This year I plan to read all the GA Book Award Nominees and provide a “one stop” resource for teachers who would like to use these books in their classrooms. I will be posting links to author Web sites, teacher’s guides, and related Web links. I hope to make this an unbiased resource, so I will not be providing my own review of the books–other than recommending it as a read aloud (or not).
Feathers
Summary: When a new, white student nicknamed “The Jesus Boy” joins her sixth grade class in the winter of 1971, Frannie’s growing friendship with him makes her start to see some things in a new light.
Author Web Site: http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com
Teaching Resources:
Teacher’s Guide: Not Currently Available
Lesson Plan from National Council of Teachers of English on Similar Books (Does Not Include Feathers, But Could Be Used As Building Block/Includes The Other Side, a Picture Book by Woodson )
Reading Guide of Discussion Questions by Penguin Publishing
Review Suitable for Booktalk from Kidsread.com
Related Links: Civil Rights
Brown v. Board of Education: National Archive Documents and Lesson Plans
Learn NC: Race Relations (Includes Multimedia Resources)
Research Starters from Scholastic: Civil Rights
Related Links: Emily Dickinson
Biography of Emily Dickinson from the Academy of American Poets Web Site
Teaching with Emily Dickinson: The Classroom Electric (Emily Dickinson Resources)
Text and Slideshow of Entire Poem (TextFlow) from the Academy of American Poets Web Site
Excerpt:
Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all, -Emily Dickinson
Related Links: Hearing Impaired
Resources from the American Society for Deaf Children
Resources from Raising Deaf Kids
Related Links: Multimedia
Slideshow and Reading of Excerpt from Feathers on the Author’s Web Site
Related Links: Sign Language
First 100 Signs (with Illustrations, Descriptions, and Photos of Person Making Each Sign)
Read Aloud Recommendation: This is a good book to open dialogue about social issues such as race relations. It will challenge students to question social injustices such as prejudice and stereotyping.
Tags: Booktalks, children's literature, Deaf, Emily Dickinson, Feathers, Georgia Book Awards, Jacqueline Woodson, Library Media Center Resources, literature, Newbery Honor Book, Online Literary Resources, Race relations-Integration, Sign Language, Teacher resources, Web Resources for Feathers