The Bus Ride that Changed History: The Story of Rosa Parks, written by Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrated by Danny Shanahan, is a simple book that uses repetitive phrasing to powerfully express its themes of civil rights and civil disobedience. It tells the story of Rosa Parks standing up to the bus law of the time forcing African Americans to sit in the back of the public buses, giving all priority to white passengers. Rosa Parks did not cooperate and refused to give up her seat for a white passenger, as a result she was arrested and put on trial, fueling the civil rights movement. The story itself is structured to point out each character of the event with phrases like “These are the black passengers riding the bus in Montgomery,”"This is Rosa Parks…” and “This is the boycott triggered by the verdict of guilty at the trial…” etc. The pictures offer context for the narrative. All of the paragraphs end with the same phrase and follow a format similar to this example:
This is Rosa Parks, who said “No!” to
the driver who told her to move for the white man
left standing near the seats of the back passengers riding
the bus in Montgomery,
where they enforced a law forbidding
blacks to sit next to whites on buses,
which was overturned because one woman was brave.
The story really emphasizes the bravery Rosa Parks showed by standing up for her right to ride the bus with the simple wording and repetition. It would be a great book to read out loud for a class because of the it carries such a rhythm. Small cartoon children also supplement the narrative with their speech bubbles bringing up questions and offering small facts about that point in history. One such character brings up the obvious question to reiterate to kids: “Why make it so difficult for black people? Shouldn’t they be treated the same as white passengers?” The book presents many serious questions and themes through its story. Reading it can be a great way to start discussing these serious themes with children and get them thinking about the way society works.
Curriculum Connections
The Bus Ride that Changed History: The Story of Rosa Parks formally satisfies the Virginia SOL for civics: 2.10 - responsibilities of a good citizen - respecting and protecting the rights of others. But the book can also be used to talk about eras in US history like the civil rights movement, or important people of history like Rosa Parks. Students can have a better understanding of laws and how sometimes the law can be unjust.
Additional Resources
Book: The Bus Ride that Changed History: The Story of Rosa Parks
Author: Pamela Duncan Edwards
Illustrator: Danny Shanahan
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Publication Date: 2005
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: 2-5
ISBN: 0618449116
… If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon is one of many books in the “… If You Lived Then” series about different historical events and eras. The series takes history from a kid’s perspective, a long list of questions, and answers the questions in careful, factual detail. This particular book written by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Elroy Freem, focuses on the Oregon Trail and all the pioneers who traveled it. Instead of a common table of contents, the book opens with a list of questions kids seem likely to ask about the Oregon Trail. Examples of these questions include: “Did anyone lead the wagon train?” “What kinds of clothes did people wear?” “What would you eat?” “What chores would you have to do?” The questions will appeal to kids because they step away from more of the textbook information about the Oregon Trail and address interesting details like the best way to preserve buffalo meat. Simple but detailed illustrations supplement each question and answer with visual context for the information.
Students can read this book on their own easily with the large font. It can be read all the way through or used in parts as reference when talking about a certain aspect of pioneer life. The questions are ordered in a loose chronological order, explaining Oregon territory first and then ending with information on the present remains of the trail. All of the information is presented in a conversational and welcoming tone. …If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon is a great classroom resource for kids to use as reference in their first research projects and as a way to get them interested in the topic with information on obscure details.
Curriculum Connections
…If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon is a great way to talk about expansion in US History and formally satisfies some of the Virginia SOL for history: USI.8 a) describing territorial expansion and how it affected the political map of the United States. Since the print is large enough and simple enough for students to read, they can work on their reading skills as well. Asking questions is an important part of learning about History. The “..If You Lived Then” books provide quality models for asking questions about topics in history and also shows how to best answer those questions with age appropriate detail and connections.
Additional Resources
- Although some of the links are faulty, this site takes each of the questions asked in the book and directly provides links to different sites that answer the questions. It provides an alternative perspective to the information provided in the text.
- Check out Library Thing for a list of the other “…If You Lived then” books in the series.
Book: … If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon
Author: Ellen Levine
Illustrator: Elroy Freem
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: 1992
Pages: 80 pages
Grades: 3-5
ISBN: 0590451588
Off We Go to Mexico! is a colorful book about the geography and culture of Mexico. It’s an engaging poem about taking a trip to Mexico and all the places one could visit and see. The writer, Laurie Krebs, does a perfect job of creating fun little poems about Mexican life and pairing it with simple Spanish words and phrases. Each page describes and illustrates a different attraction of Mexico through bright drawings with a cultural flair by illustrator Christopher Corr. Kids will love the detailed illustrations and the introduction to the Spanish language. For example on the page about the Mayan pyramids we have the poem,
We climb amazing pyramids from ancient Mexico
And wonder how they’re standing now
When built so long ago.
and then the corresponding Spanish words: “we climb - subimos, long ago - hace mucho tiempo” etc. Off We Go to Mexico would be a great book for a class with many Spanish speaking students to incorporate geography lessons and language lessons (even English language lessons).
