Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Friday, January 31, 2014

Friend Friday #28...

Hi!  I’m Logan and I'm reading the book called Spirit Animals #2 and written by Maggie Stiefvater.

I think this book is great because it has a lot of adventures. 

My favorite part of the story is the animals because there are kinds that I didn't know about.  


The character that I liked best is Abeke because she has a bow. 



I think the author wrote this book because she likes animals and wanted to write a story about them.

I would recommend this book to my friends because it has adventures and I think kids my age like reading about animals and adventures. 

Reading to me is great because you are in your own world when you read.  


*Logan was the student in my room who introduced me to this series.
*He was completely engrossed with the first book and couldn't wait for this second book to come out.
*I can remember the day when he walked into the classroom with book #2 already downloaded to his Nook.
*Logan is a passionate reader and makes books a part of his every day life.   



 

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Trailer Thursday #28...

ALA Youth Media Awards

*This past Monday was a great day in literature for our youth.

*It is always a joy and wonder to watch the presentation of these awards.

*For today's post, I wanted to honor the award winners and their books.

*I can't think of a better way than via book trailers…



2014 Newbery Award
Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo 


2014 Caldecott Award
Locomotive by Brian Floca



2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli



2014 Coretta Scott King Award
PS:  Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia




2014 Michael L. Printz Award
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick




2014 Schneider Family Book Award

Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskill

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Mock Caldecott (Second Set of 40 Books) - ROUND Five...

2013-2014 Mock Caldecott Award
*We recently finished our second set of 40 picture books.

*I begin each morning meeting with a picture book.

*We have narrowed our list down from 40 to 10 to 5 to 3 and then to our number one favorite picture book.
*These were the final three and the highlighted title is our GRAND winner of our second set of 40 picture books...
    


Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
The Duckling Gets a Cookie
Where the Wild Things Are

Wonder Wednesday #28...

Wonder Wednesday - ALA Awards

*On Monday, January 27th I was in complete heaven.

*I so look forward to the annual "Youth Media Awards".

*The only negative thing was that I didn't have my students on Monday.  It was a teacher grading day.

*These awards are truly a wonder; as are all wonderful books.




Caldecott Award

*Locomotive by Brian Floca







Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

*The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi written by Neal Bascomb






Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

*The Watermelon Seed written and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli






Coretta Scott King Award

*PS:  Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia









John Newbery Medal

*Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo









Michael L. Printz Award

*Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick









Schneider Family Book Award


*A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin written by Jen Bryant (ages 0-10)

*Handbook for Dragon Slayers written by Merrie Haskell     
(ages 11-13)

*Rose under Fire written by Elizabeth Wein (ages 14-18)



Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal

*Parrots over Puerto Rico written by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore





Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Treat Tuesday #28...


Treat Tuesday - Slow Cooker 
Ground Beef Lasagna Soup
*Is it a Pasta?
*Is it a soup?
*Or is is just AWESOME?
*Slow Cooker Ground Beef Lasagna Soup is great for a weeknight meal.
*You’ll be a hit with this one!
*A perfect meal for a cold's winter night...


Ingredients...

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
10 3/4 oz. tomato soup, canned, condensed
14.5 oz. tomatoes, canned, petite diced
15 oz. tomato sauce, canned
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 beef bouillon cubes
4 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. parsley
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. Ricotta Cheese
8 lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces - UNCOOKED
12 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese



Directions...

-Combine onions, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and place in the slow cooker.
-Add all of the spices and bouillon cubes to the slow cooker.
-Add water and spread your broken UNCOOKED lasagna noodle pieces all around.
-Crumble RAW ground beef over top.
-Cover. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 4-5 hours.
-Approximately half hour or so before done, stir in the Ricotta cheese.
-Serve with shredded Mozzarella Cheese on top and savor the deliciousness!



Treat Tuesday - Middle Grade Novel



The Dogs of Winter by Bobbie Pyron











Treat Tuesday - Adult Novel



The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck

Monday, January 27, 2014

Music Monday (Minnesota Winter Edition)...

Music for Winter Weather

*We have no students today because it is a grading day.

*Since I'm not sharing a piece of music with my students today, I thought I would focus on this "lovely" winter weather we are having here in Minnesota.  


