Heather Laning
EDUC 333
Prof. Marra
Thematic Unit
4/16/12
Number the Stars
Grade level: 5th
Synopsis:
Number the Stars tells the story of three young girls and their families during World War II.
Annemarie and Kirsti Johansen are sisters, growing up in Denmark during the Nazi regime. Their parents
are part of the Danish resistance movement which helped Jews escape into Sweden to avoid being
captured by the Nazi soldiers. Annemarie’s best friend is Ellen Rosen, who lives in the apartment next
door. The Rosens are Jewish, and when the Nazi’s start capturing the Jews, the Rosens find themselves
in grave danger. With the help of the Johansens, the Rosens and other Jews manage to be smuggled
onto Annemarie’s uncle’s fishing boat and are taken away to Sweden. Throughout this book, Annemarie
learns what true friendship is all about, and she also discovers that bravery involves doing what is right
even in the midst of danger.
Reading level: 4.5
Thematic Statement:
In this unit, we will explore the concepts of friendship and bravery. We will discuss that when
God created this world, friendship was perfect. Adam and Eve lived in perfect harmony and friendship
with God. Since there was perfect harmony in the world, people never faced opposition, and the
concept of bravery didn’t really exist. However, the Fall changed all of that. Perfect friendship no longer
existed. Instead, interpersonal relationships became strained, and people found ways to put each other
down rather than building one another up. People began to face opposition, and their lives were filled
with fear. As a result, the concept of bravery came into being. Because Christ has come, this world has
been changed again. People can form true, godly friendships with one another. Also, people can stand
up and show real bravery when they face situations that test their faith. In this unit, we will also discuss
that one day, our friendship with God and with each other will be made perfect, and we will reign
together with Him in heavenly glory. As we work through this unit, we will do our best to answer the
questions: “What is true friendship?” and “What makes a person brave?”
Objectives:
1. Students will learn the meaning of vocabulary words such as: lanky, Nazi, swastika, synagogue,
sabotage, and rationed, and will be able to use these words in the context of a sentence
(NCTE/IRA 4).
2. Students will be able to deduce the meaning of vocabulary words based on the context of the
sentences they are in (NCTE/IRA 3).
3. Students will perform a variety of activities to increase their reading comprehension, including
writing, journaling, and drawing (NCTE/IRA 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12).
4. Students will increase their fluency through activities such as journaling and literature circles
(NCTE/IRA 3, 4, 6, 11, 12).
5. Students will perform a variety of writing activities, including journaling and research projects
(NCTE/IRA 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12).
6. Students will perform a research study on the author and write a letter to her (NCTE/IRA 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 12).
7. Students will use the internet to perform research on various topics (NCTE/IRA 7, 8).
8. Students will gain practice in using a SMART board to review topics from the unit (NCTE/IRA 8).
9. Students will discuss the meaning of Christian friendship and the importance of bravery
(NCTE/IRA 1, 2).
Pre-reading Activities:

I will write WWII on board and have the students list words that are associated with World War
II. We will create a giant word web on the board that contains everything that we already know
about World War II.
 Divide the class up into groups of two or three. Assign each group a topic to research from the
following list: Causes of WWII, War in Europe, War in the Pacific, Plight of the Jews and the
Holocaust, Adolf Hitler, Pearl Harbor, or the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Have each group do research on their topic in the computer lab and write a brief report (1 page)
about it. Then, students will share what they learned with the rest of the class.
 Give each student a map of Europe. Have them label each country as well as important cities
(such as Copenhagen). Then, have students color code the map based on the following
information:
o Axis Power Countries: Austria, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg
o German Occupied Countries: Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, France
o Neutral Countries: Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland
o Countries at War with Germany: Great Britain
 Have students look at the title and picture on the cover of the book and predict what the book
will be about. Then, have students pair up and look at the chapter titles in the Table of
Contents. Have them write down a sentence or two predicting what each chapter could be
about. After we read the story, we will come back to this activity to see if their predictions were
correct.
Reading:

