Georgia Children’s Book Award 2015-2016 Nominees:
Connecting to Children and Curriculum
2015-2016 Children’s Book Award Committee Members
(in alphabetical order)
1. Adam Crawley, Graduate Assistant, Language & Literacy Education, University of
Georgia
2. Denise Davila, Assistant Professor, Language & Literacy Education, University of
Georgia
3. Joy Frerichs, School Support and Public Library Volunteer, Cedar Ridge School,
Antioch Elementary, Dalton Public Library, Dalton County
4. Terrie Gribanow, Media Specialist, Dearing Elementary, McDuffie County
5. Janice Kelley, Media Specialist, Shallowford Falls Elementary, Cobb County
6. Bev Kodak, Sixth Grade Teacher, Ola Middle School, Henry, GA
7. Eileen Lynch, Media Specialist, Double Churches Middle School, Muscogee County
8. Amie Pilla, Access Services Librarian, Dekalb County Public Library – Decatur
Branch, Dekalb County
9. Erin Rehberg, Media Specialist, Thomas County Upper Elementary and Middle
Schools, Thomas County
Group 1:
Adventures and Mysteries (Terrie Gribanow and Janice Kelley)
Group 2:
Other Times and Places (Janice Kelley and Eileen Lynch)
Group 3:
Fantasy and Science Fiction (Bev Kodak)
Group 4:
Facing Transition (Joy Frerichs and Eileen Lynch)
Group 5:
Girls Finding Hope (Janice Kelley, Eileen Lynch, and Erin Rehberg)
Group 6:
Boys Finding Hope (Amie Pilla)
Group 1: Adventures and Mysteries (Terrie Gribanow and Janice Kelley)
SYLO by D.J. MacHale
Summary
MacHale's current-day dystopic series opener begins with a mysterious death
and gets stranger from there. On Pemberwick Island off the coast of Maine,
Tucker Pierce, 14, is vaulted onto his high school football team's starting lineup
after a star player falls dead at the end of a game. To clear their heads, Tucker
and his friend Quinn Carr take a late-night bike ride on the road that runs
around the island's perimeter only to encounter a shadowy flying object that
emits strange music that then explodes over the water. Within a few days, a
stranger to the island offers Tucker a "supplement" called "the Ruby" that
makes him feel superhuman. Then a military force wearing red camo uniforms
with a patch bearing the word "SYLO" takes control of the island, and the
president announces a quarantine until the CDC can identify and neutralize the
"Pemberwick virus." Tucker and Quinn don't know what to make of the events
or who to trust as martial law takes over. In desperation, the teens make plans
with Tori Sleeper, a lobsterman's daughter, to use her dad's two boats to
escape the island. MacHale pens some terrific and unique action scenes, but
they never overwhelm the story as the characters face one quandary, riddle, or
dilemma after another in unraveling the mystery of what is happening. The
shocking ending will leave readers hungry for the next installment. - (Review
from School Library Journal)
Curriculum Connections
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Science – Students will investigate sightings of UFO’s in the United States. Have two groups debate
the existence of UFO’s. Are the websites you visited legitimate and credible?
Art – Penderwick Island is described as an idyllic small town on the coast of Maine. Design a
brochure that features Penderwick Island to tourists. Create the feel of small town life on the coast.
Careers – The military is a strong presence in SYLO. Go online and find out about a career in the
Navy. Investigate what the time commitment is to join the Navy. See what kind of skills you would
need to become a Navy Seal.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
5th Grade Language Arts – Speaking and Writing
ELACC5SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing
their own clearly.
ELACC5W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
6th Grade Science – The Universe
S6E1.Students will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved.
Nickel Bay Nick by Dean Pitchford
Summary
Eleven-year-old Sam Brattle is already having the worst Christmas ever – his
dad’s bakery is going bankrupt and his mom is spending the holidays with her
new family. To make things worse, Nickel Bay Nick, the anonymous Good
Samaritan who leaves hundred-dollar bills around Nickel Bay at Christmastime,
is a no-show, so this year the rest of the town is as miserable as Sam. When
he stumbles upon the secret identity of this mysterious do-gooder, Sam is
stunned to learn that he might now be his town’s only hope. But before he can
rescue Nickel Bay, Sam has to learn the skills of a spy and unravel some even
darker secrets that will change his life forever. (Review by GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Careers – Students could research the career path of a police detective.
