Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot by Sy Montegomery
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Copyright: 2010

Citation: Montgomery, S., & Bishop, N. (2010). Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Literary Awards, Honors, and/or Nominations

1. 2011 Robert F. Sibert Medal Award: Winner
2. 2012 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award: Nominee

Reading Level:
Grade Level Equivalent: 7.4
Lexile: 950L
DRA: 60
Guided Reading: W

-Original description of the book
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot is about the endangered Kakapo parrot in New Zealand and the mission of a fourteen person team to save the last of these rare birds. The story continues with the team taking turns watching over different Kakapo parrots and their chicks. This books shows the joy of learning that the endangered parrot is growing in number, and there is hope for the future of the species. Sy Montgomery does a fantastic job writing this book because it keeps the reader interested in the journal-like entries, and also includes extra facts alongside the pages, such as New Zealand’s isolation and relevant events that are added in like “A Night with Sirocco”. Nic Bishop uses extremely close-up and detailed pictures with captions about the people, animals, and what is occurring in the photos and places these photos in a strategic way that keeps the reader’s attention. This is such a great book for students to read because it is unlike the typical nonfiction and informational texts that they read.

-Corresponding Common Core State Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.3: Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.5: Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.


-Suggested delivery
1) Read Aloud
2) Independent read

-2 electronic resources
1) Kakapo Resources
2) Sy Montgomery interviews

-3 teaching suggestions for grades 4-6
1) This book is perfectly written to encourage students to research endangered species in groups. Animals are becoming endangered sooner than expected, and it could hurt our planet and our ecosystems. Students can pick an animal and research information about them (i.e. What do they eat?, Where do they live?, Can we save them? If so how?, etc.). Students may work in pairs and present their findings to the class. Teachers can us the Scholastic Endangered animals: Student Research Unit plan which teaches three lessons about endangered animals and extinction, use New Zealand resources if students require them, use these ideas for an endangered species project, or use the BrainPOP Jr. Extinct and endangered species video/lesson to motivate students about endangered species.

2) Teaches can also use this story to teach students about Kakapo parrots. The Kakapo parrots are a rare breed of parrots that students will find interesting. People have kept them as pets, their feathers smell like honey, and can live to be at least 70 years old. Here are some broad Parrot facts that students can use along with Kakapo parrot facts. If desired, students can learn about conserving the Kakapo as well.

3) This books also provides the opportunity to have students compare and contrast the Kakapo parrot to other parrots. Using the fact hyperlinks above, students can use this parrot species comparison chart and write the differences between the two.

-Key vocabulary
1) Kakapo: the rarest and heaviest parrot in the world
2) Perverse: turned away from or rejecting what is good, right, normal, etc.
3) Infrared: producing or using rays pf light that can’t be seen
4) Downy: covered in small, soft feathers
5) Extinction: the process of becoming extinct; a coming to an end or dying out: the extinction of a species.
6) Breed: to produce (offspring); procreate; reproduce
7) Maori: the original people living in New Zealand
8) Superlative: surpassing all others
9) Predator: an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals
10) Raptor: a bird (such as an eagle or hawk) that kills and eats other animals for food
11) Airborne: in the air; moving or being carried through the air

-An inferential comprehension writing activity
Students will write two letters-one to Sy Montgomery and another to the Kakapo Recovery organization. In the letter to Sy, the students must include their thoughts, reactions, and/or feelings about the endangered species, what they thought about her book, and how or if they would like to help save these animals. In the letter to the Kakapo Recovery organization, the students must write an opinionated letter that discusses saving the endangered species and what they can do to create an awareness program and alert other about the Kakapo parrots.

-Before Reading Comprehension Activity: Students will use prior knowledge and background experiences to connect the author's writing with a personal picture. The teacher will begin to read Kakapo Rescue, share with the students the image that was created in their mind, and then discuss about the words that helped build that specific picture. Then, talk with the students about how making mental images can help them understand what’s happening in the story. Continue to read the story and then after a descriptive passage, ask a few students to describe what their picture looks like, feels like, smells like, etc. and which words helped them make their mental picture. When pictures differ, talk about why that could be.

