Why a good book is a secret door

G+ Community

We will share most of our work in a Google+ Community. We can upload images, respond to each other’s ideas, and share links and artifacts here.

Calendar

Course calendar can be found above and HERE.

Book Buddies

Book Buddies

I decided we needed a dedicated page to all things book buddies. Mrs. Bohn has created so many awesome resources and prep for her students that I think will be useful to you as future teachers. The question we can consider is: how do we shape productive conversations about books? Below, you will find links and resources to support our work with the 8th graders of Palm Desert Charter Middle School.

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Overall, our goal is to keep pace with the students’ reading goals and to respond to our book buddies each Thursday. If you are feeling so inclined, it would be totally cool to respond to their answers to your questions in the introductory posts (before Thursday). You may find yourself in a conversation with your book buddy a couple of times a week if you have the time.

Link to our Padlet group where we are writing with our book buddies.


Notes from Mrs. Bohn

Oct 2: My students are meeting today in their groups to discuss their assigned reading and presenting their assigned job for the week. I am leaving it open ended on what to discuss on their Padlet post. Their post must be completed for me by Wednesday for your students.

 I did post a “picture” at the end of each column stating to respond below that. I think it will be easier to find responses.  Would you let your students know to respond by finding their buddy’s post and click on “add comment” versus a new post. That way my kids know just to find their own post and scroll down. I will post a new color “sign” each week so they know where to look.

 

 

 

 

From Brianna:

Hello again Kelcy!
While reading, I was thinking about how Leo has been falling in love with Stargirl. On October 16, my group and I had discussed on what we would do if a boy we liked or in Leo’s case a girl he likes, took us by the hand to take us somewhere he loved to go. I explained how I would feel excited yet nervous at the same time since I don’t like to go anywhere without my parents knowing, but also because I wouldn’t want to accidentally embarrass myself in front of someone that I liked. Although, it would be a fun experience to be together on an adventure since we’d get to know each other a little bit more every step of the way, while headed to their most loved spot to hang out at.
While on the topic of Leo and Stargirl liking each other, if I were to give Leo some advice on what not to worry about while being with Stargirl or on how he might be thinking that others are judging him because of liking Stargirl, I would advise him that it doesn’t matter on what other people think, and that if he just be’s himself he’ll have a great time with Stargirl since she is so fun and outgoing herself!
I feel that true friends are loyal, kind, respectful, and very fun to be around as well! For Stargirl, it seems to be kind of hard to make those true friends lately for her with everybody judging her at all these different angles. I’d tell her to just be herself and she’ll make lots of true, kind friends such as Leo, in no time at all. By just being yourself you admittedly become awesome!
During our group discussions in class this week, our group had decided that we feel that the book’s topics, are love, bravery, freedom, friendship, and kindness. We also tried to put one of these topics into a universal theme statement. We chose friendship, and started with… “The author feels that friendship has a very important role on people and in life.” I think that this upcoming quote shows how Leo is a true friend to Stargirl, since he decided to show himself and speak to Stargirl when he was hiding to try not to get caught behind their car while at her house, but he seemed to want to be a very loyal friend to her, that he showed himself, “I leaned into the smooth metal of the fender. It never occurred to me to stand, to show myself. Hours seemed to pass before I finally croaked, ‘Yes.’” (80).
Do you know a good quote that could support the statement “The author feels that friendship has a very important role on people and in life?” What advice would you give to your character in a situation that they’ve been in? What do you think makes a true friend? Also, what other topics do you think the book is about?
Thanks for reading with me! Can’t wait to see what happens next!