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1) Touchstone - The Giver

Bibliographic: Touchstone: Lowry, L. (1993). The Giver . Boston , MA

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers.

Genre: Science Fiction     760L                                                                          Suggested Level: 7th grade-12th grade

Part Two:

Based on the cover illustrations of this novel, I think it could be a life story of an elderly man. There are trees in the bottom left corner and a black and white photo of an elderly man looking off into the distance with concern in his eyes. I think the title is foreshadowing the life of this man and the great things he gave others in his lifetime. This was my first time reading this novel aside from reading it with my middle school children over 10 years ago and overall I felt it was engaging and interesting from beginning to end. This novel also received many awards, but also some criticism as well. My predictions of the cover did not match the books plot, theme, or setting at all. Although I was excited that my predictions were wrong because I felt the book was more engaging that way. After reading this book I believe there are many important critical aspects the author wants to reader to understand. The author wants to reader to enjoy their journey while possibly reflecting on their own lives as well.

Part Three:

After reading this book, there were several components based on the plot, setting, theme, style, and point of view that could be used in the classroom, but I think it could be difficult to relate this Science Fiction content to subject areas. The setting takes place in a society where everything seems to be perfect, no war, no pain, no suffering, but also no differences or choice by the people who occupy this society. They have everything mapped out for them and they are forbidden to go beyond these. Jonas is the main character who you follow through his journeys and his struggles. He meets an elderly man whom he learns many critical pains of the “real” world. Overall, as you follow Jonas journey you realize the dynamics between this elderly man and the advice he is giving to Jonas. As a future teacher, I think you can give this Science Fiction novel to students to describe what their ideal utopian society would be and how they would survive in this society. This novel also gives teachers and students an opportunity to explore the Science Fiction genre. It is a great novel to introduce students to the components of a Science Fiction novel and what makes these characteristics different than other genres.

Part Four: discussion questions and lesson sketches.

As you follow Jonas’s journey, what do you think are his flaws and his best attributes as the main character?

If you were Jonas how would you react to the elderly man.

If you could create your ideal society, what would you include and why?

The ending of this book has been interpreted in several ways. Create an alternate ending and why this ending is valid using clues from the text.

Describe why Jonas is also the protagonist.

Resources: I found a few instructional websites that could be used to accompany this novel in a junior or high school classroom setting. I also found resources on how to incorporate the Science Fiction genre into subject areas.

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/giver-lesson-plan/

https://www.walden.com/blog/the-giver-7-creative-classroom-activities/

http://thegiverlessonplans.com

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/finding-science-behind-science-927.html?tab=2#tabs

http://www.oswego.edu/Documents/wac/Deans%27%20Awards,%202012/grad%20-%20literacy.pdf

2) Caldecott - Owl Moon

Bibliographic: Yolen, J., & Schoenherr, J. Owl Moon. New York: Philomel Books                                                                                                                      Genre: Fiction       550L                                                                                                                                   Suggested Level: 1st grade-3rd grade

Based on the cover illustrations of this book, I think it could be about a young child and their father exploring the snowy woods. The cover features a young child and their father on a snowy hill at night. The father is reaching out for their child which could resemble their loving relationship. I have not read this book before so was nice to go into it with somewhat of a fresh mind. After reading this book I believe there are many important connections that the author wants the reader to make with their own family relationships and the appreciation for the world around us.

Part Two:

This children’s book is about a little girl and her father going owling late one winter night. They call out “whoo-whoo-whoo” as they explore the setting of the dark silent woods. First the father calls out and explains that you must be silent when calling to the owls. Then the little girl calls out and in an instant they come across a majestic owl. The author foreshadows the theme of hope throughout the poetic pages because the father repeats the phrase, “Sometimes there isn’t an owl, but sometimes there is.” I enjoyed the authors depiction of the special companionship of the young child and her father. I think the author wants the reader to possibly reflect on those times when you were a young child participating in family traditions and building memories. The author also highlights humankind’s close relationship to the natural world throughout the descriptive text.

