The Westing Game

The Westing Game

Written by: Ellen Raskin

Published by: E. P. Dutton

Copyright: 1978

Mystery, Secretive, Community, Clues, Games

Reading Level

Lexile: 750L

DRA: 50

Guided Reading: V

Suggested Delivery

Small Group

Electronic Resources

http://www.shmoop.com/westing-game/characters.html

This website has everything from an introduction to the book, information about the characters, a summary, questions, quizzes and more. It is written in an interesting and funny way the the kids would enjoy getting extra information about the book. 

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3131375897

This is the website to the movie trailer Get A Clue. This movie is based upon the Westing Game book. It would give students a visual of what happens in the book. You could watch the movie after reading and compare the two.

Teaching Strategies

Vocabulary

Tenant: A person who pays rent for something

Bookie: Someone who takes bets

Inscrutable: of an obscure nature

Bigot: a person who does not listen to opinions that are different than their own

Incriminate: Suggest someone is guilty

Paraphernalia: Equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles

Petrify: To become stone like or stiff 

Reading Strategies

Before Reading: Create an anticipation guide for students to fill out with true or false questions to keep them engaged in the book

During Reading: Vocabulary Crossword- Create a crossword of the vocabulary words with quotes from the book.

After Reading: Have the students watch the movie Get A Clue. After watching the movie have the students compare and contrast the book with the movie. Then have a discussion with the class about what is different and why the movie could have changed that particular part. 

Writing Activity

Have the students create their own mystery. They can use the student in the class and model it after the book. 

Infographic

Infographic

Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck

Written By Brian Selznick

Published by: Scholastic

Copyright: 2011

Stunning, Creative, Beautiful, Intertwined, Thrilling

Reading Level

Lexile: 830L

DRA: 60

Guided Reading: W

Suggested Delivery

Independent

Small Group

Electronic Resources

www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/teaching-brian-selznick-including-virtual-field-trip

This is a virtual field trip of the Natural history museum that the book uses a lot. This tour is also led by the author Brian Selznick. There are also lesson plans and other activities that go along with the book on this same website.

www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=25731&s=n&a=1

This website contains links to interviews with the author, lesson plans that go along with the book, a book trailer, and other book resources.

Teaching Strategies

Vocabulary

Scavenged- To take or gather

Lapped- To fold over around something

Curate- To take charge of or organize. Usually in a museum

Diorama- A 3-D scene that captures a moment in time

Archive- Documents or records

Cascading- Anything that flows like a waterfall

Reading Strategies

Before Reading: Text Impressions- Before reading the book the teacher will put on the board one at a time about 5-10 interesting or important words from the book to help guide predictions of what the book is about

During Reading: Split-Page Notetaking- Instead of using it the traditional way of having one side be the notes and the other side be key words the students can split their papers into two and write down the journey of Ben on one side and the journey of Rose on the other to compare the two stories.

After Reading: Collaborative Conversations- Students will get into groups. They will then have about 15-20 minute conversations with each other about their questions from the book, what they liked the most etc. If possible have students record the conversations to go over and keep for future reference.

Writing Activity

Students can do research on their favorite diorama from the American Museum of Natural History from the book. Have them write a story about that specific diorama using information they learned from their research.

Mango, Abuela, and Me

Mango, Abuela, and Me

Written by: Meg Medina

Illustrated by: Angela Dominguez

Published by: Candlewick Press 

Copyright: 2015

 

Family, Connections, Friendship, Language, Humorous

Reading Level

DRA: 40-60

Fountas & Pinnell: O-V

Electronic Resources

http://megmedina.com/booksandreviews/mango-abuela-and-me/

This is the Author's own webpage about the book. She gives her own summary and has a book trailer to watch as well

www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/09/22/books/review/23childrens.html?_r=0

This link is to an article in the New York Times of the book Mango, Abuela and Me, as well as other books that are written in Spanish and English. These would be very helpful in a classroom with ELL learners and integrating Spanish into the classroom.

 Teaching Suggestions

This book is published in English as well as Spanish. Having both versions of the book in the classroom would be beneficial for ELL students as well as students learning to speak Spanish.

Vocabulary

Abuela- Grandmother

Snaking- Moving in a snake like motion

Empanadas- Meat wrapped in dough

Meat Pie- A pie with meat filling inside

Reading Strategies

Before Reading: Anticipation Guide – Students will be given an anticipations guide to fill out before reading the story, then as they read they will look for the actual answers to the questions asked on the reading guide.  

During Reading: Word Hunts – Students look for words and patterns in the reading based on teacher guidelines

After Reading: Summarizing - The students will be prompted with questions about what they just read in the story, such as what did the little girl do to help her Abuela learn English, and why was it important for her to learn it.

Writing Activity

In the book the young girl taught her Abuela English words by putting sticky notes on objects around the room. Have students come up with and write about other interesting ways that they could teach someone English. 

