Jacob's Rescue: A Holocaust Story

Authors: Malka Drucker and Michael Halperin

Age Level: 4-6

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Summary:

Jacob’s Rescue, written by Malka Drucker and Michael Halperin, is a Holocaust story set in Warsaw, Poland. Jacob, the novel’s protagonist, once lived in a beautiful house with his father, grandmother, aunt and brothers. He went to school and played outside much like children nowadays. But, everything changed in 1939 when the Nazi soldiers invaded Poland and began killing all of its Jewish citizens. As a result, Jacob’s father fled the country, in an attempt to stay alive, leaving his family behind. As such, Jacob, his grandmother, his aunt and his brothers moved to a ‘ghetto’ where they grew weaker and hungrier. One afternoon, eight-year-old Jacob was introduced to his new ‘uncle’, Alex Roslan, a heroic Christian man, who kindly offered to hide him safely with his family throughout the war. The Roslan’s, Alex, his wife Mela, and his children Yurek and Marishka, risked their lives each day protecting Jacob. They had to move houses, pay doctors and buy UV lamps to keep Jacob safe and alive. Throughout their journey however, Jacob and the Roslans became very close. Eventually, Jacob’s brothers stayed at the Roslan’s house as well. At the end of the war, the brothers were reunited with their father, who had fled to what was then known as Palestine. This novel clearly illustrates the harsh realities of the Holocaust and the hardships faced by Jewish people throughout World War II.

Element 3 - Exploring Issues of Social Justice:

Jacob’s Rescue offers students an opportunity to experience the various hardships of Jewish life during the Holocaust and World War II. I believe this novel clearly demonstrates Element 3 as it explores Anti-Semitism, religious intolerance and oppression caused by one specific community, the German Nazis. This book helps students understand how this oppression impacted the lives of Jews and others, like the Roslans, and how diversity wasn’t embraced like we try to practice today. Additionally, Jacob is around the same age as my 4^th grade students, so it is easier for them to empathize with his feelings of fear, sadness, and anger. This book definitely opens eyes and minds to the horrors of the Holocaust and allows students to identify with a child suffering from the intolerances of German soldiers.

Activity:

We are currently reading Jacob’s Rescue in my fourth grade classroom and this novel has sparked wonderful discussions about injustice, intolerance, and diversity in our world. As an introductory lesson, we had the students analyze the difference between the words "famous" and "hero". The students gave examples of people who fit into each of the categories. Later, the students explained how the word "hero" is often misused to describe people who are simply famous or popular. As we finished Chapter 9 this week, the students already made the connection that the Roslan’s are heroes because of their courageous efforts when hiding Jacob and his brothers.

Those Shoes

Title:  Thoes Shoes

Author:  Maribeth Boelts

Illustrated by: Noah Z. Jones

Reading Level:  Ages 5 to 8 and up 

Publisher: Candlewick Press

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Summary:  In Those Shoes, Jeremy dreams about having the popular pair of shoes that everyone is wearing.  His grandma explains that she can only afford "needs."  After one of his shoes comes apart, Jeremy is forced to wear freebie shoes from the guidance counselor, Mr. Alfrey.  The "Mr. Alfrey" shoes bring on a barrage of mockery for Jeremy, driving him to purchase an ill-fitting pair of the shoes at a thrift shop.  After a few days of limping and some nasty blisters, Jeremy is forced back into the Mr. Alfrey shoes.  Jeremy decides to give the too-small shoes to his friend in need, after some serious soul-searching and struggle.   The gesture marks the beginning of a special friendship.

Element # 3 - Exploring Issues of Social Injustice:  Those Shoes is a poignant introduction to the issue of poverty for young elementary school children.  Through this heart-warming account of Jeremy's struggle with wants and needs, Boelts cleverly incorporates sub-themes about peer pressure for material possessions, family life, and true generosity.  This book gently, yet cleverly, exemplifies the impact of poverty on the lives of our very own classmates and the material conditions of other people in the world. 

Follow-Up Activity:  After reading Those Shoes, it would be appropriate to conduct a class discussion about wants and needs.   The students could discuss the stereotypes they have heard about poor people.  We could draw from a hat to assign each student an economic status for the rest of the class.  A select 10% would be allowed dress-up shoes, 20% would be middle income and wear plain shoes, while the remaining 70% would be poor and have old, worn-out shoes that are mismatched and ugly.  To exaggerate the effect, we could also offer the 10% group advantages like better classroom seating and priority when asking questions.  At the end of class, we could gather for a discussion to share how each group felt as a result of their shoes.  What was it like to have the nicer shoes and special privileges?  How did the 70% group feel? Relating our experiences back to Jeremy in Those Shoes, each child would draw two pictures.  One would express how they would feel if they were Jeremy with the Mr. Alfrey shoes.  The other, would show how they would feel if they were Jeremy, giving their Those Shoes away to a friend in need. 

