HP Fans, 4th Grade Parents/Teachers- Input Needed

[amberlyrose]

I'm helping my mom buy books that would be good for her class and we need some brainstorming ideas

Her regular classroom theme is Harry Potter but they will be 100% virtual this fall. We are planning on getting 2 books per kid that she is going to deliver (at a distance) to each kid and introduce herself. She is randomly sorting students into the 4 HP houses so they have a small group to work with in breakouts and challenges throughout the year. 

The plan is:
-1 book everyone in the class receives that has characters who embody HP houses. We're thinking a Chronicles of Narnia book but would love ideas.
-1 book per house, where the main character would likely be sorted into that house. This is where we are stuck, especially for Ravenclaw. 

She also wants to include as many titles as possible written by POC or have POC main characters. If you have any ideas, we'd appreciate the help. 

[Queen Dick, Hibernating Bear]

For Ravenclaw, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

[lilac05]

I haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books, so I am of no help. However, I have a 4th grader, and I can only hope that his teacher is as awesome as it sounds like your mom is!

[gardengal]

How fun!

Ravenclaw (includes Dick Moves suggestion!) www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/08/a-hogwarts-reading-list-ravenclaw/

Slytherin www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/04/a-hogwarts-reading-list-slytherin/

Griffyndor www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/07/a-hogwarts-reading-list-gryffindor/

Hufflepuff www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/10/a-hogwarts-reading-list-hufflepuff/
—personally love the suggestion of Anne of Green Gables but know for sure my 10yo son would resist despite being a hufflepuff.

[glw]

Aug 4, 2020 14:11:19 GMT -5 Queen Dick, Hibernating Bear said:

For Ravenclaw, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Seconded.

Or, Lemony Snicket. I'd think the Baudelaires would be Ravenclaws.

[Dumbledork]

Personally, we stay away from Narnia because of the Christianity angle. If the class is majority Christian, that may not be a huge concern though, I guess.

I really liked The Candymakers by Wendy Mass and think it’s definitely got some HP character similarities. It’s a long book though and reading level is 4-8th grade.

I’d say Daisy is Gryffindor, Miles is Ravenclaw, Logan is Hufflepuff, and Philip is Slytherin.

[amberlyrose]

Aug 4, 2020 14:27:38 GMT -5 gardengal said:

How fun!

Ravenclaw (includes Dick Moves suggestion!) www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/08/a-hogwarts-reading-list-ravenclaw/

Slytherin www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/04/a-hogwarts-reading-list-slytherin/

Griffyndor www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/07/a-hogwarts-reading-list-gryffindor/

Hufflepuff www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/10/a-hogwarts-reading-list-hufflepuff/
—personally love the suggestion of Anne of Green Gables but know for sure my 10yo son would resist despite being a hufflepuff.

This is awesome!!!

Thank you!

[amberlyrose]

Aug 4, 2020 14:22:59 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

I haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books, so I am of no help. However, I have a 4th grader, and I can only hope that his teacher is as awesome as it sounds like your mom is!

 
I hope so too! My mom is the poster child for "Born to Teach" and she genuinely loves her job, even with the BS they go through. She is supposed to retire in two years and I don't think she'll fully be able to do it. I give her less than 6 months before she goes back as a sub or volunteer. 

[amberlyrose]

Aug 4, 2020 15:33:09 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

Personally, we stay away from Narnia because of the Christianity angle. If the class is majority Christian, that may not be a huge concern though, I guess.

I really liked The Candymakers by Wendy Mass and think it’s definitely got some HP character similarities. It’s a long book though and reading level is 4-8th grade.

I’d say Daisy is Gryffindor, Miles is Ravenclaw, Logan is Hufflepuff, and Philip is Slytherin.

This is part of why she wants to explore other books. Her class is always very diverse and let's face it: Narnia is not. lol. It's hard to find a book with deep character development that fits within their reading level and interests. 

[isabel]

Someone in another thread said her daughter, who is a HP fan, likes the Percy Jackson series because of the diverse characters. I know nothing about the series though or if it's age appropriate.

[shananagins]

This is a super cute idea! I would recommend finding more current books to give kids. Usually, unless kids are already readers they will connect more to books written more recently than classics like the Narnia books and From the Mixed Up Files (even though those are both amazing and I love them)

Some books for that age that I love with diverse characters:

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliiott - Griffyndor

The Unicorn Rescue Society by Adam Gidwitz - this could be HUfflepuff or Griffyndor

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty - Ravenclaw

Front Desk by Kelly Lang - Ravenclaw or maybe Hufflepuff

The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez - Griffyndor

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett - Slytherin

[Dumbledork]

Oh, there’s a book I read a few years ago, but it’s kind of a downer. I can’t remember what the title is, but maybe someone else knows?

Three boys sneak out of school to visit their teacher at the hospital. She’s dying and they want to give her one last picnic of her favorite things. So they manage to get McDonald’s fries and some champagne, I think? It’s a big adventure to get the supplies and get to the hospital.

It was really sweet and the boys are all different. They would probably match up to the houses. I think the kids were in 4th grade.

[Dumbledork]

Aug 4, 2020 22:09:30 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

Oh, there’s a book I read a few years ago, but it’s kind of a downer. I can’t remember what the title is, but maybe someone else knows?

Three boys sneak out of school to visit their teacher at the hospital. She’s dying and they want to give her one last picnic of her favorite things. So they manage to get McDonald’s fries and some champagne, I think? It’s a big adventure to get the supplies and get to the hospital.

