The Classroom Library Magazine Better Books by Classroom Library Company

NO. 01 OCT/NOV/DEC 2013 $5.95

The Issue All About Informational Texts

BetterBOOKS

30+

Book Reviews!

plus 18 great product reviews to beautify and simplify your life

3 biG Ideas for your classroom library

Periodic Table of the Common Core from Common Core Toolkit Copyright ÂŠ 2013 Burkins and Yaris

Cite Evidence

Big Picture

1 R

Support Claims

1 W

1 L

2 SL Fix It Up

Clear and Coherent

3 W Evaluate Speaker

3 SL

4 W

Enhance Presentations

Understand Word Relationships

4 L

How Reading Works

4 SL

Unlock Word Meaning

3 L

Writing Process

Communicate Ideas Clearly

Look at the Content

2 L

Text Structure

4 R

Tell Good Stories

2 W

1 SL

Word Choice

3 R

Mulitmedia

Measure Your Words

2 R

Convey Complex Ideas

Really Collaborate

Things Change

Sounds in Words

1 F

Periodic Table of the Common Core from Common Core Toolkit by Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris

Point of View Matters

Mulitmedia

6 R 21st Century Writing

Believe It or Not

7 R Research to Understand

6 W

Link Ideas Across Texts

8 R Information

7 W

Read to Think

9 R

Draw Evidence

8 W

Write Routinely

9 W

Adapt Speech

Collect Words

Building Blocks

3 F

Words in Motion

Periodic Table of the Common Core from Common Core Toolkit by Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris

10. Editor’s Note

From The Cover!

Senior Director Ben Conn Executive Editor Jan Burkins Art, Layout, & Design Anna LeBer

Jumping Penguins by Jesse Goossens (Lemniscaat, 2013)

Editor Bridget Walsh

Award winning illustrator Marije Tolman teams up with noted nonfiction author Jesse Goossens to create this informational text that is interesting to read and delightful to look at closely. Each spread takes a different animal--camel, sloth, chameleon, caterpillar--and offers a fascinating piece of information. Did you know that even a blind chameleon takes on the color of its surroundings? Or that a sloth moves so slowly it grows algae on its fur? The illustrations take the information a step further, integrating fact and whimsey. This is a book that children want to read over and over again--especially the part about the caterpillar throwing it’s poop! This is not your average book of random facts, but an illuminated dictionary that requires much thinking to understand the ways the illustrations and the text connect.

Assistant Editor Rachel Watkins Writer Jamie D’Angelo Book Researcher Melissa Posten Produced by Classroom Library Company 3901 Union Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63115 P: 888-318-2665 F: 877-716-8086 www.classroomlibrary company.com

44. Moving Beyond Interesting Facts by Franki Sibberson

76. Not Your Average Informational Texts

80. Finding Research Topics in a Fiction Thriller A Review & Preview of Kate Messner’s Wake Up Missing

84. The Really, Really Unique Snowflake By Barry Lane

18. Simplify

12.

Some Cool Ways to De-stress Your Life

Product Reviews 5

An Interview with Meghan McCarthy 28.

24.

The Whole Teacher: Mindful Teacher Tune Up Set the Tone In Your Classroom

48.

A “Close Reading” in Science Class: In Search of Explanations

The Art of Information 72.

38.

Shedding Some Light on Informational Texts:

56.

The 6 Expository Text Structures

3 Ideas for Rethinking Your Classroom Library

Letter from the Editor Giving Yourself a Time out When Ben Conn first told me about this magazine project and asked if I was interested in taking it on, I was hesitant. I was nervous about developing a magazine that was produced by someone else; I didn’t want to find myself knee-deep in production only to learn than my hands were tied when it came to creative decisions or that advertising or marketing decisions would drive the magazine’s content. I’m so glad I decided to take the risk! Because giving creative, passionate people a platform for sharing the ideas that excite them most is something that makes me very, very happy, creating BetterBooks has been relentlessly FUN! Developing this magazine has proven to be an unrestricted creative adventure, which has provided opportunities to work with talented and passionate artists, educators, and writers. Our intent has been to create a print resource that marries form and function. We wanted to offer you content that is as beautiful as it is informative and as practical as it is visually compelling. From the ads to the books to the artwork, every “pen” stroke in this magazine, whether print or design elements, was lovingly created. In this, our inaugural issue, we are thrilled to bring you an interview with the unconventional and inspiring author/illustrator Meghan McCarthy, a collection of images created by artist Anna E. Leber that illustrate the six expository text structures, and more than thirty reviews of the very best in informational text offerings. Our contributors include classroom teachers, such as Franki Sibberson and Steve Peterson, and consultants who work closely with teachers and students, such as Barry Lane and Laura Hoffman. Our hope is that the time you spend reading BetterBooks, will pay for itself, whether by helping you find resources and tools that save you time or simply by providing you a refreshing “time-out.” We are honored to build this magazine for you and hope that it brings you joy.

Jan Burkins Executive Editor

Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. -Groucho marx

Product Reviews Too Cool for School? 1 2

3 4

We think so. You work hard inside the classroom and out. Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to treat yourself. These too-cool-forschool accessories for the home and on-thego will appeal to your inner bookworm, or your outer bookworm (for those of you who have embraced your book nerd status). Treat yourself, share with a friend, or add even more flair to your classroom environment.

1 I Love Books Pocket-Sized, Eco-Friendly Notebooks

As teachers, parents, spouses, and individuals--gosh darn it!-it’s sometimes hard to remember the details of our day, much less details from last Saturday. Write things down in eco-conscious style with these travel-sized notebooks made from 100% recycled paper and remember the important details of your day. Each eco-friendly pad has a clever book-lover cover, with phrases like “Keep Calm and Read On” and “My To Read List.” These book-lover-meets-earth-lover mini-notebooks are great for jotting down that beautiful line of poetry you can’t afford to forget or for quickly scribbling tomorrow’s grocery list. I Love Books Pocket-Sized Notebooks are a handy and earth-friendly way to remember the things that might otherwise slip your mind. Notebooks are 3 ½ by 5 inches with 32 pages, a cover, and lined interior. They are sold in packs of three: one for you and two for your favorite friends, or, and we highly recommend this, keep all three for yourself.

Thoughts come in all shapes and sizes, so why do we limit ourselves to linear ideas written between the lines? Connect the Thoughts, a play a play of words, of course, for “connect the dots,” is a guided-journal for all ages, kids and grownups alike. What’s special about this journal is that it encourages creative uses of mixed-media to capture ideas, moments, and emotions. It’s one part journal, one part scrapbook, and one part art project. Quirky questions grouped in ten categories run throughout the book to inspire contemplation about everything from inside jokes with friends to designing a map. Creative thinkers will love developing the perfect time capsule of their life moment-by-moment. It’s so cool, we kinda sorta (ok, really truly) want one for ourselves.

100% Recycled White Paper Order from gibbs-smith.com.

Connect the Thoughts Journal staff favorite

Connect the Thoughts, a Journal, $12.95 Order from chroniclebooks.com.

9 designs 3 book set, $9.99

3 Totes for Carrying All Those Books!

4 Songbirds Sticky Notes

5 Inspirational List Pad staff favorite

As book-lovers, we’ve all had that purse, or murse (a.k.a. man purse), that was too small to fit the books we absolutely needed to carry around that day. So annoying! These natural cotton totes for book-lovers, by publisher Gibbs Smith, are spacious, witty and durable enough to accommodate all of your book-toting needs. Plus each bag features a clever book-loving phrase, a well-known literary character, or a book title, such as Wuthering Heights or Pride and Prejudice. So go ahead, treat yourself to a massive haul of library books, while sporting your favorite book from classic literature. Totes are 14” wide by 15 ½” tall, with a 22” handle. Customized totes are also available.

Say goodbye to plain ol’ sticky notes, and hello to this beautiful collection of stationery-style stickies designed by artist Betsy Thompson. Not only does the craft-flower, songbird, and sheet-music art make these notes superior to ordinary home office notes, but they range in size, from mini to large, so you can choose the right sticky note to mark the occasion. Keep these notes in your home office, at school (locked in your desk drawer so your students don’t find them), or in your purse (preferably your book-lover’s tote, see above) for impromptu note-taking. Post messages and reminders in style. Each order comes with 8 decorated notes in three sizes for a grand total of 480 stickies, and all are encased in a protective wallet portfolio for easy travel and storage.

If you’re like us, you spend more time than you’d like staring at a computer screen. As lovers of print, we prefer to write things down the good old fashioned way--using the time-tested technology of a pen and a pad of paper--when we get the chance. That goes double for making lists. That’s why we absolutely love Galison’s Make a List Pad with inspirational sayings, like “I can do this. Make things happen” and “Stay on target. One thing at a time.” We were going to make lists anyway, so they might as well be inspiring and remind us not to get overwhelmed. The 3 ¾” by 7” pad features endearing graphics, 6 different full color designs repeated throughout 60 pages, and perforated sheets for easy removal.

$20.00 per tote Order from gibbs-smith.com.

Songbirds Sticky Notes, $10.99 Order from galison.com.

5 designs for different occasions Make a List Pad, $6.99 Order from galison.com

Fun Finds for Kids! Whether it’s in the classroom or at home, you love the little people in your life. Here are six fun activities to help make life a little more exciting for everyone, whether at home or school.

52 Rainy Day Activities, Revised Edition When your outdoor plans for the day are rained out and you’re fed up with playing charades, reach for 52 Rainy Day Activities by Lynn Gordon. Like the box says, the rainy-day blues are now a thing of the past. These imaginative indoor games are disguised as a deck of cards, so they’re extra portable. Ideal for road trips, friend’s houses, and classroom storage, the 52 series also comes in other activity varieties, such as 52 Boredom Busters and 52 Creative Craft Projects. If you’re a classroom teacher, we recommend pulling out 52 activities during unintended downtime or during classroom transitions for hours of fun activities that don’t wear out their novelty. If variety is the spice of life, then the 52 activities series is seriously spicey.

52 Rainy Day Activities, Revised Edition, $6.95 Order from chroniclebooks.com

MoMA My Museum Keep the arts alive in your classroom or home by creating your own art museum! Designed by MoMA’s art educators, this activity pack encourages students to learn about great works of art, create their own interpretations, and curate their own artwork. The packet comes with 6 small-scale reproductions of great works, 4 guided activity sheets to help students find their artistic inspiration (for example, one prompt says, “Vincent van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night was inspired by what the artist saw outside his window. Draw or paint what you see or imagine out your window.”), 24 frame decals to frame student work, and 6 decorate-yourown-frame decals. Turn any refrigerator or classroom into an art gallery to “hang” your masterpieces. MoMA My Museum, $19.99 Order from chroniclebooks.com

Double Draw: Under the Sea What’s not to love about coloring books? They’re a great creative outlet--not to mention they keep kids occupied for hours. Double Draw is a well-made coloring book with a creative twist. Mudpuppy’s Under the Sea opens up in the middle, so kids can flip through split images, mix and match images, or pair half an image with a blank page to draw its mirror image. It’s a coloring book that multiplies the coloring-book-artist’s creative options. Double Draw comes in a variety of themes to suit different interests, including Amazing Insects, Princesses, and Sweet Treats. Each book has 20 cardstock pages with endless possibilities.

