Read With Me

Do you have an iPod, Zune, or MP3 player?  I found a new cool site you will want to check out…

It’s called Audible Kids.  Audible is an online source for books “on tape” (or, at least, that’s what we used to call them).  They’re the technological version of a read aloud!  Sometimes, adults don’t feel like we have the time to sit down and leisurely read a book we’ve been meaning to read.  But, we realize that there are times in our days we could be listening to that book, if someone would just read it to us (for instance, in the car, while getting dressed, on the treadmill, etc.).  So, years ago, some ingenius thinker decided to record authors or other readers reading aloud the books and sell the recordings.  When they started doing this, they recorded them onto cassette tapes…and then CDs were developed…and now we have MP3 files!

Which brings us to Audible.  It’s like iTunes for books!

Audible now has a Kids branch of their site that specializes in children’s literature.   I did a little perusing in this site and found lots of authors and titles of books I know you would enjoy.  And, while I do not recommend you start listening to Audible files every night instead of reading, I can definitely see how these would be a fun way for you to change up your reading routines and habits.

I can imagine lots of different reasons or times when you may be able to listen to a book on your iPod or MP3 player when you couldn’t really read the book…can you?  When do you think you could benefit from having a book “on tape”?  Leave a comment here and then check out this site!

P.S. On the downside, I thought the prices per book were kind of high, so if you’re interested in trying this out, you and your parents may want to shop around on the internet before you purchase.

I am so excited that you all have been loving the web resources I have shared with you so far this year.  I KNOW you  are REALLY going to love this next site!

It’s called Destination Reading.

Once you enter the site, you will see that I have assigned the first unit for you to complete.  This unit will support the work we’re doing in class on narrative fiction (emphasizing the importance of characters, setting, and plot in stories), as well as address other reading skills.  PLUS – it’s FUN!

Now, you may be wondering, “Mrs. Nash, how do I do this?  Where do I go?  How do I login?  What else do I need to know?”

Here is all your “Need-To-Know-Info”:

1.  The web address is http://duval.riverdeep.net/lms.

2.  Your sign-in is your first and last name followed by the digits “264″.  (Example: jennynash264)

3.  Your password is the two-digit month and two-digit day of your birthday.  (Example: If you were born on July 12th, your password is “0712″.)

I’m also installing a permanent link on the sidebar of this blog so you can always, always, always find it when you need it.  I recommend you write your username and password in your planner so you don’t lose it!

Have fun!

P.S. You know what my favorite part is?  I get to spy on you!  I get to peek in on your work and see how you’re doing…so do your best!

We have read so many poems by Ralph Fletcher over the course of our poetry unit.  And, some of you may, or may not, remember that we read some chapters from another book he’s written, A Writer’s Notebook, last year.  I’ve also seen a few of you reading some of his chapter books we have in our classroom library, Fig Pudding and Flying Solo.

This weekend, I found Mr. Fletcher’s website and spent a little time exploring it.  His site includes titles of books he’s written, biographical information (all about his life), writing tips, and more.  I found some new chapter book titles that I hope to purchase for our classroom soon!  He also has collected many of his poems and published them in a few books.  I hope you will spend some time reading and exploring his website.

This week, as we read his poem Where John Curtin Drowned, many of us had questions about this poem.  Was John a real person? Was it his friend? His brother? Where did this happen? In a lake?  A river?  Perhaps you may want to spend five or ten minutes writing a short letter or email to him.  (The site includes information on how to contact him.)

**Be sure to get your parents help with this so you know it is your best work.  Or, if you don’t have time to look over it at home with your parents, I’ll be glad to help you edit and revise your letter before you send it.

Did you know that this week, the first full week in October, is Great Books Week?  In honor of this week, I’d like to share with you some of my favorite childhood books.

1.  Harriet Tubman Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry This is the only chapter book I remember reading over and over again.  I loved her story and was inspired by her strength.  My heart went out to the slaves of the past.  This book awakened the warrior inside me.

2.  Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parrish I loved reading about all the trouble Amelia made for herself!  She was so silly!  The stories are a bit corny (and, no, I don’t mean filled with corn), but they always made me laugh.

3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott I loved reading about the adventures of these sisters.  I was a little older when I read this (perhaps middle school).  This story, though, is one that has stuck with me throughout my life.

4. Holiday books. Every Christmas, my mother would pull out the basket of holiday books.  We had really neat “nonfiction” books about the life of Santa Claus, traditional holiday books, and funny books that retold a familiar story in new way, like The Cajun Night Before Christmas and Texas Night Before Christmas.  I continue to love these books even today and have carried on this tradition with my daughters at home.  (We have Firefighter’s Night Before Christmas and An Irish Night Before Christmas among others.)

