What if...we organized our classroom libraries like the Amazon Bookstore?

If you know me at all, you know strolling down Southport is one of my favorite things to do. One stop I make sure to make every time I stroll, is the Amazon Bookstore. I'm in awe of how innovative (and how visually satisfying) the store is.

At first a lot of people I knew questioned the Amazon Bookstore because...wasn't Amazon known for its online platform that essentially put other bookstores out of business? Well as it turns out, the Amazon Bookstore is incredibly different from a Barns n' Noble, and I think that's why I always find the time to stop in. Don't get me wrong, there are still some haters, but for the most part, even my "purist reader" friends love this store.

I'm a reader. But I'm not the type of reader that never leaves a book in every room just incase, and you won't find me turning down a brunch with my girlfriends to stay in and read (FOMO). I've never maxed out my library card, and I don't have strong opinions about how reading on a Kindle or iPad just, "isn't the same" as a paperback book. That's my best friend...

I'm the kind of reader who almost always has a book to read, and one "on deck" book incase I finish. I don't really take risks in my reading selections because I know what genres I like, and I don't want to waste my time with a book I don't enjoy. I have a list of fun books that my friends recommended to me. I have a list of children's books that my students said I absolutely MUST read. I have a list of professional books that my coworkers SWEAR BY! I've pinned every, "Must Read Book List" on Pinterest, and then I have an ongoing Amazon cart of books that popped up as something I might like since other customers also bought it...or because the cover was really cute. I'm a social reader. I love reading, and I love talking about what I'm reading. I will have those moments where I stay up late with my flashlight on underneath my covers....IF I have a really good book. I also go through reading "ruts" because if I don't have a great book to read, I find other things to do.

When I was younger, these reading ruts happened far more often because I didn't know how to find a good book, or how social of a reader I was. Donalyn Miller would have called me a dormant reader. I know we all have those dormant readers in our class. I know as teachers, we try to make reading a social experience for our students. The Amazon Bookstore provides a platform for a social reading experience in a number of ways.

What if we took some tips from the Amazon Bookstore, and applied it to our own classroom libraries? 

• Less is more. Amazon has way less books than your average bookstore. To this indecisive, "must read great books only" reader, that's helpful! In my own classroom library, I had bins and bins of books that "might interest someone some day," but many just collected dust. I noticed that the more I scaled down my book inventory, the more students would actually use the library. Tons and tons of books can be overwhelming for students who don't know exactly what to read! 
• Make the books visible. Amazon has all of their books facing out so you can see the covers, rather than the spines. I realize this is difficult to do in a classroom, but making at least SOME of the books visible will help "sell them" to the students. Especially ones with pretty covers (I'm so guilty of judging a book by its cover). 

• Use data to drive book your inventory. Amazon is a data monster in the best (and most dangerous for consumers) way possible. From ratings and comments to purchasing statistics, they know what their customers want. As teachers, let's make our students as addicted to reading as we are to Amazon!! We need to be sure that we know what our students want SPECIFICALLY! This isn't the same class to class, it's not even the same in September as it is in December!!  Click here to see a guide to using data to drive your book inventory. 
• Tailor your inventory to your audience, based on interest. The Amazon store's inventory is different every time I walk in. Rumor has it, they readjust their inventory every 2 weeks, based on their charts (I can't find any research on this, but there has to be some truth to this because it changes each time I walk in). This is TOTALLY not possible as teachers, but we can have those certain sections of our library that adjust and change based on what our students need. Highlighting certain titles every few weeks?What better way to expose them to different books??
• Provide curated collections of books. Amazon's curated lists are based on this data. That's how they organize their books. They cater directly to the consumers (so directly that they have a curated list for the interests of people who love Southport as much as I do!!!) Some of my favorite lists are, "Most-Wished-For," "If You Like...," and "Unputdownable." Check out some of my other favorite curated lists below!  Click here for a step by step guide on how to curate your own lists, pre-made curated lists, and book labels for possible curated lists. 

