Catherine Rechs
Info 237
Fall 2017
Info 237
Fall 2017
The purpose of this text set is to explore the refugee experience, looking for commonalities across time, circumstance and geographical location. This is issue is important for students to think and learn about given its prominence in today's political landscape.
Audience: Sixth grade students. 70% read at or above grade level. 20% read six months to one year below grade level and 10% read more than one year below grade level (based on AR reading level test)
Anchor Text:
Refugee
Gratz, A. (2017). Refugee. New York: Scholastic Press.
Page count: 352
Lexile level: 800L
ATOS level: N/A
This gripping novel tells the story of three refugee children. Josef is a young Jewish boy fleeing Nazi Germany in the 1930's. Isabel is trying to escape communist Cuba in 1994. Finally, Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015 leaving Alepo with his family. Each story is told from the perspective of the child and covers anywhere from a few months to several years. There is just enough background information given to help students understand the political and historical events that lead up to the characters becoming refugees without it slowing down the central plot. The chapters are short, which is good since it switches back and forth between each child's story. Students could easily read one chapter about each child in a single class period. There is a good balance between being uplifting and hopeful without sugar coating the horrors that the children face in both their homeland and during their journeys. The author offers a great deal of insight into the characters' inner thoughts and feelings balanced with an action-filled plot that moves the story forward at an exciting pace. The lexile level of this book makes it accessible as an independent read for ninety percent of the target audience. However, I would recommend working with this book in a small group setting to both support the students who may struggle with the text as well as encourage discussion of the central themes and commonalities found within each character's story.
Gratz, A. (2017). Refugee. New York: Scholastic Press.
Page count: 352
Lexile level: 800L
ATOS level: N/A
This gripping novel tells the story of three refugee children. Josef is a young Jewish boy fleeing Nazi Germany in the 1930's. Isabel is trying to escape communist Cuba in 1994. Finally, Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015 leaving Alepo with his family. Each story is told from the perspective of the child and covers anywhere from a few months to several years. There is just enough background information given to help students understand the political and historical events that lead up to the characters becoming refugees without it slowing down the central plot. The chapters are short, which is good since it switches back and forth between each child's story. Students could easily read one chapter about each child in a single class period. There is a good balance between being uplifting and hopeful without sugar coating the horrors that the children face in both their homeland and during their journeys. The author offers a great deal of insight into the characters' inner thoughts and feelings balanced with an action-filled plot that moves the story forward at an exciting pace. The lexile level of this book makes it accessible as an independent read for ninety percent of the target audience. However, I would recommend working with this book in a small group setting to both support the students who may struggle with the text as well as encourage discussion of the central themes and commonalities found within each character's story.
Supportive Texts:
Inside Out and Back Again
Lai, T. (2017). Inside out & back again. New York, NY: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins
Page Count: 272
Lexile Level: 800L
ATOS level: 4.8
This novel, which is told in verse, is based on the author's experience leaving Vietnam in 1975 and relocating to Alabama as a ten year old girl. Unlike Refugee, which focuses primarily on the journey from homeland to a new country, this book focuses more on the central character's struggles in assimilating to a new country and culture. Despite this difference in focus, Inside out and Back Again offers the opportunity for students to discover many similarities in the overall experience of being a refugee as well as a child's response to that experience. The small word count and lower ATOS level make this book a good candidate for independent reading followed up with a whole or small group discussion of the central themes and commonalities found between this and the anchor text.
Lai, T. (2017). Inside out & back again. New York, NY: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins
Page Count: 272
Lexile Level: 800L
ATOS level: 4.8
This novel, which is told in verse, is based on the author's experience leaving Vietnam in 1975 and relocating to Alabama as a ten year old girl. Unlike Refugee, which focuses primarily on the journey from homeland to a new country, this book focuses more on the central character's struggles in assimilating to a new country and culture. Despite this difference in focus, Inside out and Back Again offers the opportunity for students to discover many similarities in the overall experience of being a refugee as well as a child's response to that experience. The small word count and lower ATOS level make this book a good candidate for independent reading followed up with a whole or small group discussion of the central themes and commonalities found between this and the anchor text.
