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How I Became a Spy
How I Became a Spy: A Mystery of WWII London | Deborah Hopkinson
10 posts | 10 read | 2 to read
From the award-winning author of The Great Trouble comes a story of espionage, survival, and friendship during World War II. Bertie Bradshaw never set out to become a spy. He never imagined traipsing around war-torn London, solving ciphers, practicing surveillance, and searching for a traitor to the Allied forces. He certainly never expected that a strong-willed American girl named Eleanor would play Watson to his Holmes (or Holmes to his Watson, depending on who you ask). But when a young woman goes missing, leaving behind a coded notebook, Bertie is determined to solve the mystery. With the help of Eleanor and his friend David, a Jewish refugee--and, of course, his trusty pup, Little Roo--Bertie must decipher the notebook in time to stop a double agent from spilling the biggest secret of all to the Nazis. From the author of The Great Trouble, this suspenseful WWII adventure reminds us that times of war call for bravery, brains and teamwork from even the most unlikely heroes.
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tclivio
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How I Became a Spy is a great HF book to have in your classroom! How I Became a Spy is a book about a boy living through WWII in London. When Bertie Bradshaw, the main character, finds himself becoming a spy, he solves codes and ciphers, follows people, collects clues, and so much more! This book provides a great amount of mystery, history, and excitement!

tclivio #ucflae3414sp21 I think that students would love reading this book, and love being able to solve the ciphers throughout it! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fun-with-Ciphers-Digital-Cipher-Whee... This website would be great to use to have students create their own cipher wheels and practice using ciphers! It would be a great activity for after reading! 4y
tclivio This book would be great to read in a LC! This book also contains great vocabulary, which would go great with EL 5( teach technical vocabulary support and key concepts) as well as UDL 2.1 ( clarify vocabulary and symbols.) 4y
DrSpalding The cipher wheel I shared in class was free! As we discussed in our book club, this would be an excellent extension activity. Your universal design and English learner strategies work beautifully. You‘ve done a nice job aligning them throughout your posts. 4y
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olivia_danko
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How I Became a Spy is about a boy named Bertie Bradshaw who played an important role in solving ciphers and searching for a traitor to the Allied forces. He also is accompanied by his dog, Little Roo, and an American girl named Eleanor who helps him solve the mystery of the young woman who goes missing, leaving behind a coded notebook. They have to decipher the notebook to prevent from spilling the biggest secret to the Nazis.

olivia_danko This historical fiction and award-winning Sunshine State Young Reader book would be great using UDL 6.1 (Guide appropriate goal-setting) because Bertie set a goal out for his team in solving ciphers, you can teach the students why goal setting is so important. The ELS strategy I'd use is EL 8 modeling, explaining, scaffolding, name the strategy and show how to use it. I'd have the ELLs listen to me explain how we can set goals, then have them 4y
olivia_danko set their own goals. The link below has a perfect worksheet on how to organize your goals.
Lesson plan: https://www.developgoodhabits.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Simple-Goal-Setting...
#ucflae3414sp21

4y
DrSpalding Your pictures continue to make me smile. I like the universal design principle that directly aligns with your excellent resource. Good job. 4y
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Ericaj
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Pickpick

This is HF. This is great for LC. It won a Sunshine State Young Readers Award. This book takes place during World War 2. It‘s about a boy who finds a mysterious notebook, and he tries to find out who it belongs to. http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/literature-circle... This website gives information for educators on how to start a literature circle.

Ericaj Also, teachers can select their state and it will show the standards that they can connect it to. UDL 7.3 Minimize threats and distractions. ESOL strategy# 2 Promote cooperation (small groups). In each group meeting, students will collaborate on what they read and reflect on the book. #UCFLAE3414SP21 4y
DrSpalding This was our book club book! You are right that English learner strategy number to promoting cooperation in small groups works beautifully with this teaching strategy. Use quality historical fiction during social studies lessons and units in your internship class and beyond. 4y
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Emiranda
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Mehso-so

This HF SSYRA novel was chosen as a book club read, but I would label it best for IR. The story is set during World war 2 and would be a great read for students while being taught about the subject.

Emiranda https://www.readingrockets.org/article/making-independent-reading-work EL 4 is being presented as this book should be introduced around the sme time a WW2 lesson is so they can activate their background knowledge. UDL 73.1 is used as they are applying their knowledge of this historical event as they read. #UCFLAE3414SP21 4y
Karissacurrier I‘ve heard such great things about this book! I need to add it to my TBR list. I also love the reading rockets resource you included! They always have quality educational information. 4y
DrSpalding I still enjoyed our book club chats and believe this would be a helpful book to complement social studies instruction. 4y
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Betrinag
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Pickpick

This HF, LC will be an interesting and educational add to 3-5th grade classrooms! The major theme of this book is espionage. Bertie wasn‘t thinking of becoming a spy, but he falls head first into a mystery that he tries to solve with the help of his friends and trusty dog. The reader follows along as Bertie and friends try to decode ciphers, and are given the opportunity to decode a few themselves! This book would do well in a LC setting.

