Anne Frank-Her Life in Words and Pictures

Metselaar, Menno, and Ruud van der Rol. Anne Frank: Her life in words and pictures from the archives of The Anne Frank House. asd: Flash Point, 2009. Print.

Summary
Anne Frank's Diary has inspired millions of young readers to learn more about the Holocaust and the sad events that transpired because of it. This gripping story is Anne's story of survival. Excerpts and pictures are taken straight from her journal to show just what life was like as a Jewish girl in 1942.

Key Vocabulary

• Holocaust
• Discrimination
• Anti-Semitism
• Deportation
• Dictatorship

Along with these key vocabulary, there are several German terms that may need to be explained prior to reading.

Electronic Resources

The Holocaust

• This website is a good education resource for teaching the Holocaust to children. This is a very senstive subject matter and this site gives a timeline, specific people involoved, and activities for children to do related to the Holocaust. This site has sections for elementary, middle, and high school students so anyone can learn about this tragic event.

KidsKonnect

• This website give kids a chance to learn more about Anne Frank. Students can learn key facts and details about Anne Frank, along with several webquests to expand their knowledge and learn even more about this true heroin of history.

Teaching Strategies

Before Reading: Students should learn key vocabulary related to the Holocaust before reading. This book can be read to connect social studies and language arts. Students can make a KWL chart to help them understand the Holocaust. It will be helpful to connect to students prior knowledge to correct any misconceptions that they might have. The Holocaust is a senstive compact subject and students may not really comprehend it unless it is explicitly taught.

During Reading: Students should keep returning to their KWL chart as they learn more about the Holocaust. Students can also make a timeline as they read to document each event as it happens in Anne's life and in Germany in the 1930's-1940's. This is a great social studies project as well as a reading comprehension strategy.

After Reading: Students can each write their own diary or journal entry as if they were Anne Frank. They can take on the perspective of another based on how they thought she was feeling throughout reading her diary. This is a good text-to-self connection.

Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes

Dahl, Roald. Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes. Revised ed. New York: Knopf Books For Young Readers, 2002. Print.

Summary
Roald Dahl presents fairy tales with an eccentric twist! In this collection of eerie poems, Roald Dahl takes the classic fairy tales, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Little Red Riding Hood, etc...and makes them his own. Known for being controversial, and even banned in some schools, this books is sure to make poetry fun for kids!

Key Vocabulary

• Bloke
• Parlormaid
• Gollikins
• Cherubs
• Grime

Roald Dahl has a tendency to make up words or use terms that originated in England (i.e. stony broke). Many of these words may need to be explained before reading.

Electronic Resources:
The Poetry Foundation

• The Poetry Foundation is a great source for students, teachers, and parents. Children can read classic poetry by authors such as Jack Prelutsky and Maya Angelou. With help from the experts, children can begin writing their own poetry. Teachers can also expose students to a variety of different poems and poetic style.

Roald Dahl

• For true fans, students can browse author Roald Dahl's official web page. Kids can get an insight into how the crazy mind of Dahl really works. They can catch a glimpse of his other works, as well as learn his life story. This website truly is stupendous!

Teaching Suggestions

Before reading:
Key vocabulary should be explicitly taught before reading this book. Prior knowledge of fairy tales should also be acknowledged. Students can give examples from fairy tales they remember and compare what they all have in common. (i.e common morals, themes, lessons, etc...). Children should also be introduced to poetry and told that this is a type of poetry they may encounter or even read themselves.

During reading: Students can make story maps of each poem in order to break it down to understand it. Students can break up into groups and each be assigned a poem to analyze. Poems should be analyzed for poetic structure (what makes it a poem) as well as content (what was this poem about?). Students can use venn diagrams to compare and contrast Dahl's poetic fairy tales to the classic fairy tales. How are they different? How are they the same?

After reading: Now that students have read poetry, they should try to be creative and write some of their own. Students can take on the Roald Dahl approach and choose a classic fairy tale or story that they have read and enjoyed. Using the fairy tale they chose, they can create a poem to help them remember the fairy tale, as well as giving others an insight into the story. These poems can be illustrated and shared with the class, if desired.

My One Hundred Adventures

Horvath, Polly. My One Hundred Adventures. New York: Random House, 2008. Print.

Summary
Jane Fielding wants to have a summer full of adventures, 100 to be exact. What she doesn't plan on is throwing Bibles out of a hot air balloon and babysitting the terrible Gourt children. Jane chronicles each adventure, while living at a summer beach house with her mother and 3 little siblings. She meets eccentric characters and has a summer that she will never forget.

Key Vocabulary

• Thrombosis
• Seer
• Channeling
• Bursitis
• Spirituality

Electronic Resources

Polly Horvath

• This is author Polly Horvath's web page. Students can learn more about the author as well as her other books, if they are interested in reading more by this author. There is a brief summary about each book, as well as a excerpt that will catch the reader. Her tour/press dates are given as well as the countless awards that her books have won!

