An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793

Devastating, Colonial, Informative, Vivid, Malignant
An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the
Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy
Published by Clarion Books, a Houghton Mifflin
Company imprint
Copyright 2003
Newbery Honor Book 2004
The Robert F. Sibert Medal Winner 2004
Non-Fiction

This story takes place in Philadelphia, the largest city in America at the time, and begins on August 3, 1793 with an account of the weather and a description of the current living environment. There is mention of the French and George Washington's struggles with his Proclamation of Neutrality. The story progresses, telling about the current goings on in the city. August 19, 1793 marks the first mention of illness. The disease brings with it pain and suffering. Those stricken with yellow fever experience: vomiting a "foul black bile", fever, a pale yellow skin color, chills, headache, aching, and "tiny red eruptions on the skin". Some doctors believe that the disease is caused by unbalanced humors (body fluids) in the body but one doctor, Dr. Rush, believes it is a disease called yellow fever. Soon, the disease spreads. Then dozens of people at a time become infected and within a few days, die from this still unidentified disease. When the word of the malignant disease gets around town, people begin fleeing the city or locking themselves in their houses. The phenomenon becomes unbearable and unstoppable. When the doctors no longer know what to do, have fled the city , or have died from the disease, those from the Free African Society step in and take charge. Selfless, freed, African Americans risk their own lives to try to save those stricken by the disease and bury those who fall victim. The causes of the disease is are not known until a century later.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read, Small Group Read,
Grade Level (Lexile): 1130L, Ages 10-14

Key Vocabulary: droned, haggled, refurbished, yellow fever, capitulation, refugees, folklore, amiable, camphor, diligence, unassailable, emaciated

Teaching Suggestions:

• Before Reading: Introduce students to the words plague and epidemic. Ask students what they know about these words and if they know of any plagues that occurred in American History. Using a KWL chart, ask students what they know about Yellow Fever. You might prompt students' prior knowledge with questions like: What do you know about the time period that you think Yellow Fever came about? Did it infect many people? How was America effected by Yellow Fever, if at all?
• During Reading: Discuss with students some of the text features of this story. Murphy includes many authentic newspaper excerpts, artwork that depicted specific events, photos of handwritten letters or notes, part of a 1794 list of the dead, etc. Have a discussion about how these add to how the reader actually experiences the story. Ask thought provoking questions like: Would reading the story without the artifacts be the same? What is the importance of the artifacts? Why do you think Murphy chose the specific artifacts that he did?
• After Reading: Students can research current plagues/epidemics that are devastating other places in the world. Students should pick one epidemic and compare/contrast this with Yellow Fever and how it effected America. Graphic organizers, venn diagrams, or charts can be used for this activity.

Writing Activity: After reading An American Plague, students will pick one person from the book who dies. Students will write the obituary for this person. Be sure to mention that obituaries include the person's full name, birth date and place, death date and cause of death. If this person was married, the spouse's name should be included in addition to the names of this person's parents and those he/she is survived by. Other information that can be added about this person's life. This might include his/her job, education, something significant they have done, etc. Students will go back to the book to research the information given about this person.

Electronic Resources:

• Jim Murphy :This site provides links to An American Plague summary and other Jim Murphy books and their summaries. There are links to his blog, an "about the author section", and an interview with Jim Murphy. This site would be helpful for teachers to provide students with an outlet to learn more about an author. It would also be helpful for students to research and make connections with.
• Yellow Fever :This site provides information about yellow fever. Symptoms, causes, treatment, signs and tests, and prevention are mentions. There is also links to describe the symptoms. This site would be helpful if students were using An American Plague as a supplemental text for history. This site provides research that would be beneficial when writing a history report.

Murphy, J. (2003). An American plague: the true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. New York: Clarion Books.

Love That Dog

Sweet, Endearing, Captivating, Heart-felt, Rhythmic

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Published by Scholastic Inc.