Double Draw: Under the Sea, $9.99 Order from galison.com.

Around the World Matching Game

Map of the U.S.A. Jumbo Puzzle This isn’t your average puzzle. When Mudpuppy says, “Jumbo Puzzle,” they mean it. The pieces depicting a colorful map of the 50 states and neighboring countries are, well, JUMBO. In addition, each state has a iconic image representing something about the state drawn onto it. For example, Washington has a cartoon space needle in its boundaries. Introduce your children to the states before a road trip or as a way to spatially relate to relatives or friends in different states. Also, Map of the U.S.A. Jumbo Puzzle can be used in conjunction with 52 Rainy Day Activities, as a way to fill downtime will fun and educational (Shh! Don’t tell the kids.) activities. The pieces are large, the graphics are crisp, and the lessons learned help develop lifelong skills. All Jumbo Puzzles come with a high-quality box and rope handle for traveling convenience.

This is a multicultural twist on a classic matching game. The Around the World Matching Game features representatives from France, Scotland, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Israel, Iraq, and many more countries. The little people in your life will enjoy exploring the globe while honing their concentration, memory and matching skills. As a teacher, you will appreciate this activity for its abundance of teachable moments about world customs, cultures and people. The game set includes 72 matching game pieces that hold hands when arranged side by side in a “festive celebration of global unity,” according to the gamemakers. This game teaches that we can all get along, what better message to send to today’s children? We love the concept behind the Around the World Matching Game, not to mention its beautiful graphics and high-quality pieces. Around the World Matching Game, $14.99 Order from chroniclebooks.com.

Map of the U.S.A. Jumbo Puzzle, $14.99 Order from galison.com. 15

Simplify. Feeling stressed? Finding yourself wondering where you will find the time to do all of the items on that “to do” list that never seems to get shorter? We’ve gathered a collection of digital resources to help lighten your mental load.

Card Gnome Never forget to send a special occasion card again with the genius services at cardgnome.com. This site provides subscribers with multiple options for sending cards to recipients, ranging from $3.99 (+ postage) for a single card to $124.50 (with free postage) for a one-year plan containing 50 cards. How does it work? You simply pay for whichever plan you’d like and then choose from a collection of beautiful cards from more than a dozen categories, ranging from birthdays to congratulations. This is just like shopping in the card aisle at your local drugstore, but without the Muzac and the long lines. Once you personalize your card, you designate a recipient and then schedule a delivery date up to a year in advance. Not only are these cards unique in design--think Etsy for greeting cards--they are also printed on recycled paper. Now that’s stylish and eco-friendly!

www.cardgnome.com

Evernote Keep your busy schedule, your ambitious to-do list, and your endless stream of ideas in check with this amazing service. In a nutshell, Evernote allows you to create lists, “clip” images, websites and videos, doodle messages, organize them in notebooks and save it all to the cloud so you can access your account anytime from any device. You can even share your notes with others. This isn’t simply about saving inspirational images or project tutorials from the web in the hopes that you’ll look at them at a later date. Rather, Evernote is like having an ever-present and always on-task friend with mad organizational skills. The possibilities with Evernote are vast, and their helpful how-to guides will ease you into getting started. The basic service--an understatement--is free, but you can upgrade to a premium version for $45 per year. www.evernote.com

Free Prints What would you do if something were to happened to your phone? If you are overwhelmed by how many of your memories are stored on your phone’s camera, you can breathe a sigh of relief now. With the FreePrints app, you can order prints directly from your phone and have them delivered to your home. No more connecting your phone to your computer and waiting for photos to download. This app not only simplifies life; it’s also wallet-friendly. You get 85 free 4X6 prints each month and can earn more by performing simple tasks, such as sharing FreePrints with your friends on Facebook or Twitter or inviting friends to use the service. There is a minimal shipping charge, and fees for extras, like different sizes or more than your allotted amount of free prints, don’t break the bank. With FreePrints, you can access photos from your phone’s galleries or from social media sites. You can also choose from matte or glossy prints. This free app is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Windows 8. 19

When it comes to meal planning, the folks at emeals truly have their act together. The website saves time and money, while satisfying our basic desire to eat tasty meals. With this service, you don’t have to dread that inevitable question: “What’s for dinner?” Plans start at as little as $5 per month for a one-year plan. You choose your family size and food style, which ranges from Classic to Mediterranean and Portion Control. Based on your preferences, you will receive an email every seven days containing your menu, your recipes, and even a detailed shopping list. The most impressive part is that emeals will pair the shopping list with weekly sales at your favorite grocery store. The only limiting factor here is that their list of grocery stores is not very extensive and may not apply to all regions. Look for the free companion app that allows you to access your menus, recipes and shopping lists on the go. www.emeals.com

Go to Just One More Book!!, a podcast broadcast for all things children’s literature. This website features an extensive collection of podcasts starring a husband and wife duo whose passion for great children’s books, as well as their endearing personalities, shine brightly. Just how much fun is the JOMB! team? Well, you should know that Andrea and Mark record their podcasts from their favorite coffee shop in Canada, so you will hear cups clanking and coffee percolating in the background as they discuss their favorite titles. Explore the many categories they’ve covered, including a nonfiction category, along with the interviews and conversations they’ve had with some of the biggest author and illustrator names in the business. This site is refreshing and gives you the information you need with the added bonus of entertainment. www.justonemorebook.com

Book Retriever Make your classroom into a functional library. The Book Retriever app, for lovers of children’s literature, is about to change how you conduct business in your classroom library. For just $0.99, you can create your own classroom library system that allows you to keep track of the books on your shelves, check books in and out for students, and even communicate with parents to let them know that a book is due. Book Retriever, lovingly referred to as BR by its creators at the Classroom Library Company, is extremely easy to use. You can add books into the system and check them in or out by scanning the ISBN label with your iPhone or iPad camera. They have hundreds of thousands of searchable titles in their database, but if the book you’re scanning doesn’t show up don’t panic. You can enter the information manually to add it to your inventory. This app is addictive. If only we could catalog the rest of our lives in such a manner. Search for Book Retriever in the app store.

Goodreads Gaining access to Goodreads and all of its goodies is as simple as signing up for a free account. Goodreads is a community of readers who like to talk about books. Users can write book reviews and create lists of books that they’ve read, want to read, or are in the process of reading. Whether you’re using the website or its companion app, it’s easy to search for titles, read book reviews and even receive recommendations based on your reading history, habits and books you’ve rated or added to your list. The community of users at Goodreads runs deep, and the site is a great addition to classroom reading. Goodreads helps students find books that interest them, vet possible titles, and think critically about what they are reading. There is even a trivia section where you can take quizzes about books. www.goodreads.com

The Whole Teacher

Mindful Teacher

Tune Up

Set the Tone in Your Classroom

Laura Hoffman

As a teacher, you set the tone of the classroom. The way you do things is as important as what you do. So, it makes good sense that the better in tune you are with yourself the better able you are to set the desired tone for your classroom. It’s like a tune up for an instrument. You have to notice your own tone, and then know how to make various adjustments until you find yourself in a comfortable, harmonious state, or “in tune.” From this tuned up attitude of mindful awareness you are more receptive and attentive to your own thoughts and feelings, and to those of others. Staying in tune is easier said then done, but quite possible if you work at it moment-by-moment. With so much going on personally and professionally, and never enough time to tune in, we can feel overwhelmed, out of control, and stressed out. This burdened state of mind places us in an instinctual fight or flight pattern that is reactionary instead of thoughtfully responsive. The resulting actions and comments are rarely optimal. In fact they can inflame situations, and knowing you could have managed the situation differently, you may also have self-critical thoughts to contend with. The practice of mindfulness gives us tools to be present in the moment, and therefore calmer and better able to respond beneficially in a given situation. What does “present in the moment” mean? It means you are not bringing your emotions and thoughts from the past or of the future to the now. 24

It means bringing awareness to your thoughts and feelings so that you are able to inhibit or pause the intrusion of those that are unnecessary and unhelpful. It means abandoning judgment in favor of attentive awareness. We usually have all kinds of thoughts and feelings that layer our perceptions and reactions in the moment. In other words, we carry baggage into the classroom that we sometimes trip over. Let’s say your classroom is taking a long time to get settled in and you’ve had too much coffee, or are worried about a meeting in the afternoon, or had an argument with your partner. These conditions flavor your mood, and your ability to respond in the moment. The objective is to be receptive to what is occurring now, rather than focused on troubles from the past or projecting worries into the future. To do this, you can we practice being mindful. We understand what being mindless means, that is to act without thought or attention to the ways we impact our surroundings and people. Mindfulness is the reverse. Mindfulness is the act of bringing thoughtfulness and attention to our surroundings and people. We practice mindfulness so that we can more easily return to being in the moment when we notice that we are not being mindful. It’s a funny circle of awareness. Mindfulness is not a state of being we accomplish and check off the list. It is a recurring decision to intentionally engage our attention. It’s a

“recurring decision” precisely because our attention is so frequently interrupted by external and internal stimuli. Mindfulness is intentionally being present in the moment, non-judgmentally, again and again. Mindfulness is a practice because it is not a fixed state of being. The moment you notice that you are not being mindful is in fact the quintessential moment of mindfulness. It is your awareness that you are not being mindful that is most mindful. So don’t fret about “getting it,” or being good at it. Don’t measure how often you are practicing or even if you

practice. Simply practice when you practice. Mindfulness in education means bringing your personal ability to be present into your classroom. It is through intentionally modeling mindful awareness that you share it’s benefits, and encourage your students to practice of self awareness. By developing a mindful culture in your classroom, you are enhancing your students’ capacity for cognitive and social emotional learning.

“Mindfulness is not a state of being we accomplish and check off the list. It is a recurring decision to intentionally engage your attention.” Mindfulness Tune-up: Breathing KNOW

We breathe reflexively and automatically.

PREPARE

Sit or lie comfortably. If you are on a chair, place both feet on the floor hip width apart (probably narrower than you imagine) with your arms and shoulders at ease and your hands resting on your thighs. Whether you’re touching the back of a chair or not allow your spine to have its natural curves gently balanced on your sitting bones. If you’re reclining consider placing your lower legs at a 90 degree angle on a surface, or with a pillow underneath your knees. This will take pressure off your lower back.