I will have the students read some of these chapters silently by themselves. Sometimes, I will
pair students up and have them read a chapter or two together. This will benefit less abled
readers because they could learn from their peers. I will also read a couple of the chapters out
loud to my students. The students who can’t read well will benefit from this approach because
they will be able to hear the story instead of struggling to read it themselves. If students are
significantly delayed in their reading development, I will either type up brief, easy to read
summaries of each chapter so that they will have an idea of what is going on in the story or I will
have the students listen to the entire story on tape.
 Schedule for reading:
o Chapter 1 – Teacher read aloud.
o Chapters 2&3 - Read individually
o Chapter 4 – Read in groups
o Chapter 5 – Teacher read aloud
o Chapters 6&7 – Read individually
o Chapters 8&9 – Read in groups
o Chapters 10&11 – Teacher read aloud
o Chapter 12 – Read in groups
o Chapters 13-15 – Read individually
o Chapters 16&17 – Teacher read aloud.
Responding:
 To keep students accountable for their reading, I will have them discuss and answer questions
after each chapter or group of chapters (as grouped above). We will also do a lot of journal
writing so that I will have a better idea of what the students are getting out of the story. If I
suspect that the students do not understand parts of the story, then I will hold individual
conferences with them to determine where they need extra help.
 Chapter 1 Questions:
1. After reading the first chapter, what do you know about where and when the book
takes place?
2. Annemarie, Ellen, and Kirsti got stopped by two soldiers. Why were these soldiers in
Denmark?
3. Who are the Nazi’s?
4. On page 8, Annemarie was thinking about the Resistance. What was the Resistance and
why did the people think it was necessary at this time?
5. On page 9, Kirsti told her mom that she wanted a cupcake. Why couldn’t she have one?
Were there other foods that the Danish people had to live without?
6. What do you predict will likely be the main cause of conflict in this story?
Exploring
 Vocabulary:
o Students will each make a four-column booklet for their vocabulary words. On the first
flap, they will list the vocabulary words and the page numbers where they are found in
the book. On the second section, they will write out the sentence from the book that
o
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contains the word. This will help them see the word in the context of a sentence. In the
third section, they will guess what the word means based on the context of the
sentence. Then, they will look up the word in the dictionary and write the appropriate
definition on the fourth flap. To review vocabulary words, students will create word
posters with pictures that represent what each word means. Review games such as
vocabulary bingo will also be played.
Example vocabulary words:
 Lanky, Resistance, Nazi, Swastika, Synagogue, Sabotage, Rationed, Staple,
Tentatively, Specter, Staccato, Imperious, Ruefully, Typhus, Deftly, Protrude,
Stricken, Donned, Latticed, Contempt, Tantalized, Lunged, Devastating
Fluency
o Since I will be teaching this unit at the 5th grade level, most of my students should
already be fluent readers. However, to increase their fluency, my students will
participate in literature circles. I will separate the class up into groups and give them
different roles to help them explore the book (Tomkins, 341). I will also have children
respond to the literature through writing. Each time the students answer chapter
questions, they will also have to write in their journals. I will provide them with various
prompts to write about, including prompts to help them create text-to-self, text-toworld, and text-to-text connections (Tomkins, 129).
Mini Lesson
o In this mini-lesson, I will help my students recognize that they can figure out the
meaning of a word based on the context of the sentence.
 Introduce the topic: I will explain to students that if they don’t know the
meaning of a word, they can figure it out by looking at the context of the
sentence(s) around it.
 Share examples: I will show the students examples of unfamiliar vocabulary
words and then use the words in a sentence to see if the students could guess
their meanings.
 Provide information: I will find various vocabulary words from the book and
read them aloud in context. As a class, we will discuss possible meanings of the
words. We will discuss what words/ideas in the context of the sentence helped
us figure out the meaning.
 Supervise practice: I will ask students to make a list of unfamiliar vocabulary
words in their reading, and then write down their guesses for what the words
could mean based on context.
 Assess learning: Students will share the words that they found along with their
proposed definitions. As a class, we will look the words up to determine if their
definitions are correct.
Comprehension
o To increase comprehension, we will perform a variety of activities such as the following:
o
o
o
o
o
Writing: In this activity, we will explore what it means to be brave. This activity will be
conducted after the students have read the entire book. I will introduce the topic by rereading pages 74 to 77 in the book out loud to the class. In these pages, Annemarie is
struggling to understand what bravery means. Then, I will have the students share
examples of what they think it means to be brave. I will have each student look up the
word “brave” or “bravery” in the dictionary and share what they think is the best
definition. I will divide students up into groups of two or three and have them look
through the book to find examples of brave things that people did. Students will discuss
how the people involved in the Danish Resistance were extremely brave. Finally, each
student will write a one-page paper on the following questions: How does Annemarie
progress in her understanding of what bravery is throughout this book? What evidence
is there that she is brave herself?
Journaling: Frequent journals will also be used to increase comprehension. I will give
students prompts such as:
 Imagine that your best friend was a Jew living in Denmark at this time. What
would you do to help him/her?
 What evidence is there from the story that Annemarie is much more affected by
the war than Kirsti?
 Do you think that Annemarie and Ellen will still be friends after the war is over?
Why or why not?
Sketch-to-Stretch: Students will choose a major theme from the story, such as bravery,
friendship, or social justice, and incorporate it into a drawing. Students will then meet
in small groups and discuss their sketches. Each group will choose one sketch that they
would like to share with the entire class. Students can edit their sketches after receiving
feedback from the rest of the class (Tomkins, 466-468).
Art: Students will work together to sketch a picture of what they think Uncle Henrik’s
boat looked like. They will make sure to include the hidden compartment that was used
to smuggle the Jews to Sweden.
About the Author: Students will go online and research Lois Lowry. Then, each of them
will write a letter to her, asking questions about her or about information provided in
the story.
Applying:
 Students will share answers to chapter questions, journal entries, and sketches in small groups.
Then, each group will choose a few things to share with the entire class. For the sketch of Uncle
Henrik’s boat, each group will share the drawing that they came up with together.
 After this unit is completed, students will continue to discuss the Word War II theme. They will
also be given the opportunity to read books about World War II from a different country’s
perspective.
Assessment:
 Formative Assessment: Chapter questions, journal entries, Sketch-to-Stretch drawings, reports,
and other comprehension activities will be used as formative assessment tools.

