Molly+Blackburn


 * 1) Book Title The Invention of Hugo Cabret


 * 1) Genre Hybrid Book


 * 1) Author Brain Selznick


 * 1) Date of Publication 2007


 * 1) Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! If you are writing about a collection of stories or poems, you need to talk specifically about 2-3 of the selections in the book. (4 pts.)

This book is a neat beginning in a series of three books. In the book, a young boy and girl work together solving the mystery of a robot like thing. He is left alone after his father and his uncle dies. The story is set in the 30’s in an old train station, where he maintains the clocks. Together they end up finding a secret that was lost for a long time. The book is split into parts so that it tells multiple stories.

Overall, I liked the plot and the pictures were well drawn. However, this format of having half text half pictures was hard for me to really get into. I can see why kids would like it, but I don’t think I will be reading the other books in the trio.
 * 1) What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (4 pts.).

1. What differences were there in the book between the time era of the 1930’s and now? 2. If you could create a picture for the robot to draw, what would it be and why? 3. If you have seen the movie, how do you think it compares to the book?
 * 1) Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. This week, I want you to write questions strictly //for discussion// here – not project ideas (you’ll see why below). (6 pts)

8. How can you see this book being used in the curriculum? For what grade level would it be most appropriate? Give a specific example of how you as a teacher might use the book as part of the taught curriculum. What specifically would you use it to teach and what would you have students do with it? (7 pts.)

I could see the book being used in an upper elementary classroom, especially with reluctant readers. The vocabulary is not very hard, but a teacher might need to preteach some of the 1930’s vocabulary for younger students. I would have the students read it as a genre study book for personal reading. I would use it for teaching chronological order, inferencing and predictions.

Nonfiction Selection:


 * 1) The Called Themselves the K.K.K


 * 1) nonfiction


 * 1) Susan Campbell


 * 1) 2010


 * 1) This book went into detail about the six men who created the K.K.K. It goes into detail about how the name was created and where the original meeting house was. Full explanations of the dress robes, positions of power and the destruction they caused keep the book moving on. There are a few pictures, but they are mostly black and white or drawings. Many of the accounts in the book are first hand accounts of the prejudice of that time.


 * 1) I really like the first hand accounts that were written in the Southern dialect. I didn’t like how the book was really about the K.K.K before the 60’s, because that is the part of history that I like.


 * 1) What forms of prejudice do you see happening at school? In the community?
 * 2) What would you have done if your father and grandfather were part of the K.K.K? Would you have joined? How would your life have been different?
 * 3) If you could talk to a K.K.K member to give them some advice, what would you suggest to them?

Comprehension Activity: Timeline:

Students will use TimeRime.com to create their own timeline for the story. Expectations: Students will put on ten of the main events of the K.K.K. history. They must have at least three pictures uploaded to the site and 3 “eras”. Students can use the tutorial on the site if they have not used the program before (it is very easy).Students must save their work online and then present to the class.

Historical Fic.


 * The link to my YOUTUBE video for this book is at this address:**[| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq0Vgt1YZRk]


 * 1) Book Title (1 pt.) A Long Walk to Water


 * 1) Genre: Historical Fiction


 * 1) Author (1 pt.) Linda Sue Park


 * 1) Date of Publication (1 pt.) 2010


 * 1) Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (4 pts.)

This book has two stories going on. The cool thing is that they are written in two different colored texts, so students should be easily able to understand them. The first story is about a girl who must walk twice a day to a pond to get muddy water for her family. This takes her literally all day long and she must carry the water on her head! Eventually, people come to help her village, and try to make life easier for the people who live there. The second story is about a boy named Salva who sees the terrors of the Sudanese war. He travels all over Africa in search of his family and a peaceful place to live. He is placed with an American family in New York after living in refugee camps for years. He dreams of going back to Africa to help the people of his home country.

I liked how the two stories come together at the end. I couldn’t believe how much this boy went through! The story was very fast paced and kept me turning pages. I didn’t like that in some parts it seemed like the book went too fast, kind of skipping over parts that I would have liked to known more about. It was a fast read, it took less that two hours from cover to cover.
 * 1) What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (4 pts).

What differences would people notice between Sudan and Nebrask if they were brought here from a refugee camp? The conflict between the Neur tribe and the Dinka tribe is evident in this story. What groups of people in your life have a conflict with someone else? If you could give back to a community like Salva, what would you do to help people?
 * 1) Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts)

Comprehension Activity: I created a sixty – check it out at: http://www.stixy.com/guest/187831

Science Fiction Lit:


 * 1) Book Title (1 pt.) Epitaph Road


 * 1) Genre: Science Fiction


 * 1) Author (1 pt.) David Patneaude


 * 1) Date of Publication (1 pt.) 2010


 * 1) Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (3 pts.)

My book was Epitaph Road by David Patneaude At the beginning of the book, it flashes back thirty years to when a family is out camping in the woods together. This is a mom, a sister (Paige) and a brother (Charlie). While they are out camping, they hear through the radio that over 90% of males in the world have died from an airborne virus that targets only their chromosomes. This family survives by continuing to live outdoors for over a month. Then, the setting flashes to present day (somewhere in the future). Kellen is one boy who is surrounded by women. Women have taken control of every aspect of the government and changed the world for the better. Men are now viewed as suspicious and can't be trusted. The women have set laws so that men cannot rule the world again. Kellen finds out that his dad is going to be in the town where the virus will be released again. He goes on a journey to warn his dad, but ends up finding out new information about the virus and the government.

I give this book three thumbs up! It kept me interested with the way the world had changed as women had taken control. It really got me thinking about what life would be like with few men. I dislike that there is no sequel!
 * 1) What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (3 pts.)

