More 2nd Grade Book Recommendations using Spark Video

As readers we are constantly thinking and evaluating what we read. These 2nd graders are off to a good start with this process and have lots of potential to grow!

Book Recommendation for Aesop's Fables

Book Recommendation for Star Wars

Taking Care of Meli

This audio recommendation was by a 2nd grader. Check it out. We are experimenting using Spark Video.

https://spark.adobe.com/video/ccUzzuQusSJeU

4th Grade Focusing on thinking and making meaning as they read

Check out this padlet from a 4th grade group sharing their thinking about the book

The Table Where The Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor

https://padlet.com/jayhawkrtroy/hvosmt4rl4er 

2nd Grade Key Word Summaries

These 2nd graders have been working on identifying key words from Non-fiction texts to help them remember the most important information. Then they used their key words to paraphrase the authors words and write summaries over the text.

Check out their hard work!

These students summarized parts of the book All About Sharks by Stephanie Herbek


 A shark is a fish too. It has a fin and a tail and rows of long and sharp teeth. Some sharks are as long as a bus. A dwarf dogfish shark is as small as a pencil. A baby shark is called a pup. Many sharks have spots and stripes and lay eggs.
                                        
                              written  by Marcella in Mrs. Powell's class

A shark is a fish. A shark has a fin and a tail. A shark has rows of teeth on their mouth. A Great White shark has 5,000 teeth.  A whale shark is as big as a bus. A dwarf shark is as long as a pencil. Baby sharks are called pups.
                           
                               written by Alessia in Mrs. Steffen's class

About A Girl by Tarryn Fredde

About A Girl

By: Tarryn Fredde

A baby girl is born.

Her eyes sparkle with

innocence, and new beginnings.

What she doesn’t know,

is that from that day on,

she will be judged

by what she does,

who she is,

what she wears,

and how she acts.

This is the first mistake.

The girl, now three years old,

sits sobbing behind the jungle gym.

A boy has just kicked sand in her face.

When she finally gets her teachers attention and tells her what happened, she grins slightly and chuckles.

At her.

Her teacher is laughing at her because a boy just kicked sand in her face.

“Oh sweetie,”

she says, the sickly-sweetness of her voice

making the girls stomach turn,

and the tears fall harder.

“That just means he likes you.

Besides, it’s just what boys do.”

Her teacher smiles again,

and walks away,

leaving the girl more hurt

 and confused than before.

Absolutely nothing is done

About the boy who kicked sand in her face.

This is the second mistake.

The girl,

now in the third grade,

has decided that

Her favorite thing in the whole world is

basketball.

But when she goes to play with the boys,

they laugh at her.

“You can’t play basketball!

You’re a girl!”

They say with a violence of a million suns,

and she gets burned by the solar flare.

But she tells no one,

because of the four little

words that have been

ingrained in her head;

“Boys will be boys.”

This is the third mistake.

In middle school,

things are vastly different

for the girl.

She sees all the other girls

wearing makeup and

gossiping together.

And she has no interest at all.

But then,

The comments start to roll in.

“Why don’t you wear makeup?”

“You should wear makeup.”

“You would look prettier with makeup.”

And when the thinly veiled insults start getting to her, she gives in and

starts wearing makeup.

This is the fourth mistake.

When she comes to school the next day,

 with makeup,

 the comments make her head spin.

“You’re wearing too much makeup.”

“You’re too young to be wearing that much makeup.”

“Makeup is false advertising!”

When the girl gets home,

she scrubs her face

until it stings,

 and cries herself to sleep that night.

This is the fifth mistake.

It’s two years later, and the girl decides that

she wants to wear a tank top

because it’s hot that day.

But the moment she walks into school,

the principle points at her,

and leads her to his office.

He informs her that her tank top is violating

dress code,

hands her a detention slip,

and makes her call her mom to get a new shirt.

All because

her bra strap,

barely an inch of fabric,

and her shoulders

are deemed to inappropriate for school.

