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District List: BCPS Supplemental Texts - Grade 4
Description: Baltimore City Public Schools Supplemental Text List for students in 4th Grade. #bcps
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George Washington, Spymaster
by Thomas B. AllenThe award-winning National Geographic book that presents the untold story of the invisible war behind the American Revolution. A riveting tale of intrigue, spies, counterspies and secret agents,George Washington, Spymaster is a unique and entertaining account of one of the most important chapters in our nation's history. The compelling narrative reveals the surprising role played by the first commander-in-chief, General George Washington in the War of Independence. Follow the action as 1775 dawns, and Washington finds himself in serious trouble. At war with Britain, the world's most powerful empire, his ragtag army possesses only a few muskets, some cannons, and no money. The Americans' only hope is to wage an invisible war_a war of spies, intelligence networks, and deception. Enter the shadowy world of double agents, covert operations, codes and ciphers_a world so secret that America's spymaster himself doesn't know the identities of some of his agents. Meet members of the elusive Culper Ring, uncover a "mole" in the Sons of Liberty, and see how invisible ink and even a clothesline are used to send secret messages. You can even use Washington's own secret codebook, published here for the first time. Experience at close quarters the successes and failures of the Americans as they strive to outwit the British. Meet the chief of covert operations, one Benjamin Franklin, and several other surprising players in America's secret war. Author Thomas B. Allen has sifted through dozens of historical documents and coded letters to uncover the facts about a time shrouded in secrets.
Usborne Greek Myths
by Heather Amery and Linda EdwardsRetells some of the most famous Greek myths about gods, goddesses, humans, heroes, and monsters, explaining the background of the tales and how they have survived.
Sybil Ludington's Midnight Ride
by Marsha AmstelThe story of Sybil Ludington's ride on horseback to rouse American soldiers to fight against the British who were attacking Danbury, Connecticut during the American Revolution.
Chains
by Laurie Halse AndersonFrom acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson comes this compelling first novel in the historical middle grade The Seeds of America trilogy that shows the lengths we can go to cast off our chains, both physical and spiritual.As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.
Forge
by Laurie Halse Anderson&“One of the best novels they have ever read.&” —Kirkus Reviews Curzon navigates the dangers of being a runaway slave in this keenly felt second novel in in the historical middle grade The Seeds of America trilogy from acclaimed author Laurie Halse Anderson.Blistering winds. Bitter cold. And the hope of a new future. The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for free. And then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge—against her will. She and Curzon have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom.
Sophia's War
by AviLives hang in the balance in this gripping Revolutionary War adventure from a beloved Newbery medalist.
In 1776, young Sophia Calderwood witnesses the execution of Nathan Hale in New York City, which is newly occupied by the British army. Sophia is horrified by the event and resolves to do all she can to help the American cause. Recruited as a spy, she becomes a maid in the home of General Clinton, the supreme commander of the British forces in America. Through her work she becomes aware that someone in the American army might be switching sides, and she uncovers a plot that will grievously damage the Americans if it succeeds. But the identity of the would-be traitor is so shocking that no one believes her, and so Sophia decides to stop the treacherous plot herself, at great personal peril: She's young, she's a girl, and she's running out of time. And if she fails, she's facing an execution of her own.
Master storyteller Avi shows exactly how personal politics can be in this riveting novel that is rich in historical detail and rife with action.
Treasury of Egyptian Mythology
by Donna Jo Napoli and Christina BalitThe new National Geographic Treasury of Egyptian Mythology is a stunning tableau of Egyptian myths, including those of pharaohs, queens, the boisterous Sun God Ra, and legendary creatures like the Sphinx. The lyrical storytelling of award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli dramatizes the timeless tales of ancient Egypt in the year when Angelina Jolie will make Cleopatra a multimedia star. And just like the popular National Geographic Treasury of Greek Mythology, the stories in this book will be beautifully illustrated to bring ancient characters vividly to life. The stories are embellished with sidebars that provide historical, cultural, and geographic context and a mapping feature that adds to the fun and fascination. Resource notes and ample back matter direct readers to discover more about ancient Egypt. With its attractive design and beautiful narrative, this accessible treasury stands out from all other mythology titles in the marketplace.
