Salem Witch Trials Video

We're going to be reading a new book called The Witch of Blackbird Pond. The setting is in New England (the northeast coast of the United States) during the Salem Witch Trials.

Go to the link below to watch a movie about the Salem Witch Trials.

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/story/

After you finish watching the movie, go to your blog and write a summary of the Salem Witch Trials information you learned. Show me that you understand the basics of what happened and why.

Here is another video about what Puritan life in New England was like at this time period.

Some Books You Just Might LOVE!

It's important to find books that you will enjoy reading. If you don't enjoy it, you probably won't do it, so read something interesting! Something that makes you want to keep turning pages.

Here are a few selections of authors, books, and links that might lead you to books you will love.

Fantasy

Authors:

Joe Abercrombie

Brandon Sanderson

J.R.R. Tolkein (Lord of the Rings)

Robert Jordan

Lists:

Here is one person's top ten list of fantasy authors.

And here is a top 25 fantasy list

Vampire

Yes, I'm making this it's own section because it has gotten so big lately

Authors:

Stephanie Meyer (Twilight)

Kristin Cast

Mari Mancusi (Blood Coven Series)

Anne Rice (not new, but classic vampire stuff)

Here is a list of Vampire books and series for young adults. It's on the Monster Librarian site which also has a lot of other good lists.

Romance

Young Adult:

Meg Cabot

Rachel Hawthorne

Catherine Clark

Loiuse Rennison

Jodie Lynn Anderson

Sarah Dessen

Adult:

Nora Roberts

Jayne Anne Krentz

Catherine Anderson

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Susan Anderson

Karen Robards

Elizabeth Lowell

Historical Romance:

Amanda Quick

Diana Gabaldon (time travel/historical)

Julie Garwood

Christina Dodd

Teresa Medeiros

Here is a site with a good list of favorites for all styles of adult romance.

Chick Lit

I know this sounds a lot like romance, but it really focuses on women's issues in general. Its fun stuff to read. A lot of the heroines enjoy fashion or shopping or other girly stuff!

Here is a link that will give you more info on chick literature than I ever could.

And here are some of my favorite chick lit authors:

Jane Green

Jennifer Weiner

Sophie Kinsella

Mystery

Sue Grafton

Mary Higgins Clark

Agatha Christie (old, but classic mystery)

Patricia Cornwall

Carl Hiaasen (humor/mystery)

John Grisham

Janet Evanovich (humor, not scary, but a great read!)

Tom Clancy (military thriller/mystery)

And here is a list of some other types and styles of mysteries.

Enjoy your reading!!

New Literature Unit: Diary of Anne Frank

We will be starting a new literature book this week. We are going to be reading The Diary of a Young Girl about Anne Frank. During this unit we will be studying some background information about the Holocaust as well.

Here are some good online resources for finding out more about the Holocaust and Anne Frank:

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Anne Frank Educational Trust

Holocausthistory.net

List of other resources from Anne Frank Educational Trust

There are lots of other online resources out there, but these are a few good ones from trustworthy sources.