Serafina describes herself many times as a "creature of the night." What does that mean? What are other "creatures of the night" (both natural and supernatural)? What connotations does "creature of the night" have? Does Serafina's character align with those connotations?Why do you think the author chose to set the story in a real historical… Continue reading Serafina and the Black Cloak Discussion Questions
Tag: Read Alouds
13 Spooky Middle Grade Chapter Books
One of my favorite ways to celebrate Halloween is with a read aloud that helps us get a good spine tingle or step into a spooky atmosphere via our imaginations. Here are 13 middle grade book selections that fit the bill, all perfect for read alouds or independent reading. (This post contains affiliate links. Clicking… Continue reading 13 Spooky Middle Grade Chapter Books
The City of Ember Book Club
I like to start book club meetings with a warm-up activity. It helps break the ice, helps get everyone's thoughts centered on the book, and sets the scene for a good time. This time we played a simple game of Who Said It? Warm-Up - Who Said It? To play Who Said It?, I wrote… Continue reading The City of Ember Book Club
Books to Read Aloud in 3rd Grade
This year I didn't do as great of a job on keeping track of all the books we read aloud as I did in 2nd grade, but I've still got a great list of wonderful books to share with you. These books are a great fit for reading aloud to 3rd graders. I know because… Continue reading Books to Read Aloud in 3rd Grade
Saying Goodbye to Our Read-Aloud Calendar
The Christmas season always inspires plenty of nostalgia, and this year I’m finding myself dwelling in the bittersweet just a little more than usual. One of my kids has already asked for the Santa talk, though his twin is asking to be excluded from all Santa discussions because she wants "to keep the mystery."… Continue reading Saying Goodbye to Our Read-Aloud Calendar
What We’ve Been Reading Lately
(This post contains affiliate links.) Together The Bone Snatcher by Charlotte Salter – I picked up The Bone Snatcher from the library’s audiobook shelves on a week when I suddenly remembered that I should have done some more research into making our next audiobook selection. That is to say, it was more or less a… Continue reading What We’ve Been Reading Lately
The Language Arts Coach 