Previous by Date | Next by Date | Date Index
Previous by Thread | Next by Thread
| Thread Index
| LM_NET
Archive
| |
Last week I posted a request for short chapters from books that I could read aloud to my 3rd and 4th graders in about 10-15 minutes that would whet their appetites enough to seek out the book or the series on their own. Of course this great group came to my rescue as usual and gave me quite a few ideas. Thank you to all of you!! Here is a hit ... As before, I will start off with my favorite, which is found in the introduction to Gary Paulsen's "My Life in Dog Years" in the section where he describes how he went through the ice one day while unloading his dog sled, and was saved by his lead dog, Cookie. By the time I finish reading this section there isn't a sound in the room, and the books fly off the self afterward. Some of my favorites: Squeaky Wheel by Robert Kimmel Smith, chapt. 6, "Meet Phil Steinkraus" ,where he meets the school bully. Don't Make Me Smile by Barbara Park, Chapter 1 where he realizes his fly was unzipped during a concert Anastasia Krupnik, by Lois Lowry, Chapter 1, page 7 to 13, when Anastasia gets an F on a poem she has written. The Great Brain at the Academy (John Fitsgerald). Chapter 5 "From Bad to Worse" where Tom has to peel potatoes as a punishment. It gets that whole Great Brain series going. These have worked great for me: Holes by Sachar The Graduation of Jake Moon by Park Pictures of Hollis Woods by Giff Among the Hidden by Haddix Wayside School is Falling Down by Sachar Because of Winn-Dixie by DiCamillo Maniac Magee by Spinelli The Power of Un by Etchemendy Watsons Go to Birmingham - first chapter where the brother's tongue sticks to the frozen rear view mirror of the family car. Fair Weather - just about any chapter after the kids get to Chicago. Dancing in Cadillac Light - chapter 1 is a good hook but also an example of excellent narrative writing: lots of specific details about characters and setting and good hints about plot. Even though Roald Dahl books usually do not require a lot of "selling", I talk briefly about Roald's life from his book "Boy". My favorite passage is when Roald and friends sneak a dead mouse into the candy jar at the candy store owned by a mean old lady. The kids love it! First 3 pages of What Jamie Saw. The part in chapter 1 where the father has a heart attack while driving with his daughter in Italy. I always book talk Gordon Korman's book titled "I Want To Go Home" to the grade four class each fall. I read them the letter the main character writes home to his parents, trying to convince them to come and get him from summer camp. I typed the letter onto a piece of paper so it looks like a real letter. The letter that I read is on page 23. To hook those reluctant 4th grade readers who are below grade level, I read the first chapter of Cam Janson and the Stolen Diamonds to them. Now I can't seem to keep any of the Cam Janson books in. For the ones that are on grade level, they seem to be gravitating towards Encyclopedia Brown. I have often read the first two paragraphs of Phillip Pullman's _Ruby in the Smoke_ as an example of a great "hook" when teaching writing. In this section, the young woman is described, her arrival at the offices of the shipping agent are noted, and she enters the building where, "in the next fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man." The first 2 chapters of BudNot Buddy. First chapter explains his situation, the second chapter ends with Bud being locked for the night in a dark shed. A real cliff hanger! My kids love anything scary or gross, so try the first chapter of Skeleton Man by Bruchac. Also from Gary Paulsen, in GUTS (his biography), the chapter called Moose Attack. Betsy Byars, PINBALLS, the chapter that tells how Henry's Dad drove over his legs and broke both of them (reason Henry is in foster care). Bud Not Buddy, the chapter in the beginning that tells of his early foster care experience when the family's bully son tries to push a pencil up Buddy's nose. Watson Go to Birmingham, the early chapter that describes their family life (very funny). I like the chapter from "The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963" about Byron and the Nazi Parachutes of Death (not exact title but easy enough to find the correct chapter.) 