Ricki – Page 75 – Unleashing Readers

Ricki and Kellee’s #MustReadIn2016

September 3, 2017January 5, 2016 by Ricki

#MustReadIn2016 is hosted by Carrie Gelson at There Is A Book For That:

“For anyone out there with a To Be Read list that seems like it will never end, this challenge is for you! This is all about making your own personal list of books (5? 10? 20? 30? more?) that you commit to reading in 2016. Books can be published in any year, be from any genre, and be from any category (adult, YA, MG, Graphics, NF, etc.). As your TBR list grows, you promise you will get to the books on this list.”

These are our hopeful lists. Many are books we’ve been wanting to read for a long time, while others are books we just really want to read as of right now (January 2016), and lastly, some are books we really need to read because we’ve promised someone (or each other). Primarily, we included young adult and middle grade books because they are what we are going to try to read more of this year. As Carrie said, we will absolutely be reading many books not on this list! And don’t worry, we will still be reading the latest and greatest picture books to our boys.

Now without further adieu:

Kellee’s #mustreadin2016

Ricki’s #mustreadin2016

1. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Completed 4-25-16

2. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin Completed 9-18-16

3. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon Completed 2-5-16

4. The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough Completed 4-5-16

5. Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith Completed 3-15-16

6. ~~The Honest Truth~~ ~~by Dan Gemeinhart~~ Completed 6-5-16

7. Knockout Games by G. Neri Completed 8-10-16

8. The Memory of Light by Francisco X. Stork

9. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

10. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

11. See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles Completed 9-5-16

12. Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm Completed 8-11-16

13. A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz Completed 9-28-16

14. This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel Completed 6-17-16

15. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Completed: 11 out of 15

Kellee’s #mustreadin2016

~~1. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely~~ Finished 4-1-16

~~2. Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle~~ Finished 12-10-16

~~3. Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton~~ Finished 1-12-16

~~4. George by Alex Gino~~ Finished 3-30-16

~~5. Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky~~ Finished 6-22-16

~~6. The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson~~ Finished 6-23-16

~~7. The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart~~ Finished 3-9-16

8. Hook’s Revenge: The Pirate Code by Heidi Schulz

~~9. The Marvels by Brian Selznick~~ Finished 8-5-16

~~10. Masterminds by Gordon Korman~~ Finished 5-11-16

~~11. Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña~~ Finished 12-19-16

~~12. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera~~ Finished 8-28-16

~~13. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel~~ Finished 7-14-17

~~14. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys~~ Finished 1-16-16

~~15. The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John~~ Finished 4-14-16

Completed: 14 out of 15

We’d love to hear about your #mustreadin2016 list!

and

Kellee and Ricki’s #MustReadIn2015: It’s the End of the Year!

December 31, 2015 by Ricki

#mustreadin2015 is a challenged hosted by Carrie Gelson at There Is A Book For That

“For anyone out there with a To Be Read list that seems like it will never end, this challenge is for you! This is all about making your own personal list of books (5? 10? 20? 30? more?) that you commit to reading in 2015. Books can be published in any year, be from any genre, and be from any category (adult, YA, MG, Graphics, NF, etc.). As your TBR list grows, you promise you will get to the books on this list.”

These were our hopeful lists, and we did not achieve as many books as we wanted, but this challenge did lead us to read so many more books than we would have read without the challenge! Next year, we may not do 25 books. 🙂 Many are books were texts that we wanted to read for a long time, others were books we just really wanted to read in January 2015, and lastly, some are books we really need to read because we’ve promised someone (or each other). Primarily, we included young adult and middle grade books because they were what we were going to try to read more in 2015. We read many books not on this list, and that is, perhaps, why we didn’t completely finish our lists! Our sons wanted picture books, too, so we couldn’t say no to them!

Our full, original #mustreadin2015 book lists are available here

You can also read our updates:
Kellee & Ricki’s #MustReadin2015 Spring Update
Kellee & Ricki’s #MustReadin2015 Summer Update

Ricki’s #mustreadin2015 Final Update

Completed: 14 out of 25

I did not meet my goal because I got a bit caught up in new releases, but I am strangely satisfied by the number of books that I finished. Many of these books were on my TBR list for a long time, so I am happy I made some progress on the older part of that list. Next year, I am going to be a bit more realistic.