FEEL

Notice how your entire body breathes and moves with each inhalation and exhalation.

FOCUS

Focus on an extended exhale and the inhale will happen. Notice your inhalation as it’s happening. Repeat.

Now Try This Tune-up In the Classroom! What’s the first thing you do when you greet or approach a child? What’s the first thing you do while listening to a child’s question?

Mindfully offering your undistracted attention and warm gaze to your students will encourage them to do the same in return. When you address a student with your gaze and undistracted attention you are more likely to get that in return. When asking for their attention you can ‘pay attention’ to yourself: stand with weight evenly on both feet, and notice your breathing. This will lend gravitas to your presence and invite them to join you in your confident calm stance. You can say “ bring what you’re doing to a close and… ,” and then give a direct action such as “return to your desks” or “open your book to page 4.” When you are giving students your attention, truly focus your attention on them. So, later, when you say “pay attention,” you have modeled focusing for them.

Best-Practice Instruction to Launch Common Core Success! Are you creating proficient readers, thoughtful writers, and effective users of language? Flying Start to Literacy™ is a program that includes 228 student books plus supportive teacher materials, organized into seven stages of reading development. Go to flying-start-to-literacy.com to view the program and order a sample to try out in your classroom.

• Paired Books / Connected Texts • Same concepts, vocabulary, and high frequency words in each pair. • Balance of illustrated fiction and photographic informational text. • Wide range of text types: narratives, personal narratives, procedures, explanations, and reports.

orDEr your free sample At myokapi.com or by cAlling 866-652-7436 toDAy!

Winner, Association of Educational Publishers Distinguished Achievement Award

Now with Digital support!

“This is a reading program that will be very interesting to students and very manageable to teachers. The very specific lesson plans, including strategies, phonics elements, etc. will make it easy to facilitate. The program seems easy to use and stays true to the stated objective. The lesson plans are nicely structured and the modular approach is convenient.” ~AEP Judges Panel

42381 Rio Nedo, Temecula, CA 92590 866.652.7436 fax 800.481.5499 or online at myokapi.com ©2013 Flying Start to Literacy logo is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US and used under licence. Okapi logo is a trademark of Okapi Educational Publishing Inc.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.â&#x20AC;? - Soren Kierkegaard

From Earmuffs to Patent Law Bridget Walsh

A Conversation with

Author & illustrator Meghan McCarthy

Meghan McCarthy is the author of Daredevil: the Daring Life of Betty Skelton and ten other fabulous, fiction and nonfiction books for kids. Visit her website (http:// www.meghan-mccarthy.com/ homepage.htm) for more information about current projects.

Delightfully offbeat author/ illustrator Meghan McCarthy sits down to talk about her latest projects, the challenges that come with writing nonfiction, and what it is like to be a nonfiction writer in the Common Core era. Meghan is the award-winning author/illustrator of 11 children’s books, including Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton; Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum; and City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. Meghan’s most recent book, Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton, tells the story of Betty Skelton, a female pioneer in aviation, car racing, astronautics, and other amazing feats. Skelton campaigned hard to admit female pilots into NASA and the Navy. She later became an advertising executive and worked with GM on their print and TV ads. Her

life is truly fascinating, and McCarthy does an excellent job of capturing the courageous, yet charming, spirit of Betty Skelton. Meghan’s next book is about Chester Greenwood and the invention of the earmuff, and, as she tells us, her research has taken her places she never expected to go. Also--fan alert!-is there a graphic novel in Meghan’s future? Our fingers are crossed. I caught up with Meghan on a beautiful, New York afternoon. She sat on a bench in Central Park during our hour-long chat, with the bustle of people and the cooing of birds in the space between questions. Who is your ideal reader? Who do you write for? My ideal reader? My ideal reader is “little me.” I had a lot of trouble paying attention in

A preview of the artwork in Meghan’s upcoming children’s book about Chester Greenwood and the invention of the earmuff.

Four-year-old Meghan.

school. I was the kid who was kind of looking out the window and not paying attention. I remember being held after class a couple times and being yelled at for not paying attention in class. I had a lot of trouble reading, too. I wasn’t a good reader; I’m still not. I could read what I was interested in, but if I wasn’t interested in it I just couldn’t read it at all. I would read the same paragraph over and over and over again and not digest it at all. When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher talked to my parents. She said I had a real attention problem and I should go see a doctor about it. I did, and they diagnosed me with Attention-Deficit Disorder. Then they wanted to

medicate me, and I didn’t want to be on medications. I feel like, if you can get kids excited about a subject, then they’ll want to look it up by themselves. They’ll want to read more about it, and then school will be easier for them. You have a very distinct style of illustration. It’s simple and goofy, but it translates well across space and time. How did you develop your artistic style as an illustrator? Well, I went to RISD [Rhode Island School of Design]. Freshman year I was all about realistic stuff.…Then they had me try all sorts of different styles. Oh, when I first started doing cartoons, I tried doing 29

This is one example of Meghan’s foray into artistic realism in college. We’re just glad she didn’t end up doing art for romance novels.

all different sorts of cartoon-y styles, with different thicknesses of paint. I was still doing the realistic stuff at the same time. I remember one of my teachers said, “Oh, you should do romance novel covers.” I was so turned off. I was like, “Is that what I’m going to be doing? Romance novel covers!?” Honestly, at one point I realized, what’s the point in copying a photo? Why not

just use the photo? I was enjoying doing these cartoons a lot more. It just made me happy, and it made other people happy. It seemed like a fun thing to do. Your most recent book, Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton, can be described as female-centric. Betty was never defined by her relationships with men. How did you choose the details that made it into the book?

Well, she didn’t get married until she was 39, which in that day was pretty unusual. They mostly got married much younger, in their early-twenties. She even mentioned that in her interview, that everyone else was getting married and dating, and she just wasn’t interested in it. That’s why I did that. I don’t think it was something that was important to her.

I wanted to focus on her accomplishments, because that was what was important to her. She met her husband--he was an advertising executive--but that was later. Even in the advertising world, she was a female in a mostly male environment. As I’m sure you’ve heard, the Common Core Standards are a big deal in elementary schools nationwide. Have the Common Core Standards affected you or your writing at all, as a writer of nonfiction? I remember when my new editor sat me down and said, “The Com-

mon Core’s really big. We should think about that.” My answer to that is I don’t plan on changing anything. I’m going to continue to write whatever I want to write, and I’m not going to think about the Common Core. I can’t change the way I write or pick a different topic, that’s not the way it works. Every time an editor has told me, “I think you should write about this topic,” it’s horrible. It just will not work. I really need to be able to pick what interests me. I need to be really into it and really inspired. I think that, so far, the

Common Core has helped me a lot in that I’ve gotten really good responses from teachers. Right. There’s an emphasis on nonfiction with the Common Core. Yes. Exactly. As long as there’s room for creativity in the classroom. The whole teaching-tothe-test thing really bothers me. I think it bothers everyone. Kids like me would have been clearly left behind if everything was test-based.

A painting Meghan did in college.

I heard that you were in Maine recently. Do you mind if I ask what you are working on? I was with my parents on an interesting road trip. Just the three of us. It was work-related. I’m doing a book about the invention of the earmuff. So the guy who everyone thinks invented the earmuff [Chester Greenwood] was born and lived in Maine his whole life. So I went to Maine to get some archived materials, and we hunted down the house where he lived (with my moth-

er’s help because my Dad and I would never find it; we don’t like to stop and ask for directions). It was this really gorgeous, giant yellow house with white trim set back on a hill. So anyway, he didn’t really invent the earmuff; that’s going to be in the book. I researched a lot of patents, and the whole thing started with Chester Greenwood, this person everyone thinks invented the earmuff, who has a

patent that shows up when you search him in newspaper articles. But it says his patent isn’t for the invention, but the improvement of the earmuff. So I started digging, and I found out that the earmuff goes way, way back further in time to before he was born. I’m going to have to explain what patents are to children. I don’t know how that will work, but I think I’m going to give it

“I feel like, if you can get kids excited about a subject, then they’ll want to look it up by themselves.” Meghan created this carving of a pencil while attending Rhode Island School of Design. As you can imagine, she got a lot of attention on her way to class. As a fan of Claes Oldenburg, she tells us that she would love to do more giant object artwork.

A warped painting of Elizabeth Taylor, one of McCarthy’s most recent projects.

a go. I’m actually going to explain what patents are by showing different things that are patented in the book, like Legos, and obviously, an Apple product--the iPhone. I would like to throw pieces in there like Barbie, but when I got the illustration back the designer put a big “NO!” right on top of the Barbie. I can’t do Barbie because it would be too

much of a problem. I said, “Can you just look into that for me? Just in case?” [laughs] Maybe they wouldn’t like it because I would do my own illustration for Barbie which would be with the big eyes. Maybe that would be pushing it too much. At least with the Legos and other things I won’t be doing the big eyes.

What other projects are you working on? So, I’m also working on something about Thomas Edison. I’ve been researching the topic. It’s going to be a graphic novel. I’ve had this idea forever, maybe ten years. It’s going to be about AC versus DC electricity--a sort of Edison versus Westinghouse/Tesla kind of thing. But, you know, there’s a lot of patent stuff in that. Edison was an interesting individual. He was a big marketing guy, that was his talent really... He was like, “Oh,we’ve solved the whole problem with the light bulb. It’s invented now.” He would jump the gun; it wasn’t ready yet. Then he would have to run back to the laboratory, and tell all of his assistants, “Oh, no! You have to hurry up and fix the problem because I already told them it was invented.” He would do that a lot.

I’m also interested in how you decide which facts to use in your children’s books. You have an “Author’s Note” section, in some books, but, ultimately, how do you decide what makes it into the book? Well, I basically gather all the information I can; that’s a preliminary thing. I kind of have this sense about what kids will find the most interesting. I kind of think about what I would have liked to read about when I was a kid. Then I quickly write out the story, and once I’ve written that, then I have to go back and fact check and rewrite the whole thing. It’s really hard to rewrite nonfiction because you can’t just rework it like fiction. You can’t just be like, “Oh, I don’t like this!” because you can’t take something out or add something in. You can’t make changes like that because it would change the facts. I’ve had editors who’ve made changes to the text before asking me, and I’d have to say,”It might sound better this way, but that little change make it un-factual.”

Even as a child Meghan loved to draw. This picture of a Chevy Nova was drawn and dated by “little me” Meghan at the age of five. Drawn with markers and pencil on construction paper medium.

From Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse (Simon & Schuster, 2008):

Underdog racehorse, Seabiscuit [in red],

In a historic moment, Seabiscuit passes War

The “ugly duckling with the lame leg” and

takes the lead from the mighty War Admi-

Admiral, and his jockey, Charley, hence the

the “busted-down jockey,” according to the

ral, in McCarthy’s Seabiscuit the Wonder

well-known phrase “So long, Charley!”

