MCDS Book Corner

This week we are back to reading fiction titles (grades 3-5) and picture books in Lower School. Some of what we’re currently enjoying:
Jen Seely’s class is now listening to Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. See notes for that title under the 5th grade category tab.

Mary-Katherine’s class just finished Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate and we’ve just started on The Misfits by James Howe. This is a great story about middle school, politics, tie salesmanship and, of course, middle school relationships. At the end of every few chapters the main characters get together at the local ice cream shop to discuss whatever is on their minds~notes are taken and each speakers’ name is noted with what they’ve said. A few years back, I photocopied these meeting “notes” and they became a script which is handed out to whomever would like to have a small part in the “speaking” of the book that week. Since there is much ado about names & name calling in this book there are some negotiations as to what is said and who is saying it, but it seems to help the comfort level in discussing these things when the students have an opportunity to participate in the dialogue~literally and figuratively.

Mel Hickman’s fourth grade class is still enjoying Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay. There are many adventures in this book and recurrent themes of family & friendship are also well represented. We love this book for it’s interesting characters as well~even the parents of Saffy’s friend turn out to be more than you’d bargained for!

Kyle’s class is still listening to The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles. This book has many twists and turns in it and yet a consistent reliable theme~baseball~ which we are all enjoying!

Jed’s 3rd grade class continues to enjoy the summery playfuness of The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. I think that within each student they are busily trying to align themselves with the character most like themselves~despite the Penderwick family being made up of four girls and a sweet Hound dog, even the boys have some choices!

Sarah’s class is is still listening to Way Down Deep~there is a bit of mystery to this book, which we had not previously thought. Ruby is learning some very important lessons about family, expectations and friendship. There are so many interesting characters in this book, we find it to be very exciting not only due to the plot but also to the myriad of interesting folks all gathered together somehow, living in Way Down Deep.

We are reading titles for Second Grade which tie into their in class studies of Then & Now, as they get started on their study of Old Corte Madera. Some of these titles include:

Peppe the Lamplighter by Elisa Bartone; Maggie’s Amerikay by Barbara Timberlake Russell; American Too by Elisa Bartone; The Dream Jar by Bonnie Pryor and I could do that! Esther Morris gets women the vote by Linda Arms White

First Grade has been listening to stories about friendship and families. Some of these titles are:

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman; Horace and Morris but mostly Dolores *and* Horace and Morris join the chorus (but what about Dolores?) both by James Howe; The bully blockers club by Teresa Bateman; Remember, Grandma? by Laura Langston; Saving Strawberry Farm by Deborah Hopkinson and My Father’s hands by Joanne Ryder.

Kindergarten has started their farm study, with each of the classes becoming a different type of farm: Holly will become a vegetable farm, Hickories are working on a dairy farm and Sequoia is becoming an apple farm! Here are some of the books we’ll be reading to begin understanding what some variations of what farming, marketing and hard work look like:

Cider Apples by Sandy Nightingale; Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson; The market lady and the mango tree by Pete & Mary Watson; How much? Visiting markets around the world by Ted Lewin; Market Day by Eve Bunting and Apple picking time by Michele Benoit Slawson.