Lincoln: A Photobiography Book Review

Part One: 

Book Information: Freedman, R., & Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana (1987). Lincoln: A photobiography. New York, N.Y: Clarion Books.

Genre: Biography, Informational Text - Common Core Exemplars

Grade Level: Grades 3-6

Part Two: 

Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book, Thoughts about craft
Before reading the book, I flipped through the pages and looked at some of the pictures. The book was full of wonderful pictures of Abraham Lincoln that takes the reader through his life. I was very interested to read on!

This informational book is a biography of Abraham Lincoln's life. It is presented to fit younger children and is filled with interesting photos that go along with the text. The author begins with telling about Lincoln's childhood days and follows to tell about his career as a country lawyer and his marriage to Mary Todd. The biography is then focused on Lincoln's presidential years, explaining the many complex issues that Lincoln encountered as he led the nation through the Civil War. It is very educational and the author presents the information to keep the reader interested the entire time. It is an easy read which is great for younger children. I love how he used many realistic pictures which were very helpful and gave a visual to the biography. Many of the pictures consist of black and white historical photographs and reproduced nineteenth century art which is an extra enjoyment when reading and is what makes the book so appealing for children. 

Part Three:

Critique

I really enjoyed this book and is one that I plan to use in my classroom when I become a teacher. It is a great informational text that presents the life of Abraham Lincoln. It explains what Lincoln went through during his lifetime and focuses on the struggles in his Presidency and what he had to do to overcome them. It is a very realistic and accurate biography that would be great for students who like to read nonfiction texts. It would also be great to show students when teaching them about the Presidents, the Civil War, or introducing how to write a report!

Part Four:

Lesson Sketch

Grade: 4th

Standards
Reading Comprehension:
2.1 Identify structural patterns found in informational text (e.g., compare and contrast, cause and effect, sequential or chronological order, proposition and support) to strengthen comprehension.

Writing Strategies: 
1.1 Select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based upon purpose, audience, length, and format requirements.
1.2 Create multiple-paragraph compositions:
       a. Provide an introductory paragraph.
       b. Establish and support a central idea with a topic sentence at or near the beginning of
the first paragraph.
       c. Include supporting paragraphs with simple facts, details, and explanations.
       d. Conclude with a paragraph that summarizes the points.
       e. Use correct indention.
1.5 Quote or paraphrase information sources, citing them appropriately.
1.6 Locate information in reference texts by using organizational features (e.g., prefaces,
appendixes).
1.7 Use various reference materials (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus, card catalog, encyclopedia,
online information) as an aid to writing.
1.9 Demonstrate basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with computer terminology

Writing Applications:
2.3 Write information reports:
       a. Frame a central question about an issue or situation.
       b. Include facts and details for focus.
       c. Draw from more than one source of information (e.g., speakers, books, newspapers,
other media sources).

Lesson Outline
I would use this book when doing Black History Month and President's Day Book Reports. To start off the lesson, I would read this book to the class. We would analyze the book and make note of how the author wrote the biography and key points that he included. After reading the book, as a class we will work together to make a list of people who have made a difference in history. I will tell the class that they will all be doing a research report on someone on the list. Students will be able to collaborate and research with partners, but everyone will write their own report. This is a great way to teach the students how to research, take notes, and write a short report on the life and accomplishments of someone who has made a positive difference in the world. Students will choose a topic of interest and will be given time to do research in the library and on the internet, learning how to research and take notes with classmates. They will then write the report which consists of five paragraphs: the Introduction, Childhood, How did they make a difference?, Character Traits, and the Closing. Students will then put it all together in a fun package, creating their person out of construction paper. Below are a few examples. More information on the lesson plan can be found here: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2013/02/black-history-month-and-presidents-day-biography-reports

Discussion Questions

• What did you learn while creating your report?
• Who are some important people in history that have made a difference?
• What did you learn about Abraham Lincoln from the book we read?
• Did the book help you to get an idea of how to create your biography?

Links to Outside Resources

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2013/02/black-history-month-and-presidents-day-biography-reports (lesson plan)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln:_A_Photobiography (background information)
http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=4025&a=1 (lesson plans)

The Hunger Games Book Review

Part One: 

Book Information: Collins, S., Falco, P., & Scolastic Press (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.

