Steamboat School

by Deborah Hopkinson and Illustrated by Ron Husband

Reading Level: K - 2, Age 5-8

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 40

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion, 2016

ISBN: 9781423121961

Summary: 

In this inspiring picture book, based on the true story of Reverend John Berry  Meachum, a story of determination, courage and resourcefulness is told. James, the protagonist, and Rev. Meachums’s students are faced with a threat to their education, when the state of Missouri passes a law prohibiting the education of African Americans in the 1840s. Carefully and courageously, Meachum organizes a school in the basement of a home in the community to protect his students right to an education, until authorities find out.  To circumvent this unjust law, Meachum decides to build the innovative Steamboat School, which can float in the Mississippi River and operate outside of Missouri State boundaries.  

Element 3: Exploring Issues of Social Injustice

This book explores issues of social injustice from our country's past history that are relevant today. Although education is a basic human right, many federal and state laws affect our children’s access to an education. Resistance to this injustice is shown in the examples of the students and their teacher, who stood up to fight for their right to an education and thought of ways to undermine this racist law.  Students who read this book will learn that they should not allow oppression to prevent them from their right to an education or any other right. They will also learn about how they can use creativity, ingenuity and community capital to find solutions to social injustice.

Activity: 

Since this book is recommended for grades K-2, a possible activity would be to have them create their own school to help students gain access to education.  Each student will bring an empty shoe box to school where they will use their own creativity, resourcefulness and ingenuity to design their own school. It could be a mobile school, a Steamboat school, or other type of school. Students will also create paper dolls to represent the main characters in the story and write on each character what they did to fight for their education. 

Additional Teacher Resources:

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Sylvia and Marsha Start a Revolution! (Grades 3+)

Author: Joy Michael Ellison

Illustrator: Teshika Silver

Grade Level: 3 and up

Summary: 

This wonderful book tells the story of Sylvia and Marsha, two transgender girls of color who are not accepted by their families or the police. Both women shared a friendship so strong that they were like sisters and their goal was to help more transgender people like themselves! Sylvia saw how badly the transgender people in her community were treated and it reminded her of when she wore a dress as young kid and her grandmother frowned upon her and yelled, “You’re a boy!” Syliva remembered how wearing the dress made her feel free and she, along with Marsha decided that transgender people should not suffer for being themselves! “Here comes Alice in the blue dress” is the waring transgender girls had for each other and it was code for the arrival of the police who had the power to arrest transgender girls for wearing dresses. Syliva and Marsha wanted to bring positive change to their lives and the lives of their sisters so on June 28, 1969 the police were bothering them once again and a revolution broke out at Stonewall! That did not stop the police. Marsha and Syvlia decided that they were going to take things a step further by giving their transgender sisters their frienship and opened a home for those living on the streets. They all took care of each other and also fought for their rights together!

Element 3: Exploring Issues of Social Injustice:

This books explores issues of social injustice because as it moves away from celebrating diversity we delve into historical fiction to learn about Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson; two very important transgender icons whose involement on the Stonewall Rebellion made great contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. Students also learn about how shame and oppression affected girls like Marsha and Slyvia, so much that they had to come up with code phrases to help each other out.

Activity: 

Have students reflect on the importance of feeling free and comfortable in one’s own skin because no one has the right to tell individuals who they should and should not be. Then, students will create signs that support individuality and inspiring kindness towards one another.

Buy it here!

Sylvia and Marsha Start A Revolution! – Joy Michael Ellison

Teacher and Parent Resources: 

Gender Resources for Parents and Teachers – Joy Michael Ellison

The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage

 

The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage 

By: Selina Alko

Illustrated By: Sean Qualls and Selina Alko 

Link to Purchase 

Social Justice Element: 3: Issues of Social Injustice

The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage presents young readers with the ugly and very recent history of racial miscegenation laws and the heroic struggle to undo them. The story focuses on the famous Loving v. Virginia case where Richard and Mildred Loving sued the state of Virginia to have their interracial marriage recognized and honored by the state. The illustrations present young readers with compelling visuals to help them contextualize the more abstract issues behind the story and the court case itself. This is ultimately a story about how individuals should be allowed to love whomever they please and have that validated by the government in the same way more "traditional" couples do. This book represents issues of social injustice by highlighting an example of how race was used to deny ordinary people a right that others could enjoy. It centers on the extraordinary experience of two ordinary people using the legal system to being about change and correct a social injustice. I could use this book to highlight that injustice is often systemic and institutional in nature and that it is often the dedication and hard work of everyday individuals that beings about change. 

Juneteenth

Title: Juneteenth

Authors: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Drew Nelson

Illustrator: Mark Schroder

Grade Level: 1st-4th grade

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Summary:  June 19th, 1865 began as just another day in Texas. African American slaves were working chopping wood, scrubbing floors milking cows in a barn. Then, a message arrived. Slavery had ended, they were free! Although Slavery had actually ended 2 years prior when the order was given by President Lincoln in 1863, not all slaves heard the news right away. It took more than two years for the news of freedom to reach the Texas slaves. June 19th has since then became a day of celebration in the United States, a day to remember and honor freedom from all people. The book does a great job explaining as well as illustrating Juneeteenth traditions.

Element 3:  Issues of Social Injustice: Through this book readers learn about past injustices of how black people became slaves, the war , the signing of the emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth when all slaves became truly free.

Follow up Activity:

If used in a unit discussing celebrations: Use Vandiagrams and have students compare how Juneteenth is celebrated VS. how Fourth of July is Celebrated.

Additional Resources:

http://lessonplanspage.com/juneteenth-htm/

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/celebrate-juneteenth-20547.html

Soñadores or Dreamers

Soñadores or Dreamers was written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales and translated by Teresa Mlawer. It is the story of a mother and child whose journey from home brought them to a foreign land where they were met with both challenges and inspiration. Their story is as much about the gifts of love, discovery and creativity that they brought along with them. This poetic narrative offers the reader an authentic perspective on migration and immigration while at the same time promoting the transformative power of diversity, literacy and imagination. Morales seamlessly pairs her words with vivid illustrations, packed with cultural references to Latinx heritage and activist motifs. An excellent choice for addressing social justice element 3, Exploring Issues of Social Injustice, Soñadores or Dreamers offers an entry point for discussing themes surrounding immigration such migration, the idea of boarders, access and human rights. Most importantly, this book stays away from a deficit lens and keeps social justice element 1, Self-Love at the forefront.

By clicking on the language of your choice, a new tab directing you to alibris, an online retailer for independent bookstores, where you can purchase the book online in Spanish and/or English. 

For lesson ideas from PK- 8 and other book suggestions that support similar topics, along with several links to additional research for enhancing teacher content knowledge visit, The Classroom Bookshelf. Additionally, I highly recommend checking out American Indians in Children's Literature, which "provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society.”