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Until Someone Listens: A Story about Borders, Family, and One Girl’s Mission

In my district, a child’s elementary school experience comes to an end in the fourth grade.  For the students, this comes with the excitement of summer and end of year celebrations.  For my fourth grade team and I, this means reflections on a year’s worth of growth as we support our students in their culminating… Continue reading Until Someone Listens: A Story about Borders, Family, and One Girl’s Mission

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The World’s Loneliest Elephant by Ralph Fletcher

The World's Loneliest Elephant: Based on the True Story of Kaavan and His RescueBy: Ralph FletcherIllustrated by Naoko Stoop The World's Loneliest Elephant, written by Ralph Fletcher and illustrated by Naoko Stoop, is a beautiful narrative nonfiction story. The book spans the life of a bull elephant named Kaavan, who came to live a rather… Continue reading The World’s Loneliest Elephant by Ralph Fletcher

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Hope Wins: A Collection of Inspiring Stories for Young Readers

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! For our class read aloud, my class opted for Gordon Korman's Restart. It's a title I had never read before, but the other fourth grade teachers in my school raved about it. When my class voted for it over the other four titles, I smiled. Not only was I excited to… Continue reading Hope Wins: A Collection of Inspiring Stories for Young Readers

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Octopuses Have Zero Bones: A Counting Book About Our Amazing World

About a year ago, I was sitting on my couch, when I realized with a shock that I had an implicit bias against nonfiction, and that this bias had not only unknowingly affected my impressions of my loved ones but of my students as well. If you're interested in taking a deep dive into how… Continue reading Octopuses Have Zero Bones: A Counting Book About Our Amazing World

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My Name Is Not Ed Tug

A name is one of the most important identifying features about a person.  It is one of the very first decisions that is made for you and you have no control or say in the matter.  Many people like their names, or learn to live with a nickname, some people do not.  When you get… Continue reading My Name Is Not Ed Tug

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Up Your Nose. . .?!

Two weeks ago, I drove to school thinking about the impressive features I had noticed in fourth graders' information books. Upon their arrival, I checked in with three writers about borrowing their books for the beginning of writing workshop. When we gathered on the rug, I quickly shared that I wanted to begin our time… Continue reading Up Your Nose. . .?!

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Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

Written by Nina LaCour & Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita "Have you have ever missed someone or something? Have you have ever missed someone or something and it almost felt like a physical ache? Have you have ever missed someone or something so much that when you were reunited the feelings of missing crashed into the… Continue reading Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle