Chanko, P
Chanko, P. (2007) Rosa Parks: Bus Ride to Freedom. New York, NY: Scholastic
Press [Genre: Biography, also a multicultural book.]
Doherty, E. (2004) Mondo and Gordo Weather the Storm. Pelham, NY:
Benchmark Education Co. [Genre: Modern fantasy and informational.]
Ghiglieri, C. (2007) Helen Keller: An Inspiring Life. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
[Genre: Biography]
Graff, L. (2006) The Thing About Georgie. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. [Genre:
Realistic fiction, also a multicultural book and chapter book. ** Nutmeg Book
Award 2011 nominee]
Levine, E. (2007) Henry’s Freedom Box. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. [Genre:
Biography/Historical fiction, also a multicultural book. **Caldecott Honor Book]
O’Kelly, J. (2007) A Visit to the United Nations. Pelham, NY:
Benchmark Education Co. [Genre: Informational]
Prelutsky, J. (2006) What a Day It Was at School! New York, NY: Greenwillow
Books. [Genre: Poetry]
Rappoport, B. (2005) The Community of Washington, DC. Pelham, NY:
Benchmark Education Co. [Genre: Informational]
Willis, S. (2007) Whiz Kids: Tell Me Why Planes Have Wings. Danbury, CT: Grolier
Publishing Co, Inc. [Genre: Informational]
* Please note that we discovered post-blogging that this ninth title is a reprint from 1998. Since we couldn’t take our entries off the blog (and we had a good discussion about the book...), we are including this information our title page.
|Subject: The Thing About Georgie | |
|Author: Hillary Dailey |Date: October 21, 2010 6:38 PM |
The Thing About George written by Lisa Graff in 2006. This book is a realistic fiction chapter book. Lisa Graff has been nominated for the Nutmeg award in 2011 for this book. The book is multicultural in that dwarfism could be considered a culture. There are no illustrations or chapter titles.
Georgie is a dwarf. His life, overall, is a happy one. But then he learns that his parents are going to have another child. Georgie is overwhelmed with feeling of jealousy for his new sibling who he anticipates will be a normal child, able to do many things Georgie cannot do, including play music like his parents. Georgie’s jealousy also jeopardizes his friendship with his best friend. He also suffers through a developing relationship with the cruelest girl in school, Jeanie the Meanie when he’s forced to do a school project with her.
Many of the chapters begin with a narrator asking you to do him/her a favor. Chapter one the narrator asks you to stretch your right arm high up to the sky, reach across the top of your head and touch your left ear. The narrator recognizes that you can most likely do it and informs you that Georgie can’t. The narrator does this for several chapters. It wasn’t until about chapter 12 that I started wondering who the narrator was. I suspected it was Jeanie but that wasn’t confirmed until the end of the book. Chapter 12 was also the turning point in which the narrator stopped telling the reader all the things Georgie couldn’t do and started telling the reader all the things he could do.
This book could be used to teach about acceptance, dwarfism, disabilities, friendship and family dynamics.
Other books that might be of interest to other people is:
pre-k through grade 3
What It's Like to Be Me by Helen Exley written about a variety of disabilities.
Andy and His Yellow Frisbee by Mary Thompson about autism.
grades 2-6
Adam and the Magic Marble by Adam and Carol Buehrens about Tourette Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy
Check out for a list of other books that discuss disabilities.
Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 21, 2010 6:40 PM
Forgot to add my reviews.
School Library Journal Gr 3-6
This story about the trials of a fourth grader who is a dwarf will entertain and enlighten kids. About to become a big brother, Georgie worries that the baby will grow bigger than he and fulfill his musician parents' hope for a child who can play an instrument. At the same time, Georgie fears that Andy, who's been his friend since kindergarten, likes the new boy better. When Georgie's parents leave him at Andy's house on Christmas Eve, he finds himself being unexpectedly cruel and losing the friendship. Georgie is also assigned to do a project on Abraham Lincoln with Jeanie the Meanie, who puts his name in for the role of the lanky president in a class play. Stuck with the nomination, he's able to give a commanding performance-with Jeanie's help. Andy lets Georgie know he misses him, and his loving parents, who have been somewhat oblivious to his concerns, also come through. Commentary to readers throughout about what Georgie can and can't do is delivered by an anonymous voice, whose identity is revealed as a surprise at the end.
Kirkus Reviews
Georgie is a dwarf, and Andy, his best friend, doesn't seem to care. The two are practically inseparable and even have a dog-walking business together. They have their own interests too; Georgie, for example, loves classical music even though his short fingers prevent him from playing the instruments his musician parents do. Overall, life is good. Then Georgie finds out his parents are going to have a baby who may quickly outgrow him-and be able to share music with their parents in a way that he can't. He and Andy have a fight when Andy invites another friend to join their dog-walking business. Finally, Georgie is paired with Jeanie the Meanie, his nemesis, for a school project. How much can one fourth-grader take? A likable hero, Georgie is realistically drawn, and inventive suggestions at the start of many chapters will help readers understand some aspects of life as a little person. If a trifle earnest-every problem clearly presents an opportunity for Georgie to learn and grow-this is nonetheless a compelling portrayal of dwarfism, differences and growing up. (Fiction. 8-10)
2 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 24, 2010 2:48 PM
Hillary - I never even thought about who the narrator was as I was reading, but after seeing your comment I looked back through and it did get my curiosity. I didn't even make the connection at the end about Jeanie as the narrator because I was so concerned about the new baby, Georgie, and Andy.
I loved the vignettes given to help demonstrate the activities that Georgie is unable to do and/or show how Georgie needs to do things differently. As an adult reader, I would complete or picture myself completing the activities. I think students would love to do these activities and it would really help them picture how difficult it would be to be a dwarf.
Georgie's reaction to having a new brother/sister is one that students can definitely relate to. He doesn't understand why his parents need another child. The added twist is that Georgie doesn't feel good enough for another reason - due to his dwarfism, he feels as if his family is replacing him because he is unable to do things (like play music) that a average size person could do.
The reader is really brought into Georgie's mind and is opened up to the insecurities that people with dwarfism have to deal with on a daily basis.
I found a review (). I copied a portion below:
"Georgie is emotionally like any other kid that age going through such stirring situations, and his anger and self-pity really help us appreciate and applaud the character that blossoms out of this spiral of tween difficulty. I laughed, I cried and I relived some painful pubescent memories of my own. Children will take to this book for its straightforward and emotionally resonant tale of growing up."
After reading, it would be interesting for students to come up with their own aspect of life that would be challenging for someone with dwarfism and how they would be able to overcome this hurdle.
3 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 25, 2010 7:20 PM
Just another idea. When having students come up with their own aspect of life that would be challenging, perhaps students could write a few things that they can't do like Jeanie the Meanie wrote about Georgie, but also write a few things that they can do.
4 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 26, 2010 9:26 PM
The Thing About George written by Lisa Graff in 2006. This book is a realistic fiction chapter book. Lisa Graff has been nominated for the Nutmeg award in 2011 for this book. The book is multicultural in that dwarfism could be considered a culture. There are no illustrations or chapter titles.
Georgie is a dwarf. His life, overall, is a happy one. But then he learns that his parents are going to have another child. Georgie is overwhelmed with feeling of jealousy for his new sibling who he anticipates will be a normal child, able to do many things Georgie cannot do, including play music like his parents. Georgie’s jealousy also jeopardizes his friendship with his best friend. He also suffers through a developing relationship with the cruelest girl in school, Jeanie the Meanie when he’s forced to do a school project with her.
Many of the chapters begin with a narrator asking you to do him/her a favor. Chapter one the narrator asks you to stretch your right arm high up to the sky, reach across the top of your head and touch your left ear. The narrator recognizes that you can most likely do it and informs you that Georgie can’t. The narrator does this for several chapters. It wasn’t until about chapter 12 that I started wondering who the narrator was. I suspected it was Jeanie but that wasn’t confirmed until the end of the book. Chapter 12 was also the turning point in which the narrator stopped telling the reader all the things Georgie couldn’t do and started telling the reader all the things he could do.
This book could be used to teach about acceptance, dwarfism, disabilities, friendship and family dynamics.
Other books that might be of interest to other people is:
pre-k through grade 3
What It's Like to Be Me by Helen Exley written about a variety of disabilities.
