I've been wanting to do a formal #bookaday challenge, and my plan for the next six week grading period was to read a picture book each day, based around one topic per week. Within that topic, I'd be teaching kids how to identify theme. There's more to it than that, but that's the background. I gathered a bunch of picture books I own and put even more on hold at the library, and took a look at which weeks were full weeks and which weeks we'd lose a day. I thought I'd do a week about death/dying, a week about friendship and loneliness, a week about creativity, a week about immigration, a week about change...you get the idea.
But now I'm thinking we may start with immigration, and then stay there as long as I can find more good books. Or maybe use a bunch of these, and then find a bunch of civil disobedience books.
Empathy through fiction. I still believe in it.
How Many Days to America?
Who Belongs Here? An American Story
The Arrival
Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family's Journey
My Name Is Jorge on Both Sides of the River
Going Home
Grandfather's Journey
Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story
The Lotus Seed
The Color of Home
How I Learned Geography
A Thirst for Home
I also believe in empathy through fiction. The world would be a better place if everybody read. The Arrival is on my TBR list. It’s a beautiful book, and I want to own a copy.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Isn't it though? I used to own a copy and it disappeared at some point. Need a new one. Grandfather's Journey and Passage to Freedom are my two other favorites from this list.
DeleteThis got me a little choked up and is a beautiful idea. I definitely believe that fiction can help open our eyes and understand. I'm a scientist and have gone through numerous trainings on how to better communicate with non-scientists so that they understand and care The universal message has been to deliver the information in the form of a story (non-fictional in this case but you get the picture) because that is how we humans most learn about things and learn to care about them. Sounds like a great semester ahead and thank you for being such a thoughtful educator!
ReplyDeleteMuriel Rukayser said, "The Universe is made of stories, not atoms." One of my favorite quotes.
DeleteMarvelous plan. I'm very proud of your work. I'd add The Journey (2016) and My Name is Yoon.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I just got The Journey at the library. Powerful stuff.
DeleteLove that you are doing this!
ReplyDelete