Can you infer that this street has an abundance of stay at home moms and Instagram influencers? Also, this is a pretty spot on collection... Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari is one of my favorites!!

Again, creepy spot on.
I've read 4.5 of those books, and 2 are in my cart right now. 

 

• Give your consumers a voice. One of the coolest features of the bookstore is real reviews from readers. Of course, being the cynical person I can be, I know Amazon has thousands to choose from, and they pick only the best reviews to promote books in the store, so these particular signs don't sway my decision as much. I just imagine if they were more personal -- what if these reviews were from people I KNOW and trust?! You can TOTALLY give students this opportunity in your classroom!! And hey...if students have a bad review for a book...consider displaying some of those, too (more student buy in)!!

I'm not here to say that Amazon's brick and mortar bookstores are the most effective business model, and I also don't think it's feasible to mimic the exact strategy that Amazon uses to sell books. I do believe that at the very least, making some data-informed, student-driven changes to your library will reach more of your students. 

These changes don't need to be drastic, and they don't even need to take over your time. Click here to see my guide. Make small shifts. Put students in the driver's seat of making this change...and let me know how it goes!

How I Use Wonder (by R.J. Palacio) to Cultivate my Classroom Community

A post shared by Lauren Salsinger (@diaryofa21stcenturyteacher) on Aug 14, 2017 at 5:44pm PDT

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is my absolute favorite children's book. Whenever I introduce the book to the class, I tell them about the first time I read it.

It was summer vacation, and I was on a plane on the way to Europe, and I heard great things about this book, so I decided to jump in and read it (not knowing much about it) since I had about 10 hours to kill, and I thought at least I might get a good start on the book. Now I'm the kind of person who, even when seated in the middle row, falls asleep on a plane before flight attendants even go over the safety procedures. I then wake up, drooling, as we prepare for landing (I know, #blessed). I started the book as I was waiting to board, giggling, as I imagined how my students would react to the fart story in the book. Fast forward what seemed like just a couple minutes, and I was in my seat hiding my Kindle as the flight attendants walked past (I know, guilty, don't tell). I just couldn't put the book down. Auggie's character just drew me in, and I needed the know his story. THEN I got to the Via chapter and realized that this book was in multiple perspectives. Game changer. I was so invested in this book, and so thankful that I had hours left of my flight to read it. It was an emotional roller coaster. At a few points I had to put on my sunglasses because I was sobbing. My brother was so embarrassed.

Now this is where my students interject, "WHY WOULD WE WANT TO READ A BOOK THAT MAKES US CRY?!"

Well, some of the time I was crying because I was so happy. Some of the time I was crying because I was sad. At some points, I felt angry, or guilty, or just extremely connected to one of the characters. I always tell them that if a book can make you have a kind of reaction like that, it's worth reading. I finished reading Wonder that flight. Didn't get a blink of sleep, and was totally jet lagged for the first day or so.

As an adult, this book helped me empathize with students in a way that I really hadn't before. From the variety of themes found throughout the book, to the different perspectives children get to see, I feel that this book is a must read for children in elementary school. Wonder is just one of those books that makes you think...which is why I used this book to help cultivate my classroom community.

I started with designing a positive learning environment. 

I made some paintings for the classroom of memorable lines from the book. 

I posted these around the classroom to spark discussion and get students thinking. Whenever we get to the part in the book when one of these quotes is stated, I see about 10 hands shoot up, "HEY!! THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS ON THE PAINTING!!" Cue the in-depth discussion. 

For those who are not artistically inclined (or just less obsessive), these printables get the job done, too. 

Click Here

Click Here

As a pre-reading discussion, I did the crumpled paper activity.

After doing the crumpled paper activity, I ask students to listen for times in Wonder where a character may feel like this piece of paper. 

I created a positive reinforcement plan inspired by Wonder. 

