The Skin You Live In ~ Posted by Camille, Diane, Laura, & Marissa

Summary: The Skin You Live In written by Michael Tyler and illustrated by David Lee Csicsko was the debut publication of the Chicago Children’s Museum 2005 and is an important story for every child to read. Through a lively yet simplistic nursery rhyme style, this text delivers the vital message of social acceptance to its readers. Throughout the text various children with different colored skin talk about all of the wonderful things that they can do in their beautiful skin. In talking about their skin the voices heard in this text utilize simplistic language to tackle some major themes of child development such as self-acceptance, diversity, self-esteem, friendship, and social justice issues. In addition, this text displays children of various skin colors participating in and enjoying the same activities thus demonstrating the idea that even though these children may look different, they are in fact very much the same. Finally, the powerful words in this text talk about what skin is and what it is not therefore conveying the fact that having a certain skin color does not and can not make you “smart” or “dumb,” “tall” or “short,” or “rich” or poor.”

Reflections: The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler is an incredibly energetic story filled with vivid illustrations and relevant issues regarding today’s youth. We all loved reading this book and with the turning of each page we were more and more excited to hear the fun yet informative rhymes that lied ahead. Based on our excitement, we are confident that students will also be engaged and entranced by this powerful text. While this book may seem like a fun and simple read to some, to us, this text is filled with issues of social justice revolving around race, adoption, and being biracial or multiracial. After we read the story aloud we discussed how this text teaches children about all of the different skin tones that there are in a non-threatening way by comparing them to different ice cream flavors and talking about how different people in the same family can have different skin colors as well as how what each child does in their individual skin makes their skin and them significant. In addition, we found that this story taught students different ways in which they could accept and embrace their own skin color and the skin colors of others due to the wonderful things that we, as humans, do in our skin every day.

How I would use this book/curricular units: This text would be wonderful to utilize in the classroom when introducing the students to issues relating to race, the many ways people are alike and different (depending on the grade level), and in working on descriptions of self. While this story does not introduce the term race or racism, it does portray many different people of different races and could easily be the starting point for a discussion of what race is and is not. The students could look at where the people of each race come from geographically and how these locations have effected the color of their skin by talking about the role of melanin in determining skin color. In addition, this text can be used to talk about how people look different from the outside and that even though the most obvious body part, the skin, may be different from person to person that the color of a persons skin does not change what is on the inside and students can study the body to see that humans are all composed of the same organs, muscles, and bones. Finally, this story would be great to read when working on a unit in which students need to describe themselves. After reading this text students will recognize that their skin color is significant and all their own. They can write about the color of their skin, what it makes them think of or how it makes them feel, and create art projects in which they mix paint colors until they have created their own personal skin color and use that color to paint a self-portrait that they can hang in the classroom along with a description of who they are, where they come from, and why they are proud to have the skin that they are in.

Elements of Social Justice Education: 1) Self-love and Acceptance: Students will learn to love themselves for who they are and where they come from. They will see themselves in the text by being able to relate to one of the many children featured throughout the colorful illustrations as well as different activities described in the text that children do in their wonderful skin. In being able to relate to the words and images of the text, reading this story will foster a sense of acceptance not only for the students themselves and where they come from, but of other students and their origins as well. 2) Respect for Others: Students will learn to investigate other people and cultures and appreciate them for what they are by looking at the different skin tones of people from different cultures, talking about where these people are from in the world, and how the places in which they live effect the color of their skin tone. In concordance with this they will obtain a deeper understanding of skin color and respect and accept all people regardless of the color of their skin for who they are and where they come from. 3) Exploring Issues of Social Justice: Students will discuss and learn more about racism, adoption, and being biracial or multiracial and the effects that these issues have on all people. 4) Social Movements and Social Change: Students can explore the issues presented in the text and discuss how people have worked to change society like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did during the Civil Rights Movement when he worked hard to ban segregation, or separating people because of the color of their skin, in public establishments. In addition, they can connect these worldly issues, social movements, and social change to their own classroom and create ways in which they can combat similar issues that they see occurring in their classroom. 5) Taking Social Action: Students will learn how to take action and create social change on their own by looking at issues in the text, relating those issues to others that they see in the classroom, learning about how issues like these were and still are handled on the public scale, and utilize all that they have learned to synthesize and implement a plan for social change in their own classroom community.