Copyright 2001

Poetry

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is a story told by Jack. Jack is a boy who tells his story through poetic responses to his teacher, Miss Strechberry. This story starts at the beginning of the school year and progresses through to the end of the school year. Jack's earliest responses are short and uninspirational. As the story progresses, Jack's teacher slowly gives him some inspiration and confidence and Jack begins to feel that he is capable of writing poetry and that he really does like it. He becomes enthralled in a poem, "Love That Boy" by Walter Dean Myers. A turning point in the story is when Jack writes the poem about his dog, Sky. Jack writes a letter to Walter Dean Myers asking him to come to his school to meet his class. Walter Dean Myers does end up visiting Jack's class and he reads Jack's poems as well as those written by the other students.

Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud, Independent Read

Grade Level (Lexile): 1010L, Ages 8-12

Key Vocabulary: comet, anonymous pasture, tottery, straggly,inspired, publisher, flattered

Teaching Suggestions:

• Before Reading: Ask students what they know about poetry. Talk with them about the features of this specific genre. Discuss their experiences dealing with poetry. Have you ever read/heard a poem before? Do you have a favorite one? If so, what is it?
• During Reading: Ask students to recall that in the beginning of the story, Jack says that boys don't write poetry, girls write poetry. Ask students what they think of when they hear the word poet or who they think should write poetry. Also, discuss with students the fact that Jack is hesitant about putting his name on his work. Why do you supposed he does not want his classmates to know that the work is his? Was there ever a time when you were nervous to share your work with someone? Why?
• After Reading: Jack creates a poem that is in the shape of a dog, using words that describe the dog. Students will pick something they know well enough to write a similar poem about. Examples could include: a cat, a desk, a heart, etc.

Writing Activity: There are eight different poems at the end of the story that Sharon Creech used in writing Jack's story. In the story, Jack is inspired by Walter Dean Myers's poem "Love That Boy". Ask students to read the eight poems in the back of the book. Each student will write their own poem using one of the poems they read as inspiration. Also, at the end on their poem, students will include a short written response as to why they chose to use the poem they did and what about it inspired them.

Electronic Resources:

• Discussion Topics: This website includes discussion topics, writing activites, a short article about Sharon Creech, an interview with her, and information about all of the books she wrote. Her story Hate That Cat is also included in this site's activities which might be helpful. The activities for Hate That Cat are similar to the ones for Love That Dog but are separate, so teachers can pick and choose the resources they would like to use.
• Sharon Creech: This is Sharon's official website. It includes a biography about her, insight about her works, and some teaching suggestions and resources.

Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins.

Matilda

Magical, Witty, Savant, Creative, Scary
Matilda by Roald Dahl, Illustrated by Quentin Blake
Published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Books
Copyright 1988

Matilda by Roald Dahl is a story about a four year old girl named Matilda Wormwood, who happens to be a math prodigy. Unlike her evil parents and bratty brother, Matilda loves to read and to go to school. Upon entering school for the first time, Matilda meets Miss Trunchbull, the mean headmistress of Crunchem Hall Primary School. Miss Trunchbull frightens the students as well as the other teachers. Miss Honey is Matilda's teacher. She is quite the opposite of Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey is sweet, loving, and kind to all of her students. One day Miss Trunchbull comes to Miss Honey's classroom for "The Weekly Test" and accuses Matilda of putting the Newt in her water jug. Matilda tries to defend herself and in the heat of the argument, she tips over the glass of water on the desk just by looking at it and concentrating on it. After discovering that she has magical powers, Matilda uses her strength for good. She frees Miss Honey from Miss Trunchbull and both Miss Honey and Matilda get a second chance at happiness.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read
Grade Level (Lexile): 840L, Ages 8-12

Key Vocabulary: wash-out, nimble, half-witted, gormless, enlightened, formidable, pocket-money, honourable, arrogant, brogues, eccentric

Teaching Suggestions:

• Before Reading: Introduce the students to Matilda by giving them a set of questions to just think about. Questions include: Do you know anyone who is mean to others or who you would consider a bully? How do you think parents should treat their children? How do you think teachers/principals should act toward students and other teachers? Do you think you might help someone who is being bullied? How might you help them?
• During Reading: Discuss with students the topic of bullying. What makes someone a bully? Do you consider Miss Trunchbull a bully? Why? Would you consider either or both of Matilda's parents bullies? Why? 
• After Reading: Ask students to think about the way Matilda helped Miss Honey. If Matilda didn't have the power to lift the chalk and write on the board, how else might she have helped Miss Honey? How might you help someone who you thought was being bullied? Students will write their responses in paragraph form.

