Ashley+Hill

__ Hate List __ by Jennifer Brown can demonstrate to students just how dangerous hate can be. After Valeria Leftman develops her “hate list,” of peers she and her boyfriend dislike, Nick takes it one step further. Nick, takes the hate list and a gun to school one morning, killing many, including himself. The novel tracks Val’s footsteps in this terrible aftermath as we learn of her heroic efforts. Her list was never meant to cause the harm it has, but she must face her peers in this school during her last year before graduating. Teens will read this book and may not be able to relate to such a horrific event, but will relate with Val and her parent’s poor relationship along with other problems in the family. A must read for students to see what disrespect for one another can do. Reading Standards for Literature Grades 11-12 2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. 3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
 * __ Hate List __**
 * Award: ** Blue Grass Award for High School
 * Summary: **
 * Genre: ** Contemporary Young Adult
 * Curriculum Connection: **

Students will determine theme(s) of the __Hate List__ and will also analyze the character Val, as she is introduced and developed from the beginning to the resolution.

Brown, J. (2009). //Hate list//. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company This strategy would be great for this novel as students are required to focus on problems and since this book is about a school shooting/bullying students can do the following with this strategy: White hat: focus on information available Black hat: examine the problem or difficulties associated with the topic Yellow hat: center on the benefits and values Red hat: studies the emotions or feelings that are generated by the topic or problem Green hat: requires imaginative or creative thinking about the problem or topic Blue hat: focuses on metacognitive or reflective thinking about the problem-solving process Before reading the teacher will ask when students had to solve a problem and will record their responses. Model the strategy with an issue students are familiar with, such as the book suggests global warming and will model or explain what each thinking hat will need to do with the topic. The suggestions related to global warming are: White: What facts are available on global warming? Black: How will global warming impact your county, state, nation, world, etc. Yellow: How are countries adapting and creating jobs based on the “green” industry? Red: How do people respond to the problem of global warming? Green: What are some creative solutions or innovations to deal with the problem? Blue: How did your group work together to generate ideas for each area? Were there any problems? After completing the strategy the blue hat is focus for reflection on the problem solving and collaboration.
 * APA: **
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-0316041454
 * Promotion: ** Reading Strategy from __Developing Content Area Literacy__ Six Thinking Hats

Sherman Alexie writes __The Absolutely True Dairy of a Part-Time Indian__ telling the story of Junior. Junior is a improving cartoon artist growing up on a reservation. Junior faces many problems on the reservation, but copes with his problems quite well. Junior leaves the reservation to attend high school where he is the minority amongst the all the whites in the farm town. Junior faces many questions about tribe and identity in this book of strength. Reading Standards for Literature Grade 8
 * __ The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian __**
 * Award: ** Odyssey
 * Summary: **
 * Genre: ** Young adult realistic fiction
 * Curriculum Connection: **

1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. 3. Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. Students will cite text evidence and determine the theme of the novel. Students will analyze Junior’s relationship with the characters and how his actions remain the same or change from the reservation to the all-white high school. Students will analyze the dialogue to infer more about the characters of the story. Alexie, S. (2009). //The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian//. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company __ Water for Elephants, __ will leave your students wanting more each time you put the book down. In fact, if students choose to read this book individually, you may have some tired eyes the next day, as they burn the midnight oil to complete it. Students will Jacob Jankowski through his flashback to the times of the Great Depression and his travels with the circus. Students will enjoy this riveting tale of Jacob’s love with not only Marlena, the star of a show, but also Rosie, an elephant. The characters of this novel, jump off the page and become real to those who read, and are engaging through the last page. Reading Standards for Literature Grade 6 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. 5. Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot. From the beginning, one of the main concepts that could be taught using this book in the classroom is flashback. The entire story is a flashback of Mr. Jankowski and his travels with Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth during the Great Depression. This would be a great novel to integrate non-fiction texts about the Great Depression to ensure students have a clear understanding of what life was like during this time in American history. One idea is to have students cite text evidence of how the Great Depression not only affected Jacob Jankowski’s life but also other characters in the novel.
 * APA: **
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-0316068208
 * Promotion: ** Students would be involved in a interdisciplinary unit to research Native American history and why reservations were developed, etc. The language arts and social studies classes could use this is a great opportunity to promote engagement in the both contents.
 * __ Water for Elephants __**
 * Award: ** Alex Awards
 * Summary: **
 * Genre ** : Historical Fiction
 * Curriculum Connection: **

