As strange a year as this was, as many times as our school week changed and evolved, the year still seemed to fly by. Here are a few of the learning activities our students accomplished during the last quarter of 2021, including one highlight, our all school Zoom with Sundee Frazier, the author of Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire. We hope all families enjoyed their time with Cleo! KindergartenWe had fun with an author study of Amy Krouse Rosenthal ending with Duck Rabbit and created a "duck/rabbit" to take home. With our One Book One School, we connected with several books like Andrew's Loose Tooth and Throw Your Tooth from the Roof and created a pulling tooth craft, and used the Beebots to tell the story. We ended the year with research on animal homes in connection with classroom learning about animals and their needs. In LMC, students learned about the homes designed by a hummingbird, wasp, beaver and prairie dog and then built a model of one of these homes, using materials sent in from home and collected in the LMC, such as paper towel rolls, brown paper, sticks, bubble wrap and leaves. Students were very focused and purposeful in recreating the house their animal would live in and reflecting on why they build that home and how it protects the animal. First graders, studied the Presidential portrait of Washington and Jefferson to observe what each President included in his portrait and reflect on why. In connection with our One Book, One School, students created story collages about Cleo using the Pic Edu app, and used Scratch Jr. to code the scene in which Cleo sells avocados. Finally, we delved into our friends Gerald and Piggie, whom students have been reading all year. We thought about how the characters and made a list of their characteristics. Next, classes brainstormed ideas for new adventures between these two friends. Students paired up to write their first draft making sure that the friends act consistent with how Mo Willems wrote the characters. After a draft on paper, they illustrated their Gerald and Piggie story in Seesaw. Authors took turns reading their fun and clever stories to the class. 2nd grade2nd graders learned about the Caldecott Award for most distinguished illustration in a children's book. We looked at and read many award winners and then judged them using the characteristics the Caldecott Award committee uses. In connection with our One Book, One School, students used Scratch Jr, to code some scenes of Cleo and her businesses! Next students chose one country to research and take notes on using Pebble Go and World Book Online, a book from Epic or ebook from the LMC. They took notes on capital city, important landforms, language, exports, kids' favorite foods and sports and one great place to visit. Students used School Avatar app to create an avatar of a student in the country they studied and record a video explaining what they learned and comparing it to the U.S. We learned interesting aspects of many countries of the World! Enjoy a sample:
3rd gradeIn connection with our One Book, One School, third graders read about inventors, (like Cleo) and how they thought of their invention and was able to make it happen and sell it. Student's read or heard a literary non fiction book about how bandaids, bubble gum, the slinky and the super soaker were invented. Finally, students used Adobe Sparks to create a video about the inventor they studied and the invention. To conclude the year, we read Outside, Inside a beautiful book by LeUyen Pham about what happened across the World when Covid surfaced. The book sparked our discussion and reflection on this year and half of Covid, including remembering what quarantine was like at home and with their family, our hybrid schooling, wearing masks, and distancing. Students used their personal reflections to create an Etheree - a new form of poetry - which is 10 lines, starting with one syllable in the first line and increasing one syllable each line, to 10 syllables in the last line. Here are some examples: 4th grade4th grade finished up their Energy unit with a terrific detailed and informative debate on whether Illinois should invest in Solar, Hydropower, Wind, Biofuel or Geothermal renewable green energy. The students became green energy experts and good debaters! 5th grade Fifth graders learned about historical fiction as a genre by reading one great historical fiction novel and noting and then fact checking 5 details of the story to prove is accurate to the time period the novel is set in. The details could be clothes, transportation, food, books, houses, tv shows, or events. Their findings were presented in slideshows. 4th and 5th grade Buisiness Fairs!In connection with Cleo Edison Oliver, who was an entrepreneur and businesswoman, and grade level economic standards, we held our first ever Patton Business Fair! Students in 4th and 5th grade classes learned about kid inventors and entrepreneurs, how to create a business plan, elevator pitch and advertise their product. They brainstormed in groups to design or create a new product, business or service, present their idea with a pitch and an ad designed using Adobe Sparks or Google Slides. At the Business Fair, students were both presenters and customers and and circulated with guest staff, among the presenters learning about the product or service idea. The ideas were creative and interesting and there is no doubt we have some future entrepreneurs in our 4th and 5th grade!