Link to Brain Pop Jr. Video about wants vs. needs.

Dollars and Cents Video:  A cross-curriculum link to math while reading Those Shoes and tackling the issue of poverty with your class.

Reading Those Shoes with older students?  Link to a terrific social action projects related to poverty for middle school students. 

Just As Good - Element 3

Just as Good

Title: Just as Good

Author: Chris Crowe

Illustrator: Mike Benny

Grade Level: 2nd - 6th

SJE: Element 3: Exploring Issues of Social Injustice

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About Author Chris Crowe

Summary:
There are plenty of books that depict Jackie Robinson journey as the 1^st African-American baseball player. However, Just as Good by Chris Crowe is the 1^st book about Larry Doby. Doby was the 2^nd African American to play in the MLB, the 1^st to play in the American league, and the first African-American player to hit a home run in the World Series. This story is told by Homer a young African-American who was banned form a Little League baseball team because he was African-American. Homer was told that besides Jackie Robinson Negro ball players were worth “spit.”It was not until  Doby helped the Cleveland Indians win their 1^st world series in 1948 which reinforced to Homer that African-American people are just as good in baseball and everything else as Caucasian people are.  

Representation of Element 3: Exploring Issues of Social Injustice:

It represents Element Three because this book explores how the diversity in baseball has impacted African-Americans. This book talks about how Larry Doby and Homer are treated because of the color of their skin. For example, Homer was banned from his Little League Team and Dody was treated badly by fans due to the color of his skin. This book could be used to spark a student interest in some causes of Racism and the impact that it has had on many different races. This book serves as a moving story of how racial stereotypes and social injustices are being broken down every day and can be broken down by anyone.

Book Activity :

I would read Just as Good to the the students. Next, I would discuss some of the events in Larry Doby life that may have shaped him to become a hero. I would pout an emphasis that he was not perfect, but that he possessed many positive qualities that helped him to be strong in the face of adversity. For example, I would ask question such as What makes a Hero?, How does a Hero act?, What does a leader do?  etc... I would then divide students into groups of four or five and have them discuss within their group what qualities they think helped Larry Doby the most. Have them present their ideas to the class one group at a time.

 

We March- Element Four

We March

Title- We March

Author- Shane W. Evans

Illustrator- Shane W. Evans

Age Level- 4-8

SJE- Element 4

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Summary-
We March is a children's book about an African American family that prepares for the historic, March on Washington for jobs and freedom in August of 1963. Along with nearly 250,000 other  people, the family began their march at the Washington Monument and ended with a celebration at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. The book represents this family marching for justice and shows the reader how much stregnth and effort it took to finally recieve it freedom.

Representation-
We March by Shane W. Evans represents Element four because it walks the reader through exactly what these family's dealt with when trying to achieve justice and freedom. Not only did these families just simply walk together to finish this march; they began with a prayer, worked to create signs demanding for freedom, created exhaustion for themselves but still managed to be filled with hope. It shows the hardships and issues of what these families had to go through when they were eager for justice.

Use of the Book-
After reading the book I would have my students work individually to think about if they have ever felt like they did not have a say or were not allowed to put their thoughts into something. Once they came up with an idea, each student would recieve a ruler and a piece of thick white paper. I would instruct each student to write on their white sheet of paper something that can fight for what they want or are trying to achieve. Once this is complete, I would ask for permission to march around the halls or around our school outside to let the students express their thoughts and feel what it's like when you have to fight for what you want in life just like the families in the book We March.

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History

Author and Illustrator: Art Spiegelman

Grade Level: 6-8



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Summary: Art Spiegelman uses a comic book to share a story about the Holocaust, its survivors, and the ancestors who live with the history of such injustice. With mice representing Jews and cats representing Nazis, Maus narrates the experiences of Art's father Vladek. Alternating between the past and present, the text describes Vladek's life in pre-war Poland as a well off young Jewish man married to Anja, his first wife and Art's mother, as a soldier and prisoner in an Auschwitz camp, and finally as a survivor and immigrant. Weaved throughout the story are the complex and conflicting feelings Art developed as he interviewed his father.

