This week many of our lessons focused on Black History Month.
Mousetronaut by Mark Kelly
Mae Jemison by Eric Braun
Read to: Pre-K, Kinder, and Primer
Skills: Learn about the features of a biography while discussing Black History Month
I wanted to teach our students about Black History Month, and also wanted them to be introduced to the biography genre. So I started off with the fiction picture book, Mousetronanut, written by astronaut Mark Kelly to give them a fun book about space, as well as astronauts and animals that have gone to space. After reading it, I then asked if anyone had ever learned or wondered about other astronauts that have gotten to go to space. I told them that I wanted to read a book about another real astronaut, but that this one was a nonfiction book about the first African American woman to go to space. We read the biography about Mae Jemison while talking about how she was a change maker in our country and pointing out the features of a biography. I feel like the two books went well together and it helped the kids make connections with many themes.
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
Read to: 1st and 2nd Grade
Skills: Read a story in honor of Black History Month
First and second grade read the story of Ruby Bridges. Ruby was a first grader when she was ordered to attend first grade at William Frantz Elementary, an all-white school in New Orleans. Ruby has to face angry parents and mobs of people daily who refuse to send their children to school with her. It is a great story that demonstrates Ruby's courage, faith, and bravery, and a wonderful book to share while discussing Black History Month. After reading, we had some great discussions together and last week second grade even had the privilege of coming to the library to view the movie.
White Water by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein
Read to: 3rd and 4th Grade
Skills: Read a story in honor of Black History Month. Practice making connections and asking questions about the story.
Finally with our third and fourth grade classes we read this powerful book, White Water by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein.
For a young boy growing up in the segregated south, a town drinking fountain becomes the source of an epiphany.
It's a scorching hot day, and going into town with Grandma is one of Michael's favorite things. When the bus pulls up, they climb in and pay their fare, get out, walk to the back door, and climb in again. By the time they arrive in town, Michael's throat is as dry as a bone, so he runs to the water fountain. But after a few sips, the warm, rusty water tastes bad. Why is the kid at the "Whites Only" fountain still drinking? Is his water clear and refreshingly cool? No matter how much trouble Michael might get into, he's determined to find out for himself. Based on a transformative experience co-author Michael Bandy had as a boy, this compelling story sheds light on the reality of segregation through a child's eyes, while showing the powerful awareness that comes from daring to question the way things are. (Amazon.com)
In the end Michael discovers that the water comes from the same pipe and tastes the same so he begins to question the signs above the fountain, "why do they have to be separate?" He also questions everything he has ever been taught growing up. I knew this book would lead to some amazing questions and discussions even some we didn't have time to get to in our short library time, so I had the kids record their thoughts, connections, and wonderings while I read. We then discussed as much as we had time for, but by having the kids write down their thinking I got everyone to participate and it was my way of "hearing" from everyone. A great, great story!
As you know our 3rd and 4th graders participate in the Texas Bluebonnet reading program. Every year twenty books are chosen as the "Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List" by the Bluebonnet selection committee. Then if students read a minimum of five books out of the twenty they can vote for their favorite title during the month of January each year. The author of the book receiving the most votes statewide is declared the winner of the Texas Bluebonnet Award.
So once again our kids read the Bluebonnet books like crazy. However, like last year we also challenged all of the classes to see which 3rd and 4th grade classes could read the most Bluebonnets. They had to record the books as they read them, and in the end the two classes that read the most would get a special surprise. They were so excited!
So this past January we had a total of 101 3rd and 4th graders vote, and the official winning book was announced soon after voting ended. I then made the big announcement to all of our kids at our Late Start Day Assembly a few weeks ago.
At the assembly I started off by reminding the students that we were not the only ones who voted. Actually, 130,997 students across Texas voted. That is a lot of kids! So with 29,674 votes the 2015 Texas Bluebonnet Award winning book is:
by Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
The kids were so excited! I almost couldn't get them to quiet down for me to announce the second and third place winners.
In second place with 14,185 votes was:
by James Ponti
Finally in third place with 8,150 votes was:
by Liesel Shurtliff
I then announced the 3rd and 4th grade classes that won the book contest for reading the most Bluebonnets. In 3rd grade the class that won read a total of 100 Bluebonnet books and in 4th grade the winning class read 77 books. That is a lot of great reading! Their prize is that they get to have a celebration in the library. So I will post pics soon after we have their special celebrations.
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