Fallen Angels

This was the most recent book I have read, and I absolutely loved it! The realism to this story is phenomenal, and the characters are very relatable! I love learning about America's wars from the past, and this book is set in the Vietnam War. This novel is written by award winning Walter Dean Myers. The story is about A coming-of-age tale for young adults set in the trenches of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, this is the story of Perry, a Harlem teenager who volunteers for the service when his dream of attending college falls through. Sent to the front lines, Perry and his platoon come face-to-face with the Vietcong and the real horror of warfare. But violence and death aren't the only hardships. As Perry struggles to find virtue in himself and his comrades, he questions why black troops are given the most dangerous assignments, and why the U.S. is there at all.
This book shows how traumatizing it was during the Vietnam War for the soldiers on both sides. Myers does a great job emulating the realism of what actually happened during this time period. The author does a great job connecting the readers to the characters, and you root for them to get out of their terrible situation. This book is for older readers due to the violence and language but it is great for students who love to read about war and past time periods. Students who are interested in joining the army, navy, air force, etc. may also find this novel interesting!

Fiction

I would say fiction was my favorite genre to read as a child growing up, and it is still my favorite genre today! I love originality and creativity in the stories I read, and fiction is the most likely genre to have those qualities. As a huge fan of Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings, I would say fantasy is one of my favorite types of fiction to read for pleasure. I like stories that have many different characters and stories that follow characters that are embarking on a long, epic journey!
Fiction is so important for students to appreciate because it is the best way to help students with their narrative writing. Reading a story about talking animals may spark their desire to write their own story about talking animals. Fiction reading also helps the students become more interested in reading for pleasure. There are a plethora of fictional books that cater to the interest of each individual in the classroom. The teacher's job is to encourage the students to search for a book that interests them. This will help motivate them to try different types of books. Fiction books are also the most exciting to act out in a reader's theater. Students will love to role play as unconventional characters.

Poetry

Poetry is a very important style of writing that should be incorporated in every teacher's classroom. Poetry is a great way to teach students about rhyme scheme and how to rhyme different words. Poetry is also a great tool to help students share their feelings on paper. Implementing different types of poetry books will help spark the interest of the students. Reading these books may help the students develop their skills in writing their own poetry. Creating an author study on a famous poet may help the students become interested in reading a variety of books that rhyme or consist of various poems. My favorite poet is Shel Silverstein and he is definitely child-friendly!
As a fan of hip-hop, I can safely say that poetry would be very interesting to students who enjoy listening to hip-hop. Learning about different rhyme schemes help the students better understand a hip-hop artist's style and creativity. Students may be inspired to write their own poetry to try to mimic their favorite rappers. Poetry may also help students appreciate the art of hip-hop and that it is not strictly what they hear on the radio.

Where The Red Fern Grows

This book is one of the most fascinating books i have ever read! Next to Harry Potter, Where The Red Fern Grows is definitely my favorite book. If I could pick one book to have my children read when they are growing up, it would be this book. Where The Red Fern Grows is written by Wilson Rawls and it is about a young boy named Billy who wanted nothing but to have a hunting dog. Billy ended up receiving two hunting dogs named Dan and Ann. The story follows with Billy training the dogs to become spectacular hunting dogs. Not only was there victory and sadness, but there was also the most powerful component, love.
Being a dog lover myself, I was able to relate to this story as a child. This book made me want to have dogs just like Dan and Ann, The love between the two dogs and Billy is simply touching. This was one of the first books that made me sad after reading it. It is certainly a tearjerker, but definitely worth the read. Dog lovers will love the companionship and commitment that emulates throughout the entire story.

Non-Fiction Books

Non-fiction books may be harder for some students to fall in love with, but once a student finds their certain non-fictional interest they may never turn back! As a teacher, it is very important for them to create an enthusiastic environment towards non-fiction books. Non-fiction books are very informative and really help the students learn as they read. The teacher should create opportunities for students to enjoy non-fiction books by incorporating books that cater to their students' interests. If the teacher knows that many of the students enjoy reading about animals then they should implement non-fiction books about different animals in their classroom library. The same could be said for students who are interested in sports, science, history, and even different cultures. There are books for any kind of learner and it is the teacher's job to present these books to their students. I remember in elementary school that I would be forced to read a non-fiction book in between my fictional reading. I ended up reading every single sport book that the library had. Whether it was about different sport's teams and their rich history or athlete biographies, I read them all! Reading these sports books helped me realize that non-fiction is just as enjoyable to read as fiction. I hope my future students feel the same way!

Louis Sachar

I wanted to dedicate a post solely on one of my favorite childhood authors. Louis Sachar is an author known for his satire and wit. Sachar wrote the novel, Holes, which is one of my favorite books ever. He also wrote the Marvin Redpost series, Wayside Stories series, Boys In The Girls Bathroom, and other fascinating books that are enjoyed by many people around the world.
One of my favorite characteristics of Sachar's writing was how funny his books were. I remember literally laughing out loud while reading his books because I thought it was so humorous. His style is very quirky but outrageously relatable. This was part of why I could never put his books down.
Another reason I enjoyed his books so much was because of the originality of each of his stories. For example, the Wayside Stories series is so creative and witty that I was simply awed by each novel. As a child, I felt like I could relate to the characters even though they were completely outlandish and zany! If I was not assigned to my other favorite author, J.K. Rowling, I would have loved to have Louis Sachar as my author study author. I think many young readers would enjoy Sachar's books and definitely want to incorporate his novels into my own classroom. Writing this blog post makes me want to read Holes all over again!

