Book Club 4: Argument & Procedural

Argument

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the argument genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Along with that, it’s a good idea to provide books that allow student to gain an understanding of background information pertaining to the concept.

Barry, F. (2010). Let’s save the animals. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

1^st grade

www.walker.co.uk

            The major themes in this book are animals and endangered species.  In my opinion, the best part of this book is the awesome pictures!  It’s hard to use words to describe them that let you visualize how cool they are, but the pictures alone make this book worth checking out.  Quality of the pictures will certainly grab the attention of students.  Furthermore, I love the “animal flap” within this book that students can lift up and discover more information about the animals or subject being discussed on that page.  Connections to national and global issues within this book are the discussion on endangered species since this is a problem affecting countries all over the world.  Students will need little assistance when reading this book due to the simplicity of the concepts and text within this book.

Soltis, S., & Kolar, B. (2011). Nothing like a puffin. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

1^st/2^nd grade

www.juniorlibraryguild.com

            Within this book, the major themes appear to be puffins, penguins, and the concept of comparing and contrasting.  Just like the previous book, the pictures within this book are really fun to look at because of the bright colors used to illustrate this book.  Text format also adds to this book as well because it’s a good size for younger students and is easy for them to understand while reading.  An added bonus to this book is the idea that it can be used as a book that introduces students to the concept of comparing and contrasting.  No connections to issues appeared to be present within this text.  The only support I feel students may need while reading this book would be the comparisons the author makes throughout the book.

Procedural

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the procedural genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Along with that, it’s a good idea to provide books that allow student to gain an understanding of how to complete a process.

Knight, B. T. (1997). From cow to ice cream: A photo essay. New York: Children’s Press.

3^rd grade independent, Kindergarten-2^nd grade interest

Lexile 710L

            The major concepts within this book include ice cream and how to turn milk into ice cream.  Pictures

www.betterworldbooks.com

within this book are realistic because they are photographs. Additionally, pictures are large and go along with the basic text very well.  Text describing the process of turning milk to ice cream is given in a step-by-step process and easy for students to understand.  Connections to any type of issues were not present, but the text talks about a process that occurs in other countries around the world.  Students who have never experienced life on a farm may struggle to make a connection with cows or any of the process that takes place on a farm.  Otherwise, students will need little assistance to understand this text.

Thelen, T. (n.d.). Victimproof: How I learned to overcome bullying.

5^th grade/Middle school

www.amazon.com

            The major theme present in this book is bullying.  One thing I really liked about this book is that each chapter provides a guide for discussion; this would be a great tool to use in the classroom if a teacher is using the book for a read aloud.  This discussion guide provides good questions to generate discussions on bullying.  Great information is provided to students in various formats throughout the book to strengthen their knowledge on bullying.  One area I feel that some students might need support with this book is the vocabulary used throughout the book.

Book Club 7: Environmental Texts & Textbooks

Environmental Texts

 

blogging2.humanities.manchester.ac.uk

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the environmental genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Science Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards as well.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could use to increase the knowledge of the concept being discussed.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Third, I chose books that would provide students with background knowledge of a concept that they would need prior to diving too far into a unit.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.

Collard, S. B., & Brickman, R. (2005). One night in the Coral Sea. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

5^th grade, 4^th-8^th grade interest level

www.independent.com

            Themes covered throughout this book include mass spawning, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, creatures/species living within the reef, and species reproduction in coral.  This book is awesome to look through because the pictures are extremely bright and thoroughly detailed that the students can develop a visual picture of what the reef looks like.  Additionally, labels are provided on almost every picture to help students identify what the picture is to push their understanding even further.  A glossary is provided in the back for words that are bolded throughout the book to help students learn words that may be new terms to them.  A connection that students can make within this book is sea life.  The only assistance students will need in this text is with the pronunciation of terms; some students might need help understanding the concept of spawning as well.