Author’s Note, win the coveted Santa Anita

Horse. Seabiscuit is an example of a under-

Handicap in 1940. McCarthy’s illustration

dog who doesn’t give up, a running theme

captures the excitement of the race.

throughout McCarthy’s work.

A sample, entitled Volvo, from McCarthy’s alliterative series “Cars on Cardboard,” a recent project of hers. In this series, she experiments with painting--you guessed it!--cars on cardboard. As you can see, her artistic style has evolved quite a bit since childhood.

Angela Lee Duckworth defines grit as a type of perseverance that’s hard to teach. Do you think your books model this quality? I think all my characters sort of have that characteristic of not giving up, like Charles Atlas and Betty Skelton and Seabiscuit and Pale Male, probably all of them. There’s a running theme, and the kids notice it, too. They all bring that up, that all of my characters have this quality. It’s kind of like the under dog that wins in the end. You can’t give up--that mentality. It was that way for me in school, too. I didn’t have very good grades for awhile, and my younger sister

she always gets straight A’s. I remember my mom saying, “Oh, why don’t you go to one of those two-year schools?” and I said, “I want to go to RISD,” but I wasn’t sure if I could get into it. Then I did. I want to encourage kids not to give up.

For more information about Meghan McCarthy and her upcoming projects, or to invite her to speak at your school, visit www.meghan-mccarthy.com.

Meghan McCarthy’s most recent book, Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton, tells the story of Betty Skelton, a female pioneer in aviation, car racing, astronautics, and other amazing feats. McCarthy documents Skelton’s life from her first solo flight at age eleven to the car and boat racing she did later in her career. Skelton campaigned hard to admit female pilots into NASA and the Navy. Furthermore, McCarthy intersperses firsthand accounts from interviews with Betty Skelton into the narrative, so the book feels true to its worthy subject. Skelton’s life is fascinating, and McCarthy does an excellent job of capturing the courageous, yet charming, spirit of Betty Skelton.

• Description • Chronology • Procedure • cause/effect • compare/contrast • problem/solution

Shedding Some Light on Informational Text: 3 Ideas for Rethinking Your Classroom Library What is an informational text really? Logically, it seems that it should be any text that you read to find out information. Such a broad definition would sit well with most of the teachers we know, but the authors of the Common Core State Standards want us to be a bit more focused, regardless of whether we agree with them or not. If you haven’t been puzzled by narrative nonfiction’s place in the CCSS universe, you probably haven’t had a chance to dig into the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). If this is the case, we see informational text murky-ness in your future, because the is-this-informational-text-or-not question is inevitable for every classroom teacher in the Common Core era. The Common Core clearly defines informational text as text that Includes biographies and autobiographies; books about history, social studies, science, and the arts; technical texts, including directions, forms, and information displayed in graphs, charts, or maps; and digital sources on a range of topics. So, if the CCSS explicitly defines informational text, then what the heck is so confusing? As you engage in a close reading of the CCSS standards for reading and the related documents, you may notice contradictions. For example, for the most part, the literary standards better fit narrative nonfiction text structures than the informational text standards, although autobiography and biography are included in the informational text definition. In the points below, we speak to some of these contradictions and offer suggestions for selecting informational texts along parameters that will truly give you the required 50/50 split between literary and informational texts, preserving the balance at the heart of the elementary standards.

Idea #1. Do the math. If we are going to understand the 50/50 balance between informational text and literary text, we must first define the term informational text, which is synonymous with expository text. In fact, when you look up expository text in the index of the The Teaching Reading Sourcebook (2008), it says “See informational text” (819). Furthermore, within and beyond the actual standards documents, the authors of the CCSS use the terms expository and informational synonymously. The term expository actually shows up eight times in Appendix A for the ELA standards. Expository text traditionally has five text structures--description, problem/ solution, cause/effect, compare/contrast, and sequence--the last of which actually has two different types, procedural and chronological. The informational text standards for the CCSS list these expository text structures as part of the informational text expectations across the grades, including specifications of both procedural and chronological structures, which actually gives us six, distinct text structures to teach. Understandably, educators across the country are responding to the 50/50 expectations of the CCSS “genre” requirements by teaching more nonfiction. Simultaneously, publishers are working to identify and produce informational texts for supporting Common Core instruction. Much of the energy directed toward nonfiction, however, is around biography and autobiography, as these text structures are the most readily available, not to mention the easiest for students to manage. The CCSS requisite that 50% of instruction come from informational texts, however, does not mean that 50% of instruction should come from narrative fiction while the other 50% comes from narrative nonfiction, such as biographies

and autobiographies. Rather, since biography and autobiography are generally presented in chronological order and chronology is only one of six informational text structures--that is, ⅙ of 50%-then narrative nonfiction should only represent one-twelfth of instructional texts. This means that less than one out of every ten books should be a biography or autobiography, or other nonfiction with a chronological structure! This division also means that 5/12, or almost one half of texts encountered by students, should represent the other informational text structures: description, cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution, and procedural. Basically, we need a lot more informational texts that aren’t narrative!

Try This: These new text demands are presenting a challenge for many of us, as our classroom libraries simply don’t support the required diversity of text structures. Take an inventory of your classroom library. Odds are, you have a lot more narrative than informational text, and your informational texts are heavily weighted towards autobiography and biography. You are not alone, nor are you at fault, as the other text structures are in short supply on the market. (For reviews of books for each informational text structure, see page X.)

Idea #2: Examine the Illustrative Texts To help us select complex texts for classroom instruction, the authors of the CCSS provided sample texts. These books are listed on the Standards Initiative website in a document entitled Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, & Range of Student Reading K-5. Sample texts are categorized by grade and type (literary and informational), and range from Trucks by Donald Crews (1980) to A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder by Walter Wick (1997) (See article page X). The book lists in the CCSS were not intended as curriculum or even as texts that every student in each specified grade should read. In fact, the note at the bottom of the document states, “Given space limitations, the illustrative texts listed above are meant only to show individual titles that are representative of a wide range of topics and genres.” When you study the list of illustrative titles, you will notice that there is only one title that is clearly a biography--The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles (1995)--which is a sample text for grades 2-3. There are other titles that may have biographical or autobiographical elements and are primarily written around a chronological structure, such as, Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca (2009), these titles focus on larger, historical events. Biography simply does not play a central role in the list of illustrative texts from the CCSS. Biography and autobiography, however, represent a huge portion of the books on the market. Given the dominance of biography and autobiography in the informational texts available from publishers, the people who developed the CCSS list of sample texts must have purposely chosen to only include a few, intentionally including more titles that were not biographical. This limited selection of biographical texts among the illustrative titles is further confirmation that we need to build the informational sections of our classroom libraries beyond the limitations of biography and autobiography. In examining the illustrative texts, you may find categorizing actual informational titles tricky. For example, in the CCSS illustrative

text for first grade How People Learned to Fly by Fran Hodgkins and True Kelley (2007), the author includes a lot of text that addresses the reader directly--When you see a bird flying, do you dream about flying too? (p. 5)-- with later pages offering chronology. In the back of the book, there is a detailed timeline and a procedural text about how to build a paper airplane. The hybrid nature of this text could make it very useful for instruction, as well as very appealing to students, even though it makes the book hard to sort into a genre or a reading level.

Try this: If strategy #1, above, showed that the biographies and autobiographies in your classroom library represent a disproportionate amount of the informational text recommended by the CCSS (which is 1/12!) then take your classroom library analysis a step further. Revisit your library and look at the value added content in your biographies, as well as in your other informational texts. Are there author’s notes? Related summaries of content? Narrative timelines? Procedural texts describing experiments or projects? These elements can be hugely useful for your informational text instruction and will probably shift your classroom library back to text type distributions that will better help you meet the expectations of the Common Core. Try reading aloud a biography and then putting the author’s notes under a document camera for the whole class or a shared close reading, and then reread the biography.

Idea #3: Consider the research. The CCSS were developed around a body of research, which is summarized in Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Appendix A has its issues and, consequently, was not adopted by states. Regardless, Appendix A still presents the research upon which the CCSS were developed, whether we like it or not, which means that it is still relevant and informative. Appendix A offers us insight into what the authors of the CCSS were thinking as they decided to include, and not to include, certain instructional topics, for better or for worse. The most prominent Appendix A research cited in reference to students reading informational texts was conducted by Moss and Newton (2002), and it examines the percentage of nonfiction texts used in classrooms. Appendix A makes this reference to the Moss and Newton study: “What is more, students today are asked to read very little expository text—as little as 7 and 15 percent of elementary and middle school instructional reading, for example, is expository” (Hoffman, Sabo, Bliss, & Hoy, 1994; Moss & Newton, 2002; Yopp & Yopp, 2006)–(Appendix A, p. 3) Interestingly, Moss and Newton did not count narrative nonfiction, such as biographies and autobiographies, in their calculations of classroom reading material at all! So, some of the most important CCSS research about informational text did not include any narrative nonfiction. While, we must rely on the literal definition of informational text as it is presented in the CCSS (see above), we might logically conclude that the CCSS authors intended to minimize the roles of biography and autobiography in informational text instruction, since they were responding to research that didn’t include any narrative nonfiction at all. Furthermore, the stated intent of the authors was to help students become “college and career ready,” hence the label “College and Career Ready Standards.” But what does this mean and where did this idea come from? One of the sources of the “College and Career Ready” label was a study of the reading that adults do in their jobs (insert citation) and the conclusion was that what most students are reading in school (particularly ele-

mentary school) looks completely different than what they will need to read as adults. The informational text CCSS shift is towards teaching students how to read texts that look more like what they will probably have to read to get a good job and support their families. One could reasonably argue, and we think the point is valid, that there are many careers that require people to read narrative informational texts, even narrative nonfiction. Students may grow up to be English professors, publishers, historians, novelists, or owners of the independent bookstore in their neighborhoods. (Not to mention the intrinsic benefits of reading narrative, fiction and nonfiction, that we want students to enjoy.) That said, however, these narrative rich professions represent a vast minority of careers. Fortunately, the CCSS do not suggest that elementary students can’t read those books, simply that there needs to be a balance, which requires an increase in text that is information dense.

Try This: Strategy #3 involves looking at the books in your classroom library that are not written with a narrative structure, whether fiction or nonfiction. What does your collection of books with procedural, cause/effect, compare/contrast, or descriptive structures look like? What texts do you have that might mirror the informational text reading more typical for professionals? We are not saying that elementary students need to read manuals of office policy, we are simply suggesting that elementary classroom libraries can better support student proficiency in increasingly dense, informational text. So, gather with some colleagues and see what titles you have or can collectively come up with, paying particular attention to informational texts with structures other than chronological. Visit your school or public library and look for more titles. What do you notice about the collections of books? What do you need to add to your library?

