Text Box: Click below to view a copy of the parent information letter. Text Box: The mission of Beech Hill Elementary is to lead the way to lifelong learning! Text Box: Quote from book Text Box: My thoughts Text Box: A Sample from Ms. Wanish’s Double Journal

Chapter 1 Pg. 9

Like silent, hungry sharks that swim in the darkness of the sea, the German submarines arrived in the middle of the night.

The simile comparing the subs to hungry sharks filled me thoughts of aggression and even made me anxious!  When I visualized them coming in the middle of the night, I knew they were up to no good!  WOW!  What a great hook into the book.  I am really interested and it’s only the first line!

Chapter 1 Pg. 10

I was not frightened, just terribly excited.  War was something I’d heard about but had never seen

This reminds me so much of my son!  He loves to read about wars and play war.  He thinks war is very exciting.  I have different feelings about war, it seems very tragic and frightening to me.  Maybe that is because I have seen news footage and photos of real wars and he has not...

Chapter 1 Pg. 10  The whole world was at war, and now it had come to us in the warm, blue Caribbean.

What a great contrast between the submarines coming in the darkness of the sea and the middle of the night and his life in the warm, sunny, blue “world” of the Caribbean.  I think the author is foreshadowing the way Phillip’s life will be changed by war.  Wonderful imagery!

5th Grade GATE Summer Reading
Text Box: Click on the book to view a power point introducing this summer’s “virtual vacation” for the brain! Be sure to click the pictures on slides 5,6,7 for links to more information on The Cay.