Andy and His Yellow Frisbee by Mary Thompson about autism.
grades 2-6
Adam and the Magic Marble by Adam and Carol Buehrens about Tourette Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy
Check out for a list of other books that discuss disabilities.
5 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 27, 2010 7:06 AM
This book had me thinking of dwarfism in general, and wondering if there were more books out there for young readers that shed insight into this population. (And I agree with you, Hillary, that this is a multicultural book, in that this group has unique experiences that differ from mainstream culture.) I found a few, including "Trudi and Pia," written Ursula Hegi (who also wrote the really good "Stones from the River," an adult book with a dwarf main character) and Never Sell Yourself Short by Albert Whitman. Less than one percent of the population has dwarfism, and that's what makes books like "The Thing About Georgie" so valuable: They share an experience from the inside-out for readers who would never otherwise know what it's like to live with this condition. For instance, we read: "Georgie had never even played basketball. Jumping and running weren't good for his back. When they played basketball in PE, Georgie had to walk laps with the asthma kids." By weaving in details like this, the author helps readers learn about this condition in a seamless way.
6 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 27, 2010 8:03 AM
I don't know if you guys have ever watched the reality show "Little People, Big World," about a dwarf couple with three children, one of whom is also a dwarf. In many ways, the show does what this book does. It shows how us how people with this condition deal with the same issues we all do (interpersonal conflicts, funny things that happen to them, school/work/home challenges, aggravations, triumphs) but in the backdrop of unique physical realities. Georgie sees things as any fourth-grader would, but with a twist. He worries about the addition of a new baby in the family, chafes at the actions of Jeannie the Meanie, worries about his best friend finding someone new--and also deals with having to sit with a pillow behind his back in class because "his parents said they were more concerned about his spine than his pride. Whatever that meant." It makes readers (or viewers, in the case of the show) feel as if this could very well be them, if they had those same physical issues. What a great way for students to see, from the inside-out, what life is like for this population.
7 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 27, 2010 8:44 PM
Jennifer - I couldn't agree more about the valuability of this text. I never knew that less than one percent of the population has dwarfism, but I know that those with dwarfism are the most highly stared at. I think that if people were informed about the dwarf culture then there would be less staring; people would look past their height, just as we look past race.
Jennifer - I watch "Little People, Big World" and never made the connection to this book somehow. The show definitely exemplifies the struggles that people with dwarfism go through and the little things they need to worry about that we don't even give a second thought to.
8 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 29, 2010 3:13 PM
I too have watched that show. I think that the show has opened people's eyes to the disability and has not only made people aware but has also made it less stare worthy by bringing it into our homes, showing us that they are people doing the exact same things as all of us.
9 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: November 3, 2010 11:17 AM
Maybe things are changing regarding the novelty factor (and stare factor) of being a dwarf. My 12-year-old daughter picked up this book the other day and asked about it. We got to talking about dwarfism, and she said, "Oh, the teacher at my babysitting course I took last weekend was like that." Though she had told me all about the babysitting course, she hadn't thought to mention this characteristic of the teacher except in the context of this discussion.
10 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: November 10, 2010 9:56 PM
Reviews from
Awards and honors
The Thing About Georgie has been named to nine state reading lists!
Cocheco Readers Master List (New Hampshire) 2009-2010
Georgia Children's Book Award Nominee 2008-2009
Maine Student Book Award Nominee 2008-2009
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Master List 2008-2009
Maud Hart Lovelace Master List (Minnesota) 2009-2010
Nutmeg Book Award Nominee (Connecticut) 2011
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Master List (Illinois) 2010
Sunshine State Young Readers Master List (Florida) 2008-2009
Texas Bluebonnet Master List 2008-2009
Reviews
Booklist
Nine-year-old Georgie has height issues. As a dwarf, he isn't likely to grow much taller than his current 42 inches. Consequently school furniture is awkward, running track or playing a musical instrument isn't possible, and he knows his soon-to-be new sibling will quickly outgrow him physically. To make matters worse, he's had a misunderstanding with his best friend, Andy, and is being forced to partner with Jeanie the Meanie for a school report . . . First novelist Graff employs a light touch, turning in a poignant, often funny exploration of what it means to celebrate one's skills rather than lamenting one's limitations . . . An upbeat and sensitive look at what it's like to be different, this novel will spark discussion.
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
This is a remarkable story of maturation, featuring a boy whose growing up is not evident on the tape measure he keeps hidden in the back of his closet. Georgie's anxieties ring absolutely true, from his fears at making new friends to his worry that an average-size sibling will outshine him, and readers will readily embrace the complexity of concerns running through Georgie's head . . . This entertaining and thoughtful read will encourage youngsters to consider the true nature of growth.
The Horn Book
This first novel uses the unconventional tactic of introducing its main character by inviting readers to touch their left ears with their right hands, something that young Georgie cannot do, "because the thing was, Georgie Bishop was a dwarf." . . . [Graff] sensitively and accurately depicts the emotions he struggles with. In Georgie, Graff has created a likable, realistic fourth-grade who is a dwarf, and more.
To read an interview about Lisa Graff's research into dwarfism, go to .
|Subject: Henry's Freedom Box | |
|Author: Hillary Dailey |Date: October 21, 2010 6:03 PM |
Henry's Freedom Box A True story from the Underground Railroad, written by Kadir Nelson in 2007. This book won the 2008 Caldecott Honor Book. This book is in the historical fiction genre. It almost goes without saying that this book is clearly multicultural. It is culturally specific by portraying the trials and tribulations of Henry from boyhood to manhood and his fight toward freedom.
This story takes place in the past, as stated, during the time of the Underground Railroad.
The book begins with Henry as a little boy. He was a good worker. When his master died, rather than freeing him, he gave him to his son. Henry grew to be a man under that master. He worked in a tobacco factory. Eventually he met a woman, fell in love, and had three children. His wife explained to Henry that her master was losing money and she feared that he would sell the children. Her worst fear came true. Henry found out that his entire family had been sold while he was at work. He decided that he wanted to be free. He knew of a man that didn't believe in slavery. This man mailed him to Philadelphia, PA where slavery was illegal. Henry went through quite a trip only to be rewarded by finally being free.
I need to first start with the illustrations which are so unbelievably moving. The saddness and the emptiness are truly conveyed through the pictures of Henry as a little boy and his mother. Each of the pictures clearly define and develop the characters, reinforces the text, establishes mood, and extends or develops the plot. You can see the pain in the family as they say good-bye to Henry as he leaves one master to go to another. At the same time, you can feel the love between Henry and his wife Nancy as well as their children. There is one picture in particular which I would bet money on the illustrator hoping you could feel the warmth of the family while looking at the fire in the background. By far, the most honest, and painful picture is the one of Henry after Nancy told him she thought her master might sell their children. You can feel the worry come through the illustration. Beautifully illustrated.
Some other books about the Underground Railroad:
Freedom's Wings by Sharon Dennis Wyeth.
The Secret to Freedom by Marcia Vaughan.
Under the Quilt of Night by Deborah
Clearly this book can be used as a spring board to learning more about the Underground Railroad and slavery. This could become a gigantic unit or something on a smaller scale. Students can also learn more about Harriet Tubman and her role in the Underground Railroad. This can also open up a discussion about the north and the south, geography, the part constellations played in assisting people in the Underground Railroad, and so much more. An interesting question might be to ask students what price they would pay for their freedom.
I was pleased to see an author's note at the end of the book because the ending of the story left me wanting to know what happened to Nancy and Henry's children. The author's note states that sadly, Henry never found Nancy and their children, he moved to England, and their are some reports that he married again.