Stewart, M., Young, A.M., & Wong, N. (2013). No monkeys, no chocolate. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

3-4 independent, K-2 read aloud

Lexile 740L

www.amazon.com

Major themes that appear throughout this book include cocoa beans, the rain forest, and animal relationships with crop production.  This book provides readers with fun pictures to keep students interested while they are reading.  My favorite part of this book are the “book worms” that appear in the bottom corner ever every page because they provide students with additional content about the concepts within the book, as well as pose questions that get students thinking deeper about the content.  Furthermore, this book provides students with some humor to make the book more enjoyable to read.  One connection that students can make to a global issue within this book is the concept of the rain forest.  Little support will be needed for students throughout the book, however, younger students might need some support for some of the concepts.

Textbooks

www.utexas.edu

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the concept genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards, as well as the standards for the subject the book is being used for, somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.

Everyday mathematics (Common Core state standards ed.). (2012). Chicago, Ill.: Wright Group/McGraw-Hill Education.

1^st Grade

www.mheonline.com

            This math book’s theme for this volume is numbers, patterns, place value, and basic facts.  A few things that were helpful within this textbook include picture representations and bright colors because these tend to help students with concepts like math.  Furthermore, the layout of the textbook was laid our fairly well, for being a textbook.  Even better is the fact that this textbook provided an abundance of resources for teachers to use.  There really weren't any connections for students to make with issues in this text.  Support students will need when using this book is teacher guidance to show students “how to read” the textbook and through the introduction of concepts within the book.

Sharpe, P., Clark, A., & Kanter, P. F. (2009). Math in focus. Singapore math. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Education.

Kindergarten

heartsathomestore.com

           This math textbook covers the concepts of shapes, comparing, sorting, matching, ordering, and counting.  Some things that are good for kindergartners in this textbook are similar to the 1^st grade math book: fun pictures, bright colors, good descriptions for students of the concepts, and short and precise directions for students to follow.  Furthermore, this book also provides an abundance of resources for the teacher to use, specifically ones that they can use to make copies for students.  There really weren't any connections for students to make with issues in this text.  Support students will need when using this book is teacher guidance to show students “how to read” the textbook and through the introduction of concepts within the book.

Book Club 6: Concept Books & Magazines

Concept Books

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the concept genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards, as well as the standards for the subject the book is being used for, somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Along with that, it’s a good idea to provide books that allow student to gain an understanding of the concept the book is discussing from a different perspective than the textbook is providing them.

Barish, W. (n.d.). First Discovery Book: Butterflies.

2^nd grade

www.goodreads.com

            Major themes that were presented in this book were butterflies, caterpillars, and the life cycle from caterpillar to butterfly.  One quality of the book that is noteworthy is the transparent pages because it allows students to be more interactive within the book.  These pages allow students to see gradual changes over time.  Furthermore, the bright colors and minimal amount of text throughout the book make the book more enjoyable for students to read.  No connections to issues were available for students to make, other than for them to learn about a concept that is present in many places around the world.  Students will need little assistance while reading this book.

Hausherr, R. (1994). What food is this?. New York: Scholastic.

4^th Grade, Kindergarten-2^nd grade interest level

Lexile 790L

www.amazon.com

            The themes that are consistent within this book are nutrition, food, and health.  One thing that is great about this book is that there is very little text on each page.  Another thing I really liked about this book is that each concept or idea begins by asking a question to get students thinking.  To go along with these ideas, this book provides fun pictures for students to look at and a glossary in the back to make it easier for students to understand what the meaning of words are that they might not know.  The biggest connection to issues anywhere around the world within this book is health.  Since this book is set up to be an introductory book and provides great explanations over concepts, students would probably need little support while reading this book.

Magazine

fauquiercountylibrarynews.blogspot.com

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the magazine genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards, as well as the standards for the subject the book is being used for, somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Along with that, it’s a good idea to provide books that allow student to gain an understanding of the concept the book is discussing from a different perspective than the textbook is providing them.

(2014, March) National Geographic Kids

3^rd/4^th grade

www.barnesandnoble.com

            This volume of National Geographic discusses animals, twin panda bears, and landscapes throughout the magazine.  The pictures within this magazine are extremely fun to look at because they are pictures of real animals and landscapes.  With real pictures throughout the magazine, students are more likely to remain engaged while reading the magazine.  Additionally, bright colors draw students’ attention to various parts on each page.  The information presented throughout the entire magazine is interesting and attention grabbing information that is sure to keep them interested.  Connections that students can make for issues around the world include the life of animals.  Little support will be needed for students while reading this magazine; however, students of lower reading levels may need help with some of the vocabulary terms.

