Middle school-appropriate Science and Math non-fiction? – Teachers.Net (Reading)

Join Teachers.Net

chatboardsgroups

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Reading

MEMBERS

11 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Reading Teachers Chatboard

Middle school-appropriate Science and Math non-fiction?

by JPV

Jun 30, 2013

I will be starting at a new school this fall, with a small student base; I will be teaching 6-8th grades, in every core subject. My primary certification is English Language Arts, and I am hoping to integrate at least one cross-curricular unit in ELA between each of the other core subject areas (so, one unit will be ELA and Social Studies, another ELA and Mathematics, and another ELA and Science).

Each of these units will be in a "reading workshop" format, wherein students will split up into 4 groups and decide upon which book they will read together. The result is that each group will have a different book, and similarities/differences, concepts, and other points will be discussed between the groups during class time. The rest of the staff seems pretty enthusiastic about this approach, and I am excited to teach it.

However, the challenge is finding non-fiction books for each of these units. Ideally, I'll have 4 fiction and 4 non-fiction books to let kids pick from (t...See More

Sara On 6/30/13, JPV wrote:

In this first year you may need to use some 'too easy' books while you initiate this interesting approach. It will be work and I admire you - I don't think I could keep straight in my head enough to guide and monitor the discussions with 12 - 20 different books possibly being read at the same time.

And you'...See MoreOn 6/30/13, JPV wrote:

In this first year you may need to use some 'too easy' books while you initiate this interesting approach. It will be work and I admire you - I don't think I could keep straight in my head enough to guide and monitor the discussions with 12 - 20 different books possibly being read at the same time.

And you're going to have to read all these books between now and then. I'll toss out some possible fiction choices - maybe I can post back with more and more non-fiction as I think about it. I used to teach LA every year but the past few years I teach only social studies so know I'm working from memory.

Non-fiction - Archimedes' Revenge - math. Fiction math - The Devil's Arithmetic Numbering the Stars

Science - fiction - The Andromeda Strain

Social Studies - wow - there's always a lot there because when you think about it - everything is social studies, every book applies to social studies (unless you define social studies as only history but I don't)

Fiction - Social Studies Stargirl and almost everything else by Jerry Spinelli The Breadwinner I Heard The Owl Call My Name Julie of the Wolves Dogsong (and almost everything else by Gary Paul)Hatchet, River, etc. etc. Gathering Blue The Giver Manzanar Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry The Watsons Go To Birmingham Holes (students love this book) Bridge To Terabithia

For non-fiction, it might be easiest in this first year just to use biographies. Biographies offer great opportunity for rich comparison and - I think- the reality is - there's hardly the same amount of non-fiction written for Middle Schoolers as there is fiction. Sam Slater Henry David Thoreau or the biographies of scientists - those abound - for your science unit. the biographies of mathematicians are likely available at a Middle school reading level as well. Issac Newton for one. And you're going to have to buy copies of these books - enough for everybody? - because you don't know what students will choose? That can be pricey.

I think if you do a google search too - not just Amazon - you'll find a great deal. Nonfiction science books middle school level etc.

Maybe go to your nearest Barnes and Noble or - search Amazon. I think it will be particularly challenging to have comparative discussions between students reading fiction and those reading non-fiction.

Have you taught before? You say you're starting a new school - I hope this is not your first year of teaching because in and of itself the first year of teaching is a Great Deal of work. Maybe... decide which subject you're going to do first - and just start with those books. Social Studies is by far the easiest subject in which to find plenty of fictional books and enough non-fiction too.