Moss, B., & Newton, E. (2002). An examination of the informational text genre in basal readers. Reading Psychology, 23(1), 1–13. Honig, B., Diamond, L., Gutlohn, L., & Cole, C. L. (2008). Teaching reading sourcebook. Novato, CA: Arena Press.

I have noticed over the past few years that one of the most popular books in our nonfiction library is Weird but True!: 300 Outrageous Facts by National Geographic kids. It is a book filled with 300 weird facts and kids become totally immersed, wanting to share lots of things they discover. I can see the fascination with these books, and I love that they get kids reading nonfiction, but I have noticed that more and more nonfiction books for kids are merely lists of disconnected facts with accompanying photos. Kids who are drawn to books like this are also drawn to books like the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books, which invite skimming and scanning for interesting facts.

Beyond

Moving “Interesting Facts”

Franki Sibberson

After spending 4 years as an elementary librarian, I saw the impact of this kind of reading as students skimmed, scanned, and misinterpreted because they were merely looking for “cool facts.” These books might be a great starting point, but if our kids stick with reading only this kind of nonfiction book, they probably won’t grow as nonfiction readers.

I know that the jump from Weird but True! to The Snake Scientist (Scientists in the Field Series)isn’t going to happen without some transition. I also know that our young readers don’t have as much experience with nonfiction as they do with fiction. So, it’s our job to put quality nonfiction--books that move them as readers--in our classrooms. I have a great collection of nonfiction, but as I watched my students over the last few weeks, I realized I don’t have much that will help my Weird but True! readers transition to more complex books. The jump from Weird but True! to other nonfiction books in the classroom seems to be a bit too big. See, this always happens. My husband doesn’t quite understand, but no matter how many books I begin the year with, there are gaps. There are kids who need different books than those I have in my collection. So again, I am on the lookout to fill those gaps. Right now, I am on the lookout for books that might be an easy transition to get these readers reading a bit more than isolated facts. I know they are not going to go for a book with too much text, so I have to be purposeful in the books I suggest. This week I found two at Cover to Cover that I am hopeful will engage a few of these fact readers.

101 Animal Babies by Melvin and Gilda Berger is not a book I’d normally pick up because it looks similar to Weird but True!. It is a Scholastic book that looks like a lot of books that are out there. But when I opened this one, it looked perfect for a few reasons. Each page features a baby animal with 2 photos of the animal. Accompanying each set of photos is a 9-10 line paragraph about the animal. The font is big and fun enough not to be alarming to readers, and the text is not so long that it will intimidate them. Kids will find very cool facts within the text, but the facts are embedded in a paragraph. And the paragraphs are all related. They are all about animal babies; so lots of natural comparing/contrasting of facts will happen. This book does not need to be read cover to cover, which is another plus for kids transitioning to longer,

Bone Collection: Animals, Written by Rob Scott Colson. Scholastic, 2013

more complex nonfiction. I also thought this would be a great introduction to the ZooBorns blog (www.zooborns.com) and might invite some online reading as well. The other book I picked up (thanks to Beth at Cover to Cover) was Bone Collection: Animals by Rob Colson. The cover of this book will invite readers in as lots of cool skeletons sit on an old journal-type cover. Each two-page spread in this book focuses on an animal, but the pages work together. in that One page focuses on a skeleton, and the next page shows a similar animal in the flesh and compares that animal to the featured skeleton. Each page is filled with short paragraphs of text. Some pages also include photos, notes, labels, etc. A table of contents and index allow kids to jump in where they want, so

they don’t need to read this book cover to cover. However, the introduction lets the reader know that the book is set up to see similarities and differences between animals and then moves us to the human skeleton where we can see how much we have in common with other animals. So this book has lots of ways for readers to enter--they can look for cool facts by reading the short pieces on a page, or they can put information together by reading a few consecutive pages. Lots of opportunities to push a little further as nonfiction readers. I’ll continue to share more of these transitional nonfiction books at our blog, A Year of Reading (readingyear.blogspot. com), as I find them! Please, join us there and tell us about titles that we can add to our collections.

101 Animal Babies, Written by Melvin Berger and Gilda Berger. Scholastic, 2013

Franki Sibberson is a third grade teacher in Ohio, where she has been teaching for more than 20 years. She is also the author of Beyond Leveled Books (Stenhouse), Still Learning to Read (Stenhouse), Day-to-Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop (Scholastic) and The Joy of Planning (Choice Literacy). She is also a regular contributor to Choice Literacy (www.choiceliteracy.com). Along with fellow teacher and writer, Mary Lee Hahn, Franki has spent the last seven writing for their daily blog, A Year of Reading (readingyear.blogspot.com).

A “Close Reading” in Science Class: In Search of Explanations Steve Peterson In science we have been studying water and its properties. I wanted the students to understand the concept of molecules, which is important for knowing why some materials are solids, liquids, and gases, and how these materials can change among these three phases. Yet molecules are difficult for third graders to really understand, especially if you want them to read informational texts to reach an understanding! The goal of good teaching has always been careful thought 48

that leads toward deep learning. With the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), educators are talking a lot about “close readings” -- what they are and how to do them with young children. Learners read closely to deeply understand ideas and meanings. Often reading closely means readers engage in multiple readings where they understand not just what is being said, but analyze how those meanings are conveyed. Reading closely is A LOT of work. It requires A LOT of motivation. How’s a teacher supposed to do that? And with third graders?

I sensed that a simple “close reading” of a text about molecules would not have enough imaginative power for my students to grasp the concept of molecular activity, no matter how many times we read the text. I mean, students have not had a lot of experience with molecules, and you can’t see them moving…or can you? That’s when I thought to borrow a demonstration idea from Walter Wick’s book, A Drop of Water. Rather than have the students read the book and look at the pictures in it as I might have done in

the past, I simply reversed the order of events. Before looking at the text at all, we dropped food coloring into a cup of clear water and took some time-lapse pictures. Later, we clicked through the images forwards and backwards several times, observed the changes, and tried to describe what happened. In effect, we did read the images closely. The kids came up with ideas like these: At first the green kind of burst like fireworks. • •

•

The green spread out all over the cup. The green seemed to drop down from the dark green spot on top and up from the dark green spot on the bottom. The green looked almost like ribbons sometimes.

I introduced them to two word sets -- concentrated/concentration and diffuse/diffusion -- to help thee explain what happened. “Spread

out” became diffused. “Dark green” became concentrated. I was really pleased with how well this worked. Having the vocabulary emerge from their need to describe helped us understand why scientists need a specialized vocabulary; it helps them be more accurate and precise!

Then we asked questions that seemed to demand explanations. Here are some samples. • How did the green diffuse through the whole glass so evenly? • Why did some concentrated green stay on top? • Why did the green look like fireworks when it first dropped? • Why did some concentrated green sink to the bottom? Finally, I told them we were going to read a piece of informational text that might help us answer some of our questions. I said: “This is what scientists do when they observe 49

something that is puzzling; they go try to find out if anyone else has thought about those questions, too.” Finally, we read the following short piece from Walter Wick’s book out loud, pencils and highlighters in hand, to find the parts that might help us answer our questions. I noticed some confusion when we reached the word molecules. Then several children let out a collective “OHHH!” when we reached the third paragraph. Highlighters came out and students began to make notes in the text. It seemed they had recognized the importance of this section of text. When we reached the end, I asked the children if they

thought they knew the answer to any of their questions now. Of course, they could see that the close reading helped them answer their question: “How did the green diffuse through the whole glass so evenly?” I asked the children if they could turn their papers over and explain the answer to another student. That was fun to watch. They struggled and struggled to form an adequate explanation. Many realized they needed to turn their papers back over because they forgot some of the details. Talking revealed the holes they had in their explanations. Their need to explain had forced them back into the text.

A Drop of Water, Written By Walter Wick. Scholastic 1997

“The goal of good teaching has always been careful thought that leads toward deep learning.” - Steve Peterson

“When they find the answer to a question, they often experience an ‘Ah-ha!’ and a sense of satisfaction.”

I told them that they had experienced something a lot of readers experience, myself included; that is, when they find the answer to a question, they often experience an “Ah-ha!” and a sense of satisfaction. Sometimes readers have to reach a greater level of understanding actually use what they know, or teach someone else. These activities require careful reading and thinking. We went back to reread the parts that might help us develop a more complete idea of diffusion so students could explain it to others. I mentioned that this is something that I do all the time when I’m trying to figure out how to explain something to them, or when I want to really learn something well. We reread the last paragraph very slowly, pausing at each sentence, sometimes even at each

phrase, in order to check to see if we could explain what was happening. We acted out being the molecules described in the text. We imagined how we would act if we added heat, took away heat, and if we added green food coloring what would happen to that food coloring as the molecules moved around. It took us about 20 minutes to read and process the text, including reading the entire piece once and the third paragraph one additional time very slowly. Based on their second explanation attempt, the children came away with a better understanding of how molecules act in a liquid, how diffusion happens, and why diffusion wouldn’t happen very quickly in a solid. In the process, they speculated on how evaporation occurs (“Maybe the molecules bang against each oth-

er so hard that some get knocked out of the liquid?”) and even got a rudimentary understanding of electrostatic bonding in molecules (“Water molecules act sort of like magnets. Sometimes they attract each other and sometimes they push each other away.”) Are we all solid with these concepts? Nope. I’m sure their

understanding will decay quickly if we don’t talk about molecules again soon. However, this close reading of images and text gave us a solid foundation from which to build, and we came away with a better sense of why someone might want to read something several times, with sufficient depth, to really understand it. A Drop of Water, by Walter Wick. Scholastic 1997

Steve Peterson has a masters degree in both American studies and in Literacy Education, and currently teaches 4th grade in Decorah, Iowa. In addition to his work in elementary schools, he has taught U.S. politics, U.S. government, and U.S. history at college and community college levels and pre-professional writing for engineers at the University of Minnesota. Peterson was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2008, by the Iowa Technology and Education Consortium, and he received the Eleanor Johnson Reading/Language Arts Award by the International Reading Association in 2009. Steve Peterson invites teachers to “think aloud” with him on his blog at insidethedog.edublogs.org.

Solve It Your Way! Thinking and Problem Solving are messy business. There are big questions and little questions, big problems and little problems. No matter how big or small the problem, there are LOTS of ways to jump in and get started. Putting our heads together when it comes to problem solving is what it’s all about. Solve It Your Way is a place to celebrate all of the different ways we approach solving problems in science and math. Each month, Solve It Your Way posts a problem or two.