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky is a beautifully written story about a character named Grayson who was born male but has always felt like she was a female. I have read many books about gender identity, and this one stands out. Grayson felt very real to me, and I felt like I was going on a roller coaster ride right along with her as she confronted the daily challenges with gender. This is a text that is marketed more toward the middle grades, which is refreshing to me. Many (but not all) books about gender identity are geared toward the high school level, and while this is great, I believe we need more books about this important topic for younger readers.

Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath is a fantastic book in verse that is set in the Ottoman Empire during the 1910s. It blends genres of magical realism and historical fiction. The point of view alternates with each poem, so I came to understand the differing perspectives of the family depicted in the text. The horrific genocide against Armenians is not common in literature, and this text sheds light on a time period that should be depicted more often. The strength of the children in this book will be inspirational to readers.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is based on the true story of Salva Dut, a Lost Boy of Sudan. I would love to teach this book alongside Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone because there are many parallels across the story—and yet, there are also differences that would provide rich discussions. This is a book that made me want to be a middle school or elementary school teacher. I would love to do the Water for South Sudan challenge with my students. This sort of advocacy would be very empowering for students.

Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper. I could not put this book down. I don’t think I will ever forget Melody. She is a fifth grader who has cerebral palsy and has never spoken a word. Melody has such a strong spirit, and she is hysterical. Despite so many setbacks and frustrations, she is such a powerful force. Not only does this book teach empathy, but it makes me want to be a better person. The ways Melody is able to perceive others will teach readers a lot about being human. This is going on my favorites list!

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick is another book I’ve wanted to read for quite some time. Everyone raves about Brian Selznick, and now I understand why! I loved the way he layers illustrations with story. The book follows two characters (many years apart), and the parallels in their story make this book quite powerful. This is my first Brian Selznick book, but it most definitely will not be my last.

Kellee’s #mustreadin2015 Final Update

Completed: 17 out of 25

I love having a #mustread list because it really pushes me to read books that others have recommended or that I’ve been meaning to read for many years. Many of my 8 that I didn’t read will be moved to my 2016 list.

Here are the books I’ve finished since our summer update:

How It Wend Down by Kekla Magoon is a book that I think should be read and discussed by all teens. It looks into prejudice, point of view, gangs, love, abuse, and so much more. Mostly in this time where more and more black men are being shot, we really need to be talking to young people about why and look at our prejudices and how to stop this from continuing. Kekla Magoon brilliantly intertwines all of the stories and truly makes you look at Tariq’s murder.

Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles is another brilliant text by Jo Knowles. Her ability to find the truth in so many different types of teens is just incredible. This book has a whole other aspect that I am so impressed with: the way the stories intertwine and all revolve around the middle finger but all in different ways. I definitely recommend this and all of Knowles’s books.

Heidi Schulz must have read my mind when writing Hook’s Revenge because I’ve always felt that Hook was the most interesting character in the Peter Pan stories (Peter himself is actually a bit obnoxious), and I wanted to know what ever happened to him. These books tell me not only that, but also the story of his feisty daughter. Jocelyn overcomes so much to finally become a pirate then, once in Neverland, she goes on quite an epic journey to avenge her father’s honor. Jocelyn is a spit fire and is ready to lead her crew on an adventure of her lifetime.

I am so glad that Ricki told me that I must read Tyrell by Coe Booth. I had read Bronxwood years ago, but it wasn’t until I read Tyrell that I really understood the context of Bronxwood and really found the love for Tyrell. Actually after reading Tyrell, I went back and reread Bronxwood and also read Kendra because I just didn’t want to leave the world. Coe Booth’s voices in her novels are so real and her stories are heart-wrenching and authentic.

Did you have a #mustreadin2015 list?
Share your final update below!
And don’t forget to share your #mustreadin2016 lists next Tuesday!

and

Great Books Ricki Read in 2015

December 29, 2015 by Ricki

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Great Books Ricki Read in 2015

This is always the most painful list I create each year. I want to highlight a few great books, but please know that these are not the only great books I read this year. I simply couldn’t limit the list to ten books, but I did manage to narrow the list to fifteen great texts that I highly recommend. If you don’t find any books on this list interesting, PLEASE message me, and I can email you fifteen more great ones. The books are in alphabetical order by the marketed age group, but all books cross over and can be read by all ages!

Children’s (See this post for other great children’s books that I read in 2014 and 2015):

1. Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

I loved the message of this book, and I think kids will really love it, too. This is a great story that is quite inspirational.

2. Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast by Josh Funk

This is a clever, engaging book. Readers will be impressed by the excellent writing. There are many books on my son’s shelf that we read again and again, and this is one of them.

3. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

Let me count the ways I love this book. The writing is stellar. My son and I simply adore this story and read it quite often.

4. What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada

After I read this book, I immediately bought it as a gift for several friends. It is quite cleverly crafted and brilliantly written and illustrated.

Upper Elementary/Middle Grade

5. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

This magical book will stick with me forever. I can’t wait for my son to be old enough to understand more of it when I read it aloud. He’s two now, but we might do our first reading when he is four or five, and then again and again!

6. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle

Margarita Engle’s memoir captured my heart. It made me wish I was teaching middle school. I’d love to use this book in the classroom.

7. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

I know this book wasn’t published in 2015, but I read it this year. Wow. I understand the hype now! This is a book that teaches empathy.

8. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

This is another book that people love that wasn’t published this year. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down. I am in awe of Selznick’s talent.

Young Adult

9. Dreaming in Indian by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Leatherdale

This nonfiction collection of native voices (both in writing and in artwork) is absolutely stunning.

10. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I get a bit emotional when I think about this book—not necessarily because of plot points but because I felt so connected to the characters. I plan to use this book in my methods classes for years to come.

11. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

I still haven’t had the courage to blog about this book because I worry I won’t do it justice. I plan to use this text in a few NCTE presentations. This book is a teacher jackpot. There is so much to discuss!

12. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

I’ve waited and waited to share about this book. It will be published in 2016, but I can’t help but include it here because I read it in 2015! I wrote my blog post months ago, and I am so eager to share the love of this text. It is one of those drop-everything-and-read-this-book kind of texts. 🙂

13. X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon

YES. Based on Malcolm X’s early life (and co-written by his daughter), this book takes a very compelling look on this eminent man in history. I loved it.

Adult

14. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

I plan to blog about this book soon. I can’t stop thinking about it! I read this text in short spurts because there was so much to think about. I couldn’t stop underlining (and I don’t typically underline)!

15. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

I loved, loved this audio book. My brother and sister-in-law were looking for a book for their trip back to Maine. They got home and realized they wouldn’t have much more driving time together. So they put the cell phone in the middle of the table, sat, and listened to the rest. This is a great book—one you won’t be able to put down.

What great books have you read and loved this year?

Text Sets for Teachers: Gender’s Lens: Society’s Views and Expressions of Gender

December 24, 2015 by Ricki

Gender’s Lens: Society’s Views and Expressions of Gender
Text Set for Every Day by David Levithan
created by Jack Dunn

At a time where celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner exist, society is increasingly regarding gender as a fluid construct. With this established, one can better examine the how’s of society’s view of gender. I chose this approach because I think too often the context of gender is lost in its portrayal in different texts. When it comes to women, often the discussion is framed as a “How does (female character) embody/defy the stereotypes of women in (role)?” While ideas like “strong female archetypes” are important, it is equally important to understand why roles like this matter in literature. Women do not exist merely as affirmations and challenges to society and so should not be regarded solely as such within the classroom. We must consider womanhood as a varied, independent structure, not a response to a long-established, less-than definite construct of genders and their roles. As for masculinity, any discussion at all would be breaking from the norm. The ways that Pudge in Looking for Alaska challenges masculine stereotypes, that Finny in A Separate Peace might embody them are not typical discussion topics. I am not suggesting that these are questions that warrant discussion, but why they are not discussed is something worth exploring.

Every Day by David Levithan seemed like a logical choice as an anchor text. Its protagonist is genderless, and is afforded a unique perspective into the lives of both men and women. From there, I looked for texts that could be explored from this particular perspective in new and interesting ways. I tried to include as many different perspectives as possible. I wanted to then expand the context that this conversation exists within. I tried to include both anecdotal and objective information about gender from numerous perspectives. I also included information about transgender people as it is a growing important part of the gender discussion. This text set is mean to open up the conversation about a topic that has been contentious lately.