Links:
 http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Skin-You-Live-In/Michael-Tyler/e/9780975958001/?itm=1
 http://www.amazon.com/Skin-You-Live-Michael-Tyler/dp/0975958003/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207692082&sr=1-1
 http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-1/qid=1207692115/ref=sr_1_1/601-8308837-4896141?ie=UTF8&index=target&asin=0975958003&rh=k%3Athe%20skin%20you%20live%20in&page=1
 http://www.shop.com/+-a-the+skin+you+live+in-p61558627-k36-st.shtml
 http://www.hotbooksale.com/store/productView.aspx?idProduct=67303&ec=1&ProdID=78&utm_source=shopping&utm_medium=cpc

Suki's Kimono

Group: Krista, Maria & Kristen
Book: Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki Illustrated by Stephane Jorisch

Grade: 1-3
Link to book:
http://www.amazon.com/Sukis-Kimono-Chieri-Uegaki/dp/1553377524/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207702658&sr=8-1

Summary:
Suki's Kimono is the story about a little girl who receives a kimono from her grandmother over the summer and attends a special cultural festival. She loves the kimono so much that she decides to wear it on her first day of school. Her sisters try and talk her out of wearing it telling her that she should try to wear something "cooler" and "newer", but Suki is not persuaded. When Suki gets to school she gets laughed at and teased for being different. In class when asked what she did over the summer she retails how her grandmother gave her the kimono and their adventure at the cultural festival, she then begins to dance as if she was at the festival. When she is finished everyone applauds her.

Suki's Kimono is a great book for showing the importance of treasured possessions and how they can be shared effectively with others. Suki loves her kimono and wears it to school with pride. The author, Uegaki, does a fine job of showing Suki's spirit and respect for her grandmother.

Reflection: This is a great book to use in the classroom because it shows the importance of being different. Suki has great spirit in the book, despite the fact that she is getting laughed at she continues to be herself even though its differs from her peers. This is an important concept for children to come to terms with, especially in school in which peer pressure and conformity are major issues.

How the book can be used/curriculum units:

This is a book that can be integrated into a social studies curriculum such as immigration. It is a good book to use in the classroom especially considering the number of students who immigrate from other countries. The book depicts how a person could maintain their culture in society that promotes conformity.
First Activity: Students will work in small groups and can pick a member from the community who has immigrated to the U.S. They will interview them about the struggles they have faced in maintaing their culture and resisting conformity.
Second Activity: Writing Workshop-- Students research and pick a cultural object that means a lot to the. They can write about why it is important and how it relates to their culture.

Domains of Social Justice:

1. Self-love and Respect: The students will discuss how Suki, had a great deal of confidence in being different and representing who she is culturally. Students can identify objects they love that represent their culture.

2. Respect for Others: Students will learn about Suki's culture which will foster respect for Suki's culture. We learn through this book the importance to respect others and their cultures, especially if they are different from our own.

3. Exploring Issues of Social Justice: This book can open up a discussion on assimilation and how when immigrants come to this country they are expected to totally embrace our culture rather then maintaing their own. Students can talk about why its important to maintain your culture. This is an especially pertinent topic considering the different people that compose our NYC classrooms.

4. Social Movements and Social Change: Students will learn about the historical struggles immigrants faced in maintaining their culture, and how this struggle can still be seen today in education (i.e. No Child Left Behind).

5. Taking Social Action: Students can write letters to Suki's sister's explaining why it is important for them to take pride in their culture and the negative effects to a conformed society.

One Hen

Group: Susanna, Jasmine, and Elyse

One Hen
Written by Katie Smith
Illustrated by Eugene Fernandes

Link to where you can buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/One-Hen-Small-Loan-Difference/dp/1554530288/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207699187&sr=1-1

Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many. After his father died, Kojo had to quit school to help his mother collect firewood to sell at the market. When his mother receives a loan from some village families, she gives a little money to her son. With this tiny loan, Kojo buys a hen. A year later, Kojo has built up a flock of 25 hens. With his earnings Kojo is able to return to school. Soon Kojo's farm grows to become the largest in the region. Kojo's story is inspired by the life of Kwabena Darko, who as a boy started a tiny poultry farm just like Kojo's, which later grew to be the largest in east Africa. Kwabena also started a trust that gives out small loans to people who cannot get a loan from a bank.

One Hen shows what happens when a little help makes a big difference. This help comes in the form of a microloan, a lending system for people in developing countries who have no collateral and no access to conventional banking. Microloans have begun to receive more media attention in recent years. In 2006 Muhammad Yunus, a Bangledeshi economist who pioneered microloan banking, won the Nobel Peace Prize.The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore.

Reflection: This is a great book to use in the classroom because it shows something that appears to be small can make a big difference, such as the loan to buy one hen. This book depicts the fact that one person can cause a change is he or she works hard enough. If people work together, they can help this individual bring about this change. Rich illustrations accompany the text as the theme of the book shows that change is possible, and it starts with just one person.

How the book can be used/curriculum units:

First Activity: Students will work in groups to research an organization
and write a proposal to the school for why they should support the
organization. They will present he proposal to the school, asking
them to vote on which program they would like to be involved with.
After choosing an organization, the students will create a plan to get
the school and wider community involved in their cause. They will
write letters to small businesses asking for donations, fundraise, and
set up food, clothing or school supply drives depending on their
organization.

Second Activity: Writing Workshop-- Students pick a change they would like to bring about and write about this in their writer's notebooks. They write about the first thing they should do, as the one who starts this change.

Third Activity: Teacher can hand out a "small loan" to all the students. For example, she can hand out a box of markers to each student. In 2 weeks, we can what we did with those markers and if we made any difference with the markers. Discuss the similiarities and differences between what we did and what happened in the story.

Websites: http://www.onehen.org/

Grades 3-5
Domains of Social Justice:
1. Self-love and Respect: The students will discuss how Kojo, a young
boy had a great deal of confidence and determination to help out his
family and village, and make a change in the world. Students of
African background may coke connections to the conditions in the book
and express love and respect for their culture. Students will learn
about their responsibilities in their families and how they are
important to their own families and communities as well.

2. Respect for Others: From learning about a different culture and
comparing and contrasting their responsibilities and structure of the
community, students will respect Kojo's culture and Ashanti region of
Ghana. They will learn about the different circumstances and
hardships of Kojo's community, but also how rich in culture and values
their community is, and how they all took initiative to make a change.

3. Exploring Issues of Social Justice: Students will learn about the
disparity of wealth from one country to another. Many countries in
Africa have had to endure many years of injustice, specifically, the
Ashanti region dominated by the British. Students will discuss the
history of Ghana, focusing in on the country and what hardships they
had to endure over the years, including colonization, political
strife, unfair trading. They will explore how other countries are
affected by modern industrialization and unfair trading.

4. Social Movements and Social Change: Students will learn about how
the people of Ghana took initiative to create an independent
government and make efforts to stabilize the economy. They will
discuss the steps people took to try and establish fair trade and
develop bank and loan systems to help small villages. They will learn
how people and organizations and are working to make larger changes in
political and economic systems.

5. Taking Social Action: They will earn about different organizations
(especially those included in the book) that help create positive
change in Ghana and other countries such as the Philippines, Uganda
and Peru by providing money for loans and outreach organizations to
help build schools and recruit teachers. Students will choose an
organization to become involved with, writing letters to local
businesses to fundraise for a loan, and also set up a relationship
with a school in Ghana to help provide school supplies, clothes and
food.

Iqbal

Title: Iqbal
Author: Francesco D'Adamo
Grades: 4 and up

Summary: Through the eyes of Iqbal's fictional coworker (Fatima), D'Adamo retells the true story of Iqbal Masih. Iqbal, a 13-year-old boy from Pakistan, is originally sold into servitude. This story takes place in a carpet factory where children work all day in hopes of paying off family debt. When Iqbal arrives, he quickly points out to the others that no matter how much they work, their debt will never be paid off. Iqbal is determined to raise the spirit of the children by teaching them to believe eventually they will be free. One day Iqbal escapes and makes contact with the Bonded Labor Liberation Front. With the help of the BLLF and together with his coworkers, Iqbal exposes the corruption within the country and works to free other children sold into servitude.

Reflections: After reading this book, all three of us were brought to tears. This story of a young boy inspiring other children and people around the world to fight against the injustices and harm being brought upon the working children of Pakistan is quite powerful. Though told from the perspective of a fictional character, Iqbal was a real boy which makes his story all the more inspirational. We felt truly affected and changed by learning about Iqbal's story. We feel that illuminating others to issues around child labor as well as reading a story with Middle Eastern characters (which are not often found in classroom literature) would be a valuable as well as effective piece of classroom literature.

