Conquering Obstacles

Fourth Grade Themed Literature Unit by Katherine Hazard

 

 What does it mean to conquer obstacles?  

What qualities does someone need to conquer obstacles?

 

Learning Targets

 

I. Students will understand how to engage in lively, effective, supportive group discussions.

 

II. Students will use questioning and inference to more thoroughly comprehend their reading.

 

III. Students will compare and contrast characters who overcome obstacles in the texts they have read with the characters that they created in The Oregon Trail Storypath.

 

IV. Students will understand what qualities an individual must possess in order to conquer or overcome obstacles.

Content generalizations:

            • People often rely on others to overcome certain obstacles.

            • It takes courage to conquer obstacles

            • It takes will power and self-determination to conquer obstacles

 

Unit Overview

 

            The unit is structured around the district mandated Houghton Mifflin textbook. I expanded the textbook’s theme of “Heroes” into “Conquering Obstacles” because I felt that part of what makes someone a hero is that he or she was able to overcome the challenges in their lives.  The theme also connects to the Oregon Trail Storypath unit that the fourth graders will also be working on at that time.  There too are examples of people who conquer unimaginable obstacles.

 

Book List

 

Houghton Mifflin Stories for In Class Reading

 

Jones, K.D & Cooper, F. (1994) Happy Birthday Dr. King! Modern Curriculum Press.

In working on assignment for school, a boy learns from his grandfather about Martin Luther King Jr. and the obstacles he overcame during the Montgomery bus boycott.

 

Boulais, S. (1998) Gloria Estefan: A Real-Life Reader Biography. Mitchell Lane Publishers.

A biography of the recording artist, the dreams she had and the obstacles she faced when reaching for success.

 

Adler, D. (2001) Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man. San Diego, CA: Voyager Books.

A biography of the famous Yankee player that highlights more on the achievements of his sporting career than his battle with ALS.

 

 

 

Read Aloud Books

Bunting, E. (2001) Dandelions. San Diego, CA: Voyager Books.

A picture book about girl named Zoe, and her family who move to Nebraska and her mother faces the challenge of living in such a lonely place. Her family works together to cheer up their mother. This will be the book with which I introduce the theme.

 

Curtis, C.P. (1999) Bud, Not Buddy. New York: Yearling.

A chapter book about a ten year old African-American boy running away from abusive fosters homes in Michigan during the 1930s. He is convinced he can find his birth father, taking him on an adventure filled, obstacle loaded journey. There will be enough copies so all students can follow along as we read aloud.

 

Wood, T.&Numpa, W. (1995) A Boy Becomes a Man at Wounded Knee. New York: Walker & Company.

Contemporary Lokata Indians take a 150 mile journey on the 100th anniversary of the historical massacre. On the trip there is an eight year old boy who is challenged on the six day journey through subfreezing temperatures. This read aloud will match with the Storypath curriculum as well.

 

Books Available for Independent Reading

 

Hesse, K. & Parker, R.A. (1998) Just Juice. New York: Scholastic Press.

A young girl who is repeating third grade because she can’t read has to help her dad save their house from being reclaimed. This is an easier chapter book.

 

Hesse, K. (1996) The Music of Dolphins. New York: Scholastic Press.

The story of a girl who was found living with dolphins off the coast of Florida. Told in first person narrative, the writing becomes more complex as she learns more English. The girl faces many obstacles and challenges trying to adapt to life among humans. There is also an audio tape copy available that is set to ocean like music and dolphin sounds.

 

Hurst, C. O. (2002) In Plain Sight. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.

A more sophisticated chapter book that takes place during the era of the California Gold rush. A young girl has to cope with the reality that her father has left the Massachusetts farm in pursuit of gold.

 

Mochizuki, K. & Lee, D. (1995) Baseball Saved Us. New York: Lee & Low Books.

A longer picture book that tells the story of a boy in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II and how they played baseball to escape the reality of their situation.

 

Ryan, P.M. & Selznick, B. (1998) Riding Freedom. New York: Scholastic Press.

A historical novel based on the real life of Charlottw Parkhurst, a woman who lived her life as a man in the mid-1800s in order to cut down her obstacles.

 

Szabo, C. (1997) Sky Pioneer: A Photobiography of Amelia Earhart. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society.

            A great photo-biography of the famous woman who broke through so many barriers.