Realistic fiction with grade 4

Here is the poster we made with realistic fiction explained by grade 4 and a definition from study.com
Grade 4: "Part of it (the story) is real and part of it is made up by the author. Characters and settings are imaginary. Some real facts may be in (the story). Write combines these two things (real and made up elements).

Study.com: "Realistic fiction is a genre consisting of stories that could have actually happened to people or animals in a believable setting. These stories resemble real life, and fictional characters within these stories act similarly to real people. They describe our world and our society."

Genre study - messing with students' minds

When we started a genre study with grade 4 students the first question: "What kind of books do you know?" caused no problems to the students. Answers fiction and nonfiction came easily and fast as I had anticipated. Describing these two kinds of books was not hard as well. Real, realistic (keep that in mind), true and not real, made-up and fake:) were some of the adjectives used. That was when I started stretching their minds.

What does it mean that nonfiction books are true? Showing a nonfiction books about aliens sparked a discussion on are aliens true and real. Many of the students decided that the nonfiction book we looking at must actually be a fiction book, because aliens are not real. That was just a start.

Image source: amazon.com

The aim of the lesson was to introducing realistic (see above) fiction. I decided to read excerpts from "No talking" by Andrew Clements, When reading the summary of the book and getting to the part that the 5th grade boys at Laketon Elementary did not get along that well with the girls, and that the class was generally just very loud had some of the students make connections with their own class. True enough, as I had just had to ask the class to calm down as they had come to the library chatting loudly and singing. Not a bad thing to do in general but not necessarily when other library patrons are trying to study in the library.

After reading the first chapter describing school life and antics of the main characters Dave and Lynsey I asked if these were real events the book describes, could these things really happen? The fictional Laketon Elementary is situated in New Jersey. And believe it or not I had a student from New Jersey sitting in the class, in Tallinn Estonia. So the 4th graders decided that "No Talking" must be a nonfiction book. See what I mean by messing with their minds. I had turned their prior knowledge of types of books upside down. 

Wishing to do no more "harm" I introduced and explained realistic fiction to the class. I did not give the definition nor wrote down any descriptive words. I want the students to come up with their own explanation for the genre, and then look up the term in the dictionary. 

It was really fun lesson and interesting to observe and witness the active thinking happening in class. I'll let you know how grade 4 ends up describes realistic fiction. 

Next we will explore fantasy and biography. I am looking forward to inspiring conversations and insights from my grade 4 class.

Letting the holiday spirit in the library

This is the view out from my library window and here is a reading recommendation for a snowy day:

"Snow is My Favourite and My Best" by Lauren Child

The weatherman has predicted snow, and Lola absolutely cannot wait. She just loves snow. "Why can’t it be winter ALL the time?" she asks her brother. But on an adventure to the Arctic, Charlie shows Lola why never-ending snow might not be so perfect for kids. How could Lola go swimming or wear her favorite stripe-y party dress if it were always cold?

In this book, Lauren Child brilliantly and hilariously captures every-kid feelings and emotions—this time about the magical first snowfall of the year.

Product Description, amazon.com

Check it out from the library!

In case you love Charlie and Lola see the video Snow is My Favourite and My Best.

Aren't you just as excited about the snow as Lola?

Check it out!

Come to the library to find and check out the new additions to our collection.
Below are some of the brand new titles added this school year. Many have received starred reviews and several awards, and are part of ALA Notable/Best Books lists.

The lion & the mouse /Pinkney, Jerry. Caldecott Medal 2010

Horn Book starred (March, 2010) By retelling Aesop's fable entirely in his signature pencil and watercolor art, Pinkney encourages closer exploration of the pleasing detail with which he amplifies it. On every page, this beautiful book suggests even more than it tells about its real setting, and about that fabulous world where rescues may happen between lion and mouse. An artist's note is appended.

When you reach me /Stead, Rebecca. Newbery Medal 2010

Horn Book starred (March, 2010) Sixth grader Miranda's life is an ordinary round of family and school. But when she starts receiving anonymous notes that seem to foretell the future, it's clear that all is not as it seems. The story's revelations are startling and satisfying but quietly made. Their reverberations give plenty of impetus for readers to go back and catch what was missed.

PRESCHOOL

Chicken Little /Emberley, Rebecca.

How to clean your room /Spinelli, Eileen.

Let's do nothing! /Fucile, Tony.

Little Oink /Rosenthal, Amy Krouse

Otis /Long, Loren.

Read it, don't eat it! /Schoenherr, Ian.

Spoon /Rosenthal, Amy Krouse.

The clever stick /Lechner, John,

The curious garden /Brown, Peter,

The lion & the mouse /Pinkney, Jerry.

The OK book /Rosenthal, Amy Krouse.

What's wrong with my hair? /Kitamura, Satoshi

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Al Capone shines my shoes /Choldenko, Gennifer,

Cirque du Freak /Shan, Darren.

