No Ordinary Day

"We borrow the sun that shines on us today from the people on the other side of the world while they borrow the moon from us. Then we give it back. We can't keep the sun, no matter how afraid we are of the dark.” pp. 57

No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis

Published by Groundwood Books Copyright 2011 

 Optimistic, Strong in cultural detail (India), Controversial, Courageous, Coming of age   

 

Awards: 

• A Booklist Editors' Choice
• Listed as one of  the ALA Notable Children's Book 2012
• Southeast Asia Book Award 2012
• Finalist for the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's book award 2012
• Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award 

Summary:  Valli, an Indian girl from a poverty-stricken coal town, decides to run away one day when she discovers that her "auntie" is actually just a woman who was paid by her own family to watch over her. Valli does not come from much, not being able to go to school or to even eat on a regular basis. Her background helps her to be resourceful when she ends up in Kolkatta, homeless. Valli's only fear is of the "monsters", who are actually lepers, who resided on the wrong side of her coal town. Little does she know that her magic feet that don't feel are a symptom of leprosy, and that to escape poverty, she must choose to face the monsters. 

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 580L, Grade 4.4 

Suggested Delivery: whole group instruction

Description: Contemporary, Current Events, Diversity   

Key Vocabulary - Many more are in a glossary in the back of the book for cultural and foreign-language words. (by page number): haze (25), sari (25), pakoras (31), "the namaste" (39), Bollywood (46), rickshaws (61), dialect (65), bullock (74), ghat (80)

Teaching Suggestions: 

1. No Ordinary Day is a controversial book, with topics such as child sex-slavery, poverty, homelessness, and leprosy being addressed. A letter home to parents that includes resources and a book outline would be beneficial before teaching this book to students. This way parents will be prepared for the questions that students may come home with.
2. Make sure students become aware that Valli has leprosy as they read. Even though the fact that she has this disease is a main complication in the book, it is never explicitly stated that this is what is happening to her. I suggest that this is addressed at around pages 47-48.
3. Ellis's is a role model that students should know about.  All the royalties from No Ordinary Day go to The Leprosy Mission out of Canada. In fact, all of Deborah Ellis's book royalties go to various charity organizations that correlate with the books. Talk with students about what royalties are, and impress the difference that Ellis is making by giving all of her funds to these organizations.

Deborah Ellis

Comprehension Strategies

Pre-Reading- In true KWL fashion, have students get into groups compile their knowledge about the following topics, one per group (if there are a lot of students some groups could share the same topic as another): India, leprosy, and homelessness. Put everyone's knowledge on the board. This is a way to introduce important themes before reading, themes that are mentioned in the World Literacy Canada teaching guide (see link below). These themes can later be developed on by using the discussion questions found in the guide.

During Reading- Valli remains optimistic through much of the story, only becoming negative when she has to choose to be helped among the lepers or to remain homeless. Have students list the reasons why Valli was afraid of the lepers (for example, she thought that she could catch the disease by touching them, and that these people were "monsters"). Ask students if they think Valli would have acted differently if she had been educated about leprosy, therefore allowing them to reflect on an example of prejudice that was formed out of ignorance. After this exercise, students should be able to articulate the importance of education in ending prejudice. 

Post-Reading- While the novel brings up many important issues, it is not a first-hand experience for many students, and takes place in another country. Contact your local social services for a speaker from a homeless shelter. Sometimes local homeless youth may be able to speak, or people who were homeless as children. Hearing about homeless people within their local community may make it easier for students to connect to the book. 

Writing Activity: Each day that students read, open with a discussion on what students know versus what Valli knows, whether it be about leprosy, school, or even how to read. Keep a running list of student responses on a piece of paper or the board. At some point in the reading (perhaps when Valli runs away from the hospital) have students journal about what they know in comparison to Valli and vice versa (for example Valli knows how to live on the streets, is optimistic, etc.). This will allow students to reflect on the privileges that they have, and would be a great tie in to a lesson about first vs. third world countries.

Electronic Resources:

Write Right to Read - World Literacy Canada

This teaching guide provides great discussion questions (pp. 9) in regards to society's bias around leprosy, poverty, and education that students should be exposed to. Students who participate in these discussions will learn about the bias found within language, such as around the very word "leper" and "beggar." They will also reflect on what it is like to be uneducated, and therefore be able to articulate the difference that an education makes in a person's life.

