Last week, the 5th grade language arts group began reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. We have been reading books about kids who perform acts of bravery to fight against the injustice in their world. One of the things I love most about teaching using a great piece of children's literature is how it inspires kids to learn more. In order to create a firm idea of the setting of this story last week, I pulled up a map of Europe during World War II. Our story is set in Denmark when it is occupied by the Germans. The Danes help groups of Jewish Danes escape to Sweden. I thought seeing the "lay of the land" would help the students vidualize as they read. However, by opening the map and briefly discussing WWII, I opened a "can of worms" we may never get the lid on again! The kids had so many questions about WWII and were feverish for more information. What a great story does is leave you wanting more - wanting to know more and learn more. This book has done precisely that for these 5th graders. This book has hopefully helped to light the spark that will encourage them to seek out the answers to their questions about some of our world history. I can't wait to go back to school this week and continue to engage in our discussion and discovery. Those moments when you see passion come to life in learning are what a teacher lives for!
1 Comment
Barbara Bean-Slagle
9/29/2012 07:40:55 pm
I'm so glad you love to use books in your studies with students regardless of the subject. In my 45 years of teaching, I have found students relate and open up to topics difficult to present in any other way. Books can communicate happenings, emotions, history and issues in a few minutes of time well spent. As a sub, one of my greatest joy was when a student saw me a few years later in a different grade and said "Oh, your the book lady. I remember when you read...."
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