Bluebonnet lesson (week of 9/20/10)

Thing 7 - Reflect

Wow! I did procrastinate, but I didn't feel overwhelmed. I felt that the 7 things are really things I could incorporate into my library lessons. I have use Shelfari with some of my students and am pleased to see that several of them still use it and are in junior high now! I definitely like the sites with videos and just need more practice embedding the videos rather than just including a link.
I also really like Flickr. I love that there are sites out there with images that are OK to use.
The one thing I may have the hardest time using consistently is the Google Reader. It is just not a habit yet, but I do like the things I subscribe to because they are useful to me as a librarian.
After looking at the list of other Web 2.0 items it is overwhelming to think about them at this point. I was pleased that I do know about a handful of them and use them on a personal basis so it would be interesting to use them professionally. But, right now, with school starting I can't wrap my brain around it. Maybe later...

To be continued...

Thing 6 con't.

I do like using videos with my students. They love it and it keeps the lessons interesting. I really am surprised by the number of videos related to libraries and reading. There are some that are really funny and very appropriate for librarians and some great ones on copyright for sharing with teachers and lots for students to enjoy!

Thing 6 - You Tube & Teacher Tube

Thing 5 - Photos with Flickr

Someday I would like to have my struggling readers read to dogs in my library. I have read about this and as I was browsing Flickr I found an entire group of Animals Caught Reading! I love it! So, if I get this program going I could advertise with this picture I found:

Photo courtesy of Billychic; found on Flickr

(I'm still not sure how to give credit for using this photo. Any tips?)

Thing 4 - Google Tools

I signed up for Google Alerts. I am really interested in using book trailers this year in the library. This seems to be a hot topic in the library world so I would love to have any info. about them e-mailed to me. That way it will be in one area and I can go through them at one time. Right now I have to search a few different sites and I get lots of e-mails through LM_Net so to have the information come in one e-mail would really be helpful!

One of my favorite Google tools is Google Earth. I have used this in the library before and I can think of some books I want to use this year that would tie in really well using the views of the ocean. Don't forget about Google Lit Trips which already has the work done for you! What a great way to tie in geography in a way that kids will be more likely to remember.

Thing 3 - a wiki

I have created a wiki. I hope to use it with my 5th graders who are so anxious to use technology. I think it will be a great place for book discussions. It will give them time to process and write out what they think about what they are reading. It should help clarify their ideas by writing and reading other responses.

8/21/10 - I realized I hadn't really done anything on the wiki. I watched a video and discovered how truly easy it is! I made a list of books I read this summer. I read children's and adult books. I realized I need to read more books for me! Oh well, part of my job is to read for kids I guess and I do enjoy children's books.

I can see that it would be easy to let kids go to the wiki and then comment on the books once an initial list is there.
Click here to see my wiki

RSS feeds - Thing 2

OK, Thing 2 - RSS feeds. I have feeds from the blogs I follow, Technology for Teachers, and ReadKiddoRead. ReadKiddoRead is a great site that I always forget to check. It was created by James Patterson and Judy Freeman contributes a lot to the site. (Librarians and book junkies will know those names!) They have discussions, book lists, and have giveaways! Now, I won't miss out on the good stuff! I will definitely be adding more, but I don't want to overwhelm myself! Ha!
ReadKiddoRead

2 of my fav videos!

Gotta Keep Reading video

Dewey Decimal Rap

You won't be able to stop singing these after you watch them! Show them to kids, they love them!!

I'm back! (Thing 1)

OK, so maybe 23 Things was too many! Now, I am doing 7 Things (This is Thing 1) ! Much more manageable! I am excited to see if I can use this consistently because I think it will be great to use with my students!

23 Things

I am getting ready to dive into Web 2.o by doing something called 23 Things. I am excited. I'm getting ready to go out of town so I'll wait until I come back so I can devote more time to it.

Let's get this going again!

OK, I am ready to come back and blog here. I used this for grad school and after I graduated I haven't used it. I tried another blog, but it can't quite do what I wanted it to. So, here goes!

Culture 6 - Inclusive: FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF MELANIN SUN

Woodson, Jacqueline. FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF MELANIN SUN. New York: Scholastic, 1995. ISBN 0590458817

Melanin Sun is a 13 year-old boy. He is experiencing the typical things boys his age go through: hormone changes, girls, friends, insecurity. He has an extremely close relationship with his mom. When he finds out she's in love and who she's in love with it challenges what he thought was right. Readers will be moved by Melanin's emotions as he works through them in this story that may be more real than we think.

