tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54880426546105118022024-03-15T21:12:53.319-04:00Celebrate NonfictionExploring the Joy of Nonfiction Reading and Writing Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.comBlogger1542125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-37789637542883635052024-03-14T00:30:00.004-04:002024-03-14T04:32:38.296-04:00Happy 1st Birthday, Whale Fall!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_E8JPKniHaRmlkvCdhOY8xxjGq1Vp-eW3DMJRVJzDV6CrCQLV7Z1Vj1Eelm_EYpdINiFj67jToJcTpmHj0kJ5XBorffw9NtgKQqLvrv_IMnKWh-zqsQAAK_DgK2ujkCSwnWtpoYT35GHLOjh8S7jlq-r4KOiot__ZouqSyVV3tunYqZx1tq779Kmqg/s720/Book%20Tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="570" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS_E8JPKniHaRmlkvCdhOY8xxjGq1Vp-eW3DMJRVJzDV6CrCQLV7Z1Vj1Eelm_EYpdINiFj67jToJcTpmHj0kJ5XBorffw9NtgKQqLvrv_IMnKWh-zqsQAAK_DgK2ujkCSwnWtpoYT35GHLOjh8S7jlq-r4KOiot__ZouqSyVV3tunYqZx1tq779Kmqg/w506-h640/Book%20Tour.jpg" width="506" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-1785420841077940112024-03-12T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-12T11:08:39.633-04:00Readers Theater: A Rich Resource for Teaching Science and ELA<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMaul5lFAD8DjMYzxM-uU-fusg5a6jVAqnnuFsXBF5ifbR1i5YrZoJhAzzBofQie2-6Fyw8444f7ZezWRLtKqR8UOfuD6tFYBcd84IECKq3b4cjWryJEhdNuhPXgh_3BH65AXO-m5iNXws7M3VDZXNdWGwPqAI-Ps0LW-KLs0WMwPqtDzT30dK2c/s200/Readers-theater%5B1%5D.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="123" data-original-width="200" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMaul5lFAD8DjMYzxM-uU-fusg5a6jVAqnnuFsXBF5ifbR1i5YrZoJhAzzBofQie2-6Fyw8444f7ZezWRLtKqR8UOfuD6tFYBcd84IECKq3b4cjWryJEhdNuhPXgh_3BH65AXO-m5iNXws7M3VDZXNdWGwPqAI-Ps0LW-KLs0WMwPqtDzT30dK2c/w320-h197/Readers-theater%5B1%5D.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">You’ve probably heard of Readers Theater (RT).
It’s a fun, easy way to bring literature to life.<br /></span><br />RT is a reading activity that introduces
students to <span style="color: #333333;">theatrical techniques without the
hassle of props, costumes, or sets. Instead of memorizing lines, students read
directly from scripts, using intonation, facial expressions, and gestures to
create characters.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDxDRe0PPJgxxo7Suow3b8axmpq0Z5e8h52LUIlox9Ec21hXbvHHkYePNeSlCu-MrQHRxttFsxgAWtR-icDkXbossBr3lxUme79m6FuqtPhSVP2jFDedUnFL_uMybaesHdPKX-_J9mDf15y3cqISStmv5xKmx3bbeYscFqcHWRMZItt2skVGgwKc/s4608/Hopedale%20RT.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDxDRe0PPJgxxo7Suow3b8axmpq0Z5e8h52LUIlox9Ec21hXbvHHkYePNeSlCu-MrQHRxttFsxgAWtR-icDkXbossBr3lxUme79m6FuqtPhSVP2jFDedUnFL_uMybaesHdPKX-_J9mDf15y3cqISStmv5xKmx3bbeYscFqcHWRMZItt2skVGgwKc/w400-h300/Hopedale%20RT.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">Children </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">are natural performers, and they love using
their imaginations, so RT makes reading practice an adventure instead of a
chore. and well-crafted scripts include roles that allow emergent, struggling,
and more advanced readers to participate in the performance with equal success</span>.<p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><b>Obvious Benefits of RT<br /></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Builds fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
at the same time.<br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Studies show gains carry over to new and
unpracticed texts</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><b>Additional Benefits of RT<br /></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Promotes cooperative interaction among
students<br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Improves listening and speaking skills<br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Helps shy students develop self-confidence
when reading aloud</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Most of the RT scripts available online and in
print are based on fictional stories and have just 10 or 12 parts, but I’ve
<a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/educators/readers_theater_scripts.html">created scripts </a>to accompany some of my science-themed nonfiction picture books
with enough roles for every child in your class. And because they focus on high-interest
topics, such as animal behaviors and how animals survive in their habitat, kids love practicing and performing them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih32GNthAIjNRUeML_pwbk0Fn--rgCnBubY0gfd9V4uLAiZRlAx-_k43-h1IKohXXwyPxl_9DB78ePTZGW06PVgmBfc6cuN8VTBPjyFprKl73LfyT3c9bzp0kZE5u8A2rlooiW70GbEzLOxd_NRxgLwnX9gwqqaWFzBT4SzDwlwS7l264gyrPgJBM/s3264/Marl%20Richer.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih32GNthAIjNRUeML_pwbk0Fn--rgCnBubY0gfd9V4uLAiZRlAx-_k43-h1IKohXXwyPxl_9DB78ePTZGW06PVgmBfc6cuN8VTBPjyFprKl73LfyT3c9bzp0kZE5u8A2rlooiW70GbEzLOxd_NRxgLwnX9gwqqaWFzBT4SzDwlwS7l264gyrPgJBM/w400-h300/Marl%20Richer.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">While </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">pretending to be a slithering snake or a little
ladybug, students suddenly see the world from that animal’s point of view. They
also learn about animal activities and become more aware of how living things
interact</span>.<p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><b>How RT Enriches Science Learning<br /></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Students </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;">are </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">more likely to retain science concepts when they’re
incorporated into a fun activity.<br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Children </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">feel a connection to “their” creature,
see the world from that animal’s perspective<br /></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Students </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="color: #333333;">gain a
deeper understanding of animal behaviors and lifestyles.<br /></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">—Children</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"> learn how
living things interact and become more aware of the roles plants and animals
play in their environment.</span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T8bkV9JX2_SxXdp6Pd668uswUwA1TdmebpaDk9QFClGMDA9AEyH4sd_4D48M91N--356A6tiBq37ikL-KCylNZzI9IgdTByiYpNJ-cjKHUsjmaNihC3mqqtv9YoU4-rzSzlBBuhiP8LiE84Bu5YSO-FqZrjI2OFAGaVcmOCRosKJLOLKeDCcusg/s320/hawl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="320" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4T8bkV9JX2_SxXdp6Pd668uswUwA1TdmebpaDk9QFClGMDA9AEyH4sd_4D48M91N--356A6tiBq37ikL-KCylNZzI9IgdTByiYpNJ-cjKHUsjmaNihC3mqqtv9YoU4-rzSzlBBuhiP8LiE84Bu5YSO-FqZrjI2OFAGaVcmOCRosKJLOLKeDCcusg/w400-h241/hawl.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br />As I transform a book into an <a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/educators/readers_theater_scripts.html">RT script</a>, I
focus on strong voice and rich, dynamic language. I also include choruses that
help children stay focused and foster camaraderie. My ultimate goal is to
create a lively, engaging script that students can’t resist reading over and
over.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxXAXSEUmLWuR7evc4g5q-EVtPK2WYxPSihVFxt9XQG0qFHeQAY_kifjeEF6wZ-65QZHLnrXS9Sf5jE1FjsSvSpgznmDu8q0FHaEhvg2mLaGWe082VSlaKYS4obMbUFpzcosFzZu7iRvqaJz4t6TNHSO2gZY_afaLh2FFihJd5f3KzQ29ARKkmPU/s739/gg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="739" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxXAXSEUmLWuR7evc4g5q-EVtPK2WYxPSihVFxt9XQG0qFHeQAY_kifjeEF6wZ-65QZHLnrXS9Sf5jE1FjsSvSpgznmDu8q0FHaEhvg2mLaGWe082VSlaKYS4obMbUFpzcosFzZu7iRvqaJz4t6TNHSO2gZY_afaLh2FFihJd5f3KzQ29ARKkmPU/w400-h319/gg.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br />And it seems to be working. Here are some examples.
I just love the ways teachers and students have enriched my scripts with their
own creative ideas.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3UH4H5mAOx5qnXofHYr0caSzJDGCLTjlagNy5_YvUVsMi78H33uzMa1FYAOieCEPouV1nseIPUvZ-vDAr7L4rBCHrOd2J-b5JoR8-ciC9OVQZmW7mbc-PElVDWPni12tzZroFlnCzmpP-vuvY9ZpF3RZgLmuCLaITjzBmmiCIh_6B-VndACMzTc/s320/hanlon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="320" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3UH4H5mAOx5qnXofHYr0caSzJDGCLTjlagNy5_YvUVsMi78H33uzMa1FYAOieCEPouV1nseIPUvZ-vDAr7L4rBCHrOd2J-b5JoR8-ciC9OVQZmW7mbc-PElVDWPni12tzZroFlnCzmpP-vuvY9ZpF3RZgLmuCLaITjzBmmiCIh_6B-VndACMzTc/w400-h274/hanlon.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><br />At Hanlon School in Westwood, MA, students printed out photos of
the animal they were portraying and taped their lines to the back.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi1Wp3z7SOG-38ewY9_caX4ee-azoUhAS0R8V469nPEy-atZqjjVPpdQoCIjvOeuK-uWi3QTBrwVFz9BUOSX5N3thj3AvHCmpdCiMPi3IxTiMDH0Y22cUcAH5uSDxq_7S9AtKO8zWPadFtiQ91uBwXKsdGsXA0tpp2-rKw5JL3QYkaLHfgZnuFDo/s1600/Middle%20Gate%20Newtown%20RT3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi1Wp3z7SOG-38ewY9_caX4ee-azoUhAS0R8V469nPEy-atZqjjVPpdQoCIjvOeuK-uWi3QTBrwVFz9BUOSX5N3thj3AvHCmpdCiMPi3IxTiMDH0Y22cUcAH5uSDxq_7S9AtKO8zWPadFtiQ91uBwXKsdGsXA0tpp2-rKw5JL3QYkaLHfgZnuFDo/w400-h309/Middle%20Gate%20Newtown%20RT3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 17.3333px;">And </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;">at Middle Gate School in Newtown, CT, the
students made masks. Instead of standing in a line at the front of the room,
each child walked across the room as they read their lines. I’d never seen
staging like that before.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xqtM4-sfk7P1RURy1cx4nxKc7iGNJ5f38_rUsu1u9E0898CtPp2mqHMTJEC6Xk7gc-7c00yHD8a1iqOh_X_HqxoxcETRWxYon5YwXNVdnHcH66aEYG0D6SEoaIOU0NSsLuh-M8U3r9b1UcABtCWItmyRi_sMvThh9alPkbl2BzgJu4T-lurNVKw/s320/port.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xqtM4-sfk7P1RURy1cx4nxKc7iGNJ5f38_rUsu1u9E0898CtPp2mqHMTJEC6Xk7gc-7c00yHD8a1iqOh_X_HqxoxcETRWxYon5YwXNVdnHcH66aEYG0D6SEoaIOU0NSsLuh-M8U3r9b1UcABtCWItmyRi_sMvThh9alPkbl2BzgJu4T-lurNVKw/w400-h300/port.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><br />Students at Hathaway School in Portsmouth, RI, created animal
hats.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-brNw9YYfeQHQPM5IPS3vI-XJ4YwpyQ8SEfXusnvvwAyGPFNCKq4P0ugG17AR1SXT1xl2vwT1vg_1j49Dq2OpTXColWg9FGXFuleHWb-VZ2naP9bMEdUjkySK26iW34CmLjUEk5bdnAoMFSxvOWBqJK4Teb6iJcN1QGOnxWfwivLl3ADCyi9GzM/s320/pow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-brNw9YYfeQHQPM5IPS3vI-XJ4YwpyQ8SEfXusnvvwAyGPFNCKq4P0ugG17AR1SXT1xl2vwT1vg_1j49Dq2OpTXColWg9FGXFuleHWb-VZ2naP9bMEdUjkySK26iW34CmLjUEk5bdnAoMFSxvOWBqJK4Teb6iJcN1QGOnxWfwivLl3ADCyi9GzM/w400-h300/pow.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><br />At Pownal School in Pownal, ME, students created animal posters.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSf4bRvhM-4QvydWXIQjpU2N2LNx574kT96C33imWTbbnf15JwH4RaYrizQVGEDIP-5NyIWWkuRi76hcZAvrhqCGBZNlrc3ij5zhR6KpHuQcVcLKqzkupPyMaLPQ34LaFp7Ud6OnfXdVPgio6wtLiGdkpm0gIC5XH2gZ0SxwF7hyS89to6xC8Qa90/s320/med.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSf4bRvhM-4QvydWXIQjpU2N2LNx574kT96C33imWTbbnf15JwH4RaYrizQVGEDIP-5NyIWWkuRi76hcZAvrhqCGBZNlrc3ij5zhR6KpHuQcVcLKqzkupPyMaLPQ34LaFp7Ud6OnfXdVPgio6wtLiGdkpm0gIC5XH2gZ0SxwF7hyS89to6xC8Qa90/w400-h300/med.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><br />At McGovern School in Medway, MA, classes made creative
backdrops and animal drawings.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXHiRSwRVkh9sMFh48mcnhsw4AmeibJXI7cTi0X_242Pz5XN1kFuD_mQDWu5LSnVesOr4Lqe74rb5ge9GFPwRarGiBDk884qFK6AwbN-dbDAPztKi9y3VgoamRIJyera3HZQbULzigGaH25SbAPqSKafdDjqUpMRxbDfXw2-jhYRw_QjhIlSmeTU/s320/windsor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXHiRSwRVkh9sMFh48mcnhsw4AmeibJXI7cTi0X_242Pz5XN1kFuD_mQDWu5LSnVesOr4Lqe74rb5ge9GFPwRarGiBDk884qFK6AwbN-dbDAPztKi9y3VgoamRIJyera3HZQbULzigGaH25SbAPqSKafdDjqUpMRxbDfXw2-jhYRw_QjhIlSmeTU/w400-h300/windsor.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><br />And just look at these incredible scenes painted by the art
teacher at Ellsworth School in Windsor, CT.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwyf2t4cOcRvaKvN-LkAiDLWrgJLTzLGqrOd-ng_-qMt72U0S2jEqA-aT5yRgzPLxrGJ25b6v1YIajMHs34UuOTPvaLSjpxlDjcHYlGkYe-M-CCsJQiZmA8cdy1EVjebpDBLWIT9sCHUjcFlDGOMxEv8nspJNBa9uvNkPAgxXleOW3GY8xpjGORo/s320/camb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwyf2t4cOcRvaKvN-LkAiDLWrgJLTzLGqrOd-ng_-qMt72U0S2jEqA-aT5yRgzPLxrGJ25b6v1YIajMHs34UuOTPvaLSjpxlDjcHYlGkYe-M-CCsJQiZmA8cdy1EVjebpDBLWIT9sCHUjcFlDGOMxEv8nspJNBa9uvNkPAgxXleOW3GY8xpjGORo/w400-h300/camb.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;"><br />Here’s a sort of “unplugged” version, where students remained
seated throughout the performance at King Open School in Cambridge, MA.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;">But that’s not all!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); color: black; font-size: 13pt;">Minnesota teacher Pam Patron Warren </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;">enjoys
using my </span><a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/educators/readers_theater_scripts.html"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #4ba976; font-size: 13pt;">readers
theater scripts</span></b></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;"> as paired passages with the books (rather than as a
performance). This approach allows students to see examples of the same
information being presented two different ways.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;">For example, some of the books have
a lyrical voice, while the RT scripts are more lively and humorous. The
students can compare the two texts and discuss why I wrote them differently.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;">Because the animals become
characters that speak in the RT scripts, students can also discuss how that
shift turns the writing into informational fiction, while the books themselves
are expository nonfiction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;">Pam says these paired-passage
lessons are “fun and accessible to all the kids in my class.” That’s terrific!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;">If you think of other great ways to
use my scripts in your classroom, please let me know.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-70214821708768831742024-03-07T00:30:00.013-05:002024-03-07T00:30:00.133-05:00Revisiting Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: The Idea Incubator<p class="Body"><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x0FZY2mzMqyvqaVZimSRN2sP19wfDNEHUujdk44vOODc8s5MNkosg02n2VocVkGX0N5BnMibx1tqGFp1KB-ipub13xAVfzNyeBElGApdeOo391wKyEnMgdPUvlvy6nXJMKN1YgF7PUDifK5o2PLs_xbPHSlguSV5B5fHTpD_2C0nfahEuL8VX0ZkmA/s320/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x0FZY2mzMqyvqaVZimSRN2sP19wfDNEHUujdk44vOODc8s5MNkosg02n2VocVkGX0N5BnMibx1tqGFp1KB-ipub13xAVfzNyeBElGApdeOo391wKyEnMgdPUvlvy6nXJMKN1YgF7PUDifK5o2PLs_xbPHSlguSV5B5fHTpD_2C0nfahEuL8VX0ZkmA/s1600/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" width="255" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">As you read the essays in</span> <a href="https://store.ncte.org/book/nonfiction-writers-dig-deep-50-award-winning-childrens-book-authors-share-secret-engaging#_=_"><b><i><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Authors Share the Secret
of Engaging Writing</span></i></b></a><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">, it
will become clear that </span><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">professional nonfiction authors choose topics that resonate
deeply with them, often for reasons only they know. The ideas may trace back to
childhood curiosity, a deeply held belief, or even a missed opportunity. </span><p></p><p class="Body"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Even
though students may not have enough life experience to fully understand their
unique passions and perspectives the same way adult writers do, they can still
learn strategies for choosing topics that are related to their personal
interests and ideas that matter to them.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">A
great way to get started is with an Idea Incubator—a bulleted list of potential
topics on the last page of their writer’s notebook. Every time a student has an
idea or question about something they see, read, or experience, they can add it
to their Idea Incubator list. They can also include cool facts they come
across.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojkIb44y0qyvyQKQO1Ts5l_Rm92bHAJcB0uUlVgG3kf5KH76XPzP3cILa1f50LT0pbGyCR0aeBt0OLZd3N7ghRYTOi1-WnaLYodQMst3jU6vqpedDxvGBBxUeDAnyP0J2IQFhALJeKVUWbaodhJJfH-H7XCz9jAlGUWX3btMGwXa8E4Vp5Qm9STbc2A/s400/Photo%20Chap1C.5%20new.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojkIb44y0qyvyQKQO1Ts5l_Rm92bHAJcB0uUlVgG3kf5KH76XPzP3cILa1f50LT0pbGyCR0aeBt0OLZd3N7ghRYTOi1-WnaLYodQMst3jU6vqpedDxvGBBxUeDAnyP0J2IQFhALJeKVUWbaodhJJfH-H7XCz9jAlGUWX3btMGwXa8E4Vp5Qm9STbc2A/w300-h400/Photo%20Chap1C.5%20new.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">When it's time to start a nonfiction writing project, students can use their Idea Incubator as a starting point. If students are choosing their own topic, they may be able to pull an idea directly from their list.</span></span><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">But
</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 13pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">even if you assign a topic that aligns with your content area
curriculum, a list of facts, ideas, and questions is still a valuable tool.