Here are a few reviews:
School Library Journal
Gr 2–5—One of the most interesting stories from the Underground Railroad is that of Henry "Box" Brown. Raised a slave, he found a unique way to escape after his wife and children were sold away from him. With the help of friends, he mailed himself to Philadelphia and freedom in a small wooden crate. The 350 mile journey was rife with risk. Ellen Levine tells his tale (Scholastic, 2007) with well-crafted, evocative text, beautifully paired with Kadir Nelson's heart-touching illustrations. These are scanned iconographically, giving viewers the chance to appreciate the finer details of the powerful art, and are brighter and more clearly defined in the film than on the pages of the book. An interview with the author provides additional insight into her research, the Fugitive Slave Law, and her motivation for telling the story. Nicely narrated by Jerry Dixon, with original music and sound effects that help bring the story to life, this Caldecott Honor book is well-served by this presentation. When text, narration, and music combine in a joyous celebration at the end of Henry's journey, viewers will hopefully gain a greater understanding of the value of freedom.—Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA
Kirkus Reviews
Nelson's powerful portraits add a majestic element to Levine's history-based tale of Henry "Box" Brown, a slave who escaped by having himself mailed to freedom in a crate. Depicted as a solemn boy with an arresting gaze on the cover, Henry displays riveting presence in every successive scene, as he grows from child to adult, marries and is impelled to make his escape after seeing his beloved wife and children sold to slaveowners. Related in measured, sonorous prose that makes a perfect match for the art, this is a story of pride and ingenuity that will leave readers profoundly moved, especially those who may have been tantalized by the entry on Brown in Virginia Hamilton's Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to Freedom (1993). (afterword, reading list) (Picture book. 8-10)
1 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 26, 2010 10:31 AM
Henry’s Freedom Box is a riveting true story of a slave boy in America who repeatedly gets torn away from the family he loves. First he is sold to another family and has to say good-bye to his mother. Then, as a husband and father of three, he watches as his wife and children are sold in auction. Knowing that he’ll never see them again, he solicits the help of a slave friend and a sympathetic white abolitionist doctor. They seal him up in a wooden box and ship him to Pennsylvania, where the doctor’s friends receive him. Thus, he is free, and known thereafter as Henry “Box” Brown.
The illustrations do such a gorgeous job of depicting the different scenes in this book that I actually wondered if younger elementary school children (K-2) could handle the incredible sadness of this story. Henry looks all of 10 or 12 when he is sent away from his mother, and there’s the picture of her and all his relatives hugging in despair as a wagon waits to take him away. He has a period of relative happiness as he meets and marries his wife and starts his family. But then we see them ripped away from him, too. Again, the illustration drives the despair home: Henry sits on a stool, facing a corner, head in hands. Of course, he finds freedom in the end, but not after such devastating losses that honestly almost had me in tears. He is no longer captive, but he has lost everything else that matters (i.e., his family). For this reason, I think this book would be perfect for grades 3 and up. I can actually see my seventh- and fifth-grade daughters being enthralled by the story, while my second grader would probably crawl into bed with me due to nightmares after reading it.
2 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 26, 2010 10:33 AM
I just found that there’s a virtual field trip students can take, following Henry Brown’s path: . It includes a google earth tour that looks so interesting. I also really want to read other books about Henry Brown, including “The Unboxing of Henry Brown” by Jeffrey Ruggles and a book that Ellen Levine cites in her bibliography: “Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown, Written by Himself.” When I went to research his life, I immediately found discrepancies among internet posts. A few mention a white shoemaker (not doctor) helping him. Some say that there’s no record of his life after the 1860s, while others note that he returns from England, where he had been living, in 1871 with his second wife and child. Most interesting to me was an apparent controversy over whether he should have been so public about his escape method. After all, had he kept quiet about it, others could have followed in his footsteps. I don’t see this controversy mentioned anywhere but Wikipedia, though, and those citations aren’t always reliable. In any case, this story has endless social studies applications, and trying to sort out the real facts could be the first assignment.
3 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 26, 2010 9:18 PM
I love the idea of the virtual field trip. I think it would be perfect for children to see the path he followed with a good geography lesson as well.
I too was unbelievably moved by the story and could almost feel his heartbreak when he watched his children and wife being sold.
Fascinated by the controversy about his escape. I searched to find more information but could only find the wikipedia info as well. I can understad why that would cause such controversy. Imagine how many others could have escaped as well if he had not been public.
Thought it might be meaningful for students to find the volume of the box that Henry mailed himself in.
4 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 27, 2010 9:00 PM
I love technology so the virtural field trip is amazing! While this is a great book, I don't think that lower elementary students would truly get it. I think they would miss a lot of the meaning and sadness behind the text. I think it is more appropriate for older elementary students because they would be able to appreciate these things.
It would also be cool for students to have a cardboard box replica of Henry's box to go in and feel what it was like for Henry!
Henry's story makes me really think about other slaves and possible ways they might have escaped. Who knows what stories are out there that have never been spoken about?
It is hard not to feel heartbreak while looking at the illustrations!
5 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: November 3, 2010 11:11 AM
I like the idea of students studying the many ways slaves escaped. This is probably one of the most ingenious ways, but there are many others--though I would guess the majority of these stories are lost in history. Learning about different types of escape would give students a sense of just how unbearable the slaves' plight was to risk getting caught on their way to freedom.
On another note, the boiler plate of the book notes that this is "a fictionalized account." This book is listed as "juvenile fiction," but where does the fact end and the fiction begin? According to other accounts (including the one by Henry Brown himself), this really happened. I wonder if the author filled in details where they were lacking, and that's what made it a "fictionalized" biography.
6 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: November 10, 2010 9:34 AM
When evaluating multicultural literature, we also have to look at the author, and whether he or she is qualified to share the information printed with the reader. This book is about slavery and fortunately for our country, slavery is no longer in existance, therefore, it is impossible to have a slave recount this story. With that being said, there is a point I'd like to bring up about Ellen Levine, the author of this book. Levine is not only not a slave, but she's also not African-American. According to Tunnel & Jacobs (2008), many people feel that books representing a specific cultural group should not be written by someone who is an outsider. While Levine may not be a slave or an African American, she has immersed herself in learning about the time period, and educated herself on slavery and the Underground Railroad, therefore qualifed to write in a authetic way about the topic.
Levine read everything she could get her hands on in regards to the Underground Railroad and slavery. In fact, she was able to get a jounal that was kept by a black born free who was an officer in the anti-slavery movement. It was written in 1872. This journal has the stories of all the slaves that came through his office during that time. In the middle of the journal there was a story about Henry. If you get a chance, take a look at this link where Ellen Levine discusses Henry's Freedom Box.
I didn't find any controversy surrounding the book but Levine discusses the fact that some people question whether or not the man that helped Henry was truly a doctor. She states that she doesn't really know if he was or wasn't but she's telling Henry's story and Henry thought he was a doctor.
[And here's what cost me two points! (Was this book well researched?That is the big question. What do review say?does it evoke controversy- if so how would you counter it, if you disagreed)]
7 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: November 10, 2010 10:42 AM
I have also looked into the "creds" of the author as an authority on this multicultural group, given she is not "of" the group. I have not found any reviewer questioning her validity. What I have found is that Levine has a body of work that focuses on oppressed people across the world and in different historical periods-- slaves included. So her personal interest clearly lies in this area. I think her scholarship on the subject makes this book authentic, especially since we can't actually speak to someone from this era who lived the injustices and knows them first-hand. I guess if she were writing about what it's like to live in America today as an African-American, with all the daily joys and prejudices that arise, we could be more suspect of her as an authority. But since this is a historical story, the criteria have to be different.
|Subject: What A Day It Was At School | |
|Author: Jenna Ferrara |Date: October 17, 2010 9:57 PM |
What A Day It Was At School by Jack Prelutsky was published in 2006. This text won the Poetry Foundation Children's Poet Laureate award. The poetry text is a little boy's collection of poems about his day at school. Some poems are realistic and others are are fantasy.
The children would be able to relate to the poems because they all have a school theme. Each illustration compliments each poem adding more humor for students to enjoy. Each poem lends itself easily to extension activites. For example, "I drew a yellow unicorn" is about a silly picture drawn including a yellow unicorn with polka dots. You can have students create their own silly animal picture and write their own poem or story about it.
The illustrations are very bright and vibrant. I think the main character is a cat, but throughout the story there are a wide range of characters that the cat goes to school with. While this book is not multicultural in the typical regard, you can discuss with students why so many different animals are used. For example, why are the characters not all cats? You can lead the discussion on differences and just as they exist in this text, they exist in our own classroom and the real world.
I think this text also lends itself easily to teach poetry. Most students are convinced that all poems must rhyme, but this text shows many different patterns in poetry. Some rhyme every other line, while others have no rhyming patterns at all.
Here is a review from a fellow teacher ():
"This book contains 17 poems about joys and dilemmas that occur during the school day. The Poems discus the ups and downs of completing homework and assignments, overloaded backpacks, the sweet sounds of music class, invigorating author visits, gym partners, and cafeteria food fights. Lively and fun, with perfect examples and loads of interesting word choices, these poems are wonderful for class read-alouds. The picture create an engaging school environment with adorable colorful cartoon animal characters that match the author’s silly and energetic verses. This school themed collection is perfect to incorporate into an elementary classroom.