Together we brainstorm ways to be kinder than necessary or ways to be Wonderful students. I mention that a lot of times it's easy to focus on or draw attention to the negative, so I challenge students to be on the lookout for positive things their classmates do. When they catch a positive act, they fill out a Wonderful student card and put it in a box. At the end of the week we empty the box. The Kindness Ambassadors (student job in the classroom) will read the anonymous Wonderful student cards. Students will then be given a sticker that says, "Ask me why I'm Wonderful." When they wear that sticker, other teachers and staff, family members and other classmates are brought into the picture. Students get to share what good deeds they did! I really feel that this has made the biggest impact on my class. It's such a special time of the week, and the smile on these students' faces when they are told that they are wonderful is so rewarding.

Click Here to Purchase

Be on the lookout for a post that describes this positive reinforcement plan more thoroughly:

• How to ensure EVERY student feels Wonderful
• How to avoid students just writing Wonderful student cards for their friends
• How to encourage bigger acts of kindness
• SUCCESS STORIES: How "attention-seeking" students flourish! 

As I get to powerful parts of the story, I do a close reading activity. 

With our reading curriculum, we unfortunately do not have the time to do an entire novel study on this book. I found that doing these quick close reading activities helped students understand these crucial parts more deeply, it was a nice way to switch up the reading workshop routine a little bit, AND they meet the fourth grade standards!

Click Here

Click Here

And I mean, come ON. Look at the quality you get from these kids!! 

I've also had students log a Precept journal on year (they literally begged me to let them do this). I do, however, find this tricky to keep up with on a daily basis, so read to find out how I plan to modify this to make it work for my fourth graders. 

Click Here 

I dressed up like the book.

Ok, unfortunately this was only one time. Our theme one year for staff Halloween costumes was superheroes, so I got a little punny and became WONDER WOMAN! The class LOVED it, and enjoyed brainstorming what super powers Wonder Woman would have! 

Fun Fact: I tweeted this at R.J. Palacio, and she favorited it. I was STARSTRUCK! :-P

I researched book signings in the area to include family in the wonder of Wonder. 

I was SOOOOO devastated that I had already booked a flight to visit my family the ONE time she came to the area! Luckily a family generously got me a signed copy, and told me all about what R.J. Palacio had to say! It was so great to hear how much fun the families had!

I have Wonder themed Literature Circles & library organization.

I haven't had a student yet who doesn't love this book...but even a great book like this doesn't flick that switch in some readers' minds that reading is AWESOME. I think we can all agree that a community that supports being lifelong readers is SO important. 

Often times I'll hear, "Well I like WONDER, but there aren't any other books that good." 

I have a whole book bin (or two) in my library labeled, "If You Liked Wonder..." Those books are usually checked out within 2 days of starting the read aloud. I also have literature circles with books with similar themes. I've listed some of my favorite titles below:

• Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
• Fish in a Tree by Lynda Hunt
• Rules by Cynthia Lord
• Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
• Ungifted by Gordon Korman 
• Rain Reign by Ann Martin 

I relate the story to anything and everything.

Literally. Content? Student disagreements? Writing styles? EVERYTHING relates!

I integrate Wonder into the curriculum. 

Second Step is a social-emotional program for students, and our writing program allows for some flexibility, so I merged the two together to make my FAVORITE writing project of all time. Here's the gist:

• Students pick a character to empathize with.
• Students pick a moment from the book that this character experienced. 
• Students write about that moment from that character's perspective, being sure to quote text from previous chapters to tie in the perspectives. 

Click Here 

But wait, there's more!

With the excitement of the movie coming out, I see this school year as my LAST CHANCE to have that raw and authentic reaction with the book and my class. SAD...But I also see it as an opportunity to really take my Wonder obsession to a new level. Here's my Wonder bucket list for this year: 

• Wonder Certified Kind Classroom Challenge!!! - I am SO excited about the different activities provided. We're going to design the kindness shirts the first couple days, implement the kindness jar right away, and do the discussions throughout! 
• Precept Picker - This is my new classroom job. Each week one student will get to pick a precept out of the 365 Days of Wonder book.  They will write it up on the bulletin board, and students will have the week to put post-its up of their thoughts and reactions about this precept (so it's more of a collaborative bulletin board). During our weekly meeting we will reflect on what this precept means to our class. The Precept Picker will document this in a book for our class. 