Scholastic

• As with many books, the Scholastic web site offers teaching tips to go along with the book as well as student webquests. Students can learn more about author Polly Horvath and have group discussions using the discussion questions this website provides. There are recommended books listed, if the reader enjoyed My 100 Adventures, as well.

Teaching Suggestions:

Before reading:

• Students and the teacher can complete an anticipation guide for this book and walk through the table of contents to make their own predictions. Key vocabulary should be taught so students can make more accurate predicitions as well as guide their reading later.

During reading:

• While students are reading, they should keep in mind different connections: text to text, text to self, and text to world. They can compare Jane Fielding to a main character in another book they have read recently or even compare her to someone they know. They should also make inferences while they read. They can read with a partner or by themselves and use inferential questioning to guide them as they read. They can do this as they read each of Jane's adventures and use what they know about Jane to predict what might happen in her next adventure. They can have discussions amongst their peers to gain different perspectives and get different ideas on what Jane will do next.

After reading:

• Students can work in groups on each of Jane's 13 adventures. They can break each adventure down into a story map. Once they are finished, they can rejoin their class as a whole and compare and contrast the different adventures. As a class, they can write about the adventures on large chart paper to post in the classroom. They can do this at different times as each group finishes their assigned chapter or they can do it all at once when they finish the book as a class.
• As a writing response, students can write their own adventure they would like to have, either during the summer or even during the school year. They can write what adventures they would like to have in the classroom and come back to these adventures at the end of the school year as a self reflection.

Heroes of the Environment -- Harriet Rohmer

Rohmer, Harriet. Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2009. Print.

Summary
Heroes are more then people who wear capes and leap across tall buildings. The real heroes are the ones that really make a difference in the world. This book gives several examples of heroism, from the man who built a farm in the middle of the city, to a teenage girl who invented a system to test and clean our water. Each story is just as remarkable as the previous one. These are the real heroes of the environment and they tell their stories, not to brag, but to inspire the next generation to pick up where they left off and make this world an even better place to live!

Key Vocabulary

• Environment
• Recycle
• Compost
• Pollution
• Sustainable

Electronic Resources

KidsKonnect

• KidsKonnect is a internet gateway for kids that breaks down educational subjects for kids. This specific site encourages kids to learn about the environment. Facts and vocabulary are included to make it easier to understand, as well as tips and ideas for how they can get involved to improve the environment. From recycling to global warming, this site makes kids aware of the world they are living in and how important it is to keep it safe and protected.

Environmental Protection Agency for Kids

• Kids can learn and be a part of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) too! This government website breaks down the EPA for kids. This site has sections for elementary students, high school students, and even teachers! There are multiple activities that teachers can do with students, or that students can do on their own at home to explore the environment and how to live in a green world.

Teaching Suggestions

Before Reading:

• Key vocabulary should be pulled out and taught prior to reading the book. Since each chapter is a different story, the book can be read in different sessions. A KWL chart might be useful to see what students already know about the environment. Students can brainstorm what the word ENVIRONMENT means to them and what words they would connect to environment.

During Reading:

• Note-taking might be a helpful tool when reading the book. Students can group chapters (or individual stories) according to the content it covers. For example: some chapters center around recycling (or reusing) while other chapters center around new inventions. Concept maps may make the reading easier as well. Students can figure out what discovery was made and what led to that discovery.

After Reading:

• Students should return to the KWL charts the previously created and fill in what they learned about the environment. They should compare this to what they already knew and determine what changed and what stayed the same. The KWL chart, concept map, and notes the students took can help lead to a writing response.
• Students can write several different response to this book. They can write a letter to the public, or a government official about what they believe should be done to improve the environment. They can use the inspirational stories in the book as guidance. They can write about how they can help at home, or in school. They can even write a persuasive letter to their families or peers about why they should help save our environment. These are concrete issues that students can develop strong opinions on and create rich discussions about.

What are YOU going to do to help make our world a better place to live in now and for the future??

Just Juice- Karen Hesse

Hesse, Karen. Just Juice (Scholastic Signature). New York: Scholastic Paperbacks, 1999. Print

Summary

Justus "Juice" Faulstitch is years ahead of her time in this poignant tale of endurance and love. Rather then spend her time in school, Juice takes on the role of an adult helping her family survive, until a letter arrives telling the family their house has been sold to pay for back taxes. Juice must learn to be a kid in a time where she is needed as an adult. 