Part Three:

After reading this book, I think there are many great ways this book can be used in an elementary school classroom, specifically 1st-3rd grade. You can possibly create lessons based upon family traditions and the importance of building memories with your family members. Students can collaborate together and share their own family traditions, much like the young girl in the story going owling with her father. Students will be able to hear from their peers about traditions from other religions and cultures. The descriptive poetic language that Jane Yolen uses is also a lesson idea you can use for teaching descriptive writing with students. Splitting up the books content and giving students the opportunity to dissect the language is an example for this lesson.

Resources:

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/owl-moon-teaching-plan/

http://www.brighthubeducation.com/lesson-plans-grades-1-2/74107-owl-moon-lesson-plan-and-activities/

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3857

3) Batchelder - A Book of Coupons

Bibliographic: Morgenstern, S. H., Bloch, S., & Rosner, G. (2003). A Book of Coupons. New York: Puffin Books.                                                           Genre: Fiction            790L                                                                                                               Suggested Level: 3rd grade-5th grade

Part Two:

Based on the cover cartoon illustrations of this book, I think it could be about young children receiving coupons of various tasks they no longer wish to do. There is a man in the middle of the book holding coupons. The rest of the illustrations are coupons with phrases on them, “One Coupon, For Losing Your Homework” and “One Coupon For Sleeping In.” I think these illustrations are foreshadowing the significance of these coupons in a school setting possibly. I had never heard of this book before and upon doing research I found this book was translated in English from French which I thought was very interesting. Lastly after reading this book, there are a few ways you can implement the story in an English or even a Math class. Students could make their own coupons and in a Math class and you could use them for a counting money example. This would give students a hands on opportunity to essentially use “money” and practice this real world necessity.

Part Three:

This children’s book takes place in a school and it starts by introducing Hubert Noel, as the new fifth-grade teacher in a French school. The students in the class are initially not happy about having a new teacher who is old, round, and wrinkled. However, the new teacher soon wins them over with giving them presents. He first gives the students a book of coupons, that allow them to sleep in class or lose their homework without getting in trouble. Other gifts follow and he takes the students on several different field trips to learn everyday lessons like waiting your turn at the post office. Throughout this book the author builds engaging meaningful lessons that the reader can learn from. I would recommend this story to my fellow colleagues one day, as well as implement it into my own classroom. The overall message that this book sends to students are meaningful and lifelong. After reading this book, students are able to make connections from literature to their everyday lives.

Part Four:                                                                                                                                                   After reading this book, theses are the lesson topics and discussions you could have with your students.

Can you relate to the students in this book? Was there ever a time where you felt you possibly judged someone without getting to know them first?

Mr. Noel teaches the students valuable life lessons throughout this book. Which lesson was the most meaningful to you? Describe how this relates to your own life.

In your own class you could give students the opportunity to have coupons that they could use throughout the year.

In Math, give students the coupons and label them with various amounts to use in your class.

Resources: Here are a list of great resources I found to accompany my above lesson ideas.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson329.shtml

https://www.thebalance.com/lesson-plan-using-coupons-to-teach-applied-math-951641

https://www.education.com/activity/article/Coupon_Math_fifth/

4) Realistic Fiction/Challenged - A Wrinkle in Time

Bibliographic: L’engle, M. (1962). A Wrinkle in Time. Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Genre: Science Fiction     740L                                                                                       Suggested Level: 5th grade-9th grade

Part Two:

The novel A Wrinkle in Time, features a cover with fantasy theatricals that could possibly represent the overall theme and plot of the story. Based on my observations of the cover, I think it could also be about a young child who meets and older woman from the future. She then helps the child work through many of life’s difficulties. It is important to acknowledge this novel is also among those of challenged books because of the fantasty elements and religion references. After reading this book, my predictions were somewhat true and I enjoyed reading this novel. I think it could be used in the classroom to explain science fiction to students. I think you can also use this novel in the classroom to examine each of the characters and their transformations they go through.

