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ccbc-net digest 13 Jan 2000
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From: pjfrinak
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 19:14:00 -0600
Hello,
This is my first contribution to the ccbc-net. By way of introduction, I am the reading specialist at a small rural school in Wisconsin, an early intervention in reading trainer and Title I coordinator.
I read the Birchbark House this fall and could not wait to share it with the fourth grade teachers in my school who teach Little House in the Big Woods. I passed the book on to the teachers and I was recently invited into their classrooms to introduce the book and begin reading it to the students.
Even though I read only part way through Neebin, the first chapter, the children were very engaged and began making comparisons to the Little House book such as the same job for Deydey and Pa, Omahkayah's admiration for her older sister and Laura's love of Mary, the expectation of chores for the children in both books, etc. When it was time to stop reading, the students wanted to know if I was coming back to continue the story. They were stunned by the baby left alone on an island with dead all around her.
They laughed at Omahkayah's honest revelation of disliking Little Pinch. I think the students related to the story personally and not just on a comparison level to Little House. I think the classroom teacher and I will be sharing the reading aloud job because I am not in the district everyday. I look forward to seeing the children's reaction to the rest of the book.
I especially like Louise Erdrich's introduction to the story, which I shared with the students. I also appreciated the glossary to help me pronounce the Native American words correctly for the read aloud. I think the Birchbark House has merit on its own, and is a great comparison book with the Little House books.
Chris Frinak
Received on Thu 13 Jan 2000 07:14:00 PM CST
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 19:14:00 -0600
Hello,
This is my first contribution to the ccbc-net. By way of introduction, I am the reading specialist at a small rural school in Wisconsin, an early intervention in reading trainer and Title I coordinator.
I read the Birchbark House this fall and could not wait to share it with the fourth grade teachers in my school who teach Little House in the Big Woods. I passed the book on to the teachers and I was recently invited into their classrooms to introduce the book and begin reading it to the students.
Even though I read only part way through Neebin, the first chapter, the children were very engaged and began making comparisons to the Little House book such as the same job for Deydey and Pa, Omahkayah's admiration for her older sister and Laura's love of Mary, the expectation of chores for the children in both books, etc. When it was time to stop reading, the students wanted to know if I was coming back to continue the story. They were stunned by the baby left alone on an island with dead all around her.
They laughed at Omahkayah's honest revelation of disliking Little Pinch. I think the students related to the story personally and not just on a comparison level to Little House. I think the classroom teacher and I will be sharing the reading aloud job because I am not in the district everyday. I look forward to seeing the children's reaction to the rest of the book.
I especially like Louise Erdrich's introduction to the story, which I shared with the students. I also appreciated the glossary to help me pronounce the Native American words correctly for the read aloud. I think the Birchbark House has merit on its own, and is a great comparison book with the Little House books.
Chris Frinak
Received on Thu 13 Jan 2000 07:14:00 PM CST