I don’t know how I have not had this poem book in my first grade classroom for the past 4 years! I absolutely loved every page of it. The poems are true to the minds of students, silly, and filled with energy. The reader is guaranteed to come back wanting to read or hear more. The poems cover the perfect topics that are familiar to all students, such as heavy backpacks, teacher’s pets, field trips, homework frustrations, and much more. It also made me smile thinking back to my childhood year and the same feelings towards the adventures of the school day. I especially like the poems about the truthful ups and downs that life of a student brings. I think this is a fantastic book to read to students when introducing new subjects, since a variety of them are written about in this book. Of course these subjects are written in a humorous way and includes illustrations that show accurate feelings, expressions, and of course are silly. I am not one to normally love reading poetry, however, this book left me laughing and excited to read more!"
1 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 20, 2010 6:53 PM
I too really enjoyed this book of poems. The illustrations were very vibrant, and the language was fun and as colorful as the illustrations!
I think reading the poems aloud at the appropriate time would be so meaningful. For instance, I think it would be great to read, We Had a Field Trip Yesterday, the day after the class took a trip, or, read, Show-and-Tell, when introducing the idea of sharing with the class, and lastly, one could read, In the Cafeteria, to discuss what NOT to do during lunch. The ideas and opportunities are limitless.
An author study on Jack Prelutsky would be a lot of fun for teacher and kids and provide some valuable learning. Discussion of rhyming, adjectives, and having students write and share their own poems could be the culminating activity.
2 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 24, 2010 2:51 PM
I love the idea of stretching out the poem book to match events occurring in the classroom, as opposed to completing the whole book at once.
Jack Prelutsky is a well known poet, so an author study about him would be a great idea! I love the idea of students finding other poems to respond to, as well as writing their own poems.
3 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 24, 2010 5:59 PM
This collection definitely has a hint of the absurd, reminiscent of Shel Silverstein poems. It also has a similar tongue-in-cheek humor. In "I Wish I'd Studied Harder," for instance, the narrator laments his poor preparation for a "spellink test." As the 16-line poem goes on, more and more errors come out ("it's no one else's fawlt but mine, I have to take the blaime"). Students, perhaps especially those in Connecticut (spelled Cunneddykit in the poem), will love being in on the joke.
I thought that the pattern of endings-with-a-twist makes this collection a great teaching tool, one that could model good writing. For instance, a poem called "I Tried to Do My Homework" about a science project ends with this unforeseen conclusion: "My science homework at my dog...I guess it needs more work." The poem called "In the Cafeteria" describes a food fight that has Benny throwing food at Carlotta, who throws it at Pete, who throws it at Denise, and so on. It ends with "I believe that I am learning what the food chain really means." These poems serve as an excellent example of engaging, surprising conclusions that leave the reader with a little gift of the unexpected.
The accompanying illustrations show a full range of animals sitting in desks, working on math problems, reading comic books, and going on field trips. They set the perfect tone for elementary-school readers!
4 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 24, 2010 6:12 PM
Per Hillary's idea above, it would be fun to savor this collection, reading poems individually throughout the year as the event arises, rather than all at once. A teacher could share "We Had a Field Trip Yesterday" before a field trip, "It's Library Time" before the first trip to the school library, and so on. What a great idea of Prelutsky's to have created an entire collection based on school-specific experiences.
(I guess the only tricky one would be "I Made a Noise This Morning," about a very embarrassing sound a student made in class.! Best not to wait for the real-life event before reading this one...)
5 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 26, 2010 9:38 PM
Perfect to use during poetry month. If using Jack Prelutsky's books to do an author study, one should make sure to check out his bold, and child friendly website at .
As far as "I Made a Noise This Morning," I read it to my son assuming he'd find it hysterical (what boy in first grade doesn't love potty humor) and he didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I really had to spell it out for him. Perhaps he hasn't had the experience yet! I've laid the foundation for building background knowledge.
6 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 27, 2010 6:11 AM
That's very funny! I will read the "Noise" poem to my second grader and report back as to whether she got it or not. Usually, that type of humor is right up her alley.
7 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 27, 2010 9:02 PM
I have read this poem to my students and boy did they get it! I also have a frequent noise maker in my class....so students definitely have the background knowledge!
I love the idea of doing a Jack Prelutsky author study during poetry month. It would be cool to come up with a webquest for students to complete based on his website!
|Subject: Mondo and Gordo Weather the Storm | |
|Author: Jennifer La Forte |Date: October 15, 2010 9:02 PM |
This modern fantasy book by Ellen Doherty (20 pages, published 2004) takes place on an outer-space planet #63,749. Students thinking about an upcoming science fair at their school decide to take the hyperspeed Intergalactic Bus to pay a visit. What they find is a world plagued by sudden violent storms, and no meteorologist on-hand to forecast them. The denizens are at their wits' end, and some have even moved back to the original planets that they came from to avoid the hassle of sudden hail pelting them. Mondo and Gordo, the visiting students, show the natives the tools they need to track the weather, measure wind, use instruments to record storm patterns, and so on. They set up a weather station for the citizens of planet #63,749, and thus make it a better place to live. In the end, Mondo and Gordo return back to their planet to collect a trophy from the science teacher for their efforts.
With its martians, spaceships, and cartoonish illustrations, this book is clearly in the modern fantasy genre. But it also serves an informational purpose, in that the main characters name weather gadgetry and explain their uses, as in the case of the wind gauge. Perhaps even more important, they model scientific inquiry, keeping track of their observations in a journal and making predictions.
As far as the multicultural aspects, it's interesting that the only human in this book is African-American. All the other students are martian-ish. The book is neutral, in that it doesn't specifically address issues of African-American culture. But it does depict a person from this group--indeed, as mentioned, the only person.
Students in grades 1-2 would love the fantasy aspects of this book, and would easily comprehend the main problem: This planet lacks weather science information and therefore finds itself unprepared. It makes a great case for the integral role that science plays in our lives.
1 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 18, 2010 9:58 AM
There are several teachable ideas in this book. Students can start to keep a weather journal for themselves as part of journal writing. Like the book, students can jot down the temperature, wind speed, what the clouds looked like, etc. Children can be responsible for looking up the weather each day online either before school or during school and report their findings.
Students can also rewrite the ending of this story. I would have liked to have found out what weather patterns were found on planet #63,749 and if others did indeed come to the planet when the weather became predictable.
I like that the book had during and after reading activities in it. The during reading question got the readernk about how people can predict and prepare for storms. The after reading activities were good extensions for the book. Students were asked to write three new words found in the book, make a prediction of what the words meant, then look the word up in the dictionary for the correct meaning. They were also asked to pretend they were Halie (the character that lived on planet #63,749) and write a journal entry about how the weather station helped life on the planet.
I found the illustrations to be very colorful and clearly depicted life on another planet. I found it strange that the illustrated chose to make 2 characters humanlike...Gordo and the teacher. Perhaps it is meant to make the reader think that there is a planet in which humans and aliens reside together.
I agree that this book was clearly modern fantasy since it includes imaginary worlds (a special universe is established) and in this case the setting of another world was established from the very beginning of the book, and fanciful characters (created by the author's vivid imagination).
2 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 19, 2010 9:15 PM
I love the ideas of using the scientific inquiry utilized in this text to have students to have students keep a weather journal. After noting temperature, wind speed, clouds, etc for a period of time, students can start to make predictions using the information they gatherr about the next day's weather.
I love how this text wove the wind gauge and weather station into the text. This vocabulary helped to provide students with new weather words that they had probably not encountered before. This text also leaves student's wondering more about weather so they can do further research to find out more about the gadgets used or weather.
Like Hillary, I love the after reading questions posted in the back of the text! What a great way to end the story!
As you two stated, the illustrations are a bit confusing. I am unsure why 2 characters are human like while all others are various aliens.
I love the message of teamwork presented in the text. Students can see Mondo and Gordo working well together as a team on the project, but they also see Mondo and Gordo working to teach Halie their knowledge. The characters help one another and accept each other despite their differences from one another.