Part Three:

A Wrinkle in Time is a story about a young girl named Meg Murry who is in high school. She is challenged with some difficulties in the beginning of the story until her and her brother Charles Wallace, are transported on an adventure through time and space to rescue her father. The children learn several lessons from Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which and they explain the evils of the “Dark Thing.” Throughout this story you follow the journey of Meg as she travels through time meeting several dangers and obstacles that her brother faces as well. There are many themes in this novel that can be used in a classroom setting to teach students. One central theme and the most important learning lesson Meg faces is to learn to overcome her desire for conformity and appreciate her own uniqueness. I think this theme can be relatable for students as they read this novel. Meg also must learn to take help from others and to learn she cannot know everything. Overall, this novel has many underlying themes and symbols that can be used as a basis for lesson objectives.

Part Four:

Lesson ideas and important objectives:

What character qualities does Meg have that could make her a relatable character.

What are the most important lessons that Meg learns over the course of the novel?

Describe why Charles Wallace is so incredible and the relationship that he has with his sister Meg.

What do you think Meg learns from the various creatures she interacts with throughout her journey.

If you were Meg, what would you change about her journey and how she handles certain situations

Resources:                                                                                                                                                       After conducting a web search I have found some essential websites that can go with the above lesson sketches.

https://www.teachervision.com/science-fiction/wrinkle-time-c

https://www.scholastic.com/content/dam/teachers/activities

https://www.readworks.org/lessons/grade6/wrinkle-time

5) Graphic Novels -  The Arrival

Bibliographic: Tan, S. (2006). The Arrival. London: Hodder Children’s Books.

Genre: Comics, Novel      850L

Suggested Level: 4th to 8th grade

Part Two:

Based on the cover illustrations of this 6 chapter novel, I think it could be about a young man who is traveling and is met by peculiar creatures. There is a man who is dressed in a suit carrying a suitcase. He seems to be talking to an interesting creature that is not any type of animal.  The title “The Arrival” could foreshadow different creatures visiting this man. This silent graphic novel is unique in many different ways because there are no words on the pages and my observations of the cover did not meet the content. The reader follows the story based on the illustrations that accompany each page. What makes this book unique is the reader has to decipher the illustrations themselves rather than having a story written out for them. After reading this book, I believe there are many ways you could use this graphic novel in the classroom. For example, you could give students this graphic novel and have them write their own descriptive stories based on the illustrations.

Part Three:

This story may be set around the 1900’s, and coincides with the great waves of migration out of Europe and into the United States as well as other countries. Through the connecting images, they tell a story of a migrant who is leaving some unfortunate circumstances in his home country to another safer foreign land. The style of the artwork is old sepia or monochrome photographs that also document social life during the nineteenth centuries which adds to the theme of the novel. As the reader, you follow the journey of a migrant who travels to make a better life. You see the struggles that he went through and the unfortunate circumstances for his family. This book is incredibly unique in the message it brings to its readers and the abundance of opportunities it gives the reader to understand the story for themselves. This book can be integrated into an elementary classroom or even a high school classroom. The rich content of this graphic novel can be used to teach students that you can write your own story to this novel by using the history of migration and the struggles they faced. After reading this novel I found that not every story needs an explanation because the artwork can take the reader on a journey by itself.

Part Four:

These are some important lesson topics that can used to integrate this novel in the classroom.

While reading this novel describe the overall tone, setting, and mood the author wants you the feel from beginning to end.

Write a descriptive and informative story that accompanies this graphic novel.

Why do you think Shaun Tan did not include text in this novel?

After conducting a web search of the author, describe why this novel was written and the significance it gives immigrants.

