Title: Digging A Hole to Heaven

Author:​​  S. D. Nelson
Copyright: 2014
Publisher: Abrams Books Publication
Reading Level: 6.3
Description:​ mining, poverty, struggling, courage, shocking
Suggested Delivery:  Independent

Electronic Resources:
Child Labor in U.S History

This website includes lots of information about child labor throughout U.S. History.
The Dangers of Mining
This website describes the conditions of working in the coal mines.

ELA Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary-
Economy-the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services
Shaft- a long, narrow, typically vertical hole that gives access to a mine
Recesses- small spaces
Amid- among
Manger-a long open box or trough for horses or cattle to eat from
Perished- died

Before- Ask students about what poverty is and if they have seen poverty today, have friends that are poor, or have their own experiences they are willing to share.
During- Have students discuss the differences of being a child during that time and having to support the family vs. being a child today and how they can "help" their parents today.
After- Ask students to complete an Opinionaire where they are presented with various statements and they form an opinion about the statement.
Writing Activity- Have students write an essay to the president about if children under 16 should be able to work (why or why not) using support from the book.

Title: George
Author:​​  Alex Gino
Copyright: 2015
    Publisher: Scholastic Corporation
    Reading Level: 5.0 
    Description:​ inspiring, support, eye-opening, transgender, friendship
    Suggested Delivery: Guided Reading

 Electronic Resources:
Transgender People
This website gives the students a lot of information about transgender people.

Raising Ryland

This video brings this book to reality for students so they learn that this happens to real people in our society.

ELA Teaching Suggestions:
   Key Vocabulary-
Transgender- a person whose gender identity is different from their assigned sex
Eloquent- expressive
Salutation- greeting
Amassed- gathered/collected
Reveled- celebrated
Bisexual- attracted to the same sex and opposite sex


   Before- Ask students about their prior knowledge about transgender people or people that identify as another gender. Ask them how they think transgender people feel in society. Ask them how they think society treats transgender people.
   During- Have a group of students do a fishbowl discussion about what is happening in the book, how they feel about what is going on, and what they are confused about (when they have reached the middle of the book).
   After- Have students re-answer the questions asked for Before Reading. Then ask students how society can fix the problems in the transgender society and how they can make a difference with their new knowledge.
  Writing Activity- Have students free write about anything related to the book in a positive and respectful manner (Ex: their likes/dislikes about the book, similar experiences, comments/questions, etc.).

Title: Hidden

Author:​ Loic Dauvillier Illustrator: Marc Lizano Colorist: Greg Salsedo Translator: Alexis Siegel
Copyright:2014
Publisher: New York, New York: First Second
Reading Level: 2.8
Description: family, historical, tragic, Jewish, Holocaust
Suggested Delivery: Independent

​Electronic Resources:
WWII History: World War II
This website has useful explanations of the events of WWII and the Holocaust.
Judaism
​This website explains the religion of Judaism to children in a way that they can easily understand.

ELA Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary-
Jews/Jewish: participate/related to the religion of Judaism (a religion with one God and its sacred text is the Torah)
humiliating: embarrassed
seamstress: a person who sews
ashamed: embarrassed
​unbelievably: not believable
​horrified: to feel shocked and/or afraid
The Resistance: a movement during World War II dedicated to fighting against German invaders

Before-Ask students what they know about the Holocaust/WWII and ask them to complete a True/False Worksheet on the Holocaust/WWII. (Discuss answers after the reading)
During- Have students engage in choral reading by students reading aloud together as a whole class.
After- Students will create a sequence map about all of the events that happened in the story.

Writing Activity- Students will write about why they think that the grandmother never told her son about the story.

Title: How I Became A Ghost: A Choctaw Trail of Tears Story

Author:​​  Tim Tingle
Copyright: 2013
Publisher: The RoadRunner Press
Reading Level: 3.6
Description:​ Smallpox, death, tribe, ghosts, beliefs
Suggested Delivery:  Guided Reading


Electronic Resources:
Choctaw Nation
This website is all about the Choctaw Nation. 
Atrocities Against Native Americans
This website has more information for the students about the conflict between the U.S and the Native Americans.

ELA Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary-
Choctaw- a member of an indigenous people now living mainly in Mississippi
Missionaries- a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country
Treaty- agreement/settlement
Endanger- to put someone or something at risk
Gratitude- quality of being thankful
Shape-shifter-a person or being with the ability to change their physical form at will
Prophecy- prediction


Before- Students will be read the book flap and see the cover. They will then be asked to fill out a KWL and fill out the rest after they read.
During- Students will discuss the different beliefs of the Choctaw tribe.
After- Students will complete a timeline of the events.
Writing Activity- Students will research Native Americans today and write about the differences and similarities of their lives today vs. their lives back then.

Title: Jars of Hope: How one woman helped to save 2,500 children during the Holocaust

Author:​​  Jennifer Roy Illustrator: Meg Owenson
Copyright: 2015
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Reading Level: 4.2
Description:​ tragedy, WWII, Holocaust, Jews, Nazis
Suggested Delivery:  Guided Reading

Electronic Resources:
Blabberize
This tool is used for students to bring characters to life with their own voices!
Irena Sendler
This website includes more information about Irena Sendler and how she helped during WWII. 
ELA Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary-
Gestapo- the secret police of Nazi Germany
Uprising- a revolt, usually against a government
Vaccine- a medicine that prevents disease
Convent- a building where a group of religious women live
Yiddish- a language used by Jews in central and eastern Europe before the Holocaust
Foster home- a safe place where children can live for a short time   

Before- Ask students about their experiences of seeing others being treated differently or being treated differently themselves.
During- Students will complete a semantic feature analysis by students first calling out random things (related to the book) and then each student having to organize them to make sense. Then analyzing them by making connections and predictions.
After- Students will use Blabberize to create children during the Holocaust and make up what they might say using support and evidence from the book.
Writing Activity- Students will research people in our society that have or had made a difference like Irena Sendler. Then they will create a Facebook Profile about their person and present it to the class.

Title: Kira Kira

Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Copyright: 2004
Publisher: Atheneum Books
 Reading Level:​ 4.7
Description: tragic, child narrative, heartbreaking, realistic, empowering
Suggested Delivery: Guided reading
Electronic Resources:

Lymphoma

This website gives more information about the cancer that Lynn has. 

Poultry Processing

This website describes the conditions of working in a poultry processing plant.

ELA Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary-
Alclove- a recess, typically in the wall of a room or of a garden.
Barren-empty
Obstinate- stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so
Placid- peaceful
Recede- gradually diminish.
Anemia- a condition in which you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body's tissues
Lymphoma- a cancer that starts in cells that are part of the body's immune system
Bask- soaking in
Chasm- a deep fissure in the earth, rock, or another surface (Grand Canyon)
Emanating- coming from
Heathen- nonbeliever
Jubilant- feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.
Pallor- an unhealthy pale appearance
Boisterous- loud
Sultry- oppressively hot; sweltering
Wistful- longing
 
Before-  Have students complete an anticipation guide with statements about the characters and the story that the students agree or disagree with. As students read, they will reflect on their previous answers and mark the page numbers where they found the information.
During- Have students discuss the conditions of the hatcheries, the unions, Katie's immaturity, and Lynn's changing character.
After- Discuss the changes of Katie's character from the beginning of the story to the end.

Writing Activity- Ask students to continue the story based on the storyline and structure of the book.