Teaching About Homelessness
Homelessness is a touchy issue that once the topic is opened, it is hard to close. The Illinois State Board of Education has compiled a list of lessons all about homelessness that span across the disciplines, making at least one of these the perfect fit for your classroom. 

Ellis, D. (2011). No ordinary day. Toronto: Groundwood Books.

The Tale of Despereaux

“There ain't a body, be it mouse or man, that ain't made better by a little soup.” 

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo 

Published by Candlewick Press Copyright 2003   

Multiple lead characters, adventure, tale of an underdog, interactive text, anthropomorphic  

 Awards: 

• 2004 Newbery Medal Recipient  

 

Summary:  

Award winning novelist Kate DiCamillo inspires readers to be honest and honorable in her newest tale about a kingdom where soup is forbidden, and a mouse-in-shining-armor is destined to save the kingdom. Three separate stories of the mouse, a rat with a vengeance, and a girl who just wants weave together through turmoil and triumph leading to a coda that isn't a traditional happy ending, but happy nonetheless. This interactive text is perfect as a read aloud, with many moments in the text reserved for pause and reflection among students. 

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 670L, Grade 4.8, DRA 50

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud, whole class instruction

Description: Fantasy, Fairy tales   

Key Vocabulary (by page number):  diplomat (12), obscenely (17), indignant (24), conform (25), adhere (27), tribunal (35), perfidy (45), beleaguered (77), scrupulously (129), portentous (167), comeuppance (186), infringe (249)

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Have students comment on the interactive qualities of the text. How do students feel when the narrator talks directly to them?
2. Speaking of the moments when the narrator speaks directly to readers, there are plenty of moments when the narrator asks readers to reflect on what is happening with characters. For example the narrator says: "Can you imagine it? Can you imagine your father selling you for a tablecloth, a hen, and a handful of cigarettes? Close your eyes and consider it for just a moment... (pp. 127)." Use these moments as discussion points, or even as reading journal entries.
3. For an impromptu grammar lesson, talk with students about how Despereaux's mother talks! Is her speech grammatically correct?

Comprehension Strategies

Pre-Reading- Ask students what they think "conform" means. Once students figure out what it means, write a definition that students devise together on a poster that they can refer to as the story is read aloud. Ask students if they think conformity is a good quality to have. Let students debate the issue, and refer back to this debate at the end of the novel.

During Reading- A main point in the novel is that every action has a consequence. In Book 2, DiCamillo explains that every action that Chiaroscuro takes or is affected by has a consequence in his life that spirals him down into bitterness. After learning about the consequences leading up to Chiaroscuro's fate, have students refer back to Book 1, where Despereaux is taken to the dungeon. Can students outline what actions led up to his fate? After students create an outline, continue reading, as a review of Despereaux's consequences is on page 120.

Post-Reading- Talk with students about the phrase "happily ever after." Mig did not get to be a princess, and Despereaux did not end up with Pea, which would be typical happy endings, but both characters were still happy in the end. What does this mean about the phrase? Can "happily ever after" be found in more ways than one? What really made the characters happy in the end, was it their wildest dreams coming true, or just the idea of being forgiven enough?

Writing Activity: Have students write a newspaper article about an important event in the story. prompts could include:

• Despereaux's defiance of the Mouse Council
• Pea's disappearance
• The banning of soup in the kingdom
• Mig's reunion with her father

And many more!

Electronic Resources:

Watch the Movie

Matthew Broderick stars as Despereaux in this loosely adapted version of The Tale of Despereaux churned out by Universal Pictures in 2008. After completing the book, students can watch this movie and compare and contrast the tale, voting on which version students like the best and why.

Printing Press 

Students can make their newspaper articles look more authentic with this interactive newspaper "printing press" provided by readwritethink.org. This simple tool provides students with multiple layouts to make their article unique.

DiCamillo, K. (2003). The tale of Despereaux: being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

When You Reach Me

Book Club Pick!  #2

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Published by Wendy Lamb Books Copyright 2009
  

Ms. Beckman's Book Club: Some books are better taught in small groups due to student interest or specific goals for certain class groups. This book is a book club pick because it will not interest everyone, but can make all the difference in a group that is interested!  This book would be a great suggestion for a group of students who love mysteries and like reading. Students involved in book club will be doing similar assignments for different books.

