Winnequah - Global Read Aloud 2016: Overview

What is it? 
Since 2010 students and teachers have been connecting around the world by reading, sharing, and creating around one novel. During October and November you can too! Each week you read one section of the book, and then the rest of is up to you. You can have students share writings with each other, have a Skype discussion, or something else entirely. 

How can I connect? 
The GRA website has a lot of great ways to connect with teachers around the world. 

Weekly & Daily Ideas​

• Keep a journal and reflect on daily chapters
• Vocabulary - keep track of new or interesting words and look up their meaning 
• Hyperdocs for BFG & Pax
• Add more ideas here 

Culminating 

• Teaching Ideas & Resources from Teachingideas.co/uk
  You can find connections to any curriculum area for the BFG from math and science to art and music. 
• Book Trailer & Movie Poster
  Have students create a book trailer for the book after reading it. You could use stop motion animation, wevideo, or other video program to create the trailer. As an alternative or add-on students could also create a movie poster for the book. 
• Add more ideas here.

Title: The BFG
Author: Ronald Dahl 
Illustrator:Quentin Blake 
Recommended Age Range: 7 and up 

Summary: The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) kidnaps Sophie from her orphanage. While Sophie might be safe with the BFG the rest of the world is endangered of being crushed by night other bloodthirsty giants. Together Sophie and the BFG work together to come up with a plan that might just save the world!  

Resources
Teachingbooks.net 
You can find lesson plans and activities along with interviews with the author and illustrator. 
BFG Hyperdoc created by Sean Fahey and Michele Wagg
Make a copy of this Google Slides and share with your students. There are ready to go "big idea" type questions and vocabulary activities. 

Title: Pax
Author: Sara Pennypacker
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Recommended Age Range: 9 and up 

Summary:
Pax and his boy have been together since he was just a kit. With war on the horizon though things have changed. Pax is left to defend for himself in the forest while his boy is shipped off to live with his grandfather. What will they do without each other? 

Resources
Teachingbooks.net 
You can find a book trailer, reading guide and interviews with the  author and illustrator. 
Hyperdocs for Pax created by Kim McDonald
Make a copy and check out the teacher guide before sharing with your students. A great resource for digging into Pax really getting at some of the big issues in the book. 

2016 Author Study: Lauren Catillo
Website: http://www.laurencastillo.com/ 

Resources
Teachingbooks.net
You can find author interviews and other multimedia resources here. 

Follower her on Twitter @studiocastillo
Find out what she is currently working on, and get some insight in her day-to-day.