Anchor Text (although other texts may be used!):
Every Day by David Levithan

Books or Book Excerpts
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Poems and Songs
Jezebel – Iron & Wine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=990kOZxIOKw
Shrinking Women – Lily Myers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQucWXWXp3k
Gender Bender by Jennifer Michael Hecht

Short Stories
How to Date a Brown Girl (Black Girl, White Girl, or Halfie) by Junot Diaz
he Wife of Bath’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer

Videos/Movies
The Dark Knight Rises
The Demise of Guys? – Phillip Zimbardo
A Powerful Poem on What it Feels Like to Be
Darius Simpson & Scout Bostley – “Lost Voices” (CUPSI 2015)

Articles/Internet Sources
Caitlyn Jenner – Diane Sawyer interview
Beyond ‘he’ and ‘she’: The Rise of non-binary pronouns
Excerpts from Constructing New Masculinities: The Representation of Masculinity in U.S. Literature and Cinema
Tips for Allies of Transgender PeopleGLAAD
Toys Are More Divided by Gender Now Than They Were 50 Years Ago by Elizabeth Sweet

Guiding Questions

What does being a woman mean? What does being a man mean?
Is gender binary? Should it be binary?
How does gender affect individuals?
Is gender a necessary categorization of people?
To what extent is gender a fluid construct?
What do we talk about when we talk about gender?
How does American culture define/express gender through different media and language?
What traits and ethics are associated with gender? What are the implications of those associations?

Writing Prompts

What does gender mean to you? Does YOUR gender mean something to you? If so, what?
How are the stereotypes and ideas that are applied to femininity/masculinity a woman/man?
How do ideas about gender affect those they apply to? How does this manifest itself in literature and the real world?
What does it mean to be a Strong Female Archetype? How does the way society views gender influence their prevalence in fiction? People to consider during your response: Meg Murry, Selena Kyle (Catwoman), Melinda Sordino, and Jezebel
Compare and contrast the relationships of Ponyboy-Cherry Valance, Bruce Wayne/Batman-Selena Kyle/Catwoman and A-Rhiannon? What part do gender and society’s views of gender play in each? What factors affect/complicate the role of gender in these relationships?

A special thanks to Jack for taking a unique perspective on the topic of gender. We hope this text set will prove useful for many anchor texts and classroom discussions! What do you think?

and

Text Sets for Teachers: Finding the Line: What is “Good?

December 22, 2015 by Ricki

Finding the Line: What is “Good?
Text Set for The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
created by Alexandria Bottelsen

What makes someone a good person? When are you beyond redemption?

For many young adults, the world seems black and white. In many forms of literature and pop culture, there is a dichotomy between good and bad, heroes and villains. That being said, things such as morality and the “right” thing to do are rarely clear-cut. Not only do these determinations depend on cultural and societal norms, they are also based on individual values. Through The Kite Runner, students will have the opportunity to explore what it truly means to be good, and when—and ultimately if—people are beyond redemption and forgiveness.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini deals with these issues of morality in a modern, engaging way and thus serves as the anchor text for this unit. That being said, the novel does take place in Afghanistan, where the culture and values are far different than those of high school students in the United States. While it is important for students to see that these issues are universal, I wanted to choose other texts—such as Harry Potter and Scandal—that they could easily relate to and grabble with. Similarly, many of the Internet texts are very modern. I want our discussion in class to transfer to other classes as well as their daily life, so including local police blotters, news articles about Snowden, and discussing the morality of current wars will expose them to wide range of contexts in which this argument exists.

Anchor Text (although other texts may be used!):
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Book Excerpts
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Videos
Episode of Scandal (e.g. Season 4, Episode 19) and Abby and Harrison Talk About Morality
Clips from Harry Potter: Snape vs. Dumbledore
Les Miserables (2012): Clip where the bishop forgives Valjan
Criminal Minds Episodes (various)

Websites
The Scales of Good and Evil
Thought Experiment I
Thought Experiment II or Thought Experiment III
Who would you forgive?: List of Historically Famous “Bad Guys” (Instead of giving students the website rankings, ask the famous “bad guys” and debate/discuss this process. Can we rank evilness?)

Charts
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Short Stories
“Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
“Lather and Nothing Else” by Hernando Tellez
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Articles
“Does Reading Good Literature Make You Moral?”: Boston Review
“Is War Ever Morally Justified?”: The Week
Newspaper Scavenger Hunt for Good and Evil: Police Blotter
Bill Cosby vs. Michael Jackson: How Are They Remembered?
Edward Snowden

Essay
“The Prince” Machiavelli

Guiding Questions

How does the culture we live in help/hurt our definition of morality? How does the line between good and evil differ between cultures?

Does someone’s position in society (e.g. a role model, celebrity, or public servant) change where the line of morality is for them?

Is anyone entirely “good” or “bad,” or can people move freely between categories?

How does someone’s fall from morality affect our memory of them as a person?

Is there a point at which we can no longer forgive someone? Who defines that point?

Are good and bad situational, or are they concrete across all contexts?

Do the “ends justify the means”? In other words, is it ok to act “badly” if the result is “good”?