Jacqueline Woodson has created a character in 13 year-old, African-American, Melanin Sun that kids of similar and older ages will relate to. He is the type of person that boys and girls can understand no matter what race. He is quiet, observant, thoughtful, and writes about everything. He is living in an apartment in the city, has two close friends, is just beginning to show interest in a particular girl. He also shows how insecure he is around the opposite sex. It is important that readers bond with Melanin so that when his mother tells him her secret readers will be rooting for Melanin to find a way to be at peace. It's a coming of age story in a modern world with real emotion.
Many young people growing up today not only have to deal with the typical problems but also may worry about sexual preference. Because Melanin is quiet and thoughtful he seems to worry about his or at least how it appears to others. "I knew it was faggy to collect stamps but I didn't care. It was something I liked and as long as I didn't start wanting to kiss on Raphael and Sean, I was okay." His friends know he collects stamps and tease him so he is dealing with the inner conflict.
As an African-American Melanin and his friends also have issues with whites at times. Melanin and his mother go to the beach and he realizes "no one was as dark as me." When he gets teased by some white boys at the beach he feels "stupid then, dark and ugly. Alone. It made me hate white people in a way I hadn't thought about hating them before." His friends talk about wanting to beat them up but know they wouldn't. They all hold on to "the hate." This issue sets up part of the problem with his mother's secret.
When Melanin's mother tells him she is in love with Kristin, a woman, a white woman, his first reaction is that he will become what he has been reassuring himself he is not, gay. As he begins processing the new information he feels great anger, he wants to die, he punches walls, and cries. He screams obscenities at her and moves to feeling embarrassed because others will know what she is. Woodson does a great job of combining the actions and emotions so readers feel the fury inside Melanin.
Melanin retreats to his own world and works on putting some order back in his mind. When one of his friends makes a comment revealing he knows about Melanin's mother and her girlfriend the raw emotions come to the surface again in a physical fight that results in the ending of a friendship.
As the story comes to a close, Melanin is still dealing with wanting things to go back the way they were before the secret was revealed, ignoring his mother, yet wanting the love of his mother even though he doesn't agree with her choice. He feels so torn and Woodson writes to allow readers to feel the same. Melanin's close relationship to his mother finally results in a deep and sincere dialogue where the beginning of understanding is born for Melanin. His mother asks him to " ' see her [Kristin] as human, Mel. Just walk into one day without being so mad at me.' " Melanin wants to know how he's supposed to " 'walk out of it' " and she replies, " 'However you walk out of it.' " She gives Melanin some power in his feelings and how he views things but by asking him to keep an open mind he begins to see his mother as he did before. Melanin also questions Kristin about why she loves his mother. As he talks with her more he begins to allow himself to accept her thus accepting that this is his reality. He starts looking, also, for the time when this newness will be behind him. Readers are left with a sense of hope that Melanin will make peace with his new situation and hopefully more acceptance.
Woodson has done a terrific job revealing a side of this issue that most do not think about because it happens behind closed doors. Melanin shows us this is not an issue that kids go discuss with their friends. Woodson's descriptions of Melanin's thoughts and emotions bring him to life. Also, showing Melanin's and Kristin's conversations gives great insights to conversations that must have taken place before but aren't discussed openly in many circles. Woodson writes with a purpose, but it's the story and Melanin that will be remembered.

HORN BOOK GUIDE: "Woodson tells a powerful and ultimately hopeful story in this concise novel."

KIRKUS: "Melanin Sun's inner journey will leave readers moved and reassured."

Read other books by Jacqueline Woodson:'
FEATHERS
ISBN 9780399239892

Culture 6 - Inclusive: HABIBI

Nye, Naomi Shihab. HABIBI. New York: Simon Pulse, 1997. ISBN 9780689825231

Liyana is moving to another country. She has grown up in America and now her father is moving the family of four to his homeland - Palestine. She doesn't know this Arab side of herself. She doesn't know the relatives, the language, the customs, anything. It takes a friendship for her to begin to feel at home in this new place.

