Not Your Average Librarians Book Blog - Jessica Martinez

Culture 4 - Native American Literature Book Reviews Book 1: Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bruchac, J. (2005). Code talker: A novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two. Dial Books. 2. PLOT SUMMARY Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac tells the story of Ned Begay, a Navajo teenager who becomes a code talker during WWII, using his Navajo language to help the Marines send secret messages in battle. Code Talker shows what it was like for Navajo soldiers, from their tough training to the challenges they faced during the war, while also highlighting the strength of Navajo culture and the importance of family and identity. It’s a powerful story about courage, culture, and the role Native Americans played in history. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Code Talker is a detailed, engaging look at the role of Navajo Code Talkers during WWII, blending historical facts with a fictional narrative. It highlights the discrimination Native Americans fa...

Culture 3 - Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature Book Reviews Book 1: Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love by Pat Mora 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Mora, P. (2010). Dizzy in your eyes: Poems about love. Alfred A. Knopf. 2. PLOT SUMMARY Dizzy in Your Eyes is a beautiful collection of poems, each told from the perspective of a different teen. Every poem gives you a peek into someone’s world, whether it’s a girl who finds peace while swimming or a guy who leaves flowers on the windshield of his crush. Each voice is unique, but they all share one common theme: love. This book captures all the ups and downs of love at a young age, the butterflies of a first crush, the heartache of losing someone close, and the deep bond between siblings who are more like best friends. Some poems are sweet and hopeful, others are sad and reflective, but they’re all honest and relatable. Whether it’s romantic love, family love, or just figuring out what love even means, these poems hit on emotions we’ve all felt at some point....

Culture 2 - Black/African American Literature Book Reviews Book 1: Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down By Andrea Davis Pinkney 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Pinkney, A. D., & Brian Pinkney. (2010). Sit-in: How four friends stood up by sitting down. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2. PLOT SUMMARY Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down is an inspiring informational story that tells how four African American college students in Greensboro, North Carolina, decided to take a stand by sitting down. On February 1, 1960, motivated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s powerful words, four boys walked into Woolworth’s lunch counter, ordered a doughnut and coffee with cream on the side, and quietly refused to leave even though the counter was for whites only. Their peaceful protest sparked a movement, and each day, more and more people joined their sit-in, staying seated until they were served. Soon, the sit-ins spread beyond lunch counters to buses, parks, libraries, and more. ...

Culture 1 - International Literature Book Reviews Book 1: The Pull of the Ocean by Jean-Claude Mourlevat 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Mourlevat, J.-C. (2006). The pull of the ocean (Y. Maudet, Trans.). Delacorte Press. (Original work published 1999) 2. PLOT SUMMARY The Pull of the Ocean follows Yann Doutreleau, a 10-year-old boy who doesn’t speak and lives in rural France. After overhearing something terrifying, he leads his six older brothers, who are three sets of twins, on a risky escape from their abusive home, all the way toward the ocean. During each chapter the story is told from a different person’s point of view like the brothers, random strangers they meet, and even the people trying to find them. It’s a really creative way to show how everyone sees the same situation a little differently, and it gives the reader a deeper look at how strong the bond is between these brothers. Although it is written for middle schoolers, The Pull of the Ocean doesn’t shy away from tough topics like abuse, ...

Final Reflection - Book Creator https://read.bookcreator.com/LG2DFBO0uYYrPwEQIvRxgoDy6T1Yhzks9mAt6s3LWxo/RmApvqx5TCylazV8AmDZTA When I first enrolled in this course, I figured I had a decent grasp on technology. I could easily navigate apps, troubleshoot the basics, and even teach others a thing or two about digital tools I used in my personal life. But what I quickly realized was that being tech-comfortable as a user didn’t mean I was ready to create with technology or to teach with it. During the course this semester, I also happened to join technology professional developments offered at my campus and I quickly realized there was a lot I did not know, yet I always left feeling excited on how much more I could learn and eventually teach others. The first few weeks felt like stepping into a cold pool,  a little shocking and slightly uncomfortable, but also kind of exhilarating. Tools like Canva, podcasting platforms, and AI assistants were exciting, but kind of unfamiliar. I was n...

Universal Design for Learning      After six years of teaching 5th grade reading and writing, I’ve come to understand that there’s no such thing as a “typical” learner. Every class I’ve had has had a mix of personalities, learning styles, strengths, challenges and different social economic statuses. Still, it wasn’t until I fully embraced Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that I felt like I was truly teaching every student. At first, I thought I was already being flexible by offering things like graphic organizers, and occasionally letting my students type instead of writing by hand, and providing opportunities for reading with audiobooks, but I started noticing that many of my students were not as engaged as I’d like, especially my students who struggled with reading fluency or had difficulty expressing their thoughts in writing. They were present, but they weren’t really participating. Without fully knowing I was doing it, I decided to intentionally redesign my instru...