3 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 24, 2010 7:18 PM
Another good teaching application would be a sequencing-type activity. The book is sectioned into very short chapters that represent new events in the intergalactic adventure of Mondo and Gordo. There's such a logical sequence: a science fair assignment, two students wanting to know more about a planet, visiting that planet, discovering a problem exists there, working to fix the problem, and so on. A story mapping project, timeline, or other plot-dissection classroom activity would allow students to examine just how an author unfolds a story.
4 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 24, 2010 8:53 PM
Jennifer - a sequencing project sounds like a great idea for this text. I had not thought of it before, but I love how you broke it down for us. This book just has so much to offer from something that just looks like a simple fantasy book from the illustrations.
5 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 26, 2010 9:42 PM
It was a simple fantasy book but clearly rich in learning. It was a fun, entertaining, and enriching book from beginning to end.
6 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: November 3, 2010 11:25 AM
We were talking before about why there's a strange mix of humans and martian-type creatures in the same class (other than perhaps a new twist on multicultural representation). My 10-year-old picked up the book and that's the first thing she noticed!
This idea wouldn't be scientific at all...but it would be a fun writing prompt to ask: "Do you think you'd work well with a classmate who was a martian like Mondo? It what ways would you be the same? In what ways different?" Obviously a creative writing assignment, but I can see 7-year-olds liking the absurdity of thinking about this.
|Subject: The Community of Washington, D.C. | |
|Author: Jenna Ferrara |Date: October 14, 2010 6:33 PM |
The Community of Washington, D.C. (guided reading level O - 3rd grade level) was written by Bernice Rappoport in 2005. The front cover draws readers right in stating, "Washington D.C.: exciting and special, it's your community, you can go there and be heard." These statements immediately make this text personal. The back cover also draws the reader in asking them why Washington D.C. is special and why do millions visit each year. These questions are followed up with, "Explore the nation's capital. Find out why it is everyone's city." The back helps provide a perfect purpose for student's to read.
On the back cover there is also information about the author, Bernice Rappoport. She used to be an elementary teacher and an editor for a publishing company. Bernice also has traveled to 5 out of 7 continents, hoping to visit the other 2 someday. This information lets you know how well traveled Bernice is and gives you the impression that she loves to learn new information and have new experiences. Her love of learning is spread through this informational text.
The text itself begins with an introduction. There basic information is given about Washington D.C. (that the president lives there, there are amazing sights there, how many people live there). The end of the introduction invites the reader to keep reading by saying, "Let's get started! Washington, D.C. is your city, too, and it is waiting to welcome you."
The text continues to speak about how Washington, D.C. was born, how the city grew, and closing with visiting the city. As you read the text, the author incorporates the reader using the word "you" (ex: What would you put in the city of your dreams. Imagine that you are one of the first people to move to Washington, D.C.). This helps students to make connections to the text, as well as sequene events. This book also allows students to compare and contrast Washington D.C. to their town, as well as to contrast how Washinton D.C. used to be and how it is today.
Throughout the text are also 6 "Solve this" boxes. In these boxes, students are encouraged to used the illustrations to solve math problems. Most of the illustrations are real pictures, but the rest are realistic drawings, maps, and graphs. I love how the text incorporates math into it. There are also two images of primary source documents included in the text.
This text is (obviously) also good to teach non-fiction text structure.
Other texts students may enjoy are:
1. A Kid's Guide to Washington, D.C.: Revised and Updated Edition - Inc Harcourt (Author), Miriam Chernick (Author) "For children on school trips or traveling with their families, here is kid-friendly information about popular monuments, museums, exhibits, shopping, sporting events--and even day trips outside the immediate metropolitan area."
2. My Trip to Washington, D.C. by JoAnn Polley - "Get ready to record your exciting and educational trip with this specially designed journal. Filled with fun and educational facts about the nation's capital, each page gives you the opportunity to learn, as well as write about what you saw and how you felt. As you work your way through the museums and monuments, this journal will provide you with a way to preserve for many years, the wonderful memories of your visit."
3. Look Out, Washington D.C. (Polk Street Special) by Patricia Reilly Giff - "Ms. Rooney's class from the Polk Street School series returns for another adventure--an overnight field trip to Washington, D.C. Emily Arrow is excited about the excursion until homesickness, a yucky partner, and a forgotten notebook begin to dull her enthusiasm. With great effort she maintains a brave front and discovers comforting notes from her mother and many kindnesses from her partner. Giff's story intersperses travel commentary between traumas; the second half of the book is a children's guide to the D.C. area, which lists 42 favorite places to visit and includes descriptions (written as homework assignments from Ms. Rooney's students), addresses, and phone numbers for each. This will be popular with Polk Street fans and may be useful for young readers who want to help plan a family trip. - Kay Weisman"
1 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 21, 2010 1:04 PM
I enjoyed the graphs, photos, aerial views, illustrations, and maps in this book. Jenna, I agree with you. This book would be great to introduce students to non-fiction text as it includes many non-fiction text features, such as, table of contents, sidebars, glossary, index, boldface text, and so much more.
In chapter 1, A City is Born, the author gets the reader involved by asking discussion questions such as, What would you put in the city of your dreams? Would you have highways and airports? Shopping malls and skyscrapers?
It's always great when authors can not only discuss one content are but work in other content areas at the same time.
Finally, this book would be a great resource to use in order to compare and contrast Washington, D.C. to Hartford, CT or whatever city you live near.
2 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 24, 2010 2:56 PM
Hillary - I didn't even realize how many different non-fiction text features this book had until you mentioned them all. I knew it was a good non-fiction book, but it's surprising to see all of the features listed out.
As you stated, I love how different content areas are worked into this text.
It would be an interesting culminating activity to have students create their own city of their dreams. Growing up I remember playing SimCity where you could simulate building a city. It would be interesting to have students use this computer software (or even better an updated version) to create their own cities.
3 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 26, 2010 11:12 AM
I am embarrassed to say that I didn't know so much of the early-history information this book includes--especially how this area of the country got chosen as the capital site (it was a mid-point between the states in 1787) and how controversies plagued that choice, including the costs of creating this city from scratch. Then there's the drama of the original architect, Pierre L'Enfant, getting fired and taking the master plan with him--and the subsequent architect who had to redraw the plans from memory. And while the capital city was supposed to be finished by 1800, it wasn't. But 126 government workers moved in and started working there anyway.
These details and more would capture young readers' interest for sure. As you both state above, the book is also action-packed with enhancing elements that make it an exceptionally instructive non-fiction text. I counted and found that each 2-page spread has at least 4-5 elements, including charts, old illustrations, maps, captions, photos--more than enough engage the reader. Most notably, it includes 6 "Solve This" exercises that target math skills with charts, pie graphs, and so on.
And I love the idea of having students create a city of their own design. It would be so instructive to talk first as a whole class about what a capital needs--and what functions it serves. Why does a country even need a capital? Who is it for? The people? Politicians? Both? What if the kids of a given country could have their own capital, one that served to address their needs and issues? What would be different about it? From that initial discussion through research, design, and implementation, this one project would make an incredible social studies project .
4 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 26, 2010 11:21 AM
I just noticed a theme that plays out through the book: the idea that our capital belongs to all of us. As Jenna notes, it starts on the cover, which states, "It's your community" to invite readers in. The theme persists as we learn more about the city: "You can go there and be heard"; "Washington, D.C. is your city, too"; "Use [this map] to tell a friend why the capital of the United States is everyone's community." For young readers, this concept of a city they don't actually live in being theirs might be confusing. But that's what makes it such a great topic for class discussion. D.C. is not part of any one state by design, so it does, indeed, belong to all of us.
5 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 26, 2010 9:46 PM
I too really like the idea of designing a city. I think having a discussion about what a city would need would be very interesting. This could also lead into another big topic about politicians and their roles in leading our country.
6 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 27, 2010 9:04 PM
Building of your idea Hillary, this could also be a good segway into voting and how we elect the people who work in Washington, thereby making it "our" city.
7 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 29, 2010 3:18 PM
Love it Jenna. Perhaps our city would have politicians that are students requiring them to make promises and run for office. Perfect for this time of year!
