What was the Boston Tea Party?

What was the Boston Tea Party? by Kathleen Krull

This story, What was the Boston Tea Party, is geared toward children grades 3 through 7 and was written in 2013 by Kathleen Krull.

In this story, the author describes the Boston Tea Party in a manner that will allow younger readers to better understand.  Also, the author uses descriptive words and higher level vocabulary that truly explains the meaning of the Boston Tea Party.  This version of the story also describes how younger people were involved in the event as well as adults. 

This book would be quite useful for teachers and parents/guardians to use as an introduction into historical events.  It allows children to realize that even as young people they too can make a difference in their communities, country, and world.  The award winning author has written a number of other books including Wilma Unlimited, Lives of the Musicians, and A Woman for President: the Story of Victoria Woodhull. 

As an example of a non-fiction, this story is accurate and clear.  Moreover, this book clarifies and extends historical facts.  The illustrations are black and white, yet use an outline form of pencil sketch to enhance the story beyond the text.

Motivational Activities:

1. Students can work in collaborative groups to create a timeline leading up to the event.

2. Students can write a poem describing the importance of the Boston Tea Party.

Reader Response Questions:

1. Describe the Boston Tea Party and its significance.

2. When did the Boston Tea Party really happen and what was the reason for it happening?

Krull, K. (2013) What was the Boston Tea Party? New York, Scholastic, Inc.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/kathleen-krull

https://youtu.be/t-9pDZMRCpQ

http://www.scholastic.com/content5/media/products/36/9780545640336_xlg.jpg

December Dog

December Dog is geared toward children in grades 2-3 and was written by Ron Roy in 2014.

This book is written by a former teacher who believes in providing children with good wholesome stories.  This story is part of the Calendar series of books. In this particular book, four friends find a lost puppy the day before Christmas.  The puppy has a ribbon around its neck so they know it must belong to someone.  Their task now is to find who the puppy belongs to in time for Christmas morning.  However, the children find out this will not be easy to do as they are presented with a number of obstacles on the way.  The book provides clever twists and is sure to be a page turner.

This book would be helpful for parents/guardians and teachers to use to demonstrate doing the right thing and returning property to the rightful owner. The author has written three chapter book series:  Capital Mysteries, A to Z Mysteies, and Calendar Mysteries.

As a contemporary realistic fiction, this offers believable characters in a realistic setting.   The story is imaginable and reveals well-defined conflicts of which the children overcome.  The illustrations are limited, yet  do enhance the plot and characteization.  The technique used is outline and pencil sketch.

Motivational Activities:

1.  Imagine and describe what you would do if you were to find a lost puppy.

2. Teacher will assist students in the making of snow.


Reader Response Questions:

1, How do the children determine the lost puppy must belong to someone?

2.Describe what snow feels like.

3. What are some characteristics of the month of December? Do they differ from state to state? Explain.

Roy, R. (2014) December Dog New York, Scholastic, Inc.

http://ronroy.com/index.php

Image:  http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/w101/w509253.jpg

Little Prickles by Kate and Gavin Nelson

Little Prickles is geared toward children in Kindergarten through third grade and was written in 2008 by Kate and Gavin Nelson.

This book is written by three seventh grade students who are all related; two are siblings (Kate and Gavin Nelson) and the third is a cousin (Layne Suhre).  They wrote this book to enter into the Kids Are Authors Competition.   Gavin and Kate have participated in this competition since the third grade and Layne was the illustrator for this particular book. The story is about Little Prickles, a porcupine, who thinks no one wants to play with him because of his pointy quills.  The other animals at school are reluctant to asking him to play "tag" or "duck, duck, goose" because he is too prickly.  Yet when they ask him to play other games he replies grumpily "Go away, I'm too prickly." Then one day at school the teacher, Mrs. Hoot, want the animals to write the alphabet and tells them to get a sharp stick.  Little Prickles offer his classmates his quills.  Ultimately he is left with just three quills which leaves him fearful of being eaten by a fox.  His new friends admit that they wanted to include him but he always sent them away.  So, the other animals walk him home every day to protect him.

This book is an excellent tool for both teachers and parents/guardians to teach children that their differences make them special.  In addition, it shows that being different is not a bad thing.  These sibling authors have also written The Music Inside Me which also was named the Grand Prize for Fiction in 2005.

As an example of an animal fantasy, this book offers animals as real life characters; students in school.  The illustrations are colorful and use line, and appear to use colored pencils and crayons.

Motivational Activities:

1. Students can draw a picture of what they believe is special about themselves and share their drawings with the class.

2. Students can write a paragraph about what they believe is their most special characteristic.

Reader Response Questions:

1. Describe how you think Little Prickles feels in the beginning of the story compared to the end of the story.

2. Explain why you think Little Prickles was nervous about playing with the other animals.

3. Compare this story to real life.  How do you think all children can feel as if they belong to the group even though they are different? Explain.


Nelson, K. & Nelson G. (2008) Little Prickles New York, Scholastic, Inc.

Image:  http://www.themontessorischool.com/uploaded/Middle_School/Little_Prickles_NEW.jpg

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

The Colors of Us is geared toward children ranging from 4 to 8 years of age and was written in 1999 by Karen Katz

This book is written by the author for her daughter, Lena, who is seven years old and adopted from Guatamala. Lena is preparing to draw a picture of herself.  Yet before doing so, she and her mother walk through the neighborhood.  During their walk, Lena recognizes that people have a variety of skin colors and shades.  By the end of the story Lena is able to create her picture  using a number of delicious colors such as cinnamon, honey, caramel.


This book is an excellent tool that could be used by both teachers and parents/guardians to teach children at a young age about the differences and similarities of those in their community.  In fact, since children tend to be more accepting of others and their differences this book may be of benefit to older children as well. The author has a number of other books that are related but about other cultures. For example, My First Kwanzaa, My First Chinese New Year, and My First Ramadan.  Katz also has authored many books geared toward very young children such as A Potty for Me, Where Is Baby's Belly Button, and Now I'm Big.  In addition, she has also written books about family relationships with baby (i.e., mommy, daddy).

As a contemporary realistic fiction book for children, this book offers believable characters in a realistic neighborhood setting.  Also, the illustrations are colorful while using a plethora of shades to create the various images described.


Motivational Activities:

1. Students will draw a picture of their family followed by sharing details of their drawing with their shoulder partner.  Each pair can share their drawings with the class and will share one positive comment about their partner's family to the class.

2.  The teacher can discuss examples of different color shades and then bring in the differences in skin color for different people.  They may opt to use animal examples first.  This would be an excellent approach to discussing diversity among people in the community.

Reader Response Questions:

1.  How old is Lena and what did she notice as she walked throughout her neighborhood?

2. What country was Lena adopted from?

3.  Describe how Lena used her observations from her walk to complete her picture.

Katz, K. (1999) The Colors of Us  New York, Macmillan Publishers


http://us.macmillan.com/thecolorsofus/karenkatz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PwCkX59WBo