Featured Mentor Book Suggestion for Narrative Nonfiction: A Rock is Lively

                                              

   A Rock is Lively is the newest nonfiction offering from the author and illustrator duo of Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long (Chronicle Books, 2012). Their book titles always present an object from nature with an unusual adjective. The creative title makes a reader curious about why such a title was chosen to go with that topic.

   With this book, the author describes a rock as “lively.” Most students would not think to describe a rock in this manner because it is not living and obviously doesn't move by itself. :) However, once students journey into the book, the author’s purpose for calling a rock lively is made clear. Aston describes how rocks can explode from volcanoes and change over time in many ways in the Earth’s crust. Aston and Lang’s nonfiction books are written in a conversational narrative format, and this technique always breathes fresh air into an otherwise common science topic.

  You can check out a large preview of A Rock is Lively via Google Book's page. You will be able to preview a portion of the book through this link. 

Suggestions for Instructional Use:

     The writing trait of word choice can be exemplified through not only the text, but the unusual statement that serves as the title. Rocks are not thought of as living, independently moving things full of life, and this unique beginning grabs a reader's curiosity.  The teacher should ask the students why they think that the author chose to write this specific title with the combination of word chosen for impact. If children are independent enough, they could record their predictions and wonderings on paper or in a writer’s notebook. Then, as the teacher reads aloud, children would be asked to periodically update their reasons and support their new thinking with evidence from the text. At the end, children would verbally explain or jot their final summation of why the author chose the title. Children could also write interesting facts that they learned about rocks down in their writer's notebook or they could help jot the facts after a discussion on a class graphic organizer or Thinking Map. A K-W-L chart could be one type of graphic organizer that could be used for this purpose. 

  

    There are specific labels of various rocks represented in the book, which makes it an example of labeling as an important nonfiction text feature. A document camera could be used in order to enlarge illustrations and text features which would help to bring attention to the detail and impact of the pictures. This book can be a fabulous source of inspiration for nonfiction writers creating their own research project on rocks or other relevant science topic. The writing traits of sentence fluency and word choice are also exemplified with Aston’s writing style. Also, the writing traits of a distinctive presentation and fluid organization could also be highlighted with this book in partnership with other Aston/Long titles.  

Companion Book Suggestions:

    There are three previous titles from the author/illustrator duo of Aston and Lang. They would make for a great author/illustrator study!

• An Egg is Quiet (Chronicle, 2006)
• A Seed is Sleepy (Chronicle, 2007)
• A Butterfly is Patient (Chronicle, 2011)

 A full listing of books written by Dianna Hutts Aston is available on her author website. Also, a full list of books illustrated by Sylvia Long is available on her own website, too. Chronicle Books has posted a large sample of the text for A Butterfly is Patient. You can review the 13 page sample straight from the computer for educational or home use. Click here to go directly to the Chronicle Books Scribd site. You can also explore an large online preview of A Seed is Sleepy through Google Books. 

Lesson Idea:
  
    A Rock is Lively can be used as a mentor text for a writing lesson that highlights the trait of ideas. After an interactive read aloud of the story, go on a trek outdoors for a specimen from nature that a child can use for a creative scientific investigation. The object could be a rock or it could be something new like a flower, leaf, twig, or anything that is okay to take inside for observation. If you had access to a collection of rock samples at school and wanted to tie in a study on rocks and minerals, you could definitely take the lesson to an interdisciplinary level that way! Magnifying glasses can even be use to emphasize how the children are figuratively "zooming in" on their topic. 

  
     Students would then either use the brainstorming and partner feedback to create a poem or a paragraph where they carefully and creatively selected their words. This would support the application of the trait of word choice because students would think of unusual ways to describe the item. The writing piece that children create after brainstorming about the object could also be shared in a way where other students would have to guess what the object is. Published pieces could be written or typed up with fabulously scientific diagrams. The item could be displayed with the publishing in a class or hallway museum. The options are endless with what direction you choose to take with the lesson!