-During Reading Comprehension Activity: Students can use the Kakapo Rescue vocabulary web chart to map out what the definition is, synonyms, antonyms, and more. When students come across a word that they don’t know, they can use this web to understand the word and use it in different way.

-After Reading Comprehension Activity: Teachers can give the students this Kakapo Rescue discussion guide and students could use it as they are reading through this book. It provides a chart of the different Kakapo parrots mentioned in the book, different facts about the Kakapo parrot, inferring what changed their population, the food chain, and more.

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
Publisher: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children
Copyright: 2008

Citation: Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship: The story of Negro League baseball. New York, NY: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.

Literary Awards, Honors, and/or Nominations

1. 2009 Robert F. Sibert Medal Award: Winner
2. 2009 Coretta Scott King Award: Winner
3. 2009 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work- Children's: Nominee
4. 2009 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrators: Nominee

Reading Level:
Grade Level Equivalent: 5
Lexile: 900L
DRA: 60
Guided Reading: W

-Original description of the book
Kadir Nelson’s book describes the story of gifted African American athletes, racial discrimination and international sportsmanship, triumphs and defeats on and off the field, and more about the Negro Leagues. He focuses on how these players overcame segregation, prejudice, and unfair pay just to play baseball. The book starts in the 1920s and includes when Jackie Robinson joined the Major leagues in 1947. When you read this book, the voice is so well written that you feel as if you are in that time period. Kadir’s oil painted illustrations are phenomenal and show the most incredible details.

-Corresponding Common Core State Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. (Activity that addresses the standard: After Reading Comprehension Activity)

-Suggested delivery
1) Independent read
2) Read aloud

-2 electronic resources
1) We Are The Ship website
2) Kadir Nelson Read Alouds and Interviews

-3 teaching suggestions for grades 4-6
1) Kadri Nelson describes the hardships and triumphs that African American baseball players had to go through in order to play this favorite American pastime. We are the Ship is just one of many books that can be used to teach students of all ages about segregation and integration. Students should learn about segregation and integration of not just African Americans, but also Native Americans and other ethnicities because it plays a large role as the history of the United States. Here are some links that can help with teaching segregation in an elementary classroom, creating a classroom segregation experience, and an example of a segregation lesson plan.

2) This book also includes a lot about the history of baseball, and how it progresses over the years. Students can research more about how baseball started (where, when, what was used, etc.) and how it has changed to fit today’s expectations. Where there originally nine innings or the seventh inning stretch? Who decided that mascots were needed? Students and teachers can find more information by looking at the online Negro league baseball museum, baseball history, math games, biographies and lesson plans, and looking at a variety of baseball history lesson plans.

3) We are the Ship also shows how African Americans dealt with the prejudice white Americans showed them. Being tolerant towards peoples’ beliefs, whether they are just or not, has helped African Americans prove themselves as higher than what they were being stereotyped for. Teaching students about the tolerance that they showed and teaching them about how being tolerant can be beneficial in the real world can make a difference. I have provided some resources that can help teaching prejudice in America, provides a variety of grade appropriate activities and Black History Month lessons and activities, and Diversity lesson plans and activities for an elementary classroom.

-Key vocabulary
1) Wit: mental ability
2) Prohibit: command against
3) Migration: the movement of persons from one locality to another
4) Dignity: the quality of being worthy of respect
5) Unsavory: morally offensive
6) Inexplicable: unable for being explained
7) Segregation: a social system with separate facilities for minority groups
8) Integration: incorporating a racial or religious group into a community
9) Mediocre: moderate to inferior in quality
10) Thrive: make steady progress
11) Epithet: an offensive or abusive word or phrase
12) Debut: the act of starting something new

-An inferential comprehension writing activity

After reading the excerpt below from We Are the Ship, do you agree or disagree that the Negro League players were treated fairly? State your opinion, and explain the reasons for your opinion. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. Students will need to: introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose; provide reasons that are supported by facts and details; link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition); and provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

