Field Experience

The KTS that I feel I met are numbers 1, 7, and 11.

Standard 1: The teacher demonstrates applied content knowledge.
I used my knowledge of Common Core standards to create kid friendly "I can" statements and formative assessments. This was a very time-consuming task, but I feel that it was beneficial. We had to really tear down every standard and have lengthy discussions about each. I had to use my classroom experience and critical thinking skills to make this work.

Standard 7: The teacher reflects on and evaluates teaching and learning.
I cannot believe how much I have done this already this year. Since I have volunteered to pilot a Standards Based Grading policy, I have to reflect and evaluate every since thing I do. Every assignment has to be truly aligned with Core Content before I give it, and my feedback has to be more meaningful than ever. This was tough to explain to parents because it's totally new to me as well, but I do think it will be worth the effort and in the end make me a better and more effective teacher.

Standard 11: The teacher demonstrates the dispositions: caring, a strong work ethic, critical and creative thinking, and a commitment to excellence.
I think I met this standard because of my Walmart encounter. When a student you know has struggled through life says that you taught him to help others, you know you've shown dedication and commitment to students and the education field.

LeBron James: The Rise of a Star

Morgan, D. L. (2003). LeBron James: The rise of a star. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Co.

   

 This informational chapter book begins with the baby King James entering the world. Born to a 16 year old, immature mother, his life was sure to see its ups and downs. The only stability in his early life was his grandmother, who at about age three died of a massive heart attack while his mother was out partying. This lack of stability in his life resulted in absolute turmoil, moving in and out of people's homes for several years. LeBron recalls moving seven times in one year, and missing 89 days of the school year. It is hard to believe that a little boy who experienced what he did growing up developed into such a talented, hard-working athlete. 

 The author's style is quite informal. He refers to LeBron's mother, Gloria, as "belligerent" and "immature", and claims she was simply not ready for the task of raising a child. He does, however, make it clear through interviews and information from others that although she was struggling, her love for LeBron was never wavering. She was true to him the best she could be. 

 The organization of the biography was a struggle for me. It moves through time until present day (which was actually 2003- the date of the book bothers me because it doesn't reach "The Decision" of 2010, which is a pivotal time in LeBron's life). The focus, however, is how he became a star. Rather than just sequentially traveling through events in his life, it divides the chapters into themed ideas. For example, one chapter was dedicated to moving around; another was dedicated to the game in high school where he managed to gain fame. Although I think that all of the details the author shares are very important, I would rather the book been divided  into ages and travel more sequentially through his life. At times it was difficult to jump back and forth between him being a baby, then talking about fifth grade, then going back again. 

 Overall, I really enjoyed this book. LeBron James is one of the most controversially disputed players in NBA history. My husband and I argue about him frequently; I am in love with him, and my husband hates his guts. I think that rather or not you really like him, it's beneficial to see where he came from. Biographies always have a way of making me love a person, or at least having some empathy for him or her. A man who has won two championships in a row, a man who is frequently referred to as "King" or "The Chosen One" used to play street ball in a milk crate attached to a pole. What person can't find some interest in that? 

.

Sophia's War: A Tale of Revolution

Avi, . (2012). Sophia's war: A tale of the Revolution. New York: Beach Lane Books

Genre: Historical Fiction 
Age Group: 11+

Can you imagine, at twelve years old, witnessing someone being hanged? That's exactly what happened to Sophia, a  young girl traveling with her mother in 1776. Her older brother (and hero) has decided  that he wants to fight for the Revolutionists, so he walks away from his family truly believing that he is doing what is best the country. She has very little contact with him after he leaves, and frequently she worries that he has been imprisoned or worse. 

Sophia, at a young age, is expected to be wise beyond her years when she finds herself in a situation where she has to stand up to treachery against her country... or be hanged herself. 

Will Sophia's hero, her brother, survive this brutal Revolutionary War? Will Sophia be able to stand up for what she believes in without it costing her her life? Read this awesome historical tale and see what happens! 

Reading Log

I. Non-fiction/Informational 
1) Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People, and War by Yukio Tsuchiya
2) The Rise of a Star: LeBron James by David Lee Morgan, Jr.