Solve It Your Way...then share and learn with the world! www.solvityourway.com

Description

Procedure

Compare/ Contrast

Chronology

Cause/ Effect

Problem/ Solution

The 6 Expository Text Structures by Kim Yaris As you think about informational text structures and explore books, you are likely to notice that most informational texts have more than one text structure in them, as text structure may vary by paragraph or page. So, the texts in the pages that follow are categorized into a certain text structure because they are particularly well-suited for teaching that text structure, not because that is the only structure in the book. Therefore, you will probably find lots of ways to use these great books in your instruction around informational texts. Not only do informational books not usually fall neatly into one of the six categories; there can also be overlapping structures within a single paragraph. For example, the wonderful informational text Aliens from Earth: When Animals and Plants Invade Other Ecosystems by Mary Batten (Peachtree), describes a different invader on each page. The description, however, is included in a narrative timeline of when and how that invader

was introduced to an alternate ecosystem. Basically, each chronological presentation in Aliens from Earth is also a problem presentation. To complicate the structure further (in a good way!), the authors offer a solution to these problems on the last page of the text, but the solution is in a numbered list, or procedural format. In categorizing this book by text structure, it seems that individual texts are largely chronological, while the whole book as a whole is about problems and solutions. Although informational text structures may be mixed in a book, it is still a good idea to begin your explorations of informational text by understanding the six basic text structures (See related article on page 38.). To help you teach informational text structures, the team at The CLASSROOM LIBRARY Magazine has pulled together some explanations and sample texts for each structure, and our wonderful artist, Anna LeBer, has created illustrations for you.

description Most descriptive text structures begin by stating the idea or concept that is the focus of a text. For example, Your Skeletal System from the How Does Your Body Work? series introduces readers to the skeletal system and describes in detail its importance to the human body. Furthermore, a descriptive text structure may also present a definition of the topic and list examples of the concept in order to help the reader categorize items that fit the topic, as Seymour Simon gives many examples of types of bones and their individual functions in Your Skeletal System. These books characteristically present and describe different categories of information around a central idea. Texts in this category use cue words that come before descriptions, examples, or evidence that illustrates something about your central subject.

characteristics for instance also such as for example

some, all, most, other is like as well as including to illustrate

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tricky About Selecting DescriptiveTexts? It is relatively easy to find informational texts written with descriptive structures, as such titles are pretty readily available on all reading levels. The only real challenge is avoiding books that are basically a collection of random facts or that are simply lists in a book format. Even if the book is short and there is not much text on a page, the content needs to be cohesive. (See related article on page 44.)

Parrots by Valerie Bodden (Amazing Animals Series from Creative Paperbacks)

The Circulatory System by Conrad J. Storad (How Does Your Body Work Series from Searchlight Books)

And So They Build by Bert Kitchen (Candlewick)

description

PROCEDURE Authors of procedural texts list items or events in a certain order, either numerically or sequentially, depending on the subject. Common subjects for procedural texts are how products are made, animal life cycles, or anything that undergoes a step-by-step process, often involving a transformation. The steps in the process can either be explicit or implied. For example, a procedural text about the making of a crayon could list the steps necessary to create a crayon by using numbers (1. 2. 3. 4., etc.), giving explicit steps (STEP 1:, STEP 2:, STEP 3:, etc.), or by using cue words to indicate that one step in the process must happen before the next one can occur (first, then, begin, finish, etc.). While there are some procedural texts written exclusively for children, students may also encounter procedural writing in the context of their daily lives in the form of recipes, product manuals, or a set of instructions. Texts in this category use cue words that communicate a specific order of events, indicating what came before and what will come after, and sometimes use numbers to order events.

first how to... second, third, etc... before then next after finally

begin finish process, procedure, cycle directions, recipe, etc... since if... then now

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tricky About Selecting Procedural Texts?

There arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too many procedural texts, but the ones available are fascinating, such as The Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz (William Morrow) and The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden (William Morrow). Encourage students to look for examples of procedural texts in their daily lives. Almost everything comes with a set of instructions; for example, even a box of toaster pastries lists the directions for toasting them.

The WORST-CASE SCENARIO Survival Handbook: Junior Edition by David Borgenicht and Robin Epstein (Chronicle Books) 60

From Wax to Crayon by Inez Snyder (Start to Finish Series from Lerner)

Butterfly by Kate Riggs (Grow With Me Series from Creative Paperbacks)

COMPARE/CONTRAST Compare and contrast text structures present information by illustrating how two or more things, events, or concepts are alike and/or different. Usually the subjects of compare and contrast informational texts are not all that different; in fact, the need for comparison exists in the subtle differences between the items being compared, as is the case with What’s the Difference Between an Alligator and a Crocodile? by Lisa Bullard (from the What’s the Difference? Series from Picture Window Publishers)and other animal comparison texts. This makes logical sense since it would be all too easy to find the differences between, say, a monkey and a snake, since the glaring differences negate the need for a formal comparison between the two. In other words, the compare/contrast text structure works best when there are some similarities and some differences between two things. Other texts in this category compare and contrast the same concept, such as transportation or school, over a period of time (e.g. compare school today to school one-hundred years ago). Texts that exemplify this structure use cue words that either indicate difference from or similarity to what came before.

although however nevertheless on the other hand before/after

then/now similarly also different alike same as either/or

in the same way just like likewise whereas yet meanwhile

What’s Tricky About Selecting Compare/Contrast Texts? Once again, there isn’t an abundance of whole books written using this structure. While there are a few, you can expand your options by writing compare contrast paragraphs from books that present two, varied perspectives even though they don’t explicitly compare and contrast them. For example, each book in the Perspectives Flip Book Series from Compass Point Books, tells the whole story of a historical event, such as the Battle of Gettysburg, from opposing perspectives, lending itself easily to compare/contrast conversations or writing.

Transportation Then and Now by Robin Nelson (from the Then and Now Series from Lerner)

Polar Bear vs. Grizzly Bear by Jerry Pallotta (from the Who Would Win? Series from Scholastic)

Can You Tell a Cricket from a Grasshopper? by Buffy Silverman (from the Animal Look-Alikes Series from Lerner)

COMPARE/CONTRAST

CHRONOLOGY Chronological text structures show the order of events with respect to time. Most chronological texts cover historical events or biographical subjects, and are accompanied by a timeline graphic. For example, Bad News for Outlaws, tells the story of Bass Reevesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life from beginning to end, marking important dates in his life and in U.S. history along the way. These important dates are then labeled in a timeline at the end of the book. Unlike procedural texts, most texts that order events chronologically are in narrative form, rather than listing events numerically or as steps in a process. Many of the cue words for the chronological text structure are the same as those in the procedural structure, as both are considered sequential. In chronological texts, however, authors tend to use cue words that imply an order of events, without explicitly listing them and dates and times are of primary importance

timeline after specific dates and times then first next secondly finally before now Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tricky About Selecting Chronological Texts? There are plenty of nonfiction texts written in chronological order, but many are biographies and autobiographies and read in a traditional narrative structure. Basically, they are stories, which have their place. Be sure, however, that you find some chronological texts that offer broader times or larger events.

How Many People Traveled the Oregon Trail? And Other Questions about the Trail West by Miriam Aronin (from the Six Questions of American History Series from Lerner) 64

50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet by Dennis Donenberg and Lorraine Roscoe (Lerner)

Terezin: Voice From the Holocaust by Ruth Thomson (Candlewick Press)

CAUSE/EFFECT Authors of cause and effect texts typically want to illustrate causation, that X is the cause of Y, rather than Z. This text structure presents ideas, events, or facts that cause a resulting effect (be it an idea, event, or fact). The most readily available examples of the cause/effect structure in childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literature today are texts about the environment. Showing that human actions impact our environment in some way shows a cause and effect relationship, either for the better or for the worse. For example, in Can We Save the Tiger?, Martin Jenkins shows the role that humans have played in causing animal extinctions in the past, e.g. the dodo. However, Jenkins also illustrates that human conservation efforts could save the tigers, making this book an illustration of problem/solution, as well. This connection is common, as many titles that state causes of problems also present solutions. Cue words that are common in cause/effect text structures show a causal relationship between X and Y.

if/then reasons why as a result of therefore because consequently since

so that for hence due to thus this led to

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tricky About Selecting Cause/Effect Texts? When selecting cause/effect titles, it is tempting to select a narrative text, as these are in abundance and naturally have a problem/solution structure. Also, when choosing from among the cause/effect informational texts, you will find that there are more books dealing with the environment than with other topics. While green topics warrant study, if you are interested in other issues, you may have to search a bit harder for texts.

Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins (Candlewick Press)

Your Body Battles a Broken Bone by Vicki Cobb

Sarah Emma Edmonds was a Great Pretender The True Story of a Civil War Spy by Carrie Jones

CAUSE/EFFECT Artwork by Anna E. LeBer. Copyright ÂŠ 2013 Classroom Library Company

PROBLEM/SOLUTION Authors of problem and solution text structures present a problem as well as one or more solutions to the problem in the text. The relationship between the text’s problem and its solution can be stated explicitly, by labeling the problem and the solution (e.g. questions/answer), or implicitly (e.g. if/then, because, so that). Many texts in this category are scientific, prompting students to identify a problem, hypothesize solutions, and then find the best solution. Texts in this category vary widely, however, since problems can occur in nature, within a group of people, between individuals, or within one individual. Be careful not to confuse problem/solution and cause/effect text structures. While cause/ effect structures show a specific type of relationship (causation), problem/solution structures show only that the presented solution actually solves the problem in question. Texts that exemplify the problem/solution structure use cue words that identity the problem/solution and/or show a relationship between a problem and its solution.

problem is dilemma is if/then because as a result of which

so that question/answer puzzle is solved who, what, where when & how

What’s Tricky About Selecting Problem/Solution Texts? The biggest challenge with selecting problem/solution texts is that the line between cause/effect and problem/solution is blurry. That is, many books that describe a problem and a solution, first present the cause of the problem. The advantage to this “problem” is that many books that illustrate cause/ effect, such as Can We Save the Tiger?, can also teach problem/solution.

A Place for Fish by Higgins Bond (Peachtree)

Zebras by Melissa Gish (from the Living Wild Series from Creative Paperbacks)

Hoop Genius by John Coy

PROBLEM/SOLUTION

The Art of

Information Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably no surprise that we are partial to books that either use visual art to teach content or are simply about art. So we were pleased to discover a series of titles by Bob Raczka, each of which looks at art and/or artists in a clever way. From dialogs with the characters in the paintings to collections of art presented around a theme, these books offer ideas that are as compelling and elegant as the artwork that supports them. Over the next few pages, we offer a brief description of a few of these titles and suggestions for using them to teach the Common Core State Standards. In sum, integrating art into your reading and writing instruction makes the work both more engaging and more complex. These titles are among the best weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen for exploring art visually and through words. If you took the first three texts together and made connections between them and then to the others on the list, the instructional possibilities seem virtually endless.