Art – Invite students to create their own “Nick Buck” that is a gift certificate for something that could
be given by Nick rather than a $100 bill.
Economics – Students can calculate how much it would cost to provide “Nick Bucks” to every city in
their state that is below the average income level or has a high rate of poverty.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
4th Grade Social Studies – Economic Understandings
SS4E2 The student will identify the elements of a personal budget and explain why personal spending
and saving decisions are important.
4th ELA – Reading Informational
ELACC4RI5: Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect,
problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
5th Grade ELA – Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
ELACC5SL4: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an
understandable pace
The Girl from Felony Bay by Author J. E. Thompson
Summary
The last year has been rougher than sandpaper for Abbey Force and her dad.
He’s in a coma after his accident a year back, wherein he was framed for a
terrible crime he didn’t commit. And their home, Reward Plantation, an idyllic
spot on the eastern coast of South Carolina, had to be sold to pay off his debt
to society. Abbey is stuck living with her uncle Charlie, who, even in the few
hours a day when he’s sober, “ain’t” exactly your ideal parental role model.
But it turns out the new family that moved into Abbey’s old house has a
daughter named Bee. She’s curious about all of the “No Trespassing” signs
and holes being dug out by Felony Bay in the corner of what used to be
Abbey’s home. It appears someone’s been poking around a mystery that dates
all the way back to the Civil War—and it just might be the same someone who
framed Abbey’s dad.
Fresh, funny, and heartwarming, The Girl from Felony Bay is the perfect book
for fans of Rebecca Stead’s Liar & Spy and Sheila Turnage’s Three Times
Lucky. (Review by GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Art – Students can construct a map of Reward Plantation, noting where each landmark is located in
relation to the “main house.”
Careers – Students could research career opportunities as a preservationist or archeologist.
Social Studies – Students could research the activities of the U.S. battleships during the Civil War
to find out if any were actually near South Carolina.
Self-Awareness – Students could explore the friendship that develops between Abbey and Bee,
pointing out qualities of a “good” friend.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
4th Grade ELA – Reading Literary
ELACC4RL3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific
details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
5th Grade Social Studies – Government/Civil Understandings
SS5CG1 The student will explain how a citizen’s rights are protected under the U.S. Constitution.
6th Grade Science – Habits of Mind
S6CS3. Students will use computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and following
scientific explanations.
7th ELA – Reading Literary
ELACC7RL3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how settings shape the
characters or plot).
Loot: How to Steal a Fortune by Jude Watson
Summary
On a foggy night in Amsterdam, a man falls from a rooftop to the wet pavement
below. It's Alfie McQuinn, the notorious cat burglar, and he's dying. As sirens
wail in the distance, Alfie manages to get out two last words to his young son,
March: "Find jewels."
But March learns that his father is not talking about a stash of loot. He's talking
about Jules, the twin sister March never knew he had. No sooner than the two
find each other, they're picked up by the police and sent to the world's worst
orphanage. It's not prison, but it feels like it.
March and Jules have no intention of staying put. They know their father's
business inside and out, and they're tired of being pushed around. Just one
good heist, and they'll live the life of riches and freedom most kids only dream
about.
Watch out! There are wild kids on the loose and a crime spree coming!
(Review by GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Careers – Students could research career paths that lead to, or deal with, the circus (acrobatics,
management, tightrope, etc).
Relationships – Students could examine how the friendship develops between twins that were
separated at birth.
Art – Students could research gems them create replicas of the moon stones.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
4th Grade ELA – Writing
ELACC4W7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different
aspects of a topic
5th Grade ELA – Reading Literary
ELACC5RL6: Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.
6th Grade Social Studies – Geographic Understandings
SS6G8 The student will locate selected features of Europe.
7th ELA – Writing
ELACC4W7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different
aspects of a topic.
Group 2: Other Times and Places (Janice Kelley and Eileen Lynch)
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
Summary
Survive. At any cost. 10 concentration camps. 10 different places where you are
starved, tortured, and worked mercilessly. It’s something no one could imagine
surviving. But it is what Yanek Gruener has to face.
As a Jewish boy in 1930s Poland, Yanek is at the mercy of the Nazis who have
taken over. Everything he has, and everyone he loves, have been snatched
brutally from him. And then Yanek himself is taken prisoner, his arm tattooed
with the words PRISONER B-3087.
