Megan just started Outliers, David picked up The Maltese Falcon, Enrique's into Founding Brothers and Hanz just finished This Boy's Life. These students are starting to choose what I will challenge all students to choose before year's end: complex books that challenge their reading skill and stamina.
For some, I've started to create what Lesesne calls Reading Ladders. I book talk titles of increasing complexity around topics that interest the reader. I have one student, for example, who recently read Meg Medina's Burn Baby Burn. She was interested in the Son of Sam, serial killer aspect of the book, so I suggested Alphin's Counterfeit Son. She went out and got that book and finished it that same week. So then I suggested a few titles written from the antagonist's point of view: Inexcusable by Lynch and Breathing Under Water by Flinn. we looked up which was available in the l library (both), so she headed over to check one out. Here's a reading ladder for crime stories. I'm talking up one or two titles to her at a time.
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| Reading ladder ideas for crime and murder. |
I also love to support students as they reach for and read challenging books. Soon I'll be sharing strategy conferences I do with readers to help them climb.
Thanks for stopping by. I'd love to hear about the titles you and your kids are currently reading!
Loving your book ladders! In sixth grade, we are reading lots of good books! "Sure Signs of Crazy" and "The Crossover" are two big titles. I just read "Speak" with one of my 8th graders. So much good reading going on!!!
ReplyDeleteMy kids are loving The Crossover too! I had two tenth graders finish Speak last week-- love it when Laurie Halse Anderson makes a virtual visit to our reading community!
DeleteReading ladders are such a great motivator for kids - and great for us, their teachers, too. It's wonderful to plan growth like this, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI love how you phrase that, Tara, "planning for growth." I like purposefully planning for it too because I know it works! : )
DeleteIt really is a great idea to do, Lee Ann, and clearly you know your books. My students read some of those mentioned as gifted middle schoolers, but not quite so sophisticated. Fun that you asked because I'm now working at a used bookstore, all run by volunteers. Today a woman came in looking for a book for her son's ap English class: Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces. I thought I'd pass it on in case it would fill a need. Also, if some love n-f, a recent book I thought fascinating is The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson, about the London cholera epidemic & how one doctor & a few others figured out some "new" things about disease that others fought against. Love hearing about this reading ladder!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your posts and thinking about how third grade really isn't that different. The kids are younger, the books shorter, but my 8 and 9 year olds are also at the point in the year where they are really challenging themselves. I have one girl who has read 12 Wendy Mass books since Thanksgiving and is on to Cynthia Lord. I have another reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. One of my boys who wasn't much of a fan of reading chapter books has been blowing through the Harry Potter books. It's exciting to watch them grow.
ReplyDeleteWhat exciting ideas for any classroom. A reward for being part of this educator writing community. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks.
I read Teri's book and loved it! This is such a great time of year, isn't it?! You can start seeing all the hard work pay off. Thank you for sharing your reading ladders strategy!
ReplyDeleteThis is genuine scaffolding for readers. It encourages them to be aspirational in their reading and also gain a deeper appreciation of a particular genre or theme. Thank you for providing another insight into your teaching world Lee-Ann. -A world where readers are nourished and nudged.
ReplyDeleteReading Ladders is an excellent book. I remember the discussion w/ Teri on the EC Ning years ago.
ReplyDeleteMy classroom library hasn't gotten as much use since I started teaching AP Lit and Comp, a class filled w/ natural-born readers, but my speech classes include many hesitant readers, kids who say, "I don't like to read, but I like this book (insert title). I decided to change up speech requirements to include book talks last trimester, and that was really successful. I'm thinking of seeing how I can create "lists/ladders" that support the required reading in English classes.
I had never heard of the concept of reading ladders before. I had some ideas about leveled texts in the same genre, but you just inspired a lot more professional learning and thinking about how to be more intentional about the book suggestions I give my fourth graders. Maybe a spring break or summer project for me. Thank you for teaching me!
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