II. Poetry 
1) Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
2) Dream Works by Mary Oliver
3) Mary Had A Little Jam, and Other Silly Rhymes by Bruce Lansky
4) If I Were in Charge, the Rules Would be Different by James Proimos

III. Modern Fantasy 
1) Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
2) Pish Posh by Ellen Potter
3) City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

IV. Historical Fiction 
1) The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo by Tom Feelings
2) Train to Somewhere by Eve Bunting
3) Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
4) Sophia's War by Avi

V. Traditional 
1) Jack Tales (required for discussion – do NOT use on blog)
2) In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton

VI. Realistic Fiction (1 chapter book reflection required on blog)
1) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
2) Swindled by Gordon Korman
3) The Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck

VII. Picture Books
1) Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young.
2) Olivia by Ian Falconer
3) If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty
4) Good Night, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas
5) Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
6) Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
7) I Was So Mad by Mercer Mayer
8) Oh! The Places You Will Go! By Dr. Seuss
9) The Loudest Roar by Thomas Taylor
10) The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
11) Many Moons by James Thurber
12) Goodnight, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
13) Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
14) Little Rabbit Waits for the Moon by Beth Shoshan
15) Llama Llama, Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Book Talk 

Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown.

Have you ever felt left out? Have you ever wondered how your life could be different with a few small changes? What person hasn't, right? This book is a partially true story about the hilarious author, Sherman Alexie. 

The main character, Junior, is somewhat of an outcast. He was born with water on the brain (literally!), and this makes him seem a little different to everyone else. He begins to think that he is meant for better things in life, so he decides it is time for a BIG change. 

If you're curious about what his does to change his life, or how he manages to overcome some serious bullying, this is the book for you! 

This book is fantastic for any young adult who has ever felt like he didn't really belong; it's even great for someone who just wants a big laugh! Alexie's strong character, Junior, is guaranteed to take you on a truly miraculous journey. 

Media Specialist Interview

     Well, let me start off by saying our media specialist was JUST hired. I felt a little bad about badgering her with questions already! She has ten years of experience in an elementary school, but this will be her first in a middle school. She is still getting to know our school, and what she has to offer for the teachers. Many of the procedures and polices for the library are yet to be determined. The poor lady had a lot of reorganizing and library "first aid" to take care of first. I did, however, have a great chat with her. I think she will do a fantastic job!

    Basically, one of the most important and effective  ways the library can help ELA teachers is by offering book talks. I am going to do book talks in my class as well, but I don't think you can too many. I think it's especially important that students hear about how great reading can be from a variety of people. I think we will visit the library as a class bi-weekly, and she will doing a book talk that correlates with what I'm teaching each time. How awesome is that?

    I also learned that all of our books sets (new ones we received this year and older ones) were all added to the library and we will check them out as class sets there. Before, they were in stuck in someone's classroom and we didn't have to actually "check them out".

 One thing that I was really excited about was when I asked her how she can help our students and she said she wanted to find their "fire" in reading. She said her ultimate goal is to help students use their interests to find a book they absolutely love. This is exactly what I tell my students every year... if the media specialist and I have the same goal for our students, we are bound to make a great team!

 I hope this information doesn't seem too limited, but again, she only started last week. I am glad that we had the interview though, because it looks like we have an EXCELLENT addition to our staff this year!

If I Were in Charge, the Rules Would Be Different

Source: Proimos, J. (2002). If I were in charge, the rules would be different. New York: Scholastic Press.

Genre: Poetry

Age: All Ages!

      First of all, let me begin by warning you that you take on this book, it's not exactly Keats or Eliot. Just look at the cover of this fun specialized poetry book:

 

 The back of the book reads: "Ahem. The proper way to read the title of this book is standing on your head. Thank you." Obviously, this book was intended for a young audience; you can tell by the fun voice the author uses throughout. The meaning behind the poems are all lighthearted, and the rhythm and rhyme both help keep it that way. Just look at the the title poem included: 

 If I were in Charge the Rules Would be Different

 It hurts me to lecture you, Mommy, 

but you didn't eat all your salami. 

 Plus, your room is way too neat

and you have socks on both your feet. 

 Why in the world, may I ask, 

 did you go and take out the trash? 

 You also get every inch of blame

 for hardly playing your video game. 

 Oh, after all you put me through, 

 what am I gonna do with you? 

 Go to your room and don't come out

 until you learn to whine and pout! 