He is forced from one nightmarish concentration camp to another, as World War
II rages all around him. He encounters evil he could have never imagined, but
also sees surprising glimpses of hope amid the horror. He just barely escapes
death, only to confront it again seconds later. Can Yanek make it through the
terror without losing his hope, his will — and, most of all, his sense of who he
really is inside?
Based on an astonishing true story.
(Review by Scholastic)
Curriculum Connections
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Make a timeline of Yanek’s life and the prison camps he was held in.
Using a map of Europe, locate and mark the ten camps Yanek where Yanek was held prisoner.
www.ushmm.org virtual field trip to the museum and online exhibits
Create your own book trailer, and view the YouTube version.
Do a paired passage using I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children’s Drawings and Poems from the
Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944 by Hana Volavkova (Editor).Bulletin Board and discussion
ideas on Pinterest related to the book I Never Saw Another Butterfly.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
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5 and 6 Grade Social Studies – World War II
st
SS6H7: The student will explain conflict and change in Europe to the 21 Century.
b. Explain the impact of WWII in terms of the Holocaust, the origins of the Cold War, and the rise of Superpowers.
SS5H6: The student will explain the reasons for America’s involvement in World War II.
a. Describe Germany’s aggression in Europe and Japanese aggression in Asia.
b. Describe major events in the war in both Europe and the Pacific; include Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, D Day, VE and VJ
Days, and the Holocaust
d. Identify Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill, Hirohito, Truman, Mussolini, and Hitler.
th
6 Grade Reading – Plot and Text Structure
ELACC6RL3: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters
respond or change as the plot moves towards a resolution.
ELACC6RL7: Compare/contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video,
or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see “ and “hear” when reading text to what they perceive when
they listen or watch.
ELACC6R9: Compare/contrast texts in different forms/genre in terms of their approaches to similar themes/topic.
Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano
Summary
There are two secrets Evelyn Serrano is keeping from her family—her true
feelings about growing up in their Spanish Harlem neighborhood, and her
attitude about Abuela, her sassy grandmother who’s come from Puerto Rico
to live with them. Then, like an urgent ticking clock, events erupt that change
everything.
The Young Lords, a Puerto Rican activist group, sets the street’s garbage on
fire, igniting a powerful protest. When Abuela steps in to take charge, Evelyn
is thrust into the action. Tempers flare; loyalties are tested. Through it all,
Evelyn learns important truths about her Latino heritage and the history
makers who shaped a cultural identity.
Award-winning actress and writer Sonia Manzano has crafted a gripping work
of fiction reflecting her own experiences. Infused with actual news accounts
from 1969, this stirring story reflects a fiery, unforgettable time in America,
when young Latinos took control of their destinies. (Review by Scholastic)
2013 Pura Belpre Author Honor Book
Curriculum Connections
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Sonia Manzano has a website about this book (listed below). It has newspaper clippings from 1969,
links, and other information about the author, …
The author’s notes at the back of the book mention poems, people, and places that can be further
researched. (The Young Lords, The 1969 Garbage Offensive, Pedro Pietri…)
This is a Coming of Age story from 1969. How does Evelyn’s story compare to teenagers today?
Helpful online resources:
- http://therevolutionofevelynserrano.com/
- http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/sites/default/files/asset/file/revolution-evelyn-serrano-discguide.pdf
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th Grade Social Studies – Content Area Vocabulary
SSCC6RC1 Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:
c. Building vocabulary knowledge.
7th Grade Language Arts – Point of View
ELACC7RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
distinguishes his or her position from that of others
The Vine Basket by Josanne La Valley
Summary
The Vine Basket tells of a Uyghur girl's struggle in a land dominated by the
Chinese communist regime.
When fourteen-year-old Mehrigul's brother leaves home, she must give up
school to help on the family farm. That makes her a prime candidate to be
sent to work in a Chinese factory. She alone knows the truth of her
brother's departure and that he will not return. Whether she is sent
thousands of miles away or tied to farm work, her future looks bleak.
How Mehrigul takes a hand in shaping her destiny is at the heart of a story
that celebrates creativity, determination, and dreams. (Review from
author’s website)
Curriculum Connections
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Social Studies – Research the Uyghur area of East Turkestan. In what ways are human rights of
individuals living in this area of the world denied now just as they were many years ago? What is
the United States government doing to help the people of East Turkestan? How do the rights of
women differ from those of men in this country?
