One Book to Connect the World

The Global Read Aloud 2013

 

 

What is the Global Read Aloud?The purpose of the Global Read Aloud is to take one book and use it to connect readers around the world via Skype, blogs, email or any other way teachers choose. There are 4 books chosen this year for various grade levels. Teachers can choose to read books outside of their grade level.  Students in Topsfield will be using edmodo,  skype, kidblog, as well as teacher emails to connect.

Kindergarten and Grade 1: Eric Carle books
Grades 1-3 Marty McGuire by Kate Messner
Grades 4 and up Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Who is involved?
The Global Read Aloud began in 2010. It was founded by Pernille Ripp, a teacher from Wisconsin. It was her desire to foster world-wide connections using a common read aloud as a springboard to build relationships. Click on her name to see maps of participants from around the world.

As a school system we have connected with Highland School in Danvers.  Grade Levels have set up edmodo groups and students will be sharing their reactions to the books. 

Many classes have made individual connections as well.  Mrs. Truhart is connecting with Mrs. Truhart in Connecticut.  Our second grade has a connection with Seattle, Washington.  We have a third grade connection to India and Alabama.  Grades 4 and 5 have a connection to Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. Grades 5 & 6 have a connection in Indiana.  We are hoping to expand this list.

This year the Global Read Aloud for upper grades is Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper.  I read this book this summer and just LOVED it.  

 

 

Here is the summary of Out of My Mind from Goodreads.comEleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there's no delete button. She's the smartest kid in her whole school—but no one knows it. Most people—her teachers and doctors included—don't think she's capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again. If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows . . . but she can't, because Melody can't talk. She can't walk. She can't write.
Being stuck inside her head is making Melody go out of her mind—that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last Melody has a voice . . . but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.
From multiple Coretta Scott King Award winner Sharon M. Draper comes a story full of heartache and hope. Get ready to meet a girl whose voice you'll never, ever forget.