Davis Dispatch
September 28, 2009
High School International Problems: NEWS NOTES EVERY DAY!!
Monday: G20 Powerpoint: Worldwide Economic Conference
Tuesday’s Homework: Complete work on Powerpoint assignments
Wednesday’s Homework: Continue working on Powerpoint assignments
Thursday: News Quiz – Discussion on the Global aspect of banking/commerce
High School Language Arts: **READ 20 MINUTES A DAY/VOCABULARY-SUMMARY
Monday: Peer editing…how do you do this effectively? Exercise with essays written on Thursday.
**Define and write one sentence for each of your vocabulary words for this week: compose, comprehensive, compromise, concede, concentration, concept, concert, concession, conclude, concrete BONUS: debut, offensive
Tuesday:The Revolt of the Evil Fairies" by Ted Poston Answer "First Response", "Talking it Over" 1-6 and "Plot" questions 1-3
Wednesday: Select a passage from your book that you are reading and write a review of your passage; character, setting, plot, theme, etc.
Thursday: Spelling test! Continue Peer Editing…
High School World History:
Monday: Class video showing of the “Just the Facts: The Reformation”. Class will complete a note-taking exercise while watching the video.
Tuesday Homework: Read pages 428-433 Answer questions 3-6 and "Writing about History"
Wednesday's Homework: Pre-read pages 434-439. Define the Terms, People and Places on page 434 as well as answer the question, "What, in your opinion, was the greatest accomplishment of the Scientific community during this time period?"
Thursday: Scientific Reformation classroom discussion
High School Leadership:
Monday: Community Service and Action Plan
Tuesday-Friday: Research possible activities for the class as well as individually!!
High School Cooking
Thursday: Bring your favorite “Fruity” based recipe as well as a one page review of the following video: http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?SearchText=fruit&GradeLevel=3360056&TagID=3341759&ID=148326 “Mass Production” Apples
Remember: username: johannad password: learn360
Middle School Language Arts: READ 20 MINUTES EVERY DAY/SETTING SUMMARY
Monday: In class 5 paragraph essay on “My favorite vacation spot!” **Define and write one sentence for each of your vocabulary words for this week: personal, expression, distracted, preference, jabbering, whirled, flicked, wristwatch, laughter, remember Bonus trickery, dainty
Tuesday: Read “Fifteen Minutes“ by Larry Callen and answer the questions included at the end of the story.
Wednesday : Read the author study and answer the questions.
Thursday: Weekly spelling test!
Middle School World History:
Monday: New and exciting species found in S. Asia http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33022805/ns/technology_and_science-science/
Tuesday: Middle East (SW Asia) Map exercise online: lcp-6212; lcp-6222; lcp-6232
Wednesday: SW Asia Physical Geography reading: Terms; oasis, petroleum, nonrenewable resource, standard of living, flammable, reserve, permanent, arable
Thursday: More on the Middle East
Middle School Cooking:
Thursday: In the classroom this week discussing kitchen safety!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
September 21st
Davis Dispatch
High School International Problems: NEWS NOTES EVERY DAY!!
Monday: Review of Darfur speaker; notes on the characteristics of genocide as well as a discussion of the history of genocide. *Homework: After reading the article at http://www.hnn.us/articles/7302.html defend your point of view on America’s own involvement in genocide. This should be done in a minimum of a 5 paragraph essay, using 3 opinions supported with facts to effectively defend your point of view.
Tuesday’s Homework: Complete world map of places that genocide has occurred. Use map at Amnesty International as well as Auschwitz Institute’s websites.
Wednesday’s Homework: Read the article http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/bosnia.htm and complete a compare and contrast diagram of your choosing to show the similarities and differences. Write a one page reflection on what the importance of the International Community is when addressing genocide in the world.
Thursday: News Quiz as well as an in-class writing assignment
High School Language Arts: **READ 20 MINUTES A DAY/SETTING SUMMARY
Monday: Turn in Homework from “The Writers” Questions 1-2; Classroom discussion on reading and in class homework of questions 3-4**Define and write one sentence for each of your vocabulary words for this week: abhor, bigot, counterfeit, enfranchise, hamper, kindle, noxious, placid, plagiarism, renown BONUS: tangent, knotty
Tuesday: Read “Lord of the Flies” excerpt and write your prediction to what will happen next…minimum of one full page.
Wednesday: “What’s in the bag?” Writing Assignment: The piece of paper you've received stores a part of a collection of treasures left behind by someone. Your job is to write a short story that depicts the character who gathered the objects and shows why the objects are important to the character. How do the objects connect to one another -- or do they? Why has the character saved the objects? What do they tell you about him or her? How old is the character, and how old was the character when these objects were collected? Do you think they were all collected at the same point in the character's life? Spin out a tale from these treasures that your character has left behind.
Thursday: Spelling test! Bring in 3 random items in a paper bag and we will have an in class writing assignment.
Friday: Select a movie that was made based on a book you have read…bring that title in on Monday for classroom discussion.
High School World History:
Monday: Class discussion on Renaissance Era
Tuesday: Read pages 418-421 focusing on the long term effects as well as the historical importance of WHY this was such a change in thinking for the people during this era. Write 5 questions and the answers from the main ideas of this passage.
Wednesday: Government was not just an entity that had political power but it also welded great power over the personal lives of the citizens during this time period. Read an excerpt (choose a few chapters) of Machiavelli’s “The Prince” found at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm#2HCH0001 and describe why this was such an instrumental book in looking at WHY government leaders should be what Machiavelli described and not how they in reality were. This should be done in a minimum of a 5 paragraph essay as you should have your 3 opinions supported by facts for each of your body paragraphs.
Thursday: Introduction to the Protestant Reformation
High School Leadership:
Monday: Community Service and Action Plan
Tuesday-Friday: Research possible activities for the class as well as individually!!
High School Cooking
Thursday: Bring your favorite “Chocolate” based recipe as well as a one page review of the following video: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/chocolate-hearts/1372.html
Middle School Language Arts: READ 20 MINUTES EVERY DAY/SETTING SUMMARY
Monday: Genres and making sure they are all appreciated! **Define and write one sentence for each of your vocabulary words for this week: vanity, recession, refugees, pulse, seared, myth, scribbled, fused, complain, stashed BONUS: ordinary, unerringly
Tuesday: Read ‘Phoenix Farm“ by Jane Yolen and answer the “Think it Through” questions. Also write a one paragraph reflection on why they chose “Travelin’ Man” by Nikki Grimes to be “Related Reading” for Phoenix Farm. *This can be found in your Reading packet!!
Wednesday: Using your at home reading book complete the “Book Review” worksheet. *Email me for a copy if you are absent!
Thursday: Weekly spelling test! In class writing exercise…be thinking of your favorite place to be!!