It was really sweet and the boys are all different. They would probably match up to the houses. I think the kids were in 4th grade.

I found it! Ms. Bixby’s Last Day

[amberlyrose]

Aug 4, 2020 23:10:21 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

Aug 4, 2020 22:09:30 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

Oh, there’s a book I read a few years ago, but it’s kind of a downer. I can’t remember what the title is, but maybe someone else knows?

Three boys sneak out of school to visit their teacher at the hospital. She’s dying and they want to give her one last picnic of her favorite things. So they manage to get McDonald’s fries and some champagne, I think? It’s a big adventure to get the supplies and get to the hospital.

It was really sweet and the boys are all different. They would probably match up to the houses. I think the kids were in 4th grade.

I found it! Ms. Bixby’s Last Day

Adding it to our list! 

[amberlyrose]

Thank you guys for the help!! I'm going through the lists and seeing what we can find in stock at decent prices along with making sure it is at grade level.

She decided to nix Narnia and went with a few social justice books Her school is diverse and mostly low income, so we want to make sure they have access to stories they can relate to. She is also adamant that she teaches them about themes around topics like slavery, civil war, and the holocaust at an appropriate level.

She said to tell you all thank you and she is continuously amazed at how helpful my internet friends are <3

[glw]

Aug 5, 2020 13:02:45 GMT -5 amberlyrose said:

She decided to nix Narnia and went with a few social justice books Her school is diverse and mostly low income, so we want to make sure they have access to stories they can relate to. She is also adamant that she teaches them about themes around topics like slavery, civil war, and the holocaust at an appropriate level.

I have another suggestion: A Good Kind of Trouble.  (Main character is probably a Hufflepuff?)  
Your mom sounds awesome

[jr009j]

Aug 4, 2020 21:20:14 GMT -5 shananagins said:

This is a super cute idea! I would recommend finding more current books to give kids. Usually, unless kids are already readers they will connect more to books written more recently than classics like the Narnia books and From the Mixed Up Files (even though those are both amazing and I love them)

Some books for that age that I love with diverse characters:

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliiott - Griffyndor

The Unicorn Rescue Society by Adam Gidwitz - this could be HUfflepuff or Griffyndor

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty - Ravenclaw

Front Desk by Kelly Lang - Ravenclaw or maybe Hufflepuff

The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez - Griffyndor

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett - Slytherin

My 8 year old said The Miscalculations of Lightening Girl for sure is Ravenclaw. But she said Front Desk would be Gryiffyndor.

I’m going to write the other recommendations down because they sound right up her alley.

OP- my 8 year wants to be in your mom’s class SO BAD. She said that sounds wonderful and now wants to sort all her books into houses.

[keh2oblue]

Awesome suggestions and such a creative idea! Whatever she doesn’t buy, she should consider providing a list of the other books that the kids could check out on their own at the library. I know it’s often hard for parents to know reading age appropriate books among the millions of options.

[amberlyrose]

Aug 5, 2020 18:37:39 GMT -5 jr009j said:

Aug 4, 2020 21:20:14 GMT -5 shananagins said:

This is a super cute idea! I would recommend finding more current books to give kids. Usually, unless kids are already readers they will connect more to books written more recently than classics like the Narnia books and From the Mixed Up Files (even though those are both amazing and I love them)

Some books for that age that I love with diverse characters:

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliiott - Griffyndor

The Unicorn Rescue Society by Adam Gidwitz - this could be HUfflepuff or Griffyndor

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty - Ravenclaw

Front Desk by Kelly Lang - Ravenclaw or maybe Hufflepuff

The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez - Griffyndor

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett - Slytherin

My 8 year old said The Miscalculations of Lightening Girl for sure is Ravenclaw. But she said Front Desk would be Gryiffyndor.

I’m going to write the other recommendations down because they sound right up her alley.

OP- my 8 year wants to be in your mom’s class SO BAD. She said that sounds wonderful and now wants to sort all her books into houses.

I showed her this comment and a few others (she's having an awful morning with trying to get training on Canvas) and it made her tear up  

[amberlyrose]

Also- if any of you know how to set up Canvas or basics, I'm to the point that I will pay anyone to help her out because whoever is doing their district training is a mess.

[shananagins]

Aug 6, 2020 10:20:34 GMT -5 amberlyrose said:

Also- if any of you know how to set up Canvas or basics, I'm to the point that I will pay anyone to help her out because whoever is doing their district training is a mess.

I’m just learning Canvas myself, but I saved this doc I saw in a FB group. Maybe some of these could help her. docs.google.com/document/d/1w7q-NeFaITPAbDya4xBWlziwZBNrIN_kwv3MAB5Hcp0/mobilebasic

[amberlyrose]

Aug 6, 2020 14:56:40 GMT -5 shananagins said:

Aug 6, 2020 10:20:34 GMT -5 amberlyrose said:

Also- if any of you know how to set up Canvas or basics, I'm to the point that I will pay anyone to help her out because whoever is doing their district training is a mess.

I’m just learning Canvas myself, but I saved this doc I saw in a FB group. Maybe some of these could help her. docs.google.com/document/d/1w7q-NeFaITPAbDya4xBWlziwZBNrIN_kwv3MAB5Hcp0/mobilebasic

This is awesome- thank you!!!

[186momx]

I just want to say the my 4th grader would die to be in your mom's class. She has been living HP since March. She told her 3rd grade teacher she was finishing the school year at Hogwarts and her teacher asked if she could join her last April.