A Hmong Family
Murphy, N. (1998). A Hmong family. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner.
Page count: 64 pages
Lexile Level: 940 L
ATOS level: 5.8
This non-fiction book tells the story of the Vang family who immigrated to the U.S. as Laotian refugees in 1986. The book focuses equally on the history of turmoil in Laos, the family's life in their homeland, the family's time spent in refugee camps and their adjustment to life in America. The text is more taxing than the previous novels so I recommend that the teacher leads an introduction to the book that will front-load the unfamiliar vocabulary and concepts. Afterwards, students can tackle the text in small groups.
Murphy, N. (1998). A Hmong family. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner.
Page count: 64 pages
Lexile Level: 940 L
ATOS level: 5.8
This non-fiction book tells the story of the Vang family who immigrated to the U.S. as Laotian refugees in 1986. The book focuses equally on the history of turmoil in Laos, the family's life in their homeland, the family's time spent in refugee camps and their adjustment to life in America. The text is more taxing than the previous novels so I recommend that the teacher leads an introduction to the book that will front-load the unfamiliar vocabulary and concepts. Afterwards, students can tackle the text in small groups.
What They Took With Them
(2016, September 12). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/what-they-took-with-them/
Running Time: 5 minutes 24 seconds
This video is a spoken word performance of a poem by Jennifer Toksvig, read by several actors including Cate Blanchett and Stanley Tucci. It was produced by UNHCR - a refugee aid organization. The video intersperses images of the actors reading the poem with video and still images of actual refugees. The poem itself is a list of items refugees taking with them on their journey from their homeland. The list of items is interrupted occasionally by a short quote from a refugee that explicates the items on the list or which tells briefly of their experience. The poem is read quickly, the pace and rhythm of the reading mirroring the chaotic and frenzied experience of refugees. I recommend that this video is viewed in class and followed by small group discussion. Students can compare the items listed in the poem to items taken by the characters in the previous texts. Students can discuss what they would take in a similar circumstances. Finally, students can examine the significance of each item in terms of its practical and emotional value for the refugee.
(2016, September 12). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.unhcr.org/refugeeday/what-they-took-with-them/
Running Time: 5 minutes 24 seconds
This video is a spoken word performance of a poem by Jennifer Toksvig, read by several actors including Cate Blanchett and Stanley Tucci. It was produced by UNHCR - a refugee aid organization. The video intersperses images of the actors reading the poem with video and still images of actual refugees. The poem itself is a list of items refugees taking with them on their journey from their homeland. The list of items is interrupted occasionally by a short quote from a refugee that explicates the items on the list or which tells briefly of their experience. The poem is read quickly, the pace and rhythm of the reading mirroring the chaotic and frenzied experience of refugees. I recommend that this video is viewed in class and followed by small group discussion. Students can compare the items listed in the poem to items taken by the characters in the previous texts. Students can discuss what they would take in a similar circumstances. Finally, students can examine the significance of each item in terms of its practical and emotional value for the refugee.
Amanpour: What My Son and I Learned at a Syrian Refugee Camp
Amanpour, C. (2017, February 24) Amanpour: What My Son and I Learned at a Syrian Refugee Camp. CNN. Retrieved from: www.cnn.com/2017/02/24/middleeast/amanpour-darius-syrian-refugee-camp-jordan/index.html
Page count: 2
Lexile Level: Not available
ATOS level: not available
This article details a trip made my journalist Christine Amanpour and her 16 year old son. They visit a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. The article offers a glimpse into life in a refugee camp that will add detail to the stories in the previous texts. It also briefly touches on the current refugee crisis facing the world and the Unites States' reaction to it. Although there isn't a lexile or ATOS level available, I feel it would be fine for independent reading followed by small group discussion. There is also a video embedded in the text that further illuminates the topic discussed in the article. Perhaps after reading the article independently small groups can view the video and discuss.