8 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: November 3, 2010 11:44 AM
On the morning after an election, I can't help but think about your ideas above of the relationship between a city and the politicians who populate it. Today would be a good day to show students that so many of the politicians who serve in Washington will now be leaving to make room for new people (a good or bad thing, depending on your political leanings). Students could see how this idea of "Washington is everyone's community" works: Politicians come to D.C. with a mandate from voters, but then leave as their time eventually comes up. So it's a city of impermanence, in a way, with the coming-and-going...but also always representative of the people.
|Subject: Whiz Kids Tell Me Why Planes Have Wings | |
|Author: Hillary Dailey |Date: October 14, 2010 9:39 AM |
This informational text was written about why planes have wings, by Shirley Willis in 2007. The title, Whiz Kids Tell Me Why Planes Have Wings is a springboard into a great before reading activity. The class can discuss what they know about planes and why they think planes might need them. The illustration on the front cover gains the reader’s interest. There are several children on the cover with various ideas about planes. One child is wearing homemade wings, another is wearing fairy wings, and yet another is flying a paper airplane. This early reader has a table of contents and while it is not broken up into chapters, it is however, broken up into information about gravity and planes. This book would be a great way to teach young children how to use a table of contents to find information they are looking for. There are great activities throughout the book for children to attempt to experiment and use what they’ve learned to put it to practice or test out the experiment, for example, there are directions to try a paper race, how to make a parachute, and many more. It would be perfect for a classroom center in which the students could attempt to create their own experiments and write their findings. I taught a science unit on balance and motion and this book would have been great to explain some of the ideas behind why things work they way they do without me just telling the students. Children could easily make connections to this text from their everyday lives. Many children have made parachutes out of pillowcases, or have seen helicopters falling from the trees. With any luck, you wouldn’t hear of someone attempting fly from the roof or other high place. The illustrations throughout the text are mostly of children attempting the experiments. These pictures will allow the reader/listener to picture themselves doing the experiments. This book wouldn’t be considered multicultural in nature. There are, however, many pictures of children from different cultures, which would make this book culturally neutral, since the topic does not develop any cultural personas. With that being said, since there are many pictures of children from culturally diverse backgrounds, the author/illustrator clearly makes a statement about the value of diversity. Two books that I thought would lend itself to teaching about why planes have wings are: Forces Make Things Move by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and Paul Meisel as well as Gravity is a Mystery by Franklyn M. Branley and Edward Miller. Here is a link to a review I found on the book.
1 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 14, 2010 8:50 PM
Hillary - I totally agree with your multicultural comments. While this book is culturally neutral, the author and illustrator do an amazing job representing various genres and races in the illustrations.
This informtional text is definitely motivating for students to read. The cartoon like illustrations will draw students to want to read the text. The fact that the topic is also interesting with experiments for students to do will only boost that motivation to read. The illustrations also have humor included when showing what our bodies would do without gravity. I also love how there are text boxes near the illustrations, providing further detail about the question being answered on that page.
This book has a different informational text structure in that students are "introduced to different types and sizes of font — large bold print for the questions that organise each book, basic information on the sub topics in large print, smaller print for detailed points and the procedural writing explaining how to carry out simple experiments" (). This text would take a while to explain to students when instructing them where to begin reading on a page and what you should read following that.
Hillary - I love the idea of this text as a center. The only trouble I have with that is that students would probably get very excited while at this center and therefore disrupt the rest of the class. Maybe using multiple copies of the text, students can focus on one experiment at a time. Then students can rotate to the next set of directions. This would allow for organized choas (ha). All students would be working on various experiments at the same time and get a chance to complete each one. If organized in this fashion, parent volunteers can also be called in to assist.
The questioning format of this text also leaves students with room to formulate their own questions. Students can do further research to answer questions they have about planes, flying, gravity, or the multitude of other topics in the text.
The smae author has written "Tell Me Why Rain Is Wet" along with "Tell Me How Much It Weighs" and "Tell Me How Far It Is." These texts are written using a similar question and answer format to "Tell Me Why Planes Have Wings"
2 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 26, 2010 10:34 AM
I thought this book was such an appealing introduction to the laws of gravity. Geared toward younger readers, it talks about those unseen forces kids wonder about: air and wind. It explains how planes stay aloft and how birds can fly. It’s packed with so much information, in fact, that I would engage students in some experiments as a pre-reading exercise to bolster their background knowledge and pique their interest in the topic. The book actually supplies several activity ideas, with directions for making a parachute, a paper airplane, a whirligig, and more. Having students engaged in a hands-on project would prime them for entertaining the questions posed in the book: How do planes stay up? What is air? Do you need wings to fly?
I just read a fascinating article for another class about how motivation increases reading comprehension, and how engaging activities, in turn, increase motivation. This book made me think of that article immediately: I’d want to get students motivated to learn and understand the scientific concepts this book presents by first having them create their own things that fly. They could predict why their airplane could sail through the air, or why a crumpled paper falls to the ground faster than a flat one. Then we’d read the book together, and when we came to words like “gravity” and “thermals,” the students would have some background knowledge to put things in context.
3 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 26, 2010 10:37 AM
Another idea… The contents page lists 12 questions that get posed and answered in the book. This would make great practice for younger readers: Finding a question in the contents page and flipping to the corresponding page in the book. The book also includes an index at the end, which offers a similar opportunity for readers to learn how to navigate around a text. It reveals how one idea, like “speed,” can be mentioned in several parts of a book (page 20, 23, 25). What a great opportunity for students to see how instructional texts are presented—and how to find what you need within them.
4 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 26, 2010 10:00 PM
Incredibly motivating for the younger student. So many other whiz kids books out there, i.e. Tell Me How Far It Is, Tell Me What Time It Is, How Ships Float, and many more. These books would be perfect for the kiddo that likes to build, learn about science, and/or math. They'd also be great to use as a read aloud to get the students excited about learning somthing new, such as, time, or sink and float.
5 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 27, 2010 7:54 PM
I love the ideas you have presented. I just tutored a fifth grader today and had to help her study for a forces and motion science test. Boy, was I clueless on some aspects. In others, I was wishing I had this book with me to help explain gravity better to her!
I agree with the motivation aspect of this text. Hillary - this book would definitely appeal to those science/math kids that are so hard to find grade level appropriate books for.
The only downside I see to this book is that it would be difficult for students to read independently if they had not been exposed to the text structure. Students would not know where to start reading on the page due to the various groupings of sentences on the pages.
While these books are motivational, I am unsure whether keeping them in the classroom library would be a good idea or completely overwhelm students.
6 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 29, 2010 3:22 PM
If the concept is good and motivational for students I don't see any harm in having them in a classroom library. When there is interest and motivation most students will be able to read a more challenging book.
|Subject: A Visit to the United Nations | |
|Author: Jenna Ferrara |Date: October 13, 2010 9:01 PM |
A Visit to the United Nations is written by Jeff O'Kelley from 2007. This is an informational text that discusses the United Nations - what it is, what it does, and how it does it.
I love how the text is written as if the students are at the United Nations on a tour. It really helps the students to pretend they are really there. Throughout the text, students are asked questions that help them make connections or use the illustrations for further information.
The illustrations are real photographs, drawing students in and helping them feel as if they are really there. Students can see some United Nations members and guides in the photos. The text even presents the question, "How do people understand one another?" since there are so many different cultures and languages trying to work cooperatively. While the text does not speak of different cultures using specfics, students are challenged to think about how peope of varying cultures and languages would be able to work together, communicate, and help one another.
This text can be used for students to make connections throughout the text. This text is also part of a twin text selection with "Sharing Our Stories." This text is about two children who live in different countries and communicate by sending letters across the ocean. Both texts revolve around world communities. Activities can be done comparing fiction and non-fiction texts.
UNICEF and Queen Rania Al Abdullah have written "The Sandwich Swap." In this text the themes of tolerance and peaceful existence are present, which mirror the core values of the United Nations. This children's book would be a perfect connection to the informational text.
1 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 15, 2010 12:50 PM
This book would be great to teach children how to use the table of contents in a book. It would also lend itself to teaching how to use a glossary, what bold type words mean, a lesson on vocabulary, and map skills.
I too liked how the author asked the reader questions. There was one part, however, that stated that some workers have the job of changing what one person says into another language. I thought the author could have stated that the job was an interpreter and used it as another bold faced vocabulary word.
I thought immediately of an opportunity to do a study with Flat Stanley.
This book is clearly multicultural in nature since the United Nations is comprised of people from all the nations.