Gruen, S. (2009). //Water for elephants//. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill Radio Reading helps students not only develop fluency, but also comprehension. Teachers provide clear instructions, select appropriate texts, and assist and monitor during the activity. An overall summary of the activity is students read, analyze the text, write a script for the text, and read it. The script should be read in 2 to 3 minutes, thus, meaning a short script. In other words, students take what they have read, and develop a mini-dramatic presentation. The steps for radio reading are below: Before Reading: During Reading: After Reading:
 * APA: **
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-1565124998
 * Strategy from __Developing Content Area Literacy__: ** Radio Reading
 * 1) Group students-ensure students can work together and set clear guidelines
 * 2) Explain the activity-make sure you explain to students how this helps with fluency and how the script should reflect what has been read and should engage their classmates
 * 3) Prepare students to read-help students make connections with the text and review any difficult vocabulary
 * 1) Assign the students and provide students with text to read, explain to the student to read the text silently
 * 2) Teach students to use the main (central) ideas and write a summary of the text that is around one page and would take a couple to a few minutes to read
 * 3) Students then read their summaries to the group. Those students know reading may ask questions to help with any confusion.
 * 4) Students continue to practice reading out loud.
 * 1) The students then perform their scripts to the class.
 * 2) Students should prepare their classmates about what the reading is and provide any background information.
 * 3) Students read scripts and audience may ask questions.

__ Between Shades of Gray __ by Ruta Sepetys will engage your students as they read about the journey of young girl, Lina who living under Soviet rule, along with her family, faces deportation to Siberia. Not only is she and her family deported, but Lina, along with her mother and brother are separated from her father. As Lina, her mother, and brother make their way to a work camp in Siberia, they are under the rule of Stalin. Forced into hard labor, Lina attempts some dangerous, yet heroic actions to let her father know they are alive. Students will be on the edge of their seat, as they learn about real events in world history, through the eyes of a courageous fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl. Reading Standards for Literature for Grade 6 3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
 * __ Between Shades of Gray __**
 * Award: ** Morris Awards
 * Summary: **
 * Genre: ** Adventure, Historical Fiction
 * Curriculum Connection: **

4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

These are two reading standards for literature from grade six that would be excellent to use __Between Shades of Gray__ to teach. Overall, students could analyze the entire plot of the novel and analyze how specific characters change and how they cope with their current issue. For example, students could analyze how Lina is coping with her father being in another work camp. There are also several words in the story the students may not recognize. As the students read they could determine the meaning of words, phrases, etc., based on the context of the story. They could also study figurative language, connotation, and denotation.


 * APA: **

Sepetys, R. (2011). //Between shades of gray//. New York, NY: Philomel **ISBN-13:** 978-0399254123