"Most of the owners didn’t make much money from their teams. Baseball was just a hobby for them, a way to make their illegal money look good. To save money, each team would only carry fifteen or sixteen players. The major league teams each carried about twenty-five. Average salary for each player started at roughly $125 per month back in ‘34, and went up to $500–$800 during the forties, though there were some who made much more than that, like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. The average major league player’s salary back then was $7,000 per month. We also got around fifty cents to a dollar per day for food allowance. Back then you could get a decent meal for about twenty-five cents to seventy-five cents.  Some of the owners didn’t treat their players very well. Didn’t pay them enough or on time. That’s why we would jump from team to team. Other owners would offer us more money, and we would leave our teams and go play for them. We were some of the first unrestricted free agents.  There were, however, a few owners who did know how to treat their ballplayers. Cum Posey was one of them. He always took care of his ballplayers, put them in the best hotels, and paid them well and on time. Buck Leonard said Posey never missed a payday in the seventeen years he played for the Grays."

-Before Reading Comprehension Activity: The teacher will model how to do a think-aloud and encourage students to join in the think aloud. Write down or mark the page where new vocabulary words or unusual sentences appear. Create opportunities where students can practice doing a think-aloud and give feedback on how students can better their own think-aloud. Engage students with questions such as:
   -What do I know about this topic?
   -What do I think I will learn about this topic?
   -Do I understand what I just read?
   -Do I have a clear picture in my head about this information?
   -What more can I do to understand this?
   -What were the most important points in this reading?
   -What new information did I learn?
   -How does it fit in with what I already know?

-During Reading Comprehension Activity: As they are reading, students can chose to create a character map, visual vocabulary definitions, different point of views, examples of integration or segregation to support their reading. Here are some We are the Ship storyboard examples that can be used to show students how their own storyboard could look like.

-After Reading Comprehension Activity: Once students are done reading We are the Ship, they will pair up to create a presentation that focuses on what they learned from this book. The presentation could be a slide show, timeline, essay, etc. as long as the students include the major events that occurred. Students should also use other resources, such as newspaper articles or books, to look up more information about the time period.

The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus

The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2014

Citation: Bryant, J., & Sweet, M. (2014). The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. 

Literary Awards, Honors, and/or Nominations

1. 2015 Randolph Caldecott Medal: Honor
2. 2015 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration: Winner
3. 2015 Orbis Pictus Award 2000-2016: Honor
4. 2015 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal: Winner
5. 2014 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature:  Finalist 

Reading Level:
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1
Lexile: 590L

-Original description of the book
The way that Jen Bryant wrote this book is unique, informational, and fun for students to enjoy. The synonymous words that she uses to describe Peter Roget throughout the book and in the conceptual illustrations are a phenomenal way to increase students’ vocabulary.

-Corresponding Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

-Suggested delivery
1) Read Aloud
2) Independent Read

-2 electronic resources
1) Jen Bryant's website for The Right Word
2) The Right Word Discussion Guide

-3 teaching suggestions for grades 4-6
1) This book can be used to show students that while Roget is most famous for his thesaurus, he also spent a majority of his life as a scientist and an inventor. Have students pair up and inquire more about Roget’s accomplishments as a scientist and inventor. Afterwards, they can present their findings to the class.

2) Students can use word webs to explore synonyms for common words, choose context appropriate synonyms, and use descriptive words in speech and writing. A ReadWriteThink lesson plan for this can be found at this website.

3) Teachers can use this book to teach students about synonyms and antonyms by using a physical activity. There is an example lesson plan found here.

