Mini Text Set Assignment

Caitlin Adams
EED379-03

Part 1: Text Set Concept- Change

Image of Book

Bibliographic information

Book 1: Literary Picture Book to Introduce Concept

Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Lexile level: 650
Summary: This book addresses a young childs, Trisha, difficulty with reading. No matter
what she can never get the letters quite right to make sense. Her difficulty with reading
begins in kindergarten and transcends until 5th grade, her peers begin to tease her for her
inability to read what they can. That is when Mr. Falker comes to her school and becomes
her teacher, for Trisha everything changes. Together they work hard and soon she becomes a
fantastic reader.
Connection to Concept: Like many people in real life, when faces with adversity Trisha
shut down. She assumed that she just wasnt smart because she couldnt read like the other
children could. However it took one event in her life, the arrival of Mr. Falker to change her
life. This book highlights that change does not always have to be negative, it can be positive
as well.
Comprehension Questions:
Literal: Who helps Trisha learn to read?
Inferential: How does Trisha feel about her inability to read?
Evaluative: Have you ever experienced change like Trisha in you life?
Classroom Uses:
Read Aloud at the beginning of the unit as an introduction to begin discussing change
and the various forms that it can take, both positive and negative.
Writing Mentor Text
Alienation/Isolation- Always when it was her turn to read, her teacher had to help
her with every single wordTrisha began to feel different. She began to feel
dumb.

Book 2: Informational Text

Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum.
Lexile level: 1090
Summary: This book shares the two childhoods of of John Lewis and James Zwerg, a black
boy and a white boy respectively. The join together in a fight against segregation by joining

the freedom riders, a group who travelled to the south via bus with no regards for the
segregation laws in place.
Connection to Concept: This book demonstrates the change that has occurred within our
society in regards to race and brings up a great point about how quickly change can occur. It
allows for a great compare and contrast for the events that occurred during the Civil Rights
Movement and what we see in society today.
Comprehension Questions:
Literal: What two boys is this story about?
Inferential: What drives John and James fight?
Evaluative: How has our society changed in regards to the segregation that
James and John faced?
Classroom Uses:
Specific excerpts are taken from this book and a different one is presented to students
in small groups. They are asked to read these excerpts as a group, coming up with
one way things have changed in regards to race in our society based on the excerpt
they were given.
Writing Mentor Text
Fright- "When we arrived in downtown Montgomery, ...it was so quiet, it was so
eerie, it was almost frightening....The bus drove into the parking deck at the station,
opened the door, and the moment, the very moment that we started down the steps of
the bus, this mob came out of nowhere."
How to discuss personal events that occur and autobiographical content.

Book 3: Literary Text: Historical Fiction

The Lily Cupboard by Shulamith Level Oppenheim
Lexile level: 420
Summary: This book tells the story of a young Jewish girl names Miriam who is shipped off
to a strangers house to live with them during the Holocaust until it is safe for her to return to
her family. She must hide behind the wall of this familys house to ensure that the Nazis do
not find her.
Connection to Concept: Miriam experiences a great change in her life, she is not only
separated from her family entirely but she must also live in conditions that are completely
foreign to her. She has never experienced a situation where her life was literally on the line,
this is a great adjustment for her and it is clear to us as readers.
Comprehension Questions:
Literal: Who agrees to help hide Miriam from the Nazis?
Inferential: How do you think Miriam feels being hidden from the world?
Evaluative: How realistic is Miriams story?
Classroom Uses:
Read aloud to whole group
Compare and contrast how this instance of change is different from the ones weve
looked at in previous books
Writing Mentor Text
Figurative Language- my mother nearly crushes me against her chest
Concern/care- Mama, I whisper, what are you and Papa going to do? Will you be
safe?

4: Interactive Online Resource

Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/
Summary: This online resource allows students to virtually tour specific part of Ellis Island.
It also allows them to read stories of real life immigrants that are their age, making the topic
more relatable to them. It also provides a timeline of the use of the island for immigration
use and multiple charts and graphs assessing various data on the topic. For instance the
amount of immigrants per year as well as them broken down their nation of origin.
Connection to Concept: This connects with change because it allows the students to see

how the demographics of our country have changed overtime. As well we how the lives of
the children telling their stories has changes since they have moved to America.
How this digital resource offers value that goes beyond what the
paper books offer:
Students can access various interactible graphics, including up to date
graphs, as well as a virtual tour of the present day Ellis Island. This
information/place can change all the time, making the up to date
information extremely useful. Within a paper book, the information can
easily become out of date in as little as a year.
Classroom Uses
Students can examine the individual stories of the children telling
their stories in small groups. After choosing a story they can do
research on how their lives may have changed based on what
country theyre from and the culture they practiced before coming
to this country.
Students can collect data from the sites graphs and predict what
will happen in the next year, 5 years and 10 years.