 

Mystery, Time travel, Coming of age, Rich in symbolism, Strong female protagonist   

Awards: 

• Andre Norton Award 2009
• Listed as one of The New York Times Notable Book 2009
• Listed as one of  Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books 2009
• Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year 2009
• School Library Journal Best Book of the Year 2009
• Booklist Editor's Choice 2009
• Horn Book Fanfare 2009
• Newbury Medal 2010
• Listed as one of  the ALA Notable Children's Book 2010
• Massachusetts Children's Book Award 2012

 

Summary:  

It is 1978, and twelve year old Miranda is struggling to keep up with all of the mysterious things happening in her life. First her best friend Sal gets punched in the gut by a guy named Marcus for no reason. Then the extra key to her aparmtne goes missing, and (just) one of her mom's boyfriend's shoes goes missing. Soon Sal is not hanging out with Miranda anymore, and mysterious letters start appearing, with the writer claiming to be "coming to save your friend's life and my own." Not to mention the crazy laughing man that Miranda has to walk by on the street everyday and her task of helping her mom practice for the $20,000 Dollar Pyramid show (starring Dick Clark)! As the year passes, Miranda gets more and more letters, and eventually finds out who- and what the letter writer is talking about once and for all. 

    

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 750L, Grade 4.6 

Suggested Delivery: small group read, group instruction

Description: Mystery, science and historical fiction   

Key Vocabulary (by page number):  scoured (9), Miranda Warnings (9), tenant (14), postscript (68), "put it on my charge" (133), awning (139)

Teaching Suggestions: As a book club book, students should have a list of things to do as they read so that they can present the book to the class.

A Wrinkle in Time

1. Each image on the cover represents an important scene in the novel. For example, the notes are depicted in the places they are found, the laughing man's shadow, the sandwich shop. Have students create a timeline of the story's events using the images on the cover of the novel in chronological order. 
2. An underlying theme of the novel has to do with socioeconomic status. Provide students with comprehension questions as they read so that they connect with the theme. For example, ask students why the fourth grader hid his sticker from the dentist before going back into his classroom (Answer: because he didn't want other students to know that he goes to the free school dentist.).
3.   Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time was one of the author's favorite books growing up, and is also a favorite of main character Miranda. Make this book available for students to read on their own. Encourage students to compare and contrast the stories.

Comprehension Strategies

Pre-Reading- Before students begin reading the novel, pose the question "Why do you think the author chose the Einstein quote at the beginning of the novel?" and use a form of a KWL chart to record. Have students record their predictions on a large piece of paper in the typical K section. As they read, students will add examples of why the think the author chose the quote in the typical W section. After reading, students will synthesize their examples into one explanation in the L section.

RIP Dick Clark!

During Reading- Throughout the novel, Miranda's mom is practicing to win The $25,000 Pyramid. Create a version of $25,000 Dollar Pyramid that students can play that requires students to describe/guess characters in the book. For example, if a student said "sleeps under a mailbox, time traveler" then another student would guess "The laughing man".

Post-Reading- Hold a book discussion with students about Marcus. Ask why students think he chose to go back in time to save Sal even though he knew that he would die if he did. Let students take sides by asking if they would choose to save Sal or not. Would they want to travel through time at all?

Writing Activity: Miranda doesn't share with readers the letter that she writes to Marcus (SPOILER - to tell him that he will one day be the laughing man). Have students write the letter themselves. This is a great way to assess how well students understand the story as they will have to recount major events as well as who the letter-writer is, and what happened with the laughing man/Marcus. It also provides a sense of closure for readers.

Electronic Resources:

The $25,000 Dollar Pyramid

Students may not understand how to play The $25,000 Dollar Pyramid without watching the show in action (I know I didn't!). Here is a link to a YouTube video of  a contestant and celebrity (Nathan Cook) who worked together to win the $25,000 dollars that students can watch.

Is Time Travel Possible?