The book covers about eleven different areas of Mexico before summarizing the information in the last pages with a map of the country with pictures and labels for each area previously discussed. This way kids can relate to the different places of Mexico and see where they are all located within the country in relation to each other. Also, the last pages of the book offer additional facts about modern Mexico, holidays, historical periods and a glossary for more Spanish phrases. All around an excellent choice of children’s literature to introduce the country of Mexico and integrate geography into reading.
Curriculum Connections
Off We Go to Mexico focuses mainly on Mexican culture and the many different places to see in Mexico. The map in the back brings all the information together and labels each area and it’s relative location in relation to cities and large geographic elements. It covers the VA SOL for Geography in 1-3rd grade. 1.4- recognizing basic map symbols, 2.5 - developing map skills by locating the equator and the seven continents, and 3.5 for locating different countries and historical areas on maps. The book could also be used to meet some language curriculum requirements for beginning level Spanish if supplemented by some additional lessons and practice.
Additional Resources
- The author Laurie Krebs writes many books about different countries and cultures. She often visits local bookstores and schools with workshops and talks, check out her programs here.
- Here is an entire unit curriculum for teaching about Mexico in the elementary classroom. It’s long, but you may want to check it out for one or several of the activities and ideas.
- You can provide a map of Mexico to color and discuss. This site includes some more facts about the physical geography of Mexico to tie in more of the curriculum.
Book: Off We Go to Mexico
Author: Laurie Krebs
Illustrator: Christopher Corr
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: 1-3
ISBN: 1905236409
Monkey for Sale by Sanna Stanley is a great book for kids about a girl in an African village and her adventures on market day. Luzolo begins with five francs to spend and walks around the market deciding where to spend her money, she thinks about her options and barters for a fair price. After making her purchase, Luzolo meets up with her friend Kiese and they find a monkey for sale at a stand. The girls want buy the monkey and rescue him, but the they don’t have any money left. They then work to trade what they have through a complex series of barters and deals involving many people in the market before they have what they need to buy the monkey.
The story is engaging and kids will love the detailed and bright pictures. The words are big enough too so learning readers can try to read it. Luzolo’s long chain of bartering teaches kids about the economic cycle, how everyone needs something and has something to sell. The book can also be used as a tool to start discussions about Africa and the cultures of Africa or the jungle even. Specifically the story is based on the athur’s childhood in the Republic of Congo. A teacher could use that to start a lesson on the geography of Africa and the Congo area.
Curriculum Connections
Monkey for Sale satisfies the Virginia SOL requirements for first grade 1.8 - the student will explain that people make choices because they cannot have everything they want, and second grade 2.8 - the student will distinguish the use of barter and money in exchange for goods and services. The books introduces cultural themes with it’s African setting and can be used to integrate cultural studies into the lesson. Also, a teacher could plan word problems around Luzolo’s initial allowance of five francs and let kids figure out how to split the money to buy want they want with the right amount of money.
Additional Resources
- Here’s an interesting lesson plan directly planned around the book involving Luzolo’s trading expericence.
- ProTeacher! offers a huge list of lesson plans and class activities centered around Africa and the African culture.
Book: Monkey for Sale
Author: Sanna Stanley
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: 2002
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: 1-3
ISBN: 0374350175
Eyewitness Books are great tools for the classroom with their bright pictures, easy-to-follow layout and extensive supply of scientific facts. Eyewitness Books: Tree proves no different offering close-up photography and careful labeling, almost like you’re observing the tree roots in real life. The book breaks up the topic of trees into more manageable mini lessons starting with a spread just answering the question, “What is a tree?” It moves on from there to cover “How trees grow,” “From bud to leaf,”"Seeds and nuts” and even “Tree care and management.”
The book dives into the life cycles of trees, how to count the rings of a tree trunk and how the leaves and needles develop. Every once and a while a historical blurb will emerge in the text, one on the spread talking about bark informs us about the early settlers making maple syrup from the sap in the sugar maple. The text does a great job of making the science of trees up-close and interesting and still connecting back to other subjects like history, and math (counting the rings on the trunk).
Kids will love the large, bright photos and all the labeling to satisfy their never ending questions. Teachers will love the impeccable organization that can be expected from the eyewitness books. The size of the book also makes it easy to present to an entire class as a way to foster discussion or start a lesson.