Key Vocabulary:

• 
  
  Truancy
• 
  
  Diabetes
• 
  
  Poverty
• 
  
  Illiteracy
• 
  
  Taxes

Electronic Resources:

• 
  
  Scholastic
• 
  
  Students and teachers alike can use the Scholastic website for any book, in this case Just Juice. There are discussion questions for comprehension or literary circles. Each aspect of the book (plot, theme, characters, etc...) are broken down to help with students understanding. Other books with similar themes are also recommended on this site.
• 
  
  Karen Hesse
• 
  
  Kids can learn more about author Karen Hesse. Site includes biography and a guide for her other books, such as Newberry winner Out of the Dust. There is also a Q & A session with the author with frequently asked questions by readers.

Teaching Suggestions:

• 
  
  Before reading:
• 
  
  Key vocabulary should be discussed and students can connect vocabulary to their own life for better understanding. As a class, students can preview chapter titles. They can make predictions on what might happen using the chapter titles and illustrations as context clues. This can be done using an anticipation guide or done as a class discussion.
• 
  
  During reading:
• 
  
   Students can fill out a story map as they make their way through the novel. This includes the setting, characters, problem or conflict, the events that result due to the conflict, and finally a resolution to the problem. This can be done as a chart, web, or even semantic map
• After reading:
• Students can write their own personal letters to Juice and explain what they think about the decisions she made throughout the book. They can tell her their opinions on her choice to skip school, how she helped her family out, and the measures she took to learn to read. They can put themselves in her shoes and write about what they would do if they were in a similar situation.

Holes-Louis Sachar

Sachar, Louis. Holes. 1st ed. New York: Farrar, Straus And Giroux (Byr), 2008. Print. 

Summary
Holes is the story of a young boy named Stanley Yelnats and his stay at a detention center "Camp Green Lake." Stanley soon learns that there is more to Camp Green Lake then meets the eye and ventures out to dig up the truth.

Electronic Resources:

• Louis Sacher
• This is author Louis Sacher's personal webpage. Students can learn more about him as well as other books he has written, such as the Wayside School series, if they wish to continue reading his books. They can also find a Q & A session with the author to learn the behind-the-scenes of the book. They could follow this up by coming up with their own questions they would like to ask the author.
• Law for Kids
• This website gives kids a better understanding of the justice system and learn about juvenile deliquency programs, unlike the one Stanley went to in Holes. They can learn about laws for their state as well as compare those laws to the laws of another state.

Teaching Suggestions:

• Key Vocabulary to learn before reading:
• Juvenile delinquency
• Racism
• Desert
• Curse
• Buried treasure
• During Reading:
• Students may keep a reading log and respond to a prompt for each chapter read. The teacher may come up with the prompt or students may respond to a topic of their choice. The teacher can respond to student entries and encourage the students to look for the deeper meaning of the text.
• After Reading:
• Students can create a character analysis of the main character, Stanley Yelnats (may be another character as well.) Students will use the character sketch to demonstrate how Stanley has changed from the beginning of the book to the end of the book.
• Writing Response:
• Students may write a persuasive letter to explain why Camp Green Lake should be shut down. They should use specific examples from the story to back up their reasoning
• Mini-Lesson:
• A mini-lesson can be used to teach palindromes. Stanley Yelnats is a palindrome because one word (Yelnats) is the other word (Stanley) spelt backwards. Students can be creative and come up with their own palindromes.

Out of the Dust- Karen Hesse

Hesse, Karen(Author). Out of the Dust   [OUT OF THE DUST] [Paperback]. New York: Scholastic, 1999. Print

Summary

Out of the Dust is the story of a young girl and her family living in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl in 1934. Billie Jo tells her story in free verse about the tragedy and triumph her family overcomes, all the while trying to achieve her own goal of becoming a musician.

Key Words and Phrases:

• The Dust Bowl
• Drought
• Poverty
• Grief
• Determination and perserverence

Electronic Resources:

• The Dust Bowl
• This website contains facts and information on the Dust Bowl and explains the impact of it. It includes facts about droughts and has crossword puzzles, word searches, etc...to support student knowledge of the Dust Bowl.
• Scholastic
• Students and teachers alike can use the Scholastic Book Website to find several activities to build upon reading Out of the Dust. For example: students can use sample writing prompts, vocabulary builder, discussion questions, and author information.

Teaching Suggestions:

• Key vocabulary that should be taught prior to reading:
•  Historical background on the Dust Bowl and droughts
• Free verse poetic structure
• Poverty
• Before reading:
• The teacher can use modeling to briefly describe the book and along with students can preview the text for content and structure. A KWL chart can be used to analyze the Dust Bowl.
• During reading:
• Students can continue their KWL chart as they learn about the Dust Bowl. They can use explicit examples from the book to describe traits and characteristics of the Dust Bowl.
• Writing Response (after reading)
• Students can write their own free verse poem in the same structure that Billie Jo used in the novel. They could also write a journal entry as if they were living in the Dust Bowl using what they have learned about it from reading. They could even use free verse to write this entry.