One of my favorite memories of reading one of the A Wrinkle in Time books, A Wind in the Door was looking up the scientific terms that L'Engle used in her book with friends and discovering that they were real! New Zealand website Science Kids provides a video of well known physicist Michio Kaku explaining that time travel is real- and happens every time astronauts go into space! Kaku uses the movie Back to the Future to describe the science, but the video makes sense without seeing the movie.

Stead, R. (2009). When you reach me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow

Part Two of Two : Ms. Beckman's "Negro Leagues" Series

"I gave Emmet Jr. that ball. I hope it reminds him of who he can be." - pp. 85

Satchel Paige: Striking out Jim Crow

 Written and illustrated by Jason Sturm and Rich Tomasso

 Published by Jump at the Sun Hyperion Copyright 2007  

 

  unique approach to the subject, sports, rich in morals, action, diversity  

 Awards: 

• 2008 Eisner Award Winner:
• Best Reality-Based Work

• 2008 Glyph Comics Award Winner:
• Best Character
• Best Writer
  

• 2008 Eisner Award Nominee:
• Best Publication for Teens
• Best Reality-Based Work
• Best Writer

• VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocate): Nonfiction Honor List

• 39th NAACP Award Nominee for Best Literary Work - Youth/Teens

• A 2007 CYBIL Awards Nominee for Best Graphic Novel

• A 2008 New York Book Show Award Recipient

• A Junior Library Guild selection

 

Summary:  

This graphic novel about Satchel Paige takes a unique approach to biography: the story is told from the perspective of another baseball player in the negro leagues, one who crosses paths with Satchel Paige at different points in his life. The story is told in a way that readers will understand the impact of Paige on other African-Americans, and even America as a whole. It also touches upon the discrimination and violence that sharecroppers faced from their landowners, but ends with an inspiring win for the Negro team, and a reminder of legacy within families for a better future. 

    

Reading Level: Lexile Framework not listed, but, between 600 and 1070, DRA level 60, Grade 4.6

Suggested Delivery: Independent read 

Description: Graphic novel, diversity, sports, historical-fiction   

Key Vocabulary (by page number):  sharecropper (2), negro (2), ricochets (17), trussed (40) "you know you licked..." (79). Words that must be addressed - lynching (37), the N-word (74)

**A good resource for historical terms is The Bedford Glossary for U.S. History, which contains brief descriptions of over 500 history terms, including "sharecropping" and "lynching."**

Teaching Suggestions: 

1. I suggest that this book be taught along with my previous entry, We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, giving students the opportunity to independently study an aspect of the subject on their own. This is only one example of the many resources out there for students to look into, but this being one of the more unique choices. 
2. Students would benefit from a discussion about the difference between sharecropping and slavery...and how they really weren't all that different.
3. Like with We are the Ship, Striking out Jim Crow has a unique format that helps readers to understand history. Ask students why they think this story works (or does not work) as a graphic novel. Talk about how the story would be different if it was not in comic-book style, but written more traditionally.

Comprehension Strategies

Using this book as a companion piece to a read aloud gives students the opportunity to research the subject more deeply on their own, while still learning the basics of the subject as a group . Below are some activities that will help students get the most out of their research.

Pre-Reading-  This activity will work with any biography that a student chooses on a player. After students have an idea of what the Negro Leagues is, ask students why they think it is important to research individual players. Write these reasons on the board. If students do not address these issues themselves, make sure that students understand that the unit will be a theme of legacy, those who came before us, that people from history should be celebrated and remembered because they were just kids once too. This may help students identify with the players, which will increase comprehension. 

During Reading- Some events in the novel may be confusing to students because the narrator says things that happen without explaining why they happen, or without saying the whole truth. For example, on page 34, the narrator says that the school for African-American students runs out of money whenever its time for harvest, giving students time to pick cotton in the fields. Some questions to ask students as they read could include: Do you think that it is a coincidence that the landowners run out of money just when the cotton is ready for picking? Why do you think the landowners do this? These questions are important for understanding, but could be addressed as simply as during a one-on-one reading check.

Post-Reading- As mentioned in the previous entry, all students will be performing a brief presentation on the player of their choice. To help students organize their information, students can create their own baseball cards about the players! The cards could include a brief bio on the back (including birthday, hometown, baseball team, their position, etc.), a fun fact about the player, and three other facts about the player, or if there is no other information, about the Negro Leagues. Students can draw a picture of the player as well. The cards could be posted around the class, or even around the school!

