During Distance Learning and to honor National Poetry Month, we accessed the website Epic! to read the book Garvey’s Choice, by Nikki Grimes, which is written in verse. We stopped periodically to reflect on the character, how he changes through the story, and other major story events. We practiced our summary writing skills using the format Somebody Wanted But So Then, which summarizes the character, their problem, how they solved the problem, and how the story ended.
Check out Ben’s summary:
In the book Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes, Garvey, a 9 or 10 year old kid is interested in astronomy, science fiction, and reading. He likes almost anything but sport. Garvey’s dad wants him to be a jock but Garvey refuses to. At his school people call him names like “Two-ton” and “Fatso” At first Garvey does not like it, but then when he joins choir he meets a kid named Manny. Manny has albinism, so people at his school call Manny names like “Albino boy” and “Ghost” but Manny does not mind. He teaches Garvey to choose the name he responds to. At the end of the book Garvey learns to no mind the insults. A metaphor in the book comes from Garvey “The insults bounce off me like raindrops, and I dance in the puddle they make.” In conclusion, Garvey eventually makes a good bond between him and his father.
Here is Avery’s summary:
In Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes, Garvey doesn’t have a good relationship with his father and his father has always wanted Garvey to play football, but Garvey is only interested in the star’s and books, for example, reading anything but sports. When he feels like a failure he comforts himself by eating food. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, and a loyal friend to Manny, and Joe. Garvey is also overweight, and teased by other kids. For example one kid called him “’Dump Truck” and another kid said “see you a’round. Get it… A’round.” At the end of the book Garvey’s dad has his old band come over and Garvey gets to sing the main chorus when he does sing the main chorus he thought my voice and the band is an amazing mix. Read this book to find out if Garvey gets a good relationship with his dad.
Lucas’s summary:
In the book Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes, Garvey wanted to have a better relationship with his father. His father wanted him to play sports. Specifically football. Garvey wasn’t a sporty kind of guy. He was more into music, the stars, and reading. But Garvey realised that his father and his fathers father were football friends because thats what they talked about. Garvey realised that he messed up by not wanting to play football. So after that Garvey joined a music club and thought he found the missing puzzle piece of his life. He met a friend named Manny who has albinism and they became friends. Then Garvey did a musical and his dad came to it. Once it was over his dad was proud of him and then Garvey and his dad had a good relationship after all.
Students also created Flipgrid videos to give a reading reflection of a book they are currently reading or have just finished.
Check out Lucas’s reflection on My Survival: A Girl on Schindler’s List
Brooklyn’s reflection of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Ben’s summary of Percy Jackson and The Olympians. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan:
This book is about a kid named Percy Jackson who gets found by a creature called a Satyr. They are half goat, half person. He finds out he is a demigod; which are half human, half God. They take him to a place called Camp Half-Blood. In the real world there are many monsters who are trying to kill the demigods. But, at Camp Half-Blood monsters cannot get in.
In the book Percy is Poseidon the God of the Sea’s son. He is accused of stealing Zeus’ symbol of power, the Master Bolt. Percy goes to find the Master Bolt with Annabeth and Grover. Annabeth is also a half-blood. Her mom is Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle. Grover is the Satyr who found Percy. Their journey takes them to Hades, and few other places.
In the Chapter We take a Zebra to Vegas Percy, Annabeth, and Grover have just retrieved Ares, The God of War’s shield which was hidden in a trap. During this part Ares tells Percy “Free ride West, punk. Stop complaining.” after promising them a reward for getting his shield. They end up taking an animal transport from Vegas to Los Angeles. Inside the transport is a zebra, albino lion and an antelope. Because Grover is a Satyr he was able to communicate with the lion and antelope. Percy could communicate with the zebra because his Dad Poseidon created horses.
I chose this passage to represent the book because it is an important part. It’s one of their last legs on their trip to the Underworld to “find” the Master Bolt.