HABIBI is full of cultural markers towards the Arab culture. Cultural markers exist for the Jewish and Armenian cultures as well. The combination of all the cultures are woven together to tell the story of Liyana's family as they move from America to Jerusalem. Liyana, her mother, and brother were all born in America and always knew they would move overseas to experience the other half of their heritage. Liyana's parents decided this was a good time because of Liyana's and Rafik's ages, entering high school and middle school, respectively. Her father thinks it is safe enough to return to his homeland. Liyana is not sure this will be fun since she has just experiences her first kiss. The story is full of conflicting emotions in many of the character's lives and it will be reassuring for readers to see Liyana's inner thoughts throughout.
The idea of being immigrants is raised several ways. Liyana's father, Poppy, is an immigrant in the United States and his wife and children become immigrants in Jerusalem. After announcing the move, Poppy tells his family, " 'I never thought I'd become a citizen. I planned to return home after medical school.' " Poppy is preparing Liyana for the move by telling her "Arab women don't wear shorts" because they are inappropriate, as well as other tidbits about Arab women. Liyana's stress builds and we see what many people with dual heritage background may experience when face with the prospect of going to a place that is part of them but not known to them. She tells it to her father like this: " 'I'm just a half-half, woman-girl, Arab-American, a mixed breed like those wild characters that ride up on ponies in the cowboy movies Rafik likes to watch. The half-breeds are always villains or rescuers, never anybody normal in between.' " Liyana's character is admirable because she is bright and articulate and is able to put into words what many people her age cannot. Readers will admire and learn from her through her experience.
Liyana is a writer and we see bits of things she writes down, but one of her assignments before she moves is to interview her father about Jerusalem and discuss some of the issues from his point of view. Her paper has references to food and friends of different backgrounds but gives a simple explanation of some of the reasons for unrest in Jerusalem. "After the British weren't in control anymore, the Jews wanted control and the Arabs wanted control. Everybody said Jerusalem and Palestine was theirs. Too many other countries, especially the United States, got involved with money, guns, and bossing around." Liyana also shares information regarding what it was like during the fighting as it touched close to her father. Her paper also makes a reference to American Indians and how they "made my father very sad. He knew how the felt." This paper is integral to the story for background and will help readers who don't know the history from watching the news.
Once the family moves Nye gives readers vivid pictures of life in Israel. The tone is set for the story when the family is stopped at customs. The family is nervous and the reality of the peace that exists in America is not the same in Israel is apparent. The family begins their new life at a hotel in Jerusalem and is a good transition for them. The first time they meet Sitti, their grandmother, she blesses them and expresses her joy in a traditional cry, "threw her head back, rolled her tongue high up in her mouth and began trilling wildly." It is awhile before Liyana feels comfortable enough to go stay with her relatives in their village. She does not know their language and they do not know hers. It is a barrier that is overcome by love.
Cultural markers of appearance are introduced when meeting the relatives. Vivid details abound like Sitti's hands "tattooed with the dark blue shapes of flying birds." "The women's long dresses were made of thick fabrics, purple, gold, and navy blue, and stitched brightly with fabulous, complicated embroidery." "All the women wore gold bangle bracelets. The older ones had long white scarves draped and knotted firmly over their hair. The younger ones had bare heads, which made Liyana feel relieved." Details of the men's attire is given as well with differences noted for the older men. Rafik wants to understand names of relatives. A few words are thrown in interlingually but are explained well.
Liyana goes to an Armenian school and during lunch off campus one day meets a boy, Omer. Omer is Jewish, thus presenting a sensitive issue in the dynamics of the cultures of Israel. Omer is interested in Liyana's relatives but Poppy isn't sure the family would understand their friendship. She wins over her father by bringing up the issue of peace that he so desperately wants for his country. The relatives have mixed emotions regarding Omer's presence, but it is Sitti who welcomes him and opens the eyes of others in the family.
HABIBI is a must-read for students. Nye has woven together strong cultural markers and a strong story-line that captivates readers from the first sentence to the end. The themes of peace will be left with readers and could interest them enough to find ways to contribute.

BOOKLIST: "The story is steeped in detail about the place and cultures: food, geography, history, shopping, schools, language, religions, etc."

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "Nye's climactic ending will leave readers pondering, long after the last page is turned, why Arabs, Jews, Greeks and Armenians can no longer live in harmony the way they once did."

Read other works by Naomi Shihab Nye:
19 VARITIES OF GAZELLE: POEMS OF THE MIDDLE EAST
ISBN 9780060504045

Culture 6 - Inclusive: RULES

Lord, Cynthia. RULES. New York: Scholastic, 2006. ISBN 0439443822

Catherine is 12 years old. She has a brother that she thinks interferes with her having a normal life. Her brother has autism and although she helps him a great deal she is embarrassed in front of people who don't know and angered by people who make fun of him. When she makes friends with a boy who challenges her to define normal.