Writing Prompts

Think of a time when someone betrayed you. What did they do and why was that so bad for you? Would someone have taken equal offense to it? Were you able to forgive them? Why or why not?

What is one thing you think is beyond forgiveness? Why did you choose this? Can you think of any situations where you may forgive a person for that action?

List your top three values as an individual. Where do these values come from? How do they affect your view of “good” and “bad”?

Trace Amir’s morality throughout the novel, then decide, is Amir ultimately a moral person? Do you forgive him? Write a short paragraph for each side of the argument, then highlight which one you personally agree with the most.

A special thanks to Alex for this critical, thoughtful text set! We hope this will prove useful for many anchor texts! What do you think?

and

Text Sets for Teachers: Prejudice: Is It Something We Can Control?

December 18, 2015 by Ricki

Prejudice: Is It Something We Can Control?
Text Set for Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
created by Brenna Conrad

I will be working with an 11A class studying British Literature. In class, we will be reading Frankenstein and Pride and Prejudice. At first, I had a lot of difficulty finding a theme that would be applicable not only to both texts but also to two sets of students who get to choose which book they want to read. I chose to focus my unit on the concept of prejudice and if it is something that we can control. In Frankenstein, prejudice is visible when everyone rejects the monster based on its appearance. In Pride and Prejudice, it is inherent in how the classes are divided and how characters treat one another. I chose this overarching theme because I think that this idea of prejudice is a very prominent issue in today’s society and should be considered and discussed in an educational setting. I want students to be able to not only get a more complex and complete understanding of what prejudice is and how it is prevalent in society but also to understand that there are many subtle ways it is incorporated into the media and texts. This is important for students to be aware of, especially as technology and media is becoming increasingly more influential as time progresses.

With this goal in mind, I constructed my text set with illustrating prejudices not only in as many forms of media as possible but in as many different time periods as possible. I want students to place these books among many other works that display the dangers and horrors of prejudice. Though I tried to incorporate multiple sources from different time periods to plot prejudice through time, I narrowed my focus to current media that my students have witnessed in their lifetime, allowing them to personally connect with these sources. Prejudice is one of the most prevalent issues in today’s society, and I think creating an awareness about how prejudice is incorporated into our society in multiple forms of media is very important for learners.

Anchor Texts (although other texts may be used!):
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Children’s Books
The Sneeches by Dr. Seuss (Also available on YouTube)

Young Adult Texts
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (YA pairing to Frankenstein)

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg (YA pairing to Pride and Prejudice)

Films
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (with Kenneth Branagh and Robert Di Niro)
Pride & Prejudice (with Kiera Knightly)
Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth)
Cinderella

Plays
The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman
Othello by William Shakespeare

Images Used as Propaganda for Protest Movements
Gay Rights:
3.25.2015, Prior to WWI, June 2015 Gay Rights Movement, June 2015 Anti-Gay Rights Movement

Women’s Suffrage:
Anti-Suffrage, Pro-Suffrage, 2013

Civil Rights:
1960s, Anti-Civil Rights, Black Lives Matter Movement, Black Lives Matter Movement, Counter to Black Lives Matter Movement

News Articles
Transgender Student Seeks Acceptance as She Runs for Homecoming Queen
BBC News: The Girl Who Was Shot for Going to School
Girls who Code aim to Make Waves in a Man’s World
Seeking Self-Esteem Through Surgery

Poems
“I, Too” by Langston Hughes
“Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou
“Beautiful City” by Alfred Tennyson
“Discrimination” by Kenneth Rexroth
“Breaking Prejudice” by Daniel Tabone

Songs
“Teenage Frankenstein” by Alice Cooper
“Same Love” by Macklemore
“Blackbird” by The Beatles
“Chains” by Usher

Charts
Gap in Yearly Earnings
Race of Prisoners

Essays
Gilbert and Gubar: “The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination”

TV Shows/YouTube Clips
Family Guy: African American Prejudice
Family Guy: Asian Prejudice
Family Guy: Mexican Prejudice
Family Guy: Italian Prejudice
Family Guy: Muslim Prejudice
Family Guy: Christian Prejudice
Social Mobility with Legos

Guiding Questions

What is prejudice?
How is prejudice seen in today’s society? Has this changed in comparison to the past?
How does society portray prejudice? How do we speak back to prejudice?
Are there prejudices that we are unaware of, but still possess? How do we know? What can we do about it?
Do people live in fear of prejudice? What do they do to avoid it?
Are prejudice and racism the same thing?
What different types of prejudice are there? Do some levels of prejudice feel stronger or more impactful than others? How might ranking levels of prejudice be problematic?
Can we eradicate prejudice or is it a reality of human nature?