Element: Three, Issues of Social Injustice
Maus exposes students to a historical example of religious intolerance through a personal narrative of a Holocaust survivor. Furthermore, the story provides an immediate example of how the historical roots of oppression affect the lives of people today. With teacher guidance, students can begin to understand some causes of the Holocaust and the impact the event had on societies across the globe for years to come.

Activity: Working at first individually and then in pairs, students consider a time in their lives when they felt priviledged or discriminated against solely because of their gender, race, religion, etc. Each student writes a paragraph or two describing the experience before s/he trades with another student. Together, they read one another's paragraphs and discuss them using teacher directed sample questions. Discussion topics might include, "Why do you think you were treated that way?" "Put yourself in the other person's shoes. How might the situation have looked to him/her?" "If you could go back, how might you change your response?"

When Marian Sang

Author: Pam Muñoz Ryan

Illustrator: Brian Selznik

Ages: 7-12

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Summary:

This beautifully illustrated story follows the true life trials of American singer Marian Anderson, best known for her historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, as she navigates the world of professional music and finds it particularly hostile to people of color. Marian is forced to deal with issues of which white singers would never dream.  From being completely ignored as she waits in line to apply for music school to being outright rejected by many people in the industry, Marian suffers many injustices at the hands of racism. In the end, Marian endures and is ultimately accepted in the community for who she is - a woman with a beautiful voice, but she will never understand what compelled so many people to rise up against her when all she ever wanted to do was sing.



Element 3: Exploring Issues of Social Injustice:

This book serves as a wonderful introductory tool into the world of social injustice. The main character, Marian, is as surprised as many young readers may be when she is rejected simply because of the color of her skin. No historical background knowledge is needed to appreciate the pure injustice Marian suffers as she tries to enter a world whose hostility is beyond her control. Furthermore, Marian's endurance provide a great segue into Element 4 because, although Marian does not take any social action against her oppressors, she never gives up on her dream and that lays a good foundation for exploring social action.

In the Classroom:

This is a wonderful book, but it is also a little long, especially for younger readers. It is important to help students identify the key elements of this book. I would lead a class discussion about the book in which we aim to identify the social injustices Marian faced, the reasons she was not allowed to sing, who was allowed to sing, and why. Then I might have my students think about the end of the book, when people protested against Marian singing - who they were and what they did as a protest - as a jumping off point to talk about social action and what we can do to stop what we see as social injustices in the world around us.

Children Just Like Me (A unique celebration of children around the world)

Title: Children Just Like Me (A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World)

Author: Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley

Grade Level: Ages 7-15

Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Publishing Inc., NY, NY

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Summary: Through colorful photographs and children's own interviews, readers embark on a journey from New York to the Amazon Basin to learn about the day-to-day events, hobbies, aspirations, and values of children across more than 30 different countries. Children Just Like Me walks young readers through the days in the lives of children just like them. Children Just Like Me raises awareness of the similarities and beautiful differences amongst young children around the world; thereby helping young readers to embrace cultural differences that surpass the color of skin or clothing one wears.

Element #2- Respect For Others: Children Just Like Me tells the remarkable stories of children around the world from over 30 different countries through photographs and children's own interviews. A brief biography of the child along with easy-to-read descriptions about the child's favorite foods, family life, community, etc. are provided on each page. Each interviewee's personal taste and touch are revealed through their names written in their own handwritings and candid photos. This book teaches young readers about the cultures, values, and daily lives of other children in the world so that readers can discover that beyond the barriers of language, customs, skin colors, there are children in the world who are so relatable to themselves. Children Just Like Me stirs the desire to embrace and respect those who may, on the surface, seem so different from us.

Follow-Up Activity: As a follow-up, teachers can encourage each student to design a poster about him/herself, including photographs and descriptions about their schools, families, hobbies, dreams, daily lives, etc. The posters can be put together to form a giant class version of Children Just Like Me. Parents can be invited to the classroom for a day of festivities where students present the book and bring in different artifacts that represent their cultures.

