Book 10, Flush

I just finished my second book by Carl Hiassen. I enjoyed it just as much as Scat. There are many similarities between the two books. They both take place in Florida and deal with mysteries in the environment. The book starts with a boy vistiting his dad in jail. His dad was arrested for sinking a casino boat. He sunk the ship because he thought it was dumping human waste directly into the ocean. Noah and his sister set out to get proof and deal with some very interesting characters along the way. The characters have very interesting personalities that bring in subplots to the story. It is a funny mystery. The author has written many books for adults and three for kids. He writes a column for the Miami Herald. I enjoy his writing style but wish he would keep his kids' books a little cleaner in the language.

Completed June 28, 2010

Pages: 263

Benton Lindaman | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

Benton Lindaman Des Moines Register Staff Blogs
I included this as something I read because this article talks about an all around great young man, Ben Lindaman. I have watched Ben grow up as an athlete and a young man of character. He went through orientation at UNI last week. My daughter works on orientation staff, she said, "I love Ben. He has his head on straight." The article asks where Ben practices the javelin. We know the answer. Ben has participated in West Side Track Club since he was first eligible as a seven year-old. I have seen with a turbo javelin. I hope I don't offend the Lindamans, but I think it was made by Nerf. As a young boy, Ben threw that thing well and that has moved into a young man, throwing the real thing well. I include this, because of all the things that I read on my RSS, this was the most interesting to me. Ben is the kind of role-model young people should look to. He is an example of hard work paying off. He is not only a great track athlete, he is also a great swimmer, singer, dancer and person. Ben is one to watch at UNI next fall.

Book 9, Scat

I have read a lot of books this summer, and I think this is my favorite so far. The book was called Scat. Scat might be what you say if you want a cat or something else to go away, scat is also animal poop. The word is used both ways in this book. Carl Hiaasen is the author. He created a funny, but serious mystery that takes place in Black Vine Swamp in Florida. A number of crimes take place that are all related. Arson, missing person, illegal oil drilling, breaking and entering, and evading arrest. The first sentence hooks the reader with the biology teacher going missing. The book is absolutely filled with interesting characters, both animal and human. It has a classic good verses evil plot that is set in modern times. I would recommend this book and author to others. It is a very satisfying read.
Completed: June 24, 2010
Pages: 371

Iowa Children's Choice, Book 5, Lost and Found

Lost and Found, by Andrew Clements

Completed: June 21, 2010

genre: realistic fiction

Pages: 161

Book 8, Lost and Found

This is a funny, realistic fiction story about twins, Ray and Jay. They move to a new school and on the first day one of the boys is sick, so the other goes to school alone and realizes it is kind of nice to be seen as an individual instead of always a twin. The boys devise a plan to take turns going to school and hiding out at home. Of course this is unknown to the school staff, the boys' parents and the whole student body, until Ray tells a girl to keep it a secret and a boy notices that a skinned knee heals incredibly fast. The secret plan comes undone in a humorous way. It is a fun, light-hearted read by Andrew Clements. He has written other realistic fiction books that take place at school for kids. For this one he drew on experiences of being a father of twins. He also has written science-fiction. My favorite would be, Things not Seen.
completed June 21, 2010
pages: 161

Adults as likely to text while driving as teens, study says - CNN.com

Adults as likely to text while driving as teens, study says - CNN.com

The texting/talking cell phone usage issue is an interesting one. The article said that 6000 people died last year from accidents caused by distracted drivers. I question what other distractions might be. I know that I am far more distracted by the whole text message thing than I am talking on the cell phone. Out on the open roads I admit to texting. When my daughter was sixteen I made her read, highlight and write a report about using the cell phone and driving. When I think of 6,000 people dying though, I think that this is preventable. I think that teenagers are less experienced at driving and more experienced at texting and adults are more experienced at driving than teenagers. That balances out, so I guess none of us should be using a cell phone and driving. We need to remember that we are controlling a multi-ton object at very high speeds and we need to do everything that we can to keep it, others, and ourselves safe. We can take a step towards that by not texting or talking on cell phones and involving ourselves in other distracting behaviors as we drive.

Book 7, Dovey Coe

Dovey Coe is an amazingly strong, confident girl growing up in the mountains of North Carolina, created by author, Frances O'Roark Dowell. I chose this because it won an Edgar Allan Poe award so I thought it would be a great mystery. I think that it is a good book to show the way of life of people growing up in the mountains of the South. It uses Dovey's voice throughout which is her southern accent infused with grammatical errors to craft the main character. The mystery of the book is who killed the antagonist, Parnell. The majority of the book is developing the characters and conflict. The mystery does not come until very late in the book and is quickly wrapped up in three chapters. It is an excellent example of how a family pulls together in adverse circumstances. It is a great story, but not really that great of a mystery. I need to keep looking for my mystery.
completed June 20, 2010
pages 181