Summative assessment: Students will periodically be given quizzes to test their reading
comprehension. There will also be a test at the end of the unit.
Classroom Management Plan:
 Each student will be given a folder containing all of the assignments for this unit. All of the
students will start out with their papers on one side of the folder. As assignments are
completed, students will move them over to the other side of the folder. If I want to look at a
specific assignment so that I can give feedback, then I will have students turn that assignment in
to me. Students will consistently be reminded of upcoming due dates for projects and
assignments.
 ELL students and students who perform below grade level will receive some accommodations to
help with assignments as needed. Some students may benefit from working in groups or having
assignments read to them. Other students may require the content to be modified so that it is
at a more doable level for them. For some students, I would hand out copies of the test a few
days before so that they knew exactly what to study.
 Order will be maintained in the classroom by setting clear expectations for the students. Before
we begin an activity, all instructions and expectations will be thoroughly explained. Students
will also have specific reading groups that they will go to each time they are told to read
together. If students are disruptive, they will be separated from the rest of the class and will be
told to do the activities on their own. If students get done reading or doing assignments before
other groups, then I will have some related activities set up in the back of the room. These
activities would include things like crossword puzzles dealing with World War II, vocabulary
review games, etc. I will also have other books in the room that are related to Number the
Stars, and students can read them in their free time.
Technology Integration:
 Students will use technology in a variety of ways. For example, they will use the internet to look
up information for various projects. This relates to objective 7, as students will become more
skilled in their use of the internet. Students will also fulfill objective 8 by using a SMART board
presentation to review the unit. I will incorporate a variety of interactive activities into a SMART
board lesson reviews main points taught in the lesson. I will assess the students’ use of
technology by observation and by their ability to complete the projects.
Bibliography:
 Related books:
o Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr (Reading level: 4.1)
o The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss (Reading level: 2.9)
o The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen (Reading level: 4.6)
o The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank (Reading level: 9)
o The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (Reading level: 5.8)
o The Cage by Ruth Minsky Sender (Reading level: 3.7)
o The Harmonica by Tony Johnston (Reading level: 3.2)
o The Lily Cupboard by Shulamith Levey Oppenheim and Ronald Himler (Reading level:
2.9)