Writing Activity: In a journal response format, students should respond to the most powerful scene in the novel, where the narrator's son, Emmet Jr., is targeted by the landowners for going to school instead of picking cotton in the fields. At first Emmet Jr. continues to attend school, but then he is captured by the landowners and injured. After that, Emmet Jr. picks cotton with his father in the fields. With so much helplessness and emotion in these pages (31-43), students should not breeze over them. Taking time to respond will help students to understand what is really going on here.

Satchel Paige

Electronic Resources:

Center for Cartoon Studies Resources
The Center for Cartoon Studies, the group that created and published this book along with an increasing number of other biographical graphic novels, has created a Teacher's Guide for Striking out Jim Crow. The guide includes discussion questions, an author interview, and even sample and draft pages (or as they call them, "Paiges"!) for teachers to review.

Trading Cards that Honor True Greatness
Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, provides many FREE resources on the teaching of diversity and overall tolerance for grades K-12. One of these resources is educator Helen Goren Shafton's lesson "Trading Cards that Honor True Greatness," which is similar to the baseball card activity I have devised above. Shafton provides teachers with talking points and student examples of the cards that they made in her class.  

Sturm, J., & Tommaso, R. (2007). Satchel Paige: striking out Jim Crow. New York, NY: Jump at the Sun: Hyperion.

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Part One of Two : Ms. Beckman's "Negro Leagues" Series

"We are the ship; all else is the sea." - Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National League   

We Are the Ship: The Story of 

Negro League Baseball 

 Written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

 Published by Jump at the Sun Hyperion Copyright 2008  

 

  Strong sense of community, inspirational, visual, rich in historical anecdotes, diversity  

 Awards: 

• Coretta Scott King award for author, honor for illustrations 2008
• 2008 CASEY Award for best baseball book
• New York Times Bestseller (One of the Best Illustrated Children's books of 2008)
• Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, 2009

 

Summary:  

In his well-researched book, Kadir Nelson uses a typical ballplayer to tell the story of the Negro Leagues, the segregated league of talented athletes that played from the 1920's to the 1940's. The narrator goes through the ups and downs of the league, talking about the discrimination they faced and the culture that they brought to modern baseball, ending with the end of the leagues with Jackie Robinson's entry into the major leagues. The book includes a list of all the men who were in the league (and who were talked about throughout the book) as well as those who made it to the major leagues, providing readers with a feeling of connection towards this family of brave men from the past.    

    

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 900L, Grade 6.2 

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud (for 5th and 6th grade students)

Description: Historical-fiction, diversity, sports   

Key Vocabulary (by page number):  staves (2), conduct (9), ku klux klansmen (21), unsavory (23), barnstorm (26), racketeers (31), "free agents" (34), integration (70)

Teaching Suggestions: 

1. Being a nonfiction book as well as a picture book, there are plenty of reference tools that students can utilize in the book. Show students the "end notes" section in the book and explain what it is, and how it is used. Show students the citation numbers throughout the book the correlate with the end notes as well.
2. The book has a creative format, with each of the nine chapters being called "innings." Ask students to determine the format of the book to come to this conclusion themselves. Ask what the effect of this format is on readers. 
3. The book also has a creative point of view, what with a general baseball player being used to tell the history of the leagues in a narrative format. Talk with students about how different this is from other nonfiction books they have read. Ask what the effect of this is on them as readers. Do they still feel like this book is a reference material? Why or why not?

Comprehension Strategies

Using this book as a read aloud introduces students to the subject in a more engaging format, leaving the door open for students to research the subject more deeply on their own.  Below are some activities that will help students to take the subject one step further.

Pre-Reading-  Relate the book to students' prior knowledge by talking first about Jackie Robinson. Ask students if they know who Jackie Robinson, and write what students know about him on the board. If students did not include that he was the first African-American to be in the major leagues, add this to the list. Then ask students if they know what the Negro baseball league is (chances are they don't, or know very little). Explain that Jackie Robinson was originally in the Negro Leagues, and that many talented athletes were in the league.

During Reading- **I suggest the teacher read an inning a day, but the whole book may not be necessary to read. Chapters 1-3, 7, and the epilogue are the most relevant to students.**  At the back of the book is a list of all the Negro league players who made it to the major leagues, as well as those who made it into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Have each student pick a player to research (except Jackie Robinson, who the teacher will model the activity with). Each day that the teacher is reading the book aloud, students will be assigned to present their player to the class. This assignment will be done using another book that they read independently. Students will being in the book, a picture of the player, and describe their bio to the class. I will explain this activity more next week, when I will provide an example book for a student to read on their own about Satchel Paige.   

Post-Reading- Until June 10, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts will be holding an exhibition on We Are the Ship. Students would benefit from the upcoming event this Saturday, "Baseball Bonanza!" featuring Kadir Nelson and other writers. Students will have the opportunity to listen to presentations about the book among others. By getting out in the community learning about the subject, students will be more easily able to synthesize the information that they learned while reading the book into something more meaningful, something that they will remember long after the unit is over. Below is the advertisement information from the museum:   

2012 Children’s Book Festival:
Baseball Bonanza!
June 9, 2012
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join a host of authors and artists who have created some of your favorite baseball picture books for our 7th annual Children’s Book Festival in conjunction with the exhibition We Are The Ship: The History of Negro League Baseball, original paintings by award-winning artist Kadir Nelson.

The Museum will host members of the Negro League Baseball Players Association for a special program in the Auditorium. In addition, this event for art-, book-, and baseball-lovers of all ages will feature art activities, artist and author presentations and demonstrations, and book signings. Enjoy ballpark fare or bring your own picnic to enjoy in our apple orchard.

Writing Activity: After students complete their presentations on players in the league, students should use their compiled information to write a 1-2 page biography on the player. These biographies will be bound by teacher into one "reference" book that could be donated to the school library, presented to a younger or partner class, or even sent home with students.  

Kadir Nelson's work

Electronic Resources:

Baseball Hall of Fame

Students can search any member of the Baseball Hall of Fame to find the hitting average, a short bio, and even additional resources about the athlete. This site is helpful as students research players from the Negro League. Some bios even have video and audio clips of the players, such as Jackie Robinson's .  

More about Kadir Nelson
Students, teachers, and parents alike can benefit from learning more about Kadir Nelson, who focuses his art around African-American history. Reading Rockets, a website that is based out of a U.S. Department of Education grant, provides a web page dedicated to the man, giving viewers a video bio, a written bio, and even a list of his children's books.

Nelson, Kadir. We are the ship: the story of Negro League baseball. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, 2008. Print.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Book Club Pick!  #1

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Published by Amulet Books Copyright 2007   

Ms. Beckman's Book Club: Some books are better taught in small groups due to student interest or specific goals for certain class groups. This book is a book club pick because it will not interest everyone, but can make all the difference in a group that is interested!  This book would be a great suggestion for a group of boys who claim that they do not like to read. It is also a good transition book for students going from elementary to middle school. Students involved in book club will be doing similar assignments for different books.

 

Funny, sarcastic, visual, relatable, inferred morals  

 Awards: 

• #1 New York Times Bestseller
• W.A. Young Readers Book Award -2009
• Jeff Kinney was one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People - 2009

 

Summary:  

Greg Heffley's mom decides that he should start keeping a JOURNAL (not a "diary" like it says on the front cover) about his "feelings." In his journal, Greg transcribes his day to day life in middle school: the ups and downs of trying to become popular, running from teenagers, and spending time with his best friend Rowley. Everything is going fine until Rowley, who doesn't care about popularity, suddenly starts getting more attention than Greg! Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a humorous ride in a year of Greg's life. But at the heart of things, it is a story about the relationship between two friends, and how trying to be cool can actually mess up a real friendship. 

    

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 950L, Grade 5.3 

Suggested Delivery: small group read, group instruction

Description: Contemporary, humor    

Key Vocabulary (by page number):  fabrications (48), "legitimate operation" (59), regimen (88), degrading (104), ad-libbing (109), gimmick (142), sod (162), ironic (164), cretin (171)

Teaching Suggestions: As a book club book, students should have a list of things to do as they read so that they can present the book to the class.