A post shared by Lauren Salsinger (@diaryofa21stcenturyteacher) on Aug 16, 2017 at 8:45pm PDT

• Mystery Meet Ups (AKA Mystery Skype) - I'm calling it a meet up because I'm using Google Hangout instead. I plan to connect with multiple classes around the US (MAYBE internationally if we get lucky) to discuss different parts of the book. I have been so excited about it, I already created some forms to help me organize it. 

Click here to download, and comment below if you'd like to connect!! 

• Classroom Community Service - I'd love to do a community service project with the class. One that doesn't require raising a ton of money (I don't want to put the pressure on families). I plan to brainstorm ideas with the class to see what they come up with. Has anyone done a community service project with their class before? Suggestions? 
• Engineering Design Project - You've probably heard of Novel Engineering, but I want to tie in more of an empathy theme. I'd love for students to be able to design something for someone who is viewed as different. This is a work in progress -- YAY for having an Advanced Learning Facilitator who is just as excited about the book! 
• Incorporate Related Nonfiction Text - I found this website, Common Lit, that has Nonfiction text that relates to Wonder. What I love is that you can search by novel!! Only down side is that I think most of the text is going to be a little too tough for my fourth graders, but there's gotta be at least one article that will work! 
• Kindness Ambassador - This is another classroom job that I currently have. Their role will continue to be sharing the kind gestures from classmates, but I want to add another component to it -- almost like an upstander of the week who has a challenge to spot something good in an assigned individual as well as the other classmates. I also want them to come up with good deeds! I don't know exactly how it's going to work, but I'll post about it once I have a better idea. 
• Fabulous Bulletin Board Ideas - Sorry, no spoilers..you'll see soon! 

How do you use R.J. Palacio's Wonder in your classroom? 

Quick Way to Make Your Classroom Cute -- Download Quote Printables!

Can't stop the summer classroom crafting? Go to my Teachers Pay Teachers store to download these book quote printables! They make your classroom colorful, and get your students thinking. I have found that these quotes start great discussions and really compliment read alouds.

* Please note -- the Wonder Quote Printables are found in a different area of my store *

Click here to download!

Click here to download!

Click here to download!

Click here to download! 

Click here to download!

If you have any book or quote requests, let me know! I'd be happy to add some more! 

Favorite Children's/Young Adult's Novels of 2013

Every year I try to read as many children's books as I can. Between grading papers, professional reading for school book studies, graduate school work...and wanting to have a life...I don't get to read as many books as I'd like. Here are a few of my favorites that I read this year, which I highly recommend.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I'm sure it's a huge surprise that this is one of my favorites. August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

I chose to read this book after Wonder because I heard it was similar. I loved reading Out of my Mind as well. Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow.

This book goes along with our Social Studies curriculum, and I do it as a read aloud with the class. I didn't realize I was so into Historical Fiction until after reading this book. The class LOVED it! Twelve-year-old Samuel Collier is a lowly commoner on the streets of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can’t believe his good fortune. He’s heard that gold washes ashore with every tide. But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, he realizes that the New World is nothing like he imagined. The lush Virginia shore where they establish the colony of James Town is both beautiful and forbidding, and it’s hard to know who’s a friend or foe. As he learns the language of the Algonquian Indians and observes Captain Smith’s wise diplomacy, Samuel begins to see that he can be whomever he wants to be in this new land.

I kept hearing great things about this book. When I finally had the chance to read it, I couldn't put it down. It's an adorable story. Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better. Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.

