Fortunately, Unfortunately with Grade 2 - Class Stories

Thanks to https://ideafm.org/ for the idea and the image.

In second grade, we read Fortunately by Remy Charlip, a story that follows Ned through a series of problems and resolutions, and talked about plot structure.

Then we wrote our own version as a class ... the kids much preferred coming up with the "unfortunately" parts!

Finally, the students paired up to write and illustrate even more versions. I'll post pictures of them working together - and their stories - once they finish up. For now, enjoy the stories they wrote as a group:

How I Got to My Party - Rm 5

Today is my birthday. 

Unfortunately, I can't get to my party.

Fortunately, a bus came along to drive me there.

Unfortunately, the bus blew up.

Fortunately, there was another bus.

Unfortunately, that bus had to fix its tires.

Fortunately, I jumped on a car.

Unfortunately, the car broke.

credit: pinterest

Fortunately, there was a big cat and I rode on it. 

Unfortunately, he died.

Fortunately, my mom drove by me and picked me up.

Unfortunately, I fell into a fire and I died.

Fortunately, it started to rain.

Unfortunately, there were no firefighters.

Fortunately, I came back to life.

Unfortunately, there are 1,000 snakes in my way.

Fortunately, they didn't bite me.

Unfortunately, the dead cat's ghost tackled me, and the snakes bit me, and I died again.

Fortunately, I came back to life AGAIN.

Unfortunately, I danced on a car and fell off.

Fortunately, I made it to my party.

The Crazy Drama - Rm 5

credit: Youtube

I had to get to Florida. 

Unfortunately, a magic wizard turned me into a water bottle.

Fortunately, I wished upon a dragon and I turned back into a human. 

Unfortunately, the dragon died, so I turned into a garbage dump.

Fortunately, a car was driving to Florida and was pushing me with it.

Unfortunately, a wizard came and turned me into a skunk.

Fortunately, I secretly got into the car.

Unfortunately, the roof was broken and a bird pooped on me.

Fortunately, it was magic bird poop and I turned back into a human with bird poop on my head.

Unfortunately, a snake then bit my head.

Fortunately, the snake wasn't venomous.

credit: amazon

Unfortunately, the driver finally looked in the back and kicked me out of the car.

Fortunately, I fell into a magical puddle of water.

Unfortunately, I then turned into a squirrel. 

Fortunately, I found a golden Easter egg, and when I touched it, I turned back into a human.

Unfortunately, someone then handed me a baby with a dirty diaper.

Fortunately, the baby didn't have diarrhea.

Unfortunately, the diaper fell off onto me.

Fortunately, my fairy godmother took the baby to Babyland.

Unfortunately, 1,000 scorpions ate me up.

Fortunately, they threw me up.

Unfortunately, they threw up so far that I was in California.

Fortunately, there was a jet to go to Florida.

Tyler's Unlucky Day - Rm 4

One day, Tyler's house exploded!

Fortunately, he ran out.

Unfortunately, there were tigers outside.

Fortunately, he ran into some superheroes that killed all the tigers.

Unfortunately, there was a tsunami.

Fortunately, one of the superheroes grabbed him and they flew away.

credit: foodyear.net

Unfortunately, the superhero hit a tree and they fell into the water.

Fortunately, the water was bouncy because ... Jell-o ... and they bounced out.

Unfortunately, a plane was coming and hit them!

Fortunately, he fell into a hole and found a spa to spend the day.

Unfortunately, the hole got flooded by more tsunami water.

Fortunately, 5,000 superheroes saved him and flew into the beautiful sky.

Best Reads of T2 2021-2022

 Here are my favorite books that I read during the second trimester (true confession: since Mock Caldecott and Newbery were done, I read a LOT of books for grownups during the past few months, so not as long a kids' list as usual). 

Picture Book

In this follow-up to 2015's hit Who Done It?, each page asks the reader a question about the lineup of characters featured on the spread. Sharp eyes and keen observation are necessary. There's only one right answer, and it's not always easy! . 

Early Reader

Marcus is in trouble. He didn’t think his friend Laurence would actually believe him when he said that his super brainy aunt built the very first time machine. He only made up the story in a spur-of-the-moment bid to win a silly argument! Now how on earth will he make the story come true? In a quirky new adventure starring the most unexpected of friends — a worm and a bird — Simone Lia pulls out all the theatrical stops to deliver a laugh-out-loud companion to "They Didn’t Teach THIS in Worm School!"

