Laura+B.

=Book Summaries:= Name___Laura Bloomfield___

1. Book Title__: The Hunger Games__

2. Author: Suzanne Collins

3. Date of Publication:2008

4. What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. This book is about a nation named Panem, in North America, in the future. There are 12 districts that run across the area where the United States used to be. The citizens of these districts are tightly controlled in every way by an entity called "The Capitol". Civil rights and basic human needs are not necessarily high on the list of priorities of the ruling body. In order to maintain control, basically through fear, there is a contest each year which pulls two children from each district, requiring them to fight to the death, both as a form of entertainment and control. This story tells of this process thought the eyes of sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen.

5. How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title? The story could be paralleled to any class or caste system that currently or formerly existed. Another form of government could be compared and contrasted, listing strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons of each. Debates could be held, taking sides.

6. Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. 1. How does the system of government used in the story compare to the caste system used in countries such as India?

2. What basic human rights are being neglected in District 12? Using United States history as a guide, how could the citizens go about changing this?

3.If you were Katniss would you have made an alliance with Rue? tell why or why not.

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Name __Laura Bloomfield___

1. Book Title: __They Never Came Back__

2. Author: Caroline Cooney

3. Date of Publication: 2010

4. What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. This book is about a girl named Cathy Ferris who is a 15 year old foster child because her parents fled the country five ears earlier due to a financial scam that caused them to loose millions of dollars for their clients. The girl, whose actual name was Murielle Lyman, had lost her parents as well as herself through her five years without them. On a whim she takes a summer school class in the same town that she had lived with her parents and her long lost cousin Tommy, finds her.

5. How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title? A teacher could use graphic organizers to compare and contrast Murielle and Cathy. Discussions and debates could be held to support facts/ opinions about what Cathy should do. Predictions could be made and supported (or not). An additional chapter could be written about what happens next for Murielle.

6. Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. 1. If you were Cathy would you have tried to find your parents earlier? Why or why not? Knowing what you know about technology, what might have been a good way to do so?

2. Write a script of the conversation that Murielle and her aunt may have had at their lunch at the end of the book.

3. At the end of the book, Murielle lists forgiveness, family and self as three riches she possesses. List three riches that you feel you possess. Tell why you feel these are important and how they help to define you as a person.

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Name___Laura Bloomfield___

1. Book Title: __The Help__

__2__. Author: Kathryn Stockett

3. Date of Publication: 2009

4. What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. This book is about three woman who become unlikely friends through a writing project designed to expose the positive and the negative sides of being a domestic helper in the South during the 1960s. Skeeter is the newly graduated socially elite caucasian who sees a social need and wants to address it somewhat naively, and Minnie and Aibileen are two domestic workers that Skeeter encourages to join her in this project. Through the process we learn of the day to day tribulations, and joys of being a maid in Jackson, Mississippi. Risking their own personal well being, they work together to write the book and ending up starting the process of change in their community.

5. How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title?

This book could be used as a close up view of how the laws of the time impacted the citizens of the United States in their daily lives and why the Civil Rights Movement was necessary. A factual study of the time line of historical events could be studied at the same time.

6. Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book.

1. Many of the laws that were in place were based on fear and hate. What were some of these laws? What changes were noted in these laws in this book? 2. What were the differences in the "rules" within the African American community between the male and female characters? 3. Write a brief outline for the next chapter in this book from one of the characters point of view. Include changes, either positive or negative that you think might have occurred following the publishing of Skeeter's book.

Name___Laura Bloomfield___

1. Book Title: __If The Witness Lied____

2. Author: Caroline Cooney

3. Date of Publication: 2009

4. What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words.

The four Fountain children have been ripped apart due to the untimely death of their mother, from cancer, and a freakish car accident that kills their father soon after. Unable to deal with the aftermath, the two Fountain daughters hide from their grief by moving away from the house. The oldest brother Jack stays in the home to care for the youngest brother, Tristan, who has been blamed for the accident that killed his dad. When a money hungry, fame frenzied aunt, seeks to sell the story to the press, the three oldest children come together to figure out what really happened to their dad. In the process they learn to love each other again and come back together as a family, minus their money hungry aunt, who, after all, was the cause of the death, which was no accident.

5. How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title?


 * Discussions of the ways that grief can cripple a persons ability to function in the real world or ways that different people deal differently with death could be held. This might facilitate connection to self if children have had or witnessed this type of experience.
 * The topic of the public's obsession with reality television could be explored. What will some people do for fame? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Research could explore these ideas. Opinion pieces could be written for or against such documentation. Is it OK to do it for money if it supports the family financially? What is too much- when do you cross the line? What shows presently on television cross the line?
 * Higher level students could research whether the legal questions that were brought up in the book are factual or not. Would the findings stand up in a court of law?

6. Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book.


 * How did the use of technology help the Fountain children to make a case against Aunt Cheryl? Would this is possible in your world? Tell how.
 * Would you be willing to die for the life of your child? Tell what factors you would consider when making your decision. Did you agree or disagree with Mrs. Fountain's decision? Tell why.
 * Do you think this was a good title for the story? Did it give away too much of the plot? Tell why or why not. Suggest a different tile and discuss why it is a better choice.

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__Name__ Laura Bloomfield

__1. Book Title:__ Heaven Is For Real__

2. Author: Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

3. Date of Publication: 2010

4. What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words.

This book is an account of the events that come after a small boy dies for a very few minutes while on the operating table. His parents figure this out through a series of comments and discussions with their young son following his illness and recovery. From the discussions and the patient conversation style of his parents they piece together the details to conclude that their son has indeed been to heaven, met God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and in the process has learned much about the workings of the world and of heaven.

5. How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title?

It could be used to discuss thoughts and notions that each of us have about heaven; why we feel/think that way; whether these thoughts and feelings are fact based or perception based; research could be done to support or refute Colton's experiences, or compare them to other such experiences.

6. Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book.


 * Childlike faith is often referenced in this book. What examples of childlike faith can you recount from the book? From your life? Why is childlike faith important in our world?
 * When Colton prays for a rainbow he receives it. His childlike faith has him expect that he will receive that for which he asks. Do you believe in "ask and you will receive"? If so discuss how this could be a powerful gift when dealing with day to day life. Discuss the comment from Todd Burpo on page 109 when he says "We had a lot to learn from our son." What could we all learn from Colton?
 * Colton describes what Pop looks like and how he acts in heaven. Describe how someone from your life would look and act in heaven.