We did a wonderful mini-unit on Robert Frost's poem, Nothing Gold Can Stay. We went outside on a beautiful spring day in early May and sketched the newly emerging foliage of trees and bushes as well as the blooms of the shad (service berry) trees. Then we discussed change before our first reading of the poem. The students had some very impressive insights as we explored the rich images the poem evokes. Then we had an "Aha" moment a couple of weeks later when one student came across the same poem quoted in the book she was reading.
For the final day of the book challenge some of the staff members dressed up as book characters. What fun! Above is a picture of me with my friend Mrs. Gallagher. Can you tell who we are? She is dressed as Piper from the Percy Jackson series. See her Camp Half Blood T-shirt? I am dressed as Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. I find it interesting that several years ago students couldn't get enough of the Harry Potter books even though they become more difficult to read as you go through the series. It was wonderful that students were stretching their reading muscles to learn new words and concepts because they were so motivated to read the books. In recent years, student interest has been more focused on the Percy Jackson series of books, the Warriors series, and The Hunger Games. But, again, all of these series of exciting and interesting books has caused students to push themselves and exercise those reading muscles.
So thank you to all of these authors, J.K. Rowling, Erin Hunter, Rick Riordan, and Suzanne Collins for sharing their gift of writing and adventure with the rest of us. You have enriched our lives and taken us to places we would never have imagined. And thank you to our wonderful librarian, Stacy Holbrook for providing us with this year's reading challenge, the Skivinger Hunt!
We love to read!!!!
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