Middle Grade Novel

California Poppy has been dropped off, yet again, with an unsuspecting relative. This time it’s her eccentric Great-Aunt Monica, a woman she’s never even met. Aunt Monica has no idea what to do with an 11-year-old, so she puts California to work researching their ancestor, the once-famous etiquette expert Eleanor Fontaine. California soon discovers that Great-Great-Great Aunt Eleanor is...not exactly alive and well, but a ghost—and a super sensitive one at that. The grand dame bursts into clouds of dust whenever she loses her composure, which happens quite often. Still, an unexpected four-legged friend and some old-fashioned letter writing make this decidedly strange situation one that California can handle.

Nonfiction

Gino Bartali pedaled across Italy for years, winning one cycling race after another, including the 1938 Tour de France. Gino became an international sports hero! But the next year, World War II began, and it changed everything. Soldiers marched into Italy. Tanks rolled down the cobbled streets of Florence. And powerful leaders declared that Jewish people should be arrested. To the entire world, Bartali was merely a champion cyclist. But his greatest achievement was something he never told a soul—that he secretly worked with the Italian resistance to save hundreds of Jewish men, women, and children, and others, from certain death, using the one thing no authority would question: his bicycle. (NOTE: This was announced as a 2023 RICBA nominee, and I'm excited!)

Drama, family secrets, and a KGB spy in his own kitchen! How will Yevgeny ever fulfill his parents' dream that he become a national hero when he doesn't even have his own room? He's not a star athlete or a legendary ballet dancer. In the tiny apartment he shares with his Baryshnikov-obsessed mother, poetry-loving father, continually outraged grandmother, and safely talented brother, all Yevgeny has is his little pencil, the underside of a massive table, and the doodles that could change everything. 

In this picture book biography, young readers will learn all about Elizebeth Friedman (1892–1980), a brilliant American code breaker who smashed Nazi spy rings, took down gangsters, and created the CIA's first cryptology unit. Her story came to light when her secret papers were finally declassified in 2015. From thwarting notorious rumrunners with only paper and pencil to “counter-spying into the minds and activities of” Nazis, Elizebeth held a pivotal role in the early days of US cryptology. No code was too challenging for her to crack, and Elizebeth’s work undoubtedly saved thousands of lives.

Meg Lowman was always fascinated by the natural world above her head. The colors, the branches, and, most of all, the leaves and mysterious organisms living there. As a scientist, Meg set out to climb up and investigate the rain forest tree canopies-- and to be the first scientist to do so. But she encountered challenge after challenge. Male teachers would not let her into their classrooms, the high canopy was difficult to get to, and worst of all, people were logging and clearing the forests. Meg never gave up or gave in. She studied, invented, and persevered, not only creating a future for herself as a scientist, but making sure that the rainforests had a future as well. 

Eight-year-old Margaret Pokiak has set her sights on learning to read, even though it means leaving her village in the high Arctic. Faced with unceasing pressure, her father finally agrees to let her make the five-day journey to attend school, but he warns Margaret of the terrors of residential schools.

At school Margaret soon encounters the Raven, a black-cloaked nun with a hooked nose and bony fingers that resemble claws. She immediately dislikes the strong-willed young Margaret. Intending to humiliate her, the heartless Raven gives gray stockings to all the girls -- all except Margaret, who gets red ones. In an instant Margaret is the laughingstock of the entire school.In the face of such cruelty, Margaret refuses to be intimidated and bravely gets rid of the stockings. Although a sympathetic nun stands up for Margaret, in the end it is this brave young girl who gives the Raven a lesson in the power of human dignity.

Long snouts, bright-red lips, pointy heads . . . the animal kingdom is full of critters with unique features. Learn about the incredible adaptations that help these creatures--and their odd bods--survive and thrive all around the globe!

A behind-the-scenes look at the creation and evolution of Wonder Woman, the iconic character who has inspired generations of girls and women as a symbol of female strength and power.

Corita Kent (1918-1986) lived a remarkable life as an artist, educator, nun, and activist. Unapologetically holding true to herself and her beliefs, Corita spread a powerful message of love, hope, and justice with her work, as it evolved from figurative and religious art, to serigraphs incorporating the sacred and the ordinary, to a sparser, more introspective style. This timely story will draw readers into the life of a singular woman whose work and commitment invite us all to seek joy in the everyday, to observe the world with open eyes, and to question and see beyond the existing frameworks of society

Blackout Poetry by Room 12

Have you ever heard of blackout poetry? 

credit: flowmagazine.com

It is a form of "found" poetry, where you select words from a written text to create something new. Once the students got over the shock of me letting them write in books (don't worry, these were weeded books that either were falling apart or hadn't been checked out in years or extra copies from former RICBA sets), they came up with the following: 

Pop!