Economics – Investigate the pros and cons of trading with China. In this book, Mehrigul finds a
woman who will buy her handcrafted vine baskets. Could trading for these baskets be a negative
economic step for our country to make?
Language Arts – After reading The Vine Basket, compare and contrast the life style of young
girls in East Turkestan to girls in America. Cite the differences in homes, friends, education, family
dynamics, and career opportunities.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
5th Grade Language Arts – Theme, Character Analysis, Textual Evidence
ELACC5RL2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how
characters in a story of drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a
topic; summarize the text.
ELACC5RI3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas,
or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text
7th Grade Social Studies – Economics in Asia
SS7E9: The student will explain how voluntary trade benefits buyers and sellers in Southern and
Eastern Asia.
Group 3: Fantasy and Science Fiction (Bev Kodak)
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
Summary
Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.
Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?
Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She
misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish.
Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly
enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always
been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be
Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth? (Review
from GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Science - Ellie’s grandfather may or may not have found the scientific principle that controls aging
and immortality. Conduct some research of your own on the jellyfish.
Ethics - Melvin uses himself as a research subject. Is this ethical? Can science go too far? Is
immortality the next stage in human adaptation? Ask students to choose a side and conduct a
debate.
Careers - Ask students to use books in the library or sites on the Internet to identify at least ten
careers involving science and scientific principles. Have them write a brief description of each
course of study.
Research - Ask students to research some of the scientific greats as mentioned in the book:
Galileo, Newton, Salk, Oppenheimer. Use evidence from your research to identify skills that are
needed to be a brilliant scientist.
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Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
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6 Grade Language Arts - Plot
ELACC6RL3: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the
characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
th
6 Grade Language Arts - Research and writing
ELACC6W7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the
inquiry when appropriate.
ELACC6W8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and
quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic
information for sources.
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6 Grade Science - Habits of Mind
S6CS1.Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit
these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.
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7 Grade - Life Science
S7CS7.Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively.
S7L5.Students will examine the evolution of living organisms through inherited characteristics that promote survival of
organisms and the survival of successive generations of their offspring.
The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson
Summary
Piper has never seen the Mark of the Dragonfly until she finds the girl amid
the wreckage of a caravan in the Meteor Fields. The girl doesn't remember a
thing about her life, but the intricate tattoo on her arm is proof that she's from
the Dragonfly Territories and that she's protected by the king (which means a
reward for Piper if she can get the girl home). The one sure way to the
Territories is the 401, a great old beauty of a train. But a ticket costs more
coin than Piper could make in a year. And stowing away is a difficult
prospect--everyone knows that getting past the peculiar green-eyed boy who
stands guard is nearly impossible. Life for Piper just turned dangerous, a little
bit magical, and very exciting…if she can manage to survive the journey.
(Review by GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Steampunk - This book is part fantasy, part science fiction, and part steampunk/other. Challenge
students to research the steampunk sub-genre of fantasy. What elements of steampunk are
present in this work of fiction? Create or remix something from our world using the steampunk
aesthetic.
Social Studies - Ask students to make connections to the American age of westward expansion
and the industrial revolution in the United States. Compare and contrast the trains of that age and
the 401, the train in the novel. How does the steampowered technology affect the fictional
setting?
Social Studies - The Merrow Kingdom is ruled by a king. Compare governments in our world to
the fictional government in the novel. What are the benefits and drawbacks of a monarchy?
Science - Ask students to use books and the internet to research mining and ecosystems. How
would mining all the iron of a geographical region affect its ecosystem?
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th Grade Language Arts- Research
ELACC6W7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and
refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
ELACC6W8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each
source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing
basic bibliographic information for sources.
ELACC6W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Middle School Social Studies- Literacy in Social Studies (History)
ELACC6-8RH3: Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies
6th Social Studies- Forms of Government
SS6CG1: The student will compare and contrast various forms of government.
7th Grade Science- Ecosystems
S7L4:c. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire
species.
A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
Summary
Introducing an extraordinary new voice---a magical debut that will make your
skin tingle, your eyes glisten . . .and your heart sing.
Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up
thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse
drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that;
her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.
But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to
change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above
strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but
Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then
there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words
Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.
Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll
need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been
cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart. (Review by GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Art - Felicity sees words above people’s heads. To collect them, she sometimes writes them on
her shoe. Ask students to collect unusual words and illustrate them. Illuminate a pair of old shoes
with your favorites.