5.  Babysitter Club book series.  When I was about your age or so, I was completely addicted to the Babysitter Club book series.  I got to know the characters and their lives like familiar characters from a TV series.  I also learned a lot.  Like when everyone learned that Dawn (I think…It’s been a lot of years.)  had diabetes – I learned all about the disease.  I could relate to these characters because I was close to the age when I would begin babysitting and I had spent a lot of time sharing the task of babysitting my little cousin with my mother and aunt.

6. Encyclopedia Brown book series. I was never very interested in mysteries…probably because I was never very good at solving them.  (Well, at least I wasn’t as good as my mother when we watched Murder, She Wrote on TV.)  Encyclopedia Brown books, though, were just my speed!  These books also taught me things.  I’ll never forget the mystery he solved by knowing that the person inside the house at night couldn’t have seen something happen outside their window.  He knew that, if the person was inside their lamp-lit house looking out into a dark yard, they would only see reflections on their windows from the lights inside.  (Don’t understand?  Try it!  Try to look out a window at night when there are lights on in your house!)

It may be hard to believe it now, but some of the books you’re reading you will never forget.  One day, when you’re old and gray like your parents and I (hee, hee), you will look back on these childhood books and smile.  And, maybe one day, if you’re lucky, you’ll get a chance to share some of your old favorites with your kids or students.

Parents, I’d love to hear from you.  What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?

I prefaced this little video with the statement, “If you’ve ever doubted your teacher was unusual…you never will again!”

However, here I am, by popular demand, sharing this video with you all AGAIN!  Like I said in class, you will never forget what a homophone is again, will you?

I see SO MANY of our readers reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

I have a feeling those readers will be very excited this Monday.

Look what I stumbled upon today…

This Monday, the latest in the series of Wimpy Kid books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, will hit the shelves in book stores!

But, that’s not all!  Did you hear that there’s a WIMPY KID MOVIE coming out this spring???  Hmmm…I may smell a field trip in our future…..

Hi guys,

My name is Kirstin Wiebe. I am in my second year of Elementary Education at the University of Regina. I am going to be working with you as part of an assignment for my ECMP 355 class.

Some stuff about me is that I am 19 years old, but I will be turning 20 this December. I am from Swift Current, SK, which is about 235 km west of Regina. I grew up there with my parents and younger brother. My Dad’s side of the family is quite close and we try to get together lots, I don’t see much of my Mom’s family because they live in Scotland. I really enjoy reading, and doing art. I love to paint, and draw.

I am very excited to be learning and working you. I cannot wait to see what your learning.

Kirstin Wiebe

Hey guys,
My name is Shelby Mackey. I’m currently in my first year at the University of Regina taking secondary education. I’m a major in math and a minor in english. I’m taking a class called ECMP 355 and so I’ve been assigned to work with you in your class as a mentorship.
A little about myself, I’m 18 years old born and raised in Moose Jaw, SK. My family consists of me, my mom and dad, and my little brother who is in grade ten right now. I also have a chocolate labrador named Jake, and a cat named Bailey. I love sports, I’ve played all my life. My favourites are soccer and basketball, and I like playing tennis, football, badminton, and many others.
I have a blog, you can access it here. Check it out, it’s for my ECMP class so there’s not much there yet.
I look forward to working with you ad have fun in school:)!
Shelby Mackey

We’ve brushed up on compound words this week at a breakneck speed.  Interested in having a little fun with them now?

Check out this link.  Have fun!

“If you know what you are going to write when you are writing a poem, it’s going to be average.

– Derek Walcott

Perhaps the biggest lesson our writers are learning through this poetry unit is to look at the world as a writer – and attack it as such.  We may NOT know what we’re going to write in writers’ workshop that day – unlike the long-term units of  narrative and report writing, during which you write, shape, nurse, and rewrite your piece repeatedly over a course of days or weeks, with poetry, we go where our inspiration takes us.

We should remember this, too, in our nightly quick writes.  It is not at all necessary to begin and end on the same topic in a quick write.  The most important thing is to put your pen (or pencil) to the paper and keep it moving.  Think and write, think and write.  Make it so that your thinking and writing are simultaneous.  Make your hand move as fast as your mind moves.

Share with me a quick write or poem you’ve written recently.  Leave something you’ve written as a comment here.   If it is poetry, use the “Enter” or “Return” key to help you insert line breaks as you have it written in your notebook.

Come, writers, let me read your work.