Pumped!, 2, 24. Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pv

2^nd-4^th grade

From Pumped!

            The major themes in this magazine release of Pumped! were health and nutrition.  One thing that makes this magazine fun and attention grabbing is the bright colors used consistently throughout the magazine.  This magazine has good pictures that provide good visuals for students.  Additionally, this magazine reveals interesting facts for students about health and nutrition.  Students will be engaged throughout this magazine through the activities throughout the magazine.  Health and nutrition are both connections that students could make to issues everywhere because they continue to remain a growing problem around the globe.  Students who lack background knowledge of the concepts within the magazine may need some assistance when looking through this magazine; otherwise, students will need little assistance while looking through the magazine.

Book Club 5: Action and Adventure & How-To

Action & Adventure

 

www.jasonnazar.com

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the action and adventure genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.

Janeczko, P. B. (2010). The dark game: True spy stories. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

High School reading level, 5th-8th interested level

Lexile 1200L

hudsonarealibrary.org

            Within this book, the major themes are various wars throughout U.S. history and personal experience through a spy’s outlook and experience of events.  The part I like most about this book is that students get an inside look about various wars that they wouldn't get by using a textbook.  Descriptions about so many aspects of war and personal experience through multiple time periods give the students a great outlook into things many of them will never experience in their life time.  I feel this will engage students easily.  Since this book discusses multiple wars throughout history, many different global connections can be made through this aspect, between the U.S. and other countries.  Due to the high reading level of this book, some students may have a difficult time with the vocabulary use throughout the book.

Sweeny, J., & Cable, A. (1998). Me and my place in space. New York: Crown.

3^rd grade, Kindergarten-3^rd grade interest

Lexile 570L

mcdonaldobservatory.org

            The big themes within this book are space and the important pieces within our universe: the solar Me and My Body this book has fun pictures.  Additionally, the author does an excellent job setting up this book, just like her others.  The illustrator does a great job showing details in her pictures, providing the student with a great visual experience while reading this book.  There are no connections for students to make with issues, but they do have the opportunity to learn about a concept that is a global concept.  Students will need little support when reading this book, when used at grade level, because it is a great book to use as an introduction to space. system, the sun, and the moon.  Just like

How To

Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the how to genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Along with that, it’s a good idea to provide books that allow student to gain an understanding of how to complete a process.

Forman, M. H. (1997). From wax to crayon: A photo essay. New York: Children’s Press.

3^rd grade, Kindergarten-3^rd grade interest

www.abebooks.com

            Major themes within this book include crayons and the crayon making process.  I really liked the pictures within this book because they provide students with the step-by-step process just as much as the text does; they provide excellent visuals of every step within the process for students.  Additionally, very little text is present on each page which is also a good thing for lower elementary.  There were not any connections for students to make to issues around the world.  The only support students might need while reading this book would probably include the names of specific techniques or machines used in the crayon making process.

Valenta, B. (1997). Pop-o-mania: How to create your own pop-ups. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Students of any age

www.alibris.com

            This book focuses on kids being able to create their own stories and pop-up books.  The piece of this book I like the most is that easily grabs students’ interests and attention because most students enjoy pop-up books, at least at a young age.  Additionally, it tries to get students involved in the process of developing their own books and pop-ups.  This book has little text on each page that doesn’t involve descriptions.  To assist the descriptions of each project, pictures and examples are provided for students to see a visual representation.  No connections with issues are present for students within this book.  Younger students may need assistance when it comes to understand how to put the bits and pieces of this project together.

Book Club 3: Journals & Memoirs

Journals

www.eastgate.com

When looking for books that fell under the journal genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Along with that, it’s a good idea to provide books that allow student to gain an understanding of background information pertaining to the concept.