How to use this book in the curriculum:
- works well as a Read Aloud
- could be used as a novel for a unit on child labor, children's/human rights, capitalism, and/or fair trade
- looking at modern day heroes and/or children who are heroes
- historical fiction unit
- great book for a classroom library
- literature circles
- writing letters, persuasive/informative essays, etc.

Domains of Social Justice:
Self-love and Acceptance: Children begin this story being treated like dirt. By the end, these same children learn that they are valuable and begin using their voices to express that to all enslaved children.
Respect for Others: This story glimpses into the lives of enslaved children from Pakistan. By reading "Iqbal" students will have a better understanding of what an enslaved child laborer must go through on an everyday basis.
Exploring Issues of Social Justice: Classism and ageism are definitely confronted in "Iqbal." Poor children are forced into a life of enslavement, treated like animals, and manipulated for their illiteracy. They are oppressed for the benefit of their oppressor. This is one boy's story of how he stood up for himself and all of the other children.
Social Movements and Social Change: Iqbal is based on a true story. Iqbal was a child who wanted to change his situation and make it better for everyone. He aligned himself with an organization that uncovered hidden child labor camps. He was very brave.

Websites:
to purchase "Iqbal": http://www.amazon.com/Iqbal-Novel-Francesco-DAdamo/dp/0689854455

website made by middle school class about Iqbal:
http://www.mirrorimage.com/iqbal/

Blogged by:
Cassandra Lyhus, Alissa Levy, Celeste Mason

The Name Jar

Group: Jocelyn Chung, Emma Klauber,  Jina Kim

Title: "The Name Jar"

Author: Yangsook Choi

Summary: This book is about a young girl that leaves her home in Korea. As she leaves her grandmother, her grandmother gives her a name stamp with her name in Korean. She comes to America and her first interaction with other children isn't a good one. All of the students have trouble saying her name and start making fun of her name. She decides that she wants to give herself an american name. On her first day of school she tells the class that she hasn't picked a name yet so the class starts a name jar. The jar is filled with names that the other children in the class have suggested.  She reads many of the names but hasn't picked one yet.  During this time, she meets a friend that takes much interest in her name.  This friend and the girl meet at a Korean supermarket and the owner of the market says her name, Unhei.  The boy finds out her name and wants her to keep her name. The next day of school he takes the name jar and no one can find it.  When she goes home this friend comes to Unhei's house and gives her the name jar and tells her that she should keep her name and also shows her something really special, his very own name stamp.   

Reflection: I really enjoyed this book, especially because it was about a little Korean girl.  I could relate to the little girl in many ways.  I believe that this shows other students the perspective of this little Korean girl.  It will help other students understand how Unhei felt and could even teach other students what acceptance is of others and themselves.  

How would I use this book in the classroom: There are so many ways that this book could be used in the classroom.  This could be used to teach students tolerance and acceptance of others.  The teacher could read aloud this book and then she could have the students make their own name stamps and do research about what their name means.  Students could write their name in their language as well.  Doing these different things will help the students learn about their peers and be tolerant of them.  This would be a good way to build community in the classroom.  

Domains of Social Justice: 

1. Self-love and acceptance: This book talks all about self-love and acceptance. Unhei had to except her korean name and her identity.  Hopefully this will help other students to do the same and accept themselves for who they are.  

2. Respect for Others: This book will teach the students about other cultures. Some of the students in the book are also good examples of how they were accepting of Unhei and how they showed respect to her.  This could be a topic that could be discussed with your students.   

3. Exploring Issues of Social Justice: After reading this book, the students can move on and talk about different social issues going on in the world that deal with tolerance of other cultures and acceptance and respect of different people.  The students can do research about different things going on in the world and discuss what things that they could do.    

4. Social Movements and Social Change: The students can start taking action by being tolerant of other students and making a difference through their actions.  They can tell other people about what they learned and if they see intolerance happening in their schools they could try to do something about it.  

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

Link to where you can buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Clara-Freedom-Reading-Rainbow/dp/0679874720
Summary: This is a story about an African American girl's escape from slavery on a Southern plantation. When the rigors of cotton-field labor overwhelm Clara, a kindly woman she calls Aunt Rachel trains the girl to be a seamstress in the main house. Like most slaves, Clara longs for freedom and yearns to be reunited with her mother. Becoming proficient in her sewing, she begins in her off hours to put together a map-quilt, stitching in any information she can get from overheard conversations about an escape route to Canada. 