Middle School World History:
Monday: Map homework due!! Powerpoint discussion on East Asia’s geography
Tuesday: Culture of East Asia: Influence of Buddha; using the handout answer the questions.
*Email me for a copy if you are absent!!
Wednesday: Research a Japanese or Chinese holiday and describe how it explains the difference in cultures we have here in America (food, religion, etc.)High School International Problems: NEWS NOTES EVERY DAY!!
Monday: Review of Darfur speaker; notes on the characteristics of genocide as well as a discussion of the history of genocide. *Homework: After reading the article at http://www.hnn.us/articles/7302.html defend your point of view on America’s own involvement in genocide. This should be done in a minimum of a 5 paragraph essay, using 3 opinions supported with facts to effectively defend your point of view.
Tuesday’s Homework: Complete world map of places that genocide has occurred. Use map at Amnesty International as well as Auschwitz Institute’s websites.
Wednesday’s Homework: Read the article http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/bosnia.htm and complete a compare and contrast diagram of your choosing to show the similarities and differences. Write a one page reflection on what the importance of the International Community is when addressing genocide in the world.
Thursday: News Quiz as well as an in-class writing assignment
High School Language Arts: **READ 20 MINUTES A DAY/SETTING SUMMARY
Monday: Turn in Homework from “The Writers” Questions 1-2; Classroom discussion on reading and in class homework of questions 3-4**Define and write one sentence for each of your vocabulary words for this week: abhor, bigot, counterfeit, enfranchise, hamper, kindle, noxious, placid, plagiarism, renown BONUS: tangent, knotty
Tuesday: Read “Lord of the Flies” excerpt and write your prediction to what will happen next…minimum of one full page.
Wednesday: “What’s in the bag?” Writing Assignment: The piece of paper you've received stores a part of a collection of treasures left behind by someone. Your job is to write a short story that depicts the character who gathered the objects and shows why the objects are important to the character. How do the objects connect to one another -- or do they? Why has the character saved the objects? What do they tell you about him or her? How old is the character, and how old was the character when these objects were collected? Do you think they were all collected at the same point in the character's life? Spin out a tale from these treasures that your character has left behind.
Thursday: Spelling test! Bring in 3 random items in a paper bag and we will have an in class writing assignment.
Friday: Select a movie that was made based on a book you have read…bring that title in on Monday for classroom discussion.
High School World History:
Monday: Class discussion on Renaissance Era
Tuesday: Read pages 418-421 focusing on the long term effects as well as the historical importance of WHY this was such a change in thinking for the people during this era. Write 5 questions and the answers from the main ideas of this passage.
Wednesday: Government was not just an entity that had political power but it also welded great power over the personal lives of the citizens during this time period. Read an excerpt (choose a few chapters) of Machiavelli’s “The Prince” found at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm#2HCH0001 and describe why this was such an instrumental book in looking at WHY government leaders should be what Machiavelli described and not how they in reality were. This should be done in a minimum of a 5 paragraph essay as you should have your 3 opinions supported by facts for each of your body paragraphs.
Thursday: Introduction to the Protestant Reformation
High School Leadership:
Monday: Community Service and Action Plan
Tuesday-Friday: Research possible activities for the class as well as individually!!
High School Cooking
Thursday: Bring your favorite “Chocolate” based recipe as well as a one page review of the following video: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/chocolate-hearts/1372.html
Middle School Language Arts: READ 20 MINUTES EVERY DAY/SETTING SUMMARY
Monday: Genres and making sure they are all appreciated! **Define and write one sentence for each of your vocabulary words for this week: vanity, recession, refugees, pulse, seared, myth, scribbled, fused, complain, stashed BONUS: ordinary, unerringly
Tuesday: Read ‘Phoenix Farm“ by Jane Yolen and answer the “Think it Through” questions. Also write a one paragraph reflection on why they chose “Travelin’ Man” by Nikki Grimes to be “Related Reading” for Phoenix Farm. *This can be found in your Reading packet!!
Wednesday: Using your at home reading book complete the “Book Review” worksheet. *Email me for a copy if you are absent!
Thursday: Weekly spelling test! In class writing exercise…be thinking of your favorite place to be!!
Middle School World History:
Monday: Map homework due!! Powerpoint discussion on East Asia’s geography
Tuesday: Culture of East Asia: Influence of Buddha; using the handout answer the questions.
*Email me for a copy if you are absent!!
Thursday: Tibet…what is it and why is Tibet important?
Friday: With your parent answer the following question “Should we care that the Dalai Lama is in exile”?
Middle School Cooking:
Thursday: In the kitchen this week making a Cinnamon Sensation!! Bring in your favorite recipe that has “cinnamon” included in it!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Davis Dispatch- September 14th
Upcoming Events:
Genocide in Darfur Speaker THIS Thursday at 7pm at the Richland Public Library.
Cooking supplies are due on Thursday!
International Problems:
9/14- World leaders and World Systems- We will cover the weekend's homework regarding Comparing and Contrasting World Leaders
9/15 Watch video on Darfur at www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdR9SSB4yPOo&feature=related Analyze the causes of genocide as well as the complications to this situation.
9/16 Using both government sites and non-profit sites list and explain what assistance is being done in Darfur. Find a minimum of 3 sites and discuss in detail your opinion.
9/17 We will be discussing homework as well as taking a News Quiz! We will also begin to compare European genocide to African genocide.
HS Language Arts: Reminder to be reading everyday a minimum of 20 minutes!
9/14 Personalized Stories due! Classroom presentations by students **Reminder to bring library books to class!
9/15 Read and respond to assigned literature “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
9/16 Word list-Define and use word correctly in a sentence **You’ll be quizzed on these words! Ambitious, behavior, compliments, dependable, encouragement, friendship, genuine, honorable, imaginative, jealousy Bonus: legitimacy and vivacious
9/17 Topic: literary forms and terms
HS Modern World History: Textbooks will be assigned today…please keep at home!
9/14 Preview of Renaissance timeline
9/15 Read through pages 410-417 on Renaissance and complete handout on individuals and major events ** See questions for 9/16...some you will be able to answer per reading and others the video!
9/16 Watch video at: http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=236811 Taking notes on each section. Questions to be able to answer: Renaissance Video
1. Why Italy?
2. Define Renaissance:
3. What was the role of the Church in regards to Humanism?
4. Who was Petrarch?
5. What was the importance of the Donation of Constantine?
6. Name the first book that was produced by the Gutenberg Printing Press.
7. What was the motive for producing books in mass?
8. Name one effect of the development of the printing press.
9. Describe the role of the Midici Family:
10. Who was Erasmus of Rotterdam?
11. What developments came about in trade and commerce during this time?
12. Machiavelli’s impact on the time period was what in regards to politics?
13. Describe High Renaissance art and name at least 2 famous artists that came from this genre.
14. How did fine arts change over time in regards to music and literature?
15. Writing in their own language changed several writers…who were they and what did they write?
16. Why is Don Quixote a classic?
17. What were the scientific findings of Copernicus? Kepler?
18. Galileo Galilei paid a price for his findings; what were his findings and what was his punishment?
19. What were comparable Inquisitions around the world?
20. What questions remained until Isaac Newton published his findings?
21. How did the microscope change medicine and science?
22. Who was the first to experiment on human cadavers?
23. List other key Renaissance inventions:
9/17 Italy’s History and Geography-Students will complete the map “Europe about 1600” and label states and kingdoms.