Curriculum Connections
This book can be used as a general classroom resource when teaching a life science unit. A teacher may want to use it to begin conversations about the plant cycle or to do an activity pertaining to tress specifically. The type is quite small and there is a lot of reading, so this book would probably be best appropriate for older kids, grades 3-6. In Virginia these would best relate to SOLs, 3.6 (forests), 4.4 (plant structure), 4.5 (life cycles), 5.5 (cell structure) and 6.7 (conservation and management).
Additional Resources
Book: Eyewitness Books Trees
Author: David Burnie
Publisher: DK Children
Publication Date: 2000
Pages: 64 pages
Grades: 3-6
ISBN: 0789458209
Most of us can agree that Dr. Suess is a phenomenal storyteller for kids. His whimsical drawings and poems appeal to all ages. In Bartholomew and the Oobleck, Dr. Suess incorporates elements of scientific theory in a fun story about a King who tries to change the weather. One day the King of Didd decides he is bored with the usual rain, snow, sun and fog that falls from the sky, he desires something more. He orders his magicians to create something else to fall from the sky and they decide to create Oobleck. The magicians announce,
“‘Won’t look like rain. Won’t look like snow.
Won’t look like fog. That’s all we know.
We just can’t tell you anymore.
We’ve never made oobleck before.’“
This little poem by the magicians lays out some the principals of physical science by comparing unknown and known substances and trying to understand what the new form of matter is. More of this demonstration in observation surfaces later in the story when all the oobleck does fall from the sky and sticks to everything, creating a gooey, green mess. The oobleck starts clogging up bird’s nests and instruments, it forces its way indoors through cracks and open windows. The Captain even tries tasting some and finds the oobleck makes him ill. All the while Bartholomew is trying to find the king to fix the problem. In the end, all the king has to do for the oobleck to go away, is publicly apologize. As soon as he says, “I’m sorry” the oobleck disappears, the sun comes out and the whole town is returned to peace.
Curriculum Connections
This book by Dr. Seuss can be used to initiate conversation in scientific theory, observation and the idea of matter. After discussing matter and how to classify it, the class could make oobleck themselves to study and experiment with. It can also be taken a different route and used to talk about the weather, why we have weather, what the seasons are, what normally falls from the sky. Bartholomew and the Oobleck satisfies SOLs in grades K-1 for observation and properties of matter (K.1, K.4, 1.1, 1.3) and grade 2 if you bring in the topic of weather (2.1, 2.6).
Additional Resources
- For more information on Dr. Suess and his books, check out Suessville.
- Make your own Oobleck and read about some interesting discussion questions.
- Teacher Vision also has some great internet resources including a weather word search and venn diagram printable.
Book: Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Author: Dr. Seuss
Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 1949
Pages: 56 pages
Grades: K-2
ISBN: 978-0394800752
The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses, written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen, is a great book for introducing science to children. The book is part of the Magic School Bus series, made famous with its engaging character Ms. Frizzle and her adventures with her class on the magic bus. In this story, Ms. Frizzle’s class jumps on the bus with the assistant principal as the driver. Not accustomed to the “magical” school bus, the assistant principal accidentally shrinks it with all the kids inside. The class, on a search for Ms. Frizzle, drive their shrunken bus through eyes, ears, brains, noses and finally the mouth of Ms. Frizzle herself. All the while the kids are learning about the five senses and how they react with the nerves in the brain with help from Ms. Frizzles class notes which made their way onto the bus.
Once again the Magic School Bus makes science fun and interesting by disguising the intricate facts with an action-packed plot line. In an excerpt, “‘We have to keep track of the Friz,’ said Ralphie. ‘Look for the part of the cortex,’” it’s easy to see how the lesson of the senses weaves throughout the storyline. Like the other books in the series, the Magic School Bus also includes detailed illustrations with many captions, labels and bonus facts about the topic. Each page of the plot is also bordered with illustrations of reports on the senses completed by Ms. Frizzle’s class. They add even more educational context in an easy to read, note-like format.
Curriculum Connections
This book can be used to open a lesson on the five senses or even a lesson on the science of the body. In Virginia it can relate to the kindergarten and 1st grade SOL for science investigation, learning about the senses and how we use them.
Additional Resources
- For further activities that correspond with the book check out the Scholastic website for games, printable worksheets and lesson ideas. See Gets and Earful.
- You should also check out the lesson plan about smelling and the nose with Ms. Frizzle’s class in The Magic School Bus Makes a Stink.
Book: The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses
Author: Joanna Cole
Illustrator: Bruce Degen
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Publication Date: 2001
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: Kindergarten and 1st
ISBN: 0590446983