The Sandwich Swap

Authors:  Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah

Kelly Dipucchio

Illustrator: Tricia Tusa

Grade Level: Pre-K-3^rd grade

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Summary: 

Lily and Salma are best friends at school.  They enjoy doing everything together from drawing pictures, jumping rope, and playing on the swings to eating lunch together.  Lily and Salma realize they love doing all of the same things except-what they eat for lunch is a little different.  Lily eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and Salma eats a hummus and pita sandwich.  Conflict arises when Lily decides to help Salma by blurting out insensitive thoughts and feelings about her sandwich.  Soon, the peanut butter vs. hummus story spreads throughout the school and the student body begins choosing sides.  The conflict escalates into students making rude remarks and insults about things that no longer had to do with peanut butter or hummus.  After an epic food fight in the cafeteria and a visit to the principal’s office, Lily musters the courage to speak to Salma.  Lily and Salma become best friends again after tasting each other’s sandwich.  Lily, Salma, and classmates learn that it is easy to dislike something new or different; but once you stand in each other’s shoes, you learn something great about someone else and about yourself. 

Element 2: Respect for Others

The authors provide an opportunity for readers to embrace and respect the diversity of two best friends from two very different cultural backgrounds.  On one hand, you learn the value of friendship from two best friends who love to do everything together.  On the other hand, you learn how two people who like the same things can also like things that are different.  The authors depict what happens when the relationship between two best friends is torn apart because of a difference as simple as the type of sandwich one chooses to eat for lunch.  Students learn empathy and the importance of putting differences aside in order to create the possibility of learning something new about someone else and about oneself.

How to Use The Sandwich Swap in the Classroom to Introduce Element 2: Respect for Others


Discussion: On the first day of school, a teacher reads The Sandwich Swap aloud to his or her students in a community circle or class meeting time.  Then the teacher facilitates a classroom discussion about Lily and Salma’s friendship and how their relationship falls apart.  The teacher asks his or her students think about a time when they were treated “unfair” by a friend, sibling, or any other family member because of a difference in point of view, interest, life experience.  The purpose of the discussion is to set the stage for students to openly share, have respect others, and embrace differences in a safe and welcoming place. 


Activity: All About Me Bag.  
A teacher fills a small brown lunch bag with items that best 'describe' him or her.  She or he pulls out each item and tells the children a short story about it. The bag might include things such as a baby picture, picture of pet, a food he or she does not like, something that represents their culture, an object from a collection, and so on. Then students are given brown bags to decorate.  For homework that night, the student must fill their bags with items that tell about themselves. Depending on the number of students in the classroom, the bags are shared throughout the first week of school in a community circle or class meeting time.  For homework the next night, the student must discuss the activity with their parents or guardian and share one thing they learned about another student in the classroom that is different from their own point of view, life experiences, or interests and discuss and why it is ok to be different.


Learning Opportunities for Teacher & Students:  This activity gives the teacher a great understanding of each student right from the beginning of the new school year.  In addition, this activity gives the teacher the opportunity to set the stage for each to student to safely share about his or her own experiences and feel embraced by his or her peers for their differences.  As the facilitator of the discussion and activity, the teacher is a model and also sets clear expectations for his or her students on how to learn and listen with kindness and empathy to other students’ experiences.  Lastly, the teacher has the opportunity to observe and give immediate feedback to students which will further their ability to implement Element #2.   

EJ AND THE BULLY

Author: Phillip Walton

Illustrator: Tom Oswald

Grade Level: 1-3

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Summary: The story EJ and The Bully is about EJ, a student at school who is running for class president. The only problem EJ is having is his competitor and bully, Warren. Warren does not respect EJ and is always putting him down and making fun of him in front of his friends. Warren will do whatever it takes to win! EJ's old friend, Izzi, believes in him and respects him. Izzi continuously gives him great advice and EJ becomes more confident and a stronger person. Being respectful to others can go a long way! I wonder who will win class president!

Element 2: EJ and The Bully is a wonderful book that shows two friends respecting each other. Not only does it portray respect, but it also displays an awful case of bullying. Having these two sides work against each other in the story truly depicts how giving respect to others is clearly the way two people can communicate positively with one another. In the story, Izzi is always encouraging EJ to not give up and to continue to fight for what he believes in. A great quote from the story that demonstrates element two is, "If you want to earn respect, all you have to do is use good manners, be considerate, and don't threaten or hurt others."

Activity: Izzi's words of encouragement and his respect for Warren truly helped him through his struggles in this story. A great activity would be to have your students begin to complement once another. This is a sign of respect and children need lessons on this at a young age. Once they have complemented three to four of their peers, they should then start a sentence with "I respect you because...." This activity is a great way for children to have positive communication and to understand the concept of respect for others.

