Ms. Knight Reads- June 2017 Edition

To say it's been a long time since I posted a blog would be an understatement. The one about Follow the Moon Home? Yeah. That one was written last year, and I forgot to publish it. OOPS!! I did update it with information about it being a nominee for the 17-18 Texas Bluebonnet Award though, so I feel like that counts for something.

If yo've ever had the chance to talk to me about books or follow me on Twitter, you know that I'm a part of an amazing group called #BookVoyage. We are a group of 10 educators across the country that read books, share our thinking on post-its (our Post-It game is STRONG), and use Voxer to share our love of reading and our lives with one another. While I've never met them in person, I consider them some pretty great friends! It's nice to know how many people love to read as much as I do! This has given me the opportunity to read and review some fantastic books before they are published, but I wanted to have a way where you could go back, see what I've read, and not have to scroll through 1,000 tweets to find something. As I move forward, I'm open to suggestions to improve, so always leave feedback in the comments!

For the month of June, I didn't read near as much as I planned to. I spent 2 weeks in Italy (swoon), and then came home to move 6 days later! As I write right now, I am surrounded by boxes and bags that I just can't bring myself to unpack just yet. ALL OF THAT TO SAY- here's what I read this month, that I think you should read, too!

 Let me know if you want me to continue doing this once a month, and how I can improve it for YOU! :-)

Cassie

Follow the Moon Home by Philippe Cousteau & Deborah Hopkinson

When I go to public library, I love to pull out random picture books to read, because you never know what you're going to find! This book, Follow the Moon Home, did NOT disappoint! To make it even MORE exciting?! It's a Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee for the 2017-2018 school year! Here are some resources for the book (and others) compiled by the TBA Program Committee! 

I love how this book perfectly aligns with Challenge Based Learning, which is the initiative that my school has taken on! It shows that, yes, even kids can make a huge difference in our world and encourages learners to become environmental activists!! 

Here is how Goodreads describes it:
"Acclaimed Activist Philippe Cousteau and renowned author Deborah Hopkinson team up to offer a story of the powerful difference young people can make in the world. Meet Viv, who has a new home and a new school by the seat, and follow her as she finds her way in a new place and helps bring together a whole community to save the sea turtles of the South Carolina coast.

When I read picture books, I want to 1) enjoy the book and 2) think about how I can use it in my classroom! Here are my thoughts:

Challenge Based Learning (CBL) Idea:
Big Idea: Environment
Essential Question: How can we protect our environment?
Challenge: Be an Activist

While you never know all of the guiding questions your learners will come up, you typically have a good idea, so you can start pulling some resources and creating guiding activities to help them! 

Science Ideas:

• Learn more about Sea Turtles
• The book offers several resources for further investigation in the topic! 
• Life Cycles
• Tides
• Adaptations
• Animal Research 

ELAR:

• Types of Print
• Predicting
• Questioning
• Making Connections
• Inferences
• Drawing Conclusions
• Summarizing
• Sequencing

What ideas do you have for this book? Share in the comments! 

The Best Laid Plans

After attending #cisdlitcamp, I had the best intentions of reading, blogging, and growing myself as a reader and writer in order to grow my learners in August. I was doing great at first- I was reading books, I wrote my first blog post in over a YEAR, and was doing research for my 2nd one... and then I got the call that my Grandpaw was in the ICU and it was unlikely that he was going to survive.

I took the first plane down to Houston on Friday, June 24, and was there for 2 weeks, until he passed away on July 5th, 2016. While I know one day I will feel ready to write about what happened, today is not that day.

My Grandpaw and I over Memorial Weekend

Today is just simply to say that I'm back and ready to dive back into the world of books and writing. 

While my summer hasn't gone exactly as planned, I did still go on my trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas! If you've never been to San Francisco, I highly recommend it! It's one of my favorite places!

Joe and I with Bay Bridge

Me in a Tree :-)

The PRETTIEST PLANT! IF you know what it is, LET ME KNOW! 

Cassie

Imogene's Last Stand by Candace Fleming

At our #CISDLitCamp, we have been given the opportunity to 'fall in love' with reading and writing again. Reading is NOT a problem. You tell me to read and I am ALL ABOUT IT. 

Writing, on the other hand, is HARD.  I am not the one that can just sit and start writing about anything just because I was told to. I enjoy a prompt, a picture, anything to spark an idea in my head. You can probably tell, since the last time I blogged was over a year ago. OOPS. 

So I figure why not combine the two and write about reading?

As a 4th grade educator, I am constantly reading books and thinking what I can teach my learners from a book. One book that I got to read today was Imogene's Last Stand by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. 

This is a story about Imogene, who is quite passionate about history, and how she stands up for the importance of history in her small town, Liddleville, when the mayor wants to tear down the Liddleville Historical Society to build a shoelace factory.

I love this book because Imogene stands up for what she believes in, even when it feels like everyone is against her and gets quite the surprise at the end of the book! 

This is a great book for a simple read-aloud, but there are lots of other things you can do with it as well!