Cooking - Create an ice cream flavor and name it after characters from the book.
Music - Ask students to research bluegrass musical instruments and techniques. Listen to some
bluegrass or write a song about the Threadbare Curse. Research the historical and cultural
significance of Appalachian music.
Kindness - The Beedle does nice things for the people of Midnight Gulch. Encourage students to
do some random acts of kindness of their own.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th Grade Language Arts - Meaning of Words
ELACC6RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
6th Grade Language Arts - Research
ELACC6W7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and
refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
ELACC6W8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each
source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing
basic bibliographic information for sources.
Middle School Music Appreciation
MMSMA.9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture; Identify and explain a particular music
example’s historical and cultural significance.
Group 4: Facing Transition (Joy Frerichs and Eileen Lynch)
Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood
Summary
Prairie Evers is finding that socialization isn't all it's cracked up to be. She's
been homeschooled by her Granny and has learned the most from traipsing
through nature. But now she has to attend public school and feels just like her
chickens--cooped up and subject to the pecking order. School is a jolt for
Prairie until she meets Ivy, her first true friend. But while raising chickens and
the great outdoors have given Prairie wisdom and perspective, nothing has
prepared her for the give and take of friendship. When Prairie finds out that
Ivy's home may not be the best place for Ivy, Prairie must corral all her
optimism and determination to hatch a plan to help. (Review from
amazon.com)
Curriculum Connections
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Writing – How does Ivy influence or change Prairie’s life? Describe a friendship that has had an
influence on your life.
Science – Using the Internet, research chickens and how people raise them. Create a plan for
raising chickens and create a food web involving the chicken.
Informational Writing – Interview a homeschooled student and draw a diagram that compares his
or her school experience to yours. Then write an essay comparing the two school experiences.
Art - Prairie’s mom teaches quilting classes. Have students draw or design quilt squares.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
5th Grade Language Arts – Theme
ELACC5RL2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how
characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a
topic; summarize the text.
6th Grade Language Arts – Plot
ELACC6RL3: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as
how the characters respond or change as the plot moves towards a resolution.
7th Grade Science – Living Organisms
S7L4: Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
a. Demonstrate in a food web that matter is transferred from one organism to another and can
recycle between organisms and their environments.
This Journal Belongs to Ratchet by Nancy Cavanaugh
Summary
Rachel “Ratchet” Vance is an 11-year-old girl, homeschooled by her widowed,
activist father. Ratchet is embarrassed by her father’s often confrontational
environmentalism, the fact that she knows more about fixing cars than creating
a wardrobe, and that they move each year from one fixer-upper to the next.
Desperate to lay down roots, make friends, and simply live a normal life,
Ratchet hopes to discover her own identity by learning more about her mother
and ultimately changing herself for the better.
The book’s journal format, which shows Ratchet writing in various styles as she
completes her language arts assignments, allows debut author Cavanaugh to
cover a lot of ground thematically. Ratchet is a thoroughly relatable character
whose wish for normalcy will strike a chord with readers. She is an honest
narrator, relying on the secrecy of her journal (she has no worries that her
father will read it, despite it being homework) to reveal her fears, doubts, and
eventual hope for her “weird, wonderful life with Dad.” (summary from Booklist)
Curriculum Connections
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Writing – Create a journal similar to Ratchet’s that includes various genres of writing
Social Studies – Rachel’s dad cares a lot about certain issues like the environment. Pick a current
events cause that is important to you and write an essay that explains your feelings.
Science – Using the Internet or books, learn how to take an engine apart and put it back together
again. Write an informational guide that explains the steps of putting an engine together.
Writing – Write a scene from the novel from Rachel’s dad’s point of view.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
7th Grade Language Arts - Structure
ELACC7RL5: Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes
to its meaning.
7th Grade Language Arts – Story Development
ELACC7RL3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how settings shape
the characters or plot).