Sweet candy across my tongue.

Mmmmmmm, nice.

Tastes like chocolate and strawberry.

Chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone?

- A.S., "Willa by Heart"

Pick pretty cool.

Stupid Ryan rolled his eyes.

Huh?

Turkey sandwiches, corn.

Declan, Grandpa Eddie, Lizzy.

Antique.

- A.O., "A Drop of Hope"

I didn't like anything 

but things better spinning on.

My phone, Owen, paddle in the background.

As he shot photos, trying to email you.

Owen.

- C.C., "Because of the Rabbit"

Before that start was said,

it seems impossible that Black entered a single subject.

I inform Percy.

"Yes" said coldly.

Dementor cross the threshold.

I am, Percy, abashed.

- D.M., "The Prisoner of Azkaban"

The Box

June 22

I bother people

I figure myself

Over the next months

My assignments sleeping

- T.C., "Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life"

Sebastian spotted friend

few minutes to two

before their last class began

- A.R., "Dew Drop Dead"

The ghost of our dead cat Bat

Calm down

Pull me back down

We can't move

- N.S., "Every Soul a Star"

Most of the blood

under me ...

noise jumps

quick in a doorway.

How long will it be?

- A.M., "Bloody Jack"

Wanted to compete

Early talked

Canals of venice

Explain things about boat building

September, two weeks

- W.B., "Navigating Early"

Green leaves rotting

trail mills hauled milk to Afghanistan

Money college

Ground woods

Light-headed

- L.S., "Wildfire"

Coral-colored,

those poor,

his smile.

He said to me,

"I assure you, this young lady."

"That's wonderful," Ms Fry said.

I'm so relieved.

Happily

Suitcase

Relieved.

We went behind,

shut the door beind us.

Ripped poster.

Leave guests, ruin property.

Sudden speechless.

- D.P., "Out of My Shell"

Smoke in the air

I leap to my feet and stare

There's a fire burning somewhere nearby

Too close for comfort

Fire coming

Let's try south

South takes longer than I expect

- R.D., "Wildfire" 

Our Inaugural Sibert Winner Is ...

goodreads.com

The American Library Association awards the Sibert Medal to the creators of "the most distinguished informational book for children published in the U.S. in English." This year, second-graders chose their winner for the Oak Lawn Mock Sibert by a landslide: I am the Shark by Joan Holub, illustrated by Laurie Keller. 

Here are some reasons the kids voted for it:

• It is so so so so funny.
  
  
• I learned that the whale shark is as big as a bus.
  
  
• I like how one of the characters can't figure out what he is best at.
  
  
• I learned a lot about different sharks.
  
  
• It means you are special.
  
  
• I like how he says, "I am the best at swimming" and then this guy says "No, I am the best swimmer."
  
  
• I never knew there were so many sharks.
  
  
• I liked the pictures in the book.
  
  
• It has facts in it and it was funny.
  
  
• It is all about sharks and what they can do.
  
  
• Did you know a tiger shark is a really good hunter?
  
  
• Because everyone says "no you're not" whenever he said he is good at something.
  
  
• I learned that the Greenland shark can live up to 400 years old.
  
  
• He keeps saying "I am the best shark!"
  
  
• Sharks are my favorite animal.
  
  
• Every time he thinks of something he is, then it is wrong.
  
  
• It shows a life lesson to be kind and love yourself, and it's fun for kids.

And OUR Caldecott Winner Is ...

The American Library Association awards the Caldecott Medal to the artist of "the most distinguished American picture book for children." This year, kindergartners and first-graders chose a title for the Oak Lawn Mock Caldecott by an illustrator who has ALA honor in the past: Jon Klassen. Our book? The Rock from the Sky.

Here are some reasons the kids voted for it:

NOTE: I asked for clarification on this comment ... the student appreciated that Klassen did so much with so little ... it's the same basic landscape with the same characters, but he made it fun.

Grade 3 FICtion Covers

 Every fiction call number has "FIC" as the first line, and then the first three letters of the author's last name as the second line.

For example, if I wrote a book, the call number would be

FIC
MOO

What would YOUR call number be?

Students figured out the call numbers for a list of books and and then created their very own for a fiction book they "wrote." Here are some of their book covers: