A Full Moon is Rising

Author: Marilyn Singer

Illustrator: Julia Cairns

Age level: 7years and up

Grade level: 2nd grade and up
Theme: The big world

Summary:

This is wonderful collection of children's poem about the moon in a variety of places around the world. Some of the places featured are NYC, Turkey, Israel, Morocco and South Africa. These poems discuss how each area celebrates the full moon. 

PreReading Activity:

Start a discussion about the cover of the book. Look at the people. Do you think these people live close together or in different parts of the world?

Post Reading Activity:

This book discusses celebrations around the full moon. The children could find illustrations of the different stages of the moon: crescent, whole, full, half and make a poster of these different stages.

Reflection:

I think this is a great book to introduce or study poetry. It is easy to read and for children to relate to. The illustrations would draw students in and keep them interested. The perspectives from all over the world would be wonderful for children to be exposed to.

About the Author:
Marilyn Singer was born in the Bronx on October 3, 1948. She lived most of her early life in Long Island. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University. In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write-initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides, and film strips. Then, she penned her first story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the response, she wrote more stories, and in 1976, her first book, The Dog who Insisted he Wasn't, was published by E.P. Dutton & Co. Since then, Marilyn has published over 90 books for children and young adults. 

Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve.

From: http://marilynsinger.net/category/marilyn/biography/

The Family Book

Written and Illustrated by Todd Parr
Age level: Preschool-Grade 2
Theme: Family, Acceptance, Celebrate differences

Summary: 
The Family Book is about all types of families. It discusses the similarities and differences within every family. Some families are big, some are little, some families have 2 parents and some have step-parents, but all families like to hug each other!  This is a feel good story with colorful illustrations children will love.  This book has been banned in Illinois because it discusses a family who has same-sex parents. This bool allows children to have a better understanding that  families have differences. 

PreReading Activity:

What is a family?
Who are some people in your family?

Post Reading Activity:

Write one thing that you feel makes your own family special or different.  Talk as a class about what makes different families similar and different, and how it might feel when your family seems different from others.

Work in pairs.  Share one thing that you feel makes your own family different and special. Talk about how you think that difference makes you special.

 Draw a picture of your family. Show what makes your family different and special.
When the portraits are done, hang them in the classroom to show a family gallery. 

About the author:
Todd Parr is the author and illustrator of over 30 children's books. Parr grew up in Rock Springs, Wyoming. In 1995 he moved to San Francisco, California where he pursued a career as an artist. Wikipedia

Reflection:
I think this is a wonderful book that celebrates differences in each family. Showing children that families can be different and that it is ok can be a powerful message to children. It is a great way for students to get to know each other and to learn more about each other. This would be a wonderful activity for the beginning of the year to help create a classroom community.

Weird

Writen by Erin Frankel

Illustrated by Paula Heaphy

Reading Level: Grades 2-3

Interest Level: Ages 5-9

Themes: Kindness, tolerance, liking oneself

Summary:

Luisa is repeatedly teased and called "weird" by her classmate Sam, even though she is simply being herself—laughing with her friends, answering questions in class, greeting her father in Spanish, and wearing her favorite polka-dot boots. Luisa initially reacts to the bullying by withdrawing and hiding her colorful nature. But with the support of her teachers, parents, classmates, and one special friend named Jayla, she is able to reclaim her color and resist Sam’s put-downs.

Pre-Reading Activity:

Ask: Why is the story in black and white except for the main characters. Why do you think the main characters are in color? Why do you think Luisa's colors fade as the bullying continues? Why do you think Luisa's polka dots float away?  Have you ever been bullied? How did you feel?

Post-Reading Activity: 

Have students write and illustrate their own story about bullying from their point of view. Were they the victim, bystander, or maybe even the bully? Encourage students to use color in a similar fashion as it was in the Weird! series to represent their power and how they overcame their problem. Allow students to share their stories with the classroom community. For younger students, allow them to do a drawing using colors that make them feel courageous, confident, and kind. 

About the author:

Erin Frankel has an M.A. in English education and is passionate about teaching and writing. She taught ESL in Alabama before her recent move to Madrid, Spain, with her husband and three daughters. Erin knows firsthand what it feels like to be bullied, and she hopes her stories will help bring smiles back to children who have been involved in bullying. In her free time, Erin loves hiking in the Spanish mountains and kayaking in her hometown of Mays Landing, New Jersey.

