Thursday, February 12, 2015

Wonderstruck

Schneider Family Book Award Winner
" We are all in the gutter,
but some of us are looking at the stars."
















Wonderstruck is: Moving, Intense, Fascinating, Heartwarming, and Imaginative
Wonderstruck
Written and Illustrated by Brian Selznick
Published by Scholastic Press, 2011

Reading Level:
Lexile: 830L
Grade Level: 5-8
Suggested Delivery: Independently, Guided Reading

Summary:

Wonderstruck tells the story of two deaf characters, Ben and Rose, whose stories are told fifty years apart. While one story is told through words, the other is shared through very detailed, ingenious drawings. Both characters set out on a quest to find their way in life.  After some traumatic events, Ben leaves his hometown in search of his father.  Fifty years before Ben’s story takes place, Rose is tired of being held captive in her home in Hoboken and is ready to explore New York City. She is sick of viewing the city from her bedroom window because her parents felt that letting a deaf child explore the city would be very dangerous.  After reading both individuals’ heartbreaking, inspiring stories separately, the characters meet up towards the end of the book to complete their journey.  This is an incredible story of how two individuals dealt with their disabilities and other intense struggles that they faced and overcame.

Electronic Resources for Educators:


http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/teaching-brian-selznick-including-virtual-field-trip
 Take a look at this link for ideas of various activities for students to complete that connect to the book and the characters' experiences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_EmsguJMic

Some children have never had any contact with a deaf person and they do not have a grasp on what being deaf means.  This brief video is a great tool to help students understand deafness and answer some questions that students may have about deafness.

Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary:


Comprehension Activities for the Classroom Teacher:

Before Reading Activity: Text Impressions
Have your students look through the text.  Point out that one character's story is shared through writing while the other is shared through illustrations. Give your students the opportunity to share their impressions of the text.

-use https://bubbl.us/ to have students share their impressions of the book with their classmates.  Bubbl.us is a free website where users can create a mind map.


During Reading Activity:
- Students should look for similarities and differences between Rose and Ben's stories to try to predict how they might be related or connect. They can use sticky notes to mark down pages where they find similarities.
-Students can also fill in  a venn diagram as they read to compare and contrast Rose and Ben's experiences
-Talk with your students about why they think Ben and Roses' stories are shared in the same book. What could this mean?




Post Reading Activity:Exit Slip-
http://padlet.com/wall/9kc6qpm99d3l

-Students can write their ideas and opinions about the ending of the book. 

Writing Activity: 
-At the beginning of the book Ben is having nightmares about wolves and by the end of the book he is a peace with the Wolves in his thoughts and dreams.  What do you think the wolves symbolize for Ben?

-How does Rose coming into Ben's life fulfill his desire to know his father?





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Sunday, February 8, 2015

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans

Coretta Scott King Award (Author & Illustrator)
among many other honors
“ Our centuries-long struggle for freedom 
and equal rights had helped 
make the American promise of life, liberty, 
and the pursuit of happiness
 a reality for all Americans.  
We have come a mighty long way, honey, 
and we still have a good ways to go, 
but that promise and the right to fight 
for it is worth every ounce of its weight in gold. 
It is our nation’s heart and soul."

Heart and Soul is: Extraordinary, Illuminative, Encouraging, Great Read, and Educational




Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans
 Written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Published by Balzer and Bray- An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2011


 Reading Level:
Lexile: 1050L
Grade Level: 3-7
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud

Summary: 

This country was built on the idea that all men are created equal, but unfortunately not all men were treated equally for a long period of time. This book is about the journey that African Americans took to get from being slaves to free men and women who are integral parts of American society. Readers will learn about the transformation of African Americans from  the times of slavery, to fighting in American battles, to working the fields as sharecroppers, to women craving the right to vote, to participating in peaceful protests, and finally earning the right and ability to vote.  Read Kadir Nelson's heart-wrenching, inspiring story of the African American experience.

Electronic Resources for Educators:

Please use the following resources to extend your students learning and to provide background knowledge before reading the book.

Book trailer

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16735646
This is an interview with Kadir Nelson, he shares the meaning behind his artwork and gives some insight on his book.

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
This website is a great tool to learn about the Civil Rights Movement.  There are videos, interviews, pictures and detailed summaries of the different events that occurred.


http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-world-war-i.html
Heart and Soul goes into detail about the different American wars that African Americans were involved in.  This link has pictures and a summary of African Americans involvement and roles in World War I.

http://nmaahc.si.edu/

This is the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/

There are some great pictures, audio clips, and primary documents for you to use on this website.

Teaching Suggestions:

Key Vocabulary:


Comprehension Activities for the Classroom Teacher:

Before Reading Activity: 
1. Introduce key vocabulary.


Wordle.net


Brainstorm as a class and create a K-W-L chart on what students know and want to know about the African American Experience. 

During Reading Activity: 
-After reading each section of the book, break students into small groups and have them continue to fill in the K-W-L chart.
-While students are filling in the K-W-L chart write questions on the board after each section for them to discuss as a group. For example after Nelson talks about Jim Crow Laws, ask students what were Jim Crow Laws and how did they affect African Americans?
- Take time to model what a good literary discussion looks like and sounds like.
-After students have had time to discuss let them share their key points that were made with the rest of the class.
-This would also be a good time to extend on important topics that Nelson touches upon.  Please make use of the electronic resources that I have provided for you under electronic resources for educators. 

 Post Reading Activity: Finish filling in the K-W-L chart.  Break students into small groups and have them discuss the following questions. 
1. What was life like for a slave? Think about where they lived, who they lived with, how they were treated.
2. What were Jim Crow laws? How did they affect African Americans?
3. Today, African Americans have the right to vote and can sit anywhere on a bus.  What event(s) or people made this possible?  Talk about the Civil Rights Movement.

Writing Activity:
After reading and discussing Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson, why do you think Nelson chose to name his book Heart and Soul? Provide evidence from the text to support your answer.
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