Super Six! {Take Two}

Bewitched Bookworms is back with a new Super Six Sunday linky:

Six books that make you laugh!

Jennifer Cruisie is about the funniest author out there.  And her funniest, by far, was Wild Ride.  Written with her sometimes co-author Bob Mayer, Wild Ride is totally different than her other books.  Maybe that's why I find it the most memorable.  Definitely anything by Jennifer Cruisie is worth the time - I know I'll be laughing out loud.

Speaking of laughing out loud, Meg Cabot's books are also guaranteed to get me going!  The Boy Next Door, the first book I ever read by Ms. Cabot, remains my favorite!  Written entirely in emails between the characters, I read it in one night and have re-read it twice since then.  (Which is a huge thing; I almost never re-read books!)

 Another favorite author is Sophie Kinsella.  Wedding Night almost caused me to get into an accident - I was laughing so hard as I listened to it in my car. 




As for kids' book that make me giggle, it's hard to narrow the choices down to just three!

My favorite read alouds that keep the kids in stitches are Lois Lowry's All About Sam and Roald Dahl's The Witches.  I defy you to read either of these books aloud and not have to stop to wipe a tear!  The best part is listening to the kids laugh - every class loves both of these books!

Finally my suggestion to nearly every student who asks for a funny book is most often Mudshark by Gary Paulsen.  So cleverly written, especially the subplot narrated by the principal at the beginning of each chapter.





I can't wait to add to my TBR pile for the summer when I check out everyone else's books over at bewitched bookworms!  Check it out!

Better Late Than Never, Right?

After changing my blog design earlier today, I am motivated to get back into blogging!  Summer's approaching and I'll have more time to share more about the huge challenge my new job has been - in both bad and {mostly} good ways!

But for today I'll join in with a new linky party I've found: Super Six Sundays, hosted by bewitched bookworms.  And even though it's Saturday, and they'll be starting a new linky tomorrow, I loved the topic they chose for this week and can't help but join in the fun!

This week's prompt:  List Six Books You Couldn't Stop Thinking About.


Zoo by James Patterson

I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of James Patterson, and usually when I finish one of his books, I can't remember it for more than a couple of hours.  That's what makes Zoo so different!  I read it months ago and I keep talking about it to anyone who happens to bring up books, reading, animals, or almost anything else!

Henry's Sisters by Cathy Lamb

This is one of the best books I have ever read.  I recommend it to everyone who asks, but I have never known another reader who has read it!

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

I spent all of last summer looking for a new great book that could measure up to the previous summer's offerings - to no avail.  Read my review for Ivan here.

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

The same summer that gave me Ivan also introduced me to Doug Swieteck.  I have still not recovered from my angst for Doug.  Read my original review here.





 

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

Historical fiction at its best. Meticulously researched and brilliantly executed, I felt like I was in the midst of the French Revolution, and Marie's struggle to survive!







The Book Whisperer & Reading in the Wild by Donnalyn Miller

The best professional books ever!  Each one confirmed for me what I already knew and justified my teaching style to anyone who doubted me!






Click each title to see the book on Barnes and Noble.

What I See

I think I may have said in a previous post that I use Facebook as a big part of my PLN.   One of the groups that I follow is the Centurions of 2011: 111 Books by January, 2012.  I know - it's out of date - but it works and they just kept going.  

Anyway, tonight I saw a post that led me to stop by Mrs. McGriff's blog and her July list.  This was her FB post: "

Didn't read the quantity I hoped for in July, but the quality was outstanding!

When I clicked the link, Mrs. McGriff had read 24 books!!  That's quantity in my book!  I'm going to be vigilant and see how many she reads in August...

But what I really wanted to share was this poem that is on Mrs. McGriff's About Me page.  I love this idea, and maybe I would use it as a model for my students to follow in my classroom if I was teaching ELA.


What I See

I see a room
where students overflow with words,
where books are passed from mind to mind
and writing spills across every page.

I see students
who devour book–
poetry and stories,
biographies and memoirs,
how-to guides adn graphic novels,
magazines and websites–
who read during every spare moment.

I see students
eager to take about what they read:
to questions and challenge deeper truths,
to connect with the spaces in their lives.
They invite their friends and family
to read and talk, to celebrate books
at Survivor Book Club.

I see students
who discover that writing has meaning for their lives,
who discover that words have power to challenge injustices
and change their lives.

I see students
who share their writing–
entering contests,
submitting works to magazines and websites,
giving gifts of writing,
plastering the school with their words–
who are not afraid to be heard.

I see a community
where we are free
to share our words,
to think new thoughts,
to try and fail, then try again.

I see colleagues
who value time together–
to share ideas and build on successes,
to share problems and brainstorm solutions,
to read and research together–
who continually seek to stretch beyond
and make ourselves better.

I see my life
where reading, writing, teaching
come together
to point the way.


--------------------------------
Lovely, right?  Would you use this model in your ELA classroom?  Maybe this would be a great back to school activity - set the stage for a great year!

 

Currently in August

Can it be August already??  This summer has absolutely FLOWN by!  I start new teacher in-service next Wednesday with three days of workshops and lectures followed the next week by pre-service for all the teachers and home visits.  So, essentially, my summer is basically over.  CRAZY!