HS Leadership-Monday Only
Introduction to class and expectations
Select Community Service Project
Research organization locally that you’d like to volunteer for
Plan ’09 First Semester activities
Design school shirt to sell
Unite one of Seven Habits for Highly Effective Teens
HS Cooking-Thursday Only
Pasta revolution!! Using 5 ingredients create a sauce that is either sweet or spicy. This sauce must include spices, veggies or fruit. Extra credit will be given to group that creates the most creative AND best tasting pasta dish.
**Bring weekly plan to class to show a minimum of 4 hours of cooking ideas to earn credit.
Davis Dispatch~September 14, 2009-Middle School
Upcoming Events:
-Cooking supplies due on Thursday
Middle School Language Arts
9/14 Students will present their final drafts of “Who I Am” poems
9/15 Students will read “Herbie“ by Rod Serling and write a one page alternative ending.
9/16 Using the vocabulary list write a mock letter to a friend using the words correctly and in proper context. Words: astronomy, predictions, contract, university, investigate, government, disaster, vacation, tomorrow, worried Bonus: extrasensory perception, disease
9/17 Sentence dissections and terminology injections
Middle School World History
9/14 Five Themes of Geography: location, regions, place, movement and interaction.
Map introduction to East Asia and the Pacific: Types of maps; political, physical, special-purposes
9/15 Read introduction and answer reflection questions
9/16 Watch video on famous world explorers at: www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?SearchText=asia+colony&ID=132725
Take notes and turn in quiz with your answers as well as the correct answers.
9/17 We will explore deeper the area and people of East Asia and the Pacific
Cooking-In class project
Recipe book project: Using recipe books plan and write out 1 breakfast, 1 snack, 1 lunch and 1 dinner. These recipes MUST follow the Food Pyramid.
**Please preview the Pyramid at: http://www.mypyramid.gov/index.html
Genocide in Darfur Speaker THIS Thursday at 7pm at the Richland Public Library.
Cooking supplies are due on Thursday!
International Problems:
9/14- World leaders and World Systems- We will cover the weekend's homework regarding Comparing and Contrasting World Leaders
9/15 Watch video on Darfur at www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdR9SSB4yPOo&feature=related Analyze the causes of genocide as well as the complications to this situation.
9/16 Using both government sites and non-profit sites list and explain what assistance is being done in Darfur. Find a minimum of 3 sites and discuss in detail your opinion.
9/17 We will be discussing homework as well as taking a News Quiz! We will also begin to compare European genocide to African genocide.
HS Language Arts: Reminder to be reading everyday a minimum of 20 minutes!
9/14 Personalized Stories due! Classroom presentations by students **Reminder to bring library books to class!
9/15 Read and respond to assigned literature “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
9/16 Word list-Define and use word correctly in a sentence **You’ll be quizzed on these words! Ambitious, behavior, compliments, dependable, encouragement, friendship, genuine, honorable, imaginative, jealousy Bonus: legitimacy and vivacious
9/17 Topic: literary forms and terms
HS Modern World History: Textbooks will be assigned today…please keep at home!
9/14 Preview of Renaissance timeline
9/15 Read through pages 410-417 on Renaissance and complete handout on individuals and major events ** See questions for 9/16...some you will be able to answer per reading and others the video!
9/16 Watch video at: http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=236811 Taking notes on each section. Questions to be able to answer: Renaissance Video
1. Why Italy?
2. Define Renaissance:
3. What was the role of the Church in regards to Humanism?
4. Who was Petrarch?
5. What was the importance of the Donation of Constantine?
6. Name the first book that was produced by the Gutenberg Printing Press.
7. What was the motive for producing books in mass?
8. Name one effect of the development of the printing press.
9. Describe the role of the Midici Family:
10. Who was Erasmus of Rotterdam?
11. What developments came about in trade and commerce during this time?
12. Machiavelli’s impact on the time period was what in regards to politics?
13. Describe High Renaissance art and name at least 2 famous artists that came from this genre.
14. How did fine arts change over time in regards to music and literature?
15. Writing in their own language changed several writers…who were they and what did they write?
16. Why is Don Quixote a classic?
17. What were the scientific findings of Copernicus? Kepler?
18. Galileo Galilei paid a price for his findings; what were his findings and what was his punishment?
19. What were comparable Inquisitions around the world?
20. What questions remained until Isaac Newton published his findings?
21. How did the microscope change medicine and science?
22. Who was the first to experiment on human cadavers?
23. List other key Renaissance inventions:
9/17 Italy’s History and Geography-Students will complete the map “Europe about 1600” and label states and kingdoms.
HS Leadership-Monday Only
Introduction to class and expectations
Select Community Service Project
Research organization locally that you’d like to volunteer for
Plan ’09 First Semester activities
Design school shirt to sell
Unite one of Seven Habits for Highly Effective Teens
HS Cooking-Thursday Only
Pasta revolution!! Using 5 ingredients create a sauce that is either sweet or spicy. This sauce must include spices, veggies or fruit. Extra credit will be given to group that creates the most creative AND best tasting pasta dish.
**Bring weekly plan to class to show a minimum of 4 hours of cooking ideas to earn credit.
Davis Dispatch~September 14, 2009-Middle School
Upcoming Events:
-Cooking supplies due on Thursday
Middle School Language Arts
9/14 Students will present their final drafts of “Who I Am” poems
9/15 Students will read “Herbie“ by Rod Serling and write a one page alternative ending.
9/16 Using the vocabulary list write a mock letter to a friend using the words correctly and in proper context. Words: astronomy, predictions, contract, university, investigate, government, disaster, vacation, tomorrow, worried Bonus: extrasensory perception, disease
9/17 Sentence dissections and terminology injections
Middle School World History
9/14 Five Themes of Geography: location, regions, place, movement and interaction.
Map introduction to East Asia and the Pacific: Types of maps; political, physical, special-purposes
9/15 Read introduction and answer reflection questions
9/16 Watch video on famous world explorers at: www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?SearchText=asia+colony&ID=132725
Take notes and turn in quiz with your answers as well as the correct answers.
9/17 We will explore deeper the area and people of East Asia and the Pacific
Cooking-In class project
Recipe book project: Using recipe books plan and write out 1 breakfast, 1 snack, 1 lunch and 1 dinner. These recipes MUST follow the Food Pyramid.