Book 5: Literary Picture Book, Non-Fiction

Escaping to America by Rosalyn Schanzer
Lexile level: 1040
Summary: This book tells the story of the authors fathers trip to American as a child
immigrant. It compares the way of life that he experiences in both places and how they are
drastically different from one another. In addition to this obvious change for the family
come with the struggle of actually getting to American from their homeland.
Connection to Concept: Immigrating to a land that is completely unfamiliar to you can be
scary and life changing. The story of the authors father and grandparents really hits home
how different a new country can be for the many immigrants that arrive. The society,
culture, people and geography is something that is completely foreign to them and can result
in many burdens in a new land.
Comprehension Questions:
Literal: Why does the family uproot their life in their homeland?
Inferential: What makes this narrator a reliable source for this story?
Evaluative: What does these characters and this story remind you of in real life?
Classroom Uses:
Read Aloud to the whole class
Discuss personal experience, if someone is an immigrant or knows someone who is
an immigrant or has a family member who is an immigrant. Sharing those stories
and relating them back to the story.
Creating a suitcase of things that we would pack and consider essential if we needed
to immigrate to another country. What is important to us? How do these items differ
or remain the same as the story?
Writing Mentor Text
Description of setting/Figurative Language/Comparison- First-class passangers
stayed in fine cabins up on the deck, but the Goobetis family and many others
travelling in steerage were packed like sardines down below,

Book 6: Literary Picture Book: Historical Fiction

Freedom School, Yes! by Amy Littlesugar
Lexile level: 390
Summary: Together Annie, a teacher, and Jolie, her student, experience the difficulties of
participating in the controversial Freedom School during the civil rights movement in
Mississippi. Together they both face discrimination for their choices to fight for a better life
and learn that this battle will not be an easy one. Several tribulations offset the start of the
Freedom School, including a fire that burns down the church that was supposed to house the
school. Now that this major setback has influences the start of the school they must find a
way to education the public in another way,
Connection to Concept: This text is a great way to pose the idea of comparing pre and post
segregation periods in history. Bringing forward questions of how some things have
completely changed while others havent changed as drastically and how this affects our
every day lives both within this country and around the world.
Comprehension Questions:
Literal: What is the name of the main characters?
Inferential: What is the root cause of the problems that the characters face in this
story?
Evaluative: What makes this story realistic?
Classroom Uses:
Discussing how accurately this story captures the actual story of the Freedom
Summer School Project in Mississippi
Write a letter explaining your stance on the Freedom Summer School Project and
why you support or dont support it
Writing Mentor Text
Word Choice- a brick burst through the front room window of Jolies house,
shattering the stillness. (alliteration)

Book 7: Literary Picture Book

Mr. Peabodys Apples by Madonna
Lexile level: 860
Summary: In this story the idea of prejudging people based on the way that they act is a
huge lesson. Mr. Peabody, a local Samaritan and little league baseball coach, is accused of
being a thief by his own players. This is because one day he is seen taking an apple from a
local apple stand without paying. This begins a slew of rumors and lies surrounding Mr.
Peabodys integrity. When the truth is found out it changes everyones view of Mr. Peabody
and his reputation is altered forever.
Connection to Concept: This story demonstrates how change can occur on intangible things
as well as tangible things. Mr. Peabodys reputation s changed, which is unobservable
visually, but is felt by everyone in the town. It also teaches children that sometimes change
is not easily undone and can be difficult to fix if we have prejudged a situation or person
incorrectly.
Comprehension Questions:
Literal: Who begins the rumor about Mr. Peabody?
Inferential: How do you think Mr. Peabody felt when his reputation was tainted?
Evaluative: Has someone ever made you feel similarly to how Mr. Peabody must
have felt?
Classroom Uses:
Read Aloud at the beginning of the unit as an introduction to begin discussing change
and the various forms that it can take, both tangible and intangible forms.
Discuss how change can personally affect an individual
Writing Mentor Text
Figurative Language- The wind carried the thousands of feathers far and wide
Mr. Peabody said Now you must go pick up all the feathers. Tommy frowned, I
dont think its possible to pick up all the feathers replied Tommy. It would be just
as impossible to undo the damage you have done by spreading the rumor I am a
thief, said Mr. Peabody Each feather represents a person in Happville.

Part 2: Text Set Essential Questions and Vocabulary

Text Set Concept

Three Essential
Questions
that could be revisited
throughout the reading of
the text set to help
students think deeply
about the concept. The
questions must work with
all of your texts.

Change

Text Set Topics

Civil Rights Movement

Immigration
Reputation
Disability
Holocaust
1. What does change look like in the context of this authors story?
2. How has the world changed from these stories perspectives?
3. How might the world continue to change moving forward?