Resources:

Here is a list of resources to accompany The Arrival and integrating graphic novels in the classroom.

https://www.teachprimary.com/learning_resources/view/ks2-b

http://www.nwp.org.uk/using-shaun-tans-the-arrival.html

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-conte

https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/unit-plan-for-the-arri

6) Pre-1990 YA - The Choloate War

Bibliographic: Cormier, R., & Pantheon Books. (1974). The Chocolate War: A novel New York: Pantheon Books.

Genre: Young Adult   820L                                                                                  Suggested Level 8th - 12th grade

PART TWO:

I would not be lying when I say I did not care for this book. It was based around bullying to me and some of the mischief was just wrong. I wouldn’t be surprised with this book being a challenged book. The author overall did a great job with plot and setting. When I first started reading I was very interested but as the kids starting getting meaner I became uninterested. My predictions were wrong, because I thought this book would keep me entertained. Although I did like the message of disturbing the universe and not giving into the peer pressure, although I just couldn’t get over the poor tormenting.

PART THREE:

Although the book itself wasn’t about chocolate per say, but rather about what the chocolate represented. I give the author credit for making a mind twisting book. The chocolate alone represent so much but not for them being chocolate. For some it stood against conformity, and standing up for oneself, but to others it showed defiance and lack of respect. Something else I liked, well hated but the fact that the author could make me hate this character is in itself showing his literary capabilities, was the character Archie. He was the mastermind behind all the mischief. He was the ring leader of the Vigils.He didn’t even bother with physically bullying kids he would just find ways to make their lives miserable.

PART FOUR:

I suppose this book would be fine for reading aloud within the class given the students are old enough. The fact that it touches on bullying and peer pressure make it a great book to bring about such issues. I could have students write five ways they have seen bullying and five ways they have seen peer pressure both from their personal experiences and from within this story, and then I want students to write what they should do given the circumstance.

Objective: students will create a list of 10 different cases of bullying(5)/peer pressure(5) they have personally seen and from within the book. Students will then provide an appropriate reaction to each ten circumstances.

Questions:

Have you ever been bullied? How did it make you feel?

What should you do when you see someone being bullied?

Do you have to do what your friends are doing? Or do you have a choice?

http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/bullies.html?WT.ac=t-ra

http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED454532

http://www.brighthubeducation.com/high-school-english-lessons/120618-the-chocolate-war-and-the-american-constitution-lesson-plan/

7) Historical Fiction

Biographic: Zusak, Markus (2005). The Book Thief. Picador

Genre: Historical Fiction    730L

Suggested Level: 6th - 12th grade

Part Two:

Based on the cover and the illustration of "The Book Thief” you see a picture of dominos on the brink of being pushed over. This cover could be either taken literally or it could be seen metaphorically. For example, the dominoes could possibly be representative of people. This would show that with one single push, your life, and many others behind you, could come tumbling down. I suppose this is how life could have been like during World War II, your actions depended greatly on others, if they made a mistake your life could be in turmoil. Or if someone you love goes off to fight, you are left with fallen emotions. This novel is a historical fiction book and would be appropriate for sixth through 12th grade. This story is about a foster girl, Liesel, who makes a living and survives by stealing. This story takes place during the time of the 🤬 occupation, 1939, Germany. Liesel, is changed by one thing - books. Something that she can’t resist. This historical novel is about one of the most notorious practices in Germany during World War II, the curelty that was practiced against the Jews. Many laws were passed during this time limiting the Jews to make a living or to receive simple services like food and clothing. Once the war begun, Hitler formed concentration camps and began arresting Jews, and putting them in the camps to either be put to death or forced to work.

Part Three:

The Book Thief is a complicated story of survival that will encourage its readers to think and to be amazed at how resilient the human spirit really is. The novel is told in the first person point of view with Death as the narrator. The narrator is not a character within the novel, but is relating the story to his readers as he understands it through a story written by a little girl about her own life. Liesel Meminger is a young German girl whose mother has given her up to the foster parent system because she can no longer care for her. Liesel does not know why her mother cannot care for her, but remembers certain incidents in her childhood that point to the idea that her father may have been a Communist in a time when political beliefs other than Hitler's were severely punished. Liesel was supposed to go into foster care with her brother. However, Liesel's brother dies on the train ride to Munich. Liesel is placed with an older couple. "Upon her arrival, you could still see the bite marks of snow on her hands and the frosty blood on her fingers. Everything about her was undernourished.” Her foster parent, Hans, is very kind to Liesel and often sits up with her in the middle of the night when she has nightmares about her brother's death. During these nights, Hans teaches Liesel how to read. Through their relationship, Liesel reclaims a sense of family that she was robbed of.

