Children Just Like Me
Kindersley, B. (1995). Children just like me. New York: Dorling Kindersley.
Reading Level: Age 6+ Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Group read aloud/Choice read for SSR
Diversity Focus: Multicultural/around the world
To Teach: This book allows for an unlimited amount of lesson plans. With the number of different cultures discussed, there are also a number of activities students could complete in order to better understand them all. In particular, students could choose one child in the book, and do a research paper on where they come from and what their culture is like.
*This book is beneficial to keep handy at all times. Students can reference this book when they are reading a new story with new characters from different parts of the world. making connections between the story and the children in this book can help the students gain a better understanding of what the storybook character might be like.
Diversity Focus: Multicultural/around the world
To Teach: This book allows for an unlimited amount of lesson plans. With the number of different cultures discussed, there are also a number of activities students could complete in order to better understand them all. In particular, students could choose one child in the book, and do a research paper on where they come from and what their culture is like.
*This book is beneficial to keep handy at all times. Students can reference this book when they are reading a new story with new characters from different parts of the world. making connections between the story and the children in this book can help the students gain a better understanding of what the storybook character might be like.
Fly Free!
Thong, R., & Neilan, E. K. (2010). Fly free!. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills Press.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Group read aloud
Diversity Focus: Vietnamese
To Teach: Along with stunning pictures created with watercolor on wood, the story is one of kindness; it is about paying it forward, and how a young Vietnamese girl helps another girl one day which in turn starts a string of good deeds. Students will be asked to consider and discuss ways that they can "pay it forward" and how they plan on doing so. If they could help anyone in the world, who would they help and why? Why is it important to help people in need of it?
Diversity Focus: Vietnamese
To Teach: Along with stunning pictures created with watercolor on wood, the story is one of kindness; it is about paying it forward, and how a young Vietnamese girl helps another girl one day which in turn starts a string of good deeds. Students will be asked to consider and discuss ways that they can "pay it forward" and how they plan on doing so. If they could help anyone in the world, who would they help and why? Why is it important to help people in need of it?
Heart and Soul
Nelson, K. (2011). Heart and soul: the story of America and African Americans. New York: Balzer + Bray.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Group read aloud
Diversity Focus: African American history
To Teach: Students have the opportunity to learn about African American history in such a beautifully illustrate, expressively written way. Students could compare the portrayals of the events in this book to the way that they had previously viewed them. How do they compare? Students could choose one of the main subjects of the book (slavery, abolition, the declaration of independence) and do further research on the topic.
*In another activity, students could talk about the relation between the illustrations and the text. Would the text be as meaningful without the illustrations? What about the illustrations? Discuss each image and the text it reflects. How do these images compare to older images?
Diversity Focus: African American history
To Teach: Students have the opportunity to learn about African American history in such a beautifully illustrate, expressively written way. Students could compare the portrayals of the events in this book to the way that they had previously viewed them. How do they compare? Students could choose one of the main subjects of the book (slavery, abolition, the declaration of independence) and do further research on the topic.
*In another activity, students could talk about the relation between the illustrations and the text. Would the text be as meaningful without the illustrations? What about the illustrations? Discuss each image and the text it reflects. How do these images compare to older images?
Henry's Freedom Box
Levine, E., & Nelson, K. (2007). Henry's freedom box. New York: Scholastic Press.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Real aloud
Diversity Focus: African American/slavery/freedom
To Teach: In the story, Henry compares the leaves on the trees to his family members. Students will cut out and decorate leaves and write their own names on them. A tree will be constructed in the classroom, and each student will put their leaf on the tree to represent their class family.
*In another activity, students have a celebration in honor of Henry's birthday (and all the slaves who never got to celebrate their birthdays). Children will discuss why slaves were never able to celebrate their birthdays as well as why it might be important to do so now.
Diversity Focus: African American/slavery/freedom
To Teach: In the story, Henry compares the leaves on the trees to his family members. Students will cut out and decorate leaves and write their own names on them. A tree will be constructed in the classroom, and each student will put their leaf on the tree to represent their class family.
*In another activity, students have a celebration in honor of Henry's birthday (and all the slaves who never got to celebrate their birthdays). Children will discuss why slaves were never able to celebrate their birthdays as well as why it might be important to do so now.
Mirette On The High Wire
McCully, E. A., Stevenson, N., & Gatti, D. (1992). Mirette on the high wire. New York: G.P. Putnamʼs Sons.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Group read aloud
Diversity Focus: French/gender
To Teach: In the story, Mirette's "hero" is the great Bellini and he is who she looks up to in terms of reaching her goal of one day walking the high wire tight rope (something no one thought a young girl would ever be able to do). Students will write a litter to their hero and share with them why they look up to them. If they could ask their hero any question, what would it be?
