Tag: reading activities

Dare the Wind

September 11, 2015

Title: Dare the Wind: The Record-Breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud
Written by: Tracey Fern
Illustrated by: Emily Arnold McCully
Margaret Ferguson Books, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2014
Biography
Suitable for ages: 5-8, (independent 8-12)
Lexile: AD880 (AD=Adult Directed)
Themes/topics: history, women, courage

Opening: Ellen Prentiss had always felt the sea tug at her heart, strong as a full-moon tide. Her papa said that was because she was born with saltwater in her veins. While other girls spent their days stitching samplers and sweeping floors, Ellen spent her days at the shore in Marblehead, Massachusetts. She chased the waves. She raced the wind. She watched great sailing ships skim over wide endless water. And she dreamed of living her life at sea and catching her share of adventure.

Brief synopsis: (from my library catalog) Ellen Prentiss’s papa said she was born with saltwater in her veins, so he gave her sailing lessons and taught her how to navigate. As soon as she met a man who loved sailing like she did, she married him. When her husband was given command of a clipper ship custom-made to travel quickly, she knew that they would need every bit of its speed for their maiden voyage: out of New York City, down around the tip of Cape Horn, and into San Francisco, where the Gold Rush was well under way. In a time when few women even accompanied their husbands onboard, Ellen Prentiss navigated their ship to set the world record for speed along that route.

Links to resources:
Activity Page posted on Teacher/Parent Resource Page.
Several resources for further reading are listed in the Author’s Note.

Why I like this book: The illustrations set the scene beautifully, and the text flows with rich figurative language. The reader feels Ellen’s internal conflict when she must balance the drive to win and the safety of the crew. She is a risk-taker whose studies pay off in the battle with the roiling sea. There’s nothing like a hearty sea adventure, eh-matey? … More Dare the Wind

Mesmerized

September 4, 2015

I’m happy to join Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Fridays. Along with a number of other children’s writers/bloggers, I’ll be posting a recommendation for a picture book each Friday. PPBF is a great resource for parents, teachers and gift-givers. Here is today’s offering:

Title: Mesmerized
Written by: Mara Rockliff
Illustrated by: Iacopo Bruno
Candlewick, 2015, non-fiction
Suitable for ages: 6-9, grades 1-4
Lexile: 690L
Themes/topics: science, history, investigation
… More Mesmerized

Fancy Words – Building Children’s Vocabularies

August 14, 2015

One of the questions that often comes up among writers of children’s books concerns the use of higher level vocabulary.

Whether a child is a native English speaker or is learning English as a second language, he/she needs exposure to rich, varied and challenging language. Children acquire most words through their daily encounters, using context to understand meaning. But acquiring a new word is not automatic. They must be engaged and interested.

So for all the writers – YES! Use some fancy words. They’re fun!

Vocabulary learning is crucial to reading comprehension and success in school. The keys to expanding a child’s vocabulary are

multiple purposeful exposures,
explicit instruction,
interactive activities,
acquiring strategies and
opportunities to use new words.
I’ll leave you with some great VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES for the CLASSROOM on my Parent/Teacher Resource page, and two sources on vocabulary instruction – one focused on the research and the other modeling instruction during a read-aloud.

A Review of the Current Research on Vocabulary Instruction from the National Reading Technical Assistance Center, RMC Research Corporation, 2010

“Bridging the Vocabulary Gap: What the Research Tells Us about Vocabulary Instruction in Early Childhood” from Young Children, July (2010): 84-91. National Association for the Education of Young Children. … More Fancy Words – Building Children’s Vocabularies

Hokey Pokey

August 8, 2015

So many books, so little time. I’ll be posting recommendations for picture books as a part of Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Fridays (resuming in September), but also want to share some great middle grade books as well.

Because I loved my years with those irresistible middle schoolers, let’s start off with a special middle grade novel – Jerry Spinelli’s Hokey Pokey. It might stretch the joys of summer break juuuust a little bit longer. Spinelli creates a world that is pure fun, populated with a cast of characters that will touch the heart.

For writers, it’s a great example of “world building” and full of lessons on craft.

In the classroom, the rich language offers opportunities to explore literary skills, and multiple themes invite critical thinking. Readers will easily connect the text to themselves and the world. With its high interest level, struggling readers and English Language Learners (ELLs) who may need a more accessible reading level will find it enjoyable and relevant.

And…. As a thank you for coming along with me as I start this online reading and writing journey, I’d like to offer a FREE LITERATURE UNIT for this novel on my TEACHER/PARENT RESOURCE PAGE. Please share this with anyone who might be interested.
… More Hokey Pokey