                   

   Here is a two page freebie document that can be downloaded through Google Docs by clicking here. I've left the mentor text area blank so it can be used for other texts as well. Model the use of this sheet and discussions with a student or a another teacher. It fosters an interactive classroom community and gives students an authentic audience that will inspire them to give this a try. Have fun with it and be creative with your word choice! :)

August 10 for 10 Picture Book Event 2012

      I really enjoy the annual showcase of August 10 for 10 Picture Books from a wide variety of fellow bloggers! This event is virtually co-hosted on the Internet by bloggers Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek. Mandy's blog is called Enjoy and Embrace Learning, and Cathy's blog is called Reflect and Refine: Building a Learning Community. Three years ago, they started this event and shared their recommendations for picture books that you can't live without via the Blogosphere and fellow Twitter users. I posted for the August 10 for 10 for the first time last year, and I gave my post a focus of ten great picture books that had come out within the past year. This year, I decided to highlight nature-inspired picture books that had come out in the past twelve months. I adore both fiction and nonfiction texts which have nature woven within the story. Like so many other topics, I love that an appreciation for nature can be supported through the talent of finely tuned words from a crafty writer and the gorgeous illustrations from a creative artist. As you can imagine, picking just ten books is a challenge. :) Here are ten of some of my favorite nature-inspired picture books from the past year: 

1. In the Sea Written by David Elliott and Illustrated by Holly Meade    
 (Candlewick, February 2012)


    This book is part of a collaborative series of animal-inspired text by David Elliott and illustrator Holly Meade. They have authored several other books together, including In the Wild (Candlewick, 2010) and On the Farm (Candlewick, 2008). The book In the Sea is written about various animals of the ocean habitat through short poems. The illustrations are created through wood block cut prints and create a bold visual. Reading all three of these selections are a distinct style of writing. This collection can also be used to illustrate the writing traits of voice and presentation. 

Here is an example, entitled "The Shark":

The fin, 

the skin, 

the brutal grin...

The terror 

of the dark within. 

      You can review the Horn Book's inclusion of In the Sea in a list of recommended ocean themed books.  Also, here is the review of In the Sea from Publishers Weekly.




  2. The Beetle Book Written and Illustrated by Steve Jenkins
(Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012)

     I have blogged on several occasions about my appreciation of author and illustrator Steve Jenkins. I enjoy his works so much because of his talent to write about nonfiction in an engaging manner. Like his other books, there is nothing dry or stiff about how he imparts knowledge on these six legged creatures. Here is an excerpt: 

"The mottled tortoise beetle uses its oversize wing casings like a turtle's shell, tucking its head and legs underneath when danger threatens."

     This book can be used in a variety of ways for teaching. The sample sentence given above shows how Jenkins is quite talented with his uses of comparisons and analogies in order to help the young reader visualize a specific breed that they are most likely not familiar with. The text lends itself well to teaching examples of the writing trait of word choice, with the use of words like "threatens," "casings," and "tucking." You can also use the book to highlight how to have an effective lead in writing. He opens up his book with this powerful idea: "Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth, and one of every four will be a beetle." That opening is effective in illustrating the impact beetles have in our lives, whether we realize it or not! :) 

    You can peruse the online preview of the book through Google books.  Here is the link to the Publishers Weekly review of The Beetle Book.  In addition, you can read about this bug book and more in a Horn Book Magazine article from May 2012. 




3. Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature Written by Nicola Davies and Illustrated by Mark Hearld 
(Candlewick, 2012) 

     Nicola Davies is a noted author of numerous highly appealing nonfiction trade books, including Bat Loves the Night (Candlewick, 2001) and One Tiny Turtle (Candlewick, 2005) You can read more about her work one of my previous posts.  In this offering, Davies provides a collection of nature-inspired poetry that will perk the interests of any creature-loving child. The poems are presented by grouping them with appropriate seasons. 