Working alone or with a partner, students can search for a common thread among
the items on their list and brainstorm ways to apply that to the whole-class
topic you’ve assigned. I’ll share more ideas about how students can make this
sort of “umbrella” topic their own next
week.</span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-67166713467095473212024-03-05T00:30:00.005-05:002024-03-05T00:30:00.132-05:00Thank you, Boston Globe<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngzqJeoCjMuzQpfG8J9ZqXgksrX4dwtNgiiEH1bTuPnXThmMopWOhyQGEEvNHchOMD3463WyWTDoAevvuHzsSvNDJbunaElSCUiSYVkrGddUz4lOCOyIYd_s7ARz7WBqvHh6Eg_gY-IxePms_aIykDasY9Ma-wSoT_b1itugK0oVnYcjvhNInegtUcw/s776/Book%20Tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="776" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngzqJeoCjMuzQpfG8J9ZqXgksrX4dwtNgiiEH1bTuPnXThmMopWOhyQGEEvNHchOMD3463WyWTDoAevvuHzsSvNDJbunaElSCUiSYVkrGddUz4lOCOyIYd_s7ARz7WBqvHh6Eg_gY-IxePms_aIykDasY9Ma-wSoT_b1itugK0oVnYcjvhNInegtUcw/w640-h594/Book%20Tour.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-87731825791833470982024-02-29T00:30:00.037-05:002024-02-29T00:30:00.148-05:00Revisiting Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: The Benefits of Teacher Timesaver Tables <p><a href="https://store.ncte.org/book/nonfiction-writers-dig-deep-50-award-winning-childrens-book-authors-share-secret-engaging#_=_"><b><i><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 13pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"></span></i></b></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhQByro_h3I-oIIQPxFWc5oH6Aiml2RLnytXpGGsDAz7dDHB3YWzxoD0-rSNmDc_LyS8FEXwD3IGlOV16BDfp1MYQ4FyhpEGVSPqPdD981qmF7p3r9kpf6HdXi80vYTAotZz8R56GtIEPwEZAcL67DqOCSf8y4JisMOe1LaeXw_NVyEfsFyOJxOvuqw/s320/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhQByro_h3I-oIIQPxFWc5oH6Aiml2RLnytXpGGsDAz7dDHB3YWzxoD0-rSNmDc_LyS8FEXwD3IGlOV16BDfp1MYQ4FyhpEGVSPqPdD981qmF7p3r9kpf6HdXi80vYTAotZz8R56GtIEPwEZAcL67DqOCSf8y4JisMOe1LaeXw_NVyEfsFyOJxOvuqw/s1600/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" width="255" /></a></i></b></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px; text-align: justify;"><i><b>Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Children's Book Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing</b></i></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><i><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 13pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></i></b></span><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">is
bursting with ideas and insights from many of today’s leading nonfiction
authors. Ideally, educators will have a chance to read all the essays. But
because time is such a precious commodity, teachers should also feel free to
dip in and out of the essays in a way that meets their interests and needs.</span><p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">To
make this process easier, each chapter features a Teacher Timesaver Table that
includes helpful information about the essays and the books each author writes.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">By
consulting this table, educators can quickly discover the grade level(s) that
each author writes for, the format of their books—picture book (PB) or long
form (LF)—and the content area the books address. The table also includes a
brief summary of each essay. This table will help teachers identify the best
two or three essays to accompany a particular lesson. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRyBUdFygOnhNSghlq9Nt20W-8_UUEDI91Cx_jBKppYoQxfrbDPqaRRm5SDfWofuJW1u24WuLTZpCgcXFpi95pyQYckPCIMN1EWrZKOiosdjjA9sY8_KOVTYgS7Oq37Ehyphenhyphen1jzMaKRK9WeKUY6QZuMXiXpwaV9OlJZg_Hxn19SvEZD50nLOVMKq8TIWQ/s400/g.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="400" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRyBUdFygOnhNSghlq9Nt20W-8_UUEDI91Cx_jBKppYoQxfrbDPqaRRm5SDfWofuJW1u24WuLTZpCgcXFpi95pyQYckPCIMN1EWrZKOiosdjjA9sY8_KOVTYgS7Oq37Ehyphenhyphen1jzMaKRK9WeKUY6QZuMXiXpwaV9OlJZg_Hxn19SvEZD50nLOVMKq8TIWQ/w400-h230/g.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">The
authors’ ideas and experiences described in each essay can enrich reading and
writing instruction in a variety of ways. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">While
students often think about the people behind the fiction books they read, they
generally don’t think about nonfiction writers in the same way. The essays in
this anthology will give young readers a chance to hear the authors’ voices and
understand their motivation for writing particular books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">During
an author study, the essays can help students feel more connected to the
writer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">When
using children’s books featured in the anthology as mentor texts in writing
workshop, the essays can bring a new dimension to lessons that focus on
nonfiction craft moves and revision. By revealing how professional writers
think, the essays can help demystify the writing process for students.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">There
are so many options for using this one-of-a-kind resource!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-8592061366278235612024-02-27T00:30:00.037-05:002024-02-27T00:30:00.140-05:00Reading Rockets Interview<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmcDuOFXHRPM6bP4R_P7ECRAR2F0EOZ__t0ynUy_2jwcOPfMd6jS3IItlZK_vTFBEmHj-SLX8JeC9_QENr4JDW1x9PwV-le8Xs4sVWU_ixpekJY6EO4Z4xDQnTl_eFv85pL_drg3f-mv_-nyix4Q7iIKqIQSSsRZ69SixC33RY6uGo2xN17uP1enktg/s875/vid.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="767" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxmcDuOFXHRPM6bP4R_P7ECRAR2F0EOZ__t0ynUy_2jwcOPfMd6jS3IItlZK_vTFBEmHj-SLX8JeC9_QENr4JDW1x9PwV-le8Xs4sVWU_ixpekJY6EO4Z4xDQnTl_eFv85pL_drg3f-mv_-nyix4Q7iIKqIQSSsRZ69SixC33RY6uGo2xN17uP1enktg/w351-h400/vid.png" width="351" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">Not long </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">ago, the folks at Reading
Rockets interviewed me and edited our discussion into </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://www.readingrockets.org/people-and-organizations/melissa-stewart">fourteen
short videos</a></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> that you can watch yourself or share with students.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Topics include keeping a
nature journal, research, text structure, nonfiction read alouds, the 5 Kinds
of Nonfiction, and more. I hope you’ll take a look.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-17689310324972356532024-02-15T00:30:00.035-05:002024-02-15T00:30:00.126-05:00Incredible News!<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlrwIkyChQfO1yN0ZWN0nNCRY9T3unXSMBqfHPi7TB4tWCZoQNi-6sAkXCr9aF3O5ZXJne57rcJcUPfbOppuKdbWd0g1ELriM8WLQpx2EAIYl-WTMK-8lSPP5XZHA6fQ9fLR9Qi_K0_I5ZD1BYRawNyBilonZvFk0r4Qs8tOG3sOSSU-wH3p22maTfw/s3375/whale%20fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="3375" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlrwIkyChQfO1yN0ZWN0nNCRY9T3unXSMBqfHPi7TB4tWCZoQNi-6sAkXCr9aF3O5ZXJne57rcJcUPfbOppuKdbWd0g1ELriM8WLQpx2EAIYl-WTMK-8lSPP5XZHA6fQ9fLR9Qi_K0_I5ZD1BYRawNyBilonZvFk0r4Qs8tOG3sOSSU-wH3p22maTfw/w400-h329/whale%20fall.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">Yesterday, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">the American Association for the Advancement of Science announced
the </span><a href="https://www.sbfprize.org/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">2024 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in
Science Books</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">, and </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Whale Fall</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> was the winner in the picture book
category. Woo-hoo!</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I’ve always considered myself a scientist first and a writer second, so
nothing makes me happier than to have a book recognized by the nation’s top
science organization. Thank you, AAAS!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-570419996738843982024-02-13T00:30:00.088-05:002024-02-13T00:30:00.129-05:00The Lowdown on the Smackdown by Renae Nichols<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEPVImMxZMGxuJcJTm2K3B7oX_q-qLfN1HgghqWFvQTILr0yEpt0DmJVGJHdil_aqmYVnBQNFZbuotSnuWHcI-Uq9aeVc5CqSJT2V4eKE8dbECF1ox3cioTlJUHpyIxZCEtVt4H-kVqUCfipS2sMcY1BSMeFn28KDINngKW6USyFcIjsUmig8s03Lug/s2016/RN.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEPVImMxZMGxuJcJTm2K3B7oX_q-qLfN1HgghqWFvQTILr0yEpt0DmJVGJHdil_aqmYVnBQNFZbuotSnuWHcI-Uq9aeVc5CqSJT2V4eKE8dbECF1ox3cioTlJUHpyIxZCEtVt4H-kVqUCfipS2sMcY1BSMeFn28KDINngKW6USyFcIjsUmig8s03Lug/s320/RN.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For the last couple of years, I've invited </span></i><i><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">educators
to share reflections of their students’ experiences during the Sibert Smackdown.
After all, teachers and librarians loved hearing directly from their
colleagues. <o:p></o:p></span></i><p></p>
<p><i style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Today's post comes
from school librarian </span></i><i style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt;">Renae
Nichols</span></i><i style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Helvetica",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.
Thanks so much for sharing Renae! </span></i></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">I first heard about the Sibert
Smackdown 2 years ago, but this was the year I finally felt ready to jump in.
Having run a Mock Caldecott project in my elementary school library since 2019,
I wondered if my 4th and 5th graders might be ready for something new.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">Melissa Stewart’s website was a great
starting point. I liked the idea of students comparing two books and selecting
a winner, but I wondered if two books would be enough. And could I get a few
more nonfiction skills squeezed into this project?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">After looking at some great online
resources (worksheets </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/img2018/pdfs/Sibert_Smackdown_NEW.pdf"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-highlight: white;">here</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"> and </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IbPh5S8moFeeJg0vJi2pOVP29tGQ3FIb-IoqDvi8j4o/edit"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-highlight: white;">here</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">, a </span><a href="https://guides.rilinkschools.org/c.php?g=269042&p=9499053"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-highlight: white;">slideshow</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">, and book lists </span><a href="https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/mock-sibert-0"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-highlight: white;">here</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"> and </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/184281.Juvenile_YA_Nonfiction_2023_Mock_Sibert_2024_"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; mso-highlight: white;">here</span></a><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">), I worked with a colleague and
ended up with this organizer:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrAlCkFttEy7_BEo2t-8IVMfz2LidaIjS1KKd02ccAQayiKhbElwIP7q9s_YFntSlAkJQzfRhBUc8AJFh1qryZQ9aqY2ifivY3zWVjbpP4LIqIUWW5TAX6zvM5Ex-9YrkJUX681zGz9BND0OV45euWzzB_0grw5QKg6M957BdrlW1yQgLdjxU5fjUdA/s932/sheet.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="758" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrAlCkFttEy7_BEo2t-8IVMfz2LidaIjS1KKd02ccAQayiKhbElwIP7q9s_YFntSlAkJQzfRhBUc8AJFh1qryZQ9aqY2ifivY3zWVjbpP4LIqIUWW5TAX6zvM5Ex-9YrkJUX681zGz9BND0OV45euWzzB_0grw5QKg6M957BdrlW1yQgLdjxU5fjUdA/w520-h640/sheet.png" width="520" /></a></div><span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViaNCGO5TADu1Rn-WP6v6OhpPdl6aSOX8sN-zeAoSiL_VkMPGRv-PlmQKLaBBstyH0MYSKtLjh4VITH2hp0h2oS8p87ELm2KQGNndhpyc_G5iB35X_ecRDQOmnrRVIRfD277u0u-IoSHQxEIRMwW4MgJZLSyQ8HiAZVcnQj1vdbHSGD4G6RzG13eqDA/s504/5KNF%20cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="402" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViaNCGO5TADu1Rn-WP6v6OhpPdl6aSOX8sN-zeAoSiL_VkMPGRv-PlmQKLaBBstyH0MYSKtLjh4VITH2hp0h2oS8p87ELm2KQGNndhpyc_G5iB35X_ecRDQOmnrRVIRfD277u0u-IoSHQxEIRMwW4MgJZLSyQ8HiAZVcnQj1vdbHSGD4G6RzG13eqDA/w159-h200/5KNF%20cover.jpg" width="159" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">The week </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">after Thanksgiving, I gave an
overview of the award and project. Then I introduced the </span><a href="https://www.routledge.com/5-Kinds-of-Nonfiction-Enriching-Reading-and-Writing-Instruction-with-Childrens/Stewart-Correia/p/book/9781625314178" style="font-size: 13pt;">5
Kinds of Nonfiction</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"> and showed examples of each kind using books from our
library. I also made book bins with previous Sibert winners for students to browse
and check out.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">In Weeks 2 through 4, I presented
six books and let the students vote on which one to read as a class.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">During Week 2, I read one book and
modeled how to complete the organizer.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">In Week 3, I read another book and
completed the organizer as students gave input about the information they
believed it should include.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQShEJlvh0BA0h6RXQLDfMouJCbARrFpfWLrxjHkoqw1m5QdYfA5ZaZGw3dSRbnQyX7E63RbSm73sqjnisn2u5fTwq1I_B7-LCIhgRr8w_OGA9cx1UiYiERO5wY46eIcU6e2yj-XFoQ2kfO0xew0eKmMOrBlKTI-1U06A9k8qTXWLpbaRrPFh_wWkTg/s1444/intro.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1444" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQShEJlvh0BA0h6RXQLDfMouJCbARrFpfWLrxjHkoqw1m5QdYfA5ZaZGw3dSRbnQyX7E63RbSm73sqjnisn2u5fTwq1I_B7-LCIhgRr8w_OGA9cx1UiYiERO5wY46eIcU6e2yj-XFoQ2kfO0xew0eKmMOrBlKTI-1U06A9k8qTXWLpbaRrPFh_wWkTg/w640-h382/intro.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">In Week 4, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">I read a third book and
students worked in pairs or trios to complete the organizer on their own. It
felt like students had caught on to the idea, so in Week 5, I let students
select a book from the remaining three plus many, many more to read and
evaluate independently.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">
One week was not enough time for students to complete their independent
evaluations, so Week 6 was used to complete that work.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojtCcACANVErUzosUPGjw0k-zBQeErli0bJTpvF48e26JsEGnpQbQ6Lqgm3lopM9HPO6R5yjor02OkVZa2Xsrqjc7Yilc6pnrsQc1mo1XaCCAUtK3ryr3xgjHxzelxNlQ6GkK8loUwr2uqZztRPdrbuXt1YjMqDmYPn1s9TIQ6GbhXQWxZGfeH7k1IA/s2048/students%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojtCcACANVErUzosUPGjw0k-zBQeErli0bJTpvF48e26JsEGnpQbQ6Lqgm3lopM9HPO6R5yjor02OkVZa2Xsrqjc7Yilc6pnrsQc1mo1XaCCAUtK3ryr3xgjHxzelxNlQ6GkK8loUwr2uqZztRPdrbuXt1YjMqDmYPn1s9TIQ6GbhXQWxZGfeH7k1IA/w400-h300/students%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGluKjHVAVqyq_M65VBHfXjJIfv_woyUuXaZRnbxJkFRtK1n8V25DHAF7ZJekO9B1tJkS4kDscSauURKDmBs32473c5KV4jFJcEDaeXcOH4djI1J9P-aQ1AcJU_yO8JAkFQ2aO4q_pk4f3_oH2pZbf7PhcXEb_frE8ZqwirVvVSaV6VVL4NuK62kOHQ/s2048/students%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="2048" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGluKjHVAVqyq_M65VBHfXjJIfv_woyUuXaZRnbxJkFRtK1n8V25DHAF7ZJekO9B1tJkS4kDscSauURKDmBs32473c5KV4jFJcEDaeXcOH4djI1J9P-aQ1AcJU_yO8JAkFQ2aO4q_pk4f3_oH2pZbf7PhcXEb_frE8ZqwirVvVSaV6VVL4NuK62kOHQ/w400-h297/students%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">With 2</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"> weeks remaining until Awards
Day, I could have pushed them to review another book or create and share
presentations about the book they’d evaluated. But I decided it was more
important for them to have some exposure to as many books as possible. So we
ditched the organizer, replaced it with a star review sheet, and did book
tasting on high speed—24 books in 24 minutes! The only guidance I gave was that
a book that didn’t include sources and/or backmatter should not be allowed a
5-star review, and students agreed.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowPNZGMY8P9ti7IvbbVvtKr5sFg7kaOtwkndHdfiF7I71hVw3slk0_77o1RJw-h2D-a8qdniuIyjJaG6Wbic9iVTV3kFHHVdhpuPg3dw5N_OgloGXXJrjTmbrfupD032S1VWceU8V8Zlpu7cowZIPhdyW6aJT3NUxeIld9xjowQqUkqE5yhxm2p0XrQ/s918/1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="716" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowPNZGMY8P9ti7IvbbVvtKr5sFg7kaOtwkndHdfiF7I71hVw3slk0_77o1RJw-h2D-a8qdniuIyjJaG6Wbic9iVTV3kFHHVdhpuPg3dw5N_OgloGXXJrjTmbrfupD032S1VWceU8V8Zlpu7cowZIPhdyW6aJT3NUxeIld9xjowQqUkqE5yhxm2p0XrQ/w500-h640/1.png" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfMYYk11KgXOTzbvhpBm65xFhba-ZrUMWW1YuXwh9Eq9wiquOkR3Qu0Elggxn-PVOVwiP4jPyacTBJVqIZEGmQnDAjSyPPqz0o66S36fjh6zDgwTXkWFaC0N_TUB0aOvK94PJ5Mzl_y76fIZvng4Mf3ve_fkDLQ62nu5Gs-m20dKPrtoAblnE2BjKXw/s918/2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="716" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfMYYk11KgXOTzbvhpBm65xFhba-ZrUMWW1YuXwh9Eq9wiquOkR3Qu0Elggxn-PVOVwiP4jPyacTBJVqIZEGmQnDAjSyPPqz0o66S36fjh6zDgwTXkWFaC0N_TUB0aOvK94PJ5Mzl_y76fIZvng4Mf3ve_fkDLQ62nu5Gs-m20dKPrtoAblnE2BjKXw/w500-h640/2.png" width="500" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">Was I </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">nuts? Maybe. But as students
quickly turned pages, looking for elements of Delight, Design, and
Documentation, their comments were all I needed to let me know they’d absorbed
the big ideas.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">Ooh!
