Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

Illustrated by Tony Fucile

Book Review

Language Arts

Writing Prompts:

1. Tell about a time when you compromised.

2. Tell about a time when you wished you would be left alone.

3. What is a pet you wish you could have? Why?

4. Tell about a time when you were jealous. What happened?

Vocabulary:

companion, gray matter, jealous, longs for/longing, inquire, furthermore, unremarkable, incapable, virtually, spectacular, desperate, extraordinary, venture, accomplishment, journey, tolerate, baffled, forth, compromise, outrageous, especially, enchantment, bonanza, bargain

There are many activities that can be done with the above words.

1. Add them to the word wall

2. Syllabicate them

3. Let them be the spelling words

4. Write a story that uses all the words (individually or as a group)

5. Give an award to the three people who use the new words the most in their daily language (use a chart to keep score)

6. Create advertisements that use the words and discuss the purpose of advertisements. Add propaganda to the list of new words

Social Studies

Have the students spin the globe then use their finger as Gollie did to find a place to research. Discover all the facts about the place and the culture of the people. Create PowerPoints or paper videos about the place. Act out what it might be like to live in the place just as Gollie did with the Andes Mountains.

Book Review

Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld

Book Review

Book Trailer

 Language Arts

1. Read for enjoyment and discuss.

2. Discuss story elements: plot, setting, characters, point of view, etc.

3. Rewrite the story from Cloudette's point of view.  What was she feeling? What did she learn? What are her plans for the future?

Science

Allow Cloudette to serve as an introduction for units on weather, the water cycle, cloud types, rainbows, or classification.

Math

The AWESOME grid comparison at the beginning of the book serves as a great introduction to measurement, grids, and area.  I'm mathematically challenged, so I'm sure there is more to be done with grids, but by golly, I'll be darned if I know what it is!

Social Skills and Writing

Use topics from the book as journal or writing prompts.

Example: 

     * I'm really good at.....

     * I wish I was better at.... but I'm very good at....

     * If you were Cloudette, where would you go? Why?

     * Compare the way Cloudette moved and grew to the way real clouds move and grow.

Book Review

Book Trailer

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Book Review

First and foremost, if you teach Language Arts, collaborate with the Social Studies/History folks.  This book is a fabulous tie-in for the Civil Rights Movement in American History.


1. Create timelines that compare actual Black Panther events with those described in One Crazy Summer.  For instance, and this could be incorrect, but my understanding is that it wasn't until 1969 when the Panthers started the children's programs in Oakland.  The book is set in 1968.  Have your kids search for the truth!  


Have the timelines include some important historical events that happened in 1968 such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s death and the murder of Lil' Bobby Hutton.  Both happened in the spring of 1968 just months before the summer setting of this book.


Create a map that shows all the Black Panther Party breakfast programs.


2. Research the key players of the Black Panthers, such as Huey P. Newton, Eldridge Cleaver, and Bobby Hutton.  Include other historical figures from the time period.


3. Compare and contrast the positive and negative decisions made by the Panthers.  Discuss what they did that worked and what they could have done better.


4. Compare the beliefs of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and The Black Panthers.  How are they alike? Dislike?


5. Review poetry, music, and movies from the 1960's.  Have students write their own poetry and lyrics about things they believe strongly.  


Have a poetry slam!
Check out: The Spoken Word Revolution by Mark Eleveld.  It has a great CD with examples from past and present poetry slams. Beware - listen to this before sharing with your class.  Depending on where you work, you may need parental permission.


6. Encourage the students to write a play or make a video that demonstrates the conflicts experienced by Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern within the larger conflicts of the United States during that time.  If you do this, PLEASE send me a copy!  I'd love to see what your kids create!


Most importantly, allow a lot of time for the sharing of ideas and beliefs.  Remember, there are no wrong answers, just things that need to be considered from all points of view.


Book Review