**Please preview the Pyramid at: http://www.mypyramid.gov/index.html
Monday, August 24, 2009
Welcome Back!!
I hope everyone had a GREAT summer and I am very excited about starting up HomeLink again! I am busy making lesson plans and syllabi so that everyone can see what exciting things are coming!!
I heard a few of you have been asking about supply lists and the only items that your student will need from my classes are:
Language Arts: Writing Composition Book, 3 ring binder with dividers and notebook paper
History: 3 ring binder with dividers and notebook paper
Other recommended items: highlighters, notecards, a computer thumb drive, white out and colored pencils.
Cooking class will have a list of required items to purchase.
See you all at the BBQ on the 31st!!
I heard a few of you have been asking about supply lists and the only items that your student will need from my classes are:
Language Arts: Writing Composition Book, 3 ring binder with dividers and notebook paper
History: 3 ring binder with dividers and notebook paper
Other recommended items: highlighters, notecards, a computer thumb drive, white out and colored pencils.
Cooking class will have a list of required items to purchase.
See you all at the BBQ on the 31st!!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Summer Reading lists-High School
These high school books are on most recommended lists for local and national schools. We will be studying American and British literature this coming year and I would LOVE for all students to have a sampling of the above authors.
How much reading should be monitored by parents and students will be asked to share about their summer reading the first week of school. Parents: Please be aware of your student’s choice of books. Not all books are appropriate for all students!
9th grade
1. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls—This true story reveals the struggles that a young girl and her siblings overcome as they are being raised by addicted and irresponsible parents. Will these kids manage to become successful and fulfill their dreams?
2. How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen—an award-winning New York Times columnist writes about her life-long love affair with books. She includes her own admittedly "arbitrary and capricious" reading lists such as "The 10 books I would save in a fire," "10 modern novels that made me proud to be a writer," "10 books that will help a teenager feel more human," and various other categories.
3. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot—Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.
4. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury—Set in a grim setting ruled by a tyrannical government in which firemen as we understand them no longer exist: Here, firemen don't douse fires, they ignite them. And they do this specifically in homes that house the most evil of evils: books.
5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott—Little Women is about a family of four girls Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and their various adventures with family, marriage, and children. This book has romance and family conflicts that everyone can relate to.
6. Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells-The horrors of the US Civil War are seen through the eyes of 12 year-old India Moody who lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Family lost and love found; dreams dashed and hope returned, a “can’t put down” read.
7. Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick
8. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams—Join Arthur and Ford as they hitchhike across the galaxy in this adventurous comedy. It’s a quick, easy read and a bundle of laughs.
9. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith—a poignant tale of growing up and rising above obstacles.
10. For One More Day by Mitch Albom-For One More Day is the story of a mother and a son, and a relationship that covers a lifetime and beyond. It explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?
11. Fake ID by Walter Sorrells—After a lifetime of moving and new identities, sixteen-year-old Chass begins to piece together her and her mother's past, which involves a mysterious tape, a deceased singer, and the secrets of several people in a small Alabama town
12. The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt-There are many strands in this story: the Vietnam War, air raid drills, missing soldiers, a classmate who is a Vietnamese refugee, a rescue, extreme humiliation, chalk-covered cream puffs, yellow tights with feathers in all the wrong places and a bully. In fact, so much happens I wondered whether all the seeds Schmidt planted could flower by the end. To his great credit, they do.
13. Alabama Moon by Watt Key-After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and a new life.
14. Hank Aaron and the Homerun that Changed America by Tom Stanton—Chasing the home run record of Babe Ruth also meant chasing the legend of the “Sultan of Swat.” As Hank Aaron came close to that achievement in 1973, not everyone in America was willing to accept that an African-American could overtake Babe Ruth’s homerun performance. How did Aaron succeed?
15. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King—Nine-year-old Trisha who gets helplessly lost in the woods with little chance of survival. The only thing that keeps her going is her portable radio that is broadcasting the Red Sox game, in which her hero, Tom Gordon, is pitching. Will Trisha be saved from the woods, or will ear and the unknown defeat her?
10th —
1. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
In the old, southern, town of Cold Sassy something that has never happened before is going to stir up the town. However, one day everything changes when Mrs. Mattie Lou dies, and Mr, Blackslee decides to get remarried to a young, aspiring designer. This news gets the townspeople gossiping and it becomes a comical mess.
2. All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
If you are looking for a humorous, short read, this is the book for you! All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is an intriguing array of 27 short essays that are imaginative and fun.
3. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Any football lover will enjoy this action-packed story about one team’s struggle to win the championship in their last year of high school.
4. Walden by Thoreau
Walden, what is it? Is it a book on nature, a book on ecology, a book on human nature, a description of the struggle between modern civilization and the land that nurtured it, or a critique of mankind? Nature lovers should read this book to decide for themselves what it’s all about.
5. The Haunted Mesa by Louis L’Amour
6. A Gathering of Old Men by Earnest Gaines
7. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
8. The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Looking for an action-filled and dynamic book about honor, family, and adventure? This book is about a young pearl diver named Kino. His son Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, but Kino cannot pay the doctor so he will not treat the boy—until he finds a very large pearl. Will Coyotito be saved?
9. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
A classic American drama by an African-American playwright, the play was a radically new representation of black life. "A play that changed American theater forever."—The New York Times.
10. Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
A wonderful story about a girl named Novalee, who is "seventeen, seven months pregnant, thirty-seven pounds overweight--and superstitious about sevens.... For most people, sevens were lucky. But not for her." Novalee’s boyfriend abandons her, leaving her at a Wal-mart in an unfamiliar town. How will Novalee manage in a town where she doesn’t know a soul?
11. Silas Marner by George Eliot
12. The Crystal Caveby Mary Stewart
13. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
14. Daisy Miller by Henry James
Henry James is a literary genius and this novella expresses love, innocence, society, and inner turmoil within eighty pages that are saturated with real feeling.
11th
1. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
When Addie Bundren dies, her husband and five children load her coffin on their wagon and embark on a long journey to bury her in the town of Jefferson. As her body rots and the trip takes longer than expected, the dark secrets of this rural Mississippi family unravel. Read this tragic but grotesquely humorous novel about a decaying corpse and the twisted values of the family that takes too long to bury her.
2. A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins
This true story is the adventurous tale of one man’s journey as he crosses the country on foot
3. The Five People You meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Dying in order to save another life, Eddie goes to heaven where he meets five people who show him that his deeds may seem small, but he accomplished many goals in his life. He begins to understand the real meaning behind God’s work in our lives. Read that thought provoking, modern day parable written by the author of Tuesday’s with Morrie.
4. Bleachers by John Grisham
This is a great story for anyone who loves high school football.
5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
This is a dark novel about the nervous breakdown of a college student.
6. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Set almost a century ago, The Color Purple follows Celie’s life from her abused childhood through her arranged marriage and difficult self-discoveries. Will Celie ever achieve her lifelong goal of finding her brilliant younger sister, Nettie, from whom she was separated at sixteen?
7. The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou
This book is one in a series of autobiographies by the amazing Maya Angelou.
8. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Alvarez
This books tells the story of a family who immigrates to America from the Dominican Republic.
9. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
This book tells stories of the Vietnam War.
10. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
A graphic novel about the plight of immigrant workers enduring terrible working conditions in the meat packing plants of Chicago in the early 1900s.
11. The House on Mango Street by Cisneros (We read a short excerpt this year from this book)
12. Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler
This novel tells the story of Ian, a typical teenage boy. After Ian speaks harshly without thinking to his brother, his life is forever changed. Will Ian ever find forgiveness?
13. Yo! by Julia Alvarez
14. The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty
15. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
16. Who Killed My Daughter? By Lois Duncan
Lois Duncan’s daughter was really murdered. In this nonfiction work, Duncan investigates and reports on the bizarre murder of her own daughter.
12th
1. 1984 by George Orwell
This futuristic novel by George Orwell is an intriguing story about a man who risks his life to find happiness and freedom in a world that is controlled in every aspect. Monitored by telescreens and always watched by the “thought police,” the world in which we live is completely changed. Can this man save himself and the rest of humanity?
2. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
3. Christy by Catherine Marshall Marshall writes about her mother’s real life experiences teaching in the Smoky Mountains at a missionary school with a fictional twist. Christy is the nineteen-year-old teacher who discovers how different the mountain people really are as she learns that God can use her if she is willing to let Him. Marshall also wrote Julie and A Man Called Peter, along with other inspirational works.
4. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is an intriguing tale of one man determined to get his revenge in 19th century Elba. With every turn of the page comes a new, compelling twist to the story that will have you reaching for this book every spare second that you have.
5. Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
7. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
9. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
10. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Doyle
11. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
12. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
13. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
14. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
15. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas The Three Musketeers and their newfound ally d’Artagnan defend the honor of the king against the traitorous Cardinal’s forces in this suspenseful novel of adventure, romance, and friendship.
16. The Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R.Tolkien
17. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
18. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriott
19. It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It by Robert Fulghum
More humorous essays by the author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.
20. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
How much reading should be monitored by parents and students will be asked to share about their summer reading the first week of school. Parents: Please be aware of your student’s choice of books. Not all books are appropriate for all students!
9th grade
1. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls—This true story reveals the struggles that a young girl and her siblings overcome as they are being raised by addicted and irresponsible parents. Will these kids manage to become successful and fulfill their dreams?
2. How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen—an award-winning New York Times columnist writes about her life-long love affair with books. She includes her own admittedly "arbitrary and capricious" reading lists such as "The 10 books I would save in a fire," "10 modern novels that made me proud to be a writer," "10 books that will help a teenager feel more human," and various other categories.
3. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot—Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.
4. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury—Set in a grim setting ruled by a tyrannical government in which firemen as we understand them no longer exist: Here, firemen don't douse fires, they ignite them. And they do this specifically in homes that house the most evil of evils: books.
5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott—Little Women is about a family of four girls Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and their various adventures with family, marriage, and children. This book has romance and family conflicts that everyone can relate to.
6. Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells-The horrors of the US Civil War are seen through the eyes of 12 year-old India Moody who lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Family lost and love found; dreams dashed and hope returned, a “can’t put down” read.
7. Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick
8. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams—Join Arthur and Ford as they hitchhike across the galaxy in this adventurous comedy. It’s a quick, easy read and a bundle of laughs.
9. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith—a poignant tale of growing up and rising above obstacles.
10. For One More Day by Mitch Albom-For One More Day is the story of a mother and a son, and a relationship that covers a lifetime and beyond. It explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?
11. Fake ID by Walter Sorrells—After a lifetime of moving and new identities, sixteen-year-old Chass begins to piece together her and her mother's past, which involves a mysterious tape, a deceased singer, and the secrets of several people in a small Alabama town
12. The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt-There are many strands in this story: the Vietnam War, air raid drills, missing soldiers, a classmate who is a Vietnamese refugee, a rescue, extreme humiliation, chalk-covered cream puffs, yellow tights with feathers in all the wrong places and a bully. In fact, so much happens I wondered whether all the seeds Schmidt planted could flower by the end. To his great credit, they do.
13. Alabama Moon by Watt Key-After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and a new life.
14. Hank Aaron and the Homerun that Changed America by Tom Stanton—Chasing the home run record of Babe Ruth also meant chasing the legend of the “Sultan of Swat.” As Hank Aaron came close to that achievement in 1973, not everyone in America was willing to accept that an African-American could overtake Babe Ruth’s homerun performance. How did Aaron succeed?
15. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King—Nine-year-old Trisha who gets helplessly lost in the woods with little chance of survival. The only thing that keeps her going is her portable radio that is broadcasting the Red Sox game, in which her hero, Tom Gordon, is pitching. Will Trisha be saved from the woods, or will ear and the unknown defeat her?
10th —
1. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
In the old, southern, town of Cold Sassy something that has never happened before is going to stir up the town. However, one day everything changes when Mrs. Mattie Lou dies, and Mr, Blackslee decides to get remarried to a young, aspiring designer. This news gets the townspeople gossiping and it becomes a comical mess.
2. All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
If you are looking for a humorous, short read, this is the book for you! All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is an intriguing array of 27 short essays that are imaginative and fun.
3. Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Any football lover will enjoy this action-packed story about one team’s struggle to win the championship in their last year of high school.
4. Walden by Thoreau
Walden, what is it? Is it a book on nature, a book on ecology, a book on human nature, a description of the struggle between modern civilization and the land that nurtured it, or a critique of mankind? Nature lovers should read this book to decide for themselves what it’s all about.
5. The Haunted Mesa by Louis L’Amour
6. A Gathering of Old Men by Earnest Gaines
7. Lost Horizon by James Hilton
8. The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Looking for an action-filled and dynamic book about honor, family, and adventure? This book is about a young pearl diver named Kino. His son Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, but Kino cannot pay the doctor so he will not treat the boy—until he finds a very large pearl. Will Coyotito be saved?
9. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
A classic American drama by an African-American playwright, the play was a radically new representation of black life. "A play that changed American theater forever."—The New York Times.
10. Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
A wonderful story about a girl named Novalee, who is "seventeen, seven months pregnant, thirty-seven pounds overweight--and superstitious about sevens.... For most people, sevens were lucky. But not for her." Novalee’s boyfriend abandons her, leaving her at a Wal-mart in an unfamiliar town. How will Novalee manage in a town where she doesn’t know a soul?
11. Silas Marner by George Eliot
12. The Crystal Caveby Mary Stewart
13. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
14. Daisy Miller by Henry James
Henry James is a literary genius and this novella expresses love, innocence, society, and inner turmoil within eighty pages that are saturated with real feeling.
