Sunday, March 31, 2013

Mentor Text Linky (The Hurricane) and FREEBIE!

Happy Easter everyone!  
I hope you are spending some quality time with your loved ones today to celebrate.  
I am writing this on Saturday to have it all ready to link up with some of my best blogging buddies, Collaboration Cuties (they really are amazing!).  Today, they are starting this awesome new linky full of mentor texts!  You have to check out their plan for linking up every Sunday.  I know that I need some help when it comes to good literature (I taught 6th grade math for my first 8 years and did not really use too many mentor texts!).  This linky will be so helpful for organizing all the great texts out there!  
I love the blogging world and all the knowledge that everyone has to share:)



From Publisher's Weekly:  "A boy and his family witness an awe-inspiring storm in this exhilarating picture book account...Based on London's (The Candystore Man, reviewed above) recollection of a childhood experience, this suspenseful tale has a ""you are there"" immediacy. Poetic descriptions of hammering winds, crashing waves and lightning which ""scribbled on the dark clouds"" eloquently capture the beauty and violence of severe weather. Sorensen's (I Love You as Much) slightly hazy oil paintings move suddenly from sunny island blues and greens to chillingly dark grays." 

Go to this link to read the entire Publisher's Weekly Review.

During my natural disasters unit, there are many examples of informational literature, but this is a wonderful historical fiction story.  As the publisher's weekly review states, the book has so many poetic descriptions which makes it ideal for teaching visualization and word choice.  The book also lends itself to prediction and plot/sequence activities.  I used these short and extended response questions to accompany the book as a listening activity.  Updated for TPT and added as a freebie, you can download it here.
Here is a preview:

If you are interested in a culminating activity I use for the Natural Disaster unit, you can find it here on TPT.  Sale ends tonight at midnight EST:)
Be sure to check back for the other link ups at Collaboration Cuties!

5 comments:

  1. I had never heard of this book, but I am adding to my list of books I need. I will be using your natural disaster project next year so I really appreciate this book suggestion and the freebie!!

    Looking From Third to Fourth

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  2. Love it! I used this book for writing to teach personification! I'm so excited to get new ideas-thanks for sharing!I can't wait to download this freebie!!!Here's my post if you want to check it out.
    http://headoverheelsforteaching.blogspot.com/2012/10/personification.html
    Joanne
    Head Over Heels For Teaching

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  3. Thank you for posting about this book! I've owned it for years, but have never read it. I am going to have to pull it off of my shelf.

    Kristin
    Teachntex

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  4. Thank you for linking up!!! Yay!!! I love when we can use historical fiction!! Thank you so much for this freebie! I'm not sure why I started this linky party- I knew that I was going to want all of these books for myself and will totally go broke getting them!!

    I love that we are all sharing how to use the books- it makes it so much easier to plan from!!

    Hugs,
    Amanda
    Collaboration Cuties

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  5. Thanks so much for sharing this text! I think this picture book could be used with various levels. It will make a great small group read with my second graders. Thanks for offering the freebies as well. All the best!

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