Amanpour, C. (2017, February 24) Amanpour: What My Son and I Learned at a Syrian Refugee Camp. CNN. Retrieved from: www.cnn.com/2017/02/24/middleeast/amanpour-darius-syrian-refugee-camp-jordan/index.html
Page count: 2
Lexile Level: Not available
ATOS level: not available
This article details a trip made my journalist Christine Amanpour and her 16 year old son. They visit a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. The article offers a glimpse into life in a refugee camp that will add detail to the stories in the previous texts. It also briefly touches on the current refugee crisis facing the world and the Unites States' reaction to it. Although there isn't a lexile or ATOS level available, I feel it would be fine for independent reading followed by small group discussion. There is also a video embedded in the text that further illuminates the topic discussed in the article. Perhaps after reading the article independently small groups can view the video and discuss.
Europe's Refugee Crisis Explained
The Daily Conversation (2015, September 11) Europe's Refugee Crisis Explained. Retrieved from: curiosity.com/videos/europes-refugee-crisis-explained-the-daily-conversation/
Running Time: 4 minutes 37 seconds
Lexile Level: N/A
ATOS Level: N/A
This video does an excellent job of explaining the current refugee situation in Europe. It offers a brief explanation of the history and politics of Syria and surrounding nations, shows the routes many immigrants are taking to flee the wars, explains the differing responses of European nations and speculates on the future for refugees. It utilizes still photography, infographics and maps. This video will give the students background with which to consider the experience of refugees in our current time and how their experience is similar and different to refugees in other times and places. I recommend the video be viewed in class and discussed with either the whole or small groups.
The Daily Conversation (2015, September 11) Europe's Refugee Crisis Explained. Retrieved from: curiosity.com/videos/europes-refugee-crisis-explained-the-daily-conversation/
Running Time: 4 minutes 37 seconds
Lexile Level: N/A
ATOS Level: N/A
This video does an excellent job of explaining the current refugee situation in Europe. It offers a brief explanation of the history and politics of Syria and surrounding nations, shows the routes many immigrants are taking to flee the wars, explains the differing responses of European nations and speculates on the future for refugees. It utilizes still photography, infographics and maps. This video will give the students background with which to consider the experience of refugees in our current time and how their experience is similar and different to refugees in other times and places. I recommend the video be viewed in class and discussed with either the whole or small groups.
The Evolution of American Public Opinion Towards Refugees
Reilich, Gabriel (2016, May 5) The Evolution of American Public Opinion Towards Refugees. GOOD Retrieved from:www.good.is/infographics/refugee-public-opinion
Running Time: 2 minutes 16 seconds
Page count: 1
Lexile Level: N/A
ATOS level: N/A
This text consists of a short written introduction and video. The video is a series of infographics showing American public opinion about refugess in the form of answers to polling questions. The graphics summarize American attitudes towards Jewish refugees in the 1930's and 40's, Indochinese refugees in the 1970's, Cuban and other communist refugees in the 80's and 90's and Syrian refugees now. It is my expectation that the statistics in the video will surprise many students, who will have by then formed opinions about how individuals and nations should respond to refugees based on the information gathered from the previous texts. This text is simple in format but rich in information and should be unpacked with strong teacher guidance and support.
Reilich, Gabriel (2016, May 5) The Evolution of American Public Opinion Towards Refugees. GOOD Retrieved from:www.good.is/infographics/refugee-public-opinion
Running Time: 2 minutes 16 seconds
Page count: 1
Lexile Level: N/A
ATOS level: N/A
This text consists of a short written introduction and video. The video is a series of infographics showing American public opinion about refugess in the form of answers to polling questions. The graphics summarize American attitudes towards Jewish refugees in the 1930's and 40's, Indochinese refugees in the 1970's, Cuban and other communist refugees in the 80's and 90's and Syrian refugees now. It is my expectation that the statistics in the video will surprise many students, who will have by then formed opinions about how individuals and nations should respond to refugees based on the information gathered from the previous texts. This text is simple in format but rich in information and should be unpacked with strong teacher guidance and support.