11th
1. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
When Addie Bundren dies, her husband and five children load her coffin on their wagon and embark on a long journey to bury her in the town of Jefferson. As her body rots and the trip takes longer than expected, the dark secrets of this rural Mississippi family unravel. Read this tragic but grotesquely humorous novel about a decaying corpse and the twisted values of the family that takes too long to bury her.
2. A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins
This true story is the adventurous tale of one man’s journey as he crosses the country on foot
3. The Five People You meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Dying in order to save another life, Eddie goes to heaven where he meets five people who show him that his deeds may seem small, but he accomplished many goals in his life. He begins to understand the real meaning behind God’s work in our lives. Read that thought provoking, modern day parable written by the author of Tuesday’s with Morrie.
4. Bleachers by John Grisham
This is a great story for anyone who loves high school football.
5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
This is a dark novel about the nervous breakdown of a college student.
6. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Set almost a century ago, The Color Purple follows Celie’s life from her abused childhood through her arranged marriage and difficult self-discoveries. Will Celie ever achieve her lifelong goal of finding her brilliant younger sister, Nettie, from whom she was separated at sixteen?
7. The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou
This book is one in a series of autobiographies by the amazing Maya Angelou.
8. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Alvarez
This books tells the story of a family who immigrates to America from the Dominican Republic.
9. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
This book tells stories of the Vietnam War.
10. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
A graphic novel about the plight of immigrant workers enduring terrible working conditions in the meat packing plants of Chicago in the early 1900s.
11. The House on Mango Street by Cisneros (We read a short excerpt this year from this book)
12. Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler
This novel tells the story of Ian, a typical teenage boy. After Ian speaks harshly without thinking to his brother, his life is forever changed. Will Ian ever find forgiveness?
13. Yo! by Julia Alvarez
14. The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty
15. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
16. Who Killed My Daughter? By Lois Duncan
Lois Duncan’s daughter was really murdered. In this nonfiction work, Duncan investigates and reports on the bizarre murder of her own daughter.
12th
1. 1984 by George Orwell
This futuristic novel by George Orwell is an intriguing story about a man who risks his life to find happiness and freedom in a world that is controlled in every aspect. Monitored by telescreens and always watched by the “thought police,” the world in which we live is completely changed. Can this man save himself and the rest of humanity?
2. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
3. Christy by Catherine Marshall Marshall writes about her mother’s real life experiences teaching in the Smoky Mountains at a missionary school with a fictional twist. Christy is the nineteen-year-old teacher who discovers how different the mountain people really are as she learns that God can use her if she is willing to let Him. Marshall also wrote Julie and A Man Called Peter, along with other inspirational works.
4. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is an intriguing tale of one man determined to get his revenge in 19th century Elba. With every turn of the page comes a new, compelling twist to the story that will have you reaching for this book every spare second that you have.
5. Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
7. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
9. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
10. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Doyle
11. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
12. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
13. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
14. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
15. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas The Three Musketeers and their newfound ally d’Artagnan defend the honor of the king against the traitorous Cardinal’s forces in this suspenseful novel of adventure, romance, and friendship.
16. The Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R.Tolkien
17. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
18. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriott
19. It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It by Robert Fulghum
More humorous essays by the author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.
20. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Summer Reading Lists!!** Middle School
Suggested Reading for Middle School Students (Grades 6–8)
The following titles are recommended as summer reading both to maintain fluency and reading level and to encourage independent reading. We will be looking at these authors and these types of stories next year.
Parents: Please be aware of your student’s choice of books. Not all books are appropriate for all students!
Alexander, Lloyd. The Arkadians.Three Arkadians wander through a fantasy land from one misadventure to another. An out-of-work bean counter, a young woman of mysterious talents, and a poet try to escape the wicked King Bromios and his crooked soothsayers.
Armstrong, Jennifer. Steal Away.Two women, one white and one black, tell the story of their escape from a southern farm during the 1850s and of their difficult journey north to freedom.
Banks, Lynne Reid. Mystery of the Cupboard.After moving to a home his mother recently inherited, Omri uncovers the mystery of the house and its link to a magic cupboard. A sequel to Indian in the Cupboard.
Beller, Susan. Cadets At War: The True Story of Teenage Heroism at the Battle of New Market.The story of 280 schoolboys who fought during the Civil War to stop the Union troops.
Bruchac, Joseph. A Boy Called Slow: The True Story of Sitting Bull.The true story of a child so deliberate and methodical he was called Slow; he turns out to be Sitting Bull, the Lakota's greatest leader.
Byars, Betsy. The Moon and I.The author describes her hilarious adventures with a black snake and some comical stories about her first attempts at becoming a professional writer.
Collier, James L. and Christopher. With Every Drop of Blood.Although Johnny promises his dying father he will not desert the family to fight for the rebel cause, the lure of adventure and financial gain are strong. The book realistically focuses on the reasons the Civil War was fought as well as the enormity of the suffering of soldiers and civilians.
Coville, Bruce. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher.When twelve-year-old Jeremy unwittingly buys a dragon's egg, his whole life changes.
Creech, Sharon. Absolutely Normal Chaos.Mary Louis is keeping a journal as an English class assignment. Through the entries, the events of her summer come alive.
Cummings, Pat. Talking with Artists: Volume Two.Thirteen renowned picture book illustrators describe their childhood, working methods, and sources of inspiration, as well as offer advice for budding artists.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963.A family story, both comic and moving, touches on the frightening times of the early civil rights movement.
Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice.A homeless girl in Medieval England finds a place when she becomes a midwife's apprentice.
Dubois, Muriel L. Abenaki Captive.This historical narrative tells the story of the growth of hatred and fierce competition between a nineteen-year-old Abenaki warrior, Ogistin, and Vermont settler, John Stark.
Engel, Dean & Freedman, Florence B. Jack Keats: A Biography with Illustrations.A biography with rich insights into the life of an internationally acclaimed author and illustrator, including full-color reproductions of his early work.
Filipovic, Zlata. Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo.This personal narrative of life, death, and the loss of childhood depicts Zlata's life before and during the war in Bosnia.
Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery.A biography of one of this century's most outstanding, inspirational women.
Fritz, Jean. You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton?This engaging historical biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton presents a lively look at her impatient, outspoken personality as she fought for women's suffrage.
George, Jean Craighead. Julie.A terrific sequel to Julie of the Wolves. When Julie returns to her father's Eskimo village, she struggles to find a way to save her beloved wolves in a changing Arctic world.
Gray, Luli. Falcon's Egg.Keeping a dragon in a New York City apartment can be challenging!
Haas, Jessie. Uncle Daney's Way.Twelve-year-old Cole learns how to work with a logging horse as well as valuable lessons about life from his Uncle Daney.