As the book discusses, paired reading helps students develop their fluency. This is a great opportunity for students to practice reading skills along with a partner. As they work with a partner, students can offer assistance to one another. To complete a paired reading activity, the teacher will provide an overview of what is going to be read and will explain the activity itself. Students work with a partner, read silently, discuss any questions they have or any problems they may have. They then write a summary. After this they select text to read aloud, taking turns and listening. Below is a more detailed procedure for paired reading. Before Reading: During Reading: After Reading:
 * Strategy from __Developing Content Area Literacy__: ** Paired Reading
 * 1) Select material from a text for silent and oral reading
 * 2) Allow discussion and direct instruction to help students access background knowledge or create background knowledge of what is being read
 * 3) Select words in the text students may not know and do a vocabulary lesson to prepare students
 * 1) Students read silently and teacher monitors.
 * 2) Teacher may provide assistance if needed.
 * 1) Students discuss with their partner to questions on the board. The discussions do not last long and allow students to clear up any misconceptions.
 * 2) Students can ask more questions and retell the text in their own words. The pairs then write a summary statement.
 * 3) Students then select the text representing the central ideas and pair read. One student will read as the other listens and vice-versa.
 * 4) Teacher monitors during this time.

__ The White Darkness __ by Geraldine Mccaughrean shows that even at the age of fourteen, imaginations can run wild, if allowed. Students will follow the Symone Wates and her fascinating internal friend Captain Lawrence “Titus” Oates. Sym, along with her uncle go an adventure to the Antarctic. This trip is an experience that would change any adolescent and Symone is shocked to say the least at what Uncle Victor is attempting to find on this escapade. Follow Sym as she attempts to survive in vast, rarely seen land. Reading Standards for Literature Grades 9-10 3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. Teachers can guide students to analyze how Sym’s character develops and/or changes throughout the novel on her adventure and through the action. Also, students can determine a theme for the text and analyze how it is developed and cite evidence from the text to prove the theme. McCaughrean, G. (2005). //The white darkness//. New York, NY: Harper Teen. The Scott Expedition would be a great pre-reading research activity for students. Students would research the expedition to Antarctica, thus realizing the dangerous of such an adventure. This will prepare students for the amazing adventure Sym takes with Uncle Victor. Students could also be required to present their research and findings to the class.
 * __ The White Darkness __**
 * Award: ** Printz Awards
 * Summary: **
 * Genre: ** Adventure
 * Curriculum Connection: **
 * APA: **
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-0060890353
 * Promotion: **

__ The Giver __ by Lois Lowry is upon first glance what every society would hope for, no war, no disease, no suffering. As a community striving for “sameness,” students can follow Jonas, who is selected by the community upon turning of age (12) to be the “Receiver of Memories.” The “Giver,” who is the only one in the community, who knows of these memories, passes these to Jonas. Follow Jonas in his role as “Receiver of Memories,” and as he desperately attempts to save a friend from the “release,” in this futuristic, surreal, dystopian society. Reading Standards for Literature Grade 7 1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. 3. Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama. __ The Giver __ is a wonderful novel to use when teaching themes. For example, a few themes from the novel by Lowry are the importance of remembering, pleasure versus pain, and growing up are all themes student can determine and analyze, citing textual evidence to support their analysis. Students can also analyze how the setting, the plot, and other characters influence Jonas as he turns from the age of eleven, to the age of twelve and encounters many changes in his life. There are also several words that students may not know, that are unique to the novel. Students can use context clues to determine the meanings. Lowry, L. (1993). //The giver//. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. This strategy helps students to think deeper and use their imagination for creative thinking. SCAMPER stands for substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put, eliminate, reverse/rearrange. Students would use this strategy to evaluate __The Giver__ and construct new ideas or solutions. Students would work with a partner or partners to create alternative solutions. The following would be the SCAMPER strategy to use with the novel: Substitute-person, place, time, situation Combine-combine ideas Adapt-adjust the problem to fit a new purpose Modify-modify, magnify, or minify, the size, traits, or dimensions of the concept Put to other uses Eliminate a feature of the concept/problem/story Rearrange or even reverse the sequence of the story Before reading, model how this should be done with another piece of reading material During reading students can use a variety of resources to SCAMPER the text After reading students will share their ideas
 * __ The Giver __**
 * Award: ** M. Edwards Awards
 * Summary: **
 * Genre: ** Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia
 * Curriculum Connection: **
 * APA: **
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-0440237686
 * Promotion: ** Strategy from __Developing Content Area Literacy__ SCAMPER