I was not excited to read this book. This goes with our writing curriculum, and the first chapter was rough to get through, but the rest of the story was adorable.  Shirley Temple Wong sails from China to America with a heart full of dreams.Her new home is Brooklyn, New York. America is indeed a land full of wonders, but Shirley doesn't know any English, so it's hard to make friends. Then a miracle-baseball-happens. It is 1947, and Jackie Robinson, star of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is everyone's hero. Jackie Robinson is proving that a black man, the grandson of a slave, can make a difference in America and for Shirley as well, on the ball field and off, America becomes the land of opportunity.

I was having Hunger Games withdrawals this year, and I heard Divergent was really similar. Since I'm from Chicago, I figured it would be really cool to read. Fun fact -- the author of this book went to my high school! Although it's a great book, I wouldn't recommend it to my fourth graders, even the ones who can read more challenging books. How could I not read it? In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

A student recommended this book to me. Another tear jerker. I read it in one night. Features seven narrators, each with a unique story, and each with a different perspective on what makes their teacher so special. It’s the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill School. There’s . . . Jessica, the new girl, smart and perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next; Peter, class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle, who never stands up for herself; shy Anna, whose home situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates school. Only Mr. Terupt, their new and energetic teacher, seems to know how to deal with them all. He makes the classroom a fun place, even if he doesn’t let them get away with much . . . until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything—and everyone.





New Year's Resolution To-Read List: 

Let me know if you have any recommendations! 

Wonder Woman!

I hope everyone survived Halloween! This year the staff decided our theme would be Super Heroes. I wasn't very inspired by the theme originally, but after brainstorming with some coworkers, I came up with a costume that my students got a kick out of, and I wanted to be sure to share!

I am coming across as the most Wonder-Obsessed teacher on the face of the earth, but my class loves the story, so I'm really running with it this year!

I'm posing in front of my "WONDERful" student bulletin board outside the classroom! Although it kind of looks like I have a black eye, I still think it turned out pretty well. Any chance I can sneak in how cool reading is, I take it! :) 

I loved seeing the other costumes of our staff, too! Everyone got really creative, and I especially enjoyed Super Janitor (top right). 

Preparing for a WONDERful Year!

Wonder by R. J. Palacio 

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?




Over the summer I read Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and LOVED it. Loved might even be an understatement. I obsessed over it, and told everyone who would listen about what a great book it was. Needless to say, I decided to incorporate the story into my classroom this year. 

My crafty self started with some classroom decor (to get the students excited and thinking about the book early on).  The large middle canvas is what the book cover looks like, and the other canvases are quotes that I pulled out from the book.

 Turns out my grand plan worked! When I introduced that Wonder was going to be the first read aloud of the year, I heard shrieks around the room, "That's the book on the wall up there!" "I heard about that book!" "My sister told me to read that book!" Wow, I didn't even have to talk this book up, it already had a great reputation. Instead of giving a brief introduction to the book, I did a lesson that I had always wanted to do. 

This lesson really did make an impact on many of the students, and some of their comments and discussion gave me the chills! After the great discussion I began reading the book. A few days (and a couple chapters) later, I felt that the students were engaged in the story enough to begin the positive reinforcement plan! 

The WONDERful positive reinforcement plan is a way for students to recognize when their peers are doing something right. This has been a great addition to my class this year. Students make stronger connections to the book and are more mindful about their choices. This plan strongly encourages "Choosing Kind" and "Building Monuments." Check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store to find out more about the plan! 

I have also created a fourth grade Common Core Close Reading activity to go along with the book. I plan to introduce precepts as well. I believe these activities can be used in other grades, too. Hopefully there are more to come! These two activities go along with the quotes I incorporated in my paintings as well as my behavior plan. 

Click here to purchase this from my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Click here to purchase this from my Teachers Pay Teachers store. 

I look forward to implementing these activities in my classroom, and I'm curious to see how they work in yours! Please comment with any questions or ideas! Have a WONDERful day!