Book 6, My Father's Daughter

E. L. Konigsburg has written many books. Her characters are thinkers. She really reveals them through their detailed thinking. Winston is the main character in this book, a boy who seems to have it all. I read this book on my search for the great mystery. I enjoyed it and was absolutely full of questions as I read it, which is what a great mystery should do. The crime is a kidnapping that takes place 20 years before the book really starts. The mystery is if the woman who shows up at the front door the daughter that was kidnapped or an impostor after the family fortune. The detective is Winston. I found the most interesting character to be Heidi alias Hilary. Heidi had a hearing impairment and perhaps other special needs as she was growing up. I was always trying to figure her out. She had some pretty socially inappropriate behaviors such as taking food from other's plates just because she wanted to. She got away with it. Her mother seemed to excuse her misbehavior and put a great deal of responsibility on Winston. After I read the book, I question which daughter the author referred to in the title. If you like a good plot and well-developed characters, you will enjoy this book.
completed June 18, 2010
pages - 118

Game will let you sing, dance like Michael Jackson - CNN.com

Game will let you sing, dance like Michael Jackson - CNN.com

Wow, after all the sad news about the oil in the gulf, it is kind of nice to have some fun news. So really, do you think and game is going to let me, Mrs. Niffenegger, sing and dance like Michael Jackson? I think it sounds like a lot of fun trying. The promoters say it will be great fun for the whole family. I think it will be along the lines of Rock Band or Guitar Hero. It sounds like fun. Will any you be getting this? What about you Makenna?

Iowa Children's Choice, Book 4, Iron Thunder

Iron Thunder, by Avi, completed June 14, 2010
genre: historical fiction
pages: 200

Book 5, Iron Thunder

I was excited to read this book by Avi, the author of one of my all time favorite books, Crispin. I thoroughly enjoyed that book and had high expectations for Iron Thunder. It did not disappoint. It takes place during the Civil War. It is based on the battle between the first iron clad ships. It tells about the building of the Monitor, the Union iron clad ship. It is told from the point of view of 13 year-old Tom Carroll who was actually on the ship. Once again, a young boy involved in the Civil War. There were really lots of boys involved in active military roles. Tom had to get a job to help support his mother and sister because his father was killed in the war. He got a job in which he helped build the ship. Many people had doubts that an iron ship would actually float. He was taunted for being a part of it. He is also offered money from Confederate spies for information about the ship. His family could certainly use the money and he really thinks it over. Tom, as so many boys in the war, faced very adult situations. It is a great story of the Civil War and heroism.

Completed: June 14, 2010

pages: 192

Book 4, Soldier's Heart

Gary Paulsen is one of my favorite authors. He tells it like it is. I have read some of his books and thought, "That may be the last Paulsen book I ever read." I thought that with this Paulsen book. He writes very graphic details. This would be the most graphic account of the Civil War that I have ever read for kids. It is based on the story of a real soldier, 15 year old Charley Goddard from Minnesota. The story follows him from the time he leaves the Minnesota farming community looking at war as an adventure, through major battles and injuries. It tells the story of how Charley's adventurous heart changes to one of fear and later no feeling. It tells what he witnessed that lead to those changes. I know that war is bad, but this book opened my eyes and heart to how bad. There are ugly, scary images in the book that won't leave me. My heart truly goes out to any man or woman who has faced combat. Paulsen tells this historical fiction story of a Civil War soldier with brutal honesty, a story that I would just as soon not know about, but one I should know about as an American citizen who enjoys the liberties of this nation.

completed June 11, 2010

pages: 104

Mystery Hunt

5Aer's past and future,

Have any of you found any good mysteries yet? I am still waiting.

Mr. Sniff aka Mrs. Niffenegger

Book 3, Hate that Cat

Sharon Creech wrote a realistic fiction story created in poetic form. It is a sequel to Love that Dog. The main character, Jack has an encounter with a cat as he grows as a poet throughout the school year. It is a fun book to read with a touching, heartfelt story. It is also a quick read. I read it to the class after our guided reading unit on poetry. As with all poetry, the reader really needs to use inferences to understand the big ideas.

Book 2, How to Steal a Dog

Barbara O'Connor wrote thisrealistic fiction book about the modern day problem of being homeless. A young girl named Georgina finds herself living in the car with her mother and younger brother after their father leaves them. The family is desperate for money. Despite the seriousness of being homeless, Barbara O'Connor twists humor into the story. Georgina comes up with the idea of stealing a dog and returning it for the reward money. Stealing the dog proves to create more problems than solutions. Georgina learns about her self and others as she tries to help her family. This was a great read. It was really a book that I couldn't wait to pick up again and I would not want to put down. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Iowa Children's Choice, Book 3, Hate that Cat

Hate that Cat, Sharon Creech, completed June 10, 2010

Genre: poetry, realistic fiction

Iowa's Children's Choice, Book 2, How to Steal a Dog

How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor completed June 10, 2010

Genre: realistic fiction

Iowa Children's Choice, Book 1, Found

Found, by Katherine Peterson Haddix, completed on June 7, 2010

Genre: science fiction

At wildlife rehab center, oiled pelicans get a second chance - CNN.com

At wildlife rehab center, oiled pelicans get a second chance - CNN.com
The pictures of the pelicans covered in oil is one that I just can't get out of my head. I think it is interesting that they use Dawn dishwashing detergent to clean them. I wonder if the pelicans are able to stay out of the oil and not be contaminated again. I also wonder if the pelicans have that much oil on the outside, what must they be like on the inside. I wonder if they ingest any of the oil. I hope this oil leak is stopped and soon before any more damage is done.