Writing Prompts

How many different forms of prejudice are there? Are they all prejudice?
Make a list of things you’ve seen in the media that promote a prejudice society. Consider media such as television commercials, shows, movies, songs, magazines, or even comics. Pick 5 media that you believe are the most detrimental and briefly explain why.
After reading Frankenstein or Pride and Prejudice, has your concept of prejudice changed?
Choose a group that has been historically marginalized—either one that we talked about in class or a different group—and examine how the prejudice against this group has shifted across years.
Do you believe that it is human nature to be prejudice or that it is something society has taught. Write an argument for the side that you believe in. Be sure to include example from class and at least two credible outside sources.
In a journal entry, discuss prejudice in our society. Consider: Do people use prejudice in a way to benefit themselves? How do we as a society associate prejudice and humor? Is that ok? Are we making progress away from prejudice? Why or why not?

A special thanks to Brenna for this phenomenal text set! We think this text set would be useful for many anchor texts! What do you think?

and

Text Sets for Teachers: Growing Pains: Looking at the Subject of Coming of Age

December 16, 2015 by Ricki

Growing Pains: Looking at the Subject of Coming of Age
Text Set for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
created by Andrew Johnson

We must all grow up order to fully enter the world as an adult. In some cultures, growing up is a rite of passage. In others, it is a series of events—a gradual process. Everyone grows up in different ways and is influenced by the different circumstances and environments. There is no one singular point in people’s lives when they can decidedly say that they came of age. It simply just happens. It comes to pass through the experiences that change who they are and what they value as individuals. Growing up not only changes how we think about others, but it also changes how we think about our own identities and places in society.

With that said, this text set is immensely important for exposing students to how others manage to grow up and progress through their lives. Students in middle and high school want nothing more than to be older. They want to be grown, even though a part of them also wants to secretly stay young forever. They may have been told at some point in their lives by a parent, teacher, or other adult to “grow up,” but do they really know what this means? How do they know? This text set will take a multicultural, multi-faceted view on the process of growing up in a world that can be strange, harsh, and also very, very enjoyable.

Anchor Text (although other texts may be used!):
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Graphic Novel
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Other Texts
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (excerpts) by Stephen Chbosky

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (excerpts) by Mark Twain

The Body by Stephen King (novella)

Poems/Songs
“If” by Rudyard Kipling
“Lightspeed” by Grieves
“In My Life” by The Beatles
“Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost

Short Stories
“Lost in the Funhouse” by John Barth (excerpt)
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut

Essay
“Manhood for Amateurs” by Michael Chabon

Movies
Wizard of Oz (part of a prior unit)
Mean Girls
Rain Man (clips/part of introduction to ASD)
Stand By Me (adaptation of Stephen King’s The Body)

TV Shows
Boy Meets World (any and all applicable clips)
Girl Meets World (any and all applicable clips)

Articles/Internet Sources
The Teenage Brain by National Geographic
Should Growing Up in Compton be Considered a Disability – VICE
Kids are Growing up Way Too Fast – Manhattan Institute
The Definition of Disability by Deborah Kaplan
Talking About Disability – A Guide to Using Appropriate Language
13 Amazing Coming of Age Traditions from Around the World

Websites
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (in order to understand the anchor text better)
Autism Speaks (in order to understand the anchor text better)
Simply Psychology (Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development)

Guiding Questions

What does being a child mean? What does being an adult mean?
Why can the path between childhood and adulthood be confusing or challenging?
Do we ever stop “growing up”?
Does our environment affect how we “grow up”?
Is “growing up” always a good thing? What makes it desirable?
Who or what pressures us to “grow up”? Who or what pressures us to stay young?
Is maturity synonymous with age?

Writing Topics

Describe someone who you consider to be “grown up” or “mature”? List their attributes.
Which stage(s) of identity development would you consider yourself to be in?
Design one scenario/question to determine if someone is mature or not. What would you look for in the answer?
After reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Do you think that Christopher has “grown up”? What do you think he has learned?
Compare and contrast Christopher’s journey and possible “coming of age” with another character of your choosing (or maybe even you!).
What are we supposed to learn about ourselves after you’ve grown up? What do you hope to learn about yourself after you’ve grown up?

A special thanks to Andrew for this relevant, engaging text set! We think it would fit in with a variety of age levels and class texts. What do you think?

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