Mentor Text

I'm linking up with Collaboration Cuties, for their Must Read Mentor Text Linky. 

I would like to share a book I came across last year, The House Takes a Vacation, by Jacqueline Davies.

This is a comical book about a house that decides to take a vacation to the beach. Here's a review from School Library Journal: 

When the Petersons go on vacation, their house decides to take one, too. After some discussion, the windows, roof, front door, and sun porch agree to go to the beach, though the chimney complains in a smoky voice, "Travel is a pain in the bricks." As the house walks away on spindly legs, the basement stays put: "'You're such a stick-in-the-mud,' said the roof, but the basement refused to rise to the occasion." When it finally reaches the sea, it stays to watch the "Dance of the Sunlight" as the sun rises over the water. "Can't top that," says the roof. Puns are plentiful as the house takes a swim in the ocean and then goes home, arriving just before the Petersons do. "What happened?" the family wonders, as their bedraggled residence, seaweed hanging from its roof, starts to plan another vacation for next year. This slight story is memorable mainly for its play on words. The large oil and colored-pencil illustrations blend vivid colors and flowing shapes to create an impressionistic mood. The different parts of the barn-red dwelling have facial features (eyes, eyebrows, and mouths) that suggest distinct personalities. The beach scenes mix a foam-green ocean with dazzling blue skies. Humorous visual details abound, echoing the tale's silly fun. The text is not long but it is somewhat sophisticated in its humor.

I use this book to introduce my students to personification and puns.  After reading the book students use the Strip Designer app to personify an object in the classroom. I challenge them to throw in a pun if they can. Below are some student examples: 

There you have it, my first mentor text. Have a great week! 

*App Spotlight: Strip designer is well worth the $2.99 price tag attached to it. It allows you to create comics from scratch using the photos in your camera roll. Unlike some of the other comic design apps I've tried, Strip designer lets you customize each frame. You also have several options when selecting the number and style of your frames.  Students love using this app to create their own stories. 

My 3 Favorite Apps

Eberopolis, Teaching Reading & Writing With Technology is one of the newest blogs I'm following, and she just linked up with Thirsty Firsties for a linky party about ipad apps, and I'm going to follow. With this linky party you are asked to share 3 apps: your favorite FREE app that you use in the classroom; your favorite PAID app that you use in the classroom, and your favorite app for personal use. 

My favorite FREE app is Pic Collage. 

Pic Collage is a very simple app for students to use. It allows them to take a variety of pictures from their camera roll, or the internet and mesh them together. Words and symbols may be used as well. I've used this app in the classroom for vocabulary, and characterization. I've seen science teachers use it to teach or have students demonstrate life cycles. Pic Collage is an app that I also use a lot outside of the classroom.  Below is a picture of my son problem solving:)  After putting together this collage, I realized that it would be a good app for working on sequencing, especially in the younger grades.  

My favorite PAID app is Strip Design. 

For $2.99, Strip Design is an app that students use to create comic strips. Again, this is an app  I have students use for vocabulary, retelling, and so much more. The creativity that my students demonstrate when using this app amazes me. The comic strip below was created using strip design. Students were asked take a non-living object found in class and personify it. 

For PERSONAL use I like Apps Fire. 

Apps Fire is a free app that I use, a lot! It informs me of apps that may be free that day, or apps that are being offered at a discounted price for the day. I have gotten several paid apps for free using this app. I've also discovered new apps just from browsing.  I usually check for deals twice a day, as they are continuously updating. 

What are some of your favorite apps? I would like to hear about them. I'm always in need of a good app.  Don't forget link up with Thirsty Firsties.

Thirsty Firsties.