Writing Activity: Introduce the word "connotation" as an antonym of denotaion, the dictionary definition of something. Explain that it is an idea or an association suggested by a word. Give an example like: the connotation of home is: a place of warmth or comfort. Ask students to think of the connotations of the last names of the main characters (i.e. Wormwood, Trunchbull, Honey). Students will write a response detailing their thoughts about the connotations of these names. Also, students will include in their response how their connotations relate to the character's actual personalities. Do the connotations and personalities match? Why/How?

Electronic Resources:

•   Quiz: This website includes a quiz about the novel. These questions are geared more toward the explicit information. This quiz can be used for students who might have trouble with reading comprehension with regards to remembers what actually happened in the novel and who participated.
• Trivia & Lesson PlansThis site provides links to a film summary as well as the novel summary. It also has Matilda on a podcast so students can listen to the novel. The site also provides lesson plan suggestions, reading comprehension worksheets, a quiz about the novel, and two interactive trivia quizzes. This site would be most helpful for students who need additionl help with reading comprehension.

Dahl, R., & Blake, Q. (1988). Matilda. New York: Viking Kestrel.

Number the Stars

Memorable, Compelling, Enlightening, Moving, Suspenseful

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Published by Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers

Copyright 1989

Newbery Medal Winner 1990

Historical Fiction

Number the Stars is a story told through the eyes of 10 year old Annemaire Johansen. This story takes place in Denmark in 1943, during the time when Nazi soldiers have invaded. The Nazis are posted on every street corner, poking and prodding themselves into the lives of all Danish citizens. While they have already limited their use of electricity and rationed their food, the Nazis’ main intentions are to “relocate” the Jewish people. Annemarie chronicles the journey she and her family take in order to save the lives of their friends, the Rosens. Ellen Rosen is Annemarie’s best friend. Ellen is taken in by Annemarie’s family and pretends to be their third daughter while friends of the Johansen family are plotting to save Ellen’s parents. Annemarie’s uncle has a fishing boat that he uses to hide and save Jewish families by smuggling them to Sweden, which is a country free of Nazi soldiers. Annemarie, her mother, her sister Kristi, and Ellen stay with Annemarie’s uncle. After a few days, Ellen is reunited with her parents. That night, The Rosen family and other Jewish families are taken to Annemarie’s uncle’s boat in small groups, so as to not be detected by roaming Nazis. While Ellen’s family and other Jewish families are awaiting their departure from Denmark to Sweden, Annemarie delivers a handkerchief to her uncle. This simple handkerchief is infused with dried rabbit’s blood and cocaine in order to destroy the Nazi dogs’ sense of smell so that they will not smell the people hiding below the decks of the fishing boat. The story concludes with the successful delivery of the handkerchief and the safe arrival of the Rosen family in Sweden.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read, Small Group Read
Grade Level (Lexile): 670L, Ages 10-14

Key Vocabulary: rueful, imperious, deftly, rucksack, residential, plodding, prodded, incident, exaggerating, "Resistance", sabotage, trousseau, swastika, disdainfully, belligerently, Sabbath, synagogue 

Teaching Suggestions:

• Before Reading: Discuss the idea of a Historical Fiction novel. Explain to students that this novel is based on true events from 1943 when Nazi soldiers invaded Denmark and the Jewish people were to be "relocated". Ask students to make predictions about the novel using the illustrations on the front cover, the short summary on the back of the book, and what they already know about the events of 1943 involving Nazi soldiers. 
• During Reading: Author, Lois Lowry creates suspense in Number the Stars. Discuss with the students how suspense is used in the novel. Students will make connections to other texts that were suspenseful and made them want to keep reading. Discuss elements of a story that might keep a reader's interest and make them want to continue reading. Students will talk about examples or events in Number the Stars that keep their attention.
• After Reading: Discuss concepts like prejudice and ethnocentrism and how each relates to the novel. Discuss significant events of the story, focusing on those that depict prejudice and/or ethnocentrism. Each student will pick an event and write a short essay telling of the event and how it made them feel. Students will also mention prior experiences or other novels that may have centered around these concepts.

