Erin Dealey

A book review AND teaching idea for busy teachers…

As a former very-busy teacher, like YOU, I know every minute counts in your school day. So here’s how to mine this cool #kidlit book for awesome WRITING PROMPTS or quick writes, for any grades 1-12 (I’m serious here.):

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE –It’s Alive!  

by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson

Illus. by Lisa K. Weber

Walden Pond Press / Harper Collins

Starred review ALA Booklist

You may think this crazy-cool MG non-fiction book is too old or young for your class, but THINK AGAIN! Each chapter can be used independently. For upper grades, read the three too-amazing-to-be-true stories about the natural world and have students guess which is the lie. For younger grades, or if you have limited time–ha did I just say that?–I highly recommend you use the side bar in each chapter (with nine Truths and one Lie) as a read-aloud and again challenge students to guess which is the lie.  

Writing Applications: Great for quick writes, Critical Thinking, Persuasive writing, Opinion pieces, or informative/explanatory writing–from 1st grade on up–in which Ss state their opinion and must back it up. People, this is #STEM + #Writing + hooking reluctant readers. 

If you like this suggestion, I’ll be back next month with another one.

#onceateacheralwaysateacher

Writing with upper grades at the International School in Curitiba, Brazil.

True fact: In addition to writing #kidlit, I’m a credentialed, fingerprinted, English/Theater teacher with decades of classroom experience. I love prep (Yeah, I know. Go ahead and judge.), creating engaging lesson plans, the first day of school, motivating students of all ages, and I’m betting you do too.

THANK YOU for all you do!