This Is The Dream

Title: This Is The Dream
Author: Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander
Illustrator: James Ransome
Grade Level: K-2

Summary: This book can be separated into two parts. First, it shows the ways in which African Americans were treated prior to the Civil Rights Movement. It shows many different examples of ways in which African Americans were poorly treated, such as, not being able to sit on the bus, drinking from different fountains and segregated schools. But it then shows how it took courageous people who stood up and fought for their rights for equality to exist.

SJE: This Is The Dream represents element 3 because it doesn't just celebrate that we are now a diverse nation, it shows how horrible African Americans were treated prior to the Civil Rights Movement. Also, this book does not shy away from the horrible ways in which whites acted towards African Americans. Though the words are simple and in a rhyme scheme, the illustrations say so much about the hatred that occurred. On one of the pages it specifically shows the four major figures during the Civil Rights Movement that truly changed the world we live in. In the end, it celebrates that we can live together equally, but that this was not an easy accomplishment.

Activities: There are so many activities that a teacher could do with this book. Two that I think would be really effective and fun include an art project and also a little research project. The artwork in this book is amazing. Not only are the pictures very good, but there are collage frames around many of the pictures that have signs that say "No Blacks Allowed" etc., but my favorite frame is towards the end of the book and there are faces with different noses, eyes, mouths, etc. I would have the students cut out facial features and bodies of all different races from newspapers or magazines. Then, they would be mixed up and each group would have all different features. The faces would ultimately have a variety have races represented. The point of this activity would be to show the students that just because we do not look alike, we are all apart of each other and it is necessary that we realize this. Also, another activity inspired by this book can be about the monumental figures in the Civil Rights Movement. This book focuses on four specific figures, so students could either be put into small groups and each group has a figure from the book or they could pick other figures that promoted similar causes. Each activity would promote element 3 by exhibiting how racism has effected African Americans and our lives today.

Other Information: I think this book can be extremely effective because it shows that all it took were people to fight for their beliefs to have these inequalities change, which can influence the next element showing that it is possible for change to occur.

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Different Like Me

Different Like Me by Marc Thomas is about an eight year old boy named Quinn who has Asperger’s Syndrome. Throughout the text he talks about the accomplishments, struggles, and characteristics of his autistic heroes. This text introduces children from the age of eight to twelve years old to well-known inspirational figures from the world of science, art, math, literature, philosophy and comedy. Historical figures such as Albert Einstein, Sir Isaac Newton, Lewis Carroll, Andy Warhol, and a few others have contributed to society in many ways yet they have had to overcome different forms of oppression. Quinn has a few things in common with each person mentioned, but mostly they are similar because they have had a hard time fitting in, not only their peers, but in society as well. This book is valuable to my classroom because it proves that diversity has impacted various groups of people in several different ways. This book represents element number three, Exploring Issues of Social Injustice. Although Quinn hadn’t dealt with racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, or religious intolerance, he faced another prejudice because of his handicap and so did every person mentioned throughout the story. This text allows students to learn about the struggles that these particular figures have overcome. I would use this book as a way to help students with low self-esteem and those who have a hard time fitting in with everyone else. As for the students who don’t have any issues, they can learn from this book as well because it proves that no one is better than anyone else. Everyone is capable of anything they set their mind too, just ask Albert Einstein.

You can purchase this book by clicking on the link below.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&isbn=9781843108153&cm_mmc=Google%20Product%20Search-_-Q000000630-_-Different%20like%20Me-_-9781843108153

The Egyptian Cinderella

Title: The Egyptian Cinderella

Author: Shirley Climo

Illustrator: Ruth Heller

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Lesson Plan Ideas

More Lesson Plan Ideas

The Egyptian Cinderella is a new and different cultural take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Rhodopis is the Cinderella in this story. She has no mother or father. From Greece originally, she was sold as a slave to Egypt. The Egyptian servant girls look down upon her because she is different. They all have straight black hair, brown eyes, and tan skin while Rhodopis has green eyes, tangled hair, and rosy skin from the sun. The Egyptian servant girls make fun of her and force her to do more work than she has to. Rhodopis has a talent in dancing and her master sees that one-day. He decides to buy her new beautiful shoes that are perfect for dancing. The Pharaoh of Egypt comes across one of her shoes when a falcon has stolen it and dropped it in front of him. He is determined to find the owner. He finds Rhodopis and the Egyptian servants are angry proclaiming that she is not Egyptian and therefore cannot be with the Pharaoh. The prince sees past the differences and says, “She is the most Egyptian of all…For her eyes are as green as the Nile, her hair as feathery as papyrus, and her skin the pink of a lotus flower.” The Pharaoh and Rhodopis are then married.

Element three is about exploring the issues of social justice, for instance, racism. This book shows racism from the Egyptian servant girls. They did not take kindly to Rhodopis because she looked different than they. When it came to the master and the Pharaoh, they were able to look past the appearances and differences and accept Rhodopis for who she was not what color skin she had. This book can show students that racism is not only in America it is a global issue. In class, especially a first grade or kindergarten class, we can do an activity that seems simple but sends a strong message. The teacher can print out blank faces on pieces of paper and have each child draw and color their own portrait. Once the portraits are finished, the teacher would hang them on a board in the classroom. This shows children that we are all different in our own ways and our skin color does not matter.