A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Published by: Dial Books for Young Readers

Set during the Great Depression, fifteen year old Mary Alice Dowdel, leaves her city life to stay in a rural town with her Grandmother, one with quite the reputation in her town. Living in a very different town then what she is used to, she learns more about country life, her grandmother, and herself. After her stay, she contemplates going back to live in Chicago.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read

Reading Level: Lexile: 610L

Vocabulary: privy, conniption, cipher, celluloid, dropsy, clabber, spectacles, vittles, rapscallion, rickrack, transfixed, simper, chink, chenille, wattle, burgoo, brazen, preen, chancel, bridle, squall, myrrh, frankincense, benediction, sidle, prow, dubious, cruet, petrified, deacon, variegated, annihilate, dervish, valedictorian. 

Vocabulary Activity: Introduce the vocabulary to students, explain that many of the words in the text relate to the Great Depression. Have the students create vocabulary cards for these words. The students will reference these vocabulary words as they read as well as familiarize themselves with the words prior to reading. Explain with each word that refers to the Great Depression why it does so and what it means according to this time. 

Teaching Strategies:

Pre-reading: 

Discuss with students the Great Depression. Ask questions to assess their prior knowledge on the subject such as: what do they know about it? When did it occur? How did it effect people? Show them a timeline of the Great Depression accessed through this site: http://library.thinkquest.org/J001569/timeline.html Explain to the students what happened during the Great Depression, answer any questions the students may still have and clarify some misconceptions. 

Have students complete an anticipation guide prior to reading the text; adapt or use form from: http://novelinks.org/uploads/Novels/AYearDownYonder/Anticipation%20Guide.pdf

During Reading: 

Have students write about a time when they were in a new place or situation (moving, new school, unknown place, etc). Have them answer questions and address questions such as: how did it make them feel? Where did they have to go and why? Would they do it again? Discuss how this activity relates to the text and Mary Alice's feelings about moving. Why does Mary Alice have to leave? How does she feel in this new place? 

After Reading: 

Have students get into discussion groups to discuss various themes and answer questions concerning the book. Prompts for the discussion can be accessed through this site: http://www.multcolib.org/talk/guides-year.html Have students complete an exit slip related to the reading: list three things you have learned from the text: about the characters, the text, and the Great Depression. 

Web Resources: 

Various website links to lessons and guides for the text:

http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/143

Literature review with recommendations for teachers:

http://yareviews.wikispaces.com/A+Year+Down+Yonder+by+Richard+Peck

Information on the author:

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000025091,00.html

Peck, R. (2000). A year down yonder. New York: Dial Books For Young Readers.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

Published by: Philomel Books

Caitlin, an eleven year old girl suffering with Aspergers, tells a story of dedication, suffering, and the will to succeed. After a tragic loss, Caitlin finds ways to discover closure in her life. She expresses her talents and is proud of who she is and what she has done. From her viewpoint, readers will sympathize with her, will understand Aspergers, and learn the importance of family and friends in the grieving process.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read

Reading Level: Lexile: 630L

Vocabulary: Aspergers, cavernous, superfluous, chambers, aorta, atria, ventricles, veins, arteries, valves, effusive, extroverted, gregarious, empathy, finesse. 

Vocabulary Activity: Explain to students that in the book one of Caitlin's "friends" is a dictionary. Caitlin has a vast knowledge of vocabulary and often uses words they may not be familiar with. Provide the students with the vocabulary before reading and introduce them to the terms and their definitions. Explain that some of the terms are related to the heart and this is something that is an important aspect in the book. We will review briefly these parts of the heart in relation to a diagram of a human heart. 

Teaching Strategies:

Pre-reading: Discuss with students what Aspergers is. Explain to them how common it is, what it means to have Aspergers, and how it does not make one different or "special." Clarify to the students that it is not the same as Autism.  Introduce the students to the main character, explain that Caitlin suffers with Aspergers. We will see how hard it is to have Aspergers and how one is mistreated by others because of it. 