Here’s Looking at Me: How Artists See Themselves by Bob Raczka Each spread in this book pairs a one-page, fifth-grade-ish reading level, biographical text with a self-portrait of a visual artist. The text on the left side offers a narrative description, based on research about the artist, about how the artist felt about him/herself, while the righthand page presents a full page self-portrait. Readers will enjoy connecting the paintings with the narrations, as there is natural interaction between the printed text and the image as text. This title supports close reading as well as the integration of two media, print and image. It also lends itself to conversations about point-of-view (reading standard 6).

Name That Style: All About Isms in Art by Bob Raczka As a purely informational text with a serious dose of creativity infused, Name That Style: All About Isms in Art takes students through history to look at the different styles of art. Each two-page spread includes a full-page image of a piece of art in that style and a full page of text written in a consistent question/ answer format that addresses the when, who, what, and why of each style. This book lends itself well to comparing and contrasting artist styles and, because it offers a survey of artistic styles, it could be helpful for identifying topics for further research. We think this is a great book for teaching CCSS writing standard 7, “research to understand,” as well as reading standards related to multi-media “texts,” citing evidence, and making connections between texts. 73

The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art by Bob Raczka This MAGNIFICENTLY COMPLEX and CLEVER book presents imagined conversations between the author, Bob Raczka, and the subject of a Vermeer paining. The conversations are connected to each other, written in a reader’s theatre/script format, and include all kinds of historical references. One could read and reread this text in any instructional format (read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, etc.) and find something new in it every time. Again, multi-media, close reading, and text connection reading standards apply. The book also lends itself to great discussions about citing evidence, as the author’s imagined conversations are based on historical evidence and evidence in the artwork. The artwork in the book invites students to read the printed text closely and the printed text invites students to “read” the artwork closely. This book requires work to read but the figuring out of it is pure joy. Loveliness!

More books by Bob Raczka Action Figures: Paintings of Fun, Daring, and Adventure simple lists action figures, such as “prizefighters,” “cattle drivers,” and “jet plane ejectors,” and shows a painting of such a subject. This book marries information, art, and action! Speaking of Art: Colorful Quotes by Famous Painters includes a quote and a related piece of art from about 20 famous visual artists. At the back of the book, there is a photograph of each artist and a brief biographical sketch. Artful Reading presents a collection of artwork with subjects who are reading. The rhyming text simply lists all the places or ways one might read, such as “Read while you wait for your train to come in” and “Read by a window.”

The Art of Freedom: how Artists See America shows a one-page illustration for the patterned sentence on each page that begins, “America is … . ” For example, “America is hard work.” is illustrated by Thomas Hart Benton’s painting, Cradling Wheat (1938). The vocabulary in this book is sophisticated with words like sacrifice, freedom, and marvels. In contrast to the simple format, this book has truly complex ideas in it, and could support discussion all the way into high school classrooms. No One Saw: Ordinary Things Through the Eyes of an Artist takes a simple text pattern and pairs it with a piece of art in exploration of the ways artists see everyday things. Again, there is much to talk about with this book, which reads, “No one saw apples like Paul Cezanne” and “No one saw soup like Andy Warhol.” No One Saw is particularly great for teaching point-of-view, which is implicitly addressed throughout the text and explicitly addressed on the last page, which reads “Artists express their own point of view. And nobody sees the world like you.”

Not Your Average Informational Texts! Who says informational texts have to be boring? Not us. We have our hearts set on informational titles that are as beautiful as they are interesting, as visually compelling as they are factual, and as clever as they are accessible. These books don’t disappoint! In fact, some of our favorite books not only support informational standards for reading and writing, but do so with the greatest of ease. We’ve decided to share our favorite informational titles with readers to prove that reading nonfiction can be fun and even--dare we say?--beautiful. Below are our top picks for nonfiction. We are grateful for book publishers that generate quality informational texts for classroom audiences, and even go the extra mile to do something spectacular. The books listed below raise the bar for everyone.

The Flying Start to Literacy Series (Okapi) Matching informational texts and fiction texts is all the rage as educators work to figure out ways to support readers in deepening their understandings of text. Not all text pairs are created equal, however. We are often disappoint that, more often than not, the pairs of texts we receive for review have very superficial connections to each other. For example, a science book about plants will have a narrative story where the main character walks through the woods, but the information in the nonfiction text doesn’t really deepen understanding of the narrative text at all. Not so with the Flying Start to Literacy Series from Okapi! These text pairs are closely connected. For example, the information in the nonfiction title Monsoon Rain actually helps readers understand the storyline in The Wise Bird (both written by Kerrie Shanahan). These books are designed to work as complementary titles actually should; reading one actually enhances understanding of the other!

Holland by Jesse Goossens and 1000 Things About Holland by Charlotte Dematons (both from Lemniscaat) This incredibly original two-book set--which includes Holland and 1000 Things About Holland–takes complementary texts to a whole new level. Holland is a bit of an informational “text” with a smart, Where’s-Waldo-ish, wordless format presenting all things Dutch, from traditions, to landscape, to art, to food, to architecture, and so on. Paired with the companion text, 1000 Things About Holland, which includes image excerpts from the wordless book (Holland) and full text explanations, students can go on the ultimate treasure hunt as they read the information in one book to find out what to search for in the other. This book is brilliant and will make your most reticent reader dig in. We wish Lemniscaat would create a pair such as this for every country! Charlotte Dematons offers spectacular illustrations, filled with detail that offers layers of insight into the Netherlands.

The Amazing Animals Series, by Kate Riggs, includes the following titles: Cheetahs, Crocodiles, Dolphins, Elephants, Giraffes, Koalas, Lions, Monkeys, Parrots, Penguins, Polar Bears, Sharks, Snakes, Swans, Tigers, and Wolves. We like them for a number of reasons. First, their design is beautiful. While they have substantial content, the books are large and the layouts have unusually generous white space. Key vocabulary words are in color, with corresponding definitions at the bottom of the page. The books aren’t formally labeled with reading levels, but the text appears to be for early second grade, although a preponderance of one-syllable words and a large font would likely encourage earlier readers to give them a shot. However, engaging photographs and informational text features make them look like books for older readers.

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life and Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas, by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm Molly Bang’s series of non-fiction, picture books, written with scientist Penny Chisholm, is about light. Bang explains “… we wanted children to get a sense of the awe we feel as we learn about how life works.” So they made awe their their guiding how statement for each book in the series. How would they communicate the workings of photosynthesis? Through awe and wonder. How would they explain the way light supports life in the darkest depths of the ocean? Through awe and wonder. Throughout the process of writing, illustrating, and publishing the book, they asked themselves, Is this awe and wonder? Is it enough awe and wonder? The value of Bang and Chisholm’s books as non-fiction texts is obvious, particularly with the the Common Core’s attention to non-fiction reading, but the added dimensions of awe and wonder make these books powerful.

50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet., by Dennis Denenberg and Lorraine Roscoe What is cool about this book is that it broadly defines “hero” and represents heroic Americans from an array of fields. It includes musicians, artists, writers, politicians, explorers, inventors, and more across all of American history. Each hero is presented in a two-page spread, which includes biographical information in a conversational tone, photos, quotes, and suggestions for further reading. The best part is that each hero has an “Explore” section and some even have an “Explore Some More Section.” These sections tell the reader how to find out more about the hero; most include addresses for writing to get information through the mail. Both writing to request information and reading the information that arrives, can serve Common Core purposes, while also enticing students to learn more about these great Americans. The twopage spreads would also work well for shared reading texts to pair with other biographies and related fiction about the historical figure.

Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals by Damien Laverdunt and Helene Rajcak From the Dodo Bird to miniature elephants, each page of this book tells about a different type of distinct animal. It covers everything from ancient animals to those we’ve recently lost, all presented in a large format with generous illustrations. The books books ample size supports the connections between the text and the illustrations, which are both beautiful and scientifically accurate. This book is fascinating and another title that reticent readers are quick to pick up! It is also great as a chronological text that is NOT biographical.

The Titanic: An Interactive History Adventure (You Choose Books) by Bob Temple The Interactive History Adventure Series (You Choose Books) are a nonfiction variation on the popular Choose Your Own Adventure Series. These books include the reader as the main character. The reader/protagonist chooses from different, historic “story paths.” All of the events in the stories “happened to real people.” The text is filled with historical information and, where possible, the books are illustrated with historic photographs. The Harlem Renaissance adventure is filled with black and white photographs of musicians and artists, each captioned with historical information. The cover states, “3 Story Paths, 46 Choices, 21 Endings.” The books include a glossary, an index, a timeline, suggestions for further reading, website recommendations, and topics for additional “story paths,” which we think would make great topics for writing. There are more than a dozen interactive history books available, including topics such as, The Child Labor Reform Movement, The Dust Bowl, Ellis Island, The Oregon Trail, and The Great Depression. 78

Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures that May or May Not Exist by Halls, Spear & Young Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures that May or May Not Exist, offers the evidence for creatures, such as bigfoot and the Lochness monster, and lets the reader consider whether they are real or imagined. This is a great book for introducing or solidifying the term “evidence,” not to mention that it is really fun to read and think about. We have found that the elementary readers in our homes and classrooms can’t put this book down! You can engage your students in exciting conversations, or even debates, where they can weigh the information for and against each cryptid. Who says boys won’t read!

The Split History of The Battle of Gettysburg (Perspective Flip Book Series) by Stephanie Fitzgerald Here’s a hybrid series that bridges informational text and historical fiction. The Perspectives Flip Book Series takes a historical event and presents it from two different perspectives. For example, in The Split History of The Battle of Gettysburg by Stephanie Fitzgerald, readers can read get the Union perspective on the battle and then flip the book to read a complete historical account of the Confederate perspective. The unique structure places the indices for each perspective in the middle of the book, joined by a timeline. These are perfect texts for integrating social studies and reading instruction. The illustrations include maps, artist renderings, and some photographs, with source notes in the front. There are six titles in this series, ranging from the American Revolution to World War II. These books are great for teaching anchor standard six, the “point-of-view” standard.

Frenemies for Life: Cheetahs and Anatolian Shepherd Dogs by John E. Becker Frenemies for Life: Cheetahs and Anatolian Shepherd Dogs describes conservation efforts designed to protect cheetahs in the wild. With a particular breed of sheep dog guarding herds, farmers are less likely to kill cheetahs. The Columbus zoo has raised a pair of Anatolian Shepherd dogs and a pair of cheetahs together, to highlight this unusual program. This book tells about the unlikely friendship between these Columbus Zoo residents, and is an excellent problem-solution text.

