Dear America Hear My Sorrow: The Diary of Angela Denoto, a Shirtwaist Worker

Dear America Hear My Sorrow: The Diary of Angela Denoto, a Shirtwaist Worker

By: Deborah Hopkinson

Published by: Scholastic Inc.

Diary, Historical Fiction

 

Angela Denoto immigrated to the United States four years ago, when she was ten from Italy. Her family moved here because, believe it or not, life was better here with more work and even running water! In the beginning of the story, Angela is still attending school, but soon has to inform her teacher that she must leave to work and help her family. Of course her teacher is disappointed, but gives Angela this diary to write in and practice her English.

Angela gets a job in a shirtwaist factory sewing the clothes. Of course, working conditions weren't great during this time period, but Angela soon finds herself involved in the labor strikes of this time. She meets a friend Sarah who also works in the factory, and they work on the strikes together. Angelas sister is not happy that she is involved in this and won't talk to her. Her parents urge her to be careful. Along with the strikes, Angela's sister passes away during the winter, and later in the story, her sister is involved in the famous Trianlge Shirtwaist Factory fire.

 

Reading Level:

     Grade Level Equivalent: 4.4

     Lexile Level: 740L

 

Suggested Delivery:

     individual read, small group read

 

Electronic Resources:

http://www.deborahhopkinson.com/Historical%20Fiction/sorrow.html

This is the author's personal website. The specific page for this book has a summary of the story, as well as links to other websites that would be helpful in teaching this and links to lesson plans for teachers.

 

http://pbskids.org/bigapplehistory/life/topic13.html

This is a real life history of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. The article is simple for students to understand, but gives the important details of that day.

 

Key Vocabulary:

shirtwaist, hod carrier, tenement, scabs, pushcart, peddler

Comprehension Strategies:

Before Reading:
Initiate the lesson by telling students that a new rule has been passed and we will be going to school 6 days each week now. When students react, ask them how that makes them feel. Students will of course object to the new plan. Explain to them that the main character of this book is only 14 and has to work 6 days each week in a factory, sometimes until 8 o'clock at night. Explain that this was a hard period in time for many immigrants in America because they were just settling in here and had to pay rent and such.

During Reading:
Students will read independently and are encourage to look up tough words they don't know. The teacher will circulate during reading time to check on students'. In order to guide reading a bit more, provide a graphic organizer where students can keep track of the characters, and their traits, as well as events in the story.

After Reading:
Students will be asked to read the 'Historical Note' in the back of the book after finishing the story. This section gives historical information about this time period in history. After reading this, students will be asked to write an opinion piece, based on the story and the historical information, about what role they would have played, if any, in the Labor Strikes. Students will be expected to used details from the story and the 'Historical Note.'

Writing Assignment:
The tenement building Angela lives in in the story is seen in a very different light than historically correct. Students will be asked to visit different websites about these living situations and write one journal entry as Angela, simply talking about her apartment and what it was like to live in a tenement building.



 

 

Hopkinson, D. (2004). Hear my sorrow: the diary of Angela Denoto, a shirtwaist worker. New York: Scholastic.

 

Remember: The Journey to School Integration

Remember: The Journey to School Integration

By: Toni Morrison

Published by: Houghton Mifflin Company

Nonfiction, Diverse Literature

2005 Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award

 

This beautifully told tale of the integration of schools in the United States is a photographic journey of the timeline of events. The story begins with decrepit school houses for colored children only, while white children were going to school in nicer schools. The next step on the journey towards integration was the Supreme Court Decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. After this important decision was made, the photographs take you through the upheaval throughout the country and the protesting. The story also includes such iconic figures as Ruby Bridges and Martin Luther King Jr. Of course, at the end of the story, all children were in school together and learning amongst one another. Each photograph is accompanied by what the author, Toni Morrison, believed the people were thinking or saying. This gives an interesting perspective for children reading the story and how the story is told. 

Reading Level:
     Grade Level Equivalent: 5.7
     Lexile Level: 660

Suggested Delivery:
     read aloud, independent read, group read

Electronic Resources:
http://zinnedproject.org/posts/category/explore_by_theme/civil-rights-movements
This website would be a great resource for teachers in teaching this book. There are multiple different resources and lessons about the Civil Rights movement, including Brown v. The Board of Education, Martin Luther King Jr., and specific lessons on school integration.

http://www.multcolib.org/homework/civilrights/lessons.html
This website also had many resources and lesson plans for teachers about Civil Rights.

http://pbskids.org/wayback/civilrights/index.html
This PBS site has games, photos, important people and articles about Civil Rights and other important historical events.

Key Vocabulary:
segregation, integration, Brown v. The Board of Education, Supreme Court, NAACP, Freedom Riders, Ku Klux Klan, Little Rock Nine, Ruby Bridges, Martin Luther King Jr.

Comprehension Strategies:

Before Reading:
This book relies a lot on the photographs to tell the story, so knowing the historical background behind the photographs is important. Give students a brief lesson on some of the vocabulary and historical events they will need to know before reading.

During Reading:
During reading, remind students how important the pictures in books can be. Tell them to look carefully at each picture to see what was going on when it was taken. How would they feel if that were happening to them? Why do they think this is happening? Do they know who some of the important people are in the photographs?

After Reading:
Have the whole class work together to make a list of all the important events that happened in the story. (HINT: there is a timeline in the back of the book) Assign at least two students to each large event and have them write a newscast about the event. They can then present this to the class.