During Reading: Students will complete a graphic organizer on the character Caitlin, they will include descriptions as to who she is as a character, her qualities, characteristics, and actions. They will include things such as: who does she refer herself as? is she a strong or weak character? how is she treated by others and how does that make her feel? what was her relationship with her brother and how is she effected by his loss? 

After Reading/Writing: Students will write a letter to Caitlin explaining how they reacted from her story. Including things such as: how did it make them feel? would they do the same if they were her? how do they view her as a character? They will include details from the story in these letters. 

Web Resources: 

Video about book: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCj6fxz6bYk&feature=player_embedded#!

Author Website: 

http://www.kathyerskine.com/Kathryn_Erskine/Home.html

 Erskine, K. (2010). Mockingbird (Mok'ing-bûrd). New York: Philomel Books.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia

Published by: Harper Collins 


Set in 1968, Delphine, an eleven year old girl, hopes to get to know her mother. With her two sisters, Vonetta and Fern she will travel from her home in Brooklyn, NY to Oakland, CA to do just this. Once in Oakland, Delphine and her sisters finally see are reunited with their mother and realize she does not want anything to do with them. Their mother Cecile sends them to a summer camp, where they will learn more about themselves, the world around them, and their mother.

Suggested Delivery: Small-group read

Reading Level: Lexile: 750L

Vocabulary: dispatched, reverberated, deceived, fugitive, ambushed, dispersed, stucco, revolution, flummoxed, sullenly, oppressed, indignant, racism, protestors, Freedom Fighter, begrudgingly, Political Fighter, Black Panthers. 

Vocabulary Activity: Once the words have been defined, have students relate the vocabulary to the Civil Rights Movement. As a class, discuss each term to clarify its meaning and to address it in relation to the movement. 

Teaching Strategies (adapted from HarperCollins): 

Pre-reading: Discuss the Civil Rights Movement with students. Address their questions and misconceptions. Create a KWL chart about this movement. Address questions such as: Why did it occur? Who was involved? What resulted from it?

During Reading: Have students compare and contrast the characters Cecile and Delphine in a Venn Diagram. Discuss with the students: how are these characters similar and different? 

After Reading: Have students locate and write down some of the many metaphors in the story. They will list these metaphors as well as address the meaning of these in relation to the story. 

Writing: Have students write as a journalist and research the Black Panther movement. Students will write a newspaper or magazine article about the group from Delphine's perspective. 

Web Resources: 

Ideas for lessons: http://www.the-best-childrens-books.org/One-Crazy-Summer-ideas.html

Literature Unit: http://www.edhelper.com/books/One_Crazy_Summer.htm

HarperCollins Teaching Resource: http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/TeachingGuides/0060760885.pdf

Author's Website: http://www.ritawg.com/

Garcia, R. (2010). One crazy summer. New York: Amistad.

Before John was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford

Published by: Henry Holt and Company, LLC

Based on the story of John Coltrane, a saxophonist in the 1930s, this moving poem by Weatherford will inform students about jazz as well as introduce them to the time period.

Suggested Delivery: Read-aloud

Reading Level: Lexile: AD1090L

Vocabulary: Whistling, jitterbuggers, Bojangles, jazz, saxophone, phonograph, ukelele, warbling, scoutmaster, sermon, phonograph. 

Vocabulary Activity: Introduce and relate vocabulary to jazz for the students to understand the terms. Have the students address and relate the words to the book and to jazz music. 

Teaching Strategies: 

Pre-Reading: Discuss with students the time period; what was occurring in the 1930s? Who was John Coltrane? Why is he famous? What is jazz? Play a sample of jazz music for the students to hear.

During Reading: Stop during reading and address various aspects of John's life prior to playing jazz. Why does he choose to play jazz? what kinds of influences did he have in his life? 

After Reading: Discuss what students have learned about John Coltrane and jazz music ( as well as his contribution). Have students provide examples from the book. Introduce students to some of John's music. Inform them of the various other African American musicians of his time. 

