"When will I ever use this?"

All of the following books have been used in my lessons this semester. I have used them in the introductory engagement or as part of the instructional sequence. In all cases, the books have been used as a way to center instruction and focus the assessment.

Placement this semester:
South Bend, IN
5th Grade Classroom

The classroom I was placed in this semester completed an author study on Gary Paulsen. They read two books from the Hatchet series (Hatchet and The River). 

Hatchet-Realistic Fiction

Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York: Bradbury Press. 

Hatchet is about a young man, early teens, who finds himself in a struggle with himself and nature after his plane crashes. While on his way to his father's for the summer, the pilot of Brian's plane dramatically dies from a heart attack. Brain unsuccessfully tries to land the plane and becomes stranded alone for weeks in the Canadian woods. Luckily, Brian landed the plan into a lake and escaped with very few injuries. Before he left, Brian's mother gave him a hatchet. This hatchet becomes essential to his survival in many instances throughout his struggle in the wild. When a rescue plane does fly overhead, though, Brian misses it, seeing it just in time to watch it fade off into the distance. As time passes, Brian is attacked by a porcupine, learns how to make fire, makes a fishing spear from a tree branch, and eats mildly disturbing things. All the while, Brian is bidding his time before the rescue plane arrives. Brain is left in despair after the rescue plane comes and goes and he is still left in the woods. It should be noted, that during his time in the forest, Brain is dealing with emotional turmoil as well. His parents are recently divorced. He knows his mother had an affair that caused the divorce and is contemplating how he will reveal this to his father. this compounded by the trauma of the event. Some time after, there is a tornado that tears up the land he is living on, to the point that the crashed plane is turned around in the lake. Brian takes the opportunity to dive into the water and retrieve the emergency, survival pack from the plane. In the pack, Brian finds a sleeping bag, a compass, cooking tools, lighters, matches, bandages, a rifle. Most importantly he find a transmitter. After several attempts to turn it on, Brian assumes the transmitter is broken. Thankfully it is not, a rescue plane soon arrives and Brian is rescued. 

In my classroom this semester, this book was used to focus on Paulsen's use of figurative language. My cooperating teacher focused a lot on the use of repetition. Paulsen creates such vivid image with his writing style that it is a direct portal to imagery. I would have also included lessons about writing style. Paulsen's books are written so similarly, especially the Hatchet books, that it would be worth while to focus on how he conveys this style.  

The River-Realistic Fiction

Paulsen, G. (1991). The river. New York: Bradbury Press.

The second book in the four book Hatchet series, takes place two years after Hatchet. Brain return to the Canadian wild where he was stranded. He returns with a psychologist, Derek, who wants to study Brain's survival first hand. Brain insists that they must live like he did the first time. There should be no type of survival gear, food, or protection; just the men and the wild. With that said, Derek and Brain trek into the Canadian wilderness in such a manner that it might be confused with a camping trip. Brian finds himself reverting to the behaviors he learned during the Time. He notices everything around him: every bird, every plant, the feel of the air and the clouds. As the two men work to survive, Derek presses Brain to speak aloud about what he is doing. Brian and Derek work together to survive and slowly Brain teacher Derek how to survive in the wild. Brain feels different about this trip because it is no longer an emergency and he is no longer alone. Ironically, not long after, Derek is struck by lightening and falls into a coma. Derek is forced to create a raft and float 100 miles down river to the nearest trading post. There are many trials and tribulations while on the raft including losing the raft with Derek on it and getting lost.  Brian makes it to land with Derek still in a coma on the raft and is found by two adults and a child. Derek is still alive and makes a full recovery, but once again Brain has experienced trauma to his psyche.   

This is book was read directly after Hatchet. The children enjoyed this book! I think that the 5th graders enjoyed the fact that it was a series book. They got to hear from Brain again and relive his experiences with him. They continued to look at figurative language, but focused on specific vocabulary a lot more with this book. There was a lot of talk about cause and effect in relation to the first novel. Gary Paulsen was the perfect author to choose for an author study. With that said, I would have maybe included this on in a book talk groups with other Paulsen books that are not included in the series. This would have given more options to those not interested in the first book.

11 Planets- Non Fiction and Non English Speaking Author

This brief non fiction book gave short, but detailed synopses of the 11 planets in our solar system. It included facts about where it lies in relation to earth, what its surface is like, and other interesting facts. The pictures in this National Geographic book were the most informative piece. They pictures taken by satellites that fully showed each planets surface. Just like most Nation Geographic pieces, this book did a terrific job of informing and engaging readers.

 

At the time that I read this book, the students were working on planet projects. A group of students were assigned to each planet and conducted a research project. The students were very interested in this book for that reason and enjoyed adding details the book did not include. I also created a model for the distance from each planet to the sun. I used toilet paper to represent the distance. The students love this and were completely shocked when I had to use a whole roll of toilet paper for one planet. This book demonstrated the importance of using non fiction. 

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere- Poetry

Longfellow, H., & Bing, C. (2001). The midnight ride of Paul Revere. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Handprint Books.

This poem describes the action-packed night of April 18, 1775; the famous ride of Paul Revere. It starts in Boston, where Paul and a friend are talking about the British army. They think the soldiers are going to leave Boston that night, but they aren't sure whether they will go by land or sea. Paul has a plan to warn people in the countryside about the British coming. Longfellow's classic poem ensues in conjunction with paintings by Christopher Bing. The combination of the classic poem and striking paintings create a fresh take on the classic poem.  

I used this poem for a lesson on the revolutionary war. I read this in conjunction with My Brother Sam is Dead. The students then created their own narrative poems. The students examined paintings based on the revolutionary war and then wrote narrative poems based on what was happening in them. This activity prompted very creative and emotion evoking poems from the students. 

My Brother Sam is Dead- Realistic Fiction

Collier, J., & Collier, C. (1974). My brother Sam is dead. New York: Four Winds. 

My Brother Sam is Dead is told in the first person by Tim Meeker. It recounts the hardships endured by Tim and his family during the Revolutionary War. When Tim's older brother Sam joins the rebel forces, it impacts the rest of his family who are Anglican and firm believers in the Church of England. Through Tim Meeker we learn of the issues, the concerns and the conflicts of the rebellion on a personal level. Sam is exiled by the family because of his support for the American Rebels. Tim does not voice his conflicting feelings and stays home while Sam runs off to the American army. While on a trip with his father to sell beef to loyalists in New York, they are stopped by a band of brigands who presumably abduct him. Tim goes home, and watches one of his friends be decapitated, and another friend get captured by the British. Tim begins to have stronger feelings about the two sides.The next year Tim finds out that his father and friend have died on a prison ship due to an outbreak of cholera. After this, Tim's mother begins to drink heavily.The last time Sam returns, he is framed for stealing cattle. His own army executes him as a warning to soldiers who might do the same thing if faced by extreme hunger. The story then cuts to 1826, where Tim reveals he has survived the Revolution. He has written the story to tell what life was like during the war. He mourns Sam, and then reveals he has a happy life. Even though life in the old days was hard, Sam and Tim made it seem easy.

This book was quite graphic for a fifth grade classroom, but it coincided well with their current area of study. I included this book with the lesson using the last book. I did not particularly enjoy this novel although I did enjoy the area of study. This unit was heavily entwined with their social studies unit. The class focused on vocabulary and life during this era.