Angelina's Island

Author: Jeanette Winter
Grade Level: K-2


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Summary: Angelina is a little girl from Jamaica who just recently moved to New York City with her family. She has trouble adjusting to her new American life. Angelina dreams about moving back to Jamaica, which she calls her “island in the sun”. She is constantly comparing her new neighborhood to her home country. She misses her Jamaican foods, games, weather and even animals. One thing that Angelina really misses from Jamaica is Carnival. Her mother discovers that New York has a similar parade, so she enlists friends from the neighborhood to help make Angelina a Carnival costume. Angelina has so much fun at the parade that she realizes that New York really is her new home, or as she puts it, her “island in the sun”.

Element Two: Angelina’s Island is a great way to introduce element two to students.  The book will help students learn more about their peers who have recently emigrated from other countries. Angelina’s Island shows the difficulty that immigrants might have acclimating to a new environment and culture. This book helps students sympathize with those individuals that have made the move to the United States. Finally, Angelina’s Island is also a good way of learning about the Jamaican culture and things found in Jamaica.

Activity: Like previously stated Angelina’s Island not only shows the struggle that some immigrants face, but it also shows aspects of the Jamaican culture. One major piece of the book was Carnival. Therefore alongside this book, students are to choose one of cultural traditions they celebrate. The students are to complete some research and write a brief summary about their chosen tradition. Students are to decorate their summary page with drawings of important elements of this custom. Once they have finished, the students will be divided into small groups where they will share their work with classmates.

How Many Days to America?: A Thanksgiving Story

Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: Beth Peck
Grade Level: 2-4



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Summary:   How Many Days to America? is a picture book that captures the immigrant/refugee experience of coming to America and several of the hardships that may ensue on such a pilgrimage. The narrator of the book is a young boy who describes how he, his little sister, his mother, and his father flee the country after the soldiers approach them one day. The father tells his young son that they must go because "we do not think the way they think," and they must leave everything behind except some money. While on board a crowded boat with many other refugees, the family experiences several obstacles on their journey including dealing with a broken sail, running out of food and water, and being robbed by thieves. When the boat finally reaches land, they are turned away, but given some food. When, the boat finally arrives in America, they are welcomed, and the family learns that it is also Thanksgiving a holiday that celebrates coming to America with a large feast.


Element:  This story covers Element 2 of Social Justice Education, which focuses on respect for others and allows students to share information about their cultural backgrounds with others. In addition, this element is often the element that discusses many types of oppression that occur within society such as racism, sexism, and classism amongst a few. In a time in which immigration is such a big issue, it is important for students to gain a better = understanding of the immigrant experience-- why immigrants come to America and what they experience on their journey here. This book allows students who many not understand immigration or may have misconceptions about the topic to gain a better understanding of such experiences. On the other hand, students who may have parents who have emigrated or may have emigrated themselves can connect with the characters in this book in terms of the difficulties in leaving ones country for another.  What is interesting about this book, is that it does not directly identify the ethnicity or culture of the main characters, and therefore individuals of all backgrounds who have emigrated to the US can relate to the characters in this book. After reading this book, students should be able to identify the reasons for which one may emigrate to the United States, and the obstacles immigrants may face when coming.

Activity:  This story can be used in a variety of ways across the curriculum. The story could be specifically used in a unit that focuses on immigration. The teacher should discuss with his or her students reasons why someone would leave for America or any other country from their homeland. The teacher should help make connections with the students by asking them if they know of anyone who has come to America from another country and to share what they know. Students should talk about how they would feel if they had leave their homes in order to go to a new place. For specific activities, students can engage in a variety of things. The teacher can invite guest speakers from the community, such as parents, to come and share their immigrant experience with the class. Additionally, students can set up an interview with someone they know, like a family member, who has emigrated to the United States. Students will be able to ask this person why they left their homeland, what they experienced on their journey here, and what life has been like for them since they arrived in America. Lastly, to gain a better perspective on the lives of immigrants, students can write five journal entries as a young person who is emigrating to a new country. They must explain why they are leaving their home, what their experiences are on their journey, and how they feel about going to a new place.

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The Colors of the Rainbow

Author: Jennifer Moore-Mallinos

Grade Level: 1st Grade




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About the Author

Summary: In The Colors of the Rainbow, author Jennifer Moore-Mallinos uses the analogy of a rainbow, with all of its different colors, to illustrate the idea that all children are unique. The book gives examples of how skin color, hair color, eye color and even the foods they eat, languages they speak and emotions they feel make them all unique.  Yet, the book also emphasizes that while they are all different, like each of the colors of the rainbow, they share many similarities. For example, they all have feelings, wear clothing, use language for communication and express emotions by laughing or crying. The lesson to be learned from the book is that, together, children of different race and cultural backgrounds represent a rainbow of different colors and those differences should be celebrated and respected all at once.

