Before we left school due to COVID, one of my sixth grade book clubs had just finished a book that they wanted to blog about. If you are a fan of the Among the Hidden series, you will love the new Greystone Secrets series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The first book, entitled The Strangers, will… Continue reading The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Author: Kristen Coons
Kristen has been working in the Quabbin Regional School District for 31 years. She is currently a sixth grade ELA teacher at Hubbardston Center School.
Conferring during Remote Learning
Week 6 of Remote Learning felt more like "assigning" and less like teaching: I knew in my heart that if I didn't change something, the next two months of remote learning were going to be painful. To get some conferring time in, I picked 3 topics I knew my students were working on, and divided… Continue reading Conferring during Remote Learning
Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu
*I would like to use this post to thank all the authors and publishers who have stepped up and allowed teachers to read their books online during this unprecedented time...We appreciate you! Teacher's Story: I leave school on a Friday, having started the first few chapters of Eventown, by Corey Ann Haydu. On Saturday, I discover that… Continue reading Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu
The Light in The Lake by Sarah R Baughman
Addie finds herself caught between science and magic, family and nature, and grief and hope. - The Light in The Lake Teacher Thoughts: The Light in the Lake was the perfect book to bridge our social issue and fantasy units of study in reader's workshop. Even my most reluctant readers could not put down this… Continue reading The Light in The Lake by Sarah R Baughman
One Big Heart by Linsey Davis
With Beverly Davis, Illustrated by Lucy Fleming A celebration of being more alike than different! Each Friday, my sixth graders pair up with a kindergarten buddy to read, do math, or work on a project. This week, we read One Big Heart and talked about the big idea of the book. Kindergarten students understood the message… Continue reading One Big Heart by Linsey Davis
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf
"The entire world is full of hearts searching for a place to call home. But refugees are different, because they don't just look for a home. They look for peace too. And because of that, they possess the most special hearts anyone could ever have." … Continue reading The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf
A Drop of Hope by Keith Calabrese
This story starts with a wish and ends in a crime. The wish isn't granted, and the crime is never punished. Life is like that sometimes. But that isn't always a bad thing... -Keith Calabrese A Drop of Hope is a book that my sixth graders describe as "a very different kind of mystery," with… Continue reading A Drop of Hope by Keith Calabrese
Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn
On a good day, Chicken liked to wander. On a bad day, Chicken would bolt. But no matter what, Cat loved him as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge, as deep as the sea floor, and as fierce as a shark bite. Sixth Grade Book Club Members Think... Caterpillar Summer is a wonderful, figurative language… Continue reading Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Every once in a while a book comes along that students and teachers alike can not put down. The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise is one of those books. The pages are filled with quirky characters, an interesting setting and one of a kind adventures that leave readers at the edge of their seats. I read… Continue reading The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Brave
by Svetlana Chmakova Teacher Thoughts… This graphic novel is a perfect way to teach older students about the challenges of middle school. Readers learn how being brave and using their voice can help change a negative school culture. Your students will love how Svetlana Chmakova compares middle school to a video game, mean kids to… Continue reading Brave
Shouting At The Rain
by Lynda Mullaly HuntTeacher Thoughts... Dive into this story by the same author as Fish in a Tree, to teach your students about the importance of family and friendships. Readers quickly learn that friends and family come in all shapes and sizes, and that support can come from the most unlikely places. The main character,… Continue reading Shouting At The Rain