      This book would be wonderful as an example of a hybrid nonfiction text (a text that is nonfiction, but in a format that is not cut and dry.) Also, the traits of word choice and presentation could be nicely supported with this picture book. Being able to write about nature and observations through poetry certainly exemplifies how to carefully select choice words to support written expression.  I would also recommend using this book as a mentor text for "making the ordinary extraordinary" and "exploding a moment." Davies would make for a fantastic and engaging author study as well! Here is the link to Nicola's blog and her website for you to further explore her work. Also, here's a bonus clip that you can share with students straight from Nicola Davies herself. She shares about the magic of discovery and exploring!

          

            

4. Secrets of the Garden Written by Katherine Weinder Zoehfield and Illustrated by Priscilla Lamont (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2012) 

      

    This book by Zoehfield layers information in an engaging way! There are aspects such as speech bubbles and very scientifically speaking chickens which give more facts beyond the central story line. It lends itself to be read more than one time, once as a story and again as an informational reference. It is fantastic to use with studies of food chains, life cycles, and school garden habitats. 

    Be sure to check out the Google books preview of the text. You can visit Katherine Weinder Zoehfield's Amazon.com author page here to see the more than 60 books that she has authored. I bet you will find some familiar favorites here!  Also, you can explore the official website for Priscilla Lamont here.



5. Over and Under the Snow Written by Kate Messner and Illustrated by Chris Salas Neal (Chronicle Books, October 2011)

     Messner's book Over and Under the Snow shares "a secret kingdom under the snow" with readers.  The book starts out as a wondering of a child as her and her father go skiing in the snow. This book can be used as a text which provides an example of comparing and contrasting things in a story. Children can easily think of what visibly happens above the ground when winter and snows arrive, but this book opens children's minds to what happens in what scientists call the "subnivean zone" underground.

 
    This text is the winner of the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.) You can read their interview with Kate Messner on the official SCBWI blog here.  She shares how she brainstormed about this book on the back of an attendance sheet while on a bus going home from a field trip with her 7th graders when she was a teacher. That is the perfect kind of antidote to share with budding young authors about how seed ideas are everywhere, just waiting to be cultivated and grow!

   
     You can follow Kate Messner is a variety of ways online. She can be found on Twitter, Facebook,  email, or snail mail.  Messner also Skypes with groups and schools, and maintains a page on her website where she gives information on authors who will Skype for free to schools and classrooms! How wonderful is that? She keeps a current blog as an author where you can find out more about her thoughts and work. Be sure to check out her advice for writing on her website as well. It is wonderful to share with students when investigating of her author's craft skills. 

 

6. Creep and Flutter: The Secret World of Insects and Spiders Written and Illustrated by: Jim Arnoksky 
(Sterling Children's Books, 2012) 
 
    Author and illustrator Jim Arnosky has been a prolific author and illustrator of books about nature for many years. This book is fourth in a series for Sterling Children's Books, and there are over 200 spiders and insects featured throughout the book. The books in this series are in a larger format and have fold out page spreads. Previous books in the series include: Thunderbirds: Nature's Flying Predators (Sterling, 2011), Slither and Crawl: Eye to Eye with Reptiles (Sterling, 2009) and Wild Tracks: A Guide to Nature's Footprints (Sterling, 2008).  These larger, highly appealing illustrators are great gateway books into Arnosky's collection as an author. He has a variety of books, most of which appear as if you are looking directly in his sketchbook. Arnosky makes for a great author study to review the traits of presentation, organization, and voice in nonfiction writing.


   If you haven't explored Jim Arnosky's Crinkleroot books, check out the website devoted just to this character and his nature adventures.  Arnosky's cleverly drawn books are a feast for any young naturalist!




7. Nasty Bugs Poems Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and Illustrated by Will Terry (Dial, 2012)  

     In this latest collection of poems, Lee Bennett Hopkins showcases the sometimes yucky (but always intriguing) world of creepy crawly bugs. There are 16 poems from authors such as J. Patrick Lewis, Douglas Florian, and Marilyn Singer.


