Illustrations: Karen Ritz

 

Publication Date: January 1998

 

Genre: Realistic Fiction (temporal order narrative)

 

Approximate Interest Level: K-2

 

Approximate Text Level:       GLE: 3.4 grade   Lexile: 430 L

Teaser: Imagine going on an everyday walk with your brother…now imagine going on an everyday walk with your brother who has autism, it an make things a lot harder. Follow Tara and Julie on their extra-ordinary walk with their brother, Ian, and see how different life with autism can be. 

 

Teaching Idea: Take the class out on a walk around and outside of the school. Have the students write down sounds, sights, feelings, and smells that they notice that might bother someone with autism. Then, have the class share what they wrote down and why. Use this to teach the students why some peers with autism might be bothered by certain sights, sounds, smells, feelings and activities. 

 

Illustrations: Floyd Cooper 

 

Publication Date: 1993

 

Genre: Realistic Fiction (temporal order narrative)

 

Approximate Interest Level: K-2

 

Approximate Text Level: 
GLE: 3.1 grade   Lexile: 380 L

 

Teaser: Christy, a young girl, is always annoyed and angered by her neighbor who has down syndrome. Join Christy and Eddy Lee down into the woods to see what Eddy Lee discovers, and what the friendship that blooms between Christy and Eddy Lee. 

 

Teaching Idea: Use this text to teach acceptance among people with differences. Have the students write a letter to the book's character Christy about accepting and being nice to others who are different. Have the letter include why she hurt Eddy's feelings and why you shouldn't judge someone with a disability.

Teaching Idea: Students will use the character development in reading web gird while reading this book in small groups. The students will focus on Christy’s behaviors and character traits, and how they change throughout the book. The students will stop at designated points in the story to web Christy’s characteristics. After completing the book and web they will discuss as a class how each web about was similar or different as the story unfolds.

Other Ideas:
http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceUpload/Preview/74909

 

Illustrations: Rick Powell 

 

Publication Date: 1997

 

Genre: Realistic Fiction (temporal order narrative) 

 

Approximate Interest Level:
3-6 grade

 

Approximate Text Level: 
GLE:  4-6 grade 

                       

Teaser: Have you ever met anyone who just cannot sit still, forgets everything, and speaks before thinking? That is how Zipper is, due to having ADHD, but he is struggling to keep friends and do well in school. Read this book to see what happens when Zipper befriends a retired jazz musician!

 

Teaching Idea: Throughout the story, have the students write down anything they notice something that Zipper has difficulty doing. Also, have the students write down anything that helped Zipper. At the end of the book, make a T-Chart of "Difficulties for Zipper" and "What Helped Zipper". Then, break the students into groups to discuss what activities and techniques help keep them focused or calm.

Teaching Idea: To focus on concept development, the students will participate in the "Four Square Concept Development" activity described in our textbook. They will practice this using the word "overcome" since Zipper overcomes his disability.

http://cromwellcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Zipper-the-Kid-with-ADHD-grade-51.pdf 

 

Illustrations: Carol Shwartz

 

Publication Date: 1989

 

Genre: Fiction (responce narrative)

 

Approximate Interest Level: Preschool-2

 

Approximate Text Level: GLE: 2 grade

                                       

Teaser: Shelley the turtle was wiggly and jumpy inside, and that made him different from all the other turtles. He keeps getting in trouble for how he acts, but he just cannot help it! Things start getting better when the doctors explain to Shelley about ADHD, this book will help you make sense of ADHD in a child-friendly way!

 

Teaching Idea: Use this book in a special needs elementary classroom. This will help explain to the students, with ADHD or not, why they sometimes feel wiggly and jumpy inside. After reading the book with the class, talk about ways to calm down when they are feeling wiggly and jumpy. Then have each student make a homemade glitter calm down jar and discuss how to use them to calm down.

Calm Down Jar: https://preschoolinspirations.com/6-ways-to-make-a-calm-down-jar/

 

Illustrations: Don Morris

 

Publication Date: 1995

 

Genre: Fiction (temoral order narrative)

 

Approximate Interest Level: Preschool-2

 

Approximate Text Level: Early Elementary 

 

Teaser: Luna has to wear glasses because she has very poor eyesight, but she hates wearing her glasses…can you relate? One day she goes without her glasses and faces accidents and mishaps because she cannot see well. Read about Luna’s day without glasses and learn how she starts accepting her glasses! 

 

Teaching Idea: Use this book with young students to help them understand why some of their peers, or themselves, wear glasses. Help create confidence for those wearing glasses, and keep other students from being judgmental about glasses. After reading the book give students straws, pipe cleaners, and tape to make homemade glasses. Then have the students wear their "glasses" for the rest of the day.  At the end of the day, ask each student to complete a journal entry about how they felt wearing the glasses.

 

Teaching Strategy: First, display the painting, Shared Moments, in front of the class. After allowing them to analyze it, tell the students that the painter is blind. Send the students to research online about the painter, John Bramblitt, and how he paints while blind. Have the students write a paragraph on this painter. Then, to simulate the difficulties this painter faces, blindfold the students and have them draw a picture without being able to see. 

 

Illustrations: No illustrator 

 

Publication Date: 1988

 

Genre:  Realistic Fiction (temporal order narrative)

 

Approximate Interest Level: 6-8^th grade

 

Approximate Text Level: Lexile: 780 L

 

Teaser: We all know about the challenges and hardships students face throughout high school, but imagine the hardships a student with a learning disability would face. This novel gives you a look into Nick Swansen’s head and the life he lives. Follow Nick around high school as he faces the challenges of bullying, being ditched at prom, and even PTSD, all while learning to deal with a learning disability. 

 

Teaching Idea: During and after reading this novel, have the class participate in discussions about the struggles and challenges Nick faces throughout the book. After reading, have each student brainstorm a list of personal challenges they face frequently. Then, have the students write an essay about their personal challenges, and documenting what a few days in their life looks like. Have the students use the writing style of Probably Still Nick Swansen to guide how their essay is written.

Teaching Idea: Students will use this text as well as a school text book to complete the reading across the disciplines activity. In groups, students will use the discipline analysis grid to compare the purpose of the texts, background knowledge needed, language, and structure used throughout the two texts. After completing the grid, hold a class discussion on how the personal identities of each author or narrator influences   the texts.