This is the sixth mistake.

She’s at her freshman orientation,

walking through the gym,

looking at at the clubs.

Then,

she comes across a booth for a club called

“Women’s Rights Club.”

On their banner,

 they have the Venus sign,

replaced with a fist in the middle.

Sitting at the booth,

are three young women,

that look like sophomores.

One girl has at least five piercings,

and bright blue hair.

Another has on a leather jacket, combat boots,

and not a drop of makeup on her face.

 And the third girl is wearing a pretty dress,

and makeup.

  They are all talking and laughing like

they’re best friends.

And Finn Walters suddenly feels drawn to these

young women.

Like they will be her life line for the

next four years.

Finn walks over and immediately signs herself up.

  This is the first success.

She goes to their first meeting,

and it’s like her eyes have been opened

for the first time.

Finn has always had this

spark

in her,

this

resistance.

But she’s always squished down,

because no one has ever wanted her opinion.

Until now.

Now, that spark is a

forest fire,

burning as hot as that

solar flare she was hit with all those years ago.

She’s brighter than the sun,

and she’ll never burn out.

Finn Walters is a revolutionary.

And her fire is spreading.

But now, Finn has passed her flame to someone else;

her daughter.

And Finn will make sure that her smoldering daughter knows that

Boys will be held responsible for their actions.

That she can be the best basketball player

in the world if she wants to.

That women are not products being sold.

And,

most importantly,

that her gender doesn’t determine anything about

what she does,

who she is,

what she wears,

or how she acts.

What Do You Do with a Tail like this? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

  Everyone should read What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? I think you need to read it. The best thing about this book is that it tells you a good question about animals.

  This book is a Q and A book that gives you lots of facts about animals! In my opinion you should read this book. Go check it out! You will love it!

Recommended by a 1st grade student from Mr. Pettit's class.

Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey

Everyone should read Dog Breath because Dog Breath is funny. Dog Breath is about a boy and a girl that try to get rid of their dog's breath, but they can't get rid of their dog. You will love this book because it has great illustrations. This book will make you laugh with tears of joy!
In my opinion Dog Breath is a great book by Dav Pilkey! So go read this book to find out what happens to Dog Breath!

Recommended by a 1st grade student in Mr. Pettit's class.

Dino-Boarding by Lisa Wheeler

Dino-Boarding is a great book. It will make you want to skate board. I believe it is a great book and it will make you want to surf in the beach and it will make you want to ride on the snowy mountain and skate park. This book is written by Lisa Wheeler & illustrated by Berry Gott. You should read this book if you like dinos and skateboards.

Recommended by a 1st Grade student from Mr. Pettit's class

Doggy Whys? by Lila Prap

Everyone should read Doggy Whys. It is a great and fantastic book. Everyone should read it because it is illustrated by Lila Prap. I think this book has great illustrations that will teach you about dogs. Doggy Whys is a book about all kinds of dogs. The book teaches us about dogs. You will get lots of information. I know you will love this book by Lila Prap, its a very good book. You will really love it!! It will make you want to play with your dog and it is a funny book.

Recommended by a 1st grade student from Mr. Pettit's class.

The Big One by Tommy Greenwald from Storyworks magazine

The Big One is the title of this story. What do you think it means? What could the big one be? This title made it seen interesting enough for me to read. Turns out a boy named Joe is the main character and this kid loves fishing. He joined a fishing club. Joe wanted to go on an ice fishing trip but needed a parent with him. No one else in his family likes fishing however at all. He asks his dad expecting him to so no. To his surprise dad goes with him. On the trip though his dad stays in the tent with the coffee and does not fish with him. Joe is very upset by this. Read to find out what happens between Joe and his Dad.  Also find out what the big one in the title is talking about. It may surprise you! Also the reason Joe likes fishing may surprise you. It surprised me! My prediction of who the static and dynamic characters were was wrong.  See if you can figure it out before the end!


                                                         Anonymous 5th Grade Student