Strike Zone by Mike Lupica is equal parts baseball and family drama. 12 year old Nick Garcia is the star pitcher on the Bronx Blazers a team in the summer Dream League a tournament which the Yankees sponsor to bring more kids from the city into baseball. This summer the MVP of the tournament will throw out the first pitch before a Yankee home game. And that is Nick's dream along with someday playing pro ball, like his hero Michael Arroyo. Arroyo, a star Yankee pitcher came to America from Cuba as a child and grew up in the South Bronx like Nick, hiding his immigrant status. (You can read his story in Heat by Lupica). Nick's secret is his parents, who came from Guatemala and have extended their allowed stay. If the Immigration authorities find them, they could be sent back to Guatemala and of course would take their children, Nick and his sister, even though the two were born in America and are therefore citizens. Follow the Bronx Blazer's summer tournament, Nick's pitching triumphs and challenges and the danger that is always surrounding his family. Sports fiction, grades 3-5. Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Andrew McDonald is a silly and fun detective story and the detectives are pigeons! Rock has always loved to disguise himself and surprise others but when a group of crime-fighting pigeons invite him to join their squad, they begin working on three different crime stopping missions, each with twist and a flying animal culprit. Real facts about different kinds of pigeons are included with terrific illustrations and fun puns too! First in a series. Graphic novel fantasy, grades 1-3. Becoming Muhammad Ali by Kwame Alexander and James Patterson. Two stellar authors combine to tell the story of the young Cassius Clay who grew up to became the great fighter and social justice leader Muhammed Ali. In 10 rounds (instead of chapters) the reader follows Cassius' life in Louisville, Kentucky with his brother Rudy, parents, grandfather and a great group of friends who all looked up to and supported the engaging, generous and talented Cassius. The story ends when he wins his first Gold Glove tournament in Chicago in 1959 but clearly shows the reader how Cassius's childhood in the south in the 1950s including the Jim Crow laws, the segregation, and a myriad of challenges and road blocks young blacks faced shaped the fighter and the man he would become. Through it all, Cassius and his best friend Lucky shine with humor, a positive attitude and a strong sense of who they are and where they come from. This is a not to be missed biography, told in both prose and poetry. Grades 3-5 How to Avoid Distinction by Paul Acampora takes the reader from Allentown Pennsylvania to the Cleveland -Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Utah on a road trip with 11 year old Leo, his feisty grandmother and 17 year old cousin Abbey. They are on a hunt to see the Allosaurus (or its fossils) as it was the favorite dinosaur of Leo's grandfather, who died the year before. In his memory and because they always loved road trips, Gram decides to take her pretty ancient Buick to Utah, with Abbey who convinces Leo to come along, although Leo's mother is not exactly told what they are doing. From the Field Museum in Chicago where they encounter parking issues with the police, through the Rocky mountains with bear scares, the trio and the budding paleontologist and new friend they pick up along the way, create a trip that is funny, meaningful, even life changing, and a great fast paced read. Realistic fiction grades 4/5. Tornado by Betsy Byars. A dog sitting in a dog house, suddenly appears in a family's yard at the end of a real tornado! The whole family, mom, dad and two brothers fall in love with him, name him Tornado and adopt him. There are many stories of the dog with the family as well as other dog stories in each chapter, until a family in town recognizes Tornado, but calls him by another name. For all dog lovers - read to find out the conclusion! Realistic Fiction, grades 2-4. The Perfect Star by Rob Buyea is the 3rd story in the "perfect" series which began with the Perfect Score and introduced us to a group of diverse students, who became supportive friends in the first book and continue to tell their story, now at the beginning of eighth grade. Each chapter is the voice of a character allowing the reader to get the perspectives of Natalie, Randi, Scott, Gavin, and Trevor as they navigate a year full of new challenges including a new football coach, sports injuries, bullies and family problems and new relationships. Saucy by Kadohata is the story of "Saucy" an orphaned and very sickly baby pig being raised to health by 11 year old Becca, who found her, with the help of her three quadruplet brothers, their parents and grandmother. Before Saucy, Becca felt like she did not have a passion while her brothers all did and the family time often revolved around their interests or needs, hockey, science and music. She loves all three but has felt somewhat neglected and as summer approached and her best friend has moved away...sad. But suddenly everything changes. On a family walk Becca hears an odd squeal in the bushes and so begins the saga of raising Saucy, nursing her to health, and discovering how challenging a