Writing Assignment:
Students can do what Toni Morrison did to write this book with their own photographs. Find photographs of this time period or another important time period for each student. Students will write a story explaining what is happening in their photograph, being sure to use all the important parts of a story.

Morrison, T. (2004). Remember: the journey to school integration. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co..

Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest: Where Birds Begin

Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest: Where Birds Begin

By: Irene Kelly

 Published by: Holiday House

NonFiction

 

 

This short, non-fiction picture book gives the reader insight into the many different kinds of birds and their nests from around the world. Some birds build small, intricate nests out of grasses and spider webs, while other birds, like the Bald Eagle build huge nests that weigh as much as a car. Of course, there are some birds, like the Emperor Penguin who balance it on their feet and cover it with their soft belly to keep it warm. The 32 page beautifully illustrates picture book takes the reader through the many different kinds of birds and their nests, and even has a map of all of the birds from around the world!

 

Reading Level:

     Age Level: 5 and up

 

Suggested Delivery:

     Read Aloud

 

Electronic Resources:

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/bird.html

This page has a list of facts about birds for kids. Also, by following other links from this page, students can learn about many other different types of animals as well.

 

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/animals-pets-kids/birds-kids

This National Geographic link has many different videos about different kinds of birds around the world. There are videos about different kinds of birds including osprey, eagles, vultures and lovebirds. There is even a video entitled "Egg-Cellent Idea" that would go along very well with this informational story.

 

Key Vocabulary:

predator, vegetation, Potoo, Blue-Footed Booby, Murre, Atlantic Puffin, Wandering Albatross

 

Comprehension Strategies:

 

Before Reading:

Before reading the text aloud, hold up the cover of the book to the class. Ask students what comes to mind when they see the cover and what they think the book will be about. Have students brainstorm their ideas, and write them on the board. After students have brainstormed the different birds or topics they think the book will include, have students help you organize their ideas into categories.

During Reading:
As a class students and the teacher will fill out a discussion web. This type of organizer helps students categorize which facts are important and which are unimportant. Using a large piece of chart paper or the board, make two columns labeled important vs. unimportant. As you read and students hear facts in the story, have them raise their hand when they think something could go in either column.

After Reading:
After reading the story have the class work together to put the facts from the before reading strategy and the during reading strategy. Students can work in pairs to fill in a graphic organizer with all of the appropriate facts. Students need to be sure that the incorrect facts from the before reading strategy are not included in their final product.

Writing Assignment:
Choose a type of bird from the non-fiction text. The student would be responsible for learning 5 new facts about this type of bird, other than its nesting type. The student will write these facts in paragraph form and share with the class.  

 

Kelly, Irene. Even an ostrich needs a nest: where birds begin. New York: Holiday House, 2009. Print.

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Dear Mr. Henshaw

By: Beverly Cleary

Published by: Scholastic Inc.

NonFiction, Diary/journal, Read-Aloud

 

The main character Leigh Botts is a young second grade boy who writes to Mr. Henshaw for an assignment in school. When the author writes back with questions for Leigh, his mother insists he answer them, turning his school assignment into a long term pen pal relationship. Through the letters Leigh writes, the reader learns about his parents' divorce, his relationship with his father, his new school and the lunchbox theif. Mr. Henshaw encourages Leigh to start keeping a journal which he does and improves his writing with each entry. Leigh's dream is to become a writer himself one day, so any advice he gets, he takes. The story follows Leigh as he grows up and moves up in grades.

 

 

Reading Level:

     Grade Level Equivalent: 4.7

      Lexile Level: 910L

 

Suggested Delivery:

     Read aloud, guided reading

Electronic Resources:
http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/teachers/connections/pdf/DearMrHenshaw.pdf
This is a link to a pdf file with resources for teachers. The file has questions for students, activities for the class and different extension activities.

http://www.beverlycleary.com/
This site is the world of Beverly Cleary. There are interactive links to all the different characters from her books, including Leigh, as well as links to her books, games and a biography abot Beverly Cleary.

Key Vocabulary:
gondola, partition, forefingers, mimeographed, refinery, insulated

Comprehension Strategies:

Before Reading:
Have a conversationg with students about what a role model is. In this story, Leigh idolizes Mr. Henshaw because he wants to be a writer one day too. Have students volunteer who their role model is and why. Talk about setting goals for what they want to be when they grow up and think of who role models for these careers could be. This would be a good initiation for the story becuase Leigh wants to be a writer like Mr. Henshaw.

During Reading:
As the story is read aloud to the class, remind students that, although it is not explicitly written, Mr. Henshaw is writing back to Leigh. Students can use their inferential comprehension to try to predict what Mr. Henshaw's letters to Leigh might say.

A different part of the story that could be confusing to students is the mention of many different places where Leigh's father travels. As the story is read, have students mark on a U.S. map all the places Leigh mentions in his writing.

After Reading:
Have students write about their own role model. Students can write a letter to this role model asking for advice for their future career. Somewhat like the project Leigh had to complete in the story, students can write to this person asking for advice, then writing a report about this person and their influence on their life.

Writing Assignment:
As technology keeps advancing, the use of 'snail mail' seems to be falling by the wayside. As an extended writing assignment, set students up with pen pals from another class, another town or a class from across the country. Students will get constant practice with basic writing conventions and will always have something to look forward to!

Cleary, Beverly, and Paul O. Zelinsky. Dear Mr. Henshaw. New York: Morrow, 1983. Print.