Here's my currently:

It's a big news day here in Cleveland!  That horrible man who kept the three girls as prisoners for more than a decade was sentenced to life + 1000 years!  (Yes, I know his name, but I refuse to give him that much respect!)

I went to school today for  an optional meeting and stayed and worked in my room for a while.  My room was used for summer school until yesterday, and it was filthy.  Today I just cleaned, cleaned, and cleaned!  Next week I'll go in on Monday and Tuesday to put my own touch on the decor.  And get some of the stuff out of my garage!

Wow!  I only worked for about 4 hours in my room and I. am. whipped!  It's amazing how quickly I lose my stamina for long days of work during the lazy days of summer.  

After I lost my job at the end of last year, I made a conscious effort to keep in touch with my teacher friends.  We have gone on a lot of great excursions - movies, lunches, plays, museums.  Before we all start at different schools, I'm really hoping to organize one more lunch.  I love those ladies!

What I truly need?  A summer rewind.  It's been the best and worst and quickest summer of my life.  I'd like to go back and do it again without the stress of looking for a new job!  The stress made me feel icky and it made the summer go WAY TOO FAST!

My Back to School must haves are easy!  And coincidentally, they all start with P - and so does Purple!  Dorky cool!

#1: Post-its.  They make me happy.  I use them for absolutely everything.  'Nuff said.

#2:  I live for these pencils.  They aren't easy to find in the stores, so when I find them I usually buy two or three packs.   Wonder what makes them the best?  It's the erasers!  And the refillable-ness of both the lead and the erasers.  Hmm... maybe I should stop buying 'em and just buy the refills?  Duh.

#3: Seriously.  I just bought this thing last summer, and I have no idea how I lived without it for my whole life!  The laminate is so, so much better than that flimsy stuff they have at school!!  My sister bought mine for me.  And Amazon sells the pages for super cheap. 

Your turn.  Go link up with Farley and join the Currently Craze!

Me - by the numbers!

I was searching for a great get-to-know-all-my-new-kids-that's-mathy game on the internet and came across this super cute linky from 2011.   Y'all know I love a linky, and even though I can't link up, I'm totally stealing borrowing the idea to use with my classes.

So.. Amanda wrote out things about herself that went from 1-10.  I've done the same thing, but I think this might be super hard for kids to do... so for their projects, I'm just going to let them use any 10 numbers (or less, if 10 is taking too long).

Anyway.. here's me - by the numbers.

ONE
I have one sister.  We didn't always get along as we were growing up, but as adults, we are pretty close.  We spend a lot of time together going to musicals -- both professional and community theater!

TWO
My ONE sister is the mom of my TWO nieces!  They are my favorite people in the world.  I love, love, love being an aunt.  I do whatever I want with them (i.e. - get them all sugared up, or let them buy whatever they want at Toys'R Us) and then take them home, kiss them goodbye and leave!!

THREE
I have had exactly three cell phones in my life.  The first was way back in 1998:

Don't laugh.  At the time it was super cool because you didn't have to pull out the antenna.  State of the art, I tell ya!

Phone #2 was the opposite.  My students always commented that it was 'soo cute!' or 'soo tiny!'

This one was cool because it had games!!  Does anyone else remember SNAKE or MANCALA?  I loved this phone, but I couldn't send or receive text messages, so eventually I had to change.  But I still miss it!

My current phone is not much better that my last one:

I kinda don't love this one.  Sure I can text, but I have to use the number pad to do it.  It's easy to use, but it can't do all the cool things my friends' iPhones can do!  But when you talk to me, I will never mute you like my friends often do!  So it has pluses and minuses!

Someday I'll get a new phone - maybe even I iPhone.  I would like to crush candy on the go...

FOUR
I have four knitting projects in the works. I may never finish any of them!


FIVE
Fifth grade was the year I first got glasses.  I remember the day I got them comparing everything on the way home the way I'd always seen them with how they looked corrected!  It was amazing!  I especially remember the McDonald's sign, for some reason!

SIX
I have six months left on my current lease, and I'm getting too close for comfort on the miles.  I will be looking to replace this car early in about October so I don't go over the miles!  It's a good little car, but getting a new car is always exciting!

Thank God - again - for a new job and a pay raise!  I can actually afford to get something a little more my style this time around!

SEVEN
Even though it seemed like a LOT longer, I was only unemployed for about seven weeks this summer!  The stress of not knowing what I was going to do was unbelievable, but I tried to stay positive and keep the faith...  It worked!  I'm so excited to start my new job!

EIGHT

I am currently reading eight (!) books.  I never leave the house without a book in tow; I am also listening to a book in my car (not one of the eight).  Wanna know what they are?



NINE
I have visited nine states.  That's not very many really, and I certainly didn't visit them all this summer.  But throughout my life I've been to:  Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maine, North Carolina, Illinois, Tennessee, South Dakota, Indiana, and Washington.  I've driven through other states on the way, but unless I visited someone there or the state was my destination, it doesn't count, in my opinion.

TEN
Ten year olds are my favorite.  They are the best age to teach - they are clever-funny and smart, but they're still kids enough that they want to please.  Give me a bunch of ten year olds any day, and I'm a happy camper! 

These are not my kids; I took this, and all, the pictures from Google.

There you have it.  It's not easy to come up with this list.  FIVE especially was tough. 

Try it!  If you do, leave me a link in the comments; I'd love to see your 10!