Minecraft Helps Syrian Refugees Feel More Hopeful
MacFarland, Matt (2017, June 6) Minecraft Helps Syrian Refugees Feel More Hopeful. CNN. Retrieved from: money.cnn.com/2017/06/06/technology/culture/syrian-minecraft-woebot/index.html
Page count: 2
Lexile level: not available
ATOS level: not available
This article details a study done by researchers at NYU. They looked at ways technology could be used to assist refugee children with mental health issues. Their research indicates that regularly playing minecraft can make refugee children feel significantly less hopeless. This article lends itself to an independant read given the low word count and high interest of the topic. Students can use the information they have learned about the refugee experience as well as their own experience with Minecraft to build on the ideas in the article about why Minecraft is helpful. Students can also use this information to generate a list of other games and or technology that could be of use to refugee children. Although the topics covered in this article do not directly relate to comparing different refugee experiences, I feel it warrants inclusion as a 'feel good' story that will break up the bleakness of the previous texts. Note: on page two, the article veers off into a discussion of technology that is helping college students with depression. This page should be skipped as it isn't relevant to the unit of study.
MacFarland, Matt (2017, June 6) Minecraft Helps Syrian Refugees Feel More Hopeful. CNN. Retrieved from: money.cnn.com/2017/06/06/technology/culture/syrian-minecraft-woebot/index.html
Page count: 2
Lexile level: not available
ATOS level: not available
This article details a study done by researchers at NYU. They looked at ways technology could be used to assist refugee children with mental health issues. Their research indicates that regularly playing minecraft can make refugee children feel significantly less hopeless. This article lends itself to an independant read given the low word count and high interest of the topic. Students can use the information they have learned about the refugee experience as well as their own experience with Minecraft to build on the ideas in the article about why Minecraft is helpful. Students can also use this information to generate a list of other games and or technology that could be of use to refugee children. Although the topics covered in this article do not directly relate to comparing different refugee experiences, I feel it warrants inclusion as a 'feel good' story that will break up the bleakness of the previous texts. Note: on page two, the article veers off into a discussion of technology that is helping college students with depression. This page should be skipped as it isn't relevant to the unit of study.
My Beautiful Birds
Rizzo, S. D. (2017). My Beautiful Birds. Toronto , ON: Pajama Press.
Page count: 32 pg.
Lexile Level: 620L
ATOS level: 3
This is a beautifully rendered picture book about a Syrian refugee child. At home in Syria, he tends to his beloved pigeons that he keeps the roof of his family's home. When they are forced to flee, he must leave his pigeons behind. Once in the refugee camp, he has a more difficult time than others coming to terms with his loss and the realities of his new life. He eventually finds solace and healing in taking care of the wild birds in the camp. The story is gentle and hopeful, although it does not sugar-coat the pain the main character feels. I think that it will be a wonderful, hopeful way to end this unit. The lower reading level and unintimidating format make this text appropriate for independent reading, although it may be more powerful as a whole class read.
Rizzo, S. D. (2017). My Beautiful Birds. Toronto , ON: Pajama Press.
Page count: 32 pg.
Lexile Level: 620L
ATOS level: 3
This is a beautifully rendered picture book about a Syrian refugee child. At home in Syria, he tends to his beloved pigeons that he keeps the roof of his family's home. When they are forced to flee, he must leave his pigeons behind. Once in the refugee camp, he has a more difficult time than others coming to terms with his loss and the realities of his new life. He eventually finds solace and healing in taking care of the wild birds in the camp. The story is gentle and hopeful, although it does not sugar-coat the pain the main character feels. I think that it will be a wonderful, hopeful way to end this unit. The lower reading level and unintimidating format make this text appropriate for independent reading, although it may be more powerful as a whole class read.