Any ideas for a novel I can read aloud to my class (doing a maternity leave)? They're a bit of a rough group so I need something that will really hold their interest. Charlotte's Web was done earlier in the year and James and the Giant Peach will be done towards the end of the year. Thanks for your suggestions!
Shiloh (if you can handle the dialect) Phantom Tollbooth (a bit long) Mr. Popper's Penguins The Secret Garden
So far this year we've read (2nd grade) Ramona Quimby, Age 8 Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing Little House in the Big Woods Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (and some others, which my brain can't seem to recall since it is three hours past when I should have been in bed...)
Wayside School is fun! My class also loved The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Clarice Bean Spells Trouble, and Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing. I just finished Hour of the Olympics (Magic Treehouse series), and try to alternate between a classic and a modern story. I am thinking of doing Henry Huggins next. My class did not get into Mrs. Pigglewiggle, but many classes have enjoyed it previously.
Charlotte's Web and James and the Giant Peach are both books that movies had been made from. Do they usually watch the movie after the book is read? If they do, you might want to find another one that you could show the movie for as well. Because of Winn Dixie is the first one that comes to mind.
I was thinking Tales of A Fourth Grade Nothing would be left for next year's teacher. Is it common to read that book in 3rd as opposed to 4th? I remember loving it when I was in school but I don't remember when I first came across it.
I am reading Homer Price to get a classic in - they love it, and were astounded when I told them that my teacher read it to us when I was in grade school! Next month: James and the Giant Peach, then ending the year w/ From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Over the course of the year we traditionally do: Judy Moody Charlotte's Web Frindle Matilda something by Beverly Cleary
My third grade teacher read us Indian In the Cupboard. Made an impression since I still remember it from ALONG time ago!!! LOL!!!
Boys Start the War series - it is about a group of boys who are in a "war" with a group of girls. They play pranks back and forth - it is funny and ALL my classes have always really enjoyed them! There is a series so they can read the rest of they liked it. Also love Roald Dahl books - The BFG and The Twits are fun read alouds!
My 3rd grade class is reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and are loving it. In fact, I purchased it from itunes and have the class listen to it. They LOVE reading along!
I ended up going with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing because I had such good memories of it from when I was in school. The kids loved it. I've already finished it and started Super Fudge. They are now crazy for Judy Blume. They've checked out all of her books from the library and this month's book order was filled with orders for Tales of a... I've written down the suggestions from this thread, so many options and they all sound great! Thanks everyone.
That's exactly what I was going to say! I also found a cartoon movie of the books and showed it during lunch one day. Most of my class skipped recess to stay in and see it. My students also really liked the books about the Herdman family. "The Best School Year Ever" and "The Best Halloween Ever." I didn't read "The Best Christmas Pagent Ever," even though it's the best one of the series (IMO) because it is about the birth of Jesus and I wasn't sure how all of my kid's parents would feel about that.
We started the year with From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and the kids really enjoyed it but some of my students struggled to distinguish between the point of view with the editor, narrator and main characters. I think next year I'll read it later on in the year as I think now all of the students could appreciate it more. I have enough of the Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing series books for reading groups so I haven't read one as a class read-aloud but I have read another Judy Blume book to wet their appetite for the author. If you look at the reading levels of the books in the series, many of them are around 3rd grade. I've always felt that it was ok to introduce the books to them even though they're not yet in 4th grade. We also read Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary towards the beginning of the year when cursive was introduced. We've read Mr. Popper's Penguins and most recently The Secret School. Now we are working on Sideways School is Falling Down. The 2nd grade teacher had started it but hadn't made it very far before the end of the school year last year and after a few serious stories, it's a great way to lighten the mood and the chapters are very short. I find that I can easily read 1 chapter a day but if I see that the students are really interested and we have time, they can last for 2 chapters. I have students work on handwriting either on worksheets or dry-erase boards during the time that we're reading. It's a great way to keep them focused and still justify spending the time reading (which can be a problem in my district unfortunately). Occasionally I'll allow students to draw during this time (usually on Fridays or heavy test days) but with several of mine this becomes a problem for the rest of the day because they never way to put it away.
I have a bit of an issue with Superfudge. It talks about Santa Claus not being real. I felt so bad reading the chapter that addressed it.. I tried to kind of skip over some of it. I know many of my students still believe in Santa. I was really surprised Judy Blume or any author would put that in a chapter book for elementary students.
The World According to Humphrey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't know when school ends, but you could get a Webkinz as your pet----we have a porcupine named Shadow. The kids love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They love the book and I refer to it a lot when making connections. Also, Gooney Bird Greene--it's funny and you could do a writing lessons with it. I'm reading Gregor the Overlander and the kids love it! I think I'm going to read, Because of Winn Dixie. They could then create a 10 things list about a classmate.
I second Tale of Despereaux... I read it to my second graders in June and they (and I!) loved it ~~ the twists and turns, the way the author presents things. It's amazing!!
Check out the http://writingfix.com/Chapter_Book_Prompts/BecauseWinnDixie1.htm for ideas on writing activities to go w/ BWD and the list of 10 things. I have mentioned this site on here before - but I cannot say enough positive things about The Writing Fix site - there is SO much there to help with writing, for all levels, using 6 Traits or the writing process, using picture books or chapter books or prose/poetry....I find myself going back to this site again and again. (It makes me want to live in Nevada just so I could go to some of their workshops and events! My state needs this!!)
Here are the books that every 3rd grade class I have taught have loved: 1. There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom 2. Stone Fox 3. Shiloh (read this late in the year) 4. The BFG 5. My Teacher is an Alien 6. The Witches 7. Judy Moody