The rhythm is very "sing-songy" and fast-paced. This AA/BB pattern poem instantly attracts children into listening because it is so enticing with its cadence. When I began reading to my fifteen month daughter, she instantly grinned and seemed to listen intently. Even when children don't understand every world, they hear the fun rhyming ends and it continues to keep their attention throughout. I also think this book would be good for older students because they were understand the humor and meaning behind the poem. It's intended to make the audience smile and appreciate its silliness. 

Another one of my favorites is entitled "My Delightful Derriere" because it begins with the stanza: 

 I'm so proud of my butt, 

 my roundish rump, 

 my delightful derriere. 

 What child wouldn't want to finish reading this poem? I'm 30 years old and I can't wait to read about why this speaker is so proud of his butt. It was absolutely delightful. 

 Again,  this isn't the type of book that's going to move you or bring tears to your eyes, but you will certainly get a few giggles, and your kids or students will, too!  

        

In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World

Source: Hamilton, V., & Moser, B. (1988). In the beginning: Creation stories from around the world. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Genre: Traditional

Age: 10+

 

In the beginning, the Raven created man... No, in the beginning, Divine Woman created Earth... or maybe it was a turtle, a feathered serpent,  or Zeus. Whomever we can thank for this awesome gift of life varies from country to county. These are considered myths by most, but there are many who believe in the validity of a few of these. These stories also show a great deal about the cultures who shared them. For example, there were a few Native American stories that were centered around the power and importance of the natural earth, which is something I would expect from Native Americans (I'm actually part Navajo, and believe in the power of the natural earth as well!). Also, of course, the Greek story focuses on Zeus and the battles of gods. Traditional literature is a great window of insight to various cultural mores.

I found this collection to be absolutely fascinating, and a great tool to use in the classroom to introduce folklore and myth. It begins with a powerful hook: "Time was, there were no people on earth. The first man still lay inside the pea pod." What a cool way to start off a story! I can imagine most young readers would see this and wonder what in the world some dude was doing in a pea pod. It turns out, a raven had been "growing" man, and when he broke free of the pod, the raven showed him what food was, taught him about the world around him, and made him a perfect "helper" or woman. (I loved that we were known as "helpers" in most of the stories...)

This is a collection of 25 stories, so I couldn't even begin to review every one; however, my absolute favorite has to be the one that includes the most conflict: "Death the Creator." The story begins with darkness, and the only beings were Sa (Death), his wife, his daughter, and God Alatangana. God felt that the world was too full of darkness, so he created plants and animals to make it better. Sa was so thankful for this that he frequently allowed God in his house. Eventually though, God fell for Sa's daughter and asked for her hand in marriage. Sa did not want to give up his daughters and continued to make excuses to prevent it from happening. They secretly married and ran off, and began having many children. Sa was so angry that the next time he spoke to God, he said, "I welcomed you into my home, and you repaid me by taking my daughter. Now you must give me one of your children on the earth whenever I call one to me." This dialogue pushed the plot forward, and kept me intrigued and wanting to read more. I enjoyed this story for many reasons; number one, it gave a its own little twist on how the earth was created, but it also tells the story of how Death calls God's children. There are many "hints" as to what will happen in the future, and the contrast of characters (and complexity) makes a story like this great to teach foreshadowing, character, and conflict. I plan to use this to aid teaching my first unit. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has interest in various cultures, and history. What a great collection!

City of Ember

Source:  DuPrau, J. (2003). The city of Ember. New York: Random House. 

Genre: Modern Fantasy

Age: 10+

This ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book is definitely worth the read! In an effort to save the human race, scientists built an underground city meant to last for 200 years. Although the reader is never informed about what they're trying to escape, it can be inferred that scientists believe it will be safe again after that time frame. A time release box with instructions for escaping is left with the mayor. He/she is asked to never share this information with anyone except his/her successor. Unfortunately, the city of Ember ends up with a corrupt mayor and he does not share this information with anyone. The box ends up in a closet, and no one knows that there is a way of escaping.

Shortly after their time is up, supplies start dwindling- especially light bulbs. The generator and electricity are exceeding their years, and the underground town is prone to terrifying blackouts. Some start thinking that the "Builders" will come rescue them; others don't have any hope at all.  Lina, and her estranged friend Doon, are determined to find a way out after she discovers the cryptic, yet torn up old directions in her grandma's closet.