     Lee Bennett Hopkins keeps a blog and a wonderful, comprehensive website that will show you to more of his fabulous compilations. You can read more about Lee Bennett Hopkins in a previous post from my blog as well. In that post, I highlight his work with poetry and how you can explore his work with your students. 

Here is a sampling of a poem Hopkins penned himself entitled, "Ode to a Dead Mosquito":

8. Sounds of the Wild: Forest Written and Illustrated by: Maurice Pledger
(Silver Dolphin Books, 2012) 

     This book is an installment in a series by Maurice Pledger. He is a renowned nature artist who does extraordinarily realistic drawings. The series includes titles on other topics such as birds, the jungle, nighttime, bugs, and the ocean. This book on various forest habitats is extra special because it is a wonderful pop up book that includes animal sound effects! That makes this book appealing even to the most reluctant reader. There are five different types of forest habitats showcased in full panoramic spreads throughout Europe and North America. 




9.Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas Written by: Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm and Illustrated by: Molly Bang (Blue Sky Press, 2012)

    Author and illustrator Molly Bang, in partnership with friend-scientist Penny Chisholm, created a vibrantly illustrated picture book. This book can be shared as a companion text to Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life (Blue Sky Press, 2009).  Since Chisholm's scientific passion is studying phytoplankton, that gave this book its niche topic. Bang shares on her website that this book took about a year and a half to complete and they made 134 drafts of the book! I think sharing such struggles with students shows them that determination with revision is worth the effort because everyone needs to polish their first attempts. Check out the starred review of Ocean Sunlight on Publishers Weekly and a fantastic interview with Bang and Chisholm which was featured on the Horn Book website in July. 



10. Gem Written and Illustrated by Holly Hobbie
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012)


     Holly Hobbie is well known for her Holly Hobbie artwork, as well as the seven book collection of Toot and Puddle picture books. With the book Gem, Hobbie introduces the main idea of the book on the book cover preview: "Look carefully. There may be a gem in your garden." From the inside flap, Hobbie discloses how she found the inspiration for this idea and concept. She wondered about the journey a frog had to take in the spring time. That is a great example to illustrate the trait of ideas and how to zoom in on a topic. 

     Click here to enjoy a virtual preview of the text through the publisher's website. Here is the starred review from Publishers Weekly as well.

     I hope that you have discovered a few books that have peeked your interest! :) I look forward to delving into the other blogs that have also participated in this annual blog round-up. Currently, there are over 60 other bloggers who have posted lists as well! You can follow people that are sharing about August 10 for 10 by searching Twitter with the hash tag #pb10for10.  You can also find Mandy and Cathy's compiled collection of August 10 for 10 on their Jog the Web collection for 2012. Bookmark this Jog the Web list to quickly refer to the over 60 blogs that have generously shared their book recommendations to help rejuvenate your use of children's trade book literature. Enjoy the 2012-13 school year everyone! Here's to a wonderful, inspired start to your year!

Texts That Feature Unusual Animal Relationships

     What child doesn't find some animal interesting? Do you remember the true story about an unusual relationship between a gorilla named Koko and a pet kitty? It was featured in the book Koko's Kitten (Reading Rainbow Book) by Dr. Francine Patterson and Ronald H. Cohn (Scholastic, 1987). Well, there's so many great books that have come out about animal relationships over the past five years that sharing one for a read aloud is easy to do! These texts make for a great way to incorporate comparing and contrasting, as well as great writing springboards. Even the most reluctant readers are intrigued at these unusual relationships. Here are a few of the great titles that you can feature with elementary age students. Whether in K or 5th grade, there's a selection that you can use. These true stories full of real photos act as a great venue for describing acceptance, resiliency, and being adaptable. Your children will be entranced! 

Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby (Putnam, 2010)  

     This is a story of a runt pig named Pink who is brought indoors to be taken care of. The mother dachshund of the house, Tink, adopts Pink into her litter. This is great for Kindergarten and first graders. Here's a bonus! You can read it online for FREE via the great website We Give Books. Click here to go directly to that link, and you can share it with your students up on the computer screen or enjoy it at home with your family. :) 

Tarra and Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends by Carol Buckley (Putnam, 2009)

     Tarra is a elephant resident at a sanctuary in Tennessee. She came there because she is a former circus animal. Bella, a stray yellow lab, sneaks in and Tarra and Bella form a loyal bond that's unbreakable. Their dedication to one another is certainly proven after Bella suffered a serious spinal injury. Tarra doesn't leave Bella's side throughout it all! :) Now that's loyalty! Here's a video where you can learn more about Tarra and Bella.

 Suryia and Roscoe: The True Story of an Unlikely Friendship written by Dr. Bagavan Antle and Thea Feldman with photographs by Barry Bland (Henry Holt, 2011) 

Roscoe, who is a blue tick hound, becomes friends with an orangutan named Suryia who comes to the wildlife preserve for endangered animals in South Carolina. The human like qualities displayed by the orangutan, such as trying to feed Roscoe or standing upright to walk him with a leash, is certainly eye catching to readers. Children feel a connection to the orangutan because of the human like behavior it displays. Check out the video clip to see more about Suryia and Roscoe. They are endearing!

Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kahumbu with photographs by Peter Greste (Scholastic Press, 2006) 

Owen and Mzee: Language of Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kahumbu with photographs by Peter Greste (Scholastic Press, 2007)  

      These two trade books are about a baby hippo named Owen that was separated from his mother in a tsunami in 2004. Owen was adopted by Mzee, a male tortoise that is estimated to be 130 years old. They learned to adapt, communicate, and care for one another. Although their relationship is unconventional, it is amazing. (There are even some board books also from Scholastic to introduce the two creatures to the youngest of readers. :)  
 
      Here's several bonuses for Owen and Mzee. Check out Owen and Mzee's wonderful website that is great for complementing the read aloud of these books. You can share the rebus stories with younger students or view the documentary with older students to extend the adventure of sharing these texts. The site features a video link from an episode of PBS's Between the Lions. 

Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships by Catherine Thimmesh (Houghton Mifflin, 2011) 

     The text is short in this selection, so it's perfect for pre-K through first grade. Check out a little preview through this video clip:

Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom by Jennifer Holland (Workman, 2011) - This text may not be a cover to cover read aloud since it is written for adults. However, it is great for sharing some stories and the photos from the book. Older elementary students will enjoy this. I personally own this book and I've shared photos from it with students. Here's a bonus clip about the book:

 

Enjoy exploring these animal friendly texts with your children!

Coming Soon! Joyce Sidman's Swirl by Swirl Nonfiction Poetry Picture Book

     Check out this engaging preview for Joyce Sidman's latest book Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature (Houghton Mifflin, 2011.) It is beautifully illustrated by Caldecott Award winner Beth Krommes. Sidman and Krommes previously collaborated on the picture book Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow (Houghton Mifflin, 2006.)  Swirl by Swirl will be released on October 4th, and I can't wait to use it as a fresh mentor text at my school! Not only will it be another book to add to my Sidman author study, it will be an additional example of one of my favorite niches for picture books referred to as hybrid nonfiction. Stay tuned for a blog post featuring how I used the text in a lesson within the next month! In the meantime, you can explore the Reader's Guide from Joyce Sidman's website. It's full of scientific tie-ins for lessons. I hope you are inspired and energized like I am to dig into a new mentor text!

Get the Kids Geared Up for Nonfiction Reading with National Geographic for Kids Resources!

      National Geographic for Kids is a fantastic series of nonfiction books and reference resources from National Geographic.  These various kid friendly articles and photographs can be tied into content area studies as well the teaching of specific nonfiction reading strategies. What a great way to tie in technology and researching skills, too!

