Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr

Wordle: http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/572591/Sadako_and_the_Thousand_Paper_Cranes

Genre: Multicultural (chapter book)

This book was based on events of the Second World War. Because fifth graders study this time period, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes would fit exceptionally well into a language arts or social studies curriculum. This could be one option for students in literature circles, discussing the elements of the story from a historical and literary point-of-view. Students could keep a journal or reading log while reading the novel and use their reflections to create discussion within their literature circle. The book could also begin a social studies view of WWII, allowing students a perspective into the effects of war. Expanding even further, students could use the book as a basis for research on such topics as WWII, atomic bomb usage, war effects and Japanese culture.

The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland

Story Pyramid:

Ba

Traditional Refugee

War-torn Unknown America

Cherishing Tradition, Culture & Heritage

Ba takes seed for remembrance

seed taken by grandson and planted

Ba is overjoyed with pink lotus blossom

lotus seeds are passed down to the grandchildren

Pyramid created by Kristen
(Created at: http://www.boobis.com/students/pyramid.html)

Genre: Multicultural

This story tells of a Vietnamese family’s forced flee from their home to escape a devastating civil war. Because this story is based on true historical events, students will learn about the reasons for the entering of Vietnamese refugees into the United States. This could be discussed during a particular social studies lesson, using the book as a single account of what the transition might have been like. In the book, the grandmother has a cherished lotus seed that she kept with her in the move from Vietnam to America. It was very valuable to her and she began a tradition with her family by giving each of her grandchildren a lotus seed to pass down to their successors. Presenting the story to students could also begin a discussion of their own family customs and traditions. Students could write about their own keepsakes, like the lotus seed for the grandmother, and why it is important to them and their family.

Great Stories of Courage (Graphic Novel)

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Modern Fantasy

This compilation of classic stories is written in a format unlike any other. Just as scenes would change in a movie or play, the pictures in these stories change according to the authors' words. All of the stories have bold, full color illustrations that go along directly with the story's actions. The graphics are important features of the stories as they depict the plot, allowing the reader an additional opportunity to enjoy the works. These classic works of literature are retold by the authors in a format that is easily understood by many age and ability levels. At the end of each story, there is an informative biography of each of the authors. These let the reader know the author's personal background as well as their professional background and knowledge. This book is only one of a series of Bank Street Graphic Novels. Each of the works compiles several stories with a similar theme for the enjoyment of the reader. Because these types of stories are very accessible to students of various reading abilities, I would create a section of my class library to be dedicated to graphic novels such as this. Students not only enjoy these stories for their action and content, but they especially like the illustrations that depict the action. An important factor in enjoying reading is enjoying the reading material. Having access to stories like these in the classroom would certainly make students want to read.

When I Was Young In the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant

Realistic Fiction

This is a story told by a little girl about the simple and happy pleasures of her grandparents' home in the mountains. Each page was a remembrance she had of her time spent in the mountains. The girl recalled her grandmother's cooking, going to the general store, swimming in the watering hole and going to church on Sundays. Her experiences were illustrated with cheerful pictures that evoke a feeling of a family's love and her own love for the mountain she held so dear. Because the pictures so beautifully illustrate the author's words, this story would be an excellent read-aloud to younger elementary students. The book would also create a means for discussion amoung students, as it tells of a young girl with a passion for her mountain. Students could use this book as a beginning for their own creative writing project. Because the author uses similar sentence structures throughout and a writing style that suits the mood of the story, students could use the book as a model to create their own story. The teacher could introduce a new setting and allow the students to write a new story based on the new location, or the students could write individually about when they were younger.

All About Electricity by Melvin Berger

Nonfiction

As the title suggests, this book offers many facts all dealing with electricity. It gives examples of electricity, ones that students would easily recognize, and describes what electricity actually is. As it is a form of energy, the book also gives other examples of energy that students would understand and be familiar with. The book also discusses electric generators, compasses, and magnets. It even discusses atoms and the parts of an atom in ways that elementary students can understand. There are pictures of generators with a description of each of the parts and what they do. To help students grasp the concepts better, the book gives examples of types of appliances that use electricity that can be found inside their homes. Static electricity is also discussed, using lightning as a major example. The book lists tips and advice for students who are outdoors in a lightning storm and also what they should do if they are inside as well. The back section of the book is filled with small experiments that students can perform individually to help them understand such topics as batteries, generators and static electricity. In my SBTE's classroom, the students are actually learning about electricity and forces in their science class. This book and its experiments would be a great resource for students to read about their unit topic and use the experiments to supplement their understanding. My SBTE had the students rotate through different stations that taught about each of the science topics. At each station, there was an experiment dealing with static electricity, forces and magnetism. The experiments in this book would be a great source for the teacher to develop her stations. The back of the book also lists other science books written in this same format. If available, these books would be a fantastic way to allow students to integrate reading into science and experiment on their own to discover science.

Jamaica Tag-Along by Juanita Havill

Realistic Fiction

When Jamaica overhears her brother saying he is going to play basketball at the park, she wants to go. Ossie, her older brother, says for her not to tag along. She went anyway, watching her big brother and his friends play basketball. When they see her, Ossie again tells her she cannot play and Jamaica goes off to play on her own. She begins building a castle out of sand when a little boy comes to help her. Because Jamaica does not want him to play with her and her castle (because she is afraid he will mess it up), she tells him something similar to what her brother always tells her. Finally, Jamaica realizes the mistake she has made by being mean to the boy younger than her and allows him to help her build the castle. Her worry was that he would tear up the castle, so she shows him how to build it correctly, and they are both happy in the end. This character-building story could teach any age student the importance of being kind to others, especially those who may be looking up to the as a role model. With older elementary students especially, it is not unusual for them to have siblings, particularly younger. If they are the older sibling, this story could help them realize the role they play in their younger brother or sister's life. As a role model for their younger siblings, they could come to appreciate their brother or sister wanting to play with them and do things like them. This story could also be used to discuss older-elementary students' role in the school atmosphere. As a fourth or fifth grader, younger students look up to them and try to mimic their actions. If students understand this superiority, it is possible that they may feel a responsibility to be a good citizen in the school. I believe a counselor could easily use this book as an aid when discussing being a role model, or a teacher could use this book as a topic for a classroom meeting.

Do You Feel Earth Moving? by Stephen Tomecek

Nonfiction

This book is packed full of information about weathering, erosion, sedimentation, forces and earthquakes. To better understand each of these topics, the author uses simplistic explanations and clear-cut facts. Also, the author does a good job of using examples and stories that students could relate to and recognize. These are important so that the student makes a connection and can better remember the topic content. The pictures and photographs in the book are excellent and directly relate to the subject matter. Real-life photos make the book more interesting as well as relatable to the reader. The basic burp0se of the book is to inform students on the different ways the Earth's layers are continuously moving. Enough information is presented about each subject for a student to have a general understanding. One way to use this book with students is to present an open-ended question or problem about the material to let them investigate and formulate a solution. An example of this could be to have the students investigate sedimentation and erosion by posing a question about rivers. This could be: Why are rivers typically narrow at its source and wider as it travels along its path? This would allow students to think and come up with an explanation, using the terms erosion and sedimentation appropriately. Also, students could use this story as a writing activity. Because this book discusses the many ways that the Earth moves, students could write about the differences in Earth if earthquakes, weathering and other forms of movement did not exist. This would enhance their writing skills along with their critical thinking skills.