o Austerlitz by W. G. Sebald (Reading level: 9.6)
o A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell (Reading level: 8)
o The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Reading level: 5.1)
Sources:
Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Perles, K. (2010, March 1). Literature lesson plans: introducing "Number the Stars". In Bright hub
education. Retrieved April 16, 2012, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middleschool-english-lessons/47263-literature-activities-for-number-the-stars-by-lois-lowry/
Number the stars, by Lois Lowry. New York: Dell 1990. (2011). In A teacher's guide to the
Holocaust. Retrieved April 16, 2012, from
http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/activity/35plan/number1.htm
Lesson plan - Holocaust. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2012, from
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-literature/simpson.html
Stack, A. M. (n.d.). Number the stars test. In teacherstack.com. Retrieved April 16, 2012
Michigan Department of Education. (n.d.). English language proficiency standards for K-12
schools. In Michigan.gov. Retrieved April 16, 2012, from
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/English_Language_Proficiency_K12_Standards_103705_7.pdf
Student Assignment Checklist
ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
DUE DATE
Pre-Reading
Report
Map Coloring/Labeling
Book/Chapter Predictions
TBA
Chap. 1
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 2-3
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 4
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 5
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 6-7
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 8-9
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 10-11
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 12
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
DONE 
Chap. 13-15
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Chap. 16-17
Reading
Chapter Questions
Journal
TBA
Other Assignments
Vocabulary booklet
Sketch-to-Stretch
Bravery report
Uncle Henrik’s boat sketch
Letter to Lois Lowery
TBA
Number the Stars Test
Read and follow instructions carefully.
Multiple Choice (2 points each): Circle the letter next to the correct answer.
1. What is the author’s name?
a. Jerry Spinelli
b. Roald Dahl
c. J.K. Rowling
d. Lois Lowry
2. What genre is this story?
a. Non-fiction
b. Fantasy
c. Historical fiction
d. Science fiction
3. Where does this story take place?
a. Sweden
b. Denmark
c. Germany
d. France
4. When does this story take place?
a. During World War II
b. During World War I
c. During the Great Depression
d. During the Civil War
5. What are the names of the two main characters?
a. Lise and Kirsti
b. Annemarie and Ellen
c. Ellen and Mrs. Johansen
d. Uncle Henrik and Peter Neilsen
6. Why did Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. Rosen worry about Annemarie, Ellen, and Kirsti being stopped
by the soldiers?
a. The girls upset the soldiers.
b. The girls shouldn’t have been running.
c. The girls might be remembered.
d. The Nazis would now come to their house to tell their parents.
7. Why does Annemarie’s family need to help the Rosens?
a. The Rosens are very poor and cannot pay their rent.
b. They are trying to make themselves look better than everyone else.
c. They want Mr. Rosen to tutor Annemarie in school.
d. The Rosens are Jewish and were going to be sent away to concentration camps.
8. What did the teenage boy mean when he said, “All of Denmark is his [King Christian’s] body
guard?”
a.
b.
c.
d.
That any Danish citizen would gladly give his/her life for their king.
That King Christian expects the citizens to protect him.
That King Christian needs more people in his guard.
That he (the boy) believes that everyone should be responsible for the king.
9. Why did the Danes burn and sink their own naval ships?
a. So the Nazis could not use them.
b. Because King Christian was a bit crazy.
c. Because the Nazis told them to.
d. So no Jews could try to escape with them.
10. What were the names of Annemarie’s sisters?
a. Kirsti and Ellen
b. Lise and Ellen
c. Kirsti and Lise
d. Lise and Inge
11. Why did Ellen’s parents have to leave their home?
a. The Nazis were looking for them.
b. They did not like living in Copenhagen anymore.
c. The Nazis took a list of Jews from their synagogue and knew who they were.
d. Both A & C
12. Why did the soldiers not believe Mr. Johansen when he told them Ellen was his daughter?
a. She had dark hair.
b. She was wearing a Star of David.
c. She couldn’t lie and told the soldiers her name was Ellen Rosen.