This one looks so interesting! And look at all this backmatter.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">This
one looks boring. Wait, no. This part’s cool. And look at all these sources!</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">This
one is amazing, but no sources. No sources? This one is out.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">At the end of the book tasting, students
looked at their star review sheet to inform them how to vote. On a Google Form,
they answered three questions: <br /><br />
1) Which book do you think the Sibert Committee members will pick to win the
award? <br /><br />
2) Which book do you think will be the winner of our school’s Mock Sibert
Award? <br /><br />3) Which book is your favorite? <br /><br />
When answering question one, they needed to consider the official judging
criteria. When answering questions two and three, they only needed to think
about student enjoyment and engagement.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">With so many books in the running, no
book received a majority. However, students predicted <i>A Place Called
America, Whale Fall</i>, and <i>Old Enough to Make A Difference</i> might win a
Sibert Award or Honor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">The predicted school favorite was <i>Butt
or Face?</i>, which did turn out to be the top vote getter. The next highest
vote counts went to <i>The Day the River Caught Fire </i>and <i>Search for a
Giant Squid</i>. We decided to make those our Honor books.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">As the project came to a close, and I
looked at all my students had done, I realized what a tremendous thing I had
asked of them. But the feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">This
project was hard but also so fun!</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">I
loved working with a partner and getting to choose the book we would read.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">I
like looking at wonderful books by good authors that I otherwise never would
have picked up.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;">Next
year I hope we look at even more books!</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: white;"><b>Renae Nichols</b> is a library teacher at
Peirce Elementary School in Arlington, MA. Her younger self would be surprised
to know that she became a school librarian, because she wasn’t at all
interested in reading for most of her childhood. Renae knows that learning to
read and enjoy books takes time for some readers and works hard to create an
inclusive library in which every student can find something they’ll enjoy. She
nudges students to read beyond their comfort zones, and is working on this
herself. Though she gravitates toward narrative nonfiction, she’s recently
become very fond of expository literature.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-30934153403121983492024-02-08T00:30:00.004-05:002024-02-08T00:30:00.129-05:00Revisiting Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: Getting Started<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1QMnxPeh9SEBjW1vGy5NGe1X0fVwqT7bM5OT5CvDMH5gk_wGhJ6zVacVvxyHjBhoUbqkXemSYZHvgmSrNl0H2SJHZL1LY-7aNB6XDHiHwXG8EDAW2PA81gMe78nDlQLJFylyg-2Lu_LcLCIl8KP6SlJ3Jhi3VE1qx2gJ7ppWJ_g-su2xVfpNlyRwpg/s320/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1QMnxPeh9SEBjW1vGy5NGe1X0fVwqT7bM5OT5CvDMH5gk_wGhJ6zVacVvxyHjBhoUbqkXemSYZHvgmSrNl0H2SJHZL1LY-7aNB6XDHiHwXG8EDAW2PA81gMe78nDlQLJFylyg-2Lu_LcLCIl8KP6SlJ3Jhi3VE1qx2gJ7ppWJ_g-su2xVfpNlyRwpg/s1600/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" width="255" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">You </span><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">remember 2020. Educators everywhere were completely overwhelmed just trying to make it through the day. And that means it wasn’t exactly the best time to publish a book about writing instruction, so it’s no surprise that </span><a href="https://store.ncte.org/book/nonfiction-writers-dig-deep-50-award-winning-childrens-book-authors-share-secret-engaging#_=_"><b><i><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 13pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Children’s Book Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing</span></i></b></a><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> has struggled to find an audience.</span><p></p><p></p><p class="Body"><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">And that’s a shame because this incredibly useful resource </span><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">(</span><span color="windowtext" face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">published by the National Council of Teachers of English</span><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">)</span><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">features essays by fifty of today’s leading nonfiction authors. </span></p><p class="Body"><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Each writer has their own unique story, but taken together, the anthology’s message is clear: To craft high-quality prose, nonfiction writers have to dig deep. They have to be personally invested in the process and the product.</span></p><p class="Body"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwXz6lTdoSDXRqLg5yFc7tBK0nPrPN86XJn2CG5wB9Rua_IUu8_QdHZES6Q4AZBE0sNSeHbDvzWT5irsMg-98maKxfRkjlq21p08dEyrFftwdZhr59cFtwG9Cku9hS_4dNMOONFEt99t-rlbkDGWf3MAvU0n-DgrLX7Y7oz9tgEVdM3SZuqqdTuDKGQ/s400/Image%202%20authors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwXz6lTdoSDXRqLg5yFc7tBK0nPrPN86XJn2CG5wB9Rua_IUu8_QdHZES6Q4AZBE0sNSeHbDvzWT5irsMg-98maKxfRkjlq21p08dEyrFftwdZhr59cFtwG9Cku9hS_4dNMOONFEt99t-rlbkDGWf3MAvU0n-DgrLX7Y7oz9tgEVdM3SZuqqdTuDKGQ/w400-h300/Image%202%20authors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="Body"><span color="windowtext" face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><b>Publisher’s Description<br /></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">In </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep,</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"> some of today’s most celebrated writers for children share essays that describe a critical part of the informational writing process that is often left out of classroom instruction. To craft engaging nonfiction, professional writers choose topics that fascinate them and explore concepts and themes that reflect their passions, personalities, beliefs, and experiences in the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">By scrutinizing the information they collect to make their own personal meaning, they create distinctive books that delight as well as inform. A wide range of tips, tools, teaching strategies, and activity ideas help students (1) choose a topic, (2) focus that topic by identifying a core idea, theme, or concept, and (3) analyze their research to find a personal connection. By adding a piece of themselves to their drafts, students will learn to craft rich, unique prose.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pCzx4BJfO4jwvg_i1KeC0pi1pCt3DYIwFjudf6KLN3t2AEklI6u33ZtG6xz-91AWmsHAnlSJClfyVCSHHTCyBSkO_Rl2i0xjJYuDbl_5I5PIk35-jdY0d9hHdalJkkTOiCpy9rK1jIQOk06ghln0mgVSySds_PrBTbCCMuVvu_uG1De-JR9_7RIBGw/s400/Image%203%20interior%20%20spreads.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pCzx4BJfO4jwvg_i1KeC0pi1pCt3DYIwFjudf6KLN3t2AEklI6u33ZtG6xz-91AWmsHAnlSJClfyVCSHHTCyBSkO_Rl2i0xjJYuDbl_5I5PIk35-jdY0d9hHdalJkkTOiCpy9rK1jIQOk06ghln0mgVSySds_PrBTbCCMuVvu_uG1De-JR9_7RIBGw/w400-h300/Image%203%20interior%20%20spreads.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTAgMzDPvAU1M2YWiv86XFunYXbbT0W3vi8Qx6rI7F1o4wf2yeFhUjn6kYWLLMTlVDmGWWVZ1AQMPPA6O6hc3nuD4P2gGd0dhOCv8mkw89p2Q5OvkIWsqQ7rU9FaHbvvjVsBPG7Wfdqjo6YF9ahsp38p7Fj443jBmYM2K75RMIRzJ1soN-GR1epZ6ww/s400/Image%204%20activity%20sample.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTAgMzDPvAU1M2YWiv86XFunYXbbT0W3vi8Qx6rI7F1o4wf2yeFhUjn6kYWLLMTlVDmGWWVZ1AQMPPA6O6hc3nuD4P2gGd0dhOCv8mkw89p2Q5OvkIWsqQ7rU9FaHbvvjVsBPG7Wfdqjo6YF9ahsp38p7Fj443jBmYM2K75RMIRzJ1soN-GR1epZ6ww/w400-h300/Image%204%20activity%20sample.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><b>Behind the Book<br /></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">How did this one-of-a-kind anthology come about? Its roots <span style="background: white;">trace back to the<b> </b></span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt;">2017 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, when I was fortunate to participate in a panel titled “</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">The Secret of Crafting Engaging Nonfiction” </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt;">with two incredibly talented children’s nonfiction authors—Candace Fleming and Deborah Heiligman.</span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">During our discussion, moderated by educator Alyson Beecher, we dove deeply into what fuels our work and why we routinely dedicate years of our lives to a single manuscript. As we compared our thoughts and experiences, we came to realize something critically important—each of our books has a piece of us at its heart. And that personal connection is what drives us to keep working despite the inevitable obstacles and setbacks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Several other nonfiction authors attended our presentation, and afterward they praised our insights. That conversation, which continued online after the conference, helped us all understand our creative process in new and exciting ways. The essays in <i>Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep</i> are our way of sharing this important aspect of nonfiction writing with educators and students.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span></p><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Want to know more? For the next few Thursdays, I’ll be sharing some of the books features and insights. Stay tuned.</span>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-28177194131790553212024-02-06T00:30:00.020-05:002024-02-07T05:33:30.581-05:00Happy Book Birthday to Shape Search!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="border: none; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVxa3GNgpxWHJHUE5nU2oFB4otZ6Z6sGpUbBsPfpHjJc18g2J8eqYILl4RnYGLROo6lMdvR8O4ifKdv1hvdRpOr5cgwiCqui3rGB0djOwV96Hei1VTdqw2km5mtjNQrkSlf2HrkYzq6me3LPUS5W5GVBS6iu3WoPJIsarufTawNweueTwj8HwkDBgDA/s500/shape%20Search.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVxa3GNgpxWHJHUE5nU2oFB4otZ6Z6sGpUbBsPfpHjJc18g2J8eqYILl4RnYGLROo6lMdvR8O4ifKdv1hvdRpOr5cgwiCqui3rGB0djOwV96Hei1VTdqw2km5mtjNQrkSlf2HrkYzq6me3LPUS5W5GVBS6iu3WoPJIsarufTawNweueTwj8HwkDBgDA/w200-h200/shape%20Search.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 17.3333px;">Today is the official release </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); border: none; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt;">date
for <i>Shape Search</i>, and I couldn't be more excited.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; text-align: center;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: none; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This book was inspired by a February
2021 Twitter conversation about snowflakes with authors Linda Sue Park and the
late April Pulley Sayre. But in many ways, it traces back to childhood walks in
the woods with my father and brother.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="border: none; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My father always encouraged us to
look around and think about what we were seeing. I hope this poetic invitation
to hunt for shapes in nature will pique the curiosity of young readers and
encourage them to see the world in a whole new way.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAh7qC8KHOheKJMzRJyQz6_lg38SrmpaTOpxznAb6bL9Kxp_ThcmcDB01O4jhDf_nAYD3jehR6WXDZRC4IXRffpOvv5S-uOjwz9DgSiAqMXmzkk_5aIcU8t4loxdJ2Nw7Bwb64HP3ZHSauVHXeyL7InMSS4E3pvwwR4T8L63o4U0YDBIw-PrMd7Y-yFQ/s439/download.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="433" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAh7qC8KHOheKJMzRJyQz6_lg38SrmpaTOpxznAb6bL9Kxp_ThcmcDB01O4jhDf_nAYD3jehR6WXDZRC4IXRffpOvv5S-uOjwz9DgSiAqMXmzkk_5aIcU8t4loxdJ2Nw7Bwb64HP3ZHSauVHXeyL7InMSS4E3pvwwR4T8L63o4U0YDBIw-PrMd7Y-yFQ/w632-h640/download.png" width="632" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><br /></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-39864120413041018462024-02-01T00:30:00.028-05:002024-02-01T00:30:00.137-05:00Getting Ready for March Madness Nonfiction<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Teh4yz6CdhxK5sJjWNVMSsiRzViu3MyFcEIZEE5XeRbpYQODIh-ywq9XYz7116dAI-L8HLK9XCvASOcwsbV9jCYCpjE62gQSwC2mq28NkByfiKgRpcLPBbcyU8A3mv4_iDtmDqpYg1W9450dGhvDoGu-zRUbcmzaRUEyYmoX6ftPYeDUFfvVZNJasg/s400/@shelmoody%20%20Shelly%20Moody%20Instructional%20Coach%20%20ME%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Teh4yz6CdhxK5sJjWNVMSsiRzViu3MyFcEIZEE5XeRbpYQODIh-ywq9XYz7116dAI-L8HLK9XCvASOcwsbV9jCYCpjE62gQSwC2mq28NkByfiKgRpcLPBbcyU8A3mv4_iDtmDqpYg1W9450dGhvDoGu-zRUbcmzaRUEyYmoX6ftPYeDUFfvVZNJasg/w400-h300/@shelmoody%20%20Shelly%20Moody%20Instructional%20Coach%20%20ME%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">Inspired </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">by the annual March Madness basketball tournament, in 2016, literacy coach
Shelley Moody worked with instructional coach Valerie Glueck</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">to
develop a month-long, whole-school activity in which students read sixteen
nonfiction picture books (some narrative, some expository) and select their
favorite.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">During
Week 1, half the classes read the 8 books on the right-hand side of the board,
and the other half of the school reads the 8 books on the left-hand side of the
board. Classrooms discuss the content and structure of the books as well as
their favorite features. Then students vote on pairs of books to determine
which titles will move on to The Elite Eight.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">During
Week 2, each class reads the 4 winning books on the opposite side of the board.
