Golem

A Caldecott Award Winning Book!

Golem is a creature of Jewish legend. A puppet being made from clay that can only be created by the holiest of men. Rabbi Loew is one such man. He has called Golem forth in 16th Century Prague to protect his people from the Christian attacks and riots caused by the “Blood Lie”. Will Golem be willing to give up his new-found life in order to save his people?

This is a fascinating look at Jewish mythology that will prompt your students to look at the relationship between history and religion. Although this book may not always be suitable for classroom use, it is still an excellent recommendation for students who wish to delve deeper into the subject outside of the classroom.

Wisniewski, D. (1996). Golem. New York: Clarion

Art Skills

Ever had a student complain they can’t draw?

Answer them with “Techniques for Drawing Trees”.

What about students who get into everything?

Go wild with “Animal Collage"or "Fingerprint Flowers"!

Need some ideas for classroom projects?

Try a "Tissue Paper Pond" or a "Starry Night" solar system.

Nutty about Math?

Go bonkers with “Geometric Prints” or "Transformations”!

Start out with the simple projects at the beginning of the book, or brave the use of advanced 3-D techniques at the end. Whether it’s for free time, an art class, or getting ideas for the classroom, this is THE book for the creative mind. Worried about materials? Just use what you have around the classroom: tissue paper, construction paper, pastel crayons and colored pencils. Or pave the way to collaboration and talk with the art teacher!

Also, Check out some of the other books in this series:

The Usborne Book of Art Ideas



The Usborne Art Treasury

Miller, A. Fearn, K. Goransky, N. & Leyhane, V. (2003). The Usborne Book of Art Skill. Tulsa, OK: EDC Publishing.

Criss Cross

Debbie wishes
something would
happen to her.
Anything to make
her life more
interesting...




Hector feels unfinished,
“still in process.”
He keeps waiting for that
transformation.
That change...



Venture with them as their paths criss cross in a series of mutual friends and shared moments. Will they find a place with each other or discover that growing up is more complicated than it looks?


A Caldecott Award Winning Book!

This is a coming of age story for middle schoolers that addresses character development. Perfect for use in the classroom, or as a safe way to address difficult teenage issues.

Perkins, Lynn Rae. (2005). Criss Cross. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Wham! It's A Poetry Jam!

Onomatopoeia never sounded so fun!


In a group. By yourself. With a whisper or a shout! Delivery methods, sample poems, vocal training, rhythm practice, flow and movement, tone…everything your ever wanted to know about interactive poetry is right here!

Give your kids something to do with all their energy! “Show the world that poetry was never meant to simply lie quietly on a the page, any more than kids were meant to sit quietly in their seats to read it.” Perfect for a parent night where your kids can show off their educational skills!

Holbrook, S. (2002). Wham! It’s a Poetry Jam: Discovering performance poetry. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong.

Hoops

"Hoops. The game. Feel it."


" The skittery cat-footed
dance along the baseline."



"The weight of you hanging from fine
invisible threads."

" The eyes."

Experience poetry come alive on the basketball court. Let your eyes roam over the energy of the words captured in the heart pounding illustrations.

Still not convinced? How about introducing imagery with a subject that most middle schoolers can’t keep their hands off of? Just imagine....loads of sensory details, similes, metaphors, and personification packed into a three minute countdown! Give your students something to write about by getting their heads in the game.

Burleigh, R. (1997). Hoops. New York: Silver Whistle.

Sabriel

Abhorson, a powerful mage of the Old Kingdom has disappeared. It's up to his daughter Sabriel to find him. If only it were that simple. You see, Sabriel, like her father, is a necromancer. One who lays the dead to rest and binds evil spirits before they can cross over to the living world. Until now, she has been free of the Old Kingdom where magic reigns supreme and the dead are free to roam. Now she must journey back to the place where she will come face to face with death itself and discover her destiny.


Ever since Harry Potter, fantasy books have become the rage. Even in our own schools! If your students crave this genre, introduce them to Garth Nix. He is truly a master of fantasy and has appeared on numerous best seller lists including The New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, and The Book Seller.

And if that isn't enough to convince you, he also happens to be my favorite author in this genre and comes highly recommended from this very satisfied reader.

Nix, G. (1995). Sabriel. New York: Harper Collins

The Spider and the Fly

A Caldecott Award Winning Book!

Will you walk into my parlour?"
said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour
that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour
is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew
when you are there."

Creep into the shadowy den of the impeccably dressed spider as he tries to entice a small fly to dinner. Enjoy the classic poem of Mary Howett brought to life by the deliciously creepy artwork of Tony DiTerlizzi!


Go even further with your students! Find out more about Howett and the time period in which she lived. You may be surprised to find that she worked closely with many other famous poets and authors including Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Hans Christian Anderson. Research why she wrote the poem and discuss what the moral is.

Howett, M. (2002). The Spider and The Fly (T. DiTerlizzi, Illus.). New York: Simon & Schuster.