Book of the MonthBook of the Month

Building Professional Book Building Professional Book StudiesStudies

Faculty StudiesFaculty Studies

When Kids Can’t Read: When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do What Teachers Can Do

– Kylene Beers– Kylene Beers Bringing Words to LifeBringing Words to Life– – Isabel Beck, Margaret Isabel Beck, Margaret

McKeown, Linda McKeown, Linda Kucan Kucan

America’s ChoiceAmerica’s ChoiceMonographsMonographs

Building Comprehension StrategiesBuilding Comprehension Strategies

AugustAugust The Three Questions – Jon Muth (Leo Tolstoy) (Questioning)The Three Questions – Jon Muth (Leo Tolstoy) (Questioning) SeptemberSeptember Boston Tea Party – Pamela Duncan Edwards (Tea Party)Boston Tea Party – Pamela Duncan Edwards (Tea Party) OctoberOctober The Web Files – Margie Palatini (Probable Passage)The Web Files – Margie Palatini (Probable Passage) NovemberNovember Sky Tree – Thomas Locker (Say Something)Sky Tree – Thomas Locker (Say Something) DecemberDecember A Wish to be a Christmas Tree – Colleen Monroe (Think A Wish to be a Christmas Tree – Colleen Monroe (Think

Aloud)Aloud) JanuaryJanuary Raising Dragons – Jerdine Nolen (State of the School)Raising Dragons – Jerdine Nolen (State of the School) FebruaryFebruaryA is for America: An American Alphabet (ABC’s)A is for America: An American Alphabet (ABC’s) MarchMarch The Wright Brothers – Pamela Duncan Edwards (Bookmark)The Wright Brothers – Pamela Duncan Edwards (Bookmark) AprilApril How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightening – Rosalyn Schanzer How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightening – Rosalyn Schanzer

(Reformulation)(Reformulation)

Building Vocabulary StrategiesBuilding Vocabulary Strategies

AugustAugust Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei – Peter Sis (Radical LEAP)Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei – Peter Sis (Radical LEAP) SeptemberSeptember Mr. Peabody’s Apples – Madonna (Read Aloud)Mr. Peabody’s Apples – Madonna (Read Aloud) OctoberOctober So you Want to Be President? – David Small; Duck for So you Want to Be President? – David Small; Duck for

President – Betsy Lewin (Get a Clue)President – Betsy Lewin (Get a Clue) NovemberNovember Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy – Lisa Wheeler Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy – Lisa Wheeler

(Guesswording)(Guesswording) DecemberDecember How Murray Saved Christmas – Mike Reiss (Word Scrolls)How Murray Saved Christmas – Mike Reiss (Word Scrolls) JanuaryJanuary T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet – Brad Herzog T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet – Brad Herzog

(Concept Circles)(Concept Circles) FebruaryFebruaryTesting Miss Malarky – Judy Finchler (Motivational – Testing)Testing Miss Malarky – Judy Finchler (Motivational – Testing) MarchMarch The Leprechaun’s Gold – Pamela Duncan Edwards (Place the The Leprechaun’s Gold – Pamela Duncan Edwards (Place the

Word)Word) AprilApril Souperchicken – Mary Jane Auch (Vocabulary Strategy Souperchicken – Mary Jane Auch (Vocabulary Strategy

Review)Review)

Chets Creek Elementary March 2005 Book of the Month

The Leprechaun’s Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards & Henry Cole

“A wild tune it was, which filled the people’s hearts with joy and their lips with laughter.”

In a world where the love of money and the pursuit of personal gain seem to be the norm, those who live only with the desire to practice their chosen craft well and to bring simple joy to others are a rarity. The Leprechaun’s Gold is the story of the rewards and magic that come to those who live with purity of action. Old Pat is one such man, living only to play beautiful music on his harp that he freely shares with others. His intentions are so pure that Pat does not fully realize that he has a rival in young Tom. When a contest is held to choose the finest harpist in Ireland, Pat’s purity and Tom’s selfish pursuit of wealth and fame are pitted against one another. The fact that Pat scarcely sees the contest within a contest taking place between himself and Tom opens him up to receive the magical rewards that come from helping a Leprechaun who has gotten himself into a bit of a fix with a rabbit. In the end, Pat’s music so “filled the people’s hearts with joy and their lips with laughter” that even young Tom “found generosity growing in his heart.” I chose The Leprechaun’s Gold in recognition of our own purity of action here at Chets Creek. In our world of high stakes testing and unpredictable change, where many factors that directly affect us are out of our control, we continue to keep our eyes on the real prize of sharing the very best that our craft has to offer with our students. Just as Old Pat’s kindness of heart proved stronger than his fear of leprechaun tricks, which ultimately lead him to reap wonderfully magical rewards, the purity of our pursuit of best practices are stronger than any “tricks” the FCAT may possess, ultimately allowing us to enjoy outstanding results. Now that our toe is out of the rabbit hole of the FCAT for another year, we will continue on with the sweet playing of our everyday practice, hopefully filling our students’ hearts with the joy of learning and their lips with the laughter of great success. Vocabul a r y St r a t egy – Pl ace the Word (NCEE Vocabulary Monograph) Understanding the meaning of words as we read and also being able to discern an author’s word choice and usage helps solidify the reciprocal relationship between reading and writing vocabulary. “Word study should spill over from Readers Workshop to Writers Workshop, since using new words in writing reinforces students’ long-term familiarity with those words.” NCEE

