Golem

A Caldecott Award Winning Book!

Golem is a creature of Jewish legend. A puppet being made from clay that can only be created by the holiest of men. Rabbi Loew is one such man. He has called Golem forth in 16th Century Prague to protect his people from the Christian attacks and riots caused by the “Blood Lie”. Will Golem be willing to give up his new-found life in order to save his people?

This is a fascinating look at Jewish mythology that will prompt your students to look at the relationship between history and religion. Although this book may not always be suitable for classroom use, it is still an excellent recommendation for students who wish to delve deeper into the subject outside of the classroom.

Wisniewski, D. (1996). Golem. New York: Clarion

Show Way

A Newberry Honor Book!

Imagine holding your four year old daughter in your arms and whispering to her a story that’s been passed down from generation to generation. This is the story of one family’s journey through history passed down through the art of quilt-making. These patch-work pages are sewn together with bright colors, famous quotations, familiar faces, and pictures of important places and events.

Show Way is a pictorial representation of history that your kids can’t afford to miss. Not only does it emotionally expose one’s history, it emphasizes the importance of cultural and generational heritage captured in the folk art and storytelling tradition.

Show the Way to your students!

For online interviews and read alouds from Jacqueline Woodson, please visit: http://www.teachingbooks.net/spec_athr.cgi?pid=3460&a=1

Woodson, J. (2005). Show Way. New York: G.T. Putnam's Sons.

Black and White

A boy on a train?

Parents dressed head to toe in newspaper?



A burglar hiding in a herd of Holstein cows?

Southern Rail regrets any inconvenience this may cause you.

What could these four stories possibly have to do with each other? Read David McCaulay’s Black and White to find out!

A Caldecott Award Winning Book!

Black and White weaves together four different stories so that the events that occur in one story affect the events and outcomes of the other three. Why not use this book to introduce making a timeline of events? Or introduce ecosystems by making a concept map showing how one character (or organism) affects the others?

These are just some of the many ideas from Carol Hurst's Children Literature site. Check out her other lesson plans and units connecting popular childrens' books to the classroom! http://www.carolhurst.com/titles/blackandwhite.html.

Macaulay, D. (1990). Black and white. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Lon Po Po

A Caldecott Award Winning Book!
Please visit the following website for an accompanying cyber (online) lesson about Lon Po Po. Learn about the author, the country of China, compare Lon Po Po to the real Little Red Riding Hood story and much more!
http://publish.bsu.edu/00smtancock/CyberLessons/LonPoPo/



The shadows of the evening stretch forth across the pastel panorama to make the wolf eerily visible despite the darkness. Stalking across the shadows, he finds a home with three children who are all alone. The children are excited to see their Po Po (or grandmother), and invite him inside. Decieved by the cunning wolf, he promptly blows out the only light in the house. This isn't your typical red riding hood story. There's no adult around to save these three children. No, they must learn to think quick and fend for themselves to protect their lives and their home.

Have your students on the watch for the wolf who lurks in the shadows!

Ed Young (1989). Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story From China. New York: NY: Philomel Books.

Love and Roast Chicken

Meet Cuy the Guinea Pig. All he wants to do is eat his alfafa in peace. But who can do that with Tio Antonio the fox lurking around? Cuy will stop at nothing to trick Tio Antonio out of eating him. Whether it's convincing him the sky is falling or getting him to believe he's in love with the farmer's daughter, Tio Antonio always comes out on the losing end.

Love and Roast Chicken is a tale that will charm students with its wit and poignancy. It's the perfect way to introduce your students to trickster tales from around the world. Just between you and me, it's also a good book to read to your students about bullying. They might just learn that a little wit goes a long way. After all, how else could a guinea pig triumph over a fox?

Knutson, B. (2004). Love and Roast Chicken: A Trickster Tale From the Andes Mountains. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books Inc.

All Aboard The Bebop Express!

For an interactive audio reading, please visit the following website: http://www.nytimes.com/packages/khtml/2005/05/15/books/20050515_BEBOP_AUDIOSS.html
Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga Choo! Choo!

Welcome aboard the Bebop Express! This is your travel ticket for a journey through the American Jazz scene. Dance to the tune of drummers, singers, bassists, and the infamous Sax Man. Don't forget to stop in at New Orleans for the street jam show!

Be prepared for the ride of your life as you introduce your students to the sounds of Scat. See if they can guess who the famous musicians are! Why not research the 1940s and discover how these different musicians influenced their generation? Then, for the grand finale and presentation, invite your school's jazz band to perform, or have some of your band students put together a jazz ensemble.

Rat a tat! Rat a tat! Blam! Bop Blam! This book really teaches you how to get down with our jazz side! It connects you to the rhythm in a way that no other book can. It just makes you want to get up and dance! dance! dance!

Panahi, H.L. (2005). Bebop Express. New York, New York: Laura Geringer Books