Treasury of Greek Mythology
by Christina Balit and Donna Jo NapoliSchool Library Journal Best Books of 2011Eureka! Silver Honor Books--California Reading AssociationCapitol Choices 2012 list of Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens2012 Notable Children's Books--ALSCThe new National Geographic Treasury of Greek Mythology offers timeless stories of Greek myths in a beautiful new volume. Brought to life with lyrical text by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli and stunning artwork by award-winning illustrator Christina Balit, the tales of gods and goddesses such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Athena and heroes and monsters such as Helen of Troy, Perseus, and Medusa will fascinate and engage children's imaginations. National Geographic completes the book with embellishments of each story: sidebars for each god, goddess, hero, and monster link the myths to constellations, geography, history, and culture to help young readers connect the stories to real life events, people, and places. A family tree and a "cast of characters" profile page help make relationships between the characters clear, and a mapping feature adds to the fun and fascination. Resource notes and ample back matter directing readers to more information round out this luminous book. Sure to dazzle all those intrigued with the fantastic tales of Greek mythology and enchant new readers, this vibrant book will soon become a family keepsake.National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.
Sam the Minuteman
by Nathaniel Benchley"Get your gun" Sam's father said. "The British soldiers are coming this way "Sam's father was a Minuteman. Sam was ready in a minute. Father and son rushed to the village green. Other Minutemen were already there.
Samuel's Choice
by Richard BerlethIn 1776, Samuel, a young, black slave in Brooklyn, helps General Washington after the Battle of Long Island.
Did It All Start With A Snowball Fight?
by Mary Kay Carson and Mark Elliott and Robert HuntCould a snowball fight really have sparked the American Revolution? What made people get so steaming mad over the price of tea? And did it take a minuteman only a minute to join the fight?
Step back into colonial America to find out about taxation without representation; why the British were called lobsters, the first-ever combat submarine, and whether Yankee doodles were really dandy!
This interesting take on eh American Revolution will attract young readers...even if they don't have to write a book report.
My Brother Sam Is Dead
by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher CollierThe classic story of one family torn apart by the Revolutionary War
All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the British -- including Tim and Sam's father.
With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice -- between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats... and between his brother and his father.
Newbery Medal Honor book
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book
Cupid and Psyche
by M. Charlotte CraftPsyche is the most beautiful woman in the world, yet the oracle at Delphi foresees she will fall in love with a creature feared even by the gods themselves. Magically, Psyche finds herself in a magnificent castle fitted with sweet music, attentive servants, and a charming but invisible host. Soon she falls in love with this man she has never seen, but in a moment of doubt she betrays his trust. To win back his love, Psyche must show that she is as brave as she is beautiful by performing three impossible tasks. Perhaps the greatest love story of all, Cupid and Psyche is unsurpassed in its richness and drama. Marie Craft's lively, suspenseful retelling of this classic Greek myth will appeal to young and old alike. And these legendary lovers have inspired forty lush luminous paintings by award-winning artist Kinuko Craft. Lavishly illustrated and thrillingly told, here is a book to be treasured forever.
For Liberty
by Timothy DeckerThe story of the Boston Massacre is retold wherein Captain Preston arrives to save Private White from a crowd of angry rioters and the soldiers open fire.
A Girl Named Disaster
by Nancy FarmerOrchard Classics is a collectible hardcover line of Newbery award-winning titles from the Orchard backlist that have fresh, beautiful new designs and include author prefaces and discussion guides.A GIRL NAMED DISASTER is the humorous and heartwrenching story of young girl who discovers her own courage and strength when she makes the dangerous journey from Mozambique to Zimbabwe. Nhamo is a Shona girl living in a traditional village in Mozambique in 1981. When her family tries to force her into a marriage with a cruel man, she flees. What was supposed to have been a short boat trip across the border into Zimbabwe, where she hoped to find her father, turns into an adventure filled with challenges and danger that lasts a year.
Johnny Tremain
by Esther Hoskins ForbesJohnny Tremain, winner of the 1943 Newbery Medal, is one of the finest historical novels ever written for children.
As compelling today as it was fifty years ago, to read this riveting novel is to live through the defining events leading up to the American Revolutionary War. Fourteen-year old Johnny Tremain, an apprentice silversmith with a bright future ahead of him, injures his hand in a tragic accident, forcing him to look for other work. In his new job as a horse-boy, riding for the patriotic newspaper, the Boston Observer, and as a messenger for the Sons of Liberty, he encounters John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Dr. Joseph Warren. Soon Johnny is involved in the pivotal events shaping the American Revolution from the Boston Tea Party to the first shots fired at Lexington.
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
by Jean FritzA biography of George the Third, King of Great Britain, at the time of the American Revolution.