Finding Research Topics in a Fiction Thriller Review & Preview of Kate Messner’s Wake Up Missing Cat Grayson, a 12-year-old from California, had a normal life, until she fell from a tree while trying to get a better look at a spotted owl. Now the headaches caused by her concussion prevent her from attending school, hanging out with friends, and doing almost anything for extended periods of time. Understandably, she just wants to be a normal teen again. This is why Cat’s mom insists that she get treatment at I-CAN, an experimental brain injury clinic in the Florida Everglades. It’s here, in an isolated swampland paradise, that Cat meets Sarah, Quentin, Ben, Trent and Kaylee, a lovable yet troubled cast of characters who mysteriously share the exact same injury. The longer they stay on the island the more unanswered questions crop up. Why are there only 6 patients at a world-class brain clinic? Why isn’t there a waiting list? What exactly is this “experimental gene therapy” I-CAN advertises? 80

Messner weaves cutting edge science into this fictional thriller. To start with, many of the treatments for concussions at the I-CAN clinic are scientifically grounded, such as oxygen therapy, LED light therapy, and exercise therapy (link to videos, approachable scientific articles, and websites can be found in her Author’s Note). However, Messner makes it very clear that the experimental genetic therapy at the heart of the novel’s premise does not currently exist; scientists are still testing gene therapy’s ability to heal concussions with no conclusive results, although gene therapy has been used successfully to improve the symptoms of some diseases. Additionally, the characters in Messner’s novel are scientifically curious and the novel is peppered with medical facts. For example, when Cat first arrives on the island, Sarah asks what experimental ge-

netic testing means. Given the nature of genetic testing, her skepticism is valid. Quentin, a Science Olympiad participant and self-proclaimed science nerd, knows off-hand that the right frontal lobe of the brain “deals with problem solving and divergent thinking” (40-41) . In her Author’s Note, Messner suggests related scientific and historical research avenues. What are genes? What is the role of genetics in the medical field? Where will genetics go next? How was genetic testing used in the past (World War II’s Manhattan Project), and how is it use in

From Chapter 4 of Wake Up Missing by Kate Messner: Dr. Ames came striding into the cafeteria then, jingling keys on a keychain. “Oh, good! Glad you’re getting to know one another. I hate to steal you away, Cat, but you’ve got an MRI this morning so we can see what’s going on in that head, okay?” He walked me to the lab near his office and flicked on the lights. This room wasn’t the stark white of the MRI lab at the hospital back home; it was painted a deep blue and had art prints on the walls--water lilies and meadow scenes that were probably meant to be soothing. But the most soothing thing to me was the MRI machine itself. “It’s a lot more open than the one at home,” I said. Dr. Ames smiled and looked at me like he understood. “Those old models are pretty claustrophobic, aren’t’ they? I think you’ll find this more comfortable.” he glanced at the clipboard in his hands. “I’ve got the wrong chart,” he said, and gestured toward the examination table next to the MRI machine. “You can change into a robe and hop on up. I’ll be right back.” He closed the door behind him, and I reached for the soft cotton robe draped over the

the present? This fascinating field invites students to wonder about the potential and limits of science to solve human problems. What science-based questions will your students ask about the novel? In addition to being well-researched, Waking Up Missing has the perfect amount of suspense to keep the pages turning. Each chapter suggests foul play without revealing too much. The following excerpt, from chapter 4, is Cat’s first encounter with the I-CAN clinic’s strange secrets. We are excited to share with our readers this excerpt from Waking Up Missing.

table, but then I remembered my music. Back home, I’d get so nervous in the MRI machine it was hard for me to be still, and then they couldn’t get a good scan. I’d always move and mess it up, and then I felt awful because they have to start over. So Mom had the lab technicians play my favorite music--my real favorite music. Not Lucy’s dark, moody new playlists that I listened to on the soccer bus and pretended to like. My playlists were full of happy, upbeat bands like GizMania and the Stealth Acrobats, and they helped a ton. I looked at the machine here; I’d probably be okay, but it couldn’t hurt to see if I could grab my music player. I put down the robe and opened the lab door, but Dr. Ames wasn’t back yet. I looked down the hallway and saw his office door was closed, but the one next to it, Dr. Gunther’s was cracked open, with voices coming from inside. I walked down the hall and was lifting my hand to knock, when Dr. Ames raised his voice. “No! Not when we’re so close!” Why would he be yelling at Dr. Gunther? I lowered my hand and took half a step

back. Dr. Gunther said something I couldn’t hear, and then, “...far enough. Think that could happen.”

Dr. Ames’s response came through loud and clear. “You think what could happen, Rudolph. Have you forgotten how we came to work together?” I don’t know if Dr. Gunther answered or if Dr. Ames kept talking over him. “At that time, you were found to be violating federal laws that regulate genetic engineering research. AT that time, you were charged with a felony. And at that time you were never going to set foot in a lab again. you were never going to finish you clinical research; you were never going to find your cure for Parkinson’s disease. And you. Were. Going. To. Die.” That last word hung in the air. Maybe Dr. Gunther said something back, but I couldn’t hear, and my thoughts were all jumbled; it happened a lot since my concussion. I could remember things from last year, but I’d forget something I heard a few minutes ago. And this...this was all too much to understand. It sounded like Dr. Ames was threatening Dr. Gunther. But why? They worked together, didn’t’ they? Trying to sort it all out made my head hurt. I stepped back. Why was I even in this hallway? I was supposed to be in the lab having an MRI. They were still talking in there, but only scraps of their conversation made it out the door. “...tumor continues to grow, and I really think…” “...better with the other first-round subject.” “...procedure has taken, but it’s early yet, and …” “...proceed as planned.” “...need to notify the girl’s parents so that--” “I said NO.” Dr. Ames’s voice sounded so loud, so sharp, so close to the door that I jumped back, scrambled across the hall to the lab, and stumbled into the exam table. Dizz...I 82

always go dizzy when I moved too fast, and then the nausea washed over me. I put my head down and breathed in the clean detergent smell of the cotton robe until the spinning slowed and I could stand up again. When I did, Dr. Ames was in the doorway. “You alright, Cat? Take your time.” His voice was soft again, his face concerned but not angry at all. Why was he so upset with Dr. Gunther? And did they say they were calling someone’s parents? Whose? I tried to remember the conversation but it broke apart like a staticky phone call. “Cat?” Dr. Ames stepped to my side and put a gentle hand on my arm. “Sorry.” I shook my head. “I got dizzy when I started to change.” “I see you didn’t get far,” he said. “Do you want Olga to come give you a hand?” “No, that’s okay.” I picked up the robe and took a deep breath. “It’s going away. I can get changed.” “Great,” he said. “I’ll be outside; give a knock when you’re ready.” “The door closed, and I concentrated on moving slowly, smoothly, so I didn’t jar myself dizzy again. I concentrated on the feel of the cotton and the smell of the lab. On everything but the words I couldn’t sort out, because my head felt foggy every time I tried. I knocked on the door. “I’m ready.” Dr. Ames came back with his clipboard. “Great. Climb on up.” I hoisted myself onto the exam table and leaned back. “Relax and let your arms rest at your sides, okay? You want some music?” “What?” The words made my heart jump, and I leaned up on my elbows. I never told Dr. Ames I wanted to go get music. Had he seen me in the hallway? No, he couldn’t have known. I didn’t even mention it. And why was I so scared that he might know I was in the hallway? Somehow, even though the words didn’t make sense to me yet, I

knew I’d heard something I shouldn’t have. “I asked if you wanted music.” Dr. Ames was standing by a computer on the counter. “Some of our patients find that music makes it easier to relax for the MRI. I’ve got some light jazz, a bunch of classic rock...Bruce Springsteen, Journey...I’m probably dating myself, huh?” He grinned and shrugged. “Sorry I can’t offer you something more current.” “No, that’s okay,” I said, settling on the exam table. “Classic rock is fine. Everything’s fine.”

Maybe it was, I thought. Dr. Ames flipped a switch on the wall, and my table moved slowly toward the scanner that was going to take pictures of my brain. Everything had to be fine. I pushed the echoing words I’d overheard down into the shadows of my head and took a deep breath. Everything was fine. These were doctors, after all, and this was where I needed to be to get better. I had to trust them.

Kate Messner is a former middle-school English teacher and the author of E. B. White Read Aloud Award-winner The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., Sugar and Ice, Eye of the Storm, Capture the Flag, Hide and Seek, the Marty McGuire chapter book series, and two picture books, Seamonster’s First Day and Over and Under the Snow. She lives on Lake Champlain with her husband and two kids. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves hiking, kayaking, biking, and watching thunderstorms over the lake.

Other Books by Kate Messner

Parting Words: The really, really

unique Snowflake

Barry Lane

One day my first grade teacher said, “Rodney was on the way to the bathroom and had an accident. He is at the nurse’s now.” Most in the class knew this meant Rodney had a weak bladder, but my imaginative mind instantly created a more dramatic scenario:

Rodney is halfway down the corridor and, out of nowhere, a Camaro appears speeding around the corner and knocking him to the floor. Amid the screams and bloodshed, a teacher carries what is left of young Rodney to the nurse’s office. He has had a tragic accident, indeed. I remember being much more cautious the next time I ventured to the restroom alone and surprised at how well Rodney looked the next day, after his ordeal. One misunderstood word can destroy a first grader’s universe. The art teacher’s name was Mrs, McCue, and what I remember most is her long, red fingernails and the crunching sound of the construction paper as she modeled the lesson to all 48 students in my first grade class.

Did you know that no two snowflakes are exactly the same? I am going to show you how to make 84

your own personal snowflake. As she talks, the scissors crunched away, snipping little bits out of the white paper. She opens the paper and voila! A perfect snowflake. Now it is our turn, and I pay careful attention to her directions, except there is one word I do not understand. She keeps saying to “cutalongthefold.” I do not think to ask what she means by the word “cutalongthefold,” and I never ask questions in this class as I am a terrified first grader in a class of 48 students. I just ignore that phrase and cut wherever I feel like. When it is time, she asks the class to open their snowflakes and reveal unique masterpieces. Around me, on the desks, in straight rows are the perfect snowflakes, each unique but so, so perfect. My desk, however, contains a small piece of swiss cheese and a lot of snow. The children laugh at me, or at least it feels that way. I am never sure how much humiliation came from inside, how much from outside. Alone, after school, being punished for not following directions, I got to see her stunning fingernails up close, and I learned that “cutalongthefold” meant cut at the folded part. Gee, How did I miss that? It has taken me 57 years to truly comprehend this lesson. All snowflakes are unique, even those who fail miserably to be perfectly different. Cherish them. Help them to fail daily with joy and grace. Create a class where no one is afraid to ask.

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