Genre: Young Adult, Challenged Book

Grade Level: 6th Grade and Up

Part Two: 

Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes
Before reading the book, I had already watched the movie along with hearing how great the book was so I already knew what to expect. Just like the movie, I loved it! The book is great because it goes into more detail than the movie and I was able to get more out of the story compared to just watching the movie. 

The book takes place in the totalitarian nation of Panem which is divided between 12 districts and the Capitol. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. The 24 participants are forced to fight against their competitors until only one is remaining. When 16 year old Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place when her name is called, she becomes the female participant for District 12. The story goes on to show how her and Peeta (the other competitor from District 12) compete with the other participants throughout the games. Throughout the book, there are many themes that take place. One major theme that takes place is love and sacrifice. Katniss makes a huge personal sacrifice and shows her love when she takes her sister's place at the Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta sacrifice themselves for each other at the end of the Games when they pop berries in their mouth as they were willing to die for each other. Another theme of society and class are shown in the book. In the book, it shows the differences in every class, where some districts have more money than others and those are the ones who usually will win the Games. The Capitol is wealthier than all of the districts and they hold the Hunger Games to show their power over all of the districts. The novel shows how money can change things for you and change how you see the world. Another theme of strength and skill is shown in the Games as each competitor has their own set of strengths and skills that help them to survive the games. Just like in life, everyone has their own kind of strength and skill. The book shows what really makes someone strong inside and out of the arena to make it through the Games.

Part Three:

Critique

I was surprised to see this book on the Challenged Book list. I think that the many important themes that are shown throughout the book make it an excellent read for students. The story is told through the eyes of a 16-year-old girl, Katniss, who goes through many struggles to fight for her life. The reader is able to connect with the book and learn about the difficulties of living in a totalitarian nation. I think that it is important for students to read books like this because they are able to learn so much through the themes of love, sacrifice, society, class, power, strength and skill.

Part Four:

Lesson Sketch

Grade:
8th Grade

Standards
Literary Response and Analysis:
3.4  Analyze the relevance of the setting (e.g., place, time, customs) to the mood, tone, and meaning of the text.
3.5  Identify and analyze recurring themes (e.g., good versus evil) across traditional and contemporary works. 

Speaking Applications:
2.2  Deliver oral responses to literature:
      a. Interpret a reading and provide insight.
      b. Connect the students’ own responses to the writer’s techniques and to specific textual
      c. references.
      d. Draw supported inferences about the effects of a literary work on its audience.
      e. Support judgments through references to the text, other works, other authors, or
      f. personal knowledge. 

Lesson Outline

After students have read the book, they will work in groups of four to create their own propaganda poster for the Hunger Games. Each group will be assigned a District (1-12) and they will have to make a poster based on the information from the book about their assigned District. In order to create their posters, students will have to analyze the relevance of the setting to the mood, tone, and meaning of the text. They will also have to identify the recurring themes throughout the story and incorporate this into their posters. After finishing the posters, they will share them with the class and discuss what they chose to put on their poster and why. They will also turn in a 2-3 page paper about their poster, explaining the process along with the theme that is shown in their poster. The teacher will be able to assess what students have learned  through their posters and 2-3 page paper. 

Here is an example of a poster:

Discussion Questions

• If you were in the Hunger Games, what would you consider your strongest fighting or survival skills? What sort of score would you earn from the judges?
• What makes the Capitol so powerful?
• Would you make the sacrifice for a sibling like Katniss did for her sister?
• Why does Katniss pull the berry trick? Why does she risk her life to get the medicine for Peeta? Does she do these things out of love (or friendship) for Peeta, or does she have some other motive?
• What District does your poster represent and what did you choose to express that district?

Links to Outside Resources

http://www.shmoop.com/hunger-games/strength-skill-theme.html (information about the book)
http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/03/29/hunger-games-propaganda-posters-panem-wants-you/ (Hunger Games Propaganda Posters)
http://historytech.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/8-hunger-games-lesson-plans-resources-and-activities/ (lesson plans)

Persepolis Book Review

Part One:
Book Information: Satrapi, Marjane. (2003). Persepolis. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.

