Pink & Say

http://cedvideo.ncsu.edu/view_video.php?viewkey=43755a79ee5f6a73050a

This is a link to a Reader's Theatre presentation we did using a flip cam about the book "Pink & Say". Patricia Polacco's "Pink & Say" is a book I definately will use in my future classroom. There is a great message about loyalty in the story while it also ties in with cirriculum about the civil war.

Soldier's Heart

"Soldier's Heart" is a very real and descriptive account of a Union soldier's experience in combat action during the Civil War. The story follows Charley, who enlists in the Union army at the mere age of fifteen, even though he had to lie about his age, on his journey through the war and the years after. It is a great resource because after searching through so many books, I feel that there is an abundance of literature about the Rebs, however much less about the Northern side. Charley Goddard was a real person and all of the facts in this story about the war are accurate. There is fiction about him as a person but all of the historical information about the battles are correct.

This book is a valuable tool for the integreated language arts and history classroom but due to its blunt nature, I would have to use discretion based on the students as to whether I would use it or not. It contains so much great information about the war, but there are certain descriptions of battles that are a little gorry. For instance, he discusses the Battle at Gettysburg in great detail telling that: "The cannon ripped them to pieces, wiping them out before they were even in rifle range, slaughtering them like sheep..."

We continue to follow Charley after the war, until he is twenty one, when he feels that is life is falling apart. He is dealing with "shell shock", as they called it then, but PTSD as we know it today. Considering we are currently in a war, PTSD is a very real topic. This is something to consider when chosing this book for a classroom reading, as it can be a very sensitive topic.

The Egyptian Cinderella

"The Egyptian Cinderella" has many similarities to the American version but there are also many distinct differences. For instance, her name is Rhodopis and she is a slave, rather than a stepchild, and her slippers are not glass, but rose-red, however the basis of the story is essentially the same.

I would definately use this book in a classroom. I would especially use it when teaching students about comparisions. Using more than one version of a story is a great method for teaching students how to compare and contrast two things, like two versions of the same story. This could be done with not only this title, but any other version of "Cinderella" or other fairy tales.

Multicultural literature, like "The Egyptian Cinderella", is also a good way to show students that everyone is different and special in their own way. Many young students think their way is the only correct way to think or believe. Showing more than one version of a story that they may see the right one being the Disney version, is a good way to reach students and combat those thoughts.

The Paper Bag Princess

Robert Munsch's "The Paper Bag Princess" is a book I vividly remember reading as a child and I plan to use it in my future classroom for many reasons. Not only is it a classic, but it is an enjoyable read with a great message.

Stereotypes begin at a young age and it is important to combat those stereotypes as much as we can as teachers, literature being one great way to do that. There are numerous books about princesses but none like this one. In this story Elizabeth turns the stereotype of a princess entirely around and demonstrates that it is okay to be yourself, regardless of what other people, like the snooty Prince Ronald, think about you.

In the end of the story Princess Elizabeth rescuses Ronald from the dragon that captures him and burns down her castle. Not only does he not appreciate what she has done for him, but he belittles her for her appearance.

Plays of America from American Folklore

"Plays of America from American Folklore" is a collection of fifteen folktales from many different cultures in America. They range from Native American folktales about creation, to European, Asian, and African folktales recast in America, to popular retellings of actual occurrences in our history.

This book would be a great tool for teachers studying folklore because it does a good job of clarifying what folklore actually is, complete with fifteen examples. Many people see folklore as just made up stories about imaginary people, for instance “Jack in the Beanstalk”, when there is so much more.

The stories are all written in play form, rather than paragraph form, so there are many opportunities for teachers to include multiple intelligences of their students in this lesson. Music and dance is even included in many of the stories, and the foreword of the book gives ideas for teachers to use the plays in their classrooms. Performing a play provides many opportunities to get community involvement and multimedia incorporated into the classroom.

Young Harriet Tubman, Freedom Fighter

"Young Harriet Tubman, Freedom Fighter" is a book I would definately utilize in my classroom. She is a very influential person that all students, regardless of academic level, should learn about in a historical sense.

The book is more basic than fifth grade level, which is when students normally study civil rights and the underground railroad, but it offers an easier approach for students who might have different learning needs. This book would be especially important for ESL learners because there are great pictures on each page and fewer words that are printed in larger font. The pictures do a really good job reinforcing the text of this book. They match the words and are close to the text, which are two things that we discussed in our article that talked about illustrations.

Additionally, we read an article about textbooks "becoming history" for social studies cirriculum. This is a great example of literature that has a historical lesson, which is presented in a more fun and easier fashion, rather than the old standby of reading out of a textbook.

Helen Keller

Helen Keller, written by Margaret Davidson, is a scholastic biography that I read in the third grade when we did a unit where we studied Helen Keller. This book is both informative and inspiring. I vividly remember reading this book for school, and as I re-read it for this assignment, I became sure I would use it in a classroom for multiple reasons.

The book has many benefits, in addition to the information it provides, it discusses a person who is different from us and shows us how they too can be "normal". One thing we want to project in our classrooms, is that everyone should be treated fairly no matter what their differences may be.

The book focuses, in addition to Helen, on Miss Annie Sullivan. Annie is the teacher that comes from Boston to help and teach Helen. Davidson does a wonderful job portraying the journey, triumphs, and hardships the two go through together. Something interesting the author does is to put certain feeling or emotional words in italics to really show readers the relationship the two had with one another, and what exactly they went through together. Overall, it is a wonderful story and this biography comes as close to doing the story of Helen, and her miracle working teacher, justice as I consider possible.