Part 1: Written Response
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to allow students to delve deeper into the supporting characters in the novel. The story is told from the perspective of the main character but I want students to think about what it would be like to be one of the other characters in the book. Students are able to be creative in their writing by getting to select their character and display their personal perspective of that character. They will do this using descriptive language and drawing from a particular scene in the book.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
Writing Prompt: This book is written from the point of view of the main character, 10 year old Ha. Pretend you are another character from the novel. Retell a specific scene from the novel in your point of view and describe how you are feeling in that moment. Make sure to use descriptive language in your answer.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
Writing Prompt: This book is written from the point of view of the main character, 10 year old Ha. Pretend you are another character from the novel. Retell a specific scene from the novel in your point of view and describe how you are feeling in that moment. Make sure to use descriptive language in your answer.
Part 2: Podcasting
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to better understand the main character's culture. The story starts, and ends, with journal entries from the Vietnamese holiday of Tet. It is your job to discover a bit more about this holiday. How does it relate to holidays that you celebrate?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.5
Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.5
Create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an understandable pace; add visual displays when appropriate to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.
Part 3: Digital Storytelling
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to delve deeper into a particular theme throughout the book. There are some strong themes present in the novel so this allows students to develop a better understanding of their theme. They are then supposed to videotape interviews from real people about the theme.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.6
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.2
Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYw9nea3V90
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.6
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.2
Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYw9nea3V90
Part 4: Infographic
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to learn more about the setting and time period that this novel takes place in. The novel is set during the Vietnam War so it is important for students to know a little bit more about what that meant for refugees and the people of the United States. Students are to pick one aspect of the Vietnam War that they would like to know more about and then create an infographic displaying what they learned. The infographic should contain multiple visuals and should limit the amount of words being used.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
Infographic Sources:
https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics.html
http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history
https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics.html
http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history