> I will be starting at a new school this fall, with a small > student base; I will be teaching 6-8th grades, in every core > subject. My primary certification is English Language Arts, > and I am hoping to integrate at least one cross-curricular > unit in ELA between each of the other core subject areas > (so, one unit will be ELA and Social Studies, another ELA > and Mathematics, and another ELA and Science). > > Each of these units will be in a "reading workshop" format, > wherein students will split up into 4 groups and decide upon > which book they will read together. The result is that each > group will have a different book, and > similarities/differences, concepts, and other points will be > discussed between the groups during class time. The rest of > the staff seems pretty enthusiastic about this approach, and > I am excited to teach it. > > However, the challenge is finding non-fiction books for each > of these units. Ideally, I'll have 4 fiction and 4 > non-fiction books to let kids pick from (they will be > encouraged to pick the other, if they have already done, for > example, 2 of one kind, by halfway through the year; this > fulfills a content area expectation for ELA), but I'm > finding that many of the non-fiction books for science are > either "too easy" or "too difficult" for groups of middle > school (ages 12-14) students. > > So far, I have a few fiction picks (for science, I have > fiction books "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" and "Ender's > Game" - Ender's Game may get the axe - and for non-fiction, > I have "The Monkey Wrench Gang"; for math, I only have the > fiction book, "Secrets, Lies, and Algebra", though I've > considered "The Phantom Tollbooth", but probably won't take > it because, iirc, math is only a small part of it). > > I'm hoping for 4 fiction and 4 nonfiction books for each > cross-curricular unit (frankly, more than I need, and I'd > settle for 3 of each; I just don't want to NOT have a decent > number of options for kids). Any recommendations?

Jul 8, 2013

JPV Thanks for the responses! I've considered many of what you've listed, but the appropriate-"reading level" biographies are tough to pin down (or even find) sometimes.

I've read most of those books, and have picked out all but one book for the first reading unit (I have a few I'm up in the air over).

This is my first year teaching...See MoreThanks for the responses! I've considered many of what you've listed, but the appropriate-"reading level" biographies are tough to pin down (or even find) sometimes.

I've read most of those books, and have picked out all but one book for the first reading unit (I have a few I'm up in the air over).

This is my first year teaching, yes. I'm planning all four subjects across three grades, however, my student population is only thirteen (it's on an island in northern Alaska, so there aren't many people there, in general); there will not be so many books read at once, however; each book will be given to a group of 3 to 4 students, and there will be 4 groups.

The district has *most* of the books at its libraries, which I have access to; however, if not, I am given some money with which to purchase them. I actually own many of these, already, and can ship them up with me. I have purchased several (including extras of the ones the library doesn't have sets of) at thrift stores recently for just a couple of bucks, and have others on their way to my AK address from Amazon or PaperBackSwap. At this point, it's really a matter of picking the books in a timely fashion. Curriculum-wise, most of the units/lessons have been planned (for the first half of the year), and will be timed appropriately as the year unfolds. I'm collaborating with the classroom's former teacher, and she seems impressed with my preparation thus far.

That's not to say it will all go well all the way through, though.

