Special Collections
District List: BCPS Supplemental Texts - Grade 5
Description: Baltimore City Public Schools Supplemental Text List for students in 5th Grade. #bcps
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Jesse Owens
by Carole Boston Weatherford and Eric VelasquezJesse Owens grew up during the time of Jim Crow laws, but segregation never slowed him down. After setting world records for track in high school and college, he won a slot on the 1936 U.S. Olympic team. That year, the Olympics were in Berlin, then controlled by the Nazis, and Hitler was certain they would be a chance to prove to the world that Aryans were superior to all other races. But the triumph of Jesse's will helped him run through any barrier, winning four gold medals and the hearts of millions, setting two world records, and proving the Nazi dictator unmistakably wrong.
The story of Jesse Owens comes alive for young readers with Carole Boston Weatherford's award-winning free verse poetry. Eric Velasquez tackles this challenging subject with the use of pastels for the first time in twenty years-a technique that is both heart-stopping and immediate.
Mr. Matisse and His Cutouts
by Annemarie Van HaeringenMr. Matisse is a painter with "the sun in his tummy." His colors make everyone happy. But one day he becomes ill and has to have a major operation. When he wakes up in a white hospital room, he misses his colors. 'Bring my brushes! Bring my paint!' But the sheets are not smooth and taut like canvas. And the walls and ceiling are too far away. What will he do now?
Elijah of Buxton
by Christopher Paul CurtisMaster storyteller Christopher Paul Curtis's Newbery Honor novel, featuring his trademark humor, unique narrative voice, and new cover art--now in paperback!
Eleven-year-old Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves near the American border. He's the first child in town to be born free, and he ought to be famous just for that. Unfortunately, all that most people see is a "fra-gile" boy who's scared of snakes and talks too much. But everything changes when a former slave steals money from Elijah's friend, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Now it's up to Elijah to track down the thief--and his dangerous journey just might make a hero out of him, if only he can find the courage to get back home.
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Wilma Unlimited
by Kathleen KrullBefore Wilma was five years old, polio had paralyzed her left leg. Everyone said she would never walk again. But Wilma refused to believe it. Not only would she walk again, she vowed, she'd run. And she did run--all the way to the Olympics, where she became the first American woman to earn three gold medals in a single olympiad.
Zia
by Scott O'DellA young Indian girl, caught between the traditional world of her mother and the present world of the mission, is helped by her Aunt Karana, whose story was told in Island of the Blue Dolphins.
America's Champion Swimmer
by David A. Adler and Terry WidenerTrudy Ederle loved to swim, and she was determined to be the best. At seventeen Trudy won three medals at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. But what she planned to do next had never been done by a woman: She would swim across the English Channel in fourteen hours and set a world record.
C D B!
by William SteigLetters and numbers are used to create the sounds of words and simple sentences 4 u 2 figure out with the aid of illustrations.
Only the Names Remain
by Alex W. BealerFrom 1837 to 1838, thousands of Cherokee Indians were marched from their homelands in Georgia to exile in Arkansas by the same white men that they had once befriended. The Cherokees journeyed through bitter cold and blazing heat, with little food or water. One out of four died, and with them died a culture that had existed for hundreds of years, a civilization that had embraced the white man's ways only to perish through his betrayal. Today, only the names remain of this once great nation.
How I Found the Strong
by Margaret McMullanIt is the spring of 1861, and the serenity of Smith County, Mississippi, has been shattered by Abraham Lincoln’s declaration of war on the South. Young and old are taking up arms and marching off to war. But not ten-year-old Frank Russell. Although he is eager to enlist in the Confederate army, he is not allowed. He is too young, too skinny, too weak. After all, he’s just “Shanks,” the baby of the Russell family. War has a way of taking things away from a person, mercilessly. And this war takes from Frank a mighty sum. It’s nabbed his Pa and older brother. It’s stolen his grandfather, his grandmother. It has robbed Frank of a simpler way of life, food, his boyhood. And gone are his idealistic dreams of heroic battles and hard-fought victories. Now all that replaces those images are questions: Will I ever see my father and brother again? Why are we fighting this war? Are we fighting for the wrong reasons? Will things ever be the same around here?
