New Pages

I have added a few pages to my blog that I think you should check out.

One School, One Book has all of the information about our shared reading of The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney, including a calendar of reading activities to go along with each chapter.

For Parents is specifically to convey the importance of reading at home and to highlight some of our reading incentives and programs.

Hope you enjoy!

Amulet Graphic Novels - Kindle Edition Free Today!!!

Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi

All 6 Amulet books are free today in the Amazon Kindle store. If you don't have a Kindle reader, you can download the Kindle app to any device to read the books you purchase from Amazon.

Saving Lucas Biggs Book Review

Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de lost Santos and David Teague

"There is one now: the spot where I stand,

And one way the road goes: onward, onward."

Margaret and Josh are from two different times, but they share a common problem - Victory Fuels. For years, Victory Fuels has been hiding secrets. Secrets about quieting disgruntled employees and environmental hazards. Both children know a person that has been directly influenced by the bullying tactics of the Biggs family, the family that runs Victory Fuels and the town of Victory, Arizona.

Margaret belongs to a long line of time travelers who have taken a vow never to return to the past to try to change history, but this is too important to ignore. Her father is going to prison for something that he didn't do. If only she could change the events of 1938, and change the hearts of those running Victory Fuels. If only she could save her father by first saving Judge Lucas Biggs.

Activities and Resources from the TxLA Bluebonnet Master List

Zane and the Hurricane Book Review

Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick

Zane lives in New Hampshire with his mom. His father passed away. Zane knows nothing about his father's past in Louisiana, so his mother thinks it will be great for Zane to visit his great-grandmother, Miss Trissy, who turns out to be the person that raised his father.

While visiting Louisiana, Zane experiences first-hand the worst hurricane in U.S. history. Zane and Miss Trissy evacuate with the rest of New Orleans, but Zane gets separated from his group when his dog, Bandy, jumps out of the van window and Zane follows him down the highway and back into New Orleans, straight back to Miss Trissy's house.

Zane and Bandy brave Hurricane Katrina all alone in Miss Trissy's house. Flood waters rise and force them into the attic where they are stranded with no food or clean water until a boat carrying Mr. Trudy and Malvina rescues them.

They are not safe yet, and the journey continues as Zane travels through the flooded streets of New Orleans and learns about the after-effects of a massive hurricane, including death, greed, and lawlessness.

Zane and the Hurricane is one of the first children's books that I have read that so precisely describes the terrible events of Hurricane Katrina. The imagery is so vivid, and the story is heartbreaking, but it is also a story of perseverance, friendship, and loyalty.

Activities and Resources from the TxLA Bluebonnet Master List

ProdigyMath Game

ProdigyMath is a free online math game tied to the Common Core Standards and TEKS for Grades 1-8. Students play at their own level with classmates in a social environment that encourages them to go home and continue playing online with their friends. They collect coins by completing math activities and use those coins to adopt and train pets such as unicorns and tigers, and design their own wizard. 

The free version offers access to all learning objectives and teacher reports. There is an option for a membership for $8.95 per month or $4.99 per month with a yearly subscription. The benefits of membership are the ability to adopt additional animals and purchase wizard customizations that are otherwise locked for free users.

Teachers click here to enroll your class and start playing.