Ms.+Peterson

My List for summer 2010...

1) //**Inside Of A Dog**// by Alexandra Horowitz draws a picture of what it might be like to be a dog - what it's like to be able to smell not just every bit of open food in the house but also to smell sadness in humans or even the passage of time. Makes you wonder... How does a tiny dog manage to play successfully wth a Great Dane? What's it like for a dog to experience life from two feet off the gound, amidst the smells of the sidewalk, gazing at our knees and ankles? DONE

2) **//The Hunger Games //** by Suzanne Collins takes place in what we know as North America - what the book calls Panem - a nation made up of 12 districts and a capitol. In order to keep the nation's people under control, the capitol runs "Hunger Games" where chosen teenage boys and girls literally kill each other while the nation watches. This novel delivers suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, and challenges the reader to think about things in their own lives. I've heard that this book has quite a following amongst Big Horn readers so I'm anxious to read it.

My List for summer 2009...  1) //**Odd Hours**// by Dean Koontz is a mystery/adventure novel about a young man named Odd Thomas. He can see the future, communicate with dead people, and use these abilities to stop BAD things from happening in the world. This is the 4th book in the series about this hero, all of which have his name, Odd, in the title. The character has his own website at [|deankoontz.com]. DONE

2) **//Where the Rivers Run North//** by Sam Morton is a historical novel going back in history to pre-1900 when several Indian tribes lived in the area where we live today. White settlements were starting to be established at that time and the book tells interesting stories about how Sheridan, Big Horn, and other towns nearby got their starts. Horses play a big part of this book; in fact they are the "theme" that runs through it. The author of this book lives across the street from Big Horn Middle School. DONE

3) **//Content Area Literacy//** by Manzo, Manzo, and Thomas is an instructional book about the why's and how's of equipping learners with the strategies they need to learn from text. "It's not just about learning to read. It's about reading to learn." This is the 5th edition of this book with updated information for those who are interested in the latest research, methods, data and national trends in the fields of learning and reading. DONE

4) //**The Hearts of Horses**// by Molly Gloss is a novel about a determined 19-year old girl named Martha Lessen who is a gentle tamer of horses. It takes place in the winter of 1917-1918 when many men were off to war, giving Martha a chance to break horses in an area of the country where men were usually at home to do the job themselves. If you like stories about horses and like history too, this book would be a great choice. DONE

5) //**Marley & Me**// by John Grogan - see Hanna Caiola's description and recommendation of this book on the Great Reads Page

6) **//Below Zero//** by C.J. Box is the 9th book in the series of Joe Pickett novels. In this book, the Pickett family is shaken by the possibility that April, a girl they thought had been killed in a massacre six years earlier, might still be alive and trying to communicate with them. While investigating whether text messages were really sent by April, Joe Pickett, his daughter Sheridan, and friend Nate, find that they might be victims of a cruel hoax. Read more about this novel and others in the series at [|cjbox.net] DONE

7) **//Blind Your Ponies//** by Stanley Gordon West. I saw this novel on Mrs. McGinnis' list and I've been meaning to read it for a long time. I know a lot of people who've read it and every single person loved it. I talked to JJ about it when he was reading it. I think, in fact, he's read it twice; it was that good. Since Mrs. McGinnis is going to read it, I will too. I think it's fun to read the same book with someone else you know. DONE 

8) **//Amos//** by Stanley Gordon West. A friend of mine just gave me this novel. I don't know anything about it but the author has such a great reputation, it's got to be good.

9) **//The Collaborative Teacher//** by Erkins, Jakicic, Jessie, King, Kramer, Many, Ranells, Rose, Sparks, and Twadell. This could be a transformational book that teachers should read who wish to work together as a Professional Learning Community. It defines best practices for collaborative teachers who wish to... "make their schools wonderful places for learning - for students and the adults who serve them." These practices are supported by research, expert insight, and real classroom stories. DONE

10) **//Learning by Doing//** by DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, and Many is a handbook for Professional Learning Communities. All teachers at Big Horn have been asked to read this book so that we 1) develop a common vocabulary and understanding of PLC concepts, 2) realize how the PLC model can benefit everyone in our school - students and educators alike, 3) assess the realities of our own school, and 4) learn to take the purposeful steps needed to function as a PLC. DONE