Twinkle-Twinkle, Little Star

Click here for my powerpoint of Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star


Researching more about Twinkle Twinkle Little star was very interesting.  This is a nursery rhyme that everyone remembers from when they were little.  But did you actually know that two sisters wrote this nursery rhyme.  No one knows which one did though. I also learned that the two versions from the Oxford Dictionary and Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes are a little different than what I would sing.  They are actually longer.  I never knew they had more verses.  I believe most of us would only recognize the first couple of stanzas.  

Lesa Cline-Ransome Visit

Lesa Cline-Rasnsone came to visit Mount Saint Mary College on September 9. 2014.  Lesa shared her wonderful books she has written and the process of how she writes each one.  It was amazing to me that she explained how some books can take up to two years to be published while other books have taken up to six years.  I was amazed to hear that her husband, James. E. Rasnome has illustrated many of her books.  I liked all of Lesa's books because I love reading biographies but one in particular caught my eye and made me think of a similar biography I had read to my 5th graders. The book was

 Stachel Paige  and it reminded me of when I had read to my class,  Promises to Keep by Jackie Robinson's daughter.  I though to myself, Satchel Paige would be a great book to read along with Promises to Keep next year because it exposes the students to two different biographies.   

Book Talk

BOOKTALK

Book: Hatchet

By: Gary Paulson

Summary:

Hatchet is about a thirteen-year-old boy named Brian from New York City who boards a plane to visit his father in Canada.  During the flight the pilot has a heart attack and Brian is forced to take over and land the plane.  The plane crashes in the Canadian woods where Brian is stranded.  The only thing Brian has to help him survive is his Hatchet his mother gave to him as a gift before he left on the plane. One day the tail of the plane emerges from the water, which reminds Brian of the survival pack on the plane.  Brian builds a raft and eventually retrieves the survival pack from the plane.  In the survival pack he finds food and an emergency transmitter but doesn't think that it works.  Eventually a plane lands and picks him up. 

Sequels to Hatchet:

   -The River

 -Brian's Winter

 -Brian's Return

 -Brian's Hunt

·        This book is one of my favorite books when I was in elementary school.  I didn't like reading but I loved to read books by Gary Paulson.  I think this is because his books were suspenseful. He also uses a lot of detail in his writing, which paints a picture in the readers mind as they read.

Once Upon a Time when I was a Child…...

"Thank you, Mr. Falker!"

By: Patricia Polacco

Read by: Jane Kaczmarek

Once Upon a Time when I was a Child……...

During our first week of Reading and Literature we watched a video of Jane Kaczmarek reading the children’s book  "Thank you, Mr. Falker!" by Patricia Polacco.  This was a great video to watch for the first day of class because it made me think of myself when I was in elementary school struggling to read.  I remember not enjoying reading in front of the class because I was a struggling reader.  As I watched the video I thought of the different effects a teacher can have on his/her students in a class and how important the connections between students and teachers are. This also reminded me of my 5^th grade teacher and how she introduced me to a series of books that we both enjoyed reading in class. The series she introduced me to were books by Gary Paulson. The message that this book portrays is great as well.  It shows students that not everything will be easy but it’s important to keep pushing you and not give up.