2 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 16, 2010 7:12 AM
This informational text really was explicit and organized in the way it delivered facts, vocabulary words, etc. The very first spread is a type of pre-reading prompt, with "I need to know these words" and photographs running alongside terms like "medicine," "guide," "aid," and so on. The reader would then know to be on the lookout for these words as s/he read the text. The questions that open each section really do shape the content (though I agree with Hillary that the omission of "interpreter" was a missed opportunity, especially since the related verb, "interpret," is a good one to know). The last page is a graphic organizer, asking "What does the United Nations do?" and showing six pictures that students could use to discuss what they've learned in the text. The book as a whole has the great visual appeal of an issue of "Time Magazine for Kids" or the kids' version of National Geographic. I remember learning about the UN as a kid and being completely baffled by it. I even remember the book I had, which couldn't have been more dry. I would have done a lot better with this one!
3 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 17, 2010 7:39 PM
Hmm...I had never thought about the fact that the word "interpreter" was not used. That is a good point that both of you made.
Jennifer - I also liked the graphic organizer at the end of the text as a post-reading activity. It guides the students to share what they learned about each question in the text. I also love how you compared this to Time for Kids. I had never made that connection, but can totally see that! I was also interested in the UN when I was little. I think I did it as a social studies fair project one year, but I too would have enjoyed this book or one like it. I think it would have grabbed my interest even more.
Hillary - What were you thinking with Flat Stanley in connection with this text?
4 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 18, 2010 10:08 AM
Flat Stanley was the first thing that came to mind when I read this. I thought it would be a great way to pull out a map of the world and more specifically the United States. I believe children really think of their world in terms of what is in their backyard and not a more global place in which we reside. By using Flat Stanley and sending him to the people in our families children can have a little more exposure to the world through our friends and families eyes. My son did a Flat Stanley project last year and my parents took him on a cruise. He visisted several countries and my parents took the time to send my son and his class information about each of the countries and pictures to go along with it. Although I think kindergarten is a bit young to be doing a Flat Stanley project, we did take out the map and looked at the countries visited. We located Connecticut on the map and Florida where my parents resided. I hope that answered your question. I guess my idea behind it was just to show that the world is large and all these people in the UN come from all these different places.
5 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 19, 2010 9:19 PM
I can see where you are coming with for Flat Stanley. I just think of Flat Stanley as more of a United States activity because that it is how I do the activity in my classroom. I love how your son's classroom did this with different countries. It is a great way to learn about various people, places, and communities.
6 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 24, 2010 8:11 PM
If you happened to have a wide cultural diversity ratio in your classroom, Flat Stanley could have some seriously far-flung adventures, as you both state above. If students have relatives in Guatemala, Bosnia, China, and so on, Flat Stanley could do quite the United Nations tour.
We used to live in Brookline, MA, a city adjacent to Boston with incredible diversity. (Most of the parents in my kids' grammar school were in the U.S. for 2-year clinical research or residency programs at the many Boston-area universities.) Flat Stanley went everywhere when my daughter's class did this project: Italy, South Africa, Israel, etc.
I guess the key would be to have that world map up in the classroom and mark where he's been. Then, make that connection to the United Nations to tie it all back: Representatives from countries Flat Stanley has visited (and more) come together at the UN to solve world problems.
7 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 27, 2010 9:05 PM
Wow! That Flat Stanley project puts mine to shame!
8 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: November 3, 2010 11:54 AM
I know. It's incredible where Flat Stanley can go when taking off from the vicinity of MIT and Harvard, with all of their international researchers. Sadly, he only went to Florida when he left my house. (And I'm pretty sure that Grandpa forgot to send him back.)
On another note, I forgot to say that Model U.N. is a great high school activity, and it kind of taught me what I know about how this organization works. If I were using this book for younger readers, I would mention/explain Model U.N. as something they could think about doing in the future.
|Subject: Rosa Parks | |
|Author: Jenna Ferrara |Date: October 13, 2010 8:25 PM |
This biography was written about Rosa Parks by Pamela Chanko in 2007. This easy reader biography is a great text for students at the end of first/beginning second grade. The title, Rosa Parks: Bus Ride to Freedom would get students talking right away. If students are familiar with Rosa Parks, they can tell their backround knowledge of her. But those students who have no prior knowledge can use that title to make predictions.
The author gets the reader hooked right away on page one. It starts with African Americans being treated unfairly. It states, "She stood up for her civil rights. And she did it by sitting down! This is her story." Those sentences would be great for predictions. The text then moves to Rosa's childhood, explaining how the world was segregated for her while growing up. Students would easily be able to compare and contrast their lives to Rosa. They would learn about the African American culture and how they were treated in the past. This book (like the Helen Keller text) is written in a timeline, progressing through Rosa's childhood, marriage, work schedule, the bus, and what happened afterwards. A timeline is present at the end of the text for further clarification of the important events in Rosa's life.
Just as in the Helen Keller biography, the illustrations are realistic. You can tell how peaceful Rosa was throughout her whole ideal. She never looks angry or frustrated, instead she is calm. She was not fighting or yelling because the world was unfair. I think this is a lesson that students can learn from!
Other texts I found about Rosa Parks are: A Picture Book of Rosa Parks and Rosa (Caldecott Honor Book). Rosa Parks actually wrote 4 texts of her own: "Mrs. Parks has written four books, Rosa Parks: My Story: by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins, Quiet Strength by Rosa Parks with Gregory J. Reed, Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue With Today's Youth by Rosa Parks with Gregory J, Reed, this book received the NAACP's Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, (Children's) in 1996 and her latest book, I AM ROSA PARKS by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins, for preschoolers" ().
Rosa's perseverance reminds me of the text Brave Irene (By: William Steig) and also Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (By: Judith Viorst). In both texts, the main characters persevere through difficult circumstances (not as difficult as Rosa, but the same theme is there).
I was unable to find reviews for this text, can any of you find anything?
1 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 14, 2010 9:48 AM
Jenna: I didn't find any reviews of this specific biography, but a teacher commented on the entire Scholastic "Easy Reader Biography" series on Amazon: "These biographies have proven to be a big hit in my classroom. These are some truly fascinating historical figures applying to many American cultures, from Harriet Tubman to Squanto to Cesar Chavez. So, yes, a fair amount of diversity as one might find here. The books are leveled, which is very handy for guided reading. They are also full of common non-fiction features, so they are great in which to immerse my higher-level kids for some extra study of those features."
2 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 14, 2010 10:07 AM
What I personally liked about the book was its delivery of authentic, important concepts in an age-appropriate package. In other words, it didn't water down ideas or key vocabulary words ("boycott," "Supreme Court," "civil rights"), but rather managed to weave these into Rosa Parks' life storyline in an way that would be suitable for first and second graders. The tone of the text, in particular, appeals to the 6-8-year-old set, with unexpected twists such as: "She stood up for her civil rights. And she did it by sitting down!"
To facilitate understanding, each of the book's 13 illustrations includes a big, colorful caption that either introduces new information ("Rosa and Raymond worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People") or reiterates crucial points from the text ("On the bus, African Americans had to follow certain rules that white people did not.")
As far as classroom applications, the most obvious one to me was the timeline that comes on the last spread. It shows important events in Rosa's life, starting from her birth in 1913, continues through the Supreme Court decision, and ends at her death in 2005. This has math applications, social studies applications, literacy applications, and so on. Students could even do timelines of their own lives, noting significant dates and events that were integral in shaping who they see themselves as now.
3 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 14, 2010 5:23 PM
Jennifer - thanks for that review! I love how the reviewer pointed out the amount of diversity in the texts. I also love your comment about how the vocabulary is woven into the storyline in a way that is not overwhelming, yet also provides enough context to help students to figure out what those words mean.
I never thought of the mathmatical or social studies extensions that can be applied to this text. This text can easily weave its way into the content areas, providing students with opportunities to conduct further research on the topic, create their own autobiographies, calculate the years in between significant events in Rosa's life, etc.
4 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 15, 2010 1:09 PM
This book's theme of standing up for what you believe in reminded me of the book, Frindle, written by Andrew Clements.
I also thought this could also lead into a study on black history month and read about Martin Luther King Jr., and Harriet Tubman, study African American Culture through various African stories and tales, take a look at different African American authors and illustrators, and the list goes on.
5 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 17, 2010 7:42 PM
I think this would make a great introduction to Black History Month. Plus, there are other easy reader biographies featuring African Americans in this series - Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman. This text, along with those 2 would be great to explore with students.