smart little pig can be, and how fast they grow. And while everyone pitches in, it is Becca who Saucy sees as her mother. The big shock though is when Becca and her brothers solve the mystery of where Saucy came from. Realistic fiction, grade 3-5. The Unicorn Rescue Society:The Creature of the Pines. by Adam Gidwitz. When Elliot, on his first day of a new school is paired with Uchenna on a field trip led by a strange professor, they find a friendship as well as an amazing adventure. When separated from the group they find a small strange and very scared creature hiding in the woods. The creature likes part of Elliot's lunch and crawls into his backpack which the kids discover on the bus home. They also find out the creature can turn invisible and disappears in the city. While they realize they need to find it, protect it and decide what to do with it, the strange professor from the field trip shows up. Read to find out what happens and then continue with this creative and fun series! Fantasy, Grades 2-5. Lety out loud by Angela Cervantes. Lety and her family moved from Mexico to Kansas several years earlier and she has spend her summers improving her English. But this summer after fifth grade, she is feeling more confident and wants to follow her passion for animals. She begins a summer camp at an animal shelter that asks the campers to help them get the dogs and cats adopted by writing want ads for them. Lety discovers she has a talent for understanding the personality of an animal and writing an ad that will attract a good owner! But some of the other campers seem jealous of her talent, or maybe they don't like her because of her Mexican background? How will Lety handle these campers? Realistic Fiction, grades 3-5. LMC Classes and Book Checkout
LMC classes are proceeding as scheduled, with each class attending LMC once a week which includes story or lesson and book check out. In addition each class has a separate dedicated 15 minute check out time for those students who are not in school on the day their class has LMC. For the classes with LMC on Monday, there are two 15 minute check out blocks, one on Tuesday or Thursday and one on Monday or Wednesday. We have also informed all students who are fully remote how they can check a book out from our library catalogue which we will put outside the Patton office for pick up that week. In Kindergarten and first grade we have enjoyed many of the 2021 Monarch Award nominated books and activities related to them including drawing with authors, building with legos and a few mini research questions in first grade, using PebbleGo, In second grade, students researched animals in their habitat in connection with their science unit and now are learning about the history of Arlington Heights with Nearpod. In third grade, students researched a weather disaster- tornado, hurricane, drought, wildfire, blizzard or flood and created a Brainpop movie about their disaster using the Brainpop "Make a Movie" tool. Watch this space for their videos soon! In 4th grade, we first looked at the 2021 Bluestem nominated books and in connection with their science unit on the Geosphere, researched a National Park to discover how the land there was formed. Students shared their knowledge with a Flipgrid. We also has a special visit by Zoom from a National Park ranger who answered student questions about the geology of the park they were in, to discover it was Yellowstone! In 5th grade, students explored resources that delved into the question of why we explore space, is it worth the cost and risks, and should it continue to be public by NASA or more by private companies? After researching the pros and cons on both sides of these issues, students were put into debate groups, and prepped to argue one side. We held the debates and were impressed with the quality of argument, evidence presented and passion of the students! We also had a virtual visit from Dan Gemeinhart, author or The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise and other meaningful unique stories. Take a look at some of the happenings! Awesome Dog 5000 by Justin Dean. This fun story is full of great kids, robotic dogs, evil scientists and creative inventions. Meet 10 year old Marty, who is about to start a new school hoping to find "cool" friends and popularity. When his first day does not go well, Marty finds himself embarrassed and in danger of being labeled "dork". But then he meets Marty and Skyler who might not be in the cool crowd but instead they are nice, friendly, interesting and share his love/obsession with the video game, Sheriff Turbo-Karate! Marty also discovers that the inventor who used to live in his house, has left an amazing robotic invention that Marty finds, activates and names - Awesome Dog 5000. Awesome Dog 5000 will take Marty and his new friends on some wild adventures with evil scientists and great escapes. Fantasy, Grades 2-4 A Dog-Friendly Town by Josephine Cameron. Pick this book up if you love dogs and mysteries! 