*There are schools that are out of session today due to the cold and windy weather conditions.

*This is is the fourth day this January that MN schools have been closed.  At this rate, we will be teaching in July.  

*Here are some winter, cold, windy, and just plain great songs…

"Cold as Ice" by Foreigner

"Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles

"Frozen" by Madonna

"Snowbound" by Genesis

"Winter" by The Rolling Stones

"Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" by Bruce Springsteen

"Winter Time" by Steve Miller Band

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (1/27/14)...



Thanks to Jen and Kellee for hosting this idea on their site.  Here is a link to their site...
                
                 http://www.teachmentortexts.com/




Books I Read this Past Week…

*Ever since the holiday break when I read so much, I have been in a bit of reading slump. 
*Must be this awful MN winter weather we have been having. 




Books I Will (continue to) Read this Week...


The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer











The Book Thief
 by Markus Zusak











The Saturday Boy
 by David Fleming






Sunday, January 26, 2014

Surprise Sunday #6 - Picture Book March Madness

Picture Book March Madness

*I'm excited to kick off "Picture Book March Madness".

*This activity will coincide with NCAA March Madness.



*This idea stemmed from a discussion via Twitter with Scott Jones (@escott818) and Jason Lewis (@jasontes5th).  They are both doing this "activity" with their classes.

*Our readers will be reading 32 picture books and ranking them so they can be added to our picture book brackets for March Madness voting.

*I will be kicking this off on Tuesday so we are ready for our very own March Madness.

*Here are the details and picture books we will be using…

March Book Madness 2014

Week #1 (January 27-31) = Read all 8 books in 1st bracket
Week #2 (February 3–7) = Read all 8 books in 2nd bracket
Week #3 (February 10–14) = Read all 8 books in 3rd bracket
Week #4 (February 17-21) = Read all 8 books in 4th bracket
Week #5 (February 24-28) = Catch up on books you missed

***After reading each book, give it a star rating…
(1 STAR = Poor Picture Book)
(2 STARS = OK Picture Book)
(3 STARS = Good Picture Book)
(4 STARS = Great Picture Book)
(5 STARS = Excellent Picture Book)

Picture Bracket

Stampede! (NF)            
Move! (NF)                  
Storm is Coming          
Crankenstein              
Boy + Bot                   
Baloney                   
Mr. Wuffles                 
The Invisible Boy         


Text Bracket

Book Speak! (NF)          
Fireboat (NF)              
Do Not Open This Book   
Mrs. Biddlebox             
A Ball for Daisy           
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild      
Oh No!                     
Carnivores                
Author Bracket

I Have a Dream (NF)     
3 Little Dassies (NF)       
Pete & Pickles             
That is Not a Good Idea   
Chalk                      
Bear Has a Story to Tell  
A Sick Day for Amos     
Unicorn                    
Illustrator Bracket

The Snowflake (NF)      
Brave Girl (NF)            
Journey                     
Otis                        
Scare a Bear               
The Monsters’ Monster     
Extra Yarn                 
Art & Max                  




March Book Madness 2014

Week #5 (February 24-28) = Catch up on books you missed
Week #6 (March 3-7) = Rank your books in each bracket


***In each bracket, rank your books in order from 1-8
(1 = Most Favorite Picture Book in that Bracket)
(2-7 = 2nd through 7th Favorite Picture Book)
(8 = Least Favorite Picture Book in that Bracket)


Picture Bracket

Stampede! (NF)             
Move! (NF)                 
Storm is Coming           
Crankenstein              
Boy + Bot                   
Baloney                    
Mr. Wuffles                 
The Invisible Boy         


Text Bracket

Book Speak! (NF)        
Fireboat (NF)              
Do Not Open This Book    
Mrs. Biddlebox            
A Ball for Daisy           
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild       
Oh No!                      
Carnivores               
Author Bracket

I Have a Dream (NF)      
3 Little Dassies (NF)       
Pete & Pickles             
That is Not a Good Idea   
Chalk                       
Bear Has a Story to Tell  
A Sick Day for Amos      
Unicorn                     
Illustrator Bracket

The Snowflake (NF)       
Brave Girl (NF)            
Journey                     
Otis                       
Scare a Bear               
The Monsters’ Monster    
Extra Yarn                
Art & Max