Junior Genius Guides by Ken Jennings

You may recognize the name Ken Jennings as a winner on Jeopardy.  He has also written a series of informational books for elementary students. 

The books are engaging and interactive.  Each book has suggestions for related activities and a quiz at the end.  The books are also infused with the type of humor that grade school students enjoy.  (He has school-aged children.)

Several of my students enjoyed reading his books this year.

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Bomb by Steve Sheinkin

I mentioned in a previous post how much I enjoyed reading Steve Sheinkin's history books this summer.  He focuses on the personalities and the narrative of the events and makes it interesting.  Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon reads like a spy thriller. 
Sheinkin does not assume his readers know all about World War II, but he shares enough background information to make the development of the atomic bomb relevant.  He doesn't lecture his students, but presents the urgency that the scientists felt.
Every year I have students who are interested in World War II.  I know they will enjoy this book.

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Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

I usually do book reviews on Wednesdays, but I read Quiet by Susan Cain this summer and learned so much personally and professionally.  I decided to devote a couple of Monday posts to introverts.  (For the record, I am an introvert.  I can be social when I need to be, but I need alone time to recharge.)

Last Monday I shared her TED Talk.  Today I want to share how I plan to implement what I learned in my classroom.

1. Susan Cain recommends a balance of activities that appeal to introverts and extroverts.  I have times where I expect small group work and other times where I expect students to work independently.

2. I want to intentionally encourage the different passions of my students.  Last year when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, some of us were over-the-top excited, but not everyone.  Introverts have deep interests in activities that may not be shared by others.

3. When I have students work collaboratively, I help my introverts by choosing pairs and triads.  If the group gets too large, they may not share.

4. Cain also recommends that I teach everyone to work independently.  This may not be my extroverts' strength, but they can learn from the introverts the value of quiet deliberate practice.

Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin

I discovered this author this summer and I am in the process of reading everything in print he has written.  I am not a history book fan, but he chooses incidents that are not well-known and shares these accounts in such an engaging way that they were more entertaining than some of the fictional stories I read this summer.

I had never heard about the plot to steal Abraham Lincoln's body and hold it for ransom.  I don't want to give away too much, but it involves counterfeiters and the Secret Service.  I plan to share this as a whole class read aloud, because it is such a well-written informational text.

Here is a police report form students can use to launch a related writing assignment.

    
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Poke the Box by Seth Godin

This is not a book to read to your students.  I found it inspiring.  I am fortunate to work in a school and district where I am encouraged to innovate and try new things.  I know I would have left the profession if I wasn't allowed to do this.

Seth Godin encourages everyone to "Poke the Box" -- start something, see what happens, repeat.  The idea is not to wait around asking for permission to try something out...just begin.

Why Pi? by Johnny Ball

Have you read any math books by Johnny Ball? As a former UK television host of math and science for children, he knows how to present concepts in an entertaining and educational way.

These non-fiction books share the history of math and explain concepts.  They are loaded with text features.  Here is a free printable form students can use to record the text features they find and their purpose.

More or Less by Jeff Shinabarger

I got a copy of this audiobook for free earlier this summer.  I "read" this book while I gardened and walked around the neighborhood and it challenged me to think about "What is enough?" and "What do I do with my excess?"

I appreciated Shinabarger's lack of preachiness or self-righteousness.  He shares his and others' experience wrestling with these questions, but he encourages readers to answer the questions for themselves.

This isn't a book I would share in my classroom.  It does help me think about my values and that in turn impacts my teaching.

A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink

A few summers ago, someone recommended that I read Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.  He writes about six qualities that are important in today's business and educational worlds: design, story, empathy, symphony, play, and meaning.  Despite our race to improve test scores, I intend to keep including these traits in my teaching.

 

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