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults __Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing__ by Ann Angel is a biography exploring the life Joplin. Angel tells the story of this influential leader in rock-and-roll. The biography explores the rebellious young life of Joplin. Angel also writes about love letters she wrote to her mother. With vivid pictures, quotes from friends, family, and magazines, students will be intrigued by this young star, who died at the age of twenty-seven. Reading Standards for Informational Reading Grade 7 5. Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas. Using this biography, students will be able to analyze how Angel organized the text with text structure and text feature to portray the life of Janis Joplin. Students will analyze how her development added to the biography and helped them learn about the life of Joplin.
 * __ Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing __**
 * Award: **
 * Summary: **
 * Genre: ** Biography
 * Curriculum Connection: **

Angel, A. (2010). //Janis joplin: Rise up singing//. New York, NY: Amulet Books. This is a powerful tool for students to use to help them read and understand what they read in their content classes, or in informational texts. Since this is nonfiction, informational text, this would be perfect tool to use for __Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing__. This strategy helps students to develop meaning from the text through discussions. The teacher during his/her planning stages will read a selection of text from a passage, segment the text for reading, and develop queries for the discussion. The teacher reads the text from a student’s perspective so they will understand any questions or misunderstandings students may have. The teacher will ask these questions when analyzing a text: The teacher will then segment the text into chunks that may need clearing up for the students to understand. The teacher then develops queries to guide students. Queries are not like traditional questions as they help students construct meanings. Some ideas are: What is the author trying to say? What is the author’s message? What is the author talking about? What does the author mean here? Does the author explain it clearly? After the prep work has been completed, the teacher implements QtA. The teacher will model and should also have discussion movers to help provide structure and revoicing, or restating a student’s ideas. Other movers include: marking, teacher responds to a student’s comments to highlight ideas, then turning back, which will help students further develop their thoughts, annotating, in which the teacher fills in gaps with information, and finally recapping in which the teacher summarizes the information constructed by the students.
 * APA: **
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-0810983496
 * Promotion: ** Reading Strategy from __Developing Content Area Literacy__ Questioning the Authoer or QtA
 * 1) What information does the student need to know to understand the passage?
 * 2) What information did the author leave out?
 * 3) What terms are introduced by the author that will make the reading difficult to understand?
 * 4) What specific aspects of the text need clarification?

__ Bystander __ by James Preller is a great read for middle school and high school students. Often times, students do not realize the importance of reporting bullying incidents. Students will follow Eric on his move and is new friendships made, particularly Griffin who is a true bully. While Eric doesn’t participate in the bullying, he does nothing to help. Eventually, he moves out of this role. Students will relate to __Bystander__ and will have a great opportunity to connect how bullying can hurt one or many. 1.Cite textual evidence to support analysis of whatthe text says explicitly as well as inferences drawnfrom the text. 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text andhow it is conveyed through particular details;provide a summary of the text distinct frompersonal opinions or judgments. 3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plotunfolds in a series of episodes as well as how thecharacters respond or change as the plot movestoward a resolution. Students will cite text evidence as they determine the theme of __Bystander__ and also will analyze Eric and his role and how it changes in the novel as it moves toward a resolution. Preller, J. (2009). //Bystander//. New York, NY: Feiwel and Friends.
 * __ Bystander __**
 * Award: ** Bluegrass Award for Middle School
 * Summary: **
 * Genre: ** Young adult realistic fiction
 * Curriculum Connection: **
 * APA: **
 * ISBN-13: ** 978-0312379063
 * Promotion: ** Students can begin an anti-bullying campaign and duty to report campaign as a promotional activity for this book about bullying and the importance of reporting. This can and should be carried through the entire novel and students can base their campaign on what they learned from the novel.

