Title: The Matchbox Diary

Author:​​  Paul Fleischman
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: Candlewick
Reading Level: 2.8
Description:​ immigration, family, poverty, diary, memories
Suggested Delivery:  Independent

Electronic Resources:
Ellis Island Tour
This website gives the students an inside look of Ellis Island.

Ellis Island
This website includes important information about Ellis Island.
ELA Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary-
Foundry- a factory where metal is produced
Canneries-a factory where food is put into cans
Steamship-a ship that is powered by steam
Ellis Island-island off New York where immigrants passed through when coming to America
Grandstands-a usually roofed structure with seats for people to sit on while they are watching a sporting event
Illiterate- cannot read

Before- Ask students if they ever had a diary and ask them to share their experiences using them. Then ask them if what other things you can do for a diary without writing things down on paper.
During- Have students make an inference about the picture with the people on the ship. Ask them about the differences between the groups and ask why one group is on the upper level of the boat and why the other is on the lower level. Ask them if they believe this is fair and explain why.
After- A few students will assume the role as the Professor and they will do the Professor Know-It-All Strategy by answering their classmates' questions regarding the text.
Writing Activity-Students will create their own immigration story to America.

 


Title: What's for Dinner? : Quirky, Squirmy Poems from the Animal World

Author:​​ Katherine B. Hauth Illustrator:​ David Clark
Copyright: 2011
Publisher:Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge
Reading Level: 7-10 years old
Description:​ insightful, descriptive, comical, detailed, and visual
Suggested Delivery: Independent/Group Read
Electronic Resources:
Poetry Writing Lessons for Kids: Poetry for Kids
This website has creative lessons for students to learn how to write different types of poetry.

A-Z Animal Diets

This website has detailed information about the different diets of specific animals, carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, and food chains.

ELA Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary-
reside: where something stays/lives
jackknifes: to move rapidly at an angle
vegetarian: something/someone that only eats vegetables
​dainty: delicate
phalarope: a slender-necked shorebird
​forte: a talent/skill
grand jeté: a jump where a dancer jumps on one leg and lands on the other
alliance: a team
carcass: skeleton
pulverized: crushed up (chewed up)
defecation: pooping
​menagerie: a collection of wild animals
abates: reduce/lesson/decrease
muddle: mess
dither: vibration
escort: a person/animals that guides others
deceit: the act of tricking
adjoining: connecting
mottled: speckled


Before- Since there is a lot of vocabulary that means the same thing in the book, have students skim through the book and create shades of meaning.
During- Ask students to analyze the poems on each page (Does the poem rhyme? Does the poem not rhyme? What does it have? How many syllables does each line have? What is that type of poem? What is the structure of the words?)
After- After analyzing the poems, ask students why they think the author chose to create each poem in the style that she did.

Writing Activity- Have students pick an animal that is not already in the book and create their own poem about it.

Title:  Wonder

Author:​​  Raquel J. Palacio
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Reading Level: 4.8
Description:​ friendship, courage, different, kindness, bullying
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud
Electronic Resources:
Voki
This tool is used for students to bring characters to life!
John Merrick
This website is about the elephant man that was an outcast in society.  
ELA Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary-
Hindsight- an understanding of a situation or event after it has happened or developed
Exasperated- irritate intensely, infuriate
Forewarned- inform a person of a danger or possible problem
Precept- a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action
Retrospect- a looking back on things past, reflection on past events
Meticulously- extremely or excessively careful in small details
Cleft Palate- a split in the top of the inside of someone's mouth, that they are born with and that makes it difficult for them to speak clearly
Anomalies- something that is noticeable because it is different from what is usual, a deviation from the normal
Schlep- pull along heavily, like a heavy load against a resistance
Imbecile- someone who is very stupid or behaves very stupidly
Manic- behaving in a very anxious or excited way
    Stringent-a law, rule, standard etc. that is very strict and must be obeyed
   Aversion- a strong dislike of something or someone; hatred  


Before- We all have had those awkward situations where we see people that are a little different from us and we don't know if we should look or avoid eye contact at all costs. Students will discuss their experiences with this, what their reactions were, and what the best reactions could be.
During- Students will Read-Write-Pair-Share about anything they find interesting, confusing, or important.   
After- Students will discuss the power of kindness. Students will create a Voki about kind acts by saying what characters said or stating what characters did.
Writing Activity- Students will choose a character and write about they changed from the beginning of the story to the end.