Genre: Graphic Novel

Grade Level: 7-12

Part Two:
Response to Book: Predictions and Thoughts About Craft
Before reading this book, I decided to do a bit of background information to find out what it was about. I found out that the story takes place during the 1980's and is an abbreviated history of Iran from its first occupation by Indo-European nomads, to the establishment of the Persian Empire, to the 1979 Islamic revolution. The author writes that the purpose of her book is to show that Iran is not a country of fundamentalists and terrorists, and that characterizations of the country by the West are inaccurate.

I think that the author did a great job at showing the Islamic and Iranian culture and war. The story is told in a first-person point of view through the eyes of a ten year old girl. She is forced to wear a veil to school by those that called for the cultural revolution in Iran. There are many people who protest for and against this cultural revolution. Her and her family protest against the revolution and the book explains the many struggles and experiences that they go through. I thought this was an excellent book that really gets the reader interested in learning about the war between Iraq and Iran during the 1980's.

The novel has excellent images that do such a great job at explaining the story, allowing the reader to be engaged in the book. All of the pictures are in black and white, and most are basic drawings that are not too complicated. I liked this because it made it very simple to see what was happening throughout the story. The author uses the appropriate amount of dialogue throughout the story that combine with the graphic pictures to make this a great story to learn about the Iranian war and Islamic culture. 

Part Three:
Critique
The author, Marjane Satrapi and her family are against many of the changes that occur in Iran and take a social activist approach. They want to be able to fix the social inequalities and make the world a better place where people do not have to suffer. This is very difficult for Marjane and her family to do while there are bombs being dropped all around them. Marjane stands up for what she believes in which ends up getting her kicked out school, which had now become segregated.  She is very independent and outspoken and stands up for what she believes is right and does not back down. Marjane is a very strong character throughout the book and I think it is great for students to read about people their age standing up for what they believe in. This is a great book that I would definitely use in my future classroom!

Part Four: 
Lesson Sketch
Grades: 9 & 10

Standards:
1.5  Synthesize information from multiple sources and identify complexities and discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found in each medium (e.g., almanacs, microfiche, news sources, in-depth field studies, speeches, journals, technical documents). 

1. 3. 2.2  Deliver expository presentations:
1. Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related claims, including information on
   all relevant perspectives.
   
2. Convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources accurately and
   coherently.
   
3. Make distinctions between the relative value and significance of specific data, facts,
   and ideas.
   
4. Include visual aids by employing appropriate technology to organize and display
   information on charts, maps, and graphs.
   
5. Anticipate and address the listener’s potential misunderstandings, biases, and expec­tations.
   
6. Use technical terms and notations accurately.

3. 3.5  Compare works that express a universal theme and provide evidence to support the ideas expressed in each work. 
   

Lesson Outline:
For this lesson, students will begin with reading Persepolis and will then follow to complete the webquest found on this website: http://questgarden.com/68/89/6/080728084932/index.htm. I would create my own webquest but here is an example of one that would work well with this novel. The webquest will help students learn and understand the Islamic revolution and the Iran/Iraq war. After reading the novel, students will work in groups of four and research the cultural aspects before and after the revolution to note the similarities and differences that Marjane and people her age went through at the time. Students will create a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation that they will then present to the class. The webquest provides websites and resources for students to access as well. The teacher will be able to assess what students have learned by reading the novel and doing research through their presentations. I would make sure to have students relate the book to the research that they have found as well. Incorporating the novel Persepolis into the classroom is a great way for students to learn about the history of the Islamic Revolution and the Iran/Iraq war. 

Discussion Questions:
What have you learned about the the Islamic revolution and the Iran/Iraq war after reading this book?
Would you stand up for what you believe like Marjane did?
How did the webquest help you to better understand what happened in the book?

Links to Outside Sources:
http://alhussainyblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/marjane-satrapi-persepolis-1-englishforeignmovies-ddl-blogspot-com.pdf (pdf of book)
http://www.tip.sas.upenn.edu/curriculum/units/2011/04/11.04.02.pdf (article on how to teach the book)
http://questgarden.com/68/89/6/080728084932/index.htm (WebQuest for the book)

The Outsiders Book Review

Part One: 
Book Information: Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. New York: Viking Press.