This is the main website link:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

Recent M.W. Book Room Acquisitions:

National Geographic for Kids - Great Migrations Readers (on the 5th grade shelf) sets of 10

      Elephants

      Butterflies 

      Whales

National Geographic for Kids - Easy Readers (2nd and 3rd grade shelves) sets of 8 (except for Penguins, which is a set of 16 that is great for whole class nonfiction shared reading lessons)

        Penguins

      Sharks

      Frogs

      Snakes

National Geographic for Kids - 2011 Almanac

     Great news! We currently have acquired 16 copies, and I was able to order eight more to make a set that is a total of 24. Soon, any teachers in grades 2-5 will be able to check this set out for whole and small group lessons using the almanacs!

                                        

Magazine Articles:

      These archived, high interest articles are perfect for nonfiction, short read alouds on a specific subject area using the classroom computer projector. There is also an option for listening to the articles being read aloud to a viewer, which can be set up with headphones at the computer classroom pod. 

• Young Explorer for K-2 Archived Magazine Articles
• Explorer for Grades 2-5 Archived Magazine Articles

Additional features for more learning and exploring:

• Online Glossary - Again, this is great to show on the classroom screen and discuss the general features of a glossary.
• United States Atlas for Young Explorers companion site to the reference book - This is great for tying in geography, map skills, and research.
• Word Atlas for Young Explorers companion site
• Kids write to kids on the NGK's many interactive blogs. (Keep in mind that if there is a particular website or blog that is blocked at school, you can put in an IT help desk ticket request, and if they find it educational and safe, it can be unblocked.) There's:
• The Global Brothers - two boys exploring the globe
• Green Scene - on "going green"
• Dogeared - for book reviews
• News Bites
• Hands On Explorer
• You are Here - country explorations
  

A Few Examples of Teachers Using National Geographic for Kids in Reading and Writing:

      Recently, third grade teacher Ms. Katie Schultz has started using the online student magazine articles to share with her students on how to read nonfiction online and how to search for kid safe, specific content within the website's search engine. Her students are doing independent animal research projects inspired by both their recent visit to the Virginia Living Museum and their explorations of various quality nonfiction trade books. They are getting really excited about the sense of independence that they are experiencing!

     Another example of a recent incorporation of a NGK source is from a fifth grade writing and geography teacher. Ms. Sarah Creamer was so excited to use the newly acquired 2011 almanacs that she saw I had just received! She had her students explore the books by having them respond on sticky notes and share with peers what they had discovered on their exploration. They wrote:

• When would you use an almanac?
• Describe some of the things you notice about the text.
• What are some interesting facts that you found?

      As you can see from the photo, they exploded and didn't want to stop at the end! :) Ms. Creamer used that excitement to help motivate the students with their current geography research projects that they started after their exploration. Here is the online preview of the 2010 NGK Almanac that is available on Google Books. If you "flip" through this version, you can skim and get a feel for the setup of the text. The kids really enjoyed them!

I would enjoy hearing about your creative ideas and success with one of these nonfiction print or online resources for NGK. Please leave a comment, and I would be happy to share your savvy ideas!

Blogs to Check Out on Science Tradebooks

     I'll continue to post quality links for planning, inspiration, and resources in relation to content area reading throughout the school year in support of the literacy team's nonfiction focus for our staff development. The first blog, called Wild about Nature Writers, has great suggestions for wonderful nature related books that are both narrative and expository in their style of writing. The second blog, Simply Science, reviews a wide variety of science books. It also gives some practical suggestions for teaching with the text and topic.

     I'm certain that Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Pauley can guide you to some of the selections mentioned in this blog right in our own media center. Also keep in mind that our fantastic Williamsburg Regional Library is just a couple blocks down the street, which makes for a perfect stop on the way home. It's easy to look online on the the card catalogs for either place to save you hunting time. You can always send me (or the whole staff) an email asking if someone owns a particular title, too. Use technology to help you teach smarter, not harder! :) You are all such a tech savvy staff! Also, remember that blogs can be subscribed to by clicking the orange square at the top in the toolbar on your home computer. Then, you'll have all the blogs you are interested in bookmarked and you can keep up with them on one page! :)  

http://wildaboutnaturewriters.blogspot.com/

http://simplyscience.wordpress.com/