One Crazy Summer

One Crazy Summer

By: Rita Williams Garcia

Copyright: 2010

Published: Amistad

Civil Rights, Black Panthers, Funny, Historical, Family

Reading Level

Lexile: 750L

DRA: 50

Guided Reading: T

Suggested Delivery

Small Group

Electronic Resources

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=17070&a=1

This website has online lesson plans, interviews with the author and vocabulary lists

https://www.ecslearningsystems.com/ViewImagesAndSamples/NU87241TG_S.pdf

This is a teachers guide that gives character descriptions, background knowledge, and different activities to do that go along with the book

Teaching Suggestions

Vocabulary

Jab: Quick straight punch

Whimper: A complaint in a whining way

Spectacle: A mistake that causes attention

Terminal: stations where vehicles load or unload passengers

Riot: Public act of violence by an unruly mob

Revival: A meeting to reawaken interest in religion

Homely: Lacking in beauty 

Surge: to move forward

Reading Strategies

Before Reading: KWL Chart

During Reading: Fishbowl Discussions

After Reading: Exit Slips

Writing Activity

Students can do research on the names of people mentioned in the book such as Martin Luther King Jr., the Black Panthers, Huey Newton and Cassius Clay, and have them talk about what these people did to influence how the United States is now. 

Because of Winn Dixie

Because of Winn Dixie

By: Kate DiCamillo

Copyright: 2000

Published by: Candlewick Press

Lonely, Loving, Family, Community, Friendship

Reading Level

Lexile: 610L

DRA: 40

Guided Reading: R

Suggested Delivery

Read Aloud

Small Group Read

Electronic Resources

https://www.scholastic.com/winndixie/

This website shows you a map of the town Naomi. You can click on each place that is mentioned in the book and different activities to do with the students will pop up. There is a play, different drafts of the book, an interactive scrap book and more. 

http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763607762.btg.1.pdf

This is a PDF of the teachers resources from the publisher of the book. It gives you before, during and after reading strategies as well as connections to the curriculum.

Teaching Suggestions

Vocabulary

Missionary: A person strongly in favor of a program, set of principles, ect., who attemps to persuade or convert others

Peculiar: Strange

Pathological: Caused by or involving a disease

Roundabout: Out of the way

Melancholy: Depressed

Wheezed: Breathing difficulty that has a whistling sound

Reading Strategies

Before Reading: Vocabulary Cards- Make cards for the vocabulary words i the book with the word on the front and the definition and a sentence on the back

During Reading: Concept Maps-Students can fill out a concept map worksheet while they are reading to help understand the book better

After Reading: Popcorn Review- Students go around the room popcorn style reviewing the book and any questions they might have had

Writing Activity

Use the first website given to create a "10 things" scrapbook about each character in the story like Opal did about Winn Dixie. This can be done individually or in small groups. You can also use the printable version to use with students from your class as an ice breaker game.

What Darwin Saw: The Journey That Changed the World

What Darwin Saw: The Journey That Changed the World

By: Rosalyn Schanzer

Copyright: 2009

Published by National Geographic

Adventurous, Curious, Stunning, Informative, Observations

Reading Level

Lexile: 925-1185

DRA: 57-67

Fountas & Pinnell: U-Z

Electronic Resources

http://www.rosalynschanzer.com/darwinPage.html

This webpage is from the authors website about her book. She gives a description of what the book is about and also has a lesson plan that goes along with the CCSS

http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=14833&a=1

This webpage has interviews with the author as well as a link to the authors blog and personal website

Teaching Suggestion 

Vocabulary

contrivance: an artificial rather than natural selection
prehensile: adapted for seizing, grasping, or taking hold of something
phasmid:any insect of the order Phasmida, comprising the walking sticks and leaf insects.
archipelago: a large group or chain of islands

Reading Strategy

Before Reading: First Lines- Read the first lines or page from the book and have the students make predictions about what they think would happen
You can use this Voki I made reading the first paragraph of the book
http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=12596053&height=267&width=200

During Reading: Story Sequence- Have the students keep track of the timeline and all of the places Darwin visits on his trip

After Reading: Summarizing- The students will use their notes to summarize what they read in the book and ask any questions they need clarified

Writing Activity

Let the students pick one of the places visited by Darwin and do research on the animals and people that live there. The students can then write an article about the location as if it would appear in a newspaper for a magazine

Turtle In Paradise

Turtle In Paradise

Written By: Jennifer Holm

Published By: Random House Children Books

Copyright: 2010

Reluctant, Historical, Adventure, Orphan, Family

Reading Level

Grade Level Equivalent: 3.4

Lexile Level: 610L

DRA: 40

Guided Reading Level: S

Suggested Delivery

Read Aloud

Small Group Read

Electronic Resources

http://www.jenniferholm.com/p/novels.html

This is the Authors own website about the book as well as other books she has written.

http://www.helpreaderslovereading.com/2011/03/turtle-in-paradise-by-jennifer-l -holm.html

This is a blog about the book and also has pictures that takes you on a tour through the town in Key West that the book was based on.

Teaching Suggestions

Vocabulary

Forlorn: Lonely, left-behind

Grimy: Very Dirty

Mutiny: An uprising against someone in charge

Reading Strategies

Before Reading: Word Walls- Create space on one of the walls with the vocabulary from the book

During Reading: Story Maps- Students can fill out a graphic organizer of all the elements in the story

After Reading: Story Sequence- Use sequencing such as first, then, last, to retell the story

Writing Activity

• Project 1: Students will have to create a front page of a newspaper that includes not only the article but other information that would be relevant to the time that the newspaper is published
• Project 2/3: Students will practice, memorize, and film their talk show or interview to play for the class using filming apps to create transitions, sounds and anything else needed for a talk show or interview
• Project 4: Research will be done to figure out what type of paper and writing utensil that specific character would have used. The student will then write out the letter as if the character actually wrote it themselves in their handwriting.
• Project 5: Student will create a colorfully illustrated storyboard using either technology or their own drawing skills. This story board will be on poster paper so it is big enough to be seen by everyone.