-Key vocabulary
1) Thesaurus: a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts
2) Synonym: a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language
3) Translate: express the sense of words in another language
4) Whippersnapper: a young and inexperienced person considered to be rude or overconfident
5) Grieve: deep sadness, especially that caused by someone's death
6) Timidity: lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery
7) Conviction: the quality of showing that one is firmly convinced of what one believes or says

-An inferential comprehension writing activity
Students will write about how they would plan a birthday party for a certain vocabulary word. They have to take into consideration what the word they have chosen means when planning the menu, activities, and decorations. Once students have written about their own word, they will be put into pairs where they will have to plan a joint birthday party with another vocabulary word. This activity will give them a deeper understanding of their vocabulary words. Once the students have written about the party, they can present it to the class.

-Before Reading Comprehension Activity: What is a thesaurus? Talk in small groups about any experiences you have had with using a thesaurus. Who do you think might need or use one? Compare and contrast a thesaurus with a dictionary. How are they alike and how are they different? When might you use one instead of the other? When might you use both?

-During Reading Comprehension Activity: Choose a simple adjective or adverb from the book (tall, thin, concisely, quickly, etc.). Create an array of words on a continuum to show shades of meaning and degrees of intensity. For example – bothered, annoyed, irritated, upset, angry, irate, furious, turbulent. Write your words on post-its or index cards for easy manipulation. Confer with a partner to gain additional ideas or words that do not belong. Illustrate or create sentences for several of the words to aid in the understanding of the subtle differences in meaning.

-After Reading Comprehension Activity: While Roget’s Thesaurus is a remarkable reference tool and testimony to the richness of language, it only presents words and phrases that are part of the English language. Discuss with your class whether one language can really express everything someone wants to say. Are there words or phrases in other languages that do a better job of capturing the nuances and connotations of meaning that one wants to convey? Have your students inquire into this matter. If they or their families speak languages other than English, have them examine the translations of words from one language to the other. Do they really convey the exact same meaning? You might also have students carry this inquiry into their foreign language classes. After conducting some research, have students create a multilingual thesaurus to use in class and possibly share in the school or local library.

-Writing Mini-Lesson: Using Synonyms for Overused Words

• The objective of this mini-lesson is to have students learn the correct ways to use a thesaurus, why it is important for writing, reading and for increasing vocabulary.

Have students meet in a place where they can all see the board and begin to discuss what the mini-lesson is going to cover. 

We are currently working on the revising stage of writing. When we revise a writing piece, we are constantly editing it by adding more details, adjectives, descriptive actions and dialogue, using similes and metaphors, and by changing any overused words. Today we will focus on the book The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus and how Roget used many synonyms for everyday words. To do this, let’s make a list of words that we use a lot on the board.
(Teacher and students come up with words.)

Okay now can someone tell me where I can look to find synonyms for the first word “like”? (Students may say Thesaurus or the internet.) Alright let’s look in the thesaurus for other words that mean “like”.
(As the teacher finds words in the thesaurus, add them underneath the original word and ask students for more words that might be another synonym for “like”. Examples are relish, favor, adore, cherish, desire, and wish.).

Now I am going to give you all a word and you are going to pair up and create a list of synonyms for the word that I give you. (Examples of words: yell, awesome, give, want, very, good, light, sad, big, soft, and loud.) We are going to do some exclusion brainstorming with these words. You will create your own list of synonyms and we will share the list in about 10 minutes, which you will then have to defend why you think the words you chose will show up in The Right Word and why others won’t. Once we are done, we will add these words to our word wall.

(Students will begin the exclusion brainstorming activity with another student and the teacher will walk around listening to how well the students are reasoning with one another about their own decisions.)

Now that we have added some "spicy" words to our chart, I want you to pick one of your writing pieces that you have been revising and reread it. I want you to revise words that are overused. You may share a thesaurus with your desk/table partner and resubmit the piece once you are finished.

The Notorious Benedict Arnold

The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Copyright: 2010

Citation: Sheinkin, S. (2010). The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

Literary Awards, Honors, and/or Nominations

1. 2012 YALSA's Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: Winner
2. 2011 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction: Winner 

Reading Level:

Grade Level Equivalent: 7.1
Lexile Measure: 990L
DRA: 60
Guided Reading: Y

-Original description of the book
Steve Sheinkin used great primary and secondary resources throughout this book. It is also a great introductory book to get students used to biographies and to introduce them to American historical figures. It is a very action-packed book that has interesting twists and turns that keeps you on your toes. The Notorious Benedict Arnold is also a great book for older students as well. I didn’t know much about Benedict Arnold and while I was reading I was getting not just history about our country but also about different towns in Connecticut. This book also uses different perspectives about how Benedict Arnold betrays his country and how many people think of him as a traitor, other believe that he is a hero.