Then students participate in rich classroom discussions and vote to select The
Final Four.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">During
Week 3, classes spend time reviewing the four finalists and then vote for the
March Madness Nonfiction Champion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">During the
final week (in non-pandemic years), students gather for a whole-school
assembly. Following a parade of books that includes one child from each
classroom, the winning book is announced. And the crowd goes wild!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Here’s what Shelly and Valerie </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">had to say about the experience:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">“The goal of this event is to inspire
curiosity, to build background knowledge, and to put outstanding nonfiction
books in the hands of our students. It’s hard to capture in words the energy
and excitement about books that March Madness has created in our school
community.” </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">—Shelley
Moody, Literacy Coach</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">“March
Madness is a springboard for discussions of text features and structures,
vocabulary, and author’s purpose.” —Valerie Glueck, Instructional Coach</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">
If you decide to try this activity at your school this year, you could use
some of the books </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">I’ve <a href="https://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2023/11/its-time-for-sibert-smackdown.html">recommended in the past for the Sibert Smackdown</a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSirqI6xsYzWVuxGLFjzFdcfVG6AAY9Ws4rQr_flrsA0er6CCUv4tJHr3sn4SI-Jf3ln4OtZB-0TYxr4Pd6hoja70BYHjC6nngL7u-C9fj9z-xqT58hopzw6vKR7ZOHNbCogENNi775dhDtnM0ILHN7-YThproPlgCcvsa1Y9Ml4-28rJ3jmnZ8A7X6Q/s400/ns.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="291" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSirqI6xsYzWVuxGLFjzFdcfVG6AAY9Ws4rQr_flrsA0er6CCUv4tJHr3sn4SI-Jf3ln4OtZB-0TYxr4Pd6hoja70BYHjC6nngL7u-C9fj9z-xqT58hopzw6vKR7ZOHNbCogENNi775dhDtnM0ILHN7-YThproPlgCcvsa1Y9Ml4-28rJ3jmnZ8A7X6Q/w291-h400/ns.png" width="291" /></a></div><br />After
reading the books, students can think more deeply about the books as they fill
out a worksheet like <a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/img2018/pdfs/mega-predators/Mega-Predators_of_the_Past_EG.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">the one at the end of
my Teacher’s Guide for <i>Mega-Predators of the Past</i></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">. You can also find a
copy of this worksheet in the Appendix of </span><a href="https://www.stenhouse.com/content/5-kinds-nonfiction"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">5 Kinds of Nonfiction:
Enriching Reading and Writing with Children’s Books</span></i></a><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">.<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">When students are done, they can share their responses
with classmates. Or the worksheets can be posted, so that other students can
use the information to help them make book choices.<br />
<br />
This fun combination of
activities will get kids reading and thinking and sharing. <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-40856955226052777132024-01-30T00:30:00.001-05:002024-01-30T06:56:40.830-05:00Text Scaffolding in Student Nonfiction Writing<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx26Ts1xJpbCQqP2Rl4uZiX4vCQnHvmxFcR9C3uPs7fPVR1_Ms5_IeYTm5VfxLZxpna-3RDLQNl0ErKAKftBNE7z0jaCcoy2ZDAxB2rDOPFKUkASnQKPPkRJIDc2-XZIkef_ZYz7TLyYPBA71i_onIDHnH-tf0BPFiz8VQZ9nYyh77ylAFDU8UInMw_Q/s4752/scaffolding-accident.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3168" data-original-width="4752" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx26Ts1xJpbCQqP2Rl4uZiX4vCQnHvmxFcR9C3uPs7fPVR1_Ms5_IeYTm5VfxLZxpna-3RDLQNl0ErKAKftBNE7z0jaCcoy2ZDAxB2rDOPFKUkASnQKPPkRJIDc2-XZIkef_ZYz7TLyYPBA71i_onIDHnH-tf0BPFiz8VQZ9nYyh77ylAFDU8UInMw_Q/s320/scaffolding-accident.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">Marlene </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Correia and I included a section about how text scaffolding can
help young readers in Chapter 5 of </span><a href="https://stenhouse.com/products/9781625314178_5-kinds-of-nonfiction"><b><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">5 Kind of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and
Writing Instruction with Children’s Books</span></i></b></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">. But last summer, I had a conversation
with literacy educator </span><a href="https://berks.psu.edu/person/hadjioannou-xenia"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Xenia
Hadjioannou</span></b></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> that has led me to think more deeply about it in terms of student
writing.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">
By the time students are in high school, they generally understand how to
organize their nonfiction writing on a macro level. But they often don’t give
much thought to how they order ideas and information within each paragraph.
They just throw together a bunch of fact-filled sentences without considering
the importance of supporting and guiding the reader.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">After researching a topic extensively, students are often mini-experts.
Because they’ve built their understanding step-by-step over time, they may not
realize how far they’ve come as learners or that they’re now lightyears ahead
of the audience they’re writing for. As a result, they don’t recognize the
importance of text scaffolding—meeting readers where they are and carefully
crafting a series of connected sentences that act like building blocks to provide
necessary background knowledge enroute to learning something new.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Text scaffolding assists writers in building arguments or explaining
concepts through the use of tools like vocabulary definitions, examples and
analogies, transitions, and precise language. The goal of this craft technique
is to support readers as they move from one idea to the next and, ultimately,
gain a clear and accurate understanding of complex information.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLArTZvfUqdy9j061MNEOSCvb81ILSUOdaMdElPYfj8SSNsXGyDh2Vftyai3f7vzGb5wL_vgFzL4f_PRnOgb1yw-4D6uKr97WGzIzDHbnY7jyRBwt0wwd2GDjJ3u8HcAnWMZUZ7Uu3nflm3ypACFc4bQY9FLOs20lcgxvwZge-Xb-5vchKgbsTLzvcRA/s500/1%20TY%20Moon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLArTZvfUqdy9j061MNEOSCvb81ILSUOdaMdElPYfj8SSNsXGyDh2Vftyai3f7vzGb5wL_vgFzL4f_PRnOgb1yw-4D6uKr97WGzIzDHbnY7jyRBwt0wwd2GDjJ3u8HcAnWMZUZ7Uu3nflm3ypACFc4bQY9FLOs20lcgxvwZge-Xb-5vchKgbsTLzvcRA/s320/1%20TY%20Moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;">Here's </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">an example from </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Thank You, Moon: Celebrating Nature’s
Nightlight</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">, which looks at ways the Moon helps plants and animals (including
us) survive. This spread describing how the Moon helps tiny zooplankton avoid
hungry predators is intellectually challenging for young readers because:</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">—The Arctic Ocean is an unfamiliar environment. </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">—Zooplankton are tiny, and kids may not know about them. </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">—The action in the art is shown from below, which is an unusual
perspective.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UYkcs0KJx0AfrgESsz5XPzwsCoJpIBcOL1JY1FVRCP3Cp33f0_IlRySaG0TpLRvFNsGcdSmQniMZnvwV0clbMYMAi1ZXRknA-LpxpX0I2VnipjjrSNrPFTiaVjLh5mdha_IqQfqRzlCwZ_V0zy80wFTLoaY1PzJn_IAQr6dIj-phDh0QRowKBYi3sw/s1256/pp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UYkcs0KJx0AfrgESsz5XPzwsCoJpIBcOL1JY1FVRCP3Cp33f0_IlRySaG0TpLRvFNsGcdSmQniMZnvwV0clbMYMAi1ZXRknA-LpxpX0I2VnipjjrSNrPFTiaVjLh5mdha_IqQfqRzlCwZ_V0zy80wFTLoaY1PzJn_IAQr6dIj-phDh0QRowKBYi3sw/w640-h320/pp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;">To help students</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> overcome these challenges, I needed to take special care
with the secondary text. Here’s a close-up view of it.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPmwTDta8CXfo2qrjo3VmzeI2KmLc5NkRx5D2PuKiqdabAOZn3Ar6J0A6ApgSNDsk_rw8dqFLUcNY1c_oeYHu3ErSLayDEECKl7U4o4hYi0NX-8B26B6dZgsEWHm9SVYwR5joVE5t08Mf0Qxt2M1QFKKpfs1pWzp7RE23K1z3ro4NbygS1dmgqFghcA/s374/oo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="374" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPmwTDta8CXfo2qrjo3VmzeI2KmLc5NkRx5D2PuKiqdabAOZn3Ar6J0A6ApgSNDsk_rw8dqFLUcNY1c_oeYHu3ErSLayDEECKl7U4o4hYi0NX-8B26B6dZgsEWHm9SVYwR5joVE5t08Mf0Qxt2M1QFKKpfs1pWzp7RE23K1z3ro4NbygS1dmgqFghcA/w400-h180/oo.png" width="400" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><br />Notice that I don’t start with the zooplankton. I start with the setting.
Readers already know the spread is about zooplankton from the main text, and
they can see the critters in the art.</span></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">So I prioritize the setting to provide readers with necessary background information.
The first sentence tells readers:<br />
—It is winter.<br />
—We are in the Arctic.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">—At this time and in this place, the Sun doesn’t rise above the horizon. </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The second sentence repeats this last fact to reinforce it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Now readers are ready move on. So I explain (1) how zooplankton respond to
moonlight and (2) how their response helps them survive. By sharing this
information over the course of two sentences, I give readers a chance to pause
briefly and wonder what’s coming. Then I satisfy their curiosity. This approach
is less likely to overwhelm readers than one long sentence with three clauses.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Text scaffolding also involves strategically placing information to
provide intellectual and/or emotional breaks. This is similar to what fiction
writers (and screen writers) do as they develop plot. If a book (or movie) has
five high-speed car chases in a row, readers (or moviegoers) will feel
exhausted and overwhelmed. So writers create lulls in between action-packed
scenes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Similarly, nonfiction writers think carefully about how they will present
information. In <i>Thank You, Moon</i>, the zooplankton spread is followed by a
spread that features a kangaroo rat and bobcat. Even young readers know that members
of the cat family hunt mice and rats. Since the animals and setting are
familiar and the art is straightforward, readers can easily digest the content.
This provides a much-needed break.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirahzMJo2elLmiYPRW_f4-K0BwCCkiZoghjIS1ng7toI0WKPNriLhchJx5HMyNIz_DyJQ1WL4gRyXzcm_Mj8qRGvSTidkIreEHv0X7bK2XuYXS_Cxu3zKp7-nTem2usXLsmMvjLM2o4BJ09d7CqZlvQVUHkX_wcMJSKA-siUF-EdSwExPd4aJEv5hPJQ/s1351/kk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1351" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirahzMJo2elLmiYPRW_f4-K0BwCCkiZoghjIS1ng7toI0WKPNriLhchJx5HMyNIz_DyJQ1WL4gRyXzcm_Mj8qRGvSTidkIreEHv0X7bK2XuYXS_Cxu3zKp7-nTem2usXLsmMvjLM2o4BJ09d7CqZlvQVUHkX_wcMJSKA-siUF-EdSwExPd4aJEv5hPJQ/w640-h318/kk.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">As you look for mentor texts to teach informational writing, be on the
lookout for books with excellent text scaffolding. When students have a chance
to see this important craft element at work, they can begin to incorporate it
into their own prose.</span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-31172271693875385252024-01-25T00:30:00.013-05:002024-01-25T00:30:00.369-05:00An Innovative Resource for Teaching Informational Writing<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYCFNMm-ikxHjDVZC9C-Qrc3WPDLHyUpyBNG8VedvnbUPeYi8x084etCEf-xaQJqGOkMUiFTEGyJB47PDgai6p34epNROVOHFh1E5exJ1X4XzzokzJRYFmHcaaoIjLTgIG6vPfjsM5zZj5rTkjwyeOqm2jeoyCH3bTNh77pmuxLRCOHUc5u5ZhQPeoA/s320/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYCFNMm-ikxHjDVZC9C-Qrc3WPDLHyUpyBNG8VedvnbUPeYi8x084etCEf-xaQJqGOkMUiFTEGyJB47PDgai6p34epNROVOHFh1E5exJ1X4XzzokzJRYFmHcaaoIjLTgIG6vPfjsM5zZj5rTkjwyeOqm2jeoyCH3bTNh77pmuxLRCOHUc5u5ZhQPeoA/s1600/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" width="255" /></a></div><a href="https://store.ncte.org/book/nonfiction-writers-dig-deep-50-award-winning-childrens-book-authors-share-secret-engaging#_=_"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">Nonfiction Writers Dig
Deep: 50 Award-winning Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing</span></i></b></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> has been out in the world for just over 3 years now. Here’s what
educators are saying about it:</span><p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“I planned on reading
just a few essays, but I couldn’t put it down. I was so moved by what these
‘creatives’ had to say. Learn about writing from 50 amazing authors, and then
share your new knowledge with your students!” <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">—<span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Lesley Burnap, second grade teacher</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #38444d; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">“<i>Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep </i>opens
the door to nonfiction research and writing and invites young people</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">—<span style="background: white; color: #333333;">and their teachers</span>—<span style="background: white; color: #333333;">in. Ideal for teachers who want to
expand and deepen their practice of teaching <i>with</i> and <i>about</i> nonfiction
literature, the book provides an in-depth exploration of the myriad ways in
which nonfiction writers approach their work as well as accessible next steps
for teachers to shift their research and writing instruction. Ultimately, <i>Nonfiction
Writers Dig Deep</i> offers us all a fresh perspective on nonfiction, one
that recognizes that behind every book is a passion, a consideration of
perspectives, and a palpable sense of purpose.” <br /></span>—Mary Ann Cappiello, Professor
of Language and Literacy, Lesley University and past chair of the NCTE Orbis
Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction committee<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Educators often wonder what's missing in
their students' informational writing. We forget that, in addition to sharing
facts, nonfiction can be passionate and inquisitive and inspire readers to
change the world. The essays in <i>Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep </i>shows
teachers how to help students breathe new life into informational writing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <br /></span>—Michele Knott, literacy specialist</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“<i>Nonfiction Writers
Dig Deep</i> is a gift to reading and writing teachers and to students
everywhere. Fifty children's authors share stories of their process with us,
and the book is organized in a way that makes it a must-have tool for teachers.
This collection of essays will give students the mentors they need as writers
of informational pieces.” <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">—Franki Sibberson, past president of the National Council
of Teachers of English<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">“If you write
nonfiction for children and/or you teach nonfiction writing, please gift
yourself this incredible book! <i>Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep </i>is chock full
of honest introspection and tips from a diverse array of wonderful nonfiction
authors. You won’t be able to put it down.” <br />—Jennifer Mary Grolemund, K-2
science teacher and writer for young people<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="border: none; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Each essay in the
anthology <i>Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep </i>feels like sitting down to have a
cup of coffee with a good friend. Each author opens up about their process,
their craft, their truth. This book will challenge your every conception about
what nonfiction writers do and how they do it. Reading this book will transform
what and how you teach nonfiction writing, making it a book you will return to
time and time again.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">—Shana Frazin, middle
school librarian <o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-77610012372542755432024-01-23T00:30:00.022-05:002024-01-23T07:14:50.091-05:00Children’s Fiction vs. Nonfiction Sales Figures<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXXYywmOgITz22nE_OvvY3_J5BefBUIV9T9tngiYcvI7YrbQEPebdBW_o216uioFdmTXH4E1aqHikjmyFA8VKr32c8A3Nw6EFhl0I15uDfPmRNmgzdO_stTY2CG9UfX_GYF7-zdFS4Q3WwDibaGYAzLhfbKa7EJjkZ-23b_QlteYlp8JfLTnrrnxmKg/s399/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="399" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXXYywmOgITz22nE_OvvY3_J5BefBUIV9T9tngiYcvI7YrbQEPebdBW_o216uioFdmTXH4E1aqHikjmyFA8VKr32c8A3Nw6EFhl0I15uDfPmRNmgzdO_stTY2CG9UfX_GYF7-zdFS4Q3WwDibaGYAzLhfbKa7EJjkZ-23b_QlteYlp8JfLTnrrnxmKg/w400-h346/Picture2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">Around this time last year,</span> I wrote <b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2023/01/childrens-fiction-vs-nonfiction-sales.html">a
blog post</a></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"> that turned out to be very popular. In it, I used Bookscan
data reported in </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Publisher’s Weekly</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"> to calculate nonfiction vs. fiction
book sales for adult books and children’s books for the first half of 2022.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Since
another year has gone by, I thought I’d revisit the data to see how the stats
may have changed. And here’s what I found:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">All of 2021<br />