12 year old Epic McDade lives with his parents and siblings, Rondo, age 9 and Elvis, age 8 in an unusual home - it is a Bed and Breakfast for Dogs (and their humans). The kids all help out and their duties include walking the pampered dog guests, cleaning rooms and entertaining the pups. But when a dog magazine names their town, Carmelito, California the "dog friendliest in the US", their bed and breakfast becomes the weekend headquarters for the award ceremony and celebrity dogs and their owners begin to check in. Then a television star dog's diamond collar is stolen and Epic, Rondo and Elvis decide they can solve the crime and find the culprit. Grades 3-5, Realistic Fiction with humor and dogs! Stanley Will Probably be Fine by Sally Pla. Stanley is a worrier, and while he works hard on how to relieve stress, it is a difficult battle. And entering 7th grade with a principal that seems obsessed with safety alerts and alarming drills is not helping. Nor is the fact that his best friend, Joon, who used to love comics like Stanley does, seems suddenly more interested in other friends and soccer. So Stanley spends more time alone with his comic books and his own art, creating a comic character called John Lockdown. But when his town announces a huge new Comic Trivia Contest that Stanley knows he can win and his new next door neighbor and potential friend, Liberty enters with him, things begin to look up. Read to find out if they can win, while learning a lot of comic trivia and how to conquer fears too! The Lost Girl by Anne Urus. Meet Iris and Lark, identical twins who are exactly alike on the outside, but very different inside. Iris is rational, organized and assertive, while Lark is dreamy and artistic. But they are extremely close and have always supported and complemented each other perfectly. So when they are assigned to different classes in 5th grade, for the first time ever, their world is shaken. Lark's shyness and anxiety seem to get worse and her confidence lessens, while Iris has difficulty connecting to her new classmates and worries about her twin. When a new store called "Treasure Hunters" sets up shop in their Minneapolis neighborhood with odd messages appearing on their sign, the sisters are intrigued but it is Iris that gets involved in a strange mystery while her twin is in danger of getting "lost". A great blend of truth and reality with unusual mystery and magic. Grades 3-5 Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors. This story is told in alternating chapters by Gizmo, a guinea pig (or as he correctly insists - a Cavy part of the rodent family not the pig family) and Wedgie, a corgi puppy who loves to wear a red cape and believe he is a super dog. The two animals come to live in the same house when Elliot's dad (Gizmo's owner) marries Wedgie's mom, mother of Jackson and Jasmine. Gizmo does not like the new set up, especially when Jasmine dresses him up in a tutu and carries him in her pocket. Wedgie, however, loves Gizmo who he calls the "furry potato", as much as he loves taking his humans for a walk, sniffing everything and his cape. Gizmo who is very smart and can even read (taught by the parrot in the pet shop he used to live in) hatches many plots to escape. Read, laugh and enjoy this animal and family adventure. Grades 2-3. Knights vs. Dinosuars by Matt Phelan. In this creative new series, we meet a group of Knights of the Round Table who are sent by the wizard Merlin to slay The Terrible Lizard. The group of Knights and one young squire carrying weapons, leave to find the lizard's cave. What they find is the age of dinosaurs and battles with many terrible dinosaurs including, Spinosaurus, Triceratops, Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus to the king Tyrannosaurus Rex! In the process we find out secrets about each Knight but special surprises about the Black Knight and the young squire. Great fun and adventure, especially for dinosaur and Knight lovers. Fantasy grades 2-4. Me, Frida and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes. When Paloma,'s mother gets a job assignment in Mexico City, Paloma goes with her for the summer, worried she will be lonely and miss her friends in Kansas. But Paloma's father who died when she was a baby, was from Mexico and Paloma does want to try to connect with that heritage. She immediately finds a strong connection with the art of artist Frida Kahlo when visiting her nearby museum home and learning that Kahlo was her father's favorite. She also meets three kids her own age, Gael and Lizzie twins, who are her Spanish tutors and Tavo, the son of the wealthy businessman who gave her mother the job opportunity. Through the twins Paloma learns of a missing Kahlo treasure, a ring shaped like a peacock worth millions and apparently stolen from the museum. Loving mysteries, Paloma agrees to help the twins solve the mystery, beginning an adventure into international art theft that will keep the reader turning pages, while learning about Kahlo's life and art and Spanish words too! Mystery grades 3-5. The House that Lou Built by Mae Respicio. Lou continually surprises friends and family with her creativity and strength in both designing and building all kinds of creations, and her shop teacher encourages her abilities. But her big dream is to build a "tiny house"-of only 100 square feet-on a plot of land that she inherited from her deceased father, who passed away before she was born. She intends for her house to be a space of her own that is environmentally sound and honors her dad's memory. Lou