d. The soldiers knew that Lise Johansen had already died.
13. What did Mr. Johansen mean when he told Uncle Henrik he was bringing him a carton of
cigarettes?
a. He meant he had managed to find some cigarettes for Uncle Henrik to smoke.
b. He meant he would be bringing a Jew to Uncle Henrik’s house.
c. He was delirious and didn’t know what he was talking about.
d. None of the above.
14. According to Annemarie’s mother, who was the funeral being held for at Uncle Henrik’s house?
a. Great aunt Birte
b. Ellen’s parents
c. Peter Nielsen
d. Lise Johansen
15. Why did Uncle Henrik tell Annemarie that “it is easier to be brave if you do not know
everything?”
a. Because not knowing everything means you do not have to worry about lying.
b. Because not knowing everything means you can easily be controlled by the Resistance.
c. Because not knowing everything can help you feel braver.
d. Both A & C.
16. What did Annemarie’s mother tell her to do with the packet she found on the front step?
a. Forget about it- Uncle Henrik doesn’t really need it.
b. Hide it in case the Nazis came to search their house.
c. Give it to Uncle Henrik after he comes back from fishing.
d. Run all the way to Henrik’s boat to deliver it to him.
17. What was in the packet Annemarie delivered to Uncle Henrik?
a. A map of Denmark.
b. A handkerchief soaked in water.
c. A handkerchief soaked in a mixture of rabbit’s blood and cocaine.
d. A good luck charm and Ellen’s necklace.
18. Where did Uncle Henrik take the Rosens and the other Jews?
a. To the United States
b. To a concentration camp
c. Back to Copenhagen
d. To Sweden
19. What really happened to Lise?
a. She was in hiding after being discovered by the Nazis.
b. She was hit by a car driven by Nazis.
c. She was taken to a concentration camp and released at the end of the war.
d. She got scared and decided she should better join the Nazi party.
20. What happened to Peter Neilsen?
a. He finally remarried, even though he still missed Lise.
b. He was caught and executed for being a member of the Resistance.
c. He went into hiding.
d. He helped the Rosens return to Denmark.
Vocabulary Matching (2 points each): Write the correct word next to the definition it matches.
resistance
staple
contempt
donned
devastating
swastika
sabotage
ration
smuggle
Nazi
21. __________________________- (n.) a fixed amount of food; (v.) to restrict the consumption of
food.
22. __________________________- (n.) the act of refusing to give in; a group of Danes during
WWII.
23. __________________________- (n.) a German soldier during WWII.
24. __________________________- (n.) the Nazi symbol.
25. __________________________- (v.) put on a garment.
26. __________________________- (n.) a negative disruption; (v.) to attack someone else’s work.
27. __________________________- (adj.) causing great shock or upset.
28. __________________________- (n.) a necessary food or commodity to a specific area
29. __________________________- (n.) a powerful feeling of dislike
30. __________________________- (v.) to sneak in or out of an area illegally
Short Essay or Open-Ended Questions (5 points each): Answer each question in complete sentences.
31. Uncle Henrik defined bravery as not thinking about oneself when acting for others. Write your
own definition for bravery.
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32. Explain the Resistance and its role in Denmark during World War II.
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33. Do you believe Annemarie was a hero? Support your answer with specific examples from the
book.
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34. How did Annemarie’s mother respond when the soldiers asked why the casket was closed?
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Essay Question:
In class, we discussed a number of different themes from this book. Choose one of these themes and
write a short essay (about 2 paragraphs) explaining what the theme means and give some examples of
the theme from the book.
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Michigan Reading Standards:

R.1 Recognize concepts of print literacy

R.2 Demonstrate phonological awareness and the relationship of listening/speaking to decoding

R.3 Build vocabulary to develop concepts

R.4 Understand and use grammatical rules of English to improve comprehension

R.5 Read and demonstrate comprehension of main ideas and supporting details

R.6 Apply reading skills in social and academic contexts

R.7 Read for research purposes

R.8 Make inferences, predictions, and conclusions from reading

R.9 Analyze style and form of various genre

R.10 Identify author’s voice, attitude, and point of view