Reflection: I think that this book is very sweet, with well developed characters and a victorious story-line but I don't think that it correctly portrays the life of a slave. All of the pictures are painted with very bright colors and it makes it seem like it was easy for slaves to escape from the south. I think that this is an appropriate book for younger students learning about slavery because it doesn't include many gruesome details and it allows you to sympathize with the characters a lot.

Book Use/Activities/Curricular Units: To help your students sympathize with the characters, you could present a concept/imagine lesson.. Each concept is paired with an imagination activity for students so the teacher reads the concept aloud to students and then offers a brief period for questions. Next, read the imagining exercise and last, allow students to share imaginings and realizations with the class.
For example:
Concept: Clara is separated from her mother before her twelfth birthday. During the times of slavery, it was quite common for the children of slaves to be taken away from their parents. Many slave children were taken away while still an infant. (This practice of separation was used to alienate slaves, deprive them of an emotional support system, and make them feel less human.)
Imagine: that when you get home from school one day, someone takes you away to a place far away from your family and tells you that you must stay at the faraway place forever. Imagine what it might feel like thinking that you will never see your family again. [Pause while students imagine. The thoughts you have may be very similar to the thoughts of Clara and many slave children of the past.]


Websites:
http://www.africanaheritage.com/sweetclara.asp
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/socialstd/grade5/Sweet_Clara.html
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/sweet/sweettg.html
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=127
Domains of Social Justice: This book offers a perfect opportunity for teachers to discuss AAVE (African American Vernacular English) with their older students. AAVE is also popularly known as Ebonics. AAVE is a distinct language variety with specific rules regarding grammar and word pronunciation. Because all of your students are either speakers of AAVE or come in contact with speakers of AAVE, it is important to affirm the idea that AAVE is not a sub-standard variation of English. Rather, AAVE is a linguistic variation that developed in specific socio-cultural conditions and is not related to one’s academic abilities. Many children that learn AAVE in their home learn Standard English as a second language once they begin school. For further reading before lecturing on this concept, you may wish to read the following web page that includes a description of the opposing opinions regarding AAVE:http://www.une.edu.au/langnet/aave.htm

The Great Kapok Tree

Title and Author: The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry










Link to where you can buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Kapok-Tree-Amazon-Forest/dp/0152026142/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206845386&sr=1-1

Summary: The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry is a story about a man who falls asleep in the Amazon Rain Forest after trying in vain to chop down a great big Kapok tree before succumbing to fatigue and the rain forest's hot climate. While asleep, the man is visited by many of the different animals in the rain forest that rely on the tree for either food or shelter. The animals implore the man not to cut down the tree and inform him of just how important it is to everyone's, including his own, survival.

Reflection: I really liked this book. I thought it was very informative about many issues that people tend to overlook. The impact that humans can have on the rest of the world is a very important concept that children should be taught about early on. This book is a nonthreatening way to introduce the destruction and exploitation of many of the world's natural resources and the sooner children learn about it, the earlier they can start taking measures to stop it. The illustrations are beautiful and do an excellent job of capturing the beauty of the rain forest.

Book Use/Activities/Curricular Units: This book could be used for several different units. It could be used for learning about the various rain forests, habitats, ecosystems, exploitation of natural resources, etc. This book could jumpstart a discussion about what people can do to save the rain forests or other ecosystems that may be in danger of being completely destroyed. It can jumpstart a research project where students research and investigate just how living things in different ecosystems are being affected by forces of consumption and production. Students could then write their own stories or plays about other creatures telling their story and seeking to save their own. They could role play or act out their own stories in front of other classes. Afterwards, they could write letters to the companies that are causing the destruction of these ecosystems telling them of the negative impact they are having and start petitions stating that they will no longer use their products.

Websites:

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/kapok/kapoktg.htm

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/pages/337.shtml

http://www.education-world.com/a_tsl/archives/03-1/lesson015.shtml

Domains of Social Justice:

Respect for Others & Social Movements and Social Change: This book has underlying themes of respect for all living things, not just people. It highlights just how interconnected we all are and how the actions that we might take for granted, can cause someone or something else to lose everything. It stressed the pitfalls of ignorance and encourages being informed and finding out what you can do to protect the rain forest and by extension, the earth.