Genre: Young Adult Literature

Grade Level: Grades 6-8

Part Two: 
Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes
Before reading the book, I was not sure what to expect.  The title gives away a major clue about what the book is about. I seemed to think that the book was about teenage boys who seemed to be the outsiders in their city. The picture at the bottom of the book seems to show a run down city which I assumed is where the boys lived and the story takes place. 

I think this would be an excellent book to use in a middle school classroom. The book is told through the eyes of a 14-year old boy named Ponyboy.  Because the book is told by a teenager, it makes the book an easy read and would be a great way for teenagers to be able to relate to the story. The story takes place in Oklahoma during the 1960's. It is about Ponyboy and his two brothers who have lost their parents and are now part of gang who they consider to be their family. Their gang, the "Greasers," are from the East side of Oklahoma which is considered to be the poor side. Their rivals were the "Socials" who were from the other side of town and consisted of upper to middle class families. The story tells the struggles that the Greasers go through as Ponyboy is attacked one night as he is walking home. The tension rises between the two groups and Johnny, a member of the Greasers, kills a "Soc." The book shows the struggles that the gang goes through.

This book displays many important themes which make this book such an important read for teens. One theme that is introduced is an outsider's perspective. Many of the characters in the book feel like outsiders because they do not have a family and they believe that life isn't fair to them. The novel shows that the reality is a matter of perspective and it is up to the individual as to how they define themselves. Another theme in the book is realistic family love. Ponyboy's relationships with his two brothers symbolizes the traditional dual-parent relationship. Darry takes over the role as the father and is the rule maker between the brothers. Sodapop is more nurturing and takes over the mother role as he sticks up for Ponyboy. The brothers and the gang are a family of their own and although it is not a traditional family, they stick up for each other and defend each other when they are in trouble. The third theme of colors in a black and white world is very important in the novel. Teenagers usually only see the extremes in every issue, the black and the white and they fail to notice the gray areas. The author does a great job at expressing this theme throughout the novel and shows the thoughts that Ponyboy and the rest of the gang have as they go through their many struggles.

Part Three:
Critique
The Outsiders is told through a first person perspective of a 14 year old boy, making the story easy to relate to for teens at this age. The author does an excellent job of being able to connect to the reader through the important themes that are displayed throughout the book. Teens will be able to relate to some of the struggles that the boys go through as well. The book shows the division between the "Greasers" and the "Socs" and the struggle that Ponyboy faces after a member of his gang kills one of the "Socs." Ponyboy learns that every life is important, no matter who the person is.

Part Four:
Lesson Sketch
Grade: 7

Standards
          2.2  Write responses to literature:
          a. Develop interpretations exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight.
          b. Organize interpretations around several clear ideas, premises, or images from the literary work.
          c. Justify interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence. 
2.5  Write summaries of reading materials:
a. Include the main ideas and most significant details.
b. Use the student’s own words, except for quotations.
c. Reflect underlying meaning, not just the superficial details. 
3.3  Analyze characterization as delineated through a character’s thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions; the narrator’s description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters. 

Lesson Outline
Students will write a journal as a character from the novel. They will have to write one journal entry every day for one week and the entries should be in first-person as if they are the character. Their journals should consist of what goes on throughout the day, their struggles, thoughts and opinions. They will turn in these journals the following week and will be able share what they wrote with the class. The teacher will be able to assess what students have learned through reading the book by their journal entries. Because students will be taking the role as a character in the book, their journals will show their thoughts and opinions of the book's themes as well and what they felt was the most important.

Discussion Questions
What are the major themes displayed in the book? 
How did Ponyboy feel after Darry killed one of the "Socs"?
How would you feel if you were one of the "Greasers"? Which character would you be?

Links to Outside Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsiders_(novel) (background information)
http://novelnovice.com/classroom-tools/lesson-plans/the-outsiders-activities-and-educational-links/ (activities and educational links)
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-outsiders (background information)

A Game For Swallows

Part One: 

Book Information: Abirached, Z. (2012). A game for swallows: to die, to leave, to return. NY: Graphic Universe.