Web Resources: 

Activity Guide: http://media.us.macmillan.com/activityguides/9780805079944AG.pdf

Information on John Coltrane: http://www.johncoltrane.com/

Book Review: http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2008/04/21/book-report-before-john-was-a-jazz-giant/

Reading of Book: http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=3127&a=1&crc=1

Author's Website: http://www.caroleweatherford.com/

Weatherford, C. B., & Qualls, S. (2008). Before John was a jazz giant: a song of John Coltrane. New York: Henry Holt.

The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller

Published by: Henry Holt and Company, LLC


This whimsical story begins with Uncle Tom introducing us to the characters, the Fifty States of America. Readers will be engaged by the interesting, silly, dilemma faced by the states, as well as Keller's depiction of the states as individual characters. The states are bored with their current location and decide to change places and are faced with the consequences of this action.

Suggested Delivery: Read-Aloud

Reading Index: Lexile: 510L

Vocabulary: Position, moaned, bicker, shrieked, wacky, accordion, committee, giddy,  arrangement, interaction, jabbing. 

Vocabulary Activity: Students can complete a vocabulary self awareness chart prior to listening to the read-aloud. For the words they are unfamiliar with, they will look up the meaning (dictionary) and write this meaning down for reference when reading and to become familiar prior to reading.

Teaching Strategies: 

Pre-Reading: Discuss with the students the fifty states and what they already know about them, referring to a map. Model and provide the students with a map filled out correctly and labeled correctly. Provide the students with a map of the United States and have them label this map with the names of the states. 

During Reading: Have the students discuss the feelings of the states. Why did they want to move? What were some of the reasons for why the states wanted to move? Have them provide examples.

After Reading/Writing: Have the students take the place of one of the states in the book. Have them write from the perspective of this state: before they moved and after they moved. How did they feel? Why did they not want to stay? 

Web Resources: 

Activities for the book: http://www.lauriekeller.com/schoolstuff_scrambled.html

The Scrambled States of America Game: http://www.gamewright.com/gamewright/index.php?section=games&page=game&show=93

Movie via Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/The-Scrambled-States-of-America/60034656

Author Website: http://www.lauriekeller.com/

Keller, L. (1998). The scrambled states of America. New York: Henry Holt.

Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Published by: Hyperion Books 


This graphic novel is based upon the story of Amelia Earhart, her inspiration on others, and her determination as a female pilot. Set in 1928 in Trepassey, Newfoundland, Amelia visits the town in hopes to fly across the Atlantic. With her strong aspiration, she inspires a writer, Grace, to fight for her rights as a woman writer. As the graphic novel progresses we see the many accomplishments and conflicts inflicted upon the characters.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read


Reading Index: Lexile: GN1080L


Vocabulary: Trespassey, continent, lousy, technically, kraut, tension, airborne, moxie, promoter, exclusive, offload, easterly, dandy, navigator, and newsreel. 


Vocabulary Activity: 
Students will find the vocabulary words in the text, define them, and create vocabulary cards for these words. They will study these vocabulary cards and use them as a resource while reading. 


Teaching Strategies: 


Pre-Reading: 
Students will complete an anticipation guide. Included in this guide will be questions such as: Who is Amelia Earhart? Why is she famous/ what is she known for? What was going on at the time Amelia aspired to fly across the Atlantic? What were women's roles during the time? Did she succeed? 


During Reading: 
Students will complete a concept map about the characters in the text ( Amelia and Grace). Who are they? what role do they play in the story? How do they compare and contrast? This will be done in a Venn Diagram. 


After Reading/ Writing:
Students will create their own newspaper article from the viewpoint of Grace or as a woman at the time. They will include their view of Amelia, her impact on them, and information they had learned from the text. They may incorporate vocabulary words into this activity. 


Web Resources:
Official Amelia Earhart Website: http://www.ameliaearhart.com/


Biography of Amelia Earhart: http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280


Timeline of Amelia Earhart: http://www.history-timelines.org.uk/people-timelines/25-amelia-earhart-timeline.htm


Author's Website: http://www.sarahstewarttaylor.com/

Taylor, S. S., & Towle, B. (2010). Amelia Earhart: this broad ocean. New York: Disney/Hyperion Books.