lives in a small cramped but loving home, with her mother and grandmother and has a large close knit group of Filipino family nearby. So Lou is very upset when her mother announces she may take a new job in another state. Lou cannot imagine living far from her Filipino cousins and the family traditions, plus the little house she is building with help from friends and cousins. Meet fun and interesting characters and find out about building plus a wonderful culture, including great food! Realistic fiction grades 4 and up. Operation Frog Effect by Sarah Sheerger. This clever story takes place during the 5th grade year of one class with a new teacher, a new frog class pet and mascot and a special challenge. Mrs. Graham requires each student to keep a journal and enter something daily and through the short but frank entries and drawings of 7 students, the readers learns student personalities, strengths, challenges, problems at home and school and potential changes in old and new friendships. When the class begins a unit on current social problems, Mrs. Graham further challenges the students to think beyond the paper and find a way to effect real change in their community. While the unit may bring the class together in ways that surprise them and the reader, could it threaten Mrs. Graham's job in the process? Realistic fiction, grades 3 and up. Aquicorn Cove by Katie O'Neill - a graphic novel that merges fantasy with sea creatures called "aquicorns" (that could be a cross between a seahorse and unicorn) and the story of a small fishing village recently hit by several severe storms possibly because of global warming. Lana and her father (humans) return to the village where Lana's mother grew up and died several years before. They are there to help their Aunt Mae clean up from the latest storm. While Lana reconnects with the beach and sea her mother loved and rescues a baby aquicorn, Mae tells her the story of the special cove where the sea creatures once saved her life. But they also told her that the villager's new fishing techniques were hurting the cove and the coral. Read this environmental fantasy story to learn what Lana and her aunt decide to do. Graphic Fantasy grades 2 -5. A Galaxy of Sea Stars by Ferruolo. Eleven-year-old Izzy's summer is not going as she planned. While she still loves living on the Rhode Island coast, learning about the coast and mapping the tides, everything else is falling apart. First, although her Dad has returned from Afghanistan, he is injured, physically and emotionally and now her parents are separated while they figure out their future together. And while Izzy always thought she could count on best friends and fellow "galaxy stars" (what a group of star fish are called), when middle school begins even that bond begins to come apart. So Izzy is not happy when her dad invites his friends from Afghanistan, now refugees in America, to moves in upstairs. Yet as Izzy gets to know the neighbors, including their daughter Satira, she begins to understand their challenges as Muslim immigrants and the ignorant bullying they encounter. Can she find the courage to fight for them and help bring her family back together too? Realistic fiction, grades 4 and 5. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Chokshi takes the reader on an incredible fantasy journey through Hindu mythology. Like Percy Jackson, Aru, a seemingly ordinary 7th grader whose greatest talent is telling very imaginative lies, does not yet know she is actually a type of goddess/warrior princess, one of the special Pandevas. We meet Aru when she is living with her mother in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture where her mother is the curator. So Aru knows she is never supposed to touch the lamp at the end of the Hall of Gods. Yet, in a moment of showing off for would be friends, Aru lights the lamp, causing everything around her to freeze. That begins her incredible journey to save the World from the end of time. In the process she meets her soul sister Mini, also new to the idea she is a Pandeva, 7 headed horses, glass palaces that morph as you imagine them, horrible demons, and beautiful and terrifying worlds, all on a quest to find three keys that will save time. And in the process the reader will learn some of the stories from Hindu mythology, even more amazing than the Roman myths and heroes we are more used to! Grades 4 and up, Fantasy. A Good Kind of Trouble by Ramee. Shayla is a shy, bright 12 year old, beginning middle school, sure that her two best friends, a diverse group that call themselves, "the United Nations" are unbreakable. But in the midst of angst over boys, popularity and homework issues, Shayla and her family are shocked by a not guilty verdict in a legal case concerning a police officer shooting an African American man. While Shayla is surprised at her friend's ignorance of the case and its meaning, she remains quiet, afraid to make waves. When her older sister becomes heavily involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and protest in high school, Shayla too becomes more aware of injustices right around her. She finds her voice and the courage to risk friendships and even getting into trouble to be heard and try to effect change. Grades 4 and up. Important realistic