Coraline /Gaiman, Neil

Ghostgirl /Hurley, Tonya.

Heck: where the bad kids go /Basye, Dale E.

Moribito /Uehashi, Nahoko.

The chronicles of Vladimir Tod /Brewer, Heather.

UPPER SCHOOL

Beautiful creatures /Garcia, Kami.

Hate list /Brown, Jennifer,

Liar /Larbalestier, Justine.

The girl who played with fire /Larsson, Stieg,

The girl with a dragon tattoo /Larsson, Stieg,

The last song /Sparks, Nicholas.

Wintergirls /Anderson, Laurie Halse.

Read this book!

At the end of last school year PYP students wrote book recommendations for their fellow readers. Come to the library to see what are some of the books they have read and enjoyed.

"Midnight for Charlie Bone" by Jenny Nimmo
I recommend this book for fantasy and action lovers because it is full of magic and adventures. Isabelle Geers

"Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing" by Judy Blume
I really recommend this book because it was interesting and humorous. Nils Ygeby

"The Big Book of Trains"
I recommend this book for 2nd and 3rd graders but even for my dad because he likes steam locomotives. Zack Archer

"Matilde" by Roald Dahl
I like the book because it was exciting, funny and creative. Sophie Geers

Step in the library to learn more about student recommendations or discover your own favourites.

See you in the library.

Welcome back! Check it out!

I hope everyone had a great holidays and are ready for the first day of 2010 - 2011 school year.
I recommend the following book (available at ISE library) for the start of a new school year to remind everyone that we are all human, even teachers... right?

First Day Jitters by Danneberg, Julie

School Library Journal (May 2000)

K-Gr 3-Sarah is hiding under her covers as Mr. Hartwell asks, "You don't want to miss the first day at your new school do you?" From under the blanket she replies, "I'm not going." When he reminds her how much she liked her other school and asks her to think of all the new friends she'll meet, she imagines a classroom where a paper airplane is flying, a boy is pulling his neighbor's pigtail, and another is blowing a gigantic bubble. Mr. Hartwell finally gets Sarah to stumble out of bed, eat a bit of toast, and get into the car where she slumps down into her seat. At school, the principal cheerfully welcomes her and takes her to the classroom where she is introduced as "Mrs. Sarah Jane Hartwell," the new teacher.
A little subplot in the illustrations shows the family cat and dog having their own contest of wills while their owner is trying to get his wife up and out. The joke provides a good laugh and children may find it reassuring that they are not alone in their anxieties about new situations.-Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Welcome to the library

ISE Library is situated on the second floor. It consists of an interesting maze of five rooms that contain:
Reading lounge
Reference and research area
Upper school area
Classroom and media area
Lower school area

In the ISE Library there are 11 computer workstations for students and teachers. All the library computers have access to the school intranet and the Internet. They can be used for working with CD ROMs, word processing programs, accessing online databases, and to search the ISE Online Catalog. Students and teachers can use the library’s laser printer. There are two permanent TV/VCR/DVD stations for library use and an additional portable TV/VCR/DVD for classroom use.

The librarian is actively engaged in connecting with the teachers; she is an integral part of the teaching team, coordinating curriculum support and managing resources. The librarian is guided by a written selection policy in selecting materials. The teaching staff is consulted for assistance in developing the collections in the area of their expertise.

The collections of the ISE Library are developed with the teaching program in mind. The ISE Library has approximately 9000-volumes on hand. Carefully selected library materials are a cumulative enrichment to the learning environment.

Reference and research materials are available to the entire school population. Reference and research skills are taught using resources such as Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book Encyclopedia, encyclopedias on various subjects (e.g. world cultures, artists, career development, literature, music/musicians, science and inventions, nature, geography and many more) and dictionaries and thesauruses at different levels and in different languages.
ISE library also subscribes for the Grolier Online and World Book databases and has access to a premier academic database EBSCOhost, supplied by the Estonian Ministry of Education. EBSCO is an excellent source for our IB Diploma students.

The fiction collection includes range of leisure reading, from teenage popular fiction to attractive editions of modern and older classics. Beautiful picture books are introduced and enjoyed during story time with our very youngest students.

Many popular periodicals in English, Estonian and French are available for students in the Reading lounge e.g. Time, Twist, Seventeen, National Geographic Kids, Phosphore, Täheke, Hea Laps etc.

During the 2002/2003 school year ISE Library purchased the library automation system Mandarin M3 and automated the records to expand access to the collection and provide better record keeping.
ISE Online Catalog is accessible from the web.

ISE Library was fully renovated during the summer of 2007. The result is a modern facility with areas for younger and older students, as well as for quiet reading or individual learning.
The Library is open for students, parents and staff during the school day. There is also a schedule of weekly library classes. Teachers may book the library for class research or instruction. Students can use library individually, before and after school and during the breaks for homework and studying.

You are welcome to find out more about ISE library by visiting the Library course at the Estoodle site.
And, of course, you are all welcome drop in to the library any time.