Rules, written, unwritten, and unspoken are all around us. "Most kids don't even consider these rules." Catherine writes rules for her autistic brother, David, as a way to hopefully avoid embarrassment. Most of the rules apply to us all and will make us laugh binding readers with the story and characters from the beginning. "Sometimes people don't answer because they didn't hear you. Other times it's because they don't want to hear you." "If you want to get away with something, don't announce it first." Readers can almost forget Catherine is only 12 since she is the one writing the rules for her brother. Her parents rely on Catherine to help care for David so it has made her mature faster than other girls her age. Catherine is endearing to readers because we see that she's not always comfortable being a caretaker and wants to do what everyone else is doing. "It feels deliciously easy to be visiting a friend's house without having to say first, 'Sorry, David, this is for me.'"
Lord does a great job showing Catherine as a normal girl experiencing frustration with her family that all girls and boys experience. Catherine is also frustrated by the fact that her dad chooses to distance himself from his family. He works late, spends time in his garden and takes David to his favorite place, the video store. Catherine reaches out to her father and asks to do something with him and he puts her off. "'Someday soon,' he says. 'I promise.'" Catherine thinks to herself, "I know he's just promising to stop me from asking again."
All students experience teasing and children with disabilities are no exception. Ryan, a boy in Catherine's neighborhood, has teased David and therefore, has an enemy in Catherine. Catherine meets a boy, Jason, at the OT's office who is in a wheelchair and doesn't speak. Catherine and Jason become friends and when faced with the prospect of being seen together at a dance steps back for fear of both being made fun of. Catherine's friendship with Jason began with her making word cards for him to use to point to when he wanted to "speak". She begins to see he is normal in his thoughts, ideas, and feelings, but his body is what makes him different. Even though she despises Ryan's treatment of her brother it is her desire to keep Jason hidden from others that forces her to question what she believes is normal and acceptable. When Jason asks if she wants to go to the dance she makes excuses and he sees right through and asks her "Are? You. Embarrassed. About. Me." It is the question we all wonder how we would answer. We hope we would answer it correctly but Catherine shows us our true answer may not be the right one and she realizes she must change her thinking. Her confrontation with the issue is realistic and universal. Readers will gain insight from Catherine and begin asking themselves how they would react.
Another important issue in RULES is that Cynthia Lord does not give clinical details about autism or Jason's disability. Facts about each one are woven into the story without becoming a distraction. One day at OT Catherine notices Jason is angry because he "slides his hand across his book, jabbing at cards. His fingers curl, clawlike, as his knuckle raps one word and another." Jason's "hands twitch, and he makes rumbling-throat sounds, near to growling." Autism has so many different characteristics but Lord gives readers enough tidbits of information to give a good visual of what he's like. David loves to go to the video store and has to "walk down each row of videos, flipping boxes over to read the parental advisory and the rating - even on videos Dad would never let him rent."
RULES is a great book that readers will love whether or not they have had any experiences with people with disabilities. Hopefully, it challenges readers to examine their own feelings towards people with disabilities.

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to think about others' point of view."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a child's disability."

Read other Schneider Family Book Award winners:
Sachar, Louis. SMALL STEPS. New York: Delacorte Press, 2006. ISBN 9780385733144

Culture 5 - Asian Pacific American: When the Circus Came to Town

Yep, Laurence. WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN. Ill. by Suling Wang. New York: Harper Trophy, 2002. ISBN 0064409651

When ten year old Ursula gets smallpox and decides not to go out in public until her face heals, it is Ah Sam, a Chinese cook working for her parents, who helps her realize she is more than her appearance. Set in the early twentieth century, WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN, is a book based on a similar event in Montana.

In WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN, ten year old Ursula is our main character. She is white and living in Montana during the pioneer days. Everyone around her is white except for one man, Tom, who lives outside of town. Tom is a Native American and not always accepted by people in town and those traveling through. Ursula's parents are kind to anyone of any culture and teach Ursula to appreciate all people. This offers a unique contrast during this time period and is integral to the other important character, Ah Sam. Ah Sam is Chinese and moved to America to provide for his family still in China.
When Ah Sam comes to work for Ursula's parents at their restaurant townspeople were not happy. "They said Chinese used a drug called opium. They would cheat and steal. They said a lot of other things too." Ah Sam gives a lot of cultural markers to the story. His appearance is what Ursula notices first: "The cook was a small man with long, slender fingers. His skin was a light tan, and his eyes were strange. But his hair was the funniest. It was shaved on the crown so his forehead looked real big. In back, though he wore his hair in a long pigtail. Ma called it his queue." Ah Sam later tells Ursula why he wears his hair in a queue: "the Manchus would kill me if I cut it...They are the barbarians who rule China...They make us wear our hair like horse tails. That reminds the Chinese of the horses the Manchus rode when they beat us."
Yep does a great job showing Ursula as well as readers that all people have similarities. When Ursula learns Ah Sam has a daughter in China she wants him to not feel sadness and also wants to know more about where he's from. She works hard to include him in her family's Christmas celebration and when she learns what it's about and to recreate it for him in her hometown. She learns that some things they do to celebrate are "important for Heaven. But we do other things, like eat lots, clean our houses. Men get haircuts. Maybe they trim their queue a little. And they shave the crowns of their heads. Anyone who has debts pays up. And we put money in red envelopes and give them out to children. We set off fireworks and beat gongs to scare away the bad spirits and have a dragon parade." Ursula gets all the town members to contribute and they all learn about Chinese New Year and that people from different cultures are valuable.
The town puts all their heart into Ursula's project because Ah Sam, a former circus performer in China, was able to get Ursula out of her house after smallpox left her face with permanent reminders. Ah Sam learned how much Ursula loved the circus and brought his cousins, also circus performers, to her hometown to perform, but said they couldn't perform without music. So Ursula's new-found skill of playing the harmonica was vital to her emotional healing process.
Yep blends so much cultural information with a strong story line of a young girl's emotional healing process that readers will learn about Japanese culture and not realize how much they are being taught. It's an excellent historical fiction work with cultural authenticity.

Find Elliot Paul's memoir which this story is based on:
A GHOST TOWN ON THE YELLOWSTONE
ISBN 9781417983353

Read other books by Laurence Yep:
DRAGON'S GATE
ISBN 9780064404891

DRAGON CAULDRON
ISBN 9780064403986

Culture 5 - Asian Pacific American: Tree of Cranes

Say, Allen. TREE OF CRANES. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991. ISBN 039552024X

Set in Japan, a boy learns about Christmas and his mother when she decorates a special tree with handmade paper crane ornaments.

TREE OF CRANES is full of cultural markers for Japanese culture through words and Say's watercolor illustrations. The story is set in Japan so cultural authenticity is a must and is evident throughout.
The opening line sets the reader's mind for awareness of differences between the Japanese and American cultures: "When I was not yet old enough to wear long pants,..." It seems odd because as the story progresses one realizes it is set in December and the boy narrating the story is wearing shorts, gloves, a thick sweater, and a scarf. The boy is playing at a pond, gets wet, and gets a chill. He heads home knowing his mother will be upset but evidence of a strong family bond is shown when he thinks to himself, "she might be happy just to see me." He is surprised she doesn't come right out to greet him so assumes she is sick. She takes great care of him to help him get over his cold, further evidence of a close bond.
The mother is also preparing a special celebration for her son. She is very secretive and the boy finds this very unusual. We discover through her story to her son that she was born and grew up in California. She is teaching him about Christmas but adds some Japanese touches. The tree is decorated with origami cranes she folded which are associated with making wishes. She tells him how the trees would be decorated with lights and ornaments and would have presents underneath. Right away he gets into the spirit of presents and asks for "a samurai kite!" He asks his mother what she would like as well and makes her a promise as his gift. When he wakes up Christmas morning he finds his kite left by the tree and the excitement he feels is the same as American children on Christmas day.
Many cultural markers are found in the illustrations. The traditional clothing worn by the mother throughout the story and by the boy when he is inside his house is accurately depicted. The home and furnishings are also culturally authentic. Readers will see sliding doors with rice paper windows, sparse furnishings with clean, simple lines, and the boy's bed - a futon with one pillow and a simple coverlet. The dishes used to serve the boy consist of a simple cup with Japanese symbols, a rectangular plate, a bowl, and chopsticks. When the boy looks out his bedroom window at his mother we see her in their outer courtyard which contains a well-kept garden. The most intriguing furnishing of the house was the wooden bathtub. It will capture reader's attention and lead to discussions of whether or not houses in Japan are really like the pictures in the book.
TREE OF CRANES is a beautiful book which will peak students' interest in Japanese culture. I shared this book with elementary students and they commented on every picture and had so many questions and comments about things that were unfamiliar to them.