Writing Activity: Annemarie changed as a person throughout the book. She discovers what it means to have courage and pride; she understands the meaning of friendship. In response to the book, students will write about Annemarie's transformation with regards to the concepts of courage, pride, and friendship. Students will include examples from the text to support their writing.

Electronic Resources

• Vocabulary,Questions, Activities: This website may be helpful to teachers because it includes some of the difficult vocabulary words and their definitions. It also includes online comprehension questions that students can use to monitor their own comprehension, as well as printable questions that teachers can distribute to students. Activites for each chapter are included on the site. These activities are specific to a set of chapters. Suggestions for lesson plans are part of this site, as well as printable vocabulary practice worksheets that can also be used as quizzes.
• Study Guide: This website provides teachers with sample questions that provide students with the opportunity to write open-ended responses. These questions are in groups based on the types of responses that are required from students. Teachers will also find this site helpful because it provides sample activities such as a Double Entry Journal. This site also includes key concepts and terms so that teachers can use this novel to compare other topics like predjudice or racism.

Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co..

When You Reach Me

Engaging, Remarkable, Puzzling, Mysterious, Intriguing
When You Reach Me By Rebecca Stead

Published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books

Copyright 2009

Newbery Medal Winner 2010

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is about a sixth grader named Miranda. After her best friend Sal gets punched by a kid on the street for apparently no reason at all, he stops talking to Miranda all together. He completely ignores her and she has no idea why. Soon after, Miranda’s hidden spare apartment key is stolen and a mysterious note arrives. Part of this unsigned note reads: “I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.” (Page 60) Several notes follow this one and Miranda realizes that the person writing these notes knows things about her life that no one should know. Miranda starts to believe that only she can prevent a tragic death. As the story progresses, Miranda comes closer to figuring out who is writing these notes, what she is supposed to write in the letter to him, and who needs saving. Toward the end of the novel, an argument about time travel that Miranda had with Marcus, the boy who punched Sal, comes back to her and she discovers that time travel is indeed possible.

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read
Grade Level (Lexile): 750L, Ages 9-12

Key Vocabulary: omen, “Latchkey” kid, linoleum, proposal (i.e. written), velour, tesser, hypnotizing, microscopic, origami, judgmental, truce

Teaching Suggestions:

• Before Reading:Ask students to study the cover of the book. There are items including a man's shoe, a key, a mailbox with the shadow of a man, a book, bread, money, etc. Ask students what they think the importance of these items will be. Explain that the city depicted on the cover is New York City. What is the significance of the title? Do you think someone will be traveling? Where/How might they be traveling?
• During Reading: On pages 49-52 Marcus and Miranda talk about the book A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle and the possibility of time travel. Discuss with students their ideas about time travel. Does what Marcus says about the women; " ... they would have seen themselves get back - before they left" make sense? How would you have described time travel differently so that Miranda might have a better understanding?
• After Reading: Ask students to think about how the author portrays the setting of the novel. Are there differences in the way Miranda lived in 1979 and the way you live now? For example, Miranda gets to leave school for lunch and she walks around the city alone or with friends her age. Would that happen today? Students will write about how they think the author portrays New York City in 1979 and about the differences between Miranda's "normal" day and their "normal" day.

Writing Activity: Introduce the topic of Racism. Discuss with students the meaning of the word and how someone who is a racist might make other people feel. Ask students to write about their opinion of Jimmy. Did their opinion of Jimmy change from the beginning of the novel to the end? Also, students will think about how the way Jimmy acted toward Julia and the way Julia may have felt. Students should think about how they would react if Jimmy had insulted someone they know or even someone they don't know, and include their thoughts in this writing response.

Electronic Resources:

• Rebecca Stead: This site is a youtube.com video in which author Rebecca Stead talks about her book When You Reach Me. She also discusses her motivation behind some of aspects of the story, such as the New York City setting. Stead describes her writing style as well as key elements of her life that contributed to the way the story was written.
• Online Quiz: This site provides students with an online quiz to check their comprehension of the novel. The questions are simple recall questions about significant events in the novel.

Stead, R. (2009). When you reach me. New York: Random House.