Essential Question Text Chart for: CHANGE

What does change
How has the world
look like in the
changed from these
context of this
stories perspectives?
authors story?
Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
In this story, there is
Schools are more
a change in the way
hands-on with
her teachers
students that have
approach Trishas
literacy issues earlier
inability to read;
on in their education.
because of that
These modern
change she becomes practices would have
a successful reader.
improved Trishas
In turn, her peers see experience in school
her differently and
tremendously.
begin to be more kind
to her.
Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum.
This story depicts the Legally speaking, in
difference in beliefs
terms of racial
of the North and the
equality, all people are
South during the Civil given the same rights

How might the world

continue to change
moving forward?
I believe that we can
only go up from here
in terms of our
literacy advancement
in early education.
Early intervention has
become a
tremendous resource
to children and I only
think that well be able
to improve that as
time goes on.
I believe that the
world will make vast
improvements to
racial equality in the

The Lily Cupboard by Shulamith Level

Oppenheim

Rights Movement
very clearly and
presents the change
in the treatment of
colored people over
time.

to things attain the

same life.

The main character of

this story, Miriam,
experiences a great
change when she is
separated from her
family for reasons she
does not understand
and locked away in a
neighbors wall in
order to keep her
safe.

In present day, we no
longer persecute
individuals for their
religious beliefs and it
is considered a human
right to be able to
believe in whatever
sect you choose to.

Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today

N/A
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigr
ation/

It is just as hard for

these individuals to
leave their home
country as it always
has been. However,
the modernization and
industrialization of
most of the world has
made it easier to
adapt than ever
before.

Escaping to America by Rosalyn Schanzer

Today, we are
accepting of all
immigrants and allow

In this story the main

character and his
family undergo a

future. Allowing all

people of color to fully
be able to attain all
the opportunities that
are present for white
people. Allowing skin
colors affect on the
world to be obsolete.
I believe that in the
coming future, we will
try harder as a
society to continue
this human right and
also change the way
we view people of
certain religions. We
will try to end
stereotyping based on
religion and realize
that those beliefs
dont mean that an
individual is clearly
good or bad.
I think that in the
future, the world will
adopt the view point
of America on both
human rights and
equality. Making
immigration obsolete
for the purpose of a
democratic safe
haven. This will allow
all cultures to coexist
in harmony.
I think in the future
we will work harder to
break the stereotypes

Freedom School, Yes! by Amy Littlesugar

Mr. Peabodys Apples by Madonna

major cultural change

when leaving their
war-torn homeland
and travelling on a
challenging journey
to America. They not
only undergo a
change in landscape,
but a major change in
their everyday life
when they arrive in
their new home.
This story addresses
the change in both a
student, Jolie, and a
teacher, Annie,
undergo when they
become part of a
controversial
movement called the
Freedom Summer
School Project. This
project advocates for
a change in education
that allows colored
people the right to
attend school.
In this story, Mr.
Peabodys reputation
is easily altered by a
small rumor that is
spread by a nave
little boy. This
defame of his
character leads to
some serious
consequences in his
everyday life.

them to all the

opportunities that a
legal citizen of this
country is entitled to.
An employer is no
longer allowed to say
that they do not hire
immigrants from a
certain country; all
people are entitled to
the same
opportunities.
All children of all racial
backgrounds are
entitled to the same
education. They are
ensured teachers with
the same
qualifications and that
they will be taught the
same curriculum as
anyone else in the
state.

surrounding
immigrants. Realizing
that they are not lazy
people but instead
some of the most
hardworking that we
will ever encounter.

Presently, we still
allow the words of the
few, and sometimes
untrue, speak volumes
to an individuals
character. There has
been little change to
that fact, other than
the internets
incredible fact
checking ability, which

I hope that in the

future we work harder
to make factual
information available
to the public without
the taint of personal
opinion or lies pushed
upon it. Everyone
should have the right
to factual, unaltered
information.

I believe that in the

coming years we will
work harder to ensure
that intercity school,
with a larger minority
demographic, will be
provided an equal
opportunity to the
same resources as
suburban schools with
a majority white
demographic.

allows anyone to
access the truth at
any time.

Vocabulary

Select 4
important
CONCEPTUAL
vocabulary
words that
would be
important for
students to
understand in
order to
discuss the
concept like
experts.

Word

1. Diversity
2. Adversity
3. Persecution
4. Migration

Other
morphologic
ally
related
Student-Friendly Definition
words
that
could
be
taught
When there is a mixture of different thing or Diverse,
people in one place
diversify
When someone faces many challenges
Adverse,
adversary
When someone is treated unfairly because of Persevere
their personal beliefs, religion, or race
When a group of people moves from one area Emigrate,
to another
immigrant,

High utility
morphemes
that could
be taught
versverspersecumigr-