13-year-old Byron has been prohibited from playing with matches and does so anyway in the bathroom lighting toilet paper "parachutes" until his mother catches him and threatens him within an inch of his life: all seen through the eyes of the narrator--his 10 year-old brother. It is one of the incidents that precipitates the family trip to Birmingham so Grandma can finally straighten Byron out. A very funny chapter and the humor of that and several other chapters hooks the kids enough so that they empathize with the black family and the chapter of terror they go through when they are involved in the infamous Birmingham church bombing that killed 3 girls in 1963. To introduce kids that don't know Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and her marvelous cures for the maladies that strike children such as "never-want-to-go-to-bedders", or "small-eater-tiny-bite-takers", one of the shorter to read chapters is "The Radish Cure" from the first Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle book about a girl who doesn't want to take a bath. ANY of the chapters in "A Long Way From Chicago" are great, but the one about Grandma Dowdel entering her gooseberry pie in the pie contest at the county fair and "winning" the airplane ride (the scene from the cover of the book) is wonderful: a young boy finding out his feisty grandmother is not above cheating--but for a good cause--her grandson (and her!) winning the ride of a lifetime in a bi-plane. Or one of the first chapters from Jack Gantos' "Jack on the Tracks" where 5th grader Jack and his Dad stop at a truck stop and Dad proceeds to eat the giant steak to win a free meal. One of my favorite things I do each year with 5th grade is to introduce them to Avi as an author. I do a booktalk on at least 8 of his books, but my favorite has to be The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. If you can get the library or classroom dark enough, the following has a great effect on the kids: Set a candle in a holder that has a handle, light the candle and set it on a stool with the students sitting on the floor in front of it. Explain first what the ship Charlotte was on would have been like, especially the hold of the ship down below. Read the following from pages 58-59 in Charlotte Doyle: "After a moment the man said, "All right, miss. I'll leave you with the candle. You won't go into the hold now, will you?" "I shall be fine, Mr. Barlow," I declared. "please leave me." So engrossed was I in my exploration of my trunk that I ceased paying him any attention. Only vaguely did I hear him retreat and ascend the ladder. But when I was sure he was gone I did turn about. He had set the candle on the floor near where the ladder led further into the hold. Though the flame flickered in a draft, I was satisfied it would burn awhile. I turned back to my trunk. As I knelt there, making the difficult but delicious choice between this petticoat and that- searching for a book suitable for reading to the crew as the captain had suggested- the sensation crept upon me that there was something else hovering about, a presence, if you will, something I could not define. At first I tried to ignore the feeling, But no matter how much I tried it could not be denied. Of course it was not exactly quiet down below. No place on a ship is. There were the everlasting creaks and groans. I could hear the sloshing of the bilge water in the hold, and the rustling of all I preferred not to put a name to- such as the rats Barlow had mentioned. But within moments I was absolutely certain- though how I knew I cannot tell- that it was a person who was watching me. As this realization took hold, I froze in terror (act this part out). Then slowly I lifted my head and stared before me over the lid of the trunk. As far as I could see, no one was there. My eyes swept to the right. No one. To the left. Again, nothing. There was but one other place to look, behind. Just the thought brought a prickle to the back of my neck until, with sudden panic, I whirled impulsively about. There, jutting up from the hole through which the hold might be reached, was a grinning head, its eyes fixed right on me. I shrieked. The next moment the candle went out and I was plunged into utter darkness (blow the candle out)." This passage has never failed to get kids so excited about this book that the 3 copies I have are on hold for the rest of the year. I also go further in explaining a bit more about the book and the situation Charlotte finds herself in, without giving away any pertinent information. How about the second chapter of Soup by Peck...the one with the apple throwing and breaking the church window! My kids really enjoy this. Frindle by Andrew Clements "Mrs. Granger knew it too. She had edged around from the back of the room to the side near the windows. Nick glanced at her now and then as he read and each time Mrs. Granger's eyes clicked up to an new power level. There were only 10 minutes left in seventh period." My contribution would be the first chaper of Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. I read it to a class of fourth graders, and we went on to read the entire book in library-one chapter a week. Wind in the Willows "[Mole] thought his happiness was complete when, as he meandered aimlessly along, suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river. Never in his life had he seen a river before--this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were