Part Four: discussion questions and lesson sketches

Resources:

I found these instructional websites and lesson plans to be informative on how to incorporate historical fiction into the classroom.

.

Describe why Liesel is the protagonist

How does her life represent beauty in the midst of brutality?

The ending of this book has been interpreted in several ways. Create an alternate ending and whiy this ending is valid using clues from the text.

If you could create your ideal society, what would include and why?

If you were Liesel, how would you react to her situation?

As you follow Liesel’s journey, what do you think are her flaws and best attributes as the main character?

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/.../teaching.../why-and-how-i-teach-historical-ficti.

https://sites.google.com/site/thebookthiefapathfinder/home

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063.The_Book_Thief

https://www.varsitytutors.com/englishteacher/book-thief-lesson-plans

8) Common Core Informational Text Exemplar

Bibliographic: Macaulay, D. (2013). Cathedral: the story of its construction. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers.

Genre: Nonfiction       1120L                                                                                           Suggested Level: 6th grade-9th grade

Part Two:

Based on the cover illustrations of this book, I think it could be about the real story of the Cathedral of Chutreaux’s construction. The detail of this cover foreshadows the detail in the rest of the pages to come. The detailing of this Cathedral is very specific and resonates the time it took to build theses magnificent structures. I have never read this book before so I went into the reading with an open fresh mind. This book is also a recognized Caldecott Medal winner and has been translated into a dozen languages. After reading this book I was amazed at the content. You can integrate this book into a junior high or high school history or even math class to show the building of these amazing Cathedrals. In the aftermath of the Cathedral burning in Paris, I became interested in the historical and structural information surrounding of these beautiful buildings.

Part Three:

This book is an informational text that provides the reader with a greater understanding of the construction that took place in twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth-century Europe. They had dreams and aspirations to create these beautiful magnificent structures that would will hold the stands of time. This book takes you into the structures and the incredible detail that was done by the people of Europe. In the text they inform the reader of the relationship that God had with the people of Chutreaux and they decided to build this Cathedral to dedicate to God. The story evolves and the author describes the relationship the people of Europe have. The illustrations are also incredibly detailed of the people and the Cathedral itself. This book is a great resource for teachers to integrate into the classroom to show how these magnificent buildings are created and the meaning behind them as well. Students can also use this as a resource for a research project as well.

Part Four: A few discussion questions you could give students are:

Describe and analyze the reasons these Cathedrals were built.

What relationships did the people of Europe have with God?

Use the text to analyze different Cathedrals from different time periods.

During a History lesson, give students the opportunity to explore this text and use it as a resource in their projects.                                                                                           Resources: I found these instructional websites and lesson plans to be informative on how to incorporate informational texts into the classroom.

https://www.weareteachers.com/intro-to-informational-text-bringing-informational-text-into-close-reading/

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/6-reasons-use-informational-text-primary-grades/

https://www.teachervision.com/middle-ages/medieval-cathedrals

For this assignment, we were assigned to read eight different books from the following selections, Caldecott, Batchelder, Realistic Fiction /Challenged, Graphic Novels, Pre-1990 YA, Historical Fiction, and Common Core Inforformational Text. During our readings we were asked to keep a journal that summarized each of our books, as well as create lesson ideas for our future classrooms. After completing this assignment I truly gained a greater understanding and appreciation for these topics. I also now understand how I can inncorporate these important texts into my classroom one day to teach students valuable topics.