Genre: Batchelder Award, Graphic Novel

Grade Level: Grades 6-12

Part Two: 

Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes

Before reading the book, I flipped throught the pages to look at some of the pictures. I noticed that it seemed to look like a comic book and that all of the pictures were in black and white. I knew that the book had something to do with war based on what we have discussed in class, but I did not know any of the specifics. This was my first graphic novel that I have read and I was very interested to see how the author would tell the story through mostly pictures and minimal words. I also thought that the story would be told by someone older such as a mother or father or maybe a grandparent.

The book is a memoir written by Zeina Abirached about her time during the Civil War in Lebanon during the late 70's and 80's. Since Zeina was born, all she knew was her life in the setting of a war. She lived in a place where she had to be cautious everywhere she went. The pictures do a wonderful job at explaining where the snipers were and describing how people lived their days trying to avoid the snipers. Zeina and her family lived in a tiny house where the only place that was safe for them was the foyer. One day after Zeina's parents did not return home from a trip to the other side of the city, Zeina and her younger brother were left alone with the bombings growing closer and closer. Their neighbors worked together to provide an enviornment that would be safe or Zeina and her brother. The book expains how they all worked together to avoid the dangers of the war around them and is told through Zeina's eyes.

Thoughts About Craft

The pictures in this book are different than anything that I have ever read before. I liked how the pictures were in black and white because it set the mood for what was happening in the book at the time. I also like how the pictures show important parts of the story and provide maps for the reader so that they are able to better understand what is happening. I liked how there were drawings of where the snipers were and showed step by step  instructions of what Zeina and her neighbors had to do to avoid the snipers. I think that there wasthe proper amount of text provided so that the reader could understand what was happening throught the pictures.

Part Three:

Critique

This was a really great book and definitely deserved the Batchelder Award.  Because the story is told through the eyes of someone who actually experienced the war, I believe that it really made the book so much more interesting and engaged the audience. The reader is able to get an idea of the living conditions that people had to go through at that time and the pictures did a great job of showing that. The setting of the book takes place in an apartment in Beirut and does a wonderful job at explaining the war through a child's eyes.

Part Four:

Lesson Sketch

Grade: 7

Standards

          2.2  Write responses to literature:
          a. Develop interpretations exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight. 
          b. Organize interpretations around several clear ideas, premises, or images from the literary work. 
          c. Justify interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence. 

4. 2.5  Write summaries of reading materials:
   a. Include the main ideas and most significant details.
   b. Use the student’s own words, except for quotations.
   c. Reflect underlying meaning, not just the superficial details. 
   

Lesson Outline

Students will read the book with a partner. They will identify the theme and plot of the book, making note of the characters and the challeneges that they faced. The students will then draw a picture with their partners, creating a picture that reflects the theme, setting, and characters in the story. The picture should be in black and white and be similar to the ones in the book.  They will then write a 2-3 page paper based on what they have learned in the story, and give response to their opinion and thoughts of the book. They should state what they would have done if they were in Zeina's position and share a particular event that has greatly affected their lives. The teacher will be able to assess what students have learned and their thoughts about the book through their pictures and essay.

Discussion Questions

What would you do if you were in Zeina's position?

What were the living conditions like during the war?

How did you like the pictures throughout the book and did they help you understand the story better?

What particular events have greatly affected your life?

Links to Outisde Resources

http://www.war-memorial.net/Lebanese-Civil-War--3.187 (background info about the Lebanese Civil War)

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/game-swallows#cart/cleanup (background info on the book)

http://www.tcj.com/i-was-convinced-that-beirut-stopped-at-that-wall-an-interview-with-zeina-abirached/ (an interview with Zeina Abirached)

Rose Blanche

Part One:  
Book Information: Innocenti, R., Gallaz, C., Coventry, M., Graglia, R., Tschudi, G. M. (1985). Rose Blanche. Mankato, Minn: Creative Education.

Genre: The book is classified as a historical fiction book in children's literature.

