Another Book Talk

 Here is a book talk that one person did that I found on the Discussion Board. I love what they wrote about the book and it inspired me to go out and read the book to. I LOVED IT. It was such a great read and also was very interesting. It was a little to hard for my students to read because they were in fourth grade but it still was a great read. I can see how I can make many connections to all the subjects that I teach each day.


The Secret School
Author: AVI
Historical Fiction
 Author:
Edward Irving Wortis was born December 23, 1937, to Joseph and Helen Wortis in New York City. After his birth his family moved to Brooklyn where his twin sister gave him his nickname “Avi.” Two of Avi’s grandfather’s were writers and one grandmother was a playwright. He recalls his mother reading to him and his sister every night and always going to the public library on Fridays.
His parents transferred him to a smaller private school, Elisabeth Irwin High School, where he studied with a tutor, Ella Ratner, whom he credits for his writing success.
Avi has written more than 60 books. He has written books for different age groups and in many different genres including historical fiction, fantasies, comedies, mysteries, ghost stories, adventure tales, realistic fiction, and picture books.
Avi now lives in Denver, CO, with his wife Linda Cruise Wright. He has adult children. He is a winner of both the Newbery Honor and Newbery Medal.


Opinion of the Book:

This book takes you back to your years in junior high.  As you read, you feel the strong emotions the students have, especially Ida, toward passing the exam and going on to high school.  The characters draw you in and you feel as if you are in their same situation.

English/Reading:  imagery, writing, sequencing events, questioning, predicting, evaluating.

Math: telling time, finding the area of pieces of land.

Science: Nutrition/health, Miss Fletcher’s ill mother.    

Social Studies:  rural towns, one-room schoolhouse, geography of Colorado, takes place only 6 years after WWI ends, Elk Valley mountain retreat.

Summary:

This story takes place in 1925 in a remote Colorado town.  Fourteen-year-old Ida Bidson has one dream, which is to become a teacher.  She must pass an exit exam in eighth grade and move on to high school in order for this to happen. Then tragedy strikes.  Her teacher’s mother falls ill and her teacher must leave to take care of her.  Due to this absence, the school board closes the one-room schoolhouse.  Ida and the other students are devastated.  

Highlight:

Ida convinces the other students to keep the school open and form their own secret school in which she will be the teacher.  The students secretly sneak into the school every day.  One day, Miss Sedgewick catches them.  She decides to help them keep their secret and to give them the exit exam.  If they passed, they could move on to high school…..

Will their hard work be enough to score passing grades?

Will Ida make it to high school and her dream of becoming a real teacher?

If you want to know, you have to read The Secret School by AVI. 

Hook:
Will their hard work be enough to score passing grades?

Will Ida make it to high school and her dream of becoming a real teacher?

If you want to know, you will have to read the book The Secret School by AVI.