</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Nonfiction accounted for </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">65%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of adult books sales, but just </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">24%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of children’s/YA book sales.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">First Half
of 2022<br />
</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Nonfiction accounted for </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">63%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of adult books sales, but just </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">24%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of children’s/YA book sales.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">All of 2022<br />
</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Nonfiction accounted for </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">61%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of adult books sales, but just </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">25%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of children’s/YA book sales.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">First Half
of 2023<br />
</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Nonfiction accounted for </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">60%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of adult books sales, but just </span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: 13pt;">24%</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> of children’s/YA book sales.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">While
adult nonfiction sales have decreased during this period, they consistently account for well
over half of all adult book sales. By comparison, children’s book sales are dismal,
and they don’t seem to be budging. </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In January
2023, the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) adopted a <a href="https://ncte.org/statement/role-of-nonfiction-literature-k-12/">Position
Statement on the Role of Nonfiction Literature (K-12)</a> because despite lackluster
sales “r</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #1d1a1a; font-size: 13pt;">esearch shows that most young readers enjoy
nonfiction, and many prefer it. For some children, nonfiction is a gateway to
literacy as well as a portal to knowledge that sparks curiosity and fuels a
sense of wonder.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbrXesgcHBzciiRgf6KLG4ppuKdOwX7FoiNnNLJNnn06OhNliZ-b8PT4n1Sd_BruVbV8D6XPsgqwGP_PhttriDfjgB7KhEAYCRFWj2uC44ZkDCWeZJgtJs5kwxEW0BwmEz9vnhq3iwZvv7SSqHuXeb5XMMhps94NiXhDtAb3vN9X_nx9RGnAsCZjQgA/s1125/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="812" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbrXesgcHBzciiRgf6KLG4ppuKdOwX7FoiNnNLJNnn06OhNliZ-b8PT4n1Sd_BruVbV8D6XPsgqwGP_PhttriDfjgB7KhEAYCRFWj2uC44ZkDCWeZJgtJs5kwxEW0BwmEz9vnhq3iwZvv7SSqHuXeb5XMMhps94NiXhDtAb3vN9X_nx9RGnAsCZjQgA/w289-h400/Picture3.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The
statement urges educators to integrate more nonfiction into their lessons and to
add more nonfiction to classroom libraries. Currently, classroom libraries
contain four times more fiction than nonfiction, and nonfiction titles account for just 7 percent of read alouds.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The
message is clear: Students need greater awareness of and access to all the </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">rich,
engaging nonfiction literature being published today. How can we make that happen?</span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-22318444928877377812024-01-18T00:30:00.024-05:002024-01-18T00:30:00.125-05:00Best Nonfiction of 2023 Roundup<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyimAznCYCwt7gWbA4QeONu7CGRzpQld2k82GCFR2ESNiXMx70VAq5vonKiezdWUN37yk5hudvpOP2A1REJCh_Bv4VAH92rzMOt4vzW3IQ5DSlHJnF0Gyy0KZ2hGn_5x-8pF3TorIzSvGZmaBL4Dbj36G0YVlFi8SnT2B3me8_ONioS1vKF9-RFge88Q/s200/best-of-the-year-sticker-29541280861429t7pc%5B1%5D%5B1%5D%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="137" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyimAznCYCwt7gWbA4QeONu7CGRzpQld2k82GCFR2ESNiXMx70VAq5vonKiezdWUN37yk5hudvpOP2A1REJCh_Bv4VAH92rzMOt4vzW3IQ5DSlHJnF0Gyy0KZ2hGn_5x-8pF3TorIzSvGZmaBL4Dbj36G0YVlFi8SnT2B3me8_ONioS1vKF9-RFge88Q/s1600/best-of-the-year-sticker-29541280861429t7pc%5B1%5D%5B1%5D%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.jpg" width="137" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br />Next
Monday is a big day in children’s literature. The winners of the American
Library Association’s Youth Media Awards will be announced. So today seems like
a good time to look back at some of the highly-regarded titles published last
year.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">There’s no
doubt about it. 2023 was a phenomenal year for nonfiction, and it seems like
more people were paying attention than ever before.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Here’s a
roundup of the lists I’m aware of that highlight nonfiction titles. Please let
me know if there are others I should add.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Mock Sibert Lists</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/mock-sibert-0"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Anderson’s Bookshop</span></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br />
<b><br />
</b></span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2023/11/its-time-for-sibert-smackdown.html"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Sibert Smackdown</span></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">! (picture books)</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Betsy
Bird at SLJ’s A Fuse #8 Production <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/12/23/31-days-31-lists-2023-american-history-for-kids/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">American History Books</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/12/27/31-days-31-lists-2023-nonfiction-picture-books/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Nonfiction Picture
Books</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/12/28/31-days-31-lists-2023-books-for-older-readers/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Nonfiction Books for
Older Readers</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/12/25/31-days-31-lists-2023-science-and-nature-books/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Science & Nature
Books</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://afuse8production.slj.com/2023/12/26/31-days-31-lists-2023-unique-biographies-for-kids/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Unique Biographies</span></a><br /><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Blogger
Lists<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.cybils.com/2024/01/cybils-2023-nonfiction-finalists.html"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Cybils Award:
Elementary, Middle Grade, and High School Nonfiction Finalists</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://imaginationsoup.net/best-nonfiction-books-of-2023/?fbclid=IwAR3yzq0_2c5Hq80VHp_SGKh7a-mzarIRnKERH62q2nz-UJP9RpaSYcdmvug"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Imagination Soup: 35
Best Nonfiction Books for Kids</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2023/12/27/the-2023-nerdies-nonfiction-picture-books-announced-by-donalyn-miller/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Nerdy Book Club:
Nonfiction Picture Books</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2023/12/31/the-2023-nerdies-longform-nonfiction-announced-by-donalyn-miller/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Nerdy Book Club:
Long-form Nonfiction</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.nonfictiondetectives.com/2023/12/best-nonfiction-of-2023.html"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Nonfiction Detectives
Best Books for Kids & Teens</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p><a href="https://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2023/12/favorite-stem-books-of-2023.html">Celebrate Science</a><br /> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Organization
Lists</span></strong><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><br />
</span></b><a href="https://www.sbfprize.org/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science
Books Finalists</span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">
<br />
(scroll down)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.californiareading.org/eureka"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">California Reading Association
Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Awards</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://ncte.org/awards/orbis-pictus-award-nonfiction-for-children/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">NCTE Orbis Pictus Award</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.nsta.org/best-stem-books-k-12-2024?fbclid=IwAR34_-l8JkYio5dHk8Zv3jDQMsZfEUpSHTwBtvZ4IOJJLIep7s-qIQwg_Zo"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">NSTA-CBC Best STEM Book</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.nsta.org/outstanding-science-trade-books-students-k-12-2024?fbclid=IwAR0hFKtZxjYUlnKkMAoQxGKOU7FXnyhBOBfR-iUR3GJ7XAA6LR0jQGYVJvM"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">NSTA-CBC Outstanding
Science Trade Books for Students</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.ala.org/yalsa/nonfiction"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">YALSA Excellence in
Nonfiction for Young Adults Award</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Library Lists</span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033/2420567779?fbclid=IwAR3oy4Yo1nN0KAD9NZhVRirw0ohdz1j7SCtI1l6dsGG1Y9jBnlaY-W0P7uE&page=1"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Chicago Public Library
Best Informational Books for Younger Readers</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033/2422291249"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Chicago Public Library
Best Informational Books for Older Readers</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.epl.org/evanston-public-librarys-101-great-books-for-kids-2023-non-fiction-picture-books/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Evanston Public
Library’s Top Nonfiction Picture Books</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.epl.org/evanston-public-librarys-101-great-books-for-kids-2023-nonfiction-for-older-readers/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Evanston Public
Library’s Top Nonfiction for Older Readers</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/kids?year=2023&f%5B0%5D=terms%3ANonfiction&f%5B1%5D=terms%3ASTEM"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">New York Public Library
Best Nonfiction Books for Kids</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/teens?year=2023&f%5B0%5D=terms%3ANonfiction"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">New York Public Library
Best Nonfiction Books for Teens</span></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt;"><strong><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Review Journals</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.hbook.com/story/fanfare-2023-booklist"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Horn Book </span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Fanfare 2022 </span></a><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">(Scroll to
bottom for nonfiction.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.booklistonline.com/Booklist-Editors-Choice-Books-for-Youth-2023/pid=9788260?fbclid=IwAR2LQrPdr3Zay7LLQekIwXpELTV6nOJX_9-IQR-kBGTMh7pDTTV6hquFbBk"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Booklist </span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Editor’s Choice</span></a><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">(Nonfiction
is at the top.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-picture-book-biographies-of-2023/"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Kirkus Reviews</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> Best Picture Book
Biographies</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-nonfiction-picture-books-2023/"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Kirkus Reviews</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> Best Nonfiction
Picture Books</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-middle-grade-nonfiction-of-2023/#what-its-like-to-be-a-bird-adapted-for-young-reade"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Kirkus Reviews</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> Best Middle Grade
Nonfiction</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.slj.com/story/best-nonfiction-elementary-2023-slj-best-books?fbclid=IwAR3b1fxG3G5ApiXE1lNcnkSbzYQmwGflvvQFvGO_YnEZNSuKX_3SLcr1sK8"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">SLJ</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> Best Elementary Nonfiction</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Now
it’s time to look ahead to 2024. So far, it seems like we’re going to have
another great year of nonfiction. Time to start reading! <o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-78623993033464828592024-01-16T00:30:00.005-05:002024-01-17T10:15:02.904-05:00Teaching Nonfiction Craft Moves<p><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">In most schools, students are deeply immersed in their informational writing unit at this time of year, so I thought it might be helpful to share the table below, which appears on p. 54 of </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;"><i><a href="https://www.routledge.com/5-Kinds-of-Nonfiction-Enriching-Reading-and-Writing-Instruction-with-Childrens/Stewart-Correia/p/book/9781625314178" style="color: #4ba976; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;">5 Kinds of Nonfiction</a></i></b><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">. </span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a1AlIsJwsN4/YTkOYXPfx1I/AAAAAAAAJsk/05y-HYZ9bmoMCeAcZHSJGfgaLLUftO9pQCNcBGAsYHQ/s752/5KNF%2BTable%2Bp.%2B54.png" style="color: #4ba976; display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="665" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a1AlIsJwsN4/YTkOYXPfx1I/AAAAAAAAJsk/05y-HYZ9bmoMCeAcZHSJGfgaLLUftO9pQCNcBGAsYHQ/w566-h640/5KNF%2BTable%2Bp.%2B54.png" style="-webkit-border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 fill / 9px stretch; border-color: initial; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 9; border-image-width: 9px; border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 / 9px / 0 stretch; border-style: none; border-width: 9px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: auto; margin: 10px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="566" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAL3PLxofiI/YTkOfzwXHpI/AAAAAAAAJso/NjEZdklad3kk39wfw8OP6uKI9GQOIvUxgCNcBGAsYHQ/s504/5KNF%2Bcover.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #4ba976; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="402" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAL3PLxofiI/YTkOfzwXHpI/AAAAAAAAJso/NjEZdklad3kk39wfw8OP6uKI9GQOIvUxgCNcBGAsYHQ/w159-h200/5KNF%2Bcover.jpg" style="-webkit-border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 fill / 9px stretch; border-color: initial; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 9; border-image-width: 9px; border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 / 9px / 0 stretch; border-style: none; border-width: 9px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: auto; margin: 10px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="159" /></a></div><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 17.3333px; text-align: justify;">While </span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">the book discusses each of these craft moves in detail—with half a chapter on text features and format, a whole chapter devoted to text structures, and another chapter that takes a close up look at voice, rich language, and point of view—this quick reference chart can help you find books that will make great mentor texts for teaching various elements of informational writing.</span><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: 13pt;">Enjoy! </span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-85748021452962935882024-01-11T00:30:00.019-05:002024-01-11T00:30:00.151-05:0010 Ways Nurture and Nourish Nonfiction Writers<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw1s_GXKCDRMzQ8TmodxIh39V__abo09uBQU-UwqUJ-1GU0b1C2ECVk9OnnzF8zzllxZlgIgAtufFfoc7lCrQz1KfoOeA44kMaIm1Tih01radBhxrc1pLfLbPAh7o05vAUjMR1zP9FR0qmf94fUBhau2icnC-uLAh5b9RXOj1lRyR0aFFw7UYaibc37A/s1099/kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1099" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw1s_GXKCDRMzQ8TmodxIh39V__abo09uBQU-UwqUJ-1GU0b1C2ECVk9OnnzF8zzllxZlgIgAtufFfoc7lCrQz1KfoOeA44kMaIm1Tih01radBhxrc1pLfLbPAh7o05vAUjMR1zP9FR0qmf94fUBhau2icnC-uLAh5b9RXOj1lRyR0aFFw7UYaibc37A/w400-h295/kids.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Now that
most schools are in midst of their informational writing unit, it seems like a