Grade Level: The book is listed as an appropriate book for grades K-3 but due to the content in the book and many reviews that I read, I do not think that it is suitable for children that young. This book would be more appropriate for children grades 3-6 and would be great for teaching students about the holocaust.

Part Two: 
Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes
I chose to read this book because I saw that it had won the Batchelder award which is given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and then translated into English in the United States. I first skimmed through the book and looked at the pictures before reading it. By looking at the illustrations, the book seemed to take place in Germany during WWII.

After reading the book, I found the story to be a good way to introduce children to the holocaust. The book is told through eyes of Rose Blanche, a young German girl who lives in Germany during WWII. Her curiosity leads her to discover a concentration camp, full of starving people locked in by an electric barbed wire fence. Rose has a piece of bread in her bag and gives it to the people. She returns everyday with as much food as she can carry. Although Rose knew that she could have been killed for helping the people in the concentration camp, she still did it anyway. I believe that this theme of Rose risking her life to help others is the most important throughout the story and is something that is important for children to see someone their own age being a hero. At the end of the story, Rose was on her way to bring the people in the concentration camp food when she walked in the middle of a battle and was shot and killed. This is a very sad ending to the story but gives insight of a young girl during the holocaust. This story does a great job at capturing the lifestyle of people during the holocaust and gives children an idea of the struggles that many people had to go through.

Thoughts about craft
This book allows children to get into the character of Rose Blanche since she is about the age of the children who are reading the book.  I think that the pictures really tell the story and capture what is going on perfectly. The words are at the top of the page and add just enough to describe what Rose sees, hears, and smells while she makes her trips to the concentration camp every day. The colors that the author uses are dark and set the setting of the holocaust.  I found it interesting that although all of the colors in the book are dark, the main character Rose, is the only one in color with her red bow and pink dress. Since Rose goes out of her way to help others, her bright colors are a symbol of good when everything else at the time was bad. The pictures really help to capture the emotion of the setting during WWII and I think that they really make the book as good as it is.

Part Three:
Critique
This book has been translated into English and I think that the author did a great job with the translation. The story is an easy read but because of the content I think that the story would be better for older children to learn about Germany during the holocaust.  It teaches children the importance of helping others and shows Rose as being a hero for bringing food for those that were in concentration camps. The colors that the author uses help to set the setting and allows Rose to be the bright focus when the rest of the world is dark and gloomy. This is a tough topic to dicuss with students and I think that this book would be a great way to introduce WWII to students. I would definitely use this book in my classroom!

Part Four:
Lesson Sketch

Grade: 4th

Standards:
Literary Response and Analysis: 3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character’s traits and motivations to determine the causes for that character’s actions.
Writing Applications: 2.2 Write responses to literature:
      a. Demonstrate an understanding of the literary work.
      b. Support judgments through references to both the text and prior knowledge.
Listening and Speaking: 1.1 Ask thoughtful questions and respond to relevant questions with appropriate elaboration in oral settings.

Lesson Outline:

• I would first have a discussion with the students about the major themes in the book. Topics to discuss would include: 
• Because Rose Blanche was not a bystander, a good discussion could take place about individual responsibility and why it is important not to be a bystander, but to stand up for the injustices that one might witness. 
• Also, the illustrations evoke so many questions and feelings. Have students discuss what they see in the pictures, the message sent, and the symbols and facts not directly stated in the book.
• Next students will be able to create their own poem, creating a setting as if they were in Rose's position. Students will be able to state their position and what they would do if they were Rose. They would also need to make sure to incorportate the setting of the holocaust as the book does and explain what they see and what they feel.
• By having the students create a poem, the teacher will be able to assess what they have learned from the book by allowing them to be in Rose's shoes and explain what they see and are feeling. It will be a great way for teachers to introduce the topic of the holocaust into the classroom.

Discussion Questions:
What would you have done if you were Rose? Would you have risked your life to help those people?
If you had to leave your home, what would you take with you?
Why is it important to help others?

Links to outside resources:
http://www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=247 (lesson plan ideas)
http://www.voorhees.k12.nj.us/Page/11008 (lesson plan ideas)
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/830051.Rose_Blanche (basic info)

Where the Wild Things Are

Part One:  

Book Information: Sendak, Maurice. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: Harper and Row.