Clark, W., Lewis M., Roop P., Roop, C., & Tanner, T. (1993). Off the map: The journals of Lewis and Clark. New York: Walker and Company.

5^th grade independent, 3^rd-5^th grade interest

Lexile 1000L

www.barnesandnoble.com

            Major themes within this book include Lewis and Clark and the development of America.  One of the qualities of this book that I liked was that it appeared to be a fairly easy read.  The text in this book was larger than typical chapter books.  In addition, the pictures within this book assist students in their understanding of the content.  Furthermore, the maps provided in the front and the back of the book provide additional tools for students’ assistance in picturing their travels.  Although there aren’t specifically issues within the book, this book does give students an idea of the struggles these two encountered throughout their journey across uncharted territory.  For students who don’t have background knowledge of Lewis and Clark, they might need some support with background knowledge for these two while reading the book.  Otherwise students reading at a fifth grade level will be able to read with little support.

Solhiem, J., & James, S. (2010). Born yesterday: The diary of a young journalist. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

2^nd grade independent

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            The major themes within this book are journal entries and life experiences of babies.  One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the pictures.  They were bright colored and provided some humor

without even reading the text.  Just as the pictures add humor, the text within the books provides humor to the book as well.  Because humor is used in this book, students have a strong chance of remaining interested in the book.  Additionally, this book is a great resource for helping students get an idea of what a journal is and how it’s formatted.  This book does not have any connections to any types of issues.  Support students might need would be vocabulary for students of a lower reading level than second grade.

Memoir

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When looking for books that fell under the memoir genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  Furthermore, I felt it was important that the books I chose met the Iowa Common Core Standards for the subject they were being used for as well, such as social studies.  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as those who enjoy reading.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Along with that, it’s a good idea to provide books that allow student to gain an understanding of background information pertaining to the concept.

Hillman, L. (2005). I will plant you a lilac tree: A memoir of a Schindler’s list survivor. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

High School Independent reading

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            Major themes within this book include the Holocaust, concentration camps, and WWII.  Although this book is at an independent level for high school students, I feel that this book would still be able to be used as a read aloud for fifth grade and middle school students because it provides some good information and an inside look of a person who went through the Holocaust.  The pages within this book are small and contain large text.  From a read aloud stand point for elementary, the text is easy to understand if students have the proper prior knowledge to understand the concepts.  Furthermore, this book makes connections between global issues: the Holocaust and WWII.  If this book is used as a read aloud for elementary, students will most likely need support while reading this book due to the vocabulary used throughout the book.

Marx, T., & Karp, C. (2000). One boy from Kosovo. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.

4^th-5^th grade

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            One Boy from Kosovo features the main themes of refuges, violence in foreign countries, and the country of Kosovo.  This book features real pictures that also have captions that provide additional understandings of the concepts depicted through the pictures.  Furthermore, this book has large texts that

provide pronunciations within the text for words students may not understand or know.  Additionally, this book provides background knowledge about the country of Kosovo before it went into discussing the boy’s life.  Global issues that students can create a connection with include violence in the Middle East.  Since this book provides background knowledge about Kosovo, students might only need support when it comes to the discussion on violence in the Middle East.

Book Club 2: Biography/Autobiography & Social Studies

Biography/Autobiography

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Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the biography/autobiography genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  Additionally, texts should meet the Common Core standards for whatever discipline the text is being used for, such as Social Studies.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students, or possibly be used for students’ personal reading.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.  Lastly, I chose books that would provide students with alternative views of how we see things from our past about specific people and how they impacted our world today; these would be different views that students would gather from our textbooks.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as all students in my classroom.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.  Furthermore, I feel incorporating these books are great tools to help our students find someone who truly impacted our nation’s history.

Bridges, R. (1999). Through my eyes. New York: Scholastic Press.

5^th grade independent, 3^rd-5^th interest level

Lexile 860L

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            Just like the Rosa book, the major themes within this book are the Civil Rights Movement, discrimination, integration, segregation, and racism.  Due to the concepts covered within this book, this is part of the reason the grade level is where it is.  I loved this book because of some of the qualities of it:

excellent, realistic pictures and the very descriptive details about the events that occurred in our nation’s past.  Additionally, this book provides some different perspectives than students would get if teachers were to use just the textbook.  Just as we have learned in social studies, the major themes of this book connect to local, national, and global issues that we continue to see in places all over the world today.  If students have little prior knowledge of the main themes within this book, they may need some assistance in order to understand the information being presented within this book.

