The Name Jar
Yangsook Choi, 2001. The Name Jar tells the story of a Korean imigrant girl who is trying to fit in, in America. She is ashamed of her name when other children make fun of it, so when she arrives at school and is asked her name she "doesn’t know yet" about what she wants the other children to call her. She considers whether or not to choose an American name or keep her Korean, given name. Read the story to find out about her name!
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum matches: vocabulary, differences in culture, and being a good friend
Resources to teach: Click here to view the Ellis Island website to discuss immigration. Click here to get more information about philisophical discussion in relation to The Name Jar. Click here for "Behind the Name" to determine the meaning of many names of the students in your class.
Click on the file below to view a teacher created lesson plan on this book!
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum matches: vocabulary, differences in culture, and being a good friend
Resources to teach: Click here to view the Ellis Island website to discuss immigration. Click here to get more information about philisophical discussion in relation to The Name Jar. Click here for "Behind the Name" to determine the meaning of many names of the students in your class.
Click on the file below to view a teacher created lesson plan on this book!
| the_name_jar_lesson_plan.doc |
The Empty Pot
Author: Demi (1990)
Description: A beautiful folktale set in China. The Emperor uses an ingenious plan to choose his successor. The children are given a seed to grow for the year. The child that produces the best flower from the seed will be the Emperor’s successor. Ping, a small boy, works hard but cannot grow a thing from the seed. When all the children are assembled to show their flowers, Ping is the only one who sadly brings his empty pot. He is rewarded for his honesty and courage, as the seeds were cooked.
Total Score: 14/15
Curriculum Matches: Folktales, Character Traits, China
Resources to Teach:
Author - http://www.bcplonline.org/kidspage/demi.html
Folktales - http://www.eslstation.net/theREALWF/Introduction.htm
Honesty - www.goodcharacter.com/ISOC/Honesty.html
China - www.activityvillage.co.uk/china_for_kids.htm
Lesson Plan - http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit63/lesson4.html
Grandfather’s Journey
Allen Say, 1993. Grandfather’s Journey is a touching story depicting the life of a man who travels from his home in Japan to see the world. He settles with his wife and baby girl near the San Francisco Bay. Although he is awed by the sights and all the people he meets, the man longs for home and eventually moves his wife and daughter back to Japan with him. Years later, the man tells stories of California to his grandson (Allen Say) and, although he’s happy in Japan, wishes to go back. After his grandfather dies, the boy travels to California to see the mountains and rivers his grandfather left behind. He stays in California but never forgets his home in Japan. This unique, cross-cultural experience is relatable to anyone who pines to be in two places at once and can call two different worlds home.
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum Match: Geography, World War II, Transportation, Immigration, Language Arts
Copy-Change Writing Activity (Students ask a family member about
their journeys)
Resources to Teach: Click here to read an interview with Allen Say. Click here to find an information website for students about Japan. Click here to access photographs of Japanese architecture, festivals, and physical features.
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum Match: Geography, World War II, Transportation, Immigration, Language Arts
Copy-Change Writing Activity (Students ask a family member about
their journeys)
Resources to Teach: Click here to read an interview with Allen Say. Click here to find an information website for students about Japan. Click here to access photographs of Japanese architecture, festivals, and physical features.
Kira - Kira
Cynthia Kadohata. Katie, her sister Lynn, and their parents move from their Japanese-American community in Iowa to rural Georgia after their grocery store fails. Their parents take on grueling jobs in chicken processing plants. Though they are subjected to prejudice and poverty, Katie, with her older sister's loving care, is happy enough, until Lynn starts to get sick more and more often. Lynn is then diagnosed with Lymphoma. Katie does her best to take care of her while their parents are working, but it is at times too much for her to bear. As Lynn's health fades the family seems to crumble, but after her death they look for ways to come together again, and Katie continue to try to see the world the way Lynn had taught her from the moment she began to speak -- as kira-kira (glittering).
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum Matches: Social Studies, Regions of US
Resources to Teach:
Author’s Website - www.kira-kira.us
Lymphoma - www.lymphoma.org
Death of a Sibling - www.healthychildren.org
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum Matches: Social Studies, Regions of US
Resources to Teach:
Author’s Website - www.kira-kira.us
Lymphoma - www.lymphoma.org
Death of a Sibling - www.healthychildren.org
My Dadima Wears a Sari
Kashmira Sheth, 2007. This is a beautiful story between a grandmother and her two granddaughters. Rupa, the oldest granddaughter, asks her grandmpther, Dadima, if she misses wearing pants, blouses or skirts. Dadima replies, “I never thought about it.” Dadima wears beautiful saris. She explains to her two granddaughters that she can use her sari in many different ways such as a pocket to carry shells or as an umbrella when it rains. This is a loving exchange of dialogue between Dadima and her granddaughters.