On 7/08/13, Sara wrote: > On 6/30/13, JPV wrote: > > In this first year you may need to use some 'too easy' books > while you initiate this interesting approach. It will be work > and I admire you - I don't think I could keep straight in my > head enough to guide and monitor the discussions with 12 - 20 > different books possibly being read at the same time. > > And you're going to have to read all these books between now > and then. I'll toss out some possible fiction choices - maybe I > can post back with more and more non-fiction as I think about > it. I used to teach LA every year but the past few years I > teach only social studies so know I'm working from memory. > > Non-fiction - Archimedes' Revenge - math. > Fiction math - The Devil's Arithmetic > Numbering the Stars > > Science - fiction - The Andromeda Strain > > Social Studies - wow - there's always a lot there because when > you think about it - everything is social studies, every book > applies to social studies (unless you define social studies as > only history but I don't) > > Fiction - Social Studies > Stargirl and almost everything else by Jerry Spinelli > The Breadwinner > I Heard The Owl Call My Name > Julie of the Wolves > Dogsong (and almost everything else by Gary Paul)Hatchet, > River, etc. etc. > Gathering Blue > The Giver > Manzanar > Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry > The Watsons Go To Birmingham > Holes (students love this book) > Bridge To Terabithia > > For non-fiction, it might be easiest in this first year just to > use biographies. Biographies offer great opportunity for rich > comparison and - I think- the reality is - there's hardly the > same amount of non-fiction written for Middle Schoolers as > there is fiction. > Sam Slater > Henry David Thoreau > or the biographies of scientists - those abound - for your > science unit. the biographies of mathematicians are likely > available at a Middle school reading level as well. Issac > Newton for one. > And you're going to have to buy copies of these books - enough > for everybody? - because you don't know what students will > choose? That can be pricey. > > I think if you do a google search too - not just Amazon - > you'll find a great deal. Nonfiction science books middle > school level etc. > > Maybe go to your nearest Barnes and Noble or - search Amazon. > I think it will be particularly challenging to have comparative > discussions between students reading fiction and those reading > non-fiction. > > Have you taught before? You say you're starting a new school - > I hope this is not your first year of teaching because in and > of itself the first year of teaching is a Great Deal of work. > Maybe... decide which subject you're going to do first - and > just start with those books. Social Studies is by far the > easiest subject in which to find plenty of fictional books and > enough non-fiction too. > > >> I will be starting at a new school this fall, with a small >> student base; I will be teaching 6-8th grades, in every core >> subject. My primary certification is English Language Arts, >> and I am hoping to integrate at least one cross-curricular >> unit in ELA between each of the other core subject areas >> (so, one unit will be ELA and Social Studies, another ELA >> and Mathematics, and another ELA and Science). >> >> Each of these units will be in a "reading workshop" format, >> wherein students will split up into 4 groups and decide upon >> which book they will read together. The result is that each >> group will have a different book, and >> similarities/differences, concepts, and other points will be >> discussed between the groups during class time. The rest of >> the staff seems pretty enthusiastic about this approach, and >> I am excited to teach it. >> >> However, the challenge is finding non-fiction books for each >> of these units. Ideally, I'll have 4 fiction and 4 >> non-fiction books to let kids pick from (they will be >> encouraged to pick the other, if they have already done, for >> example, 2 of one kind, by halfway through the year; this >> fulfills a content area expectation for ELA), but I'm >> finding that many of the non-fiction books for science are >> either "too easy" or "too difficult" for groups of middle >> school (ages 12-14) students. >> >> So far, I have a few fiction picks (for science, I have >> fiction books "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" and "Ender's >> Game" - Ender's Game may get the axe - and for non-fiction, >> I have "The Monkey Wrench Gang"; for math, I only have the >> fiction book, "Secrets, Lies, and Algebra", though I've >> considered "The Phantom Tollbooth", but probably won't take >> it because, iirc, math is only a small part of it). >> >> I'm hoping for 4 fiction and 4 nonfiction books for each >> cross-curricular unit (frankly, more than I need, and I'd >> settle for 3 of each; I just don't want to NOT have a decent >> number of options for kids). Any recommendations?

Jul 8, 2013

More discussions on the Reading Teachers Chatboard...

by breaktherules

Short Story about man with umbrella?

Re: The Subtle Art of Reading Aloud to Children

Revitalizing the Way You Teach Students Dialogue

by Carol McNaly

Postcard Exchange

Back to Reading Teachers Chatboard

Teacher Chatboards

General

Teacher Chatboard

Method & Theory

Grade Levels

- -

Multiage Classroom

Adult Education

Classroom Projects

Arts and Crafts

Read Across America

Travelling Buddies

Learning Centers

States

Teachers Abroad

Australian Teachers

Canadian Teachers

Subject Areas

Foreign Languages

Language Arts Center

Science Teachers

Language Arts

4 Blocks Literacy

6 Traits Writing

Accelerated Reader

Building Blocks (K)

Books & Literature

Creative Writing

Librarian/Media Arts

Reading/Writing

Remedial Reading

Foreign Language

ESL/EFL Teachers

French Teachers

German Teachers

Spanish Teachers

Travel/Study Abroad

Peer Groups

AP/GATE Teachers

Beginning Teachers

Distance Teachers

Department Heads

Library/Media Science

Master Teachers

Mentor Teachers

Retired Teachers

Special Education

Student Teachers

Substitute Teachers

Method & Theory

Beginning Learners

Character Education

Classroom Discipline

Collaborative Learning

Disruptive Students

General Education

Learning Disorders

Learning Research

Lesson Planning

Montessori Method

Motivating Students

Professional Devel

Professional Readings

Staff Development

Standardized Testing

Testing & Grading

Career Center

Continuing Education

National Boards/NBPTS

Hot Topics

Classroom Humor

Healthy Teachers

NCLB/Race to the Top

Teacher Gatherings

Teacher Inspirations

Teacher Recipes

Teacher Social Board

Tech Center

Apple Classroom

Computer Teachers

Educational Software

Internet Security

Library/Media Science

Teaching with PowerPoint

Teacher Video Share

Teaching with the Web

Tech Coordinators

Teachers.Net

Home About Forum Policies Privacy

Resources

Chatboards Lesson Plans Classroom Projects Classified Ads

Follow us...

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mailring

Contacts

Advertising Job Listings Submissions Reprints