Iowa Children's Choice Nonimations 2010-11

The Iowa Children's Choice nominations for 2010-2011 are out. There are some great books nominated this year. Go to the list and get started on some of these books. Maybe you can be one of those students who reads all of the Iowa Children's Choice books. I have read three of them. I am going to try to read them all before the awards assembly next year? Do you think Mrs.Grefe will give me an award if I do? Did you know that Found was on the list? That book just keeps popping up everywhere. Good call, Grant!

Oil disaster deadly for Gulf wildlife - CNN.com

Oil disaster deadly for Gulf wildlife - CNN.com

This oil well leak is so sad. So many lives are being hurt. The sea turtles, birds and now a concern for the manatees. This will be far reaching. I really wonder if the gulf will ever be the same.

Alligator wanders into Florida middle school - CNN.com

Alligator wanders into Florida middle school - CNN.com: "Alligator wanders into Florida middle schoolBy Ashley Hayes, CNNJune 7, 2010 1:28 p.m. EDT
An alligator finds a spot in front of the cafeteria Monday at Stuart Middle School in suburban Tampa, Florida.STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Alligator was trapped inside school by wildlife experts
Stuart Middle School is near the Hillsborough River
It's currently gator mating season
RELATED TOPICS
Wildlife
Reptiles and Amphibians
Florida
(CNN) -- Looking for love, or perhaps just for some cafeteria food or spelling lessons, an alligator was found Monday inside a middle school in suburban Tampa, Florida.
Tampa police were notified around 7 a.m. that the gator had set itself down in a prime spot, 'in front of the cafeteria in Stuart Middle School,' the department said in a written statement.
Although school does not let out for another week, no children were inside the school when the reptile was discovered, said Hillsborough County School District spokesman Steve Hegarty.
The school is near the Hillsborough River, so it's not too far-fetched to think an alligator might make its way inside, Hegarty said. Still, he doesn't recall any similar incidents.
'The gator was contained in one of the hallways,' police said. Trappers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission caught the creature. No one was injured.
It's currently alligator mating season. According to the conservation commission's website, alligator 'courtship' begins in early April, with mating occurring in May or June."

Hey 5Aer's,
Can you imagine an alligator wandering into Crossroads? When it says looking for love, or perhaps just some cafeteria food, I thought or some student food. It is pretty funny that it just sat down in front of the cafeteria. Maybe it was just hungry. It is good no children were in the building. I would have hated to be the first to arrive at school that day.

This is my first nonfiction piece that I read and blogged about. I want to keep track of these too. For my books, I will add a picture of a book. Any ideas on what I should use as an icon for my nonfiction. This time I will use the alligator in the school. Suggest a nonfiction icon.
Watch out for the 'gators,

Mr. Sniff aka Mrs. Niff

Book 1, Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I just finished reading my first book of the summer, Found, by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Grant suggested it as a good mystery. I agree with Grant up until about page 183, then it turns into science fiction with a mystery. Don't you hate it when authors mix up genres so that you really have to think about what genre type the book fits under? Or do you just hate it when teachers make you pick a genre type when there could be more than one possibility? A mystery is a book in which a detective (professional or amateaur) tries to solve a crime or unknown event using logic. In this case two of the main characters, Chip and Jonah try to figure out who is sending them threatening notes in the mail. In the beginning they use logic. On about page 183, science fiction enters the story and logic goes out the window. The book goes on with some cliffhangers and twists. Even though it is not a mystery, it is worth putting on your summer reading lists. As most of my 5a students know, science fiction is not my favorite genre to read for fun, and I truly think that summer is the time to really dig into books for fun reading. With that being said, Found, hooked me. I read it every single day and really couldn't wait for more. The book not only twists from a mystery to science fiction but in the end it eludes to maybe touching on historical fiction, my favorite genre. I will definitely be getting a copy of the sequel, Sent. Let me know what you think of Found. Keep looking for great mysteries for me.

A voracious summer reader,

Mr. Sniff aka Mrs. Niff

Reading Goals for Summer

1. Find some great mysteries that I may use in my guided reading groups next fall. Send me your ideas. Tell me the title, author and what makes it such a great mystery. No matter what though, don't tell me the ending or the secret to the mystery. I may even give prizes to students who suggest mysteries that I end up using. I'll be thinking about that one. Now go out there and find me some great mysteries.

2. Log or blog my reading over the summer. I want to make a record of everything that I read this summer.

3. Log or blog my internet reading and reflect on my RSS' to see if this is a feasible way to have my students to do it in the fall.

Summer Reading

Greetings former and future students of 5A and interested parties,

I am taking an online class, (yes, teachers take classes too) and one of the things we are learning about is blogging. I thought this would be a way that I could influence (inspire, encourage, all good things) your reading over the summer and also get your help. I also am going to try some things over the summer with blogging that I may want to use in my classroom next fall.