Total score: 14/15
Curriculum matches: Indian culture, Family, Traditions,
Resources to teach: To learn more about Indian culture visit: http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/india.htm
To learn more about wearing a sari visit: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/india/clothing/imdex.htm
To learn more about the author, Kashmira Sheth visit: http://kashmirasheth.typepad.com/my_weblog/on_india_1
Total score: 14/15
Curriculum matches: Indian culture, Family, Traditions,
Resources to teach: To learn more about Indian culture visit: http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/india.htm
To learn more about wearing a sari visit: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/india/clothing/imdex.htm
To learn more about the author, Kashmira Sheth visit: http://kashmirasheth.typepad.com/my_weblog/on_india_1
The Jade Dragon
Carolyn Marsden and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh, 2006. This book is about a young Chinese girl, Ginny, living in the United States. She meets a new girl at school who is also Chinese and hopes to become best friends with Stephanie. The story depicts the trials and tribulations of new friendships and sheds light on the topics of immigration and adoption.
Total score: 15/15
About the authors: Carolyn Marsden is an American married to a Thai immigrant. She has two daughters that are half American and half Thai. She has an understanding of how children feel trying to fit in with the culture around them.
Virginia Shin-Mui Loh is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and has experienced life as a first generation American.
Curriculum match: friendship, adoption, cultural identity, Chinese culture
Resources:
Click on the following sites for more information about adoption, Chinese culture and lesson plans for cultural identity.
http://frankrogers.home.mindspring.com/multi.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/20443/g_way_of_life.html
http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?grade=3-5&keywords=cultural+identity
Total score: 15/15
About the authors: Carolyn Marsden is an American married to a Thai immigrant. She has two daughters that are half American and half Thai. She has an understanding of how children feel trying to fit in with the culture around them.
Virginia Shin-Mui Loh is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and has experienced life as a first generation American.
Curriculum match: friendship, adoption, cultural identity, Chinese culture
Resources:
Click on the following sites for more information about adoption, Chinese culture and lesson plans for cultural identity.
http://frankrogers.home.mindspring.com/multi.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/20443/g_way_of_life.html
http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?grade=3-5&keywords=cultural+identity
Bat 6
Bat 6, by Virginia Euwer Wolff, is told from the voices of the girls who will play in a much-anticipated, annual softball game. The story is set in a small town in Oregon just after WWII. One of the girls, whose father was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor, brutally attacks another player who is of Japanese descent. The whole town becomes involved in the event; prejudices are exposed and forgiveness results in the healing of many relationships.
Total Score: 14/15
Curriculum Connection: WWII, Internment Camps, Prejudice
Resources to Teach: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/anseladams/aamsp.html
http://americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/activities/internment/more.html
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/pearlharbor.htm
Total Score: 14/15
Curriculum Connection: WWII, Internment Camps, Prejudice
Resources to Teach: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/anseladams/aamsp.html
http://americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/activities/internment/more.html
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/pearlharbor.htm
Ruby's Wish
Shirin Yim Bridges, 2002. This story is about a little girl, Ruby, in China during the 1800s. Her grandfather had prospered during the California Gold Rush and had returned to China a rich man. He married many wives and created a very large and wealthy family. Ruby becomes known for her love of the color red, the color of celebration but becomes increasingly discouraged by the inequality of opportunities that the girls in her family face. While other girls are leaving school to do chores at home, Ruby works hard to keep up with her studying and her chores even while the boys play during their free time. Ruby so desperately wants to go to university but is dismayed that girls cannot. Her grandfather learns of her wish and presents her with a small red gift that gives Ruby the hope she has been wishing for. Based on a true story, this book will inspire you!
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum matches: Chinese culture, gender equality, California Gold Rush
Resources to teach: Click here to learn more about the Chinese influence on the California Gold Rush.
Click here to get more information on the efforts to promote gender equality in China today.
Click here to learn more about Chinese customs and culture.
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum matches: Chinese culture, gender equality, California Gold Rush
Resources to teach: Click here to learn more about the Chinese influence on the California Gold Rush.
Click here to get more information on the efforts to promote gender equality in China today.
Click here to learn more about Chinese customs and culture.
Cora Cooks Pancit
In the story of Cora Cooks Pancit, readers are invited to be a part of a young girl’s first experience of cooking with her Mother. Cora decides to prepare an authentic meal coming from the Phillipines which is where her ancestors come from. Throughout this experience, her mother shares stories from her family’s history when talking about her Grandpa and his time spent as a cook. It is a warm story full of an appreciation for culture and how to embrace it with loved ones.
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum Matches: math with cooking, sequencing recipes, culture and cooking from the Phillipines
Resources to Teach: Activities dealing with cooking and fractions click here. For some neat sequencing activities using different recipes click here. For more activities, cultural information, and recipes from the Phillipines click here.
Total Score: 15/15
Curriculum Matches: math with cooking, sequencing recipes, culture and cooking from the Phillipines
Resources to Teach: Activities dealing with cooking and fractions click here. For some neat sequencing activities using different recipes click here. For more activities, cultural information, and recipes from the Phillipines click here.
