experiences in a memorable trip that they took as a way of connecting with the descriptive story-telling in this book, such as the sound of the bells and the taste of the nougat-filled chocolates.


 Use the foreshadowing in the story to base questions around, having students predict the next parts of the story. For example, ask, “Where is the

Polar Express going? What will happen when they reach their destination?

What will happen now that the boy has lost his bell?”

Cosby, Bill. (2003). Friends of a Feather: One of Life’s Little Fables. New York, NY.

HarperCollins Publishers.

Slipper, Feathers, and Hog are three birds who enjoy doing acrobatic tricks in the air for people who watch on the shore. However, when the beauty of one bird overshadows the talent of another, a dangerous trick turns tragic. Only the bonds of

friendship and some common sense can cure the injured bird and the attitude of one-upmanship that has grown between the birds. This story has us ask ourselves why we do what we do, and who do we do it for.


 Have students share stories about when they have done something that was embarrassing or silly in order to impress people. Discuss why we try to impress people, and what the motivations of the story characters were.


 Ask questions regarding why people like to show off. Why would you do tricks for people you don’t know? Why does it matter what other people think? Why did these birds like to show off?

 Ask students what makes a quality friendship. Use examples from the texts where the birds value each other’s friendship and safety more than the crowds.

Winter, Jeanette. (2005). The Librarian of Basra: a true story from Iraq. Orlando, FL.

Harcourt Books.

This is a true story about Alia Muhammad, a librarian in Basra, Iraq. As the rumors of war grew, Alia became more concerned about the well-being of the books housed in the library, which were “more valuable than gold.” As war became reality, she undertakes a covert mission to hide and house the books, attempting to save 30 thousand books from the ravages of war.


 Have students create a graphic novel about the plot in this book. This way, they can visualize the ravages of war and what effect they could have on a small Iraqi town.

Ways of using connecting strategies:

 Imagine that your town was going to be in the middle of a war. What would you save and why? Draw the connections between our lists and the text.

Ways of using inferring strategies:

 Using context clues from the text expand on some of the conversations that the townspeople of Basra had. Focus on one conversation and expand it to encompass the text and our schema of what was happening in the world.

Hatkoff, Isabella and Craig. (2007). Owen and Mzee: The language of friendship. New

York, NY. Scholastic Press.

This is a true story of two unlikely friends. Owen is a young hippo and Mzee is a

130-year old tortoise, yet together they form a bond that is both curious and heartwarming. Owen treats the tortoise as his mother, and Mzee treats Owen like her own child. This friendship helps Owen grow, and also breaks down the loner

attitude of the old tortoise, with the two animals creating their own language. This book shows us that differences of any proportion can be overcome.


 Talk about times when you and the class have made friends with people who don’t seem to normally mesh with you. Discuss why we make and value our own friendships. This could even be tied into topics of race and age.

 Tie this story to other stories where unlikely friendships occurred, like

Because of Winn-Dixie. Make a chart comparing the friendships and what brought each together.

Ways of using determining importance strategies:

 At the end of this book there is a “More About…” section that explains the

About…” section based on one of their own non-fiction stories they have written.

Barrett, Judi. (1978). Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. New York, NY. Atheneum

Books. country of origin of these animals, pronunciations, facts about the animals and places in the story, and some history. While you don’t need this information for the story to make sense, it adds to the overall understanding of the settings and characters. Have students create their own “More

This is a classic story about two children who go to their grandfather’s house. He tells them amazing stories about a land called Chewandswallow, where the weather consists of three square meals a day. Life seems grand until the weather takes a turn for the worst, and larger-than-life food begins to rain from above. At the end, the land of Chewandswallow is reflected in the real world of the kids, showing the power of an active imagination.

Ways of using visualizing strategies:

 Have students draw an image of their favorite food raining from the sky.

Have them draw the food, and also how they would capture it, and prevent it from splattering on the sidewalks.


 Have students imagine worlds where something else rained from the sky.

Have them write a few paragraphs about the positives and negatives of other things raining from the sky, such as laundry, cars, or kittens.

 Students can take different foods from the text and focus in on an individual food. They can produce a focused piece of writing surrounding the particular food and write about what it smells like as the “weather” is moving in, what it sounds like, how it looks as it falls, and how the taste could change with the seasons using their own schemas.

Schlitz, Laura Amy. (2007). The Bearskinner: a tale of the brothers Grimm.

Cambridge, MA. Candlewick Press.