great time to share a <a href="https://www.slj.com/story/10-Ways-to-Nurture-and-Nourish-Nonfiction-Readers"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;">School Library Journal</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"> article</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> that came out over the summer. It's jampacked with great ideas for increasing student awareness of and access to nonfiction.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Enjoy!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-91353556470338141022024-01-09T06:30:00.000-05:002024-01-09T06:38:53.275-05:00Narrative & Expository: Two Nonfiction Writing Styles<p><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;"><i>Over the holiday break, I spent some time thinking about what I'd share on this blog over the next few months and decided to take a look at my most popular post of all time. The answer surprised me, so I'm sharing it again for folks who might have missed it. Should I write about this topic in more detail? If you have specific questions, let me know in the comments below, on social media, or via email.</i></span></p><p><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">If you’re like most educators, you’ve probably heard the terms</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">narrative nonfiction</i><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">and</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">expository nonfiction</i><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt; text-align: justify;">, but you might not be completely clear about the differences between these two writing styles. </span></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoHRJiEREzs/XozBnOto22I/AAAAAAAAIJo/YjVZ3Ed6cMUjcos8FdQgJUoW4bPfrZB_ACEwYBhgLKskDAMBZVoDu-zHH_OC5ICNc_ADblKrISAK9xtMHfLFy7bVFhWk50cD_KGI-u0VLzIfwaqOvb5k5rdrE4SduBaH41e1sBm7aSx3vVha0CTwaWLTxdtFi5b_lmdvGs9_H8edJjpilfgXBOBm3mCN9mz0USFmwNKFUgVZ74ZTTGaecd5PKD91Od-ZKs3vicKEePiCK7RQHwPNB2fNAMg30JilKf-C5EYTeHPttlHGzv3OxGeTy1s8TsRDVbojWuPLglNSXcJSsNMDlZXVF1jv5UnSTytp-EDehWOX2uzQA3oX6hs5qA1NLX_h6D6oTusjpIbmVdYEQAkuGu1LN7fyxsTgwyrDj9u0ASPERd3T0H4i9B9EVWVeUq2c7d8ZxVGnHuZStLYffcpHWpOJGDC7v6NuJrWR9HEi-AxynBCiefY9rD9SwqjStnY-dup_J56mDs5yHTK8qGTVVUO1bwEpZjMQVZG_Qo4jwnewVCbfCi9C-TIDYMiHnLVTW6WnwbwOx5mgUklICCk-DhYG1VrYR4m8JarE_qksNJnmq7I0YJH3DEBfyZMWbTP-fgKPNAX1-1VX-_ODIKQ2b_GFtLK5ZuTLpE2CkfB7Axwhe9DD2pbP0BQ/s1600/tt.jpg" style="color: #4ba976; display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="925" height="245" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yoHRJiEREzs/XozBnOto22I/AAAAAAAAIJo/YjVZ3Ed6cMUjcos8FdQgJUoW4bPfrZB_ACEwYBhgLKskDAMBZVoDu-zHH_OC5ICNc_ADblKrISAK9xtMHfLFy7bVFhWk50cD_KGI-u0VLzIfwaqOvb5k5rdrE4SduBaH41e1sBm7aSx3vVha0CTwaWLTxdtFi5b_lmdvGs9_H8edJjpilfgXBOBm3mCN9mz0USFmwNKFUgVZ74ZTTGaecd5PKD91Od-ZKs3vicKEePiCK7RQHwPNB2fNAMg30JilKf-C5EYTeHPttlHGzv3OxGeTy1s8TsRDVbojWuPLglNSXcJSsNMDlZXVF1jv5UnSTytp-EDehWOX2uzQA3oX6hs5qA1NLX_h6D6oTusjpIbmVdYEQAkuGu1LN7fyxsTgwyrDj9u0ASPERd3T0H4i9B9EVWVeUq2c7d8ZxVGnHuZStLYffcpHWpOJGDC7v6NuJrWR9HEi-AxynBCiefY9rD9SwqjStnY-dup_J56mDs5yHTK8qGTVVUO1bwEpZjMQVZG_Qo4jwnewVCbfCi9C-TIDYMiHnLVTW6WnwbwOx5mgUklICCk-DhYG1VrYR4m8JarE_qksNJnmq7I0YJH3DEBfyZMWbTP-fgKPNAX1-1VX-_ODIKQ2b_GFtLK5ZuTLpE2CkfB7Axwhe9DD2pbP0BQ/s400/tt.jpg" style="-webkit-border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 fill / 9px stretch; border-color: initial; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 9; border-image-width: 9px; border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 / 9px / 0 stretch; border-style: none; border-width: 9px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: auto; margin: 10px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Let’s start with what narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction have in common. They’re both meticulously researched, and every single fact and idea the author includes can be verified. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">The difference between the two writing styles lies in <i>how</i> the ideas and information are presented. Narrative nonfiction tells a story or conveys an experience, whereas expository nonfiction explains, describes, or informs </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">in a clear, accessible fashion</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">Narrative nonfiction </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">appeals strongly to fiction lovers because it includes real characters and settings; narrative scenes; and, ideally, a narrative arc with rising tension, a climax, and a resolution<i>.</i> The scenes, which give readers an intimate look at the world and people being described, are linked by expository transitions that provide necessary background while speeding through parts of the true story that don’t require close inspection. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">The art of crafting narrative nonfiction lies in pacing, which means choosing just the right scenes to flesh out. Narrative nonfiction typically features a chronological sequence text structure and is ideally suited for biographies and books that recount historical events. It also works well for books that describe the process of doing science<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk27728709" style="color: #4ba976; display: inline; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;">.</a></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Expository nonfiction, on the other hand, shares ideas and information in a direct, straightforward way. It often relies heavily on format and design to help convey meaning, and it’s more likely than narrative nonfiction to includes a wide variety of text features.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">Expository nonfiction comes in many different forms. In some cases, the sole goal of an expository title is to share fascinating facts. Examples include <i>The Guinness Book of World Records </i>and <i>Time</i> </span><i><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">for Kids Big Book of Why</span></i><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">. </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">In other cases, books with an expository writing style can help readers learn a new skill, such baking cookies or making origami. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">Some expository nonfiction books provide a general overview of a topic, such as the human body or Ancient Egypt.</span><i><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"> </span></i><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">Expository nonfiction can also </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;">focus on a specific concept, such as how our skeleton is similar to those of other animals or unusual ways birds use their feathers. These more specialized books often present ideas and information in creative or unexpected ways. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></b><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;">Comparing Narrative and Expository Nonfiction</span></span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3CK8RRsCeC8/XozBXTG0TBI/AAAAAAAAIJk/orhIJRO2Fe43_9Fx9Z5LlagpEr-mFsVFwCEwYBhgLKskDAMBZVoDu-zHH_OC5ICNc_ADblKrISAK9xtMHfLFy7bVFhWk50cD_KGI-u0VLzIfwaqOvb5k5rdrE4SduBaH41e1sBm7aSx3vVha0CTwaWLTxdtFi5b_lmdvGs9_H8edJjpilfgXBOBm3mCN9mz0USFmwNKFUgVZ74ZTTGaecd5PKD91Od-ZKs3vicKEePiCK7RQHwPNB2fNAMg30JilKf-C5EYTeHPttlHGzv3OxGeTy1s8TsRDVbojWuPLglNSXcJSsNMDlZXVF1jv5UnSTytp-EDehWOX2uzQA3oX6hs5qA1NLX_h6D6oTusjpIbmVdYEQAkuGu1LN7fyxsTgwyrDj9u0ASPERd3T0H4i9B9EVWVeUq2c7d8ZxVGnHuZStLYffcpHWpOJGDC7v6NuJrWR9HEi-AxynBCiefY9rD9SwqjStnY-dup_J56mDs5yHTK8qGTVVUO1bwEpZjMQVZG_Qo4jwnewVCbfCi9C-TIDYMiHnLVTW6WnwbwOx5mgUklICCk-DhYG1VrYR4m8JarE_qksNJnmq7I0YJH3DEBfyZMWbTP-fgKPNAX1-1VX-_ODIKQ2b_GFtLK5ZuTLpE2CkfB7Axwhe9DD2pbP0BQ/s1600/ff.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #4ba976; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="400" height="156" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3CK8RRsCeC8/XozBXTG0TBI/AAAAAAAAIJk/orhIJRO2Fe43_9Fx9Z5LlagpEr-mFsVFwCEwYBhgLKskDAMBZVoDu-zHH_OC5ICNc_ADblKrISAK9xtMHfLFy7bVFhWk50cD_KGI-u0VLzIfwaqOvb5k5rdrE4SduBaH41e1sBm7aSx3vVha0CTwaWLTxdtFi5b_lmdvGs9_H8edJjpilfgXBOBm3mCN9mz0USFmwNKFUgVZ74ZTTGaecd5PKD91Od-ZKs3vicKEePiCK7RQHwPNB2fNAMg30JilKf-C5EYTeHPttlHGzv3OxGeTy1s8TsRDVbojWuPLglNSXcJSsNMDlZXVF1jv5UnSTytp-EDehWOX2uzQA3oX6hs5qA1NLX_h6D6oTusjpIbmVdYEQAkuGu1LN7fyxsTgwyrDj9u0ASPERd3T0H4i9B9EVWVeUq2c7d8ZxVGnHuZStLYffcpHWpOJGDC7v6NuJrWR9HEi-AxynBCiefY9rD9SwqjStnY-dup_J56mDs5yHTK8qGTVVUO1bwEpZjMQVZG_Qo4jwnewVCbfCi9C-TIDYMiHnLVTW6WnwbwOx5mgUklICCk-DhYG1VrYR4m8JarE_qksNJnmq7I0YJH3DEBfyZMWbTP-fgKPNAX1-1VX-_ODIKQ2b_GFtLK5ZuTLpE2CkfB7Axwhe9DD2pbP0BQ/s200/ff.jpg" style="-webkit-border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 fill / 9px stretch; border-color: initial; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 9; border-image-width: 9px; border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 / 9px / 0 stretch; border-style: none; border-width: 9px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: auto; margin: 10px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"></span></b><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;">One of the best ways for you and your students to gain a solid understanding of the difference between narrative and expository writing styles is to read and compare the books <i>Red-Eyed Tree Frog</i> by Joy Cowley and Nic Bishop (narrative) and <i>Frog or Toad? How Do You Know?</i> by Melissa Stewart (expository). These books are short and simple, and they’re both about frogs. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;">As you read <i>Red-Eyed Tree Frog</i>, you can easily identify all the elements of a good story.</span></span></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 2-3</span></span></div></td><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Author introduces setting (evening in the rain forest)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 4-5</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Author introduces main character (the red-eyed tree frog)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 6-7</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Author introduces main conflict (the frog is hungry)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 8-9</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Frog searches for food</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 10-11</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Frog searches for food</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 12-13</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Author introduces subconflict (a hunting boa constrictor)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 14-15</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Rising tension (snake moves toward frog)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 16-17</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Rising tension (snake spots frog)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 18-19</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Resolution of subconflict (frog jumps to safety)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 20-21</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Frog spots a moth</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 22-23</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Resolution of main conflict (frog eats moth)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 24-25</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Falling action (frog climbs onto leaf)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 26-27</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Falling action (frog goes to sleep)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 28-29</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Satisfying circular ending (morning comes to rain forest)</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfMoXUTK2dw/XozBXm89-NI/AAAAAAAAIJk/1oJtYdYawM08gN5Pgwj2XbgDIK2KGMJGQCEwYBhgLKskDAMBZVoDu-zHH_OC5ICNc_ADblKrISAK9xtMHfLFy7bVFhWk50cD_KGI-u0VLzIfwaqOvb5k5rdrE4SduBaH41e1sBm7aSx3vVha0CTwaWLTxdtFi5b_lmdvGs9_H8edJjpilfgXBOBm3mCN9mz0USFmwNKFUgVZ74ZTTGaecd5PKD91Od-ZKs3vicKEePiCK7RQHwPNB2fNAMg30JilKf-C5EYTeHPttlHGzv3OxGeTy1s8TsRDVbojWuPLglNSXcJSsNMDlZXVF1jv5UnSTytp-EDehWOX2uzQA3oX6hs5qA1NLX_h6D6oTusjpIbmVdYEQAkuGu1LN7fyxsTgwyrDj9u0ASPERd3T0H4i9B9EVWVeUq2c7d8ZxVGnHuZStLYffcpHWpOJGDC7v6NuJrWR9HEi-AxynBCiefY9rD9SwqjStnY-dup_J56mDs5yHTK8qGTVVUO1bwEpZjMQVZG_Qo4jwnewVCbfCi9C-TIDYMiHnLVTW6WnwbwOx5mgUklICCk-DhYG1VrYR4m8JarE_qksNJnmq7I0YJH3DEBfyZMWbTP-fgKPNAX1-1VX-_ODIKQ2b_GFtLK5ZuTLpE2CkfB7Axwhe9DD2pbP0BQ/s1600/hh.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #4ba976; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="300" height="167" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfMoXUTK2dw/XozBXm89-NI/AAAAAAAAIJk/1oJtYdYawM08gN5Pgwj2XbgDIK2KGMJGQCEwYBhgLKskDAMBZVoDu-zHH_OC5ICNc_ADblKrISAK9xtMHfLFy7bVFhWk50cD_KGI-u0VLzIfwaqOvb5k5rdrE4SduBaH41e1sBm7aSx3vVha0CTwaWLTxdtFi5b_lmdvGs9_H8edJjpilfgXBOBm3mCN9mz0USFmwNKFUgVZ74ZTTGaecd5PKD91Od-ZKs3vicKEePiCK7RQHwPNB2fNAMg30JilKf-C5EYTeHPttlHGzv3OxGeTy1s8TsRDVbojWuPLglNSXcJSsNMDlZXVF1jv5UnSTytp-EDehWOX2uzQA3oX6hs5qA1NLX_h6D6oTusjpIbmVdYEQAkuGu1LN7fyxsTgwyrDj9u0ASPERd3T0H4i9B9EVWVeUq2c7d8ZxVGnHuZStLYffcpHWpOJGDC7v6NuJrWR9HEi-AxynBCiefY9rD9SwqjStnY-dup_J56mDs5yHTK8qGTVVUO1bwEpZjMQVZG_Qo4jwnewVCbfCi9C-TIDYMiHnLVTW6WnwbwOx5mgUklICCk-DhYG1VrYR4m8JarE_qksNJnmq7I0YJH3DEBfyZMWbTP-fgKPNAX1-1VX-_ODIKQ2b_GFtLK5ZuTLpE2CkfB7Axwhe9DD2pbP0BQ/s200/hh.jpg" style="-webkit-border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 fill / 9px stretch; border-color: initial; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 9; border-image-width: 9px; border-image: url("data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABQAAAAUCAMAAAC6V+0/AAAAOVBMVEUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD///+8yHYvAAAAEnRSTlMAAgEDBAUJBwYzCw0UChARDghnBteEAAAAhElEQVR4XnWRSxJDIQgEEx1Axd/L/Q8bKCuuyOzsohHxdZLS25LSOV2ULQdflgEiIDu9KqiIFILXXpeEx2ChXwdnKNxUGxc4dZbNfXjPufkp5H0Nwtymq/dltUIweNy9qmXt08EgydDZ6+dT+9Qh9AeGenhROFI0fPjMaCHx6uIlh9/xBSJuB3l0A/6JAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC") 9 / 9px / 0 stretch; border-style: none; border-width: 9px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: auto; margin: 10px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="200" /></span></a></div><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;">Before you begin reading <i>Frog or Toad? How Do You Know?, </i>take a few minutes to preview this expository nonfiction book in search of text features. You will find a table of contents (page 2), glossary (page 3), list of references (22-23 pages), and index (page 24). As you page through the main text, you will notice headings, photos with labels, and boldfaced glossary terms. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;">As you read, you will see that the book is organized as follows:</span></span></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: none; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 4-5</span></span></div></td><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Introduction</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 6-7</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Compares skin of frog (verso) to the skin of the toad (recto)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 8-9</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Compares length of back legs of frog (verso) to length of back legs of toad (recto)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 10-11</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Compares body shape of frog (verso) to body shape of toad (recto)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 12-13</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Compares teeth of frog (verso) to teeth of toad (recto)</span></span></div></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 85.25pt;" valign="top" width="114"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Pages 14-15</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 382.25pt;" valign="top" width="510"><div style="border: none; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="border: medium; line-height: 16.1px;"><span style="color: black;">Compares song of frog (verso) to song of toad (recto)</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;">At this point, stop reading for a moment and ask a question: What is the book’s text structure? Even elementary readers who have recently been introduced to text structures can easily answer this question. It’s Compare and Contrast. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19.9333px;"><span style="color: black;">Now flip to the end of the main text and examine the colorful double-page infographic. It provides a fitting conclusion by summarizing all the frog vs. toad characteristics described throughout the book.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;">By reading these books aloud and discussing them, both adults and students can gain a solid understanding of the key differences between narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction writing styles.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16.1px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhX3GLIxfuh3P9bUxO3WQZogmEjQOL5O32HHlhF2-7TJnP_b_BCJFPpOot7Z7Z301NdHcPene10W_pQk8Y-rQ-VB9zhRxR9LfyQMOgM0IBO4J8K0fthXsJcVJYrCT-r7HHxYMNDWW3BTYEbSYrmV64ndSGODhYzCmsRwqMCJBu1mT6jxrtoAFFjRXZ9A/s504/5KNF%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhX3GLIxfuh3P9bUxO3WQZogmEjQOL5O32HHlhF2-7TJnP_b_BCJFPpOot7Z7Z301NdHcPene10W_pQk8Y-rQ-VB9zhRxR9LfyQMOgM0IBO4J8K0fthXsJcVJYrCT-r7HHxYMNDWW3BTYEbSYrmV64ndSGODhYzCmsRwqMCJBu1mT6jxrtoAFFjRXZ9A/s320/5KNF%20cover.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>For more information about these two writing styles and the five major categories of nonfiction available today, see <i><b><a href="https://www.routledge.com/5-Kinds-of-Nonfiction-Enriching-Reading-and-Writing-Instruction-with-Childrens/Stewart-Correia/p/book/9781625314178">5 Kinds of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children's Books</a></b></i>. </span></div>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-15765934588381053392024-01-04T00:30:00.028-05:002024-01-04T00:30:00.127-05:00Sibert Smackdown! There’s Still Time!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2tIzs3vrlWZzKwr7_VjZmPJWiw1fwH6ld-g2PQaIby7RoQLLG5m3lzYVYwWv_y5Xc9COS-nW5LmeuIGc4y5tBupS31vyc5XCNaVJdd3OWdWQ6Sm9GJlVZ8fPs2kjfjiwKomHOct2KHaT7N1FvfZRz_W6Tatxkk4XFb9OK6mUk8zWNyj5n5RA0HJT4g/s200/Sibert_alscwm_200x300%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig2tIzs3vrlWZzKwr7_VjZmPJWiw1fwH6ld-g2PQaIby7RoQLLG5m3lzYVYwWv_y5Xc9COS-nW5LmeuIGc4y5tBupS31vyc5XCNaVJdd3OWdWQ6Sm9GJlVZ8fPs2kjfjiwKomHOct2KHaT7N1FvfZRz_W6Tatxkk4XFb9OK6mUk8zWNyj5n5RA0HJT4g/s1600/Sibert_alscwm_200x300%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px; text-align: justify;">The American </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">Library Association’s Youth Media Awards are</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt;"> less than 4 weeks away. I can’t wait to find who the winners will be,
can you? </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">As a nonfiction lover, the </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/sibertmedal"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Robert F. Sibert
Informational Book Medal</span></b></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> is my favorite award of all. And that’s why I started the Sibert
Smackdown seven years ago. It’s a fun activity for students in grades 3-8. And
there’s still time for you and your students to participate. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Check out <b><a href="http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2023/11/its-time-for-sibert-smackdown.html">this post</a></b> for all the details, including my