The most dramatic element of this novel is the integral setting, essential to the story's survival. It's exactly as one would imagine a small, underground town with little technology: cluttered, dank, some with hope, some lost, and homes that seem to be falling apart. Lina's apartment that she shares with her grandma and sister is no different as described on page 23: "There were things that had  belonged to Lina's parents, her grandparents, and even their grandparents-- old, broken, threadbare things that had been patched and repaired dozens of times. The people of Ember rarely threw anything away. They made best possible use of what they had." This is because they knew that they weren't going to get anything new. They simply didn't have the resources to create anything new.

Another important part of this integral setting are the blackouts. The people of Ember know that there is a shortage of light bulbs and the electricity is questionable, so everyone fears that each blackout will be the last and they will be left in darkness forever. The setting of this story is underground, so of course a blackout could mean never-ending darkness. Every time the lights go out, it could be their last.

Finally, the setting is integral to the story because the main conflict of the story is figuring out how to escape it. The city which has given them protection for so many years, and has given them the only home they know, is becoming a danger to everyone.

This is the first of the Ember series, and I plan on reading the rest. What a creative, yet realistic fantasy novel!

If You Decide to Go to the Moon

Book Talk 


McNulty, F., & Kellogg, S. (2007). If you decide to go to the moon. New York: Scholastic.


What's the longest journey you've ever taken? Have you ever traveled 240,000 miles? If you're averaging 3, 750 miles per hour, it will only take you two and a half days.... then you'll be on the moon!

 If you're curious about going, or you're planning a trip, this is the book for you! Do you know what kind of food you should take? How about how to sleep without floating away, or what the Sea of Tranquility is? This book tells you, from beginning to end, what you should do and what to expect if you ever want to travel outta this world! 

 This juvenile picture book is non-fiction and a must-read for anyone who is interested in learning more about space travel and the moon. 


To hear this book talk, click on the link below.
https://soundcloud.com/krystalynn-kuehn/if-you-decide-to-go-to-the

The Middle Passage

Feelings, T. (1995). The middle passage: White ships/black cargo. New York: Dial Books.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Picture Book 

      Age: 13+

Summary: This picture tells the heart-breaking true story of Africans being stolen away from their homes and taken against their will to America. Although this story is wordless, it has a lot to say. It begins with the Africans' lives before white men attacked them, and pushes forward through time in a series of captivating and moving drawings. 

Reflection: 

This image is probably one of the most striking of the story. The lines of the drawing seem to be driving the boat forward, moving toward what white men felt was progress. However, when you look at the Africans' faces, it is obvious that they are in great distress. They are being stolen from all they know, treated worse than animals, and torn from their families... but the boat keeps pushing them forward regardless of their screams. 

This is one of the most mature drawings included in this wordless story. I felt the choice of black and white coloring was appropriate. The main focus of this story is a struggle between black and white, so what a perfect choice to make that the focus of our visual attention as well. The contrast seems quite vivid in this drawing; I believe this was an intentional message that shows that stark difference of needs between the two cultures. This image is also one of the reasons I felt that 13+ would be more age appropriate. This is not only due to the naked female body, but also how the female body seems to have been terrorized. 

 I think this drawing is a perfect example of lines in an image and the meaning behind them. The artist, Feelings, very clearly demonstrates an absolute frustration and sense of unrest. Even the captive man's shoulder blades are uneven; he's body is disjointed with his head in one direction and his shoulders in another. This gives the reader a feeling of submission, as if he and his people have given in and lost hope. 

Finally, this drawing of men, women, and children in wretched conditions demonstrates a need for change. How could a human being do this to another human being? What would compel a race to have such hatred for another race? How could anyone have such a superiority complex over another? 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in history, civil rights, government/politics, or culture. This book would be a great addition to a Social Studies or English Language Arts classroom as an aid in discussion, or even as a central focus in a unit. As an ELA teacher, I could imagine myself using this as a tool for journals. Students who are mature enough to grasp such horror would certainly be moved by such an important piece of our country's history. 

Introduction

Hi! My name is Krystalynn Kuehn-Wilson. I am a sixth grade teacher, and I'm getting ready to begin my sixth year of teaching in a middle school. Before teaching in a middle school, I taught two years of preschool. I have been working with kids since I was 16, and there is no place I'd rather be! I am married to my best friend, and we have a sweet little 15 month old girl.  We will be bringing Wilson number two into the world this Christmas. We are pretty excited!