Big6

From: Stxxx Brxx
To: Ms Adams
CC:
Date: 11/7/11 7:29 PM
Subject: Thank You

Hey Mrs. Adams,

Thank you so much for obtaining the Tribes book. When is it due back? Also, what did you notice about Collin's Big 6 presentation?

Here are a few of my take-aways after using the Big 6 for the first time:

• Generates powerful student Inquiry - I participated and overheard several deep student discussions about the topic of education.  
• The Big 6 approach offers an easy-to-follow writing/research structure - meets the needs of divergent learners.
• I need to offer more teacher-led instruction as it relates to the essential question/thesis statement.
• The Big 6 model offers multiple options in terms of how one presents their research findings. In the Spring, we'll revisit writing a research paper. This time they were given the option to do an oral presentation. 

Okay, I could go on and on. But thanks again!

Mr. Brxxx

Outbreak: plagues that changed history

By Bryn Barnard http://www.brynbarnard.com/Site_2/Home.html
Crown Publishers New York, 2005
ISBN 0-375-92986-X
Acrylic paintings

Annotation
A history book witch connects to many Social Studies State Standards, but gives a different perspective of the times, pointing out how some outbreaks were for the better.
Personal Reaction
An appealing book by its cover art, a skeleton in a wooden table crouched over a microscope with magnified germs circling it. This could be a frightening book for anyone, especially during a time when a new flu virus is threatening an outbreak. However history is our best defense and this book gives fantastic details of historical outbreaks and reactions to them. Interesting recounts of historical outbreaks connected to their effect on history are bone chilling. The chapter, How Yellow Fever Stopped Slavery, is one example. The book points out to readers that human beings have lived on Africa for longer than another continent, therefore its occupants have had a longer time to develop immunity. Because the white slave traders had not been exposed to Yellow Fever, many died. New World and the Caribbean slave plantations were devastated for decades due to the Yellow Fever. The history behind hand washing and urban sanitation is fascinating and directly relates to students lives. This book will fascinate all ages, written in a simple factual academic style using facts to keep interest.
Social Studies
History
Disease, outbreak

The Arrival

2009 Best List
By Shaun Tan http://www.shauntan.net/
Published Imprint Scholastic Inc, New York, 2006
ISBN 978-0-439-89529-3
Annotation
A wordless story told in graphic panels depicts a families travel through immigration. The representation of immigration done through imaginative and strange whimsical illustrations.
 Personal Reaction
Shaun Tan depicts emotion through whimsical spirals and encroaching dark shadows. The father must leave his family and rides a ship with many other immigrants to what looks like an Alice in Wonderland New York City. All of the possibilities are seen there, hope, friendship new connections. However, he is stamped, labeled, prodded and shuffled along. His fear is evident in the confusing shapes around him, the world is truly alien with flying ships and strange creatures. He finds someone he can talk with and she tells of her terrible job shoveling coal in a compartment. He finds a unfamiliar creature and it becomes his pet. He meets a friendly man and is welcome to dinner with his new friend's family. They laugh and eat and he is happy and at ease. He misses his wife and child and sends them money. An exquisite visual book which although abstract depict perfectly what it feels like to immigrate. The lack of words allows readers to understand through their own feelings the immigrant experience. This book forces readers to look at every picture or scene for meaning. The confusion of the reader in trying to figure out this novel's story mirrors the confusion of an immigrant in an unfamiliar land. It is not a historical piece or cultural, the characters seem to not have a certain country or race. This book is a must have in a multicultural community or a school or neighborhood with many immigrant families.

**Personification:Illustrations show the feeling of immigration through abstract scenes, the use of a unreadable made up language is illustrating the feeling of not knowing anything when moving to a new country.
Starred reviews:
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award special citation (2008)
Kirkus Reviews (September 1, 2007)
Publishers Weekly (July 16, 2007)
Booklist (September 1, 2007)
Kliatt (September, 2007)
School Library Journal (September, 2007)
Horn Book (November/December, 2007)
Horn Book Guide (Spring, 2008)

Artemis Fowl the graphic novel

By Eoin Colfer http://www.eoincolfer.com/
Andrew Donkin http://www.andrewdonkin.com/
Published Hyperjon Books, New York, 2007
ISBN 978-078684881-2
Annotation
Artemis Fowl is a 12-year-old genius that is never without his bodyguard Butler. He tricks a street fairy into giving him her fairy bible and deciphers it meanings. With the knowledge from this bible Artemis knows all the fairy secrets.
Personal Reaction
He devises a plan to trick the Leprechaun fairies out of gold. He traps a LEP “polize” officer, Holly, and uses her for leverage with the LEP department. The fairy “polize” are very technical, using computers and radiation as defense, they all carry weapons and their wings are actually mechanical, worn on backpacks. The fairies and other creatures have been forced far under the earths crust due to human inhabitant and disturbances, such as mineral mining. The city they live in looks very industrial, not at all natural or magical. The few things that do seem to hold the traditional idea of fairy magic being of the earth is when Holly was trying to get her powers and does so by planting a nut in the ground. This seems out of place with these rule abiding militant fairies. The Police have a hierarchy with commanders and generals, in fact Holly is the first female officer. This was an entertaining fast read and definitely perfect for the tween reader. The trick Artemis pulls on the LEPs will intrigue readers to get to the end.
Children's Core Collection
**Graphic Novel
 Fantasy