1. Have students devise their own vocabulary list as they read the novel. Any words that they have trouble understanding (at least six) should be written down and defined.
2. Students should come up with comprehension questions they will ask their group members about the novel to present during book discussion. For example, for each day that the book is discussed, each group member will ask one question of their group, like: why doesn't Greg sing during the school play? (Answer: Because his brother showed up and is videotaping him as blackmail.)
3. Have students create a visual presentation that will summarize the book for the class. This can be done using PowerPoint, a poster, or even a comic strip!   

Comprehension Strategies

Pre-Reading- Before students begin reading the novel, pose the question "Why is Greg Heffley a wimpy kid?" and use a form of a KWL chart to record. Have students record their predictions on a large piece of paper in the typical K section. As they read, students will add examples of why Greg is wimpy in the typical W section. After reading, students will synthesize their examples into one explanation in the L section.

During Reading- Diary of a Wimpy Kid requires readers to infer what Greg is talking about by looking at the pictures:

 

 

Explain to students what an inference is, walking through an example from the book with students. If the above example was used, you could ask students to explain the scene to you. Once they do that, ask students what Greg learned last year, and how they know that. Students will know Greg learned by looking at the picture. Ask if the author ever stated what Greg learned. Once students understand that he did not, explain that students inferred the event by examining the picture. For further comprehension, have students create their own inferential comic.

Post-Reading- Talk about Greg's logic throughout the novel. Is he right all the time? Hold a discussion with students about certain scenes in the novel when Greg misses the point. For example, on pages 179-185, Greg talks with his mom about how he feels bad for getting Rowley in trouble (he "terrorized kindergarteners" in Rowley's coat, neighbors though Rowley did it, Rowley got sent to the principal). So Greg's mom tells him to tell the truth. Greg does, but he twists it, telling Rowley that he should be more careful about lending his coat to people. Greg then goes home, tells his mom that he did the right thing, and gets rewarded with ice cream. Walk through the scene with students, and ask them where Greg missed the point, and how he could do better. 

Writing Activity: Greg doesn't always treat his friend Rowley as well as he should. Ask students to write a persuasive essay explaining why or why Greg isn't a good friend to Rowley. 

Electronic Resources:

FunBrain 
Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid started out as a  popular web blog on FunBrain.com. This website provides great resources for teachers and students. Students can have fun playing math and reading games and  even reading comics on the site. Teachers can be sure that students are learning while they play, since FunBrain provides teachers with a curriculum guide to navigate the website in a way that will benefit his or her class the most. This site also shows students where Wimpy Kid began, and students can have fun comparing and contrasting the web version and print version of the novel.

Guys Read
Did you know that:

• The U.S. Department of Education reading tests for the last 30 years show boys scoring worse than girls in every age group, every year?
• Eighth grade boys are 50 percent more likely to be held back than girls?
• Two-thirds of Special Education Students in high school are boys?
• Overall college enrollment is higher for girls than boys? (from guysread.com)

Guys read is "a web-based literacy program for boys founded by author and First National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature Jon Scieszka." The site promotes reading as masculine (since the activity is usually feminized), and provides viewers with male role models who like to read and write. There is also an extensive reading list made by literacy professionals that teachers can use to find books that all readers, but especially reluctant males, can benefit from. After reading, students can look on this website to discover more books that they would like to read, play educational activities, and even read interviews with literacy-minded "guys."

Kinney, J. (2007). Diary of a wimpy kid. New York: Amulet Books.

Ninth Ward

"I search the sky for rainbows. I don't see any. But I know it doesn't mean they're not there." - pp. 217 

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Published by Little, Brown and Company Copyright 2010 

 

Strong female protagonist, coming of age, contemporary, rich in sensory details, inspiring  

 Awards: 

•  Best Fiction of 2010 - School Library Journal 
• 2010 Parent's Choice Foundation Gold Award
• 2011 Coretta Scott King Award
• One of 2011's Notable Books for a Global Society
• Jane Addams Children's Book Honor Award for Older Readers 

 

Summary:  

Twelve year old Laneesha had lived her whole life in New Orleans' Ninth Ward District, one of the poorest places in the city. But Laneesha doesn't need anything more, she has her books, hopes to become an engineer one day, and of course, Mama Ya-ya, her adoptive grandmother. Laneesha is happy in her close community, until one day Mama Ya-ya has a vision of a hurricane coming: Katrina. As Laneesha balances between the life of the living and the ghosts that she sees, a struggle to survive ensues. This story is a powerful one, but also inspirational, showing that the love of family goes much further than just between blood relatives.

