Like every fifth grader, Esm Raji Codell spent her days within the small world of school, neighborhood, and family. But this small world provides rich material for the often hilarious, always engrossing stories and vignettes in this book. Esm tells us about: the night she and her mother became "egg vigilantes" against an illegally parked car; her freewheeling first school, where kids could choose disco dancing instead of math; her dangerous neighborhood, which her father made seem friendly and wondrous; the Passover dinner when she stole a matzoh right out from under a rabbi; the awe-inspiring, life-threatening Chicago snowstorms; and lessons about love from tea-reading gypsies and Popeye cartoons.

Editing is often seen as one item on a list of steps in the writing process, usually put somewhere near the end, and often completely crowded out of writer' s workshop. Too many times daily editing lessons happen in a vacuum, with no relationship to what students are writing. In Everyday Editing , Jeff Anderson asks teachers to reflect on what sort of message this approach sends to students. Does it tell them that editing and revision are meaningful parts of the writing process, or just a hunt for errors with a 50/50 chance of getting it right,comma or no comma? Instead of rehearsing errors and drilling students on what' s wrong with a sentence, Jeff invites students to look carefully at their writing along with mentor texts, and to think about how punctuation, grammar, and style can be best used to hone and communicate meaning. Written in Jeff' s characteristically witty style, this refreshing and practical guide offers an overview of his approach to editing within the writing workshop as well as ten detailed sets of lessons covering everything from apostrophes to serial commas. These lessons can be used throughout the year to replace Daily Oral Language or error-based editing strategies with a more effective method for improving student writing.

Biography of a little girl's life in Chicago while she is in the fifth grade.

Provides teachers, librarians, and parents with tips, techniques, activities, and twenty-five read-aloud plans for books that can be used with children in fifth and sixth grade.

The author presents stories of growing up in Chicago with her single mother, capturing some of her pranks, holiday mishaps, and events in her school.

This sassy twist on fairy tales follows the story of Hunky Dory, whose interest in wishcraft instead of witchcraft gets her kicked out of charm school. Now she's determined to follow her heart and become a fairy godmother. Illustrations.

An author and subject index to selected and American Anglo-Jewish journals of general and scholarly interests.

Paris has come for piano lessons, not chopped-liver sandwiches or French lessons or free advice. But when old Mrs. Rosen gives her a little bit more than she can handle, it might be just what Paris needs to understand the bully in her brother’s life…and the bullies of the world. This companion novel to the award-winning Sahara Special is an affecting look at what it means to be your brother’s keeper, and how we hold onto hope when the world seems dark. (Rose-colored glasses optional.)