My Side of the Mountain
by Jean Craighead GeorgeTerribly unhappy in his family's crowded New York City apartment, Sam Gribley runs away to the solitude--and danger--of the mountains, where he finds a side of himself he never knew.
Newbery Medal Honors book.
Who Was Clara Barton?
by David Groff and Stephanie SpinnerClarissa "Clara" Barton was a shy girl who grew up to become a teacher, nurse, and humanitarian. At a time when few women worked outside the home, she became the first woman to hold a government job, as a patent clerk in Washington, DC. In 1864, she was appointed "lady in charge" of the hospitals at the front lines of the Union Army, where she became known as the "Angel of the Battlefield." Clara Barton built a career helping others. She went on to found the American Red Cross, one of her greatest accomplishments, and one of the most recognized organizations in the world.
Moonbird
by Phillip HooseB95 can feel it: a stirring in his bones and feathers. It's time. Today is the day he will once again cast himself into the air, spiral upward into the clouds, and bank into the wind. He wears a black band on his lower right leg and an orange flag on his upper left, bearing the laser inscription B95. Scientists call him the Moonbird because, in the course of his astoundingly long lifetime, this gritty, four-ounce marathoner has flown the distance to the moon-and halfway back. Each February he joins a flock that lifts off from Tierra del Fuego, headed for breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, nine thousand miles away. Late in the summer, he begins the return journey. B95 can fly for days without eating or sleeping, but eventually he must descend to refuel and rest. However, recent changes at ancient refueling stations along his migratory circuit-changes caused mostly by human activity-have reduced the food available and made it harder for the birds to reach. And so, since 1995, when B95 was first captured and banded, the worldwide rufa population has collapsed by nearly 80 percent. Most perish somewhere along the great hemispheric circuit, but the Moonbird wings on. He has been seen as recently as November 2011, which makes him nearly twenty years old. Shaking their heads, scientists ask themselves: How can this one bird make it year after year when so many others fall? National Book Award-winning author Phillip Hoose takes us around the hemisphere with the world's most celebrated shorebird, showing the obstacles rufa red knots face, introducing a worldwide team of scientists and conservationists trying to save them, and offering insights about what we can do to help shorebirds before it's too late. With inspiring prose, thorough research, and stirring images, Hoose explores the tragedy of extinction through the triumph of a single bird.
Moonbird is one The Washington Post 's Best Kids Books of 2012 and a Sibert Honor book.
The Water Dragon
by Li JianLong ago, in a remote village in China, there lived a kind and generous little boy. He spent his days in the forest, collecting wood to trade for food. One day, the boy made a wondrous discovery: a magic stone that caused his money jar and rice crocks to overflow, both of which he shared with the poor villagers.
But strange things began to happen. It no longer rained. The crops died. The rivers dried up. A terrible drought had struck and would not release its grip. The brave young boy, full of dreams of a white, water-spewing Dragon, took his magic stone on a journey—and discovered how to save his village.
Lexile Measure: AD590L
A Collection of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories
by Rudyard KiplingHow did the rude Rhinoceros get his baggy skin? How did a 'satiably curious Elephant change the lives of his kin evermore? First told aloud to his young daughter ("O my Best Beloved"), Rudyard Kipling's inspired answers to these and other burning questions draw from the fables he heard as a child in India and the folktales he gathered from around the world. Now, in this sumptuous volume, Kipling's playful, inventive tales are brought to life by eight of today's celebrated illustrators, from Peter Sís's elegantly graphic cetacean in "How the Whale Got His Throat" to Satoshi Kitamura's amusingly expressive characters in "The Cat That Walked by Himself." From one of the world's greatest storytellers come eight classic tales just begging to be heard by a new generation — and a visual feast that offers a reward with every retelling.
Fables
by Arnold Lobelpig flying through marshmallow clouds to a marzipan moon? A camel pirouetting through the desert? A wolf who looks suspiciously like an apple tree-or is it the other way around? A bear in a frying-pan hat and paper-bag boots? Where can a reader-child or adult -find such marvelous things but in a fable? Arnold Lobel, creator of Frog and Toad, has given us his own funny and true fables. Each with a fresh and unexpected moral. Each accompanied by an illustration of glowing color and rich detail. Indeed, the reader of Arnold Lobel's fables will be rewarded - just like the mouse who goes off to see the world - by many moments of happiness. Winner of the 1981 Caldecott Medal This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.