caught and held again." Such is the cautious, agreeable Mole's first introduction to the river and the Life Adventurous. Emerging from his home at Mole End one spring, his whole world changes when he hooks up with the good-natured, boat-loving Water Rat, the boastful Toad of Toad Hall, the society- hating Badger who lives in the frightening Wild Wood, and countless other mostly well- meaning creatures. Michael Hague's exquisitely detailed, breathtaking color illustrations on almost every generous spread--along with Kenneth Grahame's elegant, delightfully old-fashioned characterizations of the animals--make this book a wonderful read-aloud. Grahame's The Wind in the Willows has enchanted readers for four generations. I always read the first couple of chapters of Micke Harte was Here(with 5th graders)...up to the part where she says he not here any more, he died...I think it is the end of chapter 2....EVERYONE goes to check it out......I also read the first chapter of Wayside School ...the one called Miss Gorf..where she turns the kids into apples....I do that with 4th graders... I like to book talk the Hoboken Chicken Emergency by D. Manus Pinkwater. I do this one before Thanksgiving. It's Thanksgiving and the boy in the story has been sent to pick up the turkey. He arrives home with a 123 kilogram chicken. I read the passage on page 8 starting with "Everbody noticed the chicken as Arthur led it home." and continue to the end of page 9. I have a rubber chicken that I use when I'm book talking this story. I like to read Chapter 10 of "Bud Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis, where Bud is given a ride by a doctor who has bottles of blood in his car and he is terrified because he thinks he is a vampire .... the kids love it and always want to check out the book. I'm doing this from home without the book handy, but in the book Bud Not Buddy, the section that tells about Bud hitch hiking with a man he becomes convinced is a vampire is sure to hook them with laughs. I believe it is chapter 3. I've used it a number of times and the book never stays on the shelf afterward. I am in the process of creating a website with books arranged by grade level. Maybe you will find something there. http://www.bookwink.com Encyclodepia Brown has a book called "Solves it all" which has several cases in it, so you could read one of the cases and suggestion more E. Brown titles. Also, Space Brat by Bruce Coville DragonSLayers Academy by Kate McMullan Two series from Michigan with enough suspense and intrigue for this age level are Johnathan Rand's Michigan Chillers or American Chillers books. Also David Anthony and Charles David write a series of medieval books call Knightscares. Both can be obtained online from their websites. Chapters usually end in cliffhangers. I have also read bits of The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Cleary, Molly Moon by Georgia Byng, Jake Drake by Clements, and Animal Ark by Baglio. Please post a hit of your responses. I had asked for this a few years ago and didn't get too much response. Now, as I go back and search the archives, I see many new possibilities. We use the terms Book Hooks/Cliff Hangers/Book Bites/Page Turners. One of my favorites is from The Beaded Moccasins (was on our state list several years ago). Close to the beginning (maybe the second chapter) there is a fairly graphic scene that definitely catches the audiences attention when the girl's brother is taken into the woods and scalped - you have to read the whole thing to appreciate the book Hi. Sideways stories from Wayside School by Sachar has 1-page chapters! Its sequels have ones that are a little bit longer. I love to read the chapter, I think "Joe", from Louis Sachar's Sideways School. It is about counting and is just the best. Have you tried The SOS Files, or Best Christmas Pageant Ever? Any of the books by Kate Di Camillo will work for read alouds. They are written perfectly for a chapter by chapter read. They are all excellent. I can't think of a better one for third grade than _Edward Tulane_. After you get them through the first three chapters (all set up and character introduction)you students will be enthralled. I am studying to be a librarian so I subscribed as part of a class requirement. I have taught fourth grade forever. Here are some books my classes have loved: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume The Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler ( the Fonz!) Because of Winn Dixie The Magic Tree House series Sarah, Plain and Tall ( one of my favorites) anything by Beverly Cleary anything by Barbara Robinson Frindle...Andrew Clements The Landry News...same author Kathy Marceski Teacher Librarian Van Holten School Bridgewater, NJ Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/ * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------