Nonfiction Monday

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Practically Paradise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Poetry Friday: The Clock Struck One

The Clock Struck One: A Time-telling Tale by Trudy Harris (Author) and Carrie Hartman (Illustrator) is a new version of the “Hickory Dickory Dock” nursery rhyme.

Hickory dickory doo, the grandfather clock struck TWO.
It woke the cat, who sprang from his mat, hungry for mouse-tail stew.

Word Choice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “time” poem. Use the Describing Wheel graphic organizer to create a list of things that can happen in a single hour.

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Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Muktar and the Camels

Muktar and the Camels by Janet Graber (Author) and Scott Mack (Illustrator) takes place in an orphanage on the border between Kenya and Somalia.

But Muktar gazes out of the window, across the dusty landscape. He remembers a time before drought and war engulfed his homeland.

Conventions Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “golden rule” story. Remind them to add quotation marks to any dialogue.

Literacy Links

Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library!

Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library! by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter (Authors) and Steve James (Illustrator) is the picture book version of the New York Times bestseller. Someone left a cat in the book return at the library.

When Vicki the librarian found him the next morning, the kitten was cold and scared and very, very dirty.

Word Choice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own version of this story. What could happen if they met Dewey in their library? Use the Describing Wheel graphic organizer to make a list of words for the story.

For a weekly themed list of books for young readers, subscribe to my 5 Great Books blog.

Literacy Links

Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Trouble Gum

Trouble Gum by Matthew Cordell lives up to its name!

Gum wasn’t often allowed. It tended to make a mess.

Ideas Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own version of this “chewing gum” tale. Use the Idea Wheel graphic organizer to brainstorm before writing.

Literacy Links

Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Nonfiction Monday: Cool Cars and Trucks

Cool Cars and Trucks by Sean Kenney (Author) shows how to use LEGO to make cars and trucks.

If you don’t have enought LEGO pieces to build a big car, try making the same car in a smaller size.

Organization Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write a procedural “how to” article about something they like to make. Use the Step-by-Step Chart graphic organizer to list the order before writing.

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Tales from the Rushmore Kid.

Literacy Links

Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Poetry Friday: Ocean’s Child

In Ocean’s Child by Christine Ford and Trish Holland (Authors) and David Diaz (Illustrator), the children of the ocean go to sleep.

Safe and snug in his leafy bed,
Baby Otter is rocked to sleep.
To Ocean’s child, we say good night.
Good might, little otter, good night.

Voice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “good night” poem. Will they use the “I” or “we” voice, the (first person point-of-view) like this poem did? Or will they use the third person point-of-view), the “he or she” voice?

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Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Monster Baby

In Monster Baby by Dian Curtis Regan (Author) and Doug Cushman (Illustrator), a basket appears on the doorstep.

Wah-wah-waaaah!

Mrs. Oliver came running. “Glory, husband! Someone left a baby on our doorstep!”

Conventions Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “monster baby” story. Remind them to add quotation marks to any dialogue.

Literacy Links

Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

One Fine Trade

One Fine Trade by Bobbi Miller (Author) and Will Hillenbrand (Illustrator) is based on an old song.

Georgy Piney Woods was a fine peddler, the finest who ever lived!

Ideas Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own version of this “bartering” tale. Use the Idea Wheel graphic organizer to brainstorm before writing.

Literacy Links

Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Nonfiction Monday: The Best of Pro Baseball

The Best of Pro Baseball by Matt Doeden (Author) shares 10 “bests!”

Best Catch

No player has matched “The Catch” by Willie Mays. He made it in game one of the 1954 World Series.

Sentence Fluency Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “personal bests” paragraph. Remind them to use complete sentences. After the pages are edited, make a class book!

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Abby (the) Librarian.

Literacy Links

Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.