This is a story of a lost soldier who has lost everything to war: his childhood home, his family and friends, his youth, and his innocence. Enter that sly opportunist, the

Devil, who wraps the soldier in the formidable armor of a bear’s skin, fills its pockets with gold, and makes a dangerous and horrible wager. This book is an eerie and haunting tale about the subtle but persistent struggle between two sides of ourselves, and the heroic strength it takes to claim a victory.

Ways of using questioning strategies:

 Conduct a read/think aloud with students. Start with questions about the title, such as, “What could this book be about?” and continue to allow students to explore what will happen next by using context clues and foreshadowing. Ask, “Do you think he will make a deal with the devil, and why?” and “How will the soldier be able to outsmart the devil through his seven year sentence?” Also ask questions about the ending. “Will the daughter wait for the soldier? Why or why not?”

 Encourage students to discover the meaning and moral lesson beneath the story through questioning. “Why would the devil punish the soldier for bathing or praying?” “What does the soldier have to gain and lose from this deal with the devil?” “Why do the daughters have such a change of heart upon the return of the soldier?” “What purpose do the younger and older daughters play in this fable?

Ways of using visualization strategies:

 Have students draw the most vivid scenes from the text using sense-based clues such as the descriptors “strong and dark, with fierce gleaming eyes” and “He looked like a bear, with thick yellow claws and a matted beard.”

Then compare their pictures to those in the book and see what the similarities and differences are.

Appelbaum, Diana. (1997). Cocoa Ice. New York, NY. Orchard Books.

Two worlds collide for the greater good in this story of trade based in the late

1800s. The lives of two families are chronicled, highlighting their roles in the ice and cocoa trades of Maine and Santo Domingo. Both cultures needed each other to create some of the finest treats of their time, including hot chocolate, chocolate ice cream, and cocoa ice (a drink including coca pulp and ice). This book is rich with unique cultural perspectives and great vocabulary, and the knowledge of early trade is told through the eyes of children.

Ways of using connection strategies:

 Students can create lists of the different products that the ice schooners trade with the Santo Domingans to see what products each culture brings to the

table. The schooners bring ice, linens, and balsam. The Santo Domingans bring bananas, mangoes, coconuts, papaya, orange, plantain, breadfruit, guava, cocoa, and conch shells. Then students can brainstorm what they could bring to trade, as well as what they would want to trade for and where they would have to travel to make the trade.

 Students can make lists of what the two girls liked about their own lands and the lands of each other. Such examples could be the smell of balsam, walking on water, the land of always summer and chocolate growing on trees.

Students can then compare their own likes and dislikes to the girls and other students in the class to foster multiculturalism.

Ways of using visualizing strategies:

 Have students listen for different traded products. Then have students make a list of the products and create a second list of items that need the traded products to exist, such as shirts from linen and cookies from cocoa. Have students draw a picture of their favorite by-product of the traded goods.

Bogacki, Tomek. (2001). Circus Girl. New York, NY. Frances Foster Books.

A circus has come to town, and the small town was very excited for the arrival of the traveling show, except for Tim, who is a shy and unpopular boy. A circus girl joins their class for a couple of weeks, and through a simple act of kindness, bonds of friendship begin to grow between the main character and Tim. Circus Girl acts as the remover of barriers and throughout her brief stay, creates an unlikely friendship between two boys.


 Focus on the character Tim, asking questions about his relationships with others and how they develop. “Why do you think Tim always rushed home?”

“Why didn’t Tim play with the other kids?” “Why didn’t anybody pay attention to Tim?” “Why did Circus Girl befriend Tim?”


 Ask class what their favorite hobbies are. Make a list and then ask what they would do if they had the choice to do their hobby or something else that other people liked to do. When people say that they would rather do their own hobby, ask if they would want to even if they were by themselves or if others didn’t like them because of it. Tie these questions in with Tim’s plight and discover as a group how to be accepting of others despite differences.


 Brainstorm as a class the life of a circus performer. Answer questions together about where performers go to school, where their homes are, who their friends are, and what they like to do. Once this list is made, compare these findings to the same questions about Tim to discover why Circus Girl went out of her way to be kind and inclusive of Tim.

Van Allsburg, Chris. (1993). The Sweetest Fig. New York, NY. Houghton-Mifflin

Company.

An evil-spirited dentist named Monsieur Bibot hates the world, from his patients to his poor dog. He lives to cause suffering for his dog and to earn enough money to keep his stuffy little existence in controllable order. When the opportunity comes for him to make a few francs on an old woman’s tooth extraction, he finds that she has no money, but pays instead in figs “that make dreams come true.” Monsieur

Bibot finds, to his shock, that after eating a fig, the dreams from his night’s sleep do come true. As he plans for riches in his final dream and fig, his dog Marcel has other ideas. Monsieur Bibot faces a fitting fate in the end.


