Book Club Babes: Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab

Miss Colleen's selection of Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab was a hit not only for the book club members, but also the adults.  A thriller full of suspense and pretty cool experiments (this coming from a liberal arts person), I read my copy in one night.

Due to the high volume (sweet!) of experiments Miss Colleen's mom brought with her, we changed the mode of discussion.  Each member chose a favorite question out of the three written in her journal, wrote said question on an index card, and placed it in a bowl.  Members then chose a question (blindly) from the bowl and were given time to think about the answer before sharing with the rest of the group.

After discussion it was experiment time, their favorite.  

Volcano Kit Purchased at Happy Up

To conclude, members were given a choice of ice cream flavors including mint chip and double chocolate chunk (the hub was unable to find double chocolate praline)  because this was what Nick and Tesla devoured at the end of the book.  Takeaway was a sandwich bag full of diluted highlighter juice to be used in a top secret manner of the Book Club Babe's choosing much like Nick and Tesla used it to track the van in chapters 9-10.

Next discussion:  Miss Grace's The Puppy Place:  Chewy and Chica

Book Club Babes: Frozen

Book Club Babes (a third-grade book club) met and discussed Disney's chapter book, Frozen, selected by Miss Bella.  As members arrived, they were asked to decorate a cup to be used for the frozen punch, SoBe pina colada drink (found at Schnucks for $1/bottle . . . score).

Frozen SoBe was used as ice cubes to chill the punch.

After a dinner of sandwiches (which is mentioned in "Love is an Open Door"), a frozen dessert bar was served complete with a cake like the one found in the movie (minus the head statue) and various white/silver-colored treats (thank you Miss Faith for the white-iced snack cakes).

 
Discussion ensued with thought provoking open-ended questions such as, "What makes a family?" and "What is true love?"  to close reading questions such as, "What are the names of the three trolls?  Look in chapter 2."  One member's question of "What was your favorite scene?" led to third-grade members acting their answers out for the rest of the group.  Yes, goosebumps ran up and down my arms and legs as literacy in action unfolded before my eyes.  Even first and second grade siblings joined in on the discussion.  Be still my heart.

The remainder of book club was spent watching the movie Frozen (okay, I think one member ended up watching the movie in its entirety) and playing;  hey, they earned it.

Next discussion:  Miss Colleen's pick of Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab

Book Club Babes Reader-Generated List to Date

Placing the book selection in the hands of the second-grade girl members of Book Club Babes, a wide range of genres has been selected thus far which thrills me as the facilitator.  Listed beside the title are brainstorming ideas to reinforce the readings.

Disney Frozen (123 pages), I'm thinking viewing party after discussion.  Oh yeah!

Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab:  A Mystery with Electrogmagnets, Burglar Alarms, and Other Gadgets You Can Build Yourself (240 pages), Experiments galore after discussion . . .

The Puppy Place:  Chewy and Chica (144 pages), Meet at the Glen Carbon Berry to read with the STARS with Dogs

Isabelle:  American Girl Today (128 pages), I know they offer American Girl workshops at the G.C. Berry.

Junie B. Jones and that Meanie Jim's Birthday (85 pages), An Unbirthday Partay