Genre: The book is classified as a fictional, picture book in children's literature.

Grade Level: K-3, I think it is a great book for children in this grade range and definitely should be incorporated into the classroom!

Part Two: 

Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes

I chose this book because I have heard many great things and that it is a must read!  I have never read the book before but found the cover of the book to be very interesting.  My initial thoughts of the giant "wild thing" on the front cover of the book seems to show that the story takes place in a jungle or forest. It has big horns and human-like feet and is a creature that I have never seen before in any books. It looks very intriguing and seems to be a book that would get a child to use their imagination.

After reading the book, I found the story to have several themes that children can relate to. The story begins with the main character, Max, who after dressing in his wolf costume, is sent to his bedroom after causing havoc in the house.  As Max is frustrated with his mother, his room transforms into a jungle and he ends up sailing to an island where the "wild things" are.  After he intimidates the creatures, Max becomes king of the "wild things." They create a rumpus until it is time for Max to return back to home where he finds a hot dinner waiting for him in his bedroom.  One of the themes displayed in this story is parental love. Max is disciplined at the beginning of the story but comes home to a hot dinner waiting for him.  There is also a theme of power and control.  While Max becomes king, he displays much power among the "wild things" and can get them to do as he pleases. A theme of resolving conflict and taking responsibility for our actions is evident when Max decides that it is best for him to go home.  These are all themes that children are able to relate to and I think that they are terrific lessons for children to learn about.

Thoughts about craft

This book is extremely creative and appeals to a child's imagination.  It takes kids on a journey as they will be able to put themselves in Max's shoes.  The illustrations that the author uses are bright and vivid, telling a story using only 338 words.  It is due to the fact that the pictures tell the story themselves, that Sendak does not need to write as much in the story.  I think that the story could not solely be a picture book because I feel that the words add just enough to the story.  There are six pages in the book that are wordless and consist of only pictures. I think that this is a great addition in the story, allowing children to be creative and use their imagination to think of what is happening at the time.  I really like the combination of words and pictures in the book and feel that it creates a very effective story. It is evident as to why it received the Caldecott award.

Part Three:

Critique
Overall, I thought this book was great and would be an excellent story to use in the classroom! When reading this story to children, they are able to discuss Max's behavior and why he acts the way he does.  They can also discuss that if Max loves adventure so much, why does he go back to his parents in the end.  These are important questions to discuss with students and will allow them to identify the major questions that Max faces.  The many themes that the story presents including parental love, power and control, and taking responsibility for our actions are evident throughout the story and allow children to learn important life lessons.  The author uses few words throughout the story and allows for the illustrations to speak for themselves, allowing the reader to use their imagination.  I really enjoyed the book and I can see why it was awarded the Caldecott award.

Part Four:

Lesson Sketch

Grade: 2nd

4. With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. 

Lesson Outline:

There are six pages in the book that have no text at all.  These pages include illustrations of Max and the "wild things" creating a "rumpus" and having a good time.  These pages are left for the reader to use their imagination and determine what is happening in the story. For this activity, students will create their own dialogue for all of the characters on these six pages.  They will receive print outs of these pages and they will be able to add their own text and illustrations as to what is going on in the story.  Students will be able to show their creativity and what they think is important in the story. They will be able to ask themselves important questions relating to theme and show why Max decided to leave the island so abruptly.  Each student will create dialogue for Max and each "wild thing" on each of the six pages. They should have also added some sort of illustration to go along with the dialogue.

Discussion Questions:

What do you think Max and the "wild things" were doing after Max became king?

Why do you think Max decided that it was time to go home?

Why do you think that the "wild things" listened to Max and made him king?

If your dreams could take you to another place, where would you go?

Links to outside resources:

http://www.randomhouse.com.au/content/teachers/tsk_where_the_wild_things_are.pdf

(lesson plan ideas)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Wild_Things_Are (basic info)

http://www.lfpl.org/kids/pdf/sendak-2-3grade.pdf (lesson plan ideas)
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/where-wild-things-are#cart/cleanup 
(basic info)