Hesse, Karen. Letters from Rifka.In a series of letters to her cousin, a young Jewish girl reveals the struggles of her family's flight from Russia in 1919.
Hite, Sid. It's Nothing to a Mountain.After the death of their parents, Lisette and Riley go to live with their grandparents in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. There they experience a series of adventures that change their lives.
Hobbs, Will. The Big Wander.Searching for his uncle in rugged Southwest canyon country, Clay becomes involved with a group of Navajo Indians who are trying to save some of the last wild mustangs.
Hoestlandt, Jo. Star of Fear, Star of Hope.During the German occupation of Paris, Helen becomes distraught when her best friend, a Jewish girl, disappears after they have quarreled.
Klass, David. Danger Zone.In this thriller, Jimmy is recruited for an all-star basketball team scheduled to represent the U.S. in an international tournament. When they travel to Rome, the all-star teens are trapped in events beyond their understanding.
McKay, Hilary. Dog Friday.A boy finds himself in a series of often hilarious, occasionally dangerous scrapes when a wild and eccentric family moves next door.
Myers, Walter Dean. Shadow of the Red Moon.Terrorists are about to attack Crystal City. In order to protect their children, parents send them to search for the Ancient Land.
Paterson, Katherine. Lyddie.In an effort to gain independence, a poor girl from a Vermont farm leaves home and becomes a factory worker in Lowell, Massachusetts during the 1840s.
Paulsen, Gary. Brian's Winter.What would have happened if Brian Robeson, the subject of Hatchet, had not been rescued when he had? Brian must confront the Canadian winter; he scrambles to reinforce his shelter and make animal skin clothing and arrowhead tools to help him improve hunting techniques.
Peck, Robert Newton. A Part of the Sky.A sequel to A Day No Pigs Would Die. Robert's coming-of-age story continues as the Peck family struggles to keep the family farm during the Depression.
Powell, Randy. Dean Duffy.Dean is assured of a scholarship until his pitching arm gives out and he bats only .052 in his last season. His future is questionable until he receives an offer from a small private college for a one-semester scholarship.
Rawls, Wilson. Where The Red Fern Grows.A young boy living in the Ozarks works hard to fulfill his dream of purchasing two redbone hound dogs and training them to be champions.
Rosen, Michael J. A School for Pompey Walker.A true narrative of an escaped slave who returned to the South to raise money for a school by selling himself back into slavery again and again.
Rostkowski, Margaret. Moon Dancer.Sixteen year old Miranda and her 21-year-old cousin Emily take part in a summer excursion into a southern Utah canyon to explore cliff dwellings of the Hopi people.
Rylant, Cynthia. The Van Gogh Cafe.Magic seems to occur at a cafe in Kansas where Clara and her father witness a series of unusual happenings.
Stevenson, James. Sweet Corn.Twenty-eight short poems accompanied by creative designs that complement the text.
Taylor, Theodore. The Bomb.In 1946, sixteen-year-old Sorry and his family are confronted by U.S. military personnel who tell them their home will be used as a testing site for atomic bombs and that they may return in a few years!
Wallace, Bill. Buffalo Gal.Fifteen-year-old Amanda finds herself leaving her refined life to accompany her mother to the Oklahoma Territory on a crusade to save the buffalo.
Yolen, Jane. The Ballad of the Pirate Queens. A renowned storyteller weaves the legends of history's proudest and most fearless pirates, Anne Bonney and Mary Read, into a celebration in verse.
The following titles are recommended as summer reading both to maintain fluency and reading level and to encourage independent reading. We will be looking at these authors and these types of stories next year.
Parents: Please be aware of your student’s choice of books. Not all books are appropriate for all students!
Alexander, Lloyd. The Arkadians.Three Arkadians wander through a fantasy land from one misadventure to another. An out-of-work bean counter, a young woman of mysterious talents, and a poet try to escape the wicked King Bromios and his crooked soothsayers.
Armstrong, Jennifer. Steal Away.Two women, one white and one black, tell the story of their escape from a southern farm during the 1850s and of their difficult journey north to freedom.
Banks, Lynne Reid. Mystery of the Cupboard.After moving to a home his mother recently inherited, Omri uncovers the mystery of the house and its link to a magic cupboard. A sequel to Indian in the Cupboard.
Beller, Susan. Cadets At War: The True Story of Teenage Heroism at the Battle of New Market.The story of 280 schoolboys who fought during the Civil War to stop the Union troops.
Bruchac, Joseph. A Boy Called Slow: The True Story of Sitting Bull.The true story of a child so deliberate and methodical he was called Slow; he turns out to be Sitting Bull, the Lakota's greatest leader.
Byars, Betsy. The Moon and I.The author describes her hilarious adventures with a black snake and some comical stories about her first attempts at becoming a professional writer.
Collier, James L. and Christopher. With Every Drop of Blood.Although Johnny promises his dying father he will not desert the family to fight for the rebel cause, the lure of adventure and financial gain are strong. The book realistically focuses on the reasons the Civil War was fought as well as the enormity of the suffering of soldiers and civilians.
Coville, Bruce. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher.When twelve-year-old Jeremy unwittingly buys a dragon's egg, his whole life changes.
Creech, Sharon. Absolutely Normal Chaos.Mary Louis is keeping a journal as an English class assignment. Through the entries, the events of her summer come alive.
Cummings, Pat. Talking with Artists: Volume Two.Thirteen renowned picture book illustrators describe their childhood, working methods, and sources of inspiration, as well as offer advice for budding artists.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963.A family story, both comic and moving, touches on the frightening times of the early civil rights movement.
Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice.A homeless girl in Medieval England finds a place when she becomes a midwife's apprentice.
Dubois, Muriel L. Abenaki Captive.This historical narrative tells the story of the growth of hatred and fierce competition between a nineteen-year-old Abenaki warrior, Ogistin, and Vermont settler, John Stark.
Engel, Dean & Freedman, Florence B. Jack Keats: A Biography with Illustrations.A biography with rich insights into the life of an internationally acclaimed author and illustrator, including full-color reproductions of his early work.
Filipovic, Zlata. Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo.This personal narrative of life, death, and the loss of childhood depicts Zlata's life before and during the war in Bosnia.
Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery.A biography of one of this century's most outstanding, inspirational women.
Fritz, Jean. You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton?This engaging historical biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton presents a lively look at her impatient, outspoken personality as she fought for women's suffrage.
George, Jean Craighead. Julie.A terrific sequel to Julie of the Wolves. When Julie returns to her father's Eskimo village, she struggles to find a way to save her beloved wolves in a changing Arctic world.
Gray, Luli. Falcon's Egg.Keeping a dragon in a New York City apartment can be challenging!
Haas, Jessie. Uncle Daney's Way.Twelve-year-old Cole learns how to work with a logging horse as well as valuable lessons about life from his Uncle Daney.