6 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 18, 2010 10:14 AM
If using this text along with the others Jenna mentioned, the students could be given an opportunity to compare and contrast the trials and tribulations of each of the important African American figures.
7 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 25, 2010 1:25 PM
On a similar note, readers could examine several different books on Rosa Parks, this one included, and get a more complete idea of the scope of her achievements. In addition to bolstering their content knowledge of this pioneer and her era, it would be a good practice in comparing books, and could even include a book critique: "Which book does the best job at telling us about Rosa Parks? Why?" The exercise would have young readers accessing their higher-order thinking skills through analysis of literature. And I found quite a few selections of easy-reader texts out there on this topic that could make this a comprehensive assignment.
|Subject: Helen Keller | |
|Author: Hillary Dailey |Date: October 13, 2010 10:36 AM |
This biography was written about Helen Keller, by Carol Ghiglieri in 2007. The title, Helen Keller An Inspiring Life intrigues the reader right off the bat. Who wouldn’t want to know what was so inspiring about this person. The illustration on the cover of the book also makes the reader want to know which person is inspiring: the little girl or the older woman. The author does a nice job describing the trials and tribulations of a little girl who became sick and was then unable to read, hear, and speak. The book is written in a timeline that specifically tells of dates when Helen Keller was born, when she became sick, when her mentor came to live with her, etc. At the end of the book, there is an actual timeline that shows the dates and what happened on those dates as well. The book is open in describing the frustrations Helen Keller felt when attempting to communicate with others. It also describes how Helen Keller persevered, overcoming her inabilities and forging forward by writing a book about her life. She also inspired others that were deaf and/or blind and gave them hope. The illustrations in the book primarily focus on Helen Keller. I noticed a few pictures of Helen in the book that depicted the far off look that you often see in people that are blind, which captured the essence of looking but not seeing. After our class discussion last evening, this book could be considered multicultural in nature in that Helen Keller is in the minority of the deaf, blind, and mute. This book could be used in a plethora of ways in the classroom. I could use it to build vocabulary, create a character map, sequencing a timeline, discussion on who inspires them and why. This book would be considered historical fiction based on the fact that it is an interesting story about a person in our world. Other books can be found about Helen Keller, such as, Who Was Helen Keller? (Who Was...?) by Gare Thompson and Nancy Harrison and Who Was Helen Keller? (Who Was...?) by Gare Thompson and Nancy Harrison. While reading this book, it reminded me of Sean, the deaf character in Feathers, written by Jacqueline Woodson as well as the theme of hope carried throughout both of the books. It also reminded me of the blind character, Mary Olsen in Little House on the Prarie. After a bit of research on the internet, I did find a website that discussed the fact that many multicultural picture books (they did in fact discuss books about Helen Keller at great length) discuss the person and not the entire story about the good they did in their life. For instance, this book we read discusses how Helen Keller brought about hope for other blind/deaf people but neglected to discuss the good she actually did for the poor. The website calls it "lying by omission". Here is the article if you care to take a look. . Something to think about.
1 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 13, 2010 7:39 PM
This book is an easy reader biography created for students typically at the end of first grade or the beginning of second grade. I really enjoy that there are biographies at this level because you want to introduce students to a genre other than fiction in their early reading, but lack of materials tends to prevent this. As research has shown, learning about non-fiction text structure early on helps students to better comprehend the text and understand the text structure.
Hillary - I love your comment about the cover because prior to reading you are unsure who Helen Keller is. Is she the older woman or the little girl? Is the older woman her teacher? I had to look through all the pictures in the book to realize that both the little girl and older woman were Helen Keller. This would be great to have students debate about and figure out.
I also loved your description of the text in the book. I love the realism in the illustrations. You can feel exactly how the characters are feeling - frustrated, scared, happy, confused, proud, etc. The lifelike images really give details to the character's faces to let the reader understand their feelings. The captions provided also add more to the text, providing more information about Helen's life.
I think this book is a great book to teach text structure and also focus on the theme of hard work and perserverance. Students can learn about the deaf/blind culture a little and see the struggles that some people face each day. While students cannot truly understand what it is like to be part of that world, they can certainly make connections to how Helen is feeling and her perserverance. I think that students would be inspired by Helen's story (and complain a little less)! This historical fiction text definitely lends itself to sequencing and teaching students about timelines. After reading, students can make a timeline of important events in their lives.
Hillary - This text also made me think of Sean in the text Feathers. I also did some research and found a text Kids from Critter Cove by Merilee Dodson that includes a deaf character. ""Just because you can't understand me, that doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm saying, and don't assume that deaf means less smart". The purpose of this book is to teach children about people who are different or who have disabilities." (). This book is intended for students aged 9-12, but I thought it was interesting that there was a whole series of books focusing on various student disabilties. I also found a site () that included a wide range of texts with deaf characters that students could read to learn more about the deaf culture.
I never knew that Helen Keller was such an advocate for the poor until Hillary mentioned it. I wonder why that is omitted from texts. I know that she overcame a lot in her life, but isn't her work and dedication towards others equally important?
2 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 14, 2010 7:18 PM
While I was looking over the posts, I realized that I accidentally referred to this book as being a historical fiction text. It is clearly a biography and there is nothing fictional about this amazing woman's life. Please forgive the error.
3 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 14, 2010 7:44 PM
Ha! I did the same thing....Oops! Please forgive my error as well!
4 Author: Hillary Dailey
Date: October 18, 2010 10:15 AM
As a before reading activity, students can make a prediction on which person the story is about...the older woman or the child and why.
5 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 24, 2010 7:36 PM
I thought the article Hillary cites ("The Truth About Helen Keller" by Ruth Shagoury Hubbard, in "Rethinking Schools" magazine) is so interesting--especially the part about Keller's image, at least in most readers' minds, being that frustrated child whom no one understands, rather than the grown-up advocate she becomes. "[Book covers often] depict the famous moment at the well where Annie, her teacher, spells 'water' into Helen's hand," Hubbard writes. "This clichéd moment is the climax of each book, just as it is in the movies made about her life. To most people, Helen remains frozen in time in her childhood."
That's what makes this kids' version of Keller's biography so appealing. It does focus on her challenges as a child, which would be of particular interest to young readers. But it also outlines her adult accomplishments: Keller goes on to write a book using a special typewriter, travel to more than 30 countries, and work tirelessly on behalf of the deaf and blind. "We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough," notes one of the captioned quotes.
Regarding the illustration on the front cover, I agree that's it's initially confusing. But now that I'm pretty sure the older woman is Keller, I love it, because it's showing her as a kindly, dignified-looking older woman who is holding the hand of a young girl. It's showing her as powerful and compassionate, rather than a misunderstood, unhappy child.
6 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: October 24, 2010 7:49 PM
I just made a strange connection to another book I've read: 29 Gifts. It's the true story of a woman who's battling pain, fear, and self-pity following her M.S. diagnosis, and who becomes severely depressed as she gets sicker and sicker. Then a friend suggests an idea: Give away 29 things in 29 days. At first, Cami can't believe this "prescription." She's the one who's sick; how can she help others? But she gives it a try and, sure enough, gradually transforms her outlook into one of gratitude and abundance, even in the face of her health issues. (And while her M.S. isn't "cured," she does come to feel better overall.)
This is Keller's story, too. Once she was able to communicate, she used her power to help others all around the world. What a great unit on altruism/courage/perseverance this could be: the study of those throughout history who, rather focus on themselves and their shortcomings, turned their attention outward, asking, "What can I give to others?"
(So, the question is, were on CMTs does altruism fit in?)
7 Author: Jenna Ferrara
Date: October 24, 2010 8:55 PM
Jennifer - interesting connection. My mom has MS and that sounds like the perfect book for her!
Also, I love the comment about the CMTs. It's sad how powerful the message of altruism and perserverance is in this text and how little is mentioned of such themes on the CMT. So is the CMT really testing what is important?
8 Author: Jennifer La Forte
Date: November 3, 2010 12:01 PM
I am told my another professor that we are nearing the pinnacle of testing mania, and a new era of something else in education will roll around soon, "as it always does every three years," he says. Let's hope it includes an emphasis on character--resilience, persistance, altruism, selflessness, compassion, etc. These qualities are all evident in Keller's story.
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