Monograph This month’s strategy, Place the Word, not only serves to build the reader’s vocabulary through discovery and discussion but can also provide insight into how an author’s word choice and use can have an effect on the overall meaning and direction of a story. Select a book or passage from which to read select sentences aloud. Delete some of the more difficult vocabulary words from the sentences as you read. Have students insert words they think might fit in the sentence. Read the author’s version of the sentence. Compare versions and discuss similarities and differences between the words, how they

affect the meaning of the sentence or story, or why the author chose the word that was actually used.

Chets Creek Elementary March 2005 Book of the Month

The Leprechaun’s Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards & Henry Cole

“A wild tune it was, which filled the people’s hearts with joy and their lips with laughter.”

In a world where the love of money and the pursuit of personal gain seem to be the norm, those who live only with the desire to practice their chosen craft well and to bring simple joy to others are a rarity. The Leprechaun’s Gold is the story of the rewards and magic that come to those who live with purity of action. Old Pat is one such man, living only to play beautiful music on his harp that he freely shares with others. His intentions are so pure that Pat does not fully realize that he has a rival in young Tom. When a contest is held to choose the finest harpist in Ireland, Pat’s purity and Tom’s selfish pursuit of wealth and fame are pitted against one another. The fact that Pat scarcely sees the contest within a contest taking place between himself and Tom opens him up to receive the magical rewards that come from helping a Leprechaun who has gotten himself into a bit of a fix with a rabbit. In the end, Pat’s music so “filled the people’s hearts with joy and their lips with laughter” that even young Tom “found generosity growing in his heart.” I chose The Leprechaun’s Gold in recognition of our own purity of action here at Chets Creek. In our world of high stakes testing and unpredictable change, where many factors that directly affect us are out of our control, we continue to keep our eyes on the real prize of sharing the very best that our craft has to offer with our students. Just as Old Pat’s kindness of heart proved stronger than his fear of leprechaun tricks, which ultimately lead him to reap wonderfully magical rewards, the purity of our pursuit of best practices are stronger than any “tricks” the FCAT may possess, ultimately allowing us to enjoy outstanding results. Now that our toe is out of the rabbit hole of the FCAT for another year, we will continue on with the sweet playing of our everyday practice, hopefully filling our students’ hearts with the joy of learning and their lips with the laughter of great success.

Vocabul a r y St r a t egy – Pl ace the Word (NCEE Vocabulary Monograph) Understanding the meaning of words as we read and also being able to discern an author’s word choice and usage helps solidify the reciprocal relationship between reading and writing vocabulary. “Word study should spill over from Readers Workshop to Writers Workshop, since using new words in writing reinforces students’ long-term familiarity with those words.” NCEE Monograph This month’s strategy, Place the Word, not only serves to build the reader’s vocabulary through discovery and discussion but can also provide insight into how an author’s word choice and use can have an effect on the overall meaning and direction of a story. Select a book or passage from which to read select sentences aloud. Delete some of the more difficult vocabulary words from the sentences as you read. Have students insert words they think might fit in the sentence. Read the author’s version of the sentence. Compare versions and discuss similarities and differences between the words, how

they affect the meaning of the sentence or story, or why the author chose the word that was actually used.

The Leprechaun’s GoldThe Leprechaun’s Goldby Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Coleby Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole

Many a wedding was made Many a wedding was made ________ by Old Pat’s harp.________ by Old Pat’s harp.

The Leprechaun’s GoldThe Leprechaun’s Goldby Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Coleby Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole

Many a wedding was made Many a wedding was made merriermerrier by Old Pat’s harp. by Old Pat’s harp.