    

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 470L, Grade 3.3 

Suggested Delivery: small group read, whole class instruction

Description: Current events, Diversity   

Key Vocabulary (by page number):  taunting (36), puncture (49), shroud (51), conflicted (111), indigents (118), bittersweet (145), siphoning (148)

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Ninth Ward is written in a southern dialect. Be sure to talk with students about the difference between dialect and "school English". Explain that dialect is okay sometimes, and how it enhances the novel.
2. Laneesha loves vocabulary words, providing readers with definitions of her favorites throughout the novel. When reading the book, have students find vocabulary words that they think are "good words." The words can be drawn from a hat every day as the word of the day.
3. In the back of the novel, author Jewell Parker Rhodes provides a good background on Katrina for students. Read this author's note aloud and answer any questions that students may have. 

Comprehension Strategies

Ninth Ward is a great novel to teach students about Hurricane Katrina, especially if they learn as they read instead of before or after reading. This way, they have an example to go off of in the novel for comprehension.

taken from scholastic.com

Pre-Reading- Before reading, post a KWL chart on the board, and have a group discussion on what students know (or think they know) about Katrina. Be prepared for students who have heard about issues with aid going to help victims, or about the socioeconomic divisions that came up during the disaster, and make sure to address these issues before completing the novel.  There are several resources for students to look at to further understand the Hurricane, such as Scholastic News Online (below) and a special Time for Kids Katrina Special Report. 

During Reading- While Laneesha does not have any blood relatives in her life, she is surrounded by "family" in Mama Ya-ya, her neighborhood, and when she and TaShon are rescued, even New Orleans as a whole who cheers for their survival. Ask students what family means to them. Have groups look at various scenes in the novel that show that family means more than blood and present their findings to the class. The passages below are good examples:

• Laneesha talks about how important her Ninth Ward family is to her - pp. 45-6.
• Mrs. Watson offers to take Laneesha and Mama Ya-ya with her when her family evacuates - pp. 91-2.
•  The "good Cajun men" help bring TaShon and Laneesha to safety - pp. 216-7.

 

Post-Reading- Laneesha finds it important to learn as much as she can, whether it be from Mama Ya-ya or from school. Ask students how Laneesha's knowledge saved her from the Hurricane (her ability to work out the rate of water rising up the steps, her understanding of math to release the boat). Then, ask students what they like to learn about, impressing that knowledge is power.

Writing Activity: One of the themes of the novel is "fortitude," a word that Laneesha and TaShon learned at school before the hurricane and applied in their struggle to survive. How do the different characters in Ninth Ward demonstrate fortitude? Have students pick a character (any character will work!) and write a paragraph on what fortitude is, and how the character demonstrated it in the novel. Talk about Laneesha's actions to model the activity.

Electronic Resources:

Scholastic News Online

After the Hurricane, Scholastic provided a section of articles for kids by kids that talks about the various ways in which students helped and connected with victims. There is even an article about a student who survived the hurricane. This website will empower students to step up and help others, perhaps choosing to do one of the initiatives here, or choosing to do one of their own. students may not be directly helping out Katrina victims, but there is always a need for school supplies and loose change somewhere in the world.

American Red Cross Masters of Disaster

Throughout the novel, many of the people of the Ninth Ward talk about how they don't want to leave because they think they will be safe, because they cannot afford it, or choose to have a party instead of preparing for the hurricane. The American Red Cross provides a great activity to help students grades 3-5 understand that preparedness is always the best option. Using the prompts from the "Wrap up" section on page three of the Response and Recovery unit, talk about where in the book that characters presented these beliefs, and how characters could have reacted differently. The prompts are as follows: 

• “I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve weathered hurricanes before. I can do it again."
• "I can't stand the traffic jam that an evacuation order will create."
• I can't afford to evacuate."
• "I'm afraid to leave my home unprotected. Someone might loot it."

Use additional resources from the website to discuss how being prepared ahead of time for a national disaster can make all the difference. Have students create posters portraying the importance of being prepared for disasters that are able to happen in your town.

Rhodes, J. P. (2010). Ninth Ward. New York: Little, Brown and Co..