Judy,
I'll be curious to see if you like the anthology. I have
the teacher's guides to both the survival and immigration
books. The guides have some great ideas for writing
extensions and critical thinking questions( as if you need
them). I have the great depression and civil war series to
read this summer to see if I want to order them. Can't wait
to see if I am right about this series. Please be honest.
Thanks.

On 7/04/09, judy(almost)5ca wrote:
> cavey, thanks so much for all the great info. I'll be
> spending the summer
> thinking of the perfect 1st class read aloud. I love
> the book you shared! I wound up ordering it AND the one
> about immigration. THANKS! Judy
>
>
> On 7/04/09, cavey wrote:
>> I know a re-read can be a very valuable experience
>> for some students. I guess I might offer the students
>> who had read it the option. They could still
>> participate in the discussions of Hatchet, and
>> re-read or read a companion text. There will be some
>> who might enjoy comparing a companion rather than
>> re-reading, and they might have some valuable
>> insights to add to the discussion. That being said, I
>> don't think re-reading will hurt any of them.
>>
>> Judy, if you are doing a survival theme, check out
>> the survival anthology from the series I mentioned.
>> It has great short stories and essays all around
>> central themes related to survival. It includes a
>> Paulsen essay about an Iditarod race that is
>> hilarious. These selections would only work for read
>> aloud probably since they are designed for middle and
>> high school, but they are great.
>>
>> PS. At the beginning of the year I do a book survey
>> which lists the possible books that we can do for
>> whole class novel studies. I also do an interest
>> inventory about types of lit that kids like to read
>> and base my selections partially on that.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 7/04/09, RD wrote:
>>> I did Hatchet last year with my 6th graders as a
>>> whole class novel. Some of them had read it
>>> already, but I'd say they got lots out of a deeper
>>> rereading of the text. It's really nearly
>>> impossible (unless you select a novel that had just
>>> recently come to print) to find a novel that no one
>>> has read. I like cavey/kim's suggestion to read a
>>> companion novel of Paulsen's, but I think rereading
>>> Hatchet is also a viable choice for you.
>>>
>>> RD (with her two cents)
>>>
>>>
>>> On 7/04/09, judy3ca wrote:
>>>> cavey, I actually meant to use it as a
>>>> whole-class shared novel. Do you mean I should
>>>> have a small group doing something else while I
>>>> read with a big group? Right now I'm thinking
>>>> read/reread Hatchet whole group and then some
>>>> kids can choose other Paulsen works in IR or when
>>>> I get to small book groups. So, for me, the
>>>> choice really is Hatchet or trying to find
>>>> another book no one has read. But then I
>>>> wondered, how could I possibly find a book NO ONE
>>>> has read? And how would I know?
>>>>
>>>> Kim, I like the idea of doing a demo lesson
>>>> (whether with Hatchet or another book) where I
>>>> pick up the book, think aloud 'wait, I read this
>>>> last year,' but then become completely engrossed
>>>> again and show the kids how my understanding
>>>> deepens with a second reading. Are we on the same
>>>> page?
>>>>
>>>> Judy
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> n 7/04/09, Kim1ca wrote:
>>>>> I think re-reading is a good thing for fifth
>>>>> graders, especially for those who may not
>>>>> comprehend text as well as you would like. If
>>>>> there is room for improvement in their mosaic
>>>>> of thought, then rereading this classic and
>>>>> rich text will surely take them to the next
>>>>> level.
>>>>>
>>>>> You can set the tone by sharing your own
>>>>> experiences of rereading an old favorite and
>>>>> then make sure they know, not publicly of
>>>>> course, that you are looking forward to their
>>>>> "deeper insights."
>>>>>
>>>>> Just a thought.
>>>>>
>>>>> :-)K

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