ajohnston
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Early in the novel, Bud talks about how much he’s been through over the years, and he tells the reader that “his eyes don’t cry no more”. However, at the end of Chapter 14, Bud starts to cry despite his best efforts to control it and hide his emotions. Why do you think Bud cried [...]
Title: Underwater “Indiana Jones” trying to save the oceans Source: BBC News, October 16, 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15330457 Who: Enric Sala, a Spanish marine biologist What: Sala is trying to study the behavior of ocean animals and save many of them from extinction. He says only 1% of the world’s oceans are protected, and he thinks at least 20% should be protected. Right now, [...]
I asked my students today to write down a book they recommend I read over Spring Break. It looks like I’ve got a lot of good reading to do over the next week! Take a look at what each student recommended: The Hunger Games – Sellers, Kate , William, Lele, Sasha, Matthew Sisterhood of the [...]
In Homeless Bird, by Gloria Whelen, we follow the main character, Koly, as she enters an arranged marriage at the age of 13. This is a very unfamiliar practice to most American children because it is not part of our everyday culture. After reading the first two chapters of Homeless Bird, what cultural differences have [...]
Throughout the novel, Hollis longs for a home and a family. She does things she doesn’t want to do, like go to school, to help protect Josie, and she constantly thinks back on her time with the Regans as the closest she’s ever gotten to being part of a family. How do you think Hollis [...]
Over the course of the novel, Jess and Leslie bond over their secret world, Terabithia. Why do you think they created Terabithia in the first place? What does it represent for them? Why is it such an appealing place for Jess and Leslie to go? Do you have a place, secret or not, where you [...]
In the first three chapters of Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson introduces us to Jess and his family. As the only boy sandwiched between 4 sisters, Jess seems to feel his family treats him differently than they treat the girls. On the contrary, Jess seems to find peace when running or spending time with Miss Edmunds. [...]
In Pictures of Hollis Woods, Patricia Reilly Giff alternates between the present time in Hollis’s life and memories from her past. In her flashbacks, or “pictures”, we start to learn more about where Hollis came from and how she has become the person she is presently. What have you been able to learn about Hollis [...]
TIPS FOR FINDING CURRENT EVENTS: Kid friendly news sites: The New York Times blog for kids: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/ Time for Kids: http://timeforkids.com/ PBS for kids: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/ Weekly Reader: http://www.weeklyreader.com/subcategory/74 Smithsonian Mag: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/?source=kidscastle.si.edu DOGO News: http://www.dogonews.com/ Nick News: http://news.nick.com/ Additional tips: Before you start reading the first article you come across, check the length. Is it something [...]
Miss Walker shared the video below with the 5th grade teachers, and I wanted to pass it along to you. It’s a funny video made by a teenager not too much older than you. Take a look at the video and share your reaction. What do you think he means by “first world problems”? A [...]