Some of the ideas I thought of while reading:

• Launch a Biography/Autobiography unit- The end pages have Imogene's "Historical Tidbits" with information about important Americans, and throughout the book she quotes some of these people. You could give the learners the choice to pick one of her favorite people to do more research on or tell them to pick someone that they are passionate about! Many different ways to go with this!
• Write a Paper (Biography/Autobiography)
• Biography Book Clubs (Genre Study)
• Passion Project- Imogene is passionate about history and saved the Historical Society. Learners can decide on something they are passionate about and educate others about it! 
• Transitions- this book is full of ways to move the story along through time in a natural way, AKA not first, next, then, last. :-)
• Word choice- there are so many great words in this text! Some of my favorites:
• snorted, immortal, galloped, snatched, stomped, armed, trudged
• Mentor Sentences- We use the information given in Everyday Editing by Jeff Anderson to teach grammar and craft through mentor texts. This book is full of different sentences that could easily be used to teach almost every type of grammar!! :-)

Have you read the book? What ideas do you have? Please share in the comments!

Currently- February

I am linking up with Farley for this month's Currently! I would love to blog more about all the fun and excitement going on in class... but for now, this will have to do! :-)

Listening- Currently watching/listening to the Super Bowl. I'm still bitter that the Cowboys aren't in it, but I'm rooting for the Seahawks! I'm also QUITE excited for the Katy Perry halftime show. No shame.

Loving- My plans for the week! They involve some of my favorite books to read aloud and talk about, and we are starting new stations to maximize my small group time!

Thinking- I REALLY need to get my running life together. I have my next 1/2 marathon in ONE month, and I do NOT feel prepared for it.

Wanting- To sleep in. It's a permanent want. I love sleep so, so much!

Needing- a maid or the desire to clean. I have a ridiculous amount of clean laundry to put away... but I just can't bring myself to look at it.

Pageant Title- I am GREAT in front of kids... put me in a presentation situation with adults? HOT MESS.

I hope you have a FABULOUS week! Tomorrow is a good day for a GOOD day!

Cassie

January 2015 CURRENTLY

I am linking up with Farley for the Currently Linky Party! I can't believe 2015 is HERE! This year is going to be filled with many joys, surprises, and growth. 

Listening- Did you know Friends is on NETFLIX now? Between this and Criminal Minds, I need at LEAST 2 more weeks of winter break. 

Loving- Winter Break. Y'all. I've worn pajamas for the majority of my break. Embarrassing? Maybe a little. I feel TRULY relaxed.

Wanting- Another week of vacation. Don't get me wrong. Part of me is always ready to go to work... downside to loving your job... but the other part of me? Is loving being a lazy lounger. My day consists of Netflix, puzzles, my new KEYBOARD, reading, and doing home things for my sweet man friend. :) I wish he was able to take some time off to spend with me, but this is one of their busy times, so that's a NO. Oh well. Chicago is only two months away!

Needing- I need to start figuring out my life for school. Which means I need to go up to the school... but I'm going to push it off a couple more days. :)

2015 GOALS-

YES- I took the time to fill in my goal journal for 2015. I started this last year, and it really helped me stay on track. It's like  diary... but more bullet point style. :) The one I'm most excited for? Running 300 miles this year. I think I can easily do it. Running brings me such joy/relaxation- 99% of the time at least. 

Maybe- I would like to keep my room/bathroom from looking like a broke college girl... but I spend so much time at work, I really enjoy my downtime when I get home. 

I Wish- I seriously don't know how people do everything they need to do during the week AND plan amazing lessons for the next week. I've yet to be able to do it. If you can? PLEASE TELL ME YOUR WAYS! 

Here's to a happy and healthy 2015, y'all!! 

Cassie

TIme After Time...

WOW! It's been more than 3 months since I've posted a blog! Epic.Fail. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.

I am hoping to get back into the blogging world now that we have survived the first 9 weeks of school! Life finally feels like it is slowing down a bit (for now)!!!

"Just keep moving, just keep moving..." This was my mantra for my FIRST half marathon ever this past October. The Chosen Marathon is a fabulous organization that helps families trying to adopt ad bringing awareness to the fatherless. My goal this time last year was to run a 10k. Not only did I meet that goal, I kick that goal's butt! 13.1 miles. Do not let anyone fool you that 13.1 miles is easy; especially this course. I swear I was running uphill the entire time. I can't WAIT to do it again next year. :)

At school, my class has pushed me to try new things and to constantly reevaluate what we are doing and how we can make it better.

One of the things I am the MOST proud of this year, is our interactions for the Global Read Aloud. Our entire 4th grade read One for the Murphy's along with thousands of other learners around the world. If you haven't read it, it is a MUST READ, but make sure you have a box of Kleenex with you!

 For 6 weeks, everything we did revolved around this book. We Skyped with a social worker, a foster parent, and are currently working on a challenge to "Be Someone's Hero." Check out our class website to see a sample of some of our work. At our school, we are not with other 4th graders, so having a common experience allowed them to connect with their peers even without seeing them everyday.

I can''t wait to get back to school tomorrow after a week off! It was much needed, but I miss my babies!

See you soon blogger world!