Diversity Focus: French/gender
To Teach: In the story, Mirette's "hero" is the great Bellini and he is who she looks up to in terms of reaching her goal of one day walking the high wire tight rope (something no one thought a young girl would ever be able to do). Students will write a litter to their hero and share with them why they look up to them. If they could ask their hero any question, what would it be?
Mirror
Baker, J. (2010). Mirror. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.
Reading Level: Age 5+ Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Independent read
Diversity Focus: Moroccan/Australian/cultural differences and similarities
To Teach: In this wordless book, 2 different cultures are shown side by side and compared. Through the images, the two characters show their similarities and their differences. Using the website www.epals.com, students will be able to communicate with other children their age from another part of the world. If possible, students, as a class, will collect/write about their own traditions and cultural practices to share with the other students. There will be a swap of information so each classroom can see what the other students culture is like, and whether they are different or the same. *If the box swap is not possible, there are a number of other ways to do this activity, ie: skype, letter, email.
Diversity Focus: Moroccan/Australian/cultural differences and similarities
To Teach: In this wordless book, 2 different cultures are shown side by side and compared. Through the images, the two characters show their similarities and their differences. Using the website www.epals.com, students will be able to communicate with other children their age from another part of the world. If possible, students, as a class, will collect/write about their own traditions and cultural practices to share with the other students. There will be a swap of information so each classroom can see what the other students culture is like, and whether they are different or the same. *If the box swap is not possible, there are a number of other ways to do this activity, ie: skype, letter, email.
The Other Side
Woodson, J., & Lewis, E. B. (2001). The other side. New York: Putnam's.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Group read aloud
Diversity Focus: African American/segregation/friendship
To Teach: A main theme of this book is point of view. What do each of these girls see on the other side of the fence? What does society see? Students will write a journal entry from the point of view of one of the characters in the book. What do they see? How do they feel?
*In another activity, students will write about what it means to be a friend and how they are friendly to other people. Can they see themselves in one of the main characters of the book? How so?
Diversity Focus: African American/segregation/friendship
To Teach: A main theme of this book is point of view. What do each of these girls see on the other side of the fence? What does society see? Students will write a journal entry from the point of view of one of the characters in the book. What do they see? How do they feel?
*In another activity, students will write about what it means to be a friend and how they are friendly to other people. Can they see themselves in one of the main characters of the book? How so?
Show Way
Woodson, J., & Talbott, H. (2005). Show way. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Independent read
Diversity Focus: African American history/family history/heritage
To Teach: This picture book maps out African American history in a way that is meaningful and descriptive. It also explores the past, present and future of this young girl's family heritage The quilt that has been passed down through generations tells a story of what times were once like. It is important to know where we all come from. Students will read this book independently and then make their own family quilt with drawings on different pieces of paper of different events/people that make up their own family history. Each piece will be glued together upon completion. Students will share their "quilts" when they are done.
*This book could be used in conjunction with Patricia Polacco's The Keeping Quilt.
Diversity Focus: African American history/family history/heritage
To Teach: This picture book maps out African American history in a way that is meaningful and descriptive. It also explores the past, present and future of this young girl's family heritage The quilt that has been passed down through generations tells a story of what times were once like. It is important to know where we all come from. Students will read this book independently and then make their own family quilt with drawings on different pieces of paper of different events/people that make up their own family history. Each piece will be glued together upon completion. Students will share their "quilts" when they are done.
*This book could be used in conjunction with Patricia Polacco's The Keeping Quilt.
Under the Moon and Over the Sea
Agard, J., Nichols, G., & Corr, C. (2002).Under the moon & over the sea. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 3rd Grade Delivery: Small literacy group
Diversity Focus: Caribbean
To Teach: In each small group, children will read and talk about the variety of poems found in this book. Each poem is different, and has something new to contribute to the collection. Each member in the small group will then write a few different poems about things that they find beautiful in their culture or where they live like those found in the book. Once the students have written their individual poems, they will then put them all together to create their own poetry anthology. What does the anthology say about their culture and where they live? How does it compare to the book?
Diversity Focus: Caribbean
To Teach: In each small group, children will read and talk about the variety of poems found in this book. Each poem is different, and has something new to contribute to the collection. Each member in the small group will then write a few different poems about things that they find beautiful in their culture or where they live like those found in the book. Once the students have written their individual poems, they will then put them all together to create their own poetry anthology. What does the anthology say about their culture and where they live? How does it compare to the book?