A Splash of Red
by Jen Bryant and Melissa SweetAs a child in the late 1800s, Horace Pippin loved to draw: He loved the feel of the charcoal as it slid across the floor. He loved looking at something in the room and making it come alive again in front of him. He drew pictures for his sisters, his classmates, his co-workers. Even during W.W.I, Horace filled his notebooks with drawings from the trenches . . . until he was shot. Upon his return home, Horace couldn't lift his right arm, and couldn't make any art. Slowly, with lots of practice, he regained use of his arm, until once again, he was able to paint--and paint, and paint! Soon, people--including the famous painter N. C. Wyeth--started noticing Horace's art, and before long, his paintings were displayed in galleries and museums across the country. Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet team up once again to share this inspiring story of a self-taught painter from humble beginnings who despite many obstacles, was ultimately able to do what he loved, and be recognized for who he was: an artist.
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award and a Sibert Honor
With Every Drop of Blood
by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher CollierFourteen-year-old Johnny promised his father, who was gravely wounded while fighting for the South, that he would take care of the family and not run off to fight. But when there's a request to take his mules and wagon on a bold mission to supply the Rebel troops, Johnny can't resist the chance for revenge as well as a good payday. Times are tough without his father on the farm, and food is scarce for everyone. But his plan goes awry when he's captured by Cush, a runaway slave. Johnny doesn't like taking orders from a black man, but he has no choice: He's heading for prison camp wondering what will become of his family and himself. Along the way, he learns some surprising views about the war, forms an unlikely bond with Cush, and finds his long-held feelings about the issues surrounding the Civil War brought into question. This critically acclaimed novel is geared for children Grades 5 and up.
Lemonade
by Bob Raczka and Nancy DonigerPlay with your words! A brand-new poetic form that turns word puzzles into poetry.
Part anagram, part rebus, part riddle—the poems in Lemonade: and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word capture a scene from a child's daily life and present a puzzle to solve. Sometimes sweet and sometimes funny but always clever, these poems are fun to read and even more fun for kids to write. Bob Raczka is a fresh, new voice in children's poetry who knows that fun and games can turn a poetry lesson into lemonade!
On Enemy Soil
by Jim MurphyThe Civil War JOURNAL OF JAMES EDMOND PEASE is now in paperback with an exciting repackaging!Ignorant to the bitter realities of military life, 16-year-old James enlists in the Union Army at the dawn of the Civil War. When his lieutenant assigns him to be the company historian of the G Company of the 122nd Regiment, New York Volunteers, he is initially at a loss as to what exactly he is supposed to record. As the days pass, James settles into his role, but he cannot take comfort in it. His country is divided by a bloody war, and his unit struggles through the hardships and turmoil. Through his journal entries, James poignantly captures the terror of battle, the drudgery of day-to-day life in the infantry, the loss of comrades, and the disillusionment of a young soldier.
Noah Webster
by Pegi Deitz Shea and Monica VachulaThis NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book celebrates one of the most important patriots in post-Revolutionary times. Most readers know Noah Webster for his dictionary masterpieces and his promotion of a living "American Language" that embraces words and idioms from all its immigrant peoples. But he was also the driving force behind universal education for all citizens, including slaves, females, and adult learners. Speaker of twenty languages, he developed the new country's curriculum, writing and publishing American literature, American history, and American geography. He published New York City's first daily newspaper. As editor, Webster conducted a study and linked disease with poor sanitation. He created the country's first insurance company, established America's first copyright law, and became America's first best-selling author.
Red Moon at Sharpsburg
by Rosemary WellsAward-winning author Rosemary Wells lays bare the senseless devastation of war in this stunning novel. As the Civil War breaks out, India, a young Southern girl, summons her sharp intelligence and the courage she didn''t know she had to survive the war that threatens to destroy her family, her Virginia home, and the only life she has ever known. A timeless heroine of inspiring drive and bravery, India holds on to her dream of forging a career in science, unheard-of for a woman, in the face of battle, starvation, and tragic loss. Rarely has the Southern perspective on the war been told so even-handedly for young adults as in this meticulously researched, poignant, and riveting novel.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
by Scott O'DellThe gripping story of young Karana, who survives by herself for eighteen years on a deserted island off the California coast.