fiction. Weird Little Robots by Crimi. Science loving Penny and her family have moved to a new house where Penny has created a backyard clubhouse full of the robots she crafted from all kinds of spare parts. Still she longs for a friend and with her mother's insistence, finally befriends Lark, her neighbor and expert on birds. It turns out that Lark also truly loves and admires Penny's robots and has many great ideas. Together they expand the clubhouse to be a "robotown" and then suddenly discover the robots have come alive! They agree to keep this a secret between only the two of them. But when Penny is invited into a Secret Science Club, in which two popular girls are members, she breaks her word and breaks from Lark. Join Penny on this journey to figure out what is true friendship and how to save the robots from outside trouble! Grades 3-5 Fantasy. You don't know everything, Jilly P! by Gino. When we meet Jilly, she is obsessed with two things - her favorite fantasy book series which she discusses with an online group, and her soon to be born baby sister. When her sister Emma is born deaf, Jilly discovers that her favorite online buddy is also deaf and he is black. As she learns more about his experiences being deaf and black, it begins her own journey recognizing hidden prejudices that her sister will face in the hearing world as well as racism even in her own family. Jilly is very close to her mother's sister who has married a black woman and they are raising two young boys. Together with her aunt and her online friend, they help her parents navigate the services that Emma will need, and find a voice and action to raise awareness of racism in the family, and the world around them. Powerful realistic fiction. grade 4-5. Wayside School, Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Sachar. After many years, we are invited back to the quirky, silly and hilarious Wayside School. This time a "cloud of doom" is hanging over the school, wreaking havoc as the classmates of Mrs. Jewls’ classroom on the thirtieth floor, prepare for the Ultimate Test, and try to collect one million toe and finger nail clippings - very strange! Each chapter is full of weird but funny little adventures and insights into the cast of characters that include the entire class, as well as the "yard" teacher, the principal and Dr. Pickle. Humor! for grades 2-5. In Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn, we meet 11 year old Cat who has taken over the care of her younger brother, Chicken, who has some special needs, to support their hard working mother ever since their father died. And though Cat is pretty sure that nobody understands Chicken like she does, even she needs a break to just be a kid. That is what summer is supposed to bring, but this summer her mother's new job means they won't have a vacation with old friends Cat was looking forward too. Instead the kids will live for awhile with their mother's parents who they do not really know. Yet surprisingly, Cat and Chicken find themselves enchanted with Gingerbread Island, North Carolina and the house that their mother grew up in, learning about the beach, shells, small town life and fishing. As Cat slowly begins to get to know and trust her grandparents, she sets out to solve the mystery of why they have not been in her mother's life for so long. Grades 4 and 5. Realistic fiction Planet Omar, Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian. Meet Omar, a British Pakastani 3rd grader who has just moved to a new house and new school. Though Omar's great imagination helps him cope with his anxiety about the new school, the real friend he makes helps more. He and Charlie have a good time together, he likes his teacher and loves learning more about his Muslim faith at home. So all would be great except for Daniel, the class bully. Daniel not only makes Charlie miserable, he has started in on Omar and included some anti-Muslim comments, Omar must use his wits, humor and good values to persevere. Full of doodles from Omar's imagination, this book is a fun way to look at some real problems. Grades 2-4 Notorious by Korman. Twelve year old Keenan is a world traveler because his mother teaches in international schools all over the World. But this summer he is stuck recovering from tuberculosis on sleepy Centerlight Island (which is 1/2 in Canada, and 1/2 in the US) with his dad a Canadian border patrol agent. He befriends an odd Canadian girl named Zarabeth, or ZeeBee, who is convinced and obsessed with an old rumor that Prohibition-era gangsters buried treasure somewhere on the island. ZeeBee also suspects that her beloved deceased dog, Barney, a humongous mutt who terrorized the whole town, was actually murdered. Will Keenan help Zeebee find the truth about her dog and maybe the gangsters too? Realistic fiction with some great history mixed in. Grades 3-5. What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado. Mixed-race sixth-grader Stephen loves comic books, and spending time in New York City with his friends Dan and Wes. But when Dan’s contentious and perhaps racist cousin Chad moves nearby and joins their group, his attitude causes Stephen to notice that other people, including the police, also treat him differently than they treat Dan, who is white. As Stephen discusses his feelings with his African American father, and learns about the Black Lives Matter movement he realizes that race does affect people’s perceptions of him, and begins to be unsure of "which lane" he belongs in. Will he need to choose his black friends who "get" him over his white friends, even while he truly wants to fit in everywhere. Grades 4 -6. Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson. Ryan's family is moving to an older and smaller house in Portland, OR, because her dad lost his job and the new one will bring them less money. But Ryan and her family are close and determined to rise to each challenge. She still has her best friends, her love of cooking and fun but often annoying, teasing older brother. We enjoy meeting each member of this irrepressible family throughout one school year, meeting her public speaking challenges and even some issues related to the fact that Ryan is African American, all faced with courage and honesty. An enjoyable realistic read. Grades 3-5. And here are some more excellent titles from my summer reading: Indian No More by Charlene McManis is historical fiction that takes place in the 1954 when an Umpqua Indian family moves from the Grand Ronde reservation in Oregon to a house in Los Angeles, California. On the reservation, the family, Regina who is in 5th grade, her younger sister, parents and grandmother, lived a peaceful and good life with many relatives all around, land to explore and a rich culture to share and enjoy. But when the U.S. Government declares that their tribe is to be terminated, they move to a small house in Los Angeles to begin a new life "off the rez". Regina and her family desperately miss their old life as they try to adjust to the small cramped house with no land and no relatives nearby. But there are kids in their new multi-cultural neighborhood, African American, and Cuban, even as they the often sad and hurtful ignorance and bias about Native Americans. Enjoy this strong family as they struggle to maintain their heritage in their very different new life. Grades 4th and up. In The Unbelievable Oliver and the Four Jokers by Pseudonymous Bosch, meet Oliver who loves magic but is not yet very good at it. He is also the only boy in his 3rd grade class not invited to Maddox's incredible birthday party, the richest kid in their school. Oliver says he doesn't mind, but his two best friends, Teenie and Bea have other ideas. They get him a "gig" at the party - a magic show and he is determined to do the most amazing trick. With the help of a new magician's hat and the surprise rabbit that is inside he might pull it off. That is, until one of Maddox's present's disappears and Oliver, Teenie, Bea and the rabbit decide to figure out who took it. Part mystery, part fantasy, and all fun! Grades 2 and up. Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson. Amara loves basketball, and especially the Portland Trailblazers, growing up in Portland with a dad who works for Nike. While she is close to her mother's family, she has had little contact with her father's family, who live in New York City. When her dad has a work trip to New York City with the chance to go to the All-Star Game at Madison Square Gardens, Amara asks to go with. She wants to stay with her grandfather while her dad is working and get to know him and her cousins. She knows her father has not been close to his dad in many years and is determined to find out why and bring them back together. Amara's trip turns out to be far more eye opening and important as she learns from her grandfather more about her proud African American heritage, their Harlem roots as well as her family story. A great journey. Grades 4 and up. Voyage of the Dogs by Greg Van Eekhout is a space adventure for anyone who loves science fiction and dogs! In this future world dogs have achieved an almost human intelligence and ability to communicate with humans and each other. As a result they are now helping with the space program. Four special "barkonauts" are chosen to travel with a human crew of astronauts to populate a new planet, when the human capsule is lost in space. The dogs, the golden retriever, Champion; the corgi, Bug; the Great Dane, Daisy; and the mutt, Lopside are left to survive alone, with dwindling resources, trying to land their ship, when they discover that one human might still be alive. Narrated by Lopside, this is an incredible and intelligent space adventure that will keep you turning pages! Grades 4 and up. Check out these picture books and novels that address social and racial injustice now and in history, and find resources that help parents and kids to talk about these current challenges - on this LMC page. |
Archives
December 2021
My Reading List!
AuthorI am the Library Media Center director at Patton School in Arlington Heights where I help students from kindergarten through 5th grade find terrific independent reading for enjoyment and information, and teach students the skills to use information and technology safely and productively and to connect, communicate and share with others. I have four grown children, a large black dog, (flat coat retriever) and a small striped cat. I am an obessive Chicago Cubs fan and I love to run. Patton LMC Summer Reading Blog |