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY - "The story is a poignant one, illuminated with finely drawn illustrations reflecting the serenity of a Japanese home and the quiet love between mother and son."

BOOKLIST - "Infused with gentle nostalgia, the quiet, graciously told picture book is a perfect blend of text and art."

Research and study Japanese clothing and housing.

Read other books by Allen Say:
THE BICYCLE MAN
ISBN 9780395506523

EL CHINO
ISBN 9780395778753

Culture 5 - Asian Pacific American: A Step from Heaven

Na,An. A STEP FROM HEAVEN. New York: Speak, 2001. ISBN 0142500275

A STEP FROM HEAVEN is the story of a Korean girl's life from age four to college. It is her life's story of her family's transition from Korea to America which she thought would be heaven. Her family's world is shaken because the reality of moving didn't match their dream of moving.

"Uhmma", "Halmoni", "Apa", "Harabugi" are family names used interlingually throughout A STEP FROM HEAVEN. Clues given in the text help readers learn what each word means: "Halmoni, who is old and has a sleepy blanket face, says that a long time ago Apa was young like me and she could boss him around." A few other Korean words are used in the text but a significant one is "Mi Gook" which means America. Young Ju believes they both mean "heaven", so she has great expectations when she moves there. She hopes her father, Apa, will stop drinking and breaking things in the house. When her parents find out for sure they will be moving she sees and feels peace. "No more mean eyes over the rice bowl, and my stomach keeps the rice inside like a good stomach is supposed to do. I hope they will talk about Mi Gook forever and ever."
Much of the story centers around family dynamics and their importance for the Korean culture. In Korea Young Ju's family that lives together includes her grandmother and they move to America without her. Young Ju is upset by this. Her parents want desperately to fit in with the American way of life and feel it's the best place for people with big dreams of prosperity. Young Ju's aunt and uncle already live in America and offer her Coca Cola to drink because "you can become a Mi Gook girl. Here, try this drink. Everyone in Mi Gook love Ko-ka Ko-la. They drink it like water. You will love it too." Young ju looks at it and doesn't drink it right away. Her father becomes very upset and Young Ju knows she "cannot show bad manners." She forces herself to drink it out of respect for her father and other family members. This passage shows the conflict within her father of wanting the American lifestyle but clinging to his Korean background where children would not disrespect, disobey, or question a parent. As the story progresses and the American dream is not coming true for Young Ju's father more conflict becomes evident. The violence he has at home towards his wife and children increases because he is drinking more. He is missing work more often, shirking responsibility which is a trait taken very seriously in his culture. We see references to the Korean newspaper and his demands that Young Ju speak Korean at home and not befriend an American girl because "she is a bad influence." He expects Young Ju never to question him or "be someone other than a good Korean girl daughter."
Young Ju shows readers how it feels wanting to fit in with peers yet being pulled back because her parents don't approve of all things American. She is torn because she knows her parents brought her to America for a better life yet she is corrected for not being Korean. She feels embarrassed by her home and family and keeps it hidden from her American friend. She will not allow her friend to see her home or meet her family. Yet, Young Ju feels comfortable going to the Korean church. The author really allows us to see the struggles of each member of this family that most would never have realized existed because many display a strong, unified front.
Another cultural marker related to the family values is the importance placed on education. Young Ju excels at school because her parents value education and she strives to please her parents. When she receives an award at school for her grades her mother is sad she could not attend because she had to work. Her mother wants to know it she bowed or had to make a speech and if she should send a gift to the principal because "he is a very important man."
A STEP FROM HEAVEN is a great book to help readers understand that just like abuse is often well-hidden within a home, so too are the struggles of a family moving from one country to another.

BOOKLIST: "As in the best writing, the particulars make the story, a first novel, universal."

THE HORN BOOK: "An Na displays an astonishing and memorable force."

Locate Korea on a map and try to learn other words in Korean.

Read other Michael Printz Award winners:
LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green
ISBN 9780142402511

POSTCARDS FROM NO MAN'S LAND by Aidan Chambers
ISBN 9780142401453

Culture 4 - Native American: The Girl Who Married the Moon

Bruchac, Joseph and Gayle Ross. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED THE MOON. Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing, 1994. ISBN 9781555915667

This is a collection of various nations' stories celebrating female rites of passage. It shows women as strong, brave and role models for younger generations.

