Read Aloud/Think Aloud

As I was doing some reading and planning for the coming school year, I revisited a read aloud/think aloud I did with my reading class this past year. The novel I chose, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, was one that I had never read. The think-alouds were genuine examples of how readers digest a text. When I said I was surprised by a characters actions I really was and students could sense that. My predictions were actually predictions and they seemed to be more comfortable sharing their own predictions because of this. Sometimes I was right, sometimes a student was correct, and sometimes we were all wrong. Students were engaged and did a great job on the assignments that went with the readings.

This activity raised what I consider to be a worthwhile question. Is there any benefit in exposing students to this type authentic reading compared to our annual readings of the district core novels? One provides authentic examples/modeling of what good readers do, and the other places a greater emphasis on students using these strategies (will giving dramatic re-enactments of what good readers do). With the pacing guide, adopted curriculum, and numerous district and state tests will I get enough bang for my buck if I do this with my language arts class? I do believe it will be most beneficial in creating life long readers, but that does not always translate to test scores.

Book Challenge

I've decided to join a book challenge. I am starting a little late, but I figure six books by December 31 can be done. I can take ample time to read inspite of all of the grading, planning, and reading I already have to do. Besides I will have Thanksgiving and Christmas break to catch up if I fall behind.

My six books will be:

Three Bags Full (Ireland)
Brick Lane (London, England)
Dinner with Persephone (Greece)
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure (India)
The Constant Princess (England and Spain)

I may add alternative books as I get further into this.
This looks like it's going to be fun!

P.S. I am having trouble connecting a link to the image for this book challenge, but here is the URL for the Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge. Hopefully, I can get the problem corrected this weekend.

http://www.alifeinbooks.com/?p=123