Element: This book corresponds with element two, because it teaches children to have respect for those that are different from them. The book gives many examples of different skin colors children may have, different foods they may eat based on their cultural background, different holidays they may celebrate and many other differences they may have.  The author uses the analogy of a rainbow to send the message that people from all different cultures around the world are unique, just like the colors of the rainbow, which is referred to as a beautiful and lovely sight. This serves to instill in children that their differences should be respected and admired, just as a rainbow would be admired. The ending gives children a message of encouragement to celebrate their differences and appreciate what makes them all unique. This is exactly what element two sets out to accomplish.

Activity: The students will gather on the carpet area while the teachers reads aloud The Colors of the Rainbow. After the story, students will be divided into groups, and each team will be assigned a different color of the rainbow. Each student in the group will be given a piece of constructions paper that is the same color as their assigned color. The students will work individually to write a sentence on their construction paper that describes how they are unique, whether it is the food they eat, color of their skin, and so forth. They will then write "I will respect people who are different from me." The students will then work as a team in their groups to form a layer of the rainbow in the same color of their construction paper writings.  For example, one group will form the red layer, one will form orange, etc. The teacher will hang up all of the layers on a bulletin board to form a giant rainbow. Above the rainbow, it will read "We respect all of the colors of OUR rainbow."

The Orphan of Ellis Island: A Time Travel Adventure

Author: Elvira Woodruff 

Grade Level: 3rd-6th 

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About the Author and her work

Summary:  On a class trip to Ellis Island, Dominic Cantori, an orphan, falls asleep on the trip. When he wakes up, there is no one there which leaves him scared.  When walking around looking for someone to help he picks up telephones in the display area and talks to the recorded voices of immigrants telling their stories.  To his amazement someone answers him.  Next thing you know he's traveled back into time, roughly to 1908 Italy.  He runs through a serious events which link him to his family's past.  Through these events he befriends two immigrants around his age and they try to make their way back to America.  The whole time trying to get back to America he goes through the struggles that Italian immigrants had gone through to come to America.  

Element:  The Orphan of Ellis Island displays Element 2: Respect for Others.  This element addresses respect others where classmates can learn about another's cultural background.  This book is about an orphan who didn't know much about his family and shows the hardships Italian immigrants had encountered on making their way to America.  When reading this in class, students will understand and learn to respect the cultural background that other students in the class may relate to.  Other Students can also relate to this and have a common ground with others because Italians weren't the only ones to come to America to look for better life.  

Activity:  You can use this book in your class if your unit or theme was about Immigration.  You can start off by giving a description of immigration and why immigrants came over to America.  Then after reading this book you can do a group activity with the class and you could be able to put it up in the class or outside on a bulletin board.  An activity you can construct would be to have your class draw up a big size ship that the immigrants came over from Italy to Ellis Island.  You can assign groups to your class and give them a specific parts of the ship to draw up.  You can start from the bottom of the ship and continue your way up to the deck.  With this assignment you can show the hardships they faced while being on the ship on its voyage to America. 

All Souls: A Family Story from Southie

Author: Michael Patrick MacDonald
Grade Level: 8



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Summary: A native of the Old Colony projects of South Boston, author Michael Patrick MacDonald shares the shocking contradictions of living in this fiercely loyal Irish-American neighborhood afflicted by poverty, racism, violence, and death. Growing up in the 1970s, MacDonald and his siblings battled the temptations of gangs and drugs, the politics of school segregation and busing, and the stereotypes of poverty and culture.

Element: Two - Respect for Others
All Souls provides a first hand look into a dynamic neighborhood rife with the issues of poverty and racism. For some students, regardless of ethnic background or location, the themes of MacDonald's memoir will hit home. For others, the text will expose them to alternative perspectives and force them to question their own beliefs or stereotypes about the rich and poor and the black and white. After reading, students will emerge with a new sense of respect and empathy for others.

Activity: All Souls presents a perfect opportunity for students to access prior knowledge before reading. Using an Anticipation Guide, teachers present students with a worksheet that includes several statements about key concepts presented in the text. Students can choose to agree or disagree with the statements. Statements for All Souls could include: "Busing was a fair way to integrate public schools." "People born into a culture of poverty are powerless to escape it." Anticipation Guides stimulate students' interest in a topic and set a purpose for reading. Throughout reading, students may return to the Anticipation Guide to see if their opinions have changed.