I made the decision this year to participate in the Global Read Aloud ---- with three of my 7th grade English elective classes. We were going to read aloud a book that other classrooms around the world were reading at the same time, and then reach out to each other and share our thoughts. The premise is simple, read the book aloud, follow the set schedule and share your thoughts/reactions with the other participants. Little did I know the impact it would have on my students.
We are reading The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jenni Holm, and I quickly joined the Edmodo group to follow along and note the other teachers that are reading the same book. I shared the information with my students and explained what was going on and we were off and running. One of the first things that we participated in was a Google Map that contained "pins" from all of the participating classrooms. We added our pin and watched the map fill up immediately within 24 hours.
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| 6 Continents - over 190 different classrooms and locations |
By giving the students a choice about what they want to write, they are digging beyond the surface of the story to find those connections. They are then commenting on each others reflections and in doing so, realizing the various interpretations and connections that can be made about the same material. They are also finding that some of the other students have the same thoughts. They are finding their own voice in their writing and being allowed to use it!
In English class we are working on the concepts of theme, figurative language and symbolism. I was thrilled today when the students applied those skills to the chapters from The Fourteenth Goldfish.
The title of one of the chapters...Crispy Corn Dogs - that's an example of alliteration.
The quote from Chapter 6 - "Middle school is like one of those highway restrooms in the middle of nowhere." - a simile...and boy did they have a conversation about that quote. They laughed out loud as I was reading and then made many connections in their writing on Kidblog.
The crispy corn dog is a symbol for friendship - based on the information in the chapter - symbolism
They have also made many inferences about the title of the book.
Another huge part of the global read aloud is the use of Twitter. Through #GRAGoldfish there is a slow chat going on and also a constant stream of discussion about the book from around the world. A highlight of the twitter hashtag is that the author, Jenni Holm is participating. She is popping in and answering questions, making comments and just being present.
I "tweeted" a comment/connection that one of my students made and we got a reply! Calli was so excited to see that a real author replied to her!
And again, when we posted about the symbolism of the crispy corn dog.
These students are seeing that their classroom extends beyond the walls of their middle school. They are seeing that what they have to say is important and other people are listening. They are also communicating with each other through writing and reading. By reading the same book, they have something in common, and can share with each other.
Within our own classroom walls, students are communicating and sharing their thoughts on Kidblog. They are discussing and finding commonalities with their classmates. They are realizing that they are having the same experiences and making similar connections. They are realizing that even though we are all so different, we are also very alike!
Thank you Pernille Ripp for creating the Global Read Aloud and letting my students read a book with the world!