Newbery Medal winner
Civil War Stories
by Ambrose BierceNewspaperman, short-story writer, poet, and satirist, Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) is one of the most striking and unusual literary figures America has produced. Dubbed "Bitter Bierce" for his vitriolic wit and biting satire, his fame rests largely on a celebrated compilation of barbed epigrams, The Devil's Dictionary, and a book of short stories (Tales of Soldiers and Civilians, 1891). Most of the 16 selections in this volume have been taken from the latter collection.The stories in this edition include: "What I Saw at Shiloh," "A Son of the Gods," "Four Days in Dixie," "One of the Missing," "A Horseman in the Sky," "The Coup de Grace," "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," "The Story of Conscience," "One Kind of Officer," "Chickamauga," and five more.Bierce's stories employ a buildup of suggestive realistic detail to produce grim and vivid tales often disturbing in their mood of fatalism and impending calamity. Hauntingly suggestive, they offer excellent examples of the author's dark pessimism and storytelling power.
The Bat Boy & His Violin
by Gavin CurtisReginald loves making beautiful classical music. Practicing to develop his talent is a pleasure for the little boy whose mother offers encouragement and listens with equal pleasure. As he diligently prepares for a recital, his father, the manager of the Dukes, a down-on-its-luck team in the Negro national League, appoints his son bat boy in hopes of inspiring Reginald to follow in his footsteps and prepare for a career in professional baseball. Reginald would much rather spend his time mastering his recital pieces, but he is also anxious to please his father. Though well meaning, the little boy causes disaster on the baseball diamond. To prevent further mishaps, he is sent to the bench to harmlessly play his violin. The lovely music unexpectedly brings out the best in the Dukes and Papa listens more appreciatively than he has ever before. In this story of family love, Papa gains pride in his son's ambition and gives the boy whole hearted support. The volunteer who scanned this book has written appealing descriptions of the beautiful water color illustrations. Gavin Curtis has written a satisfying, affectionately told, short story of warm family bonds, set at a time when the prowess of players for the Negro National League is rewarded and they begin merging with the formerly all white teams. This is good reading for anyone from preschool to adult.
Sing Down the Moon
by Scott O'DellNewbery Honor BookIn this powerful novel based on historical events, the Navajo tribe's forced march from their homeland to Fort Sumner is dramatically and courageously narrated by young Bright Morning.Like the author's Newbery Medal-winning classic Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell's Sing Down the Moon is a gripping tale of survival, strength, and courage.
As Long As The Rivers Flow
by Paula Gunn Allen and Patricia Clark SmithNine Native Americans are profiled in this collection that includes the accomplishments of notables such as Apache warrior Geronimo; entertainer Will Rogers; athlete Jim Thorpe; Wilma Mankiller, the first woman elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation; and others. Photos.
Soldier's Heart
by Gary PaulsenGary Paulsen introduces readers to Charley Goddard in his latest novel, Soldier's Heart. Charley goes to war a boy, and returns a changed man, crippled by what he has seen. In this captivating tale Paulsen vividly shows readers the turmoil of war through one boy's eyes and one boy's heart, and gives a voice to all the anonymous young men who fought in the Civil War.From the Hardcover edition.
The Right Word
by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet2015 Caldecott Honor Book
2015 Sibert Medal Winner
For shy young Peter Mark Roget, books were the best companions -- and it wasn't long before Peter began writing his own book. But he didn't write stories; he wrote lists. Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he thought. His lists grew and grew, eventually turning into one of the most important reference books of all time.
Readers of all ages will marvel at Roget's life, depicted through lyrical text and brilliantly detailed illustrations. This elegant book celebrates the joy of learning and the power of words.