12 Books and Tech Tips Day 6

 

12 Books in 12 Days - Day 6 In honor of the traditional Holiday song, the 12 Days of Christmas, we will celebrate books with 12 Books in 12 Days. Titles were recommended by school librarians throughout the country on the AASL Forum, best seller lists, best books of the year lists, and professional book reviews. As our 12 days rush by, we hope you find something worth reading as a holiday treat for yourself. For the Sixth Book of Christmas, a Good Friend Gave to Me: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (This was one of my favorite reads this year!) Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman‘s only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying. The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation. - From Macmillan Learn Math and Spreadsheets in this Fun Holiday Lesson for our 6th Day or Tech Tips Using the 12 Days of Christmas song, students can learn spreadsheet formulas and review their math knowledge to find the numbers mentioned in this timeless carol.  Click HERE for a spreadsheet template with directions and even a tab showing help and answers. There is a quick 4 minute tutorial video!  What could be better than this? Thanks Eric Curts! As a bonus, you will find a link to even more Googley Wintertime Activities for kids!  Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.