The man who walked between the towers

Mordicai Gerstein http://www.mordicaigerstein.com/
Roaring Brook Press, New York, 2003
ISBN 0-7613-1791-0
Ink and Oil panels
Annotation
Caldecott award winning nonfiction tale of Philippe Petit, French tight rope walker who walking between the New York twin towers in 1974.
Personal Reaction
Details weave  his story into an edge of your chair journey while full color dramatic illustrations bring life to the reader’s imagination. With New York City below and the wind in his hair Petite steps onto the rope and the pages unfold in a three page spread of the scene drawn from above and showing the bay and tiny cars in the busy New York street below. This is a beautiful and celebratory book to read to 4th, and 5th graders during 9/11 remembrance. This is also a perfect book to begin lessons on Caldecott award winners. It can be accompanied by the adult book Man on a Wire written by Philippe Petit or the documentary of the same name. By showing these alternatives at the same time in a library or classroom the brilliance of the illustrations will truly shine next to the photos of the actual event.

Caldecott Award winner 2004
9/11
Twin Towers
Caldecott Award

Amazing pop-up pull-out mummy book

By David Hawcock
Author Illustrated Claire Bampton
Dorling Kindersley Book, London, 2000
ISBN 9780789465078
Photographs, Acrylic
Annotation
A pop up book about Egyptian mummification with fold out three dimensional pictures with informational accompaniment.
Personal Reaction
Seeing a small mummy in a picture is OK, but imagine unfolding a 5-foot realistic illustration of Tutankhamen! This is what students will be able to do with this fabulous fold out pop-up book fit for older students. Perfect for supplementing 6th grade social studies this book gives students an exciting larger than textbook view of this abstract curriculum. The first page shows real photographs of mummies, folding this page out it shows sections including "Mummies of the world", "Beliefs and rituals", and "Tombs, Graves and caves" and two others. The "Natural Mummies" section educates the student on what a mummy is and how the dead can become mummified both purposefully and naturally. The center of the book is where the large mummy is laying regally in his golden 3 dimensional mask. Down the side of him there are photos and illustrations of different Egyptian artifacts and where and why they would be found in the tomb. The top of the page can be turned to view underneath the golden mask, a shocking but fascinating scene. This book can also be hung on the wall during a class lesson.

Egyptian civilizations are directly apart of the following California State Standards for the 6th grade:
6.2     Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush.
6.2.2     Trace the development of agricultural techniques that permitted the production of economic surplus and the emergence of cities as centers of culture and power.
6.2.3     Understand the relationship between religion and the social and political order in Mesopotamia and Egypt.
6.2.5     Discuss the main features of Egyptian art and architecture.
6.2.6     Describe the role of Egyptian trade in the eastern Mediterranean and Nile valley.
6.2.8     Identify the location of the Kush civilization and describe its political, commercial, and cultural relations with Egypt

The dog breed handbook

By  Joan Palmer (N/A website)
Grange Books, London, 2005
ISBN 9780785825586
Annotation
An encyclopedia of pure bred dog breeds.
Personal Reaction
Dog breed guides are a favorite with many students. The jewel in this one is that all the breeds are in one medium sized glossy well-bound book. A small book in size but not in content, this dog breed book list the different breeds under sections such as non-sporting breeds, herding dog, working dog, terrier, hound, toy and gun dogs. The introduction goes over different physical characteristic and terminology, a brief history of showing dogs with a map of different Kennel Club regions. Each breed has it’s own beautiful glossy page with one or two variations of the breed if there are any. The book has in mind that the reader is looking at breeds to purchase so a little guide to care requirements gives each dog a 1 through 4 rating on exercise, food, space, and grooming. Each page also includes a brief history of the breed and a little more detail on the special care needed and any other little positive things, such as good with kids, great watchdog, loyal. This book is a good addition to the pets’ section where often libraries have many books on individual breeds and not many with a collection of breeds. It could be displayed with other pet books for a unique display of high interest nonfiction. Although it is recommended for adults it’s reading level is very low and the pictures and information is high interest for the dog obsessed.