8th Grade Language Arts –
ELACC8RL3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the
action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes are United by Jess Keating
Summary
Ana Wright was having a horrible year. Her best friend, Liv, has moved to New
Zealand (A.K.A. Half-Way around the World), and doesn’t seem to want to move
back. Her famous grandfather is having a documentary on his life filmed and will
be featuring his family in it, including socially awkward, extremely shy Ana. It
doesn’t help that her parents, zoo workers at the local zoo, are moving them into
a house at the zoo for the summer. Now Ana will actually LIVE in a zoo! And
don’t forget those nasty Sneerers, the three popular girls who hate Ana! Will Ana
Wright ever make her life right? (Review from GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Informational Writing – Create a creature file about yourself similar to the creature files Ana writes
about the characters in the novel (idea from the author’s website; find more information at –
www.jesskeating.com)
Art – Draw your spirit animal and write a description of your drawing. How does this animal relate to
you? Explain Ana’s artwork in the novel.
Research – Use the Internet or books to learn more about these five animal groups – fish, reptiles,
mammals, birds, and insects. Create a PowerPoint or Prezi that describes or compares each group.
Speaking – Give a short, one-minute speech to your class about an animal. Afterwards, write about
your experiences with public speaking. How does your experience compare to Ana’s experience
with speaking in front of others?
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th grade Language Arts – Plot
ELACCRL3: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as
how the characters respond or change as the plot moves towards a resolution.
5th Grade Language Arts – Theme
ELACC5RL2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how
characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a
topic; summarize the text.
7th Grade Science – Scientific Classification
S7L1: Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared
scientifically.
Group 5: Girls Finding Hope (Janice Kelley, Eileen Lynch, and Erin Rehberg)
Hope is a Ferris Wheel by Robin Herrera
Summary
Ten-year-old Star Mackie lives in a trailer park with her flaky mom and her
melancholy older sister, Winter, whom Star idolizes. Moving to a new town has
made it difficult for Star to make friends. Her classmates tease her because of
where she lives and because of her layered blue hair. But when Star starts a
poetry club, she develops a love of Emily Dickinson and, through Dickinson’s
poetry, learns some important lessons about herself and comes to terms with
her hopes for the future. (Review by Goodreads)
Curriculum Connections
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Rising Above Your Circumstances: Students in Star’s class need “Diversity Training,” or anti-bullying
lessons, on acceptance of others.
Research the poets mentioned in the book and share poems that have a connection to your life.
The suggested activities at the end of the book are wonderful! One activity has students create their
own vocabulary list, and identify which words are important to the student’s life at the moment.
Have students complete the analogy: Hope is like a ___________, and explain the analogy.
Online resources:
- http://www.abramsbooks.com/academic/Hope_PoetryClubGuide.pdf
- http://www.abramsbooks.com/academic/hopeisaferriswheel_rgg.pdf
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th Grade Language Arts – Informational Reading
ELACCRI.6-7: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says as well
as inferences drawn from the text.
ELACC7RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
6th Grade Language Arts – Literary Reading, Compare/Contrast
ELACC6RL7: Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to
listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see”
and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.
ELACC6RL9: Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres in terms of their approach to
similar themes/topics.
Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana
Summary
Armani Curtis can think about only one thing: her tenth birthday. All her
friends are coming to her party, her mama is making a big cake, and she
has a good feeling about a certain wrapped box. Turning ten is a big deal
to Armani. It means she's older, wiser, and more responsible. But when
Hurricane Katrina hits the Lower Nines of New Orleans, Armani realizes
that being ten means being brave, watching loved ones die, and mustering
all her strength to help her family weather the storm.
A powerful story of courage and survival, Upside Down in the Middle of
Nowhere celebrates the miraculous power of hope and love in the face of
the unthinkable. (Summary by GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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History - Hurricane Katrina – Students can use the Internet or books to research real-life
Hurricane Katrina stories and the impact of Katrina on New Orleans.
Geography - New Orleans – Students can use books or the Internet to better understand the
geography of New Orleans and draw connections between the story and the geography.
Writing – Write a section of the book from one of the other character’s perspectives (such as
Danisha or Armani’s grandmother).
Drawing – Students can select the scene they think is most significant. Draw or sketch this scene
and explain it with quotes from the novel
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th – 8th grade Reading in History/Social Studies – Understanding New Vocabulary
L6-8RH4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
6th Grade Language Arts – Reading Literary - Theme
ELACC6RL2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular
details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord
Summary
When Lucy's family moves to an old house on a lake, Lucy tries to see her new
home through her camera's lens, as her father has taught her -- he's a famous
photographer away on a shoot. Will her photos ever meet his high standards?
When she discovers that he's judging a photo contest, Lucy decides to enter
anonymously. She wants to find out if her eye for photography is really special
-- or only good enough.