Giovanni, N., & Collier, B. (2005). Rosa. New York: Henry Holt.

5^th Grade independent, 3-5 interest level

Lexile 900L

us.macmillan.com

            Rosa has major themes covering the concepts of the Civil Rights Movement, racism, and racial discrimination.  This book has some very detailed pictures that allow students to get a strong idea of the

information the author is describing in the text.  Text for this book is brief but it provides excellent information about the themes within this book.  These detailed pictures and brief text are great for maintaining student interest over the information within the book.  Just as we have learned in social studies, the major themes of this book connect to local, national, and global issues that we continue to see in places all over the world today.  Depending on the grade level this book is used for, students will need little support from their teacher.

Social Studies

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Genre Study

When looking for books that fell under the social studies genre, it was very important that these books met the Iowa Common Core Social Studies Standards are met, as well as the Literacy Standards somewhere along the lines of the grade level the book is being used for.  This is important because information within the book will help cover some of the standards that we as teachers are required to meet with our instruction; it is important we take advantage of tools and resources that help us meet these standards!  This is because books I chose would be used for either a read aloud or shared reading with my students, or possibly be used for students’ personal reading.  Also, I plan to have the books placed somewhere within my classroom in a place where students will be able to look through the book on their own.  Any time a book is used, it is important to find books that help students work on the skills that they are required to develop based on the Iowa Common Core Standards.  Some other qualities I looked for within the books I chose to look for were pictures and graphics that appealed to the students, as well as quality information that enhanced student learning and were presented in a way they could easily understand.  Lastly, I chose books that would provide students with alternative views of how we see things from our past; these would be different views that students would gather from our textbooks.

While choosing books, I really wanted to focus on books that would have multiple uses within my classroom because I felt it would enhance the information I was presenting to my students.  Also, I felt it would serve as additional resources students could be used to look at problem solving.  With these ideas in mind, I looked for books I felt would be good for read alouds, shared reading, or individual reading for my students.  Second, I looked for books that would challenge my students’ independent level of reading, for my students who read at grade level.  However, there were some books I chose that would challenge my students who were at the lower levels of reading because it is always important to provide resources for students of every reading level within my classroom.  Lastly, and one of the most important things, I chose books that I thought would grab the attention of my students who don’t enjoy reading, as well as all students in my classroom.  These students continuously struggle to find books they like the read, so it is very important that we find books that allow them to develop an interest in a concept so they can continue to practice and develop important reading strategies.

Melmed, L. K., & Lessac, F. (2003). Capital!: Washington D.C. from A to Z. New York: HarperCollins.

5^th grade independent, 3^rd-5^th grade interest level

Lexile 960L

www.aph.org

            Major themes within this book include the nation’s capital, national monuments, and major events in

the U.S. history.  This book provides some great facts about the United States for students learning about the capital.  Pictures and text are aimed at grade level appropriate students; this means that students are likely to remain interested in the book.  Although this book does not related to national issues, however, it provides students with an abundance of information pertaining to the nation’s capital and its history.  For students younger than fifth grade, students may need some support while reading the text within this book in order to comprehend what they read.  Students who are reading at the fifth grade reading level will need little assistance when reading this book.

Robertson, J. J. (2011). My community. Vero Beach, FL.: Rourke Pub.

Kindergarten/1^st grade

            This book presents the major themes of community, jobs, and culture.  Just like many of the other books we brought to our book club, this book has great pictures, excellent descriptions, and excellent resources for kindergarten social studies.  If I ever teach at the kindergarten grade level, I would certainly want to incorporate this book into my social studies classroom.  My Community doesn’t present connections to issues, but this book does show aspects of students’ lives by discussing people within their community.  Students at the kindergarten grade level will need assistance reading the book; students reading at the first grade reading level should be able to read it by the end of the school year.