Thematic Book & Resource List
Read Aloud Books
Mochizuki, K. (1993) Baseball Saved Us. New York: Lee & Low Books, Inc.
This book explores the challenges that a young Japanese American boy faces
as his family is sent to an internment camp. He describes how playing baseball
helped him to overcome the daily challenges of being in the internment camp.
Okimoto, J.D. (1995) No Dear, Not Here. Seattle: Sasquatch Books
This book explores the challenge that two marbled murrelet birds experience as
they search for a nest in the urban areas of the Pacific Northwest.
Yep, L. (1975) Dragonwings. New York: HarperCollins Publishers
This book explores the challenges that Moon Shadow and Windrider face as
Chinese immigrants in San Francisco.
Picture Books
Kinsey-Warnock, N. (1990) The Wild Horses of Sweetbriar. New York: E.P. Dutton/Penguin
Books USA Inc.
This book is told through the eyes of a young girl about the challenges that a group of horses faces as they try to survive the winter.
Okimoto, J.D., (1993) A Place for Grace. Seattle: Sasquatch Books
This book explores the challenges that a deaf man has as well as the challenges of
the dog who wants to be a guide dog.
Literature Circle Books
Christopher, M. (1974) No Arm in Left Field. Boston: Little, Brown and Company
This book explores the challenge a boy who is new to town faces as he plays
baseball.
Lord, B.B. (1984) In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. New York: Harper & Row
This book explores the challenges that a new young immigrant from China
experiences
when she moves to New York.
Lowry, L. (1990) Number the Stars. New York: Yearling Books
This book explores the challenges of a Jewish girl and the Danish family who
helps her during World War II.
O’Dell, S. (1960) Island of the Blue Dolphins. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc.
This book explores the challenges of a girl, Karana, as she lives alone on an island
in the Pacific.
Taylor, M. (1997) Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry. New York: Puffin
A moving story about the challenges a young girl faces as a black in the south in
the 1930’s.
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Learning Target |
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1. Students will understand and demonstrate text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections in relation to overcoming challenges. |
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2. Students will be able to write about overcoming challenges in a variety of forms or genres. |
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3. Students will be able to participate in a literature circle conversation by discussing the theme of overcoming challenges, and listening to others in a respectful manner. |
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4. Students will understand what it means to overcome a challenge through reading a variety of books about overcoming challenges in different genres. |
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5. Students will understand what challenges are and will be able to identify examples of challenges they have overcome. |
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6. Students will understand which characteristics a person generally has who can overcome a challenge. |
The Themed Literature Unit will explore some central questions dealing with overcoming challenges.
*What does it mean to overcome a challenge?
*What characteristics does a person show who can overcome a challenge?
*What can we learn from people who have overcome a difficult challenge?
*How does a person feel who successfully overcomes a challenge?
Megan Lantry. TEED 521.