The book begins with a note from Gayle Ross. Readers will learn much from reading this because it contains information about the importance of women in different nations and different regions in North America. "[A]mong all Native cultures, no force was considered more sacred or more powerful than the ability to create new life."
The book is divided into four sections for four regions in North America. Each section consists of four stories. Four is an important number in Native American culture, "four seasons, four winds, four directions, four stages in a person's life."
"Arrowhead Finger" tells the story of a girl who shows bravery and strength in the face of danger. Native language is seen in several stories. This one begins with the work, "Kita!" for listen. This story, like others, also gives details about lifestyle, foods, the importance of names, and types of houses. Different regions and landforms have different types of houses: longhouses, lodges and teepees.
The themes of respect and obeying elders is seen in most of the stories. Grave consequences follow those who do not follow advice from their elders as seen in "Chipmunk Girl and Owl Woman" when Chipmunk Girl's heart is cut out and eaten because she spoke to Owl Woman. Chipmunk Girl had been told by her grandmother "to be careful of dangerous people like Owl Woman and never talk to them."
Native traditions and ceremonies are also shown in relation to various tribes. In "How Pelican Girl was Saved" a girl disobeys after her special ceremony for her becoming a woman and became very sick. It took much to heal her but she learned from her mistakes to become a wise woman who was able to teach others.
This book is an encouraging book for girls of any culture but gives us a special glimpse into a culture we know little about because of stereotypes. This is a book that should be read if doing any type of lesson on Native Americans. The sources listed in the back of the book is also a valuable resource.

BOOKLIST: "Ross introduces the collection by noting that the role of women in traditional native cultures is 'perhaps the most falsely portrayed,' and indeed these tales bring a perspective that is little known outside the communities they represent."

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "An afterword and source notes close this useful resource for storytelling and multicultural learning."

Rewrite a chosen story as a Reader's Theater.

Read other books by Gayle Ross:
HOW RABBIT TRICKED OTTER (AND OTHER CHEROKEE STORIES)
ISBN 9780930407605

Culture 4 - Native American: Rain is Not My Indian Name

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001. ISBN 9780688173975

Rain is a 14 year-old girl with some Native American background. After Rain's best friend dies, she hides from everyone and everything. An assignment to shoot pictures of Indian Camp is the beginning of stepping out of her darkness. She realizes life is still going on and she wants to be a part.

Rain is a 14 year-old girl who is dealing with the death of her best friend. She is a typical girl who is experiencing things most girls are with friends, boys and family issues. Rain also has Native American heritage from both sides of her family, "I'm Muscogee Creek-Cherokee and Scots-Irish on Mom's side, Irish-German-Ojibway on Dad's."
Rain's aunt has decided to start an Indian Camp in their hometown for the few Native Americans there. Rain has decided not to attend but worries about "having hurt Aunt Georgia's feelings or having shown disrespect." Respect is an important characteristic with Native American groups.
The author gives several examples of negative stereotypes relating to Native Americans. Rain mentions how she's always hated the "song about counting 'little Indians' " and how things like "construction-paper feathers, a plastic paint pony, and Malibu Pocahontas" are indicators that "seem Indian." Rain gives readers insight into how it feels when others look at her and wonder about her being Native American because of her lighter coloring. People ask her, " 'How much Indian are you?' (About forty-five pounds' worth.) And 'Are you legally [or a card-carrying] Indian?' (Yes, but only on my mother's side.)" The issue of respect is mentioned again in reference to these questions asked of her.
Although Rain has grown up feeling distant from her Native American heritage by the time the story is wrapping up she wants "to connect with the Ojibway side of my heritage." It is a good message to encourage readers to find out about their heritage.
The author's note in the back of the book explains that the book is a work of fiction. Several of the places mentioned are true, for example, Haskell Indian Nations University.

KIRKUS: "Tender, funny, and full of sharp wordplay. Smith's first novel deals with a whole host of interconnecting issues, but the center is Rain herself."

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "[R]eaders will feel the affection of Rain's loose-knit family and admire the way that they, like the author with the audience, allow Rain to draw her own conclusions about who she is and what her heritage means to her."

Students should find out what cultural heritage they are and research it.

Check out http://www.oyate.org for authentic Native American information and resources.