Reflection: 

I strongly feel this book and the other two accompanying books, Tough! and Dare! are important books to have and use in the classroom. I like that these books explore the issue of bullying from the 3 different vantage points. This allows the students to further understand the issues and empathize with each of the characters. It would be nice to see this series done again with male characters, as well. I feel this would help our male students. 

One

Written and illustrated by Kathryn Otoshi

Age level: 4 & up

Grade level: Preschool and up

Theme: Acceptance, Kindness, Stand up for oneself

Summary:

Blue is a quiet color. Red’s a hothead who likes to pick on Blue. Yellow, Orange, Green, and Purple don’t like what they see, but don't know what to do.  When no one speaks up, things escalate — until One comes along and shows all the colors how to stand up, stand together, and count. As the readers learn about numbers, counting, and primary and secondary colors, they also learn about accepting each other's differences and how it sometimes just takes one voice to make a difference.

Pre-reading Activity: 

Start a discussion about bullying. Have you ever had someone say mean things to you? How did you feel? Have you ever told someone to stop being mean to you or to a friend? Did it work? Did they stop? Could you tell a teacher or another adult?

Post-Reading Activity: 

The book One by Kathryn Otoshi delivers a great message to kids about standing up for yourself.  It is an easy book to read aloud to your class but holds deep meaning and serves as a kickoff for meaningful discussions.  There is also a YouTube video that has students acting out the story while Kathryn Otoshi reads the book.  After students have read the story, they will work in pairs to capture what each color might be thinking, feeling or saying.

They will do this by typing in speech bubbles surrounding the dots of color as illustrated in the image.  You can see the website that students have access to here:https://sites.google.com/a/ncps-k12.org/south-school-diversity/

Print these files or use them within Comic Life(on the subpage) to have students work with partners to create thoughts or words in the bubbles that the colors might be thinking or would say.

Activities

• YELLOW.pdf   63k - May 26, 2011 11:03 AM by Ronna VanVeghel (v2) 
• RED.pdf   62k - May 26, 2011 11:03 AM by Ronna VanVeghel (v2) 
• PURPLE.pdf   67k - May 26, 2011 11:03 AM by Ronna VanVeghel (v2) 
• ORANGE.pdf   63k - May 26, 2011 11:03 AM by Ronna VanVeghel (v2) 
• GREEN.pdf   66k - May 26, 2011 11:03 AM by Ronna VanVeghel (v2) 
• BLUE.pdf   63k - May 26, 2011 10:58 AM by Ronna VanVeghel (v2) 

Showing 6 files from page Activity Files.

Reflection:

I absolutely love this book! One does a beautiful job of illustrating the many colors of bullying. Blue is a quiet, passive, calm color who gets bullied by hot headed Red. The other colors are bystanders who do not agree with Red’s behavior, but don’t dare say anything. Every time Red says something mean and no one speaks up, he grows larger and more intimidating. Luckily, the number One shows the colors how to stand up to Red. All of the colors, including Red, learn that everyone counts.

To watch the author read the book and have the book acted out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TGaDSMAS1E

Tough!

   
 Written by: Erin Frankel

Illustrated by: Paula Heaphy

Reading Levels: Grades 2-3

Interest Levels: Ages 5-9

Themes: Friendship, Kindness

Summary:

Sam is concerned about keeping things under control at school. She thinks people need to have a tough skin in order to fit in and get along with others. Sam teases her classmate Luisa and enlists a friend, Jayla, to help. But when Sam is confronted by a concerned teacher about her bullying, and Jayla turns on Sam and befriends Luisa, Sam begins to show some heart and rethink her treatment of others. 

PreReading Activity:

Look at the cover, ask the students to talk about the expressions on the characters faces. Does Sam, the one in the hood look nice or mean? What about the kids jump roping? The seem to be having fun. How about the one holding the rope? What could her expression mean? What do you think this book will be about?

PostReading Activity:

How did Sam change from the beginning of the book to the end? Why was she being mean in the beginning? Write some ideas about how you can be nicer to your classmates. Make a list of ways to be kind to others in your community.

About the Author:

Erin Frankel has an M.A. in English education and is passionate about teaching and writing. She taught ESL in Alabama before her recent move to Madrid, Spain, with her husband and three daughters. Erin knows firsthand what it feels like to be bullied, and she hopes her stories will help bring smiles back to children who have been involved in bullying. In her free time, Erin loves hiking in the Spanish mountains and kayaking in her hometown of Mays Landing, New Jersey.

Reflection:

This book, along with Weird! and Brave!, is a wonderful book that will be an asset to any classroom. This series discusses the issue of bullying in a clear and thoughtful way any child could relate to.