A book review AND teaching idea for busy teachers…
As a former very-busy teacher, like YOU, I know every minute counts in your school day. So here’s how to mine this cool #kidlit book for awesome WRITING PROMPTS or quick writes, for any grades 1-12 (I’m serious here.):
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE –It’s Alive!
by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson
Illus. by Lisa K. Weber
Walden Pond Press / Harper Collins
Starred review ALA Booklist
You may think this crazy-cool MG non-fiction book is too old or young for your class, but THINK AGAIN! Each chapter can be used independently. For upper grades, read the three too-amazing-to-be-true stories about the natural world and have students guess which is the lie. For younger grades, or if you have limited time–ha did I just say that?–I highly recommend you use the side bar in each chapter (with nine Truths and one Lie) as a read-aloud and again challenge students to guess which is the lie.
Writing Applications: Great for quick writes, Critical Thinking, Persuasive writing, Opinion pieces, or informative/explanatory writing–from 1st grade on up–in which Ss state their opinion and must back it up. People, this is #STEM + #Writing + hooking reluctant readers.
If you like this suggestion, I’ll be back next month with another one.
#onceateacheralwaysateacher
Writing with upper grades at the International School in Curitiba, Brazil.
True fact: In addition to writing #kidlit, I’m a credentialed, fingerprinted, English/Theater teacher with decades of classroom experience. I love prep (Yeah, I know. Go ahead and judge.), creating engaging lesson plans, the first day of school, motivating students of all ages, and I’m betting you do too.
THANK YOU for all you do!
