Tag Archives: visual literacy

Reel Reading for Real Readers: Between Shades of Gray

Book Trailers, Books, Readers Workshop November 14, 2013 Comments: 2

20130207-190708.jpgI’ve wanted to read this book for some time now, but it wasn’t until I was searching the shelves at my  favorite Salvation Army that I got my hands on it. (That’s a post for another day:  Building a Killer Classroom Library by Hanging out at Charity Shops) I have a students who is passionately interested in WWII literature. He’s already read two books a

bout it this grading period. I will put Between Shades of Gray in his hands as soon as I am finished with it.

I’m doing a good job this year of talking about a lot of books. Of my 140 students, I’m down to just threefake readers. Many students are reading slowly, but they are reading. I’ve decided I need to do a bit more than just talk about books. I need to step up my use of videos and book trailers to get them interested. The only problem? Every time I use visual images like this, I have more than one student who wants the book. I want to believe that this is a good problem, but it’s pretty sad when not everyone gets a copy of a book when they are excited about it.

Here’s a clip of Ruta Sepetys talking about the story behind the story.  I just know I’m going to need more than one copy.

Reel Reading for Real Readers: Fahrenheit 451

Amy Rasmussen, Book Trailers, Books October 10, 2013 1 Comment

ReelReading2Today a student asked me, “What would you do if there were no books?”

I responded, “You mean if someone burned them?”

Another student chimed in, “You mean like in Fahrenheit 451?”

“Exactly,” I said, turning to the first student, “Do you know that book?”

“No, I was just wondering.”

“In the book Fahrenheit 451, the firemen burn books. Sound interesting?”

And then that little sparkle in the eye that says yes louder than any words could.

Much to my surprise while scrolling through my Twitter feed this afternoon, I saw this headline from Glen Beck’s show:  A warning to the world’: Glen shares an excerpt from Fahrenheit 451. Of course, I stopped, and clicked the link.

Check this out–it doesn’t matter if you are a Glen Beck fan, it’s a great way to introduce students to this great little classic. I think our students will “get” it.

‘A Warning to the World’