list of recommended titles. I hope you’ll join us.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJp4nvmtzSKCpcEPZpnec5kMf8QJZOiaUIx2Sg4FpRlsm0kRVoQ1AFY16bANvzWTvpzY8aTXKe4UTt1bHbu7KvFOMIGsm105AzK5V_zNnvnglLBVqH5QQeVfSC8UBUWmFsm5zK4mB0JvOi0t732RTi2p8cCX1SGKavS81d5hNES0NwOA_xQTKcYuEzw/s960/Sibert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJp4nvmtzSKCpcEPZpnec5kMf8QJZOiaUIx2Sg4FpRlsm0kRVoQ1AFY16bANvzWTvpzY8aTXKe4UTt1bHbu7KvFOMIGsm105AzK5V_zNnvnglLBVqH5QQeVfSC8UBUWmFsm5zK4mB0JvOi0t732RTi2p8cCX1SGKavS81d5hNES0NwOA_xQTKcYuEzw/w640-h480/Sibert.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Please use the Bluesky hashtag #SibertSmackdown or tag me to share what you and
your students are doing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Hooray for nonfiction!</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-58382788354501832382023-12-14T05:00:00.003-05:002023-12-14T05:27:16.463-05:0015 Favorite STEM Books of 2023<p><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Today I'm finishing up my posts for 2023 with
my annual list of favorite STEM books. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", serif; font-size: 13pt;">I usually try to limit it to 10 titles, but this
year’s list includes an astonishing 15 books because I just couldn’t narrow it down. It was
a stellar year for nonfiction, and for STEM titles in particular.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",serif; font-size: 13pt;">Six of the books appeared on from my <a href="https://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2023/11/its-time-for-sibert-smackdown.html"><b>Sibert Smackdown
list</b> </a>a few weeks ago:</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><strong><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: normal;"></span></i></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJqEkqeJ0hJ3zu1z6NgSO4rPkEH6DNkb__kMxHOsePlCpEcYHRPAcTQw3VCmLpyCpyWHHaesBDYMAyzIYjQ4LgMcrkvRLlrRn4r3SshRb_Dhj5yR5xHq8QwZLn_GEKYsz4io_Zb95Ew6KgsvGop6kn545iWGu97LBT5UiW8Obm4XOvX0ALWZe9v0Odw/s400/61605672.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="327" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJqEkqeJ0hJ3zu1z6NgSO4rPkEH6DNkb__kMxHOsePlCpEcYHRPAcTQw3VCmLpyCpyWHHaesBDYMAyzIYjQ4LgMcrkvRLlrRn4r3SshRb_Dhj5yR5xHq8QwZLn_GEKYsz4io_Zb95Ew6KgsvGop6kn545iWGu97LBT5UiW8Obm4XOvX0ALWZe9v0Odw/w524-h640/61605672.jpg" width="524" /></a></i></strong></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><strong><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: normal;">Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of
Ancient Cave Art</span></i></strong><strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: normal;"> by Hannah Salyer</span></strong><strong><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY62Ct-dL5ola-FB4S7eCt-HQysnnYPXXcszyUwdisdlvhhg-4RHer2oDw5cGJSXu2_M_e49uzMzh-Gj_-w-AF0vkpGTyz9rOAl7RgKB2NE7N589x_dXJU9U02irydEJPA-cxzzNmQNEXEuRahOVkEh5cUAz5PK37QUvahV4tTT1iTZTvB7JcsD1hL_g/s400/62049078.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY62Ct-dL5ola-FB4S7eCt-HQysnnYPXXcszyUwdisdlvhhg-4RHer2oDw5cGJSXu2_M_e49uzMzh-Gj_-w-AF0vkpGTyz9rOAl7RgKB2NE7N589x_dXJU9U02irydEJPA-cxzzNmQNEXEuRahOVkEh5cUAz5PK37QUvahV4tTT1iTZTvB7JcsD1hL_g/w640-h640/62049078.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Book of Turtles</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UQvrJH4eGusXhBuHLGVnjowtpXYmDB6SEZbxruSsA-Et_wbIYq722K8suY01DaENYk5DitMg8F6EdRW31U5_yYBrYoQbVMluRq_5Z8ri7141ldBS-N3lSGmwNYWdovtgBzNtXKAN_XHcor9QRHbUGivLihyBd7yF9thvC6dO_5WvSq5CSGfegVoDag/s1121/63386805.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UQvrJH4eGusXhBuHLGVnjowtpXYmDB6SEZbxruSsA-Et_wbIYq722K8suY01DaENYk5DitMg8F6EdRW31U5_yYBrYoQbVMluRq_5Z8ri7141ldBS-N3lSGmwNYWdovtgBzNtXKAN_XHcor9QRHbUGivLihyBd7yF9thvC6dO_5WvSq5CSGfegVoDag/w570-h640/63386805.jpg" width="570" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Butt or Face? A Hilarious Animal Guessing Game Book for Kids</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> by Kari Lavelle <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRwMGWkTQ2LMTSlTkM-HSaG7roPOXhFjlvN3HAOMChgL1SzAR9D2b1pNC1-fj80Rhpc0WFEn61hS8m2BZyXthzJ_lQgPzoohjnz8Fw3jHm3ega7EJxIRlQh6y8StJQ4xcgBYpdBpx3bzKxVTKk9ngT39jlw9qewZQZvzLYstG3l84LSkkx5qEeQ9ftQ/s2560/62058579.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2106" data-original-width="2560" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRwMGWkTQ2LMTSlTkM-HSaG7roPOXhFjlvN3HAOMChgL1SzAR9D2b1pNC1-fj80Rhpc0WFEn61hS8m2BZyXthzJ_lQgPzoohjnz8Fw3jHm3ega7EJxIRlQh6y8StJQ4xcgBYpdBpx3bzKxVTKk9ngT39jlw9qewZQZvzLYstG3l84LSkkx5qEeQ9ftQ/w640-h526/62058579.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the woman Who Discovered
What Stars Are Made Of</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> by Kirsten Larson and Katherine
Roy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacPw_JXQF48MUFleVzPuErFXA74tFAprKTrOqo622nFTyRX9vZ13Q_CY1VvREEwz47HTjJQmlqW77aDhsr12zi4BBa1Sc9F1C6YfAPCRvTkEpID11oTa1E6JsLJJsrDyB992utiNJJKCiSH7TxrF2FV6UFiRIGZ_0eHfjGAGvvvjgsOZGghMPT78big/s500/125391105.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacPw_JXQF48MUFleVzPuErFXA74tFAprKTrOqo622nFTyRX9vZ13Q_CY1VvREEwz47HTjJQmlqW77aDhsr12zi4BBa1Sc9F1C6YfAPCRvTkEpID11oTa1E6JsLJJsrDyB992utiNJJKCiSH7TxrF2FV6UFiRIGZ_0eHfjGAGvvvjgsOZGghMPT78big/w640-h640/125391105.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Nature Is a Sculptor: Weathering and Erosion </span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">by Heather Ferranti Kinser<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50SQ98q615xjdFXfOThHqe2ovzDot9J7AEQ_XdcoI3P1-gzv3QKCHBurMybn0wiyauFbjNbaJ65j1tSEG9vmaniOnjb6wXly5hhvOEJOTkZlaY7sEb9w31-NhEQntLDpueP-yzJ46tstVsVyGg-8h87FhMNVOgdrsEYb6By5G5tN67zxnM8QrkEUntQ/s600/80808599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="507" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50SQ98q615xjdFXfOThHqe2ovzDot9J7AEQ_XdcoI3P1-gzv3QKCHBurMybn0wiyauFbjNbaJ65j1tSEG9vmaniOnjb6wXly5hhvOEJOTkZlaY7sEb9w31-NhEQntLDpueP-yzJ46tstVsVyGg-8h87FhMNVOgdrsEYb6By5G5tN67zxnM8QrkEUntQ/w540-h640/80808599.jpg" width="540" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Rise to the Sky: How the World’s tallest Trees Grow Up</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> by Rebecca Hirsch and Mia Posada<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",serif; font-size: 13pt;">I’m also including nine additional titles that
you won’t want to miss:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BQqaeWrR3oKdtMsXYWpBO198x8_GBlOWR_huvsTmiTZzLfwAV_m0JQWZeF8vCfBbjKVzaN82OgkvKvXEfKhZ6ZXS5LLSirl1MWIKk74c6IULu8g6i0CQwbTIQ4Y-v8bjqeW6M1S5DVQqasd6H_KFpCZcJSeRCcVONsbJOfkDjhowhqWxbXbH8Q7b-w/s400/121290956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="322" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BQqaeWrR3oKdtMsXYWpBO198x8_GBlOWR_huvsTmiTZzLfwAV_m0JQWZeF8vCfBbjKVzaN82OgkvKvXEfKhZ6ZXS5LLSirl1MWIKk74c6IULu8g6i0CQwbTIQ4Y-v8bjqeW6M1S5DVQqasd6H_KFpCZcJSeRCcVONsbJOfkDjhowhqWxbXbH8Q7b-w/w516-h640/121290956.jpg" width="516" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Deep: Wild Life at
the Ocean’s Darkest Depths</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> by Lindsey Leigh</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">
<!--[endif]--><i><o:p></o:p></i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBJNjKDtGIW1yC1ZyHgk-g4dLeqK9CeZYO4MhCFWj7Y4BY4Y6NxOXF0tjj70A8IgJoZtsnDO3sTCYshNSZNcevd-nCPTE71-1N0dygHczkg8Pn-DeXV5der-ABmx8QNktgV91OcooOP9B2Lpgo6xFFhfpfc9P_UM10KRYQIHM5pfhgPtv9TfyYNCOUQ/s1756/101018376.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1756" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBJNjKDtGIW1yC1ZyHgk-g4dLeqK9CeZYO4MhCFWj7Y4BY4Y6NxOXF0tjj70A8IgJoZtsnDO3sTCYshNSZNcevd-nCPTE71-1N0dygHczkg8Pn-DeXV5der-ABmx8QNktgV91OcooOP9B2Lpgo6xFFhfpfc9P_UM10KRYQIHM5pfhgPtv9TfyYNCOUQ/w510-h640/101018376.jpg" width="510" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Fungi Grow </span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">by Maria Gianferrari<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgmlf-OBSVYKKnYz8QZ4KolMCXymyfnLb7394IZUgQ_hHkhvPuwxc_yiFg0_rDtu5ClNYCt7d_2kScnOv9pDOlwDNlslic13tI4QwCuVN6Ndw5_LR2BDmMwM5i-BtkH4qvyC_IIKYBDSfovuW0hyphenhyphen-EXSELqFoMWbkG73OuXTyXg79GPJt9WumQlXWKQ/s3000/63052026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgmlf-OBSVYKKnYz8QZ4KolMCXymyfnLb7394IZUgQ_hHkhvPuwxc_yiFg0_rDtu5ClNYCt7d_2kScnOv9pDOlwDNlslic13tI4QwCuVN6Ndw5_LR2BDmMwM5i-BtkH4qvyC_IIKYBDSfovuW0hyphenhyphen-EXSELqFoMWbkG73OuXTyXg79GPJt9WumQlXWKQ/w640-h640/63052026.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles and Cans
Brought New Hope to an Island</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> by Marni Fogelson,
Mahani Teave, and Marta Álvarez Miguéns</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidp1T7cVyeHQaclbIo9QCzhZEYSrKb21nTjHgB9PI67A45IEr7vp4pzayBnqAeiowhnlsReuWOeHf68I9_481vS62DN4OgEBU-rL6k7YiQ9D46dJa-pntBi2dUlNn5PYy2z-q7kZxyfzsLh5tBFF0czrP2CMLphkmi9rbNEBiV-NAU3pnU2k3I0kIblw/s271/59960036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="271" height="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidp1T7cVyeHQaclbIo9QCzhZEYSrKb21nTjHgB9PI67A45IEr7vp4pzayBnqAeiowhnlsReuWOeHf68I9_481vS62DN4OgEBU-rL6k7YiQ9D46dJa-pntBi2dUlNn5PYy2z-q7kZxyfzsLh5tBFF0czrP2CMLphkmi9rbNEBiV-NAU3pnU2k3I0kIblw/w640-h515/59960036.jpg" width="640" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Great Carrier Reef</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> by Jessica Stremer and
Gordy Wright</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv1oBszkryZgD5CntC-tpJkzYRT4cfW7U3E3aG9chz9r6od1Ek9AsD5JPWMSpRnEbavrvOCgSmUv9WgIYjQDj8h6NQl2mYX0cVFHVBeF_jnuDK9Guqx9CCisAFL-ts69ASfYT-4wIzNhov3Tfkffa-ogOfPjZR946ARuax800Ih9EHIMzaYZw3Gc4aQ/s1200/61089469.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="934" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQv1oBszkryZgD5CntC-tpJkzYRT4cfW7U3E3aG9chz9r6od1Ek9AsD5JPWMSpRnEbavrvOCgSmUv9WgIYjQDj8h6NQl2mYX0cVFHVBeF_jnuDK9Guqx9CCisAFL-ts69ASfYT-4wIzNhov3Tfkffa-ogOfPjZR946ARuax800Ih9EHIMzaYZw3Gc4aQ/w498-h640/61089469.jpg" width="498" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Making More: How Life
Begins</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> by Katherine Roy</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEbhWiRwF4YQwNfnn2e06LYuuE-q_HnQiMSaLGk_Dyz6ZT2hOou3HQbuI_PRTMSF8IczDPP8UGJXBV6lOQZQmJ7lC2bhUazq272WXI2uZHMH61Lx7pbzsKDwPRnjF7-r1ing_y_taV9Z_BWrz9xriWQVrqr3sGxk1kns-X4kUXbUGMZxplYNRZF9zjQ/s400/61354868.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEbhWiRwF4YQwNfnn2e06LYuuE-q_HnQiMSaLGk_Dyz6ZT2hOou3HQbuI_PRTMSF8IczDPP8UGJXBV6lOQZQmJ7lC2bhUazq272WXI2uZHMH61Lx7pbzsKDwPRnjF7-r1ing_y_taV9Z_BWrz9xriWQVrqr3sGxk1kns-X4kUXbUGMZxplYNRZF9zjQ/w428-h640/61354868.jpg" width="428" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Monkey Trial: John Scopes and the Battle Over Teaching Evolution</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> by Anita Sanchez<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiCJAHBpFNRf0-TaZ35I-OZ5XJ8qvpNT1SirKNj_uBR1sFrpRc2eKqCtBSZkHnwtJ7bEnqvVFGv30fkTHnE1tnTT4-oD1AyAknT8oKdGP274akMd145eE4GjI8QOWAddhmaz7cdlE4ebbkXNfoTx7t944tulyQQwP11y3SAL-esABxFHYxHGsJ5FPfw/s500/139006281.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="403" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiCJAHBpFNRf0-TaZ35I-OZ5XJ8qvpNT1SirKNj_uBR1sFrpRc2eKqCtBSZkHnwtJ7bEnqvVFGv30fkTHnE1tnTT4-oD1AyAknT8oKdGP274akMd145eE4GjI8QOWAddhmaz7cdlE4ebbkXNfoTx7t944tulyQQwP11y3SAL-esABxFHYxHGsJ5FPfw/w516-h640/139006281.jpg" width="516" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Disovery Sparks a Scientific
Investigation </span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">by Maria Parrott-Ryan<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRjnhadP6y9aTGBOt2vZ04GQBLW7pFKCAWKsE761TaWI-h_DHmlbyhXtGHI6I-V5bZBif9KBtb2Yr4chB_-aHIgfvKL_91MFbj28LTu-iP_D_9zu_cxbxmBiZyMucRFFyv8pGwFvZA48h2fLJ9rlgqXvjA5RsmHONL3ygI00dktqq4iG6KDsN5dEGMg/s400/60916722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="328" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRjnhadP6y9aTGBOt2vZ04GQBLW7pFKCAWKsE761TaWI-h_DHmlbyhXtGHI6I-V5bZBif9KBtb2Yr4chB_-aHIgfvKL_91MFbj28LTu-iP_D_9zu_cxbxmBiZyMucRFFyv8pGwFvZA48h2fLJ9rlgqXvjA5RsmHONL3ygI00dktqq4iG6KDsN5dEGMg/w524-h640/60916722.jpg" width="524" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Sisters in Science:
Marie Curie, Bronia Dluska, and the Atomic Power of Sisterhood</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> by Linda Elovitz Marshall
and Elena Balbusso</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jzCEfSvbdUAFCHTGQQ-YCs9yP2t0X2X1Edcau7ByA_TsSJtpq7rBzGi7sPbpZ-f0O354Raqom5888nhN0vQoU8Qt8FvtDhwxA3DWUmXt_vgutaWU8h_ftSSCo7Ntg-UVaCE-xRRXRwVxsjatOZDvPYfp4SymAujHDmUTTmlxYwdtojnyW8CumM7SYA/s1000/61311664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="653" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jzCEfSvbdUAFCHTGQQ-YCs9yP2t0X2X1Edcau7ByA_TsSJtpq7rBzGi7sPbpZ-f0O354Raqom5888nhN0vQoU8Qt8FvtDhwxA3DWUmXt_vgutaWU8h_ftSSCo7Ntg-UVaCE-xRRXRwVxsjatOZDvPYfp4SymAujHDmUTTmlxYwdtojnyW8CumM7SYA/w418-h640/61311664.jpg" width="418" /></a></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> by Nora Nickum<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Happy Reading and Happy
Holidays! I'll be back with more posts in 2024.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #00b050; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-54961432318330203502023-12-12T00:30:00.015-05:002023-12-12T00:30:00.135-05:00Wow!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNU59kBDflBOM8HH0wh6G5Z_Dl-OePZvo6PqzUbiy4ebfhPfboFb3Dd6ClWrQfs9lzNdNoSTZD-nu9H-prthlClSSK09H06CtSlOoCnzE4ndteKBbCkTr9gOl3qZuVrWZQpD_9NOkRuFehBfQuzh_R-hoF1o-ZQAKP2PBnSRgZYNcuupCPg9y93ZicA/s459/100-authors-to-know.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="459" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNU59kBDflBOM8HH0wh6G5Z_Dl-OePZvo6PqzUbiy4ebfhPfboFb3Dd6ClWrQfs9lzNdNoSTZD-nu9H-prthlClSSK09H06CtSlOoCnzE4ndteKBbCkTr9gOl3qZuVrWZQpD_9NOkRuFehBfQuzh_R-hoF1o-ZQAKP2PBnSRgZYNcuupCPg9y93ZicA/w400-h226/100-authors-to-know.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br />I'm both thrilled and astonished that Reading Rockets has included me on their <a href="https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/childrens-books/articles/100-childrens-authors-and-illustrators-everyone-should-know">list of 100 Children's Authors and Illustrators Everyone Should Know</a>. What an incredible honor!<p></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-53713794146591098252023-12-07T00:30:00.033-05:002023-12-07T00:30:00.138-05:00Sibert Smackdown! There’s Still Time!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">The
American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards are</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 13pt;"> 6 weeks away. I can’t wait to find who the winners will be, can
you? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-g3bqYoC7OgZslZk-0OomlSWn5043YOMqeaky1IMTw6R2aWc-Q5llyzUp3aZW3E9QXAyRmoliam-p7Q5G6wrlrg4pWSodskDa_cjZWIsapF7OMttBzWIMChy-XPggQKTfWf6RnHsUxmAKrXoLvhYOoMhdc7X_2pD8aNVv61JQwYS5z6fkGsD9Y4Dcg/s200/Sibert_alscwm_200x300%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-g3bqYoC7OgZslZk-0OomlSWn5043YOMqeaky1IMTw6R2aWc-Q5llyzUp3aZW3E9QXAyRmoliam-p7Q5G6wrlrg4pWSodskDa_cjZWIsapF7OMttBzWIMChy-XPggQKTfWf6RnHsUxmAKrXoLvhYOoMhdc7X_2pD8aNVv61JQwYS5z6fkGsD9Y4Dcg/s1600/Sibert_alscwm_200x300%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 17.3333px; text-align: justify;">As a nonfiction lover, the</span> <span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/sibertmedal"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Robert F. Sibert
Informational Book Medal</span></b></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> is my favorite award of all. And that’s why I started the Sibert
Smackdown six years ago. It’s a fun activity for students in grades 3-8. And
there’s still time for you and your students to participate. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Check out <b><a href="http://celebratescience.blogspot.com/2023/11/its-time-for-sibert-smackdown.html">this post</a></b> for all the details. I hope you’ll join us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Please use the Bluesky hashtag #SibertSmackdown or tag me to share what you and
your students are doing.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3kzmg144WbyPhXdWvtCGoPta2lQxi9YDytdKivjzVR3YDSGWvtjAOlnCpS5EvWMF2Ev_ntSsnZSQc1iXpflcXXHDoRO7w4nYpU5cgXhhQ1MrLfH3GYO4qwfUTMJX8q06cviN88Bz9__vl7hwQHz0e6S4WRVT0oGNSRCJfsHIZC8h7ZjcFatUErebhg/s960/Sibert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3kzmg144WbyPhXdWvtCGoPta2lQxi9YDytdKivjzVR3YDSGWvtjAOlnCpS5EvWMF2Ev_ntSsnZSQc1iXpflcXXHDoRO7w4nYpU5cgXhhQ1MrLfH3GYO4qwfUTMJX8q06cviN88Bz9__vl7hwQHz0e6S4WRVT0oGNSRCJfsHIZC8h7ZjcFatUErebhg/w640-h480/Sibert.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span><p></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-89880274153266670872023-12-05T00:30:00.000-05:002023-12-05T00:30:00.151-05:00Featuring Nonfiction in One School, One Book Programs<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBX7mIXYudB-FLTJsLBaTnKrxdPFwaPRT-Of6xEf6DOHuaEUijITajjvXzUHtzkBVQNQ_7B1FLY2sLLjMYTgL43AUlWhiGaVSJfctMHltHJYm0pLe8LeO8z5400S6irwMm9fSjyLUGFE5Lgd3x0kPfb3k_pr5OcsJ-TEgrjuUmA8nuVB5cdgJaVY/s499/one%20book.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="499" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBX7mIXYudB-FLTJsLBaTnKrxdPFwaPRT-Of6xEf6DOHuaEUijITajjvXzUHtzkBVQNQ_7B1FLY2sLLjMYTgL43AUlWhiGaVSJfctMHltHJYm0pLe8LeO8z5400S6irwMm9fSjyLUGFE5Lgd3x0kPfb3k_pr5OcsJ-TEgrjuUmA8nuVB5cdgJaVY/s320/one%20book.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">One </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13pt;">School, One Book programs are a terrific way to bring a whole school
community together. You can find plenty of helpful resources for planning these
events online. You can also find lists of suggested books. But as you peruse
these lists, you’ll notice something missing—nonfiction.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Since </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://ncte.org/statement/role-of-nonfiction-literature-k-12/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">research shows</span></b></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> that most kids enjoy nonfiction as much as or more
than fiction and that nonfiction can be the gateway to literacy for some young
readers, all school-wide reading programs and events should feature nonfiction
as well as fiction. And One School, One Book is no exception.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">But choosing a nonfiction book can be tricky. When educators select
fiction titles for One School, One Book, they look for a great story with