What do you think the world would be like after a major pandemic like Elisha’s Bear? What do you think would change if women ran the world instead of men? How would middle school be different if there was only two or three males in the whole school?
 * 1) Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts)

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 * 1) Book Title: Star Crossed


 * 1) Genre: Fantasy


 * 1) Elizabeth C. Bunce


 * 1) Published in 2010


 * 1) Write a brief summary of the book you read without giving away the ending! (3 pts.)

Star Crossed by Elizabeth Bunce is about a 16 year old girl who is always on the run from “Greenmen”, the police of her part of her world. They are always looking for people who practice magic so that they can take them to the Inquisition. After Digger, Celyn to everyone else, loses her lover, Tegan, in a robbery, she is on the run! She meets up with a group of young nobels and becomes friends with them. When she arrives at there home, she realizes that she can have a lot of fun there. Until someone finds out her past…

What did you like about the book? What did you dislike? (3 pts.)

I liked that the “fantast” vocabulary was pretty easy to understand, even when you could only guess what it meant. I honestly disliked the whole book, I’m not a fantasy fan and it was like torture getting through it. I can see how middle schoolers would like it however.

Write three essential (higher level thinking) questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. (6 pts) 1. The “Greenmen” torture those who do magic. Think of a time in history when people have tortured other people because they didn’t understand their ways and discuss with your group. 2. What would you do if you were Digger and had to escape from the Greenmen? 3. What might be an alternate ending to Digger’s adventure?

Newspaper article: Bounty for Thief! The Greenmen Society of Gerse is now offering a bounty of 25 crowns to the fugitive that accompanied Mr. Tegan. According to the Greenman involved, “This fugitive is a small, female teenager who is dangerous. She practices Sarist, so beware!” This fugitive and Tegan attempted a robbery and caused harm to a Greenman. She was last seen fleeing the scene by the docks of Gerse. This mystery woman is thought of to be outside the waters of Gerse. Please inform the Greenmen Society of any tips so this Sarist can be taken to the Inquistion!

I really liked how I learned realistic information throughout the book. Smith added a lot of information about “real” cryptids that people talk about currently. Another thing that I liked is that the brother and sister got along so well with each other. They really love each other, which is not something you usually see in YA literature. I think it really emphasizes family values.
 * Book Title: Cryptid Hunters
 * Genre: Adventure-Survival
 * Author: Roland Smith
 * Date of Publication: 2005
 * What did you like about the book? What did you dislike?

I didn’t like how there was a lot of violence. I can see how it would appeal to a younger audience, but it wasn’t for me. I do wish that there was a sequel though, because it was a pretty good book. I would recommend this book to any middle schooler who likes adventure/survival books. It also uses a lot of humor, which might draw boys into it.

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

1. This book is mainly about animals that most of society thinks are fake. Discuss what you think about cryptids. Could they be real? Why?

2. In the book, Noah Blackwood and his team of hunters break rules about capturing and killing endangered animals. They do this to put the animals on display at the zoo or in display on the wall. Why is this not ethical? What or who does this effect? What are the ramifications of their actions?

3. Marty and Grace seem to be able to survive the Congo with little effort because of their summer camp experiences. What would you be able to do if you were put in the same situation? How would you survive? Who would you want to bring with you and why?

Comprehension Activity: (15 pts).

Choose five artifacts that you believe represent the main character of your novel (or one of the main characters in your novel) and provide an explanation for choosing each. Avoid making all obvious choices, but instead, get creative and think outside the box!

Artifact #1 – Whoppee Cusion I chose this because Marty is a big joker. He likes to play practical jokes on everyone, especially Grace and his headmaster.

Artifact #2 – The heart the lion got off of The Wizard of Oz I chose this because Grace concurs her fears when she reaches the Congo. She becomes courageous and stops fainting.

Artifact #3 – A stuffed animal cow I chose this because Luther and Marty once stole a cow from the local dairy farm and kept it in their dorm room for over two months.

Artifact #4 – P90X t-shirt I chose this because Laurel goes through the jungle without much effort. Travis notices this and comments on it. She really lead them through the Congo.

Artifact #5 – A manual for fixing up cars/planes I chose this because Travis seems to need this on his island. Both his plane, ship and humvee seem to have issues. He doesn’t have funding until the next summer, so he needs to do some DIY work on his vehicles.

= = = = =Novel Assignments:= Peak

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Roland Smith

September 2007

A young boy named Peak lives with his mom, step-dad, and twin sisters in New York. He comes from a family that loves to mountain climb. He gets caught climbing a skyscraper, and as a punishment, is sent to live with his dad in Tibet. Together, Peak and his dad attempt to get Peak up to the summit of Mt. Everest before Peak’s birthday, which would make Peak the youngest person to make it to the top.

I liked that this book dealt with real life issues, such as an absent father, living in a blended family and the idea that there are still people enslaved in other countries. As I read the book, I could tell that boys would really get into it because there is so much action and typical teenage feelings they could relate to. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I even recommended it to my social studies teacher on my team because she teaches a unit on Mt. Everest.

A. Should a child be placed in the care of a parent that they have never met? Discuss this from your point of view. Then discuss this from Peak's point of view. Finally, discuss this from Peak's mom's point of view and the judge's point of view. B. In the 21st century, there are still people who are slaves. What do you think about this? What human rights should all people have? Does slavery violate any of these rights? C. In the book, Sunjo and Peak compete to be the youngest person on the summit. Why do you think that Peak would make the decision to let Sunjo win the race? Would you have let Sunjo win? Why?

Here is the fakebook account for Peak.