Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie turns 20 years old this year. It is one of my all-time favorite middle grade novels. The idea that kids that had this book read aloud to them when they were kids, are now reading it aloud to their own kids/students, makes my heart happy. Last week, I called Kate […]
Category Archives: Uncategorized
January
21
No Matter Who You Are, You Can Achieve Remarkable Things by Joseph Elliott
posted by CBethM
When I was fifteen, I trekked from the west coast of Scotland to the east coast – a similar journey to that made by the characters in the book – with nothing but a tent, a sleeping bag, and a (much needed) waterproof coat. When it stopped raining long enough for me to appreciate the […]
January
01
The 2019 Nerdies: Middle Grade Fiction Books Announced by Colby Sharp
posted by Colby Sharp
I LOVE middle grade fiction! For so many young readers, the books they read in upper elementary and middle school become the books that they hold in their hearts forever. I believe that the books on this list are some of those forever books. I am excited to announce the 2019 Middle Grade Fiction Nerdies! […]
December
20
Books My Fifth Graders Are Reading On Winter Break by Colby Sharp
posted by Colby Sharp
The two week break that I get each year in the winter is one of the most magical reading times of the year. I love sitting next to our Christmas tree with a cup of coffee and a great book. We spend a lot of time in my fifth grade classroom getting ready for two […]
November
27
Books My Students Are Reading | Thanksgiving Break Edition by Colby Sharp
posted by Colby Sharp
I had a lovely two day week with my students. One of the highlights was a field trip to a bowling alley that we took to celebrate the end of their bowling unit in physical education. In class, we focused a lot of making reading plans for our five day break. In the video below, […]
October
30
The Books My Students Are Reading by Colby Sharp
posted by Colby Sharp
Each month, when my kids head to lunch, I ask them to leave their independent reading book in a pile on one of our classroom desks. While the kids are away, I make a video sharing the titles they are currently reading. It if fun to make/share, but what I love about it the most […]
August
16
“Don’t Exceptionalize Me” by Amy Watkins
posted by CBethM
“JASON REYNOLDS! is coming to NErDcamp! JASON REYNOLDS! is coming to NErDcamp, and I’m going!” is what I was hollering back in February when I registered for what I knew would be an amazing, teacher-soul sustaining, book laden professional development experience. For those of you who are not familiar with nErDcamp, it’s a two-day conference […]
July
28
Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee | Review by Colby Sharp
posted by Colby Sharp
I love children’s literature. I read a lot of books written for kids, and I love trying to convince educators and my students to try some of the books that capture my heart. Barbara Dee’s latest book just might be the most unforgettable book I have read in ages. I finished it on a plane […]
March
27
The Books My Kids Are Reading by Colby Sharp
posted by Colby Sharp
We are two days away from spring break, and my readers are prepping for a week of reading away from our classroom. They have grown so much since the first break of the school year (Thanksgiving). When my students went to special today, I asked them if they would leave me the book they are […]
March
16
Ten Picture Book Biographies You Can’t Experience in a Textbook by Kirsten Leestma
posted by CBethM
I’m a firm believer in learning about our world by learning about the people who have left their mark on it. The problem is that there are too many people that get overlooked. There are countless scientists, activists, writers, inventors, and dreamers that never get mentioned in a textbook. In second grade, we learn about […]
