{"id":1387,"date":"2025-04-02T11:54:50","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T15:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/?p=1387"},"modified":"2025-04-02T11:59:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T15:59:25","slug":"freewater-blog-post-3-31-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/2025\/04\/02\/freewater-blog-post-3-31-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Freewater Blog Post 3\/31"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi everyone!<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope you\u2019re all enjoying the first weeks of spring and the final weeks of classes! This week, we delved into the middle-grade historical fiction novel<\/span> Freewater <\/span><\/i>by Amina Luqman-Dawson. I first encountered this story in my 5th-grade English class, and I can genuinely say that each time I\u2019ve read it, I\u2019ve been completely captivated by the journeys of Homer and Ada. While their story at first glance is about survival, a second reading revealed that it is a powerful testament to the strength of hope and unbreakable family bonds.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the most striking elements of Dawson’s storytelling is her use of multiple perspectives. I believe this approach is a brilliant choice for a historical fiction novel because it grants us a richer understanding of the same world through different lenses. Experiencing the events through various characters deepens our comprehension of the complexity of this historical period. This method allows for a nuanced grasp of their struggles and triumphs, making the story more impactful and educational. Additionally, I appreciated how the book\u2019s structure emphasizes that within broad historical narratives, there are countless individual stories, each equally vital. A particularly poignant moment occurs when Homer, having lived in fear since escaping the plantation, arrives at Freewater and begins to experience a sense of community and safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the beauty of this story is undeniable, it does not shy away from difficult and uncomfortable historical realities. To prepare my students for engaging with these themes, I would first emphasize the importance of empathy, encouraging them to consider what it might feel like to be in Homer and Ada\u2019s shoes. Establishing a list of classroom norms would also be crucial to creating a safe and respectful environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and expressing their emotions. I would carefully review the book to ensure that the assigned pages are age-appropriate, offering options for students to skip content that they find uncomfortable. How would you approach introducing challenging historical topics like slavery to elementary students without overwhelming them? How can we create space for emotional processing while reading historical fiction that tackles heavy themes?<\/span><\/p>\n

We connected <\/span>Freewater<\/span><\/i> to economic concepts in class, which I found particularly engaging. With our limited time in social studies, it\u2019s essential to identify overlaps between topics, allowing us to teach two concepts simultaneously. Are there specific instances in the book where economic principles could be addressed? For example, how does the idea of supply and demand manifest in the Freewater community? What economic challenges do the characters face, and how do they navigate them?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>As I wrap up, I\u2019d like to leave you with a few final questions: What are the benefits of using historical novels with multiple perspectives in our classrooms? How can we ensure that all voices are valued during discussions about stories of discrimination? Would you prefer to teach <\/span>Freewater<\/span><\/i> as a whole-class read or break it into smaller groups for more focused discussion?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi everyone! I hope you\u2019re all enjoying the first weeks of spring and the final weeks of classes! This week, we delved into the middle-grade historical fiction novel Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson. I first encountered this story in my 5th-grade … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6287,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[85869],"tags":[208174],"class_list":["post-1387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-student-post","tag-class-reflection"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6287"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1387"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1387\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1388,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1387\/revisions\/1388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/elemsocialstudies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}