Jodene+A.

=Book Summaries:=

What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words.
== Thirteen-year-old Alcatraz Smedry receives a mysterious birthday package which unfolds a twisted web of family and events. He realizes that his gift of sand holds the key to deciphering the Forgotten Language only after coming to terms with his Smedry Talent of breaking things. His new life as an oculator leads him to the new family and a constant battle with the Librarians in an attempt to save the Free Kingdoms. ==

I would use this to teach point of view and figurative language on the literary side as well as word choice and voice on the writing side.
== I think that this book lends itself well to journal writing about events and making predictions about the nature of certain characters in the book. There is also a wealth of vocabulary and connections between fact and fiction that could be tapped into. ==

What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words.
== A Mormon German, Helmuth, longs to be part of the celebration bringing Hitler into power. This longing was soon turned into hatred towards the leader and his government. Helmuth decided to do something about the oppression all of Germany faced under Hitler’s rule by creating propaganda that denounced the Nazis. Will this be a decision that costs him his life? ==

How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title?
== As we study World War II and the Holocaust, many student wonder about how Hitler could have been so well-followed. This book explains how the Nazi government so skillfully shut off contact with the outside world for all Germans. ==

What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words.
== Many people are unaware of how the Ku Klux Klan came to be. This book details the people and events leading up to its birth as well as chronicles the path of hate the group followed. It shows how Klansmen warranted their behaviors and actions as acts of upholding the laws of the United States of America. ==

How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title?
== I’m not sure that I would have students read this independently as the vocabulary and readability would be too difficult for many of my sixth grade students. I would use it as a supplement to our discussions in social studies as we start the school year with the Reconstruction. It provides much more detail than a textbook ever will. ==

2) Why were many Klansmen allowed to be free after committing heinous crimes or even pardoned by President Ulysses S. Grant? Explain your theory.
== 3) There are many significant events in the civil rights movement either directly or indirectly involving the KKK. Which event do you think was the biggest “blow” to the longevity of the Klan? Explain. ==

What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words.
== Q. and his new step-sister, Angela, find that a trip across the country with their famous singing parents in quite an adventure. They spend much of their time wondering who is “good” and who is “bad” in their attempt to find out if Angela’s mother, who was in the Secret Service, is still alive despite proof of her death. Boone turns out to be a key player in these events. ==

I would use this to teach foreshadowing as well as author’s perspective. I would also use the opportunity to teach suspense in writing as well as transitions between writing pieces.
== Because of the italicized writing to tell events that are happening with the Mossad, introducing perspective would be fitting. I also think that predictions and inferences would be important daily discussions. ==

What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words.
== Finn, an awkward and isolated teenager, finds his inner-handsome with the help of the house sitter next door. Johanna takes care of Finn and his friend Matthew emotionally while they care for her physically as she battles breast cancer. Johanna, one woman, helped Finn find not only himself, but a family that was no longer “a family of men”. ==

How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title?
== Teaching young adolescents poses a challenge every day. Sometimes, or a lot of times, they are trying to figure out who they are during some very awkward and confusing times. I think this book connects with kids who need a little self-confidence. ==