-Corresponding Common Core State Standard
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. (Activity that addresses the standard: Students debating over the controversy of Benedict Arnold's actions.)

-Suggested delivery
1) Independent Read

-2 electronic resources
1) American Revolution on Ducksters
2) Biographies for Kids-Famous Leaders

-3 teaching suggestions for grades 4-6
1) Teachers can use this book in the classroom as an introduction or as a resource/biography about the American/Revolutionary War. This will help students become interested in the people who were involved in the Revolutionary War and what people during that time had to go through.

2) Another way teachers can use this book in the classroom is to teach students about the different Historical Figures that the United States has. While teaching this topic, teachers can also go into the concept about different perspectives that people have about these historic people and how misconceptions were formed about them.

3) This book would also be a great way to introduce to students what autobiographies and biographies are and what are in them. Teachers can also teach students about the different types of resources that are used for biographies and autobiographies.

-Key vocabulary
1) Justice of the peace: a local public officer that that determines minor civil and criminal cases and having authority give oaths and oversees marriages
2) Gout: a reoccurring disease characterized by painful inflammation of the joints, mainly in the feet and hands
3) Wharf: a structure built on a shore that lets ships be moored to unload supplies
4) Apprehend: to take into custody; arrested by a legal warrant and authority
5) Revile: to speak abusively
6) Calumniate: to make false and malicious statements
7) Magnanimous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness
8) Indelicate: improper; offensive to a sense of generally accepted modesty or decency
9) Obstinate: not easily controlled; firmly believing or sticking to one’s opinion
10) Frivolous: characterized by a lack of seriousness; having little or no importance
11) Animosity: a feeling of strong dislike or ill well that tends to display itself in action
12) Calumny: a false and cruel statement meant to injure the reputation of someone or something
13) Sycophant: a self-seeking flatter
14) Zeal: eager desire
15) Abhor: to regard with extreme disgust
16) Tyranny: a government ruled by one ruler
17) Annals: a record of events of a specific year
18) Adjutant: a staff officer who assists the commanding officer in giving orders
19) Audacious: extremely bold and daring

-Vocabulary Instruction
This specific books is filled with a lot of complex vocabulary that is mostly used with military and war themed books, so students will most likely need to have more explicit instruction that will expose these words before they come across them in the book.  Students can create their own vocabulary stapleless book to give the students the work, definition, visuals and other clues that will help them remember the word's meaning.  Students can go back and add more information as they read the book to build their knowledge about these vocabulary words.


-An inferential comprehension writing activity
Students will write extended response-style essays on the following prompts:
   -Did Steve Sheinkin’s book accurately and effectively communicate the sentiments of George Washington and Benedict, as implied by their letters? Explain your reasoning using evidence from the text, as well as your own interpretation.
   -Did Sheinkin’s book provides sufficient background knowledge to explain how the letters between Arnold and Washington were influential to Arnold’s subsequent acts of treason? Explain your reasoning using evidence from the text, as well as your interpretation.

-Before Reading Comprehension Activity: Create an interactive avatar on Blabberize and use that to give a background on Benedict Arnold. Once the avatar is done, ask students based on what they just heard and know about Benedict Arnold what they believe the book will be about and whether they believe if he is a traitor or a hero.

-During Reading Comprehension Activity: Have students take split-page note taking while reading or listening to the book. This will help students to remember what they thought was important and why.

-After Reading Comprehension Activity: Have students create a skit based on what happened in the book. The students will be split up into groups and will have a certain time period assigned to them and they will have to sort out the main events and recreate them to the class.