Hesse, Karen. Letters from Rifka.In a series of letters to her cousin, a young Jewish girl reveals the struggles of her family's flight from Russia in 1919.
Hite, Sid. It's Nothing to a Mountain.After the death of their parents, Lisette and Riley go to live with their grandparents in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. There they experience a series of adventures that change their lives.
Hobbs, Will. The Big Wander.Searching for his uncle in rugged Southwest canyon country, Clay becomes involved with a group of Navajo Indians who are trying to save some of the last wild mustangs.
Hoestlandt, Jo. Star of Fear, Star of Hope.During the German occupation of Paris, Helen becomes distraught when her best friend, a Jewish girl, disappears after they have quarreled.
Klass, David. Danger Zone.In this thriller, Jimmy is recruited for an all-star basketball team scheduled to represent the U.S. in an international tournament. When they travel to Rome, the all-star teens are trapped in events beyond their understanding.
McKay, Hilary. Dog Friday.A boy finds himself in a series of often hilarious, occasionally dangerous scrapes when a wild and eccentric family moves next door.
Myers, Walter Dean. Shadow of the Red Moon.Terrorists are about to attack Crystal City. In order to protect their children, parents send them to search for the Ancient Land.
Paterson, Katherine. Lyddie.In an effort to gain independence, a poor girl from a Vermont farm leaves home and becomes a factory worker in Lowell, Massachusetts during the 1840s.
Paulsen, Gary. Brian's Winter.What would have happened if Brian Robeson, the subject of Hatchet, had not been rescued when he had? Brian must confront the Canadian winter; he scrambles to reinforce his shelter and make animal skin clothing and arrowhead tools to help him improve hunting techniques.
Peck, Robert Newton. A Part of the Sky.A sequel to A Day No Pigs Would Die. Robert's coming-of-age story continues as the Peck family struggles to keep the family farm during the Depression.
Powell, Randy. Dean Duffy.Dean is assured of a scholarship until his pitching arm gives out and he bats only .052 in his last season. His future is questionable until he receives an offer from a small private college for a one-semester scholarship.
Rawls, Wilson. Where The Red Fern Grows.A young boy living in the Ozarks works hard to fulfill his dream of purchasing two redbone hound dogs and training them to be champions.
Rosen, Michael J. A School for Pompey Walker.A true narrative of an escaped slave who returned to the South to raise money for a school by selling himself back into slavery again and again.
Rostkowski, Margaret. Moon Dancer.Sixteen year old Miranda and her 21-year-old cousin Emily take part in a summer excursion into a southern Utah canyon to explore cliff dwellings of the Hopi people.
Rylant, Cynthia. The Van Gogh Cafe.Magic seems to occur at a cafe in Kansas where Clara and her father witness a series of unusual happenings.
Stevenson, James. Sweet Corn.Twenty-eight short poems accompanied by creative designs that complement the text.
Taylor, Theodore. The Bomb.In 1946, sixteen-year-old Sorry and his family are confronted by U.S. military personnel who tell them their home will be used as a testing site for atomic bombs and that they may return in a few years!
Wallace, Bill. Buffalo Gal.Fifteen-year-old Amanda finds herself leaving her refined life to accompany her mother to the Oklahoma Territory on a crusade to save the buffalo.
Yolen, Jane. The Ballad of the Pirate Queens. A renowned storyteller weaves the legends of history's proudest and most fearless pirates, Anne Bonney and Mary Read, into a celebration in verse.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Final Davis Dispatch for the School Year!
Hi Parents!!
What a wonderful day we had here at HomeLink...AND the week is just getting started!!
There have been questions about Thursday so here is the scoop:
8am: Parent Group Meeting-Students will report to my room for a fun "wake up" activity!!
8:30-noon School Clean Up!! Eric will be monitoring the outside work and I will head up the inside! Students are encouraged to dress to work and that means bring work gloves if you have them!
Noon-1pm Lunch--we will be eatting yummy pizza as the students I am sure will have worked up an appetite!
1pm-3pm School wide activity at SMOOVIES If you have never heard of this awesome place here is their website: http://www.smoovies.com/
We do have some needs for Thursday:
1. moving boxes and crates (if you would like them back in the fall please just put your name on them and we will be sure to return them to you!);
2. gloves: interior cleaning as well as outside gardening type gloves (again put your name on them to ensure that you get them back if you want)
AND 3. your students have made some wonderful projects; science, geography, history, etc...if you wish for them to be brought home on Thursday will you PLEASE email me and I will make sure they do. If not they will be "recycled"!!
A Note from Alice Please make sure that you have turned in your registration forms...we have 95 signed up so far and we want to make sure you are not left out in the cold!!
Also those of you that purchased non-consumable items with your reimbursement (calculators, textbooks, etc) be sure to bring them in so they can be bar coded and itemized! You may have them back but please do this ASAP!!
Finally, I wanted to let you all know that if your student still needs to turn in work for my classes I will "officially" close my gradebook on Friday at 10am. What that means is that I will not have final grades until MAYBE Tuesday the 9th at the earliest! I will attempt to email everyone out a progress report before they are placed on report cards!
Thanks again for a GREAT day and we hope to have an even greater Thursday!!
Johanna
What a wonderful day we had here at HomeLink...AND the week is just getting started!!
There have been questions about Thursday so here is the scoop:
8am: Parent Group Meeting-Students will report to my room for a fun "wake up" activity!!
8:30-noon School Clean Up!! Eric will be monitoring the outside work and I will head up the inside! Students are encouraged to dress to work and that means bring work gloves if you have them!
Noon-1pm Lunch--we will be eatting yummy pizza as the students I am sure will have worked up an appetite!
1pm-3pm School wide activity at SMOOVIES If you have never heard of this awesome place here is their website: http://www.smoovies.com/
We do have some needs for Thursday:
1. moving boxes and crates (if you would like them back in the fall please just put your name on them and we will be sure to return them to you!);
2. gloves: interior cleaning as well as outside gardening type gloves (again put your name on them to ensure that you get them back if you want)
AND 3. your students have made some wonderful projects; science, geography, history, etc...if you wish for them to be brought home on Thursday will you PLEASE email me and I will make sure they do. If not they will be "recycled"!!
A Note from Alice Please make sure that you have turned in your registration forms...we have 95 signed up so far and we want to make sure you are not left out in the cold!!
Also those of you that purchased non-consumable items with your reimbursement (calculators, textbooks, etc) be sure to bring them in so they can be bar coded and itemized! You may have them back but please do this ASAP!!
Finally, I wanted to let you all know that if your student still needs to turn in work for my classes I will "officially" close my gradebook on Friday at 10am. What that means is that I will not have final grades until MAYBE Tuesday the 9th at the earliest! I will attempt to email everyone out a progress report before they are placed on report cards!
Thanks again for a GREAT day and we hope to have an even greater Thursday!!
Johanna
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