 Show students the vivid pictures from this book and let them decide what the story will be. Give them the title, The Sweetest Fig, and the names of the characters, Monsieur Bibot and Marcel the dog. Then let the students decide the actions of the story from the clues in the pictures. On the first page, you see Monsieur Bibot looking at the dog with a rolled up paper in his clenched fist. Pictures like these will surely solicit responses. Then read the actual story to see how close it was.

 Ask students what the moral of the story is. Allow for discussion of the metaphors in the book. Yes, the book is a story about a man who receives magic figs, but what is the larger message? It is about karma and fate, and the virtues of being of “good” character. Let students explore all possibilities.


 Show each picture and allow for students to guess what will happen next, posing leading questions. “Why does Monsieur Bibot have a paper in his hand?” Answer after reading the page, “He had the paper to bat the dog off of the chair, as he was not allowed on the furniture.” Another example is, “Why are Monsieur Bibot’s fists clenched and his face pinched? Why is that lady holding fruit in her hands?” and answer, “So he was angry because the old lady paid for her dentistry with figs rather than francs.” This will deepen understanding of the book and is a good scaffolding technique for ELLs.

Van Allsburg, Chris. (1990). Just a Dream. Boston, MA. Houghton-Mifflin Company.

Walter is a young and self-centered boy. He litters and refuses to recycle, and even claims that planting trees is stupid. After an evening of television about the future,

Walter goes to sleep wishing he was in the future, and his wishes are reflected in his dreams. However, this couldn’t be the future. Where were the robots and airplanes? All Walter saw was many reasons to turn his life around and make a difference rather than be the problem.

Ways of using inferring/visualizing strategies:

 During the dream sequences, there are double paged images with texts on a separate page. Have the students guess at what is happening in the story based on picture clues and foreshadowing/context clues earlier in the book.

Once the students have created the story, read the actual dream sequences to them and compare.

 Read only the pre- and post- dream story, and have students draw a picture of what they think Walter dreamt of to cause him to change his mind. Then compare the student creations with the book.

 Before each dream scene, there is a small picture showing the dream on the previous picture. Have the class guess what the dream will be about based on the text they have already read and the clues in the small picture. Ask students why the dream will progress as they say, using evidence from the text.

Jillian Anderer - 5121

Great Books for Teaching:

Comprehension Strategies

Lionni, L. (1989)

New York, NY:

Scholastic Inc.

Comparative and figurative language helps children to imagine the story

[description of a flashlight] “I watch the light dance wildly over the grass as we walk back.” “When Pishi dips her paw in the pond, the moon breaks into hundreds of tiny silvery pieces. It’s so beautiful!”

The book goes into detail about the cultural fasting, clothing, and food used to celebrate Ramadan. Questioning using a KWL chart to answer What is fasting? Why do they fast? Why do the woman wear scarfs on their heads? Is fasting unhealthy? etc.

2.

Bahr, M. (1992)

Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman &

Company.

2.

Schanzer, R. (2004) George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen

By Both Sides. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society

This true story--a bibliography of Roberto Clemente, who was born in Puerto

Rico. He dreamed of nothing but winning at baseball. With no money, but with plenty of determination, Clemente practiced on muddy fields with a glove made from a coffee sack. He rose from the ranks to become one of the most admired players of all time.

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Jillian Anderer - 5121

Great Books for Teaching:

Comprehension Strategies

Lionni, L. (1989)

New York, NY:

Scholastic Inc.

Comparative and figurative language helps children to imagine the story

[description of a flashlight] “I watch the light dance wildly over the grass as we walk back.” “When Pishi dips her paw in the pond, the moon breaks into hundreds of tiny silvery pieces. It’s so beautiful!”

The book goes into detail about the cultural fasting, clothing, and food used to celebrate Ramadan. Questioning using a KWL chart to answer What is fasting? Why do they fast? Why do the woman wear scarfs on their heads? Is fasting unhealthy? etc.

2.

Bahr, M. (1992)

Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman &

Company.

2.

Schanzer, R. (2004) George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen

By Both Sides. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society

This true story--a bibliography of Roberto Clemente, who was born in Puerto

Rico. He dreamed of nothing but winning at baseball. With no money, but with plenty of determination, Clemente practiced on muddy fields with a glove made from a coffee sack. He rose from the ranks to become one of the most admired players of all time.

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