Realistic Fiction

Realistic fiction is a great way for children to learn about real world experiences while still enjoying the story aspect of the novel. Contrary to non-fiction, realistic fiction is a made up story. However, realistic fiction is something that could actually happen in a real life situation. I think realistic fiction is perfect for students who are not interested in fantasy or out of this world fiction that can not actually happen. The students are still able to enjoy a story that is not true but has practical situations that the students can relate to. The best stories are the ones that enthralls the reader by attaching them to the characters. A great way to become attached to a character is by relating to that character in some way. A few of my favorite realistic fiction novels are Bridge To Terabithia, Maniac Magee, Where The Red Fern Grows, Great Gatsby, and Fallen Angels. Realistic fiction is one of my favorite genres and I hope to implement many of these stories into my future classroom. It is important for students to understand the different between fiction, non-fiction, and realistic fiction.

Reader's Theater

I learned about reader's theater in literacy class last semester. I thought it was a great idea to implement into a classroom. Reader's theater allows the student to role play with characters from various stories. The students can better comprehend a story when they have a chance to act out various scenes from the story. The students can also better understand the characters and their distinct characteristics when they role play. Students would love to have the chance to act out their favorite characters from their favorite stories. When I was younger, I would have loved having the chance to act as different characters. I wish my teachers implemented this fascinating concept into their classroom.
As a future teacher, I would want to incorporate the reader's theater because I think it is a great tool to help students develop their fluency, comprehension, and their reading expression. The Joy of Children's Literature states that "the teacher can introduce children to this fun activity and then gradually turn over the responsibility to the students for writing the script, assigning parts, obtaining props if desired, and performing for each other." Once students become accommodated to the reader's theater and its script, the students can start creating their own scripts and props to further their comprehension of the story.
All in all, reader's theater is a wonderful activity for students to participate in after reading a story. Students will be able to learn about their characters, while still having fun role playing.

Reading Aloud

I think reading aloud is very important to a student's learning. In order for students to polish their fluency, they must practice reading aloud. Reading aloud helps the student practice using expression, pausing at punctuation, and speaking in a loud and clear voice. It is very important for the teacher to not force any students to read aloud in front of their classmates. If a student is shy, the teacher should assess their fluency by having them read one on one with the teacher only. Additionally, the teacher must be careful having students read aloud because they may only focus on their part of the reading. Students may be worried about making an error in their reading, so they will concentrate on their part of the text only.
One way a teacher can enthuse his or her students is by allowing the students to read their favorite aloud to their classmates. This helps the students gain confidence in their reading because they are a reading a book they are comfortable with. Also, shy students may want to start following their classmates and choose to read aloud as well.
Another way a teacher can enthuse his or her students is by using expression and enthusiasm in their storytelling. The book, The Joy of Children's Literature, states that "there is no substitute for a teacher who reads children good stories." (Johnson, page 388) The teacher should pick interesting books that the students will enjoy listening to. When a teacher reads aloud, the teacher should entertain the students by using expression and not being monotone. Students will become excited about reading if the teacher can make reading seem amusing! I love reading to children, and I hope I can help my students understand just how fun reading can be.

Author Study: J.K. Rowling

I was thrilled when I found out I was appointed to J.K. Rowling as my author! J.K. Rowling is my absolute favorite author, and I can not wait to dig deeper into her writing style. As a child, I grew up adoring the Harry Potter series. I still love it just as much today. The writing style, character development, and originality are a few of the reasons why I enjoyed reading these books. J.K. Rowling has a simple writing style that caters to elementary aged students. Students may be intimidated by the size of the books, but once you begin reading, the books fly by!
As a teacher, I want my students to be able to fall in love with a book series like I did as a student. Whether it be Harry Potter, or something completely different, I would love for my students to find a book series they can fall in love with. Reading a book series they enjoy may spark an interest in other types of books. I had favorite authors growing up, and I hope my students can find many favorites as well. I will want to have a very diverse library in my classroom that enables every student to find a book they are interested in.

Goodreads

I had not heard of this website until I took this class. After being asked to sign up and explore Goodreads, I was instantly hooked! It is simply amazing how many children's books there are! I really enjoyed this website because it reminded me of all my favorite books I read when i was younger. I want to go back and read all of them, and I wish i had more time to do so! I can't wait to continue exploring the website and finding more books that i have read in the past. Finding books I have read before created nostalgia and it made me cherish my childhood. I sometimes forget how drastically books changed my life as I was growing up. I used to read constantly, and now I barely read at all! It is very sad to me, and I hope this website can help motivate me to start reading again. I really do love to read, but sometimes it is very difficult to find the time. I highly recommend this website, and it will certainly help you find any books you need!

Planning Sheet

At first, the planning sheet was very overwhelming to me! I didn't know how I was going to find so many books. After I found the first five books, however, it became very easy to me. I found most of my books at the public library, but I also found some online. There is such a variety of resources that help you find the book you need! It was very exciting finding different books for different themes and genres. I really enjoyed this assignment because I was able to think about books I would want to implement in my own classroom. There are so many different types of books, and it is exciting to know that there is at least one book that will interest a child! I am really looking forward to reading these books.