characters and a plot that kids of all ages can connect to. They often choose a
middle grade novel that can be read aloud to younger students, while older
students read it on their own.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">This approach often doesn’t work for nonfiction titles because
comprehending middle grade nonfiction generally requires background knowledge
that K-2 students just don’t have. It may also be challenging to find a simpler
nonfiction book that can hold the interest of older students.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What’s the solution? Thinking about topic first. Search for a book about
a topic that will be meaningful to the whole school community. Here are some
questions to guide you:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Does your school have an animal as its mascot? Look for a book about that
creature and introduce it to students by explaining its connection to the
school. Let students know why and how was that animal was chosen as the mascot?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Is there an animal that students often see in the school yard? Maybe a
squirrel or chipmunk or lizard? Have there been recent sightings of a large or
unusual animal in your town, such as a bear or moose or coyote? If so, select a
title about that critter. Students will have a vested interest in learning more
about it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Is there a large tree growing in front of the school? Find out what
species it is and look for a book about it. If weather permits, students can
read the book while sitting under the tree.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What time of year is it? Search for a book about the season. Or connect
the book to an annual local event.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Is your school named after someone famous? See if you can find a picture
book biography about that person.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Did a famous person live in your town or state? Search for a picture book
biography about them and, before reading, share how the person is connected to
the place where students live.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Once you select a title, consider creating a themed book set with more
books on the topic that students can check out of the school library. This will
give individual students or classrooms the opportunity to explore the topic in
greater detail on their own.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">The set can include books intended for a range of reading levels. Feel
free to borrow titles from other schools in your district or the town library. You
can also order them through interlibrary loan.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-86623380690256259062023-11-30T00:30:00.082-05:002023-11-30T07:34:14.779-05:00How Young Writers Can Avoid Plagiarism, Part 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdTX-OZngq1UMb_OVHjT-aScMbkN0lEUeu56-5IFcOCQcTP83ynzFj1HGbHEih76m5eESIH618qKdA89GzcCfdJE2XKSa4M0mSQxcajG-_B4HYP0XVG_VvUWn_ijFRY-ymGKkXZm_QUDL9ZsSwNIrAGqaB9M1BWYP5KWamimh-Rf4if0w8tehYqCCUg/s500/TY%20Moon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdTX-OZngq1UMb_OVHjT-aScMbkN0lEUeu56-5IFcOCQcTP83ynzFj1HGbHEih76m5eESIH618qKdA89GzcCfdJE2XKSa4M0mSQxcajG-_B4HYP0XVG_VvUWn_ijFRY-ymGKkXZm_QUDL9ZsSwNIrAGqaB9M1BWYP5KWamimh-Rf4if0w8tehYqCCUg/w200-h200/TY%20Moon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.3333px;">On Tuesday, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">I shared a </span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/videos/video_mini_lessons.html">video</a></span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> in which I
discuss how two personal experiences helped me develop the lens of gratitude
that makes my new book </span><b><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">T<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/690299/thank-you-moon-by-melissa-stewart-illustrated-by-jessica-lanan/">hank You, Moon: Celebrating Nature’s
Nightlight</a><a name="_Hlk137792155"> </a></span></i></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">so much more than just a matter-of-fact
book about how moonlight affects animals. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to
view it and think about how the approach I used can help students avoid
plagiarism when they write nonfiction.</span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Today, I’m going to dig deeper into this topic by sharing some books by other
authors that can be used as mentor texts as you help students learn strategies
to avoid plagiarism.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">During a recent trip to the library, I found three groups of traditional
nonfiction books about science topics that are typically part of the elementary
curriculum—the water cycle, light, and matter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXuGpL0fcTREd4omRk5w3qCR7xrdnPkUQqgsyw7aUuC76m_2Qct73S8x9LuItExgwiwQ2RIxkArL7GAVZpDk2vQBUCBYxTAfPIoRgScK2fu0aObuGzoPyHzp0meIB_7qL3WAIR91cxcaO864WZbuYtdLV8PTrTLVqSeaQAP2swU7Ge2SmeGQ1zaEWLg/s3569/water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2639" data-original-width="3569" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXuGpL0fcTREd4omRk5w3qCR7xrdnPkUQqgsyw7aUuC76m_2Qct73S8x9LuItExgwiwQ2RIxkArL7GAVZpDk2vQBUCBYxTAfPIoRgScK2fu0aObuGzoPyHzp0meIB_7qL3WAIR91cxcaO864WZbuYtdLV8PTrTLVqSeaQAP2swU7Ge2SmeGQ1zaEWLg/w400-h296/water.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy34zvK-LsgFExpX0jTY6lvtaVhEQPHzoZnoCmLi2BGPnMX_jO40EbORZx3V3uxVp19B7XMQioEhRAIufd75QAxCZKDSAivBDuuTtRUzvTJYOmLnlknQY6mUs6bpVg8Yqz8JC_B8JsiWaJ4G2RYQYGZTRI0wG-wu4Tul6vEHxgqqQGXpn9C8V96L8B2Q/s3892/light.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="3892" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy34zvK-LsgFExpX0jTY6lvtaVhEQPHzoZnoCmLi2BGPnMX_jO40EbORZx3V3uxVp19B7XMQioEhRAIufd75QAxCZKDSAivBDuuTtRUzvTJYOmLnlknQY6mUs6bpVg8Yqz8JC_B8JsiWaJ4G2RYQYGZTRI0wG-wu4Tul6vEHxgqqQGXpn9C8V96L8B2Q/w400-h191/light.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TvxNWD_Nf1SepZGJ4a7FM9rvAS682kyRO3O3e8scmBsQI4qT2kNos2hjVi51hZBI06osmhM7M913EOcH5nHt0M3eK4k4KF7Lr9EfWV4lSlB6VhusgNs6g1-yQt0SoYocIk1SZAPpiv6o1PxEA3c7JQoZLetgSs7FhxHtsgWdLsdtzRI0trb1ERnapA/s4025/matter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1976" data-original-width="4025" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TvxNWD_Nf1SepZGJ4a7FM9rvAS682kyRO3O3e8scmBsQI4qT2kNos2hjVi51hZBI06osmhM7M913EOcH5nHt0M3eK4k4KF7Lr9EfWV4lSlB6VhusgNs6g1-yQt0SoYocIk1SZAPpiv6o1PxEA3c7JQoZLetgSs7FhxHtsgWdLsdtzRI0trb1ERnapA/w400-h196/matter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;">As I </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">paged through the books about the water cycle, I noticed that they
were extremely similar. Same information, same order, very similar wording. The
three books about light also had a lot in common, as did the books about matter.
This kind of overlap is inevitable when you write a general introduction to a topic
in a simple, concise way.</span><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">When students use these kinds of books as their only research sources and
then dive straight into writing, teachers shouldn’t be surprised if their drafts
border on plagiarism. Simply put, the students don’t know how to write about
the topic in any other way. They simply recite the facts they’ve learned.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">But when teachers encourage students to put a piece of themselves into
their writing, as I did in </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Thank You, Moon, </span></i></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">the results will be unique and fascinating. </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I4SiyeHCakM4HYp4PQQHDUhjiqMA7TjY6lMhN8GFa8I9zWNevjaOGxctetL0xG5Um_XddJLfSoPuTU24hDoI1hlz9-zzOzoRssRt19lga9A_ySpLphOeRN0ltmRvOaocpBTy1mrYp2P4r4ywDiujtwQgjzNk6lneQpnwcb8yLkvjl9VXXHlwGi2t6g/s325/61+jRrvLSAL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1I4SiyeHCakM4HYp4PQQHDUhjiqMA7TjY6lMhN8GFa8I9zWNevjaOGxctetL0xG5Um_XddJLfSoPuTU24hDoI1hlz9-zzOzoRssRt19lga9A_ySpLphOeRN0ltmRvOaocpBTy1mrYp2P4r4ywDiujtwQgjzNk6lneQpnwcb8yLkvjl9VXXHlwGi2t6g/w256-h320/61+jRrvLSAL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;">This </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">type of writing isn’t easy. It takes time and patience and practice.
Students need to spend time synthesizing and assimilating the information, so
they can make their own meaning. They need to view it through their own unique
lens and find their own special way of sharing the information with their target
audience. There are ideas for doing that in </span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/videos/video_mini_lessons.html">this video</a></span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> and in the anthology </span><b><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://store.ncte.org/book/nonfiction-writers-dig-deep-50-award-winning-childrens-book-authors-share-secret-engaging#_=_">Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep</a></span></i></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">.</span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">During this process, mentor texts that look at standard curricular topics
in engaging, creative, innovative ways are a huge asset.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Before students write about the water cycle, share books like </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/All-the-Water-in-the-World/George-Ella-Lyon/9781416971306">All the Water in the World</a></span></i></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson and </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/water-is-water-a-book-about-the-water-cycle-miranda-paul/12651702?ean=9781596439849">Water is Water</a></span></i></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> by Miranda
Paul and Jason Chin.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJZSjTxC_vk8cWZBUr9e-4W1cFjnmyZ-W5QdtVEE3JP0aB2ntCrfZlzQezjXmz1CwhbqDRCFOp-J5Q3m2ViUP9pab7TLOtyrNm238OAgdb9R3H5i7AyeDo-qfsDprhsfkGgPv9zRD6qNaxzNDZ773AMAlMVBY989eQ6eBqMe8dBxb9r3L2FiDkDfZnA/s958/water%20bks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="958" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJZSjTxC_vk8cWZBUr9e-4W1cFjnmyZ-W5QdtVEE3JP0aB2ntCrfZlzQezjXmz1CwhbqDRCFOp-J5Q3m2ViUP9pab7TLOtyrNm238OAgdb9R3H5i7AyeDo-qfsDprhsfkGgPv9zRD6qNaxzNDZ773AMAlMVBY989eQ6eBqMe8dBxb9r3L2FiDkDfZnA/w640-h370/water%20bks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;">Before </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">students write about light, share books like </span><b><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/light-speaks-christine-layton/18635871?ean=9780884489245">Light Speaks</a></span></i></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> by Christine
Layton and Luciana Navarro Powell and </span><b><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="vhttps://bookshop.org/p/books/spark-shine-glow-what-a-light-show-lola-m-schaefer/18777020?ean=9780062457110">Spark! Shine! Glow! What a Light Show</a></span></i></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="vhttps://bookshop.org/p/books/spark-shine-glow-what-a-light-show-lola-m-schaefer/18777020?ean=9780062457110"> </a>by Lola M. Schaefer and James Yang.</span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjY_Clpc0ofV9eVr4_XR0jRldqUu6upJpkXcdm-3-7BembeyaYeHA4jpP4iTicBI00ujQCtULw6B6VJ6L7cdrKbkYtN_zDmG4Dwgrabju4SDrnzuWnK0fFtw-DLItpd6IgZwodAPL8gGp18bYgbJiDhDiaG6GH_dVjZffzc4UUDu-4LjgtUvXNOgvXQ/s958/light%20bks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="958" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjY_Clpc0ofV9eVr4_XR0jRldqUu6upJpkXcdm-3-7BembeyaYeHA4jpP4iTicBI00ujQCtULw6B6VJ6L7cdrKbkYtN_zDmG4Dwgrabju4SDrnzuWnK0fFtw-DLItpd6IgZwodAPL8gGp18bYgbJiDhDiaG6GH_dVjZffzc4UUDu-4LjgtUvXNOgvXQ/w640-h372/light%20bks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGsUPTKCwyZUMXC5qiNVwsLAXm-EPgd794LuUcGkeFaFLWMGuvUOBL7Jpf_r1md64YcOWCCO7PzVK_-Qrfmg6y9H33v3zQ7ZeGQv1_sxTXB4ZeGQ1dQsV19As01KRpNXbPUb6Cqp5QpKgxD7OvTwux21y6zAtBgx2u0IKncuCYpH1nsXnE2jstYwOZg/s327/Matter%20Schaefer.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="327" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGsUPTKCwyZUMXC5qiNVwsLAXm-EPgd794LuUcGkeFaFLWMGuvUOBL7Jpf_r1md64YcOWCCO7PzVK_-Qrfmg6y9H33v3zQ7ZeGQv1_sxTXB4ZeGQ1dQsV19As01KRpNXbPUb6Cqp5QpKgxD7OvTwux21y6zAtBgx2u0IKncuCYpH1nsXnE2jstYwOZg/s320/Matter%20Schaefer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 17.3333px;">Before </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">students write about matter, share <b><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/hands-on-science-matter-lola-m-schaefer/18988278?ean=9781623542436">Hands-on Science: Matter</a></i></b> by </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Lola M. Schaefer
and Druscilla Santiago. The title of his book may seem traditional, but the innovative
approach will captivate young readers. The book goes beyond typical experiment-based
active nonfiction by inviting students to participate in a way reminiscent of </span><b><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #202124; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/press-here-game-games-for-kindergartners-games-for-toddlers-creative-play-for-kids-herve-tullet/7368115?ean=9781452137360">Press Here</a></span></i></b><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #202124; font-size: 13pt;"> by </span></i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124; font-size: 13pt;">Hervé Tullet.</span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Books like these show students what’s possible when it comes to the wide
and wonderful world of nonfiction. There are so many choices, so many ways to
write about a topic. And playing with different approaches can be a fun game.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Just like playing a sport, writing is about practice. Finely-crafted
nonfiction literature can act like a coach. By demonstrating different
techniques, it can guide students as
they develop skills to hone their craft. And one critical skill is learning to
move beyond simply regurgitating what they’ve read. Great nonfiction writers share
ideas and information they’re passionate about in a way that’s uniquely their
own.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5488042654610511802.post-40224924179074135092023-11-28T00:30:00.049-05:002023-11-28T00:30:00.132-05:00How Young Writers Can Avoid Plagiarism, Part 1<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6sMHKYsVkePO1QXdT5zlB5D6Gbd7I9GqXky0I27fHSVCKzEoZfIXgdc_u8S72LH8lTMIW9RNy4VK2Z0utkGshcma8-_5VW_33-9D-tV67v8qmrhI2GVrOvc__VxefxJb_45aAzi4RKh5Y40ZMnGIe2kPvG7AFX4YxOpX2X5T8bFG2j6wPvfDhNgrYA/s500/1%20TY%20Moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6sMHKYsVkePO1QXdT5zlB5D6Gbd7I9GqXky0I27fHSVCKzEoZfIXgdc_u8S72LH8lTMIW9RNy4VK2Z0utkGshcma8-_5VW_33-9D-tV67v8qmrhI2GVrOvc__VxefxJb_45aAzi4RKh5Y40ZMnGIe2kPvG7AFX4YxOpX2X5T8bFG2j6wPvfDhNgrYA/s320/1%20TY%20Moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">Yesterday </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">was the Full Beaver Moon, so it seems like the perfect time to share
the </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/videos/video_mini_lessons.html">video</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> that accompanies my new book, </span><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Thank You,
Moon: Celebrating Nature’s Nightlight</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">.</span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">On October 24, I wrote a blog post discussing how two personal
experiences helped me make </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Thank You, Moon</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> a unique book that only I could write. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.melissa-stewart.com/videos/video_mini_lessons.html">The video
I created</a></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> to accompany
the book explains how students can use a similar approach to avoid plagiarism. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">During writing workshops with young people, I urge them to take time to
think deeply about their research before they start writing. I suggest they
“put it through their head, and put it through their heart.” </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">This is a way of synthesizing and assimilating the information, so they
can view it through their own personal lens. Who we are as people—our passions,
our fears, our beliefs, our experiences in the world—can and should influence
the way we write about a topic.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Writers of narrative nonfiction often call this “finding a throughline.”
That term makes sense when writers are using a chronological sequence text
structure, but it’s not quite right for describing the process writers of
expository writing use. For us, it’s more about finding an angle, a hook, our
own special way of sharing the ideas and information with the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWxn76HRUWPJ-WzLxHFucD3cl7r1hFbVdbGaW7VDo13Lm55V7RShGfiDSceFOpnUMAGxxNDl6xeQd9b_iWuLFBs1Tidppql8HNCply6nXdniOGPRDJ5CPfFkVhjj6zIu5VcdVfEQG5_EoQxi-rERBHaE2CAc7C99BpffFhmcqb_HPyQoleVWCEVmkZA/s502/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWxn76HRUWPJ-WzLxHFucD3cl7r1hFbVdbGaW7VDo13Lm55V7RShGfiDSceFOpnUMAGxxNDl6xeQd9b_iWuLFBs1Tidppql8HNCply6nXdniOGPRDJ5CPfFkVhjj6zIu5VcdVfEQG5_EoQxi-rERBHaE2CAc7C99BpffFhmcqb_HPyQoleVWCEVmkZA/s320/1b25d0a0-e2fc-4fd6-9128-f487e53d6c3f.png" width="255" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px;">To learn </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">more about this technique and helping students implement it,
please watch the video. And for even more information, check out the anthology </span><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="https://store.ncte.org/book/nonfiction-writers-dig-deep-50-award-winning-childrens-book-authors-share-secret-engaging#_=_">Nonfiction
Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Children’s Book Authors Share the Secret of
Engaging Writing<span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">.</span></a></span></i></b><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I’ll be sharing some recently published mentor texts by other authors on
Thursday.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Melissa Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04322048827106827307noreply@blogger.com0