Reading Activities | Pre-Reading | During Reading | After Reading | Before-Reading Resources: • Annenberg. Literature: Exploring Point of View. 2005. February 23, 2005. http://www.learner.org/exhibits/literature/read/pov2.html This is a helpful page on the different points of view. In the novel the point of view changes from chapter to chapter. This page can help students identify the shifts the novel makes. • Brooks, Susan and Bill Byles. Internet4Classrooms: Sixth Grade Skills. February 24, 2005. http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skills_6th.htm This is an incredible source for teachers. It gives information and examples of everything sixth graders should know. The children in the novel are all in the sixth grade. They seem pretty advanced for their ages. Looking at this site, students can decide if the answers they give during the academic bowl are beyond their level or appropriate for their age. • Carol, Lewis. “Chapter VII: A Mad Tea Party.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Bantam Books, 1981 (50-57). This would be a good before-reading resource as it is mentioned by Julian early on in the book. Having read at least the chapter Julian uses as his invite to the tea party, students will have a better grasp as to what is going on and perhaps be more excited to find out what will happen at the tea party. • Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative. Greater Lawrence Academic Bowl. 2001. February 22, 2005. http://www.glec.org/academicbowl/ This would be a fun and valuable before-reading resource as it familiarizes students with what an academic bowl is—which is the event that the entire novel is centered around. It tells about actual events in the country and gives sample questions and rules. It could be fun to have your own class have a mini academic bowl. • Houghton Mifflin Company. Houghton Mifflin Reading: Meet the Author, E.L. Konigsburg. 2000. February 24, 2005. http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/konigsburg.html This site gives biographical information on Konigsburg (author of the novel) and quotes advice she’s given to kids and writers. This would be fun to use before reading the book as it tells about who wrote it and can also get the reader thinking about themselves and the characters in the novel being themselves and achieving things. • Nyland, Edo. The Origin of Yiddish. February 22, 2003. February 23, 2005. http://www.highspeedplus.com/~edonon/yiddish.html This site is a source of interesting facts about Yiddish: where it comes from, who speaks it, how to pronounce some words, etc. In the book it is mentioned that Nadia’s grandfather speaks Yiddish and this source will help the students know what Yiddish is. • Office of Cultural and Historical Programs. Florida Kids. 2005. February 22, 2005. http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/ This site could be a good before-reading resource for the book because it gives valuable background information for the state of Florida (history, geography, etc.). Many students have never been to Florida and since much of the book takes place there it may make them feel more at home in the text to know more about the setting. • Rebecca Ryan Resources. Random Acts of Kindness. February 24, 2005. http://www.intouchmag.com/oprah.html This site displays the script for an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show where Oprah was talking about and demonstrating random acts of kindness. They talked about the results that came from doing these acts and how it made them feel. The site also gives examples of kind acts you can do. This would be a good resource to use as the characters in the novel do kind acts or before reading the book. The class can discuss the good they did in the novel and perhaps make plans for doing their own random acts of kindness. • Schubach, Erik and TheUS50.com. The US 50: New York State. 2005. February 22, 2005. http://www.theus50.com/newyork/geography.shtml This site would be a good before-reading resource as it gives valuable information on the state of New York. New York being the main setting for the book, students who’ve never lived or visited the state would benefit from looking into its history, geography, and populace. • Wikipedia. India. February 23, 2005. February 23, 2005. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India#Culture This is a good before-reading resource. It gives historical, geographic, and cultural information for India which is important because Julian and his father are from India. Knowledge of Julian’s cultural background may help students see how Julian is different. During-Reading Resources: • Alexander, Neil. Conjuror: Free Tricks. February 24, 2005. http://www.conjuror.com/magictricks/free_tricks1.html This site (and its homepage) is full of fun magic trick facts and instructions. This would just be fun to look at when reading the novel because magic is something Julian is interested in and he does tricks throughout the book. Students would enjoy trying a sleight of hand like him. • Broward County Florida: Biological Resources Division. Sea Turtle Conservation Program. February 22, 2005. http://www.co.broward.fl.us/bri00600.htm#Seaturtle This would be an excellent during-reading resource for this book because one of the main characters, Nadia, is deeply involved in the sea turtle conservation business. It gives information on the life of sea turtles and why their conservation is important. Students would enjoy learning more about the animal and be able to connect with Nadia and the allusions she makes comparing half-pipped baby turtles to herself. • C., Lisa. Life in a Wheelchair. 2002. February 23, 2005. http://ladydovescreensavers.surfhoo.com/wheelchair.html This is an article written by a woman confined to a wheelchair. She brings to the reader’s attention that people with disabilities are often treated differently. This could be valuable to look at when talking about Mrs. Olinski’s disability and how others react to her or her limitations, etc. • Davis, William Temple. The International Theatre Design Archive. April 19, 2003. February 23, 2005. http://www.siue.edu/ITDA/indexes/scendes/w.davis.html This site is an excellent and fun source for seeing what different possibilities for theatre sets and costumes. It can be used to illustrate Ethan’s passion for the theatre and future desired career. It would be fun for students to see what Ethan loves. Students could also do an activity in designing or drawing out their own sets for the book. • Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Women in American History: Bloomer, Amelia Jenks. 1999. February 23, 2005. http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Bloomer_Amelia_Jenks.html This is a good source for biographical information on an important female figure in history. It involves one of the lesser known women (Bloomer) that Ethan answered a question about during the academic bowl. This information will help situate the reader in the text (they will concentrate on the book instead of wondering who she was) and create appreciation for the knowledge of the characters. • Rich, Tracey R. Judaism 101: Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws. February 23, 2005. http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm This is a very interesting site which provides facts on what it means when something is “kosher,” and other facts about Judaism. This is a good source to have for studying the book because Nadia’s family practices these laws, though her new step-grandmother does not because she’s not Jewish. It’s a valuable cultural lesson for students and it reemphasizes that people can get along amidst their differences. • Victorian Bazaar. The Tea Tradition: A History of Tea Time. 2000. February 23, 2005. http://www.victorianbazaar.com/teal.html This would be a nice during-reading resource because the tea parties are a constant throughout the novel. This site tells how tea time came to be a tradition and the kinds of behaviors and foods you’d find at tea time. Students reading the novel will be able to visualize the tea parties described. • Waters, Julian. Calligraphy, lettering and typeface design. 1997. February 22, 2005. http://www.calligraphersguild.org/julian.html This would be a good during-reading resource as the students read about Noah as he learns how to write in calligraphy. It gives the history of calligraphy and visual images of some calligraphy. It would be valuable for students to see what Noah’s talking about in the book and relate it to his character. • Welker, Glenn. Osceola (“Black Drink”): Seminole. April 8, 2004. February 23, 2005. http://www.indigenouspeople.net/osceola.htm This is a good source of historical information concerning one of the American Indians the children were questioned about during the academic bowl. It talks about what Osceola did and about his tribe. It would be interesting facts for the reader to know. • Wikipedia. Acronym and Initialism. February 20, 2005. Online. Internet. February 23, 2005. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronym This is a good during-reading resource because it helps the reader to identify with the question that Julian answers during the academic bowl in the novel. This site gives the definition of “acronym” and