Imagine living in one space for half a decade and never seeing the outside world. The only world you know is a small room. This is the experience of five year old Jack. __Room: A Novel__ is written from the perspective of a five year old and students will explore what child and adult imprisonment looks like from a young child’s eyes. What happens when leaving such a small confinement, students will be on the edge of their seats to read such a thrilling book. 1.Cite textual evidence to support analysis of whatthe text says explicitly as well as inferences drawnfrom the text. 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text andhow it is conveyed through particular details;provide a summary of the text distinct frompersonal opinions or judgments. 3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plotunfolds in a series of episodes as well as how thecharacters respond or change as the plot movestoward a resolution. As with several novels of this nature, students will analyze how Jack changes from the exposition to the resolution. Students will determine the theme and cite text evidence while making inferences from the text. Students will also analyze point-of-view, as it is written from his perspective and change some of the novel to be from the mother’s perspective. Donoghue, E. (2010). //Room: A novel//. New York, NY: Back Bay Books Little, Brown and Company While this can be used with informational text, Quick Writes would also work for literature that is realistic. Before reading, the teacher will provide an overview of the topic in the book or informational piece. Students will activate prior knowledge on the subject and respond through whole-class or small group discussion. Students will write all they know about the topic for three minutes and share with the class. During reading students will read their quick writes and should be encouraged to ask themselves questions as they read to expand their knowledge on a topic. While reading students should jot down notes and questions. After reading students will discuss the reading and any additional information they learned. Students will write a summary on the information and compare and contrast their prereading and postreading quick writes.
 * __ Room: A Novel __** Ebook One
 * Genre: ** Realist fiction, child abuse, action
 * Curriculum Connection: **
 * APA: **
 * Format: ** Kindle Edition **Page Numbers Source ISBN:** 0316098337 **ASIN:** B003YFIUW8
 * Promotion: ** Strategy from __Developing Content Literacy__ Quick Writes


 * __Peace, Locomotion__** Ebook Two

Jacqueline Woodson in __Peace, Locomotion__ writes a book that young teens and older teens alike can relate to. Lonnie, living apart in a foster family from his sister, Lili, takes the initiative to remember and record what has happened in he and his sister’s life through letters to her. Lonnie reflects and will make students think about what family is, what love is, and how loss can affect individuals. Written during an unnamed war, students of the 21st century, who have never lived a day there was no war will relate and enjoy this piece.


 * Genre:** Young adult realistic fiction


 * Curriculum Connection:**

Reading Standards for Literature Grade 6 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. 5. Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.

Students will analyze the character s and their traits and how they change with the action of the plot, citing text evidence to support their analysis and also inferences drawn about the characters. Students will analyze the first person narration and how it moves the story, along with the word choice in the piece and how it adds to the action of the plot.

Woodson, J. (2009). //Peace, locomotion//. New York, NY: Puffin.
 * APA:**
 * Format:** Kindle Edition **ASIN:** B001QIGZB8 **Page Numbers Source ISBN:** 039924655X


 * Promotion/Reading Strategy:** Reading Strategy from __Developing Content Area Literacy__ Imagination Recreation

This strategy is based on research showing students who read well use sensory modes to understand text. Using sensory modes helps students connect with the text. This strategy, Imagination Recreation, helps students to interpret and internalize text through several modes.

Before Reading

The teacher decides on the form of recreating text that students will use in the strategy. The teacher lists the choices, such as, change the setting, transform the story into an article, create a video based on the novel, or construct a map of the setting. The teacher then presents that text and students are guided to look at the title, headings, and book features to make predictions. Any critical vocabulary are presented so students are not stopped because of comprehension problems.

During Reading Students record their observations through the use of post-it notes to write impressions, inferences, or questions and work in groups of there to discuss their interpretations when finished. Students may also address any comprehension problems during this time.

After Reading

The discussion groups work together and choose how they will recreate the text (from above). Students should decide together on what role they will play and when finished they should present how the recreated the text.

The teacher helps lead a discussion on how the projects helped to create different interpretations.