Betrinag Scholastic provides strategy tools to help create a LC; while this plan was designed for 9-12th graders, the strategies are still applicable to 3-5th grade classrooms. https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/training-stude... UDL principle 3.1 concerning the activation or supplication of background knowledge works well with the WWII components of the book; EL 5 concerning teaching vocabulary and key... (edited) 4y
Betrinag ... concepts also work well with this book. #ucflae3414sp21 4y
DrSpalding Excellent post Betrina! I am not done reading this book however ...you are following the rubric well!🙌 4y
Betrinag @DrSpalding thank you! 😊 4y
DrSpalding I needed to add another comment! I thought this was an excellent book and certainly one that would complement social studies instruction in fifth grade. Thank you for selecting this quality piece of historical fiction that is currently on the sunshine state young reader award list. 4y
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StephanyNunez
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Pickpick

How I Became A Spy is an HF book by Deborah Hopkinson. This story is about a boy named Bertie and his dog Little Roo during WWII in London. Bertie is a civil defense volunteer, and while doing his job, he found a coded notebook with important information about a traitor. Bertie, never thought he would become a spy, but through his journey Bertie,..... Continues
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StephanyNunez his friends David, Eleonor, and his dog Little Roo find clues to solve the ciphers in the notebook. They also want find the traitor and the missing woman. Teachers can use "How I Became A Spy" for literature circles (LC) because the story has many complex vocabulary words, many settings, and the students can infer and predict what will happen next. #UCFLAE3414SP21 4y
StephanyNunez The UDL principle recomended for the story is 2.1 ( clarify vocabulary and symbols) and support activities from http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/acquiring-vocabulary-.... This resource will help students with vocabulary comprehension through group book discussions. EL strategy 5 (Teach technical vocabulary supporting key concepts). #UCFLAE3414SP21 4y
ztorres A great book, absolutely enjoyed reading it for class. I wished the end result was different but other than that great book. It has so much potential for activities and lessons to do in the classroom. I think upper elementary students will truly enjoy it. 4y
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neanderc
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Pickpick

This HF, LC book is a thrilling and suspenseful read for your students! This book tells of espionage, survival and friendship during World War II. Bertie Bradshaw never thought he would become a spy. However, a chance encounter with a young girl and a mysterious red notebook leave Bertie and his friends cracking codes and trying to stop a double agent from spilling secrets.

neanderc This book would be perfect for an LC. Young readers can use the activities included in the website below to try their luck at becoming spies!

https://www.spymuseum.org/education-programs/educators/lesson-plans-activities/

The UDL Principle 8.3 regarding fostering collaboration and community and EL 2 are met through the use of an LC. #ucflae3414sp21
4y
DrSpalding This worked very well for book clubs in our class. You found a wonderful resource that could truly motivate and engage students. Again, you need a bit more information regarding your universal design and English learner strategies. Use book clubs in your classroom! The more kids talk about books the more they comprehend them. 4y
3 likes2 comments
blurb
emilypalkovich
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How I Became a Spy by Deborah Hopkinson is a historical fiction novel for ages nine to twelve. This chapter-book was awarded the Sunshine State Young Readers Award which comes as no surprise because Hopkinson is an award-winning author. How I Became a Spy is no exception to Hopkinson's talent. The story focuses on a young boy (Bertie)

emilypalkovich in London, England during World War II and his adventures with a group of friends (an American named Eleanor and a Jewish refugee named David) when they discover a notebook dropped by a secret agent working against the Nazi force. The book brings fun to the dreary topic by incorporating ciphers to decode message the children find in the notebook. In my classroom I would use this book for a literature circle like we did in this class. I think this 4y
emilypalkovich reading strategy would work best for this book because it is a chapter book so students will need to bring it home, do some reading, and discuss it in class with their group on a schedule. A great discussion guide for historical fiction books is linked here: https://www.readinggroupguides.com/historical-fiction-discussion-questions. A UDL strategy for this book is self regulation. Since it is a chapter book, students will need assistance in 4y
emilypalkovich completing readings on a scheduled basis. Teachers should help students develop self-assessment and reflection to reach these goals. An EL strategy that should be used for this book is number 43. Have students underline or highlight key words or important facts. This would be useful because there are more advanced vocabulary terms and topics throughout this book that may require more research or questions from EL's.
4y
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ztorres
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Pickpick

So far I have been enjoying this book. It has been fun making some of the illustrations for the assignment. It allows you to be more focus and look for specific details! 💙

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Quirkybookworm
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Just woke up after 12 hr shift. Made myself steak w wine reduction and mushrooms And a touch of blue cheese and of course freshly pan cooked spinach and tomatoes. Perfect late dinner with my new ARC. Happy 1st of December, lovely littens!💕❤️💜

inthegreensandblues Oh my, that looks delicious 🤤 6y
Ruthiella 😋 yum 6y
zuzia Looks delicious! 6y
105 likes3 comments