As she seeks out subjects for her photos, Lucy gets to know Nate, the boy next
door. But slowly the camera reveals what Nate doesn't want to see: his
grandmother's memory is slipping away, and with it much of what he cherishes
about his summers on the lake. This summer, Nate will learn about the power
of art to show truth. And Lucy will learn how beauty can change lives . . .
including her own. (Review by GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Health - Alzheimer's disease – Research Alzheimer’s disease using books and the Internet.
Students can relate the research to Nate’s grandmother.
Art – Host a photography contest like the one Lucy enters – center the pictures around a certain
theme.
Writing – Lucy and Nate discuss “the perfect day.” Students can write an informative essay
explaining their perfect day.
Science – Research loons and explain why they are important to the plot of the novel.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th Grade Language Arts – Plot
ELACC6RL3: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as
how the characters respond or change as the plot moves towards a resolution.
7th Grade Language Arts – Plot and Setting
ELACC7RL3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how settings shape the
characters or plot).
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Summary
In Brown Girl Dreaming, acclaimed author Jacqueline Woodson eloquently
shares the story of her childhood and the dreams that propelled her into a
writer’s life. Written in verse, Woodson’s memoir offers readers a compelling
life story written with the sounds and structures of poetry to help us breathe
in her words with greater attention and reflection.
Born in 1963, Woodson writes about the joys and challenges of being raised
first in the South and then in Brooklyn during the Civil Rights era. She
thoughtfully writes about the complexity of the relationships that mattered to
her most including the connections she had to her mother, grandparents,
siblings, and friends.
As Woodson writes to make sense of her own life, we, in turn, find deeper
meaning in our own. Woodson’s story is an impacting and welcome addition
to young adult literature inviting us all “perchance to dream.” (Review from
Classroom Bookshelf)
Curriculum Connections
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Social Studies - Research the Civil Rights Movement plotting important events on a timeline. Begin with the
year 1963, the year Woodson was born. Add other historical events that affected Woodson as she grew up in
the South and in Brooklyn.
Language Arts - Gather as many of Woodson’s picture books as possible (A Picnic This Sunday Past, The
Other Side, Our Gracie Aunt, Visiting Day, Pecan Pie Baby, This is the Rope: A Story From the Great
Migration) and ask students to find connections from Woodson’s picture books that are also in Brown Girl
Dreaming. As an extension, ask students to look at their own lives and what experiences could serve as the
“roots” of stories for them.
Social Media - Read with students the New York Times book review of Brown Girl Dreaming. Discuss as a
class whether your students think the title is limiting its audience because of the reference to skin color as
Veronica Chambers suggests. Together as a class do a classroom bookshelf inventory. How many books
have characters of color? What is the percentage of books that have characters of color out of the full
collection? Join as a class the #weneeddiversebooks Twitter campaign that is urging the publishing world,
libraries, and classrooms to make more diverse children’s and young adult literature a 21st century priority and
right for all readers.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
5th-8th Grade Language Arts
L6-8RH7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other
information in print and digital texts.
ELACC5RL2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in
a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
ELACC5W8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital
sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
ELACC5RL6: Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.
Group 6: Boys Finding Hope (Amie Pilla)
A Bird On Water Street by Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Summary
The men in Jack's family have always worked the mines. The 13-year-old has
already lost his grandfather and his uncle to cave-ins and explosions, and he
lives in fear of a similar accident taking the life of his father. In the mid-1980s,
the Southern Appalachian Coppertown is a barren, desolate place long
stripped of trees and grass by a century of mining. Jack doesn't know how to
tell his family that he has no desire to follow in his father's footsteps, and he
dreams of green trees rather than the moonlike landscape of his Tennessee
town.
When many of the workers are laid off, the remaining miners organize a strike,
thinking that the owners will remedy their unfair actions with better wages and
safety conditions. The strike comes at the beginning of the holidays, resulting
in a Christmas celebration that is sparser than usual but more meaningful as
the community draws together. As the shutdown continues into the spring, Jack
notices small signs of life returning to his toxically ravaged town—frog eggs in
a shallow pool and a few weeds. He helps the growth along, starting a
vegetable garden with his mom and planting a tree in his yard. The company
eventually announces that it is closing the mine down for good. What could be
a hopeless situation is made tolerable as the families come together to find
other work opportunities and enjoy the strange sensation of seeing bugs and
birds again. (Review by School Library Journal)
Curriculum Connections
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Social Studies—Students can draw a map of their neighborhoods or school campus, including
buildings and all-natural features such as trees, bushes, and streams. Then have them draw another
map without the natural features, the way it would be if the area were damaged like Coppertown. As
a class, discuss the impacts that the environmental changes would have on their daily lives.
