A Peek at my Week

Again this week I'm going to give you a quick look at my week. Some day I hope to post it before the week has begun. One can dream, right?? (For more info on "A Peek at my Week", check out Jennifer's blog .)

I'm being quite ambitious with this project but am giving it a try, and so far, the kids seem to be really enjoying it and doing okay with it. We are reading the novel Out of My Mind, and in an attempt to get them reading some nonfiction and to get them make some connections with the novel, I've created a 'biography blogging' project. Students can choose between OJ Brigance and Stephen Hawking and then given pre-selected articles, interviews, and texts on him. (Both OJ and Stephen have ALS and have limitations and challenges very similar to the main character in the novel). After reading and taking notes, students write a blog entry (minimum 2 paragraphs) about OJ/Stephen's challenges and successes. They must write in complete sentences, include an introduction and conclusion sentence, and include the theme. I'll let you know how it turns out. But yes, my 5th graders are reading Stephen Hawking! How is that for rigorous texts, Common Core? (He just published a brand new autobiography/memoir called A Short History which is a little easier to read and understand although it is NOT all child appropriate.)

 This week I'll be starting A Long Way from Chicago (by Richard Peck) with my GT group. Since we've been reading a collection of short memoirs, I'm excited to get them reading some fun & happy fiction. (Memoirs tend to be quit depressing. They keep begging me to read something happy :))