Science—Students can study the local ecosystem and identify the different species of plants and
animals that would be eliminated if there were pollution like that experienced in Coppertown.
Careers—Students could choose three careers they’d like to try as they grow up and research the
possible environmental impacts, both good and bad, that those careers could have.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
6th Grade Language Arts – Key Ideas and Details
ELACC6RL3: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the
characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
7th Grade Science – Ecosystems
S7L4: Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire
species.
8th Grade Language Arts – Key Ideas and Details
ELACC8RL3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
The Saturday Boy by David Fleming
Summary
“If there's one thing I've learned from comic books, it's that everybody has a
weakness—something that can totally ruin their day without fail. For the
Wolfman, it's a silver bullet. For Superman, it's Kryptonite. For me, it was a
letter... “
“With one letter, my dad was sent back to Afghanistan to fly Apache helicopters
for the U.S. army. Now all I have are his letters. Ninety-one of them to be
exact. I keep them in his old plastic lunchbox—the one with the cool black car
on it that says Knight Rider underneath. Apart from my comic books, Dad's
letters are the only things I read more than once. I know which ones to read
when I'm down and need a pick-me-up. I know which ones will make me feel
like I can conquer the world. I also know exactly where to go when I forget
Mom's birthday. No matter what, each letter always says exactly what I need to
hear. But what I want to hear the most is that my dad is coming home.”
(Review from GoodReads)
Curriculum Connections
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Science—Build a remote-controlled helicopter, or schedule a visit with a member of your local RC
airplane club. Discuss the mechanics and forces involved in making helicopters and planes fly.
Writing—Students may write a letter to a relative or a friend who lives far away. Discuss with the
students what kinds of things they might include, what things they might leave out, and why.
Troop Support—Students can research local or national organizations that are doing things to
support American troops serving overseas or the families of currently-deployed troops. See if the
class can get involved to help.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
5th Grade Social Studies – Historical Understandings
SS5H9: The student will trace important developments in America since 1975.
a. Describe U. S. involvement in world events; include efforts to bring peace to the Middle East, the
collapse of the Soviet Union, the Persian Gulf War, and the War on Terrorism in response to
September 11, 2001.
6th Grade Language Arts – Craft and Structure
ELACC6RL5: Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure
of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.
8th Grade Language Arts – Key Ideas and Details
ELACC8RL3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action,
reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Summary
Albie, an only child living in New York City, has learning difficulties. No matter
how hard he tries to give the correct change to the takeout delivery guy, or get
all his spelling words correct, he inevitably fails to get it right. When readers
meet the fifth-grader, he's just left his fancy private school and is about to be
the new kid at public school. His dad is mostly absent and forgetful, except
when demanding that Albie try harder. His mom tells him that Dav Pilkey's
Captain Underpants is for babies, and gives him Esther Forbes's Johnny
Tremain instead. His exacting Korean grandfather predicts that he will end up
in a ditch. At school, despite some sympathetic teachers, he is bullied and
teased. His only friend is Betsy, reserved and bullied herself.
Things begin to change when Albie gets a new babysitter. Calista is an artist
and definitely unusual: she makes a cover for Albie's Captain Underpants that
says "Johnny Tremain." She takes him for donuts and to art exhibits and, most
importantly, she likes him for who he is. (Review from School Library Journal)
Curriculum Connections
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Social Studies—Students can examine subway maps for different cities and plan out how they
would travel to different sites they’d like to visit.
Art—Invite students to imagine that their lives were going to be made into reality TV shows.
Students can design a logo and a DVD cover for the shows.
Bullying—Discuss with your students the different ways children can be bullied and how bullying
can be prevented. Students could design an anti-bullying campaign for their class or their school
and then implement it.
Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards
4th Grade Language Arts – Craft and Structure
ELACC4RL3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific
details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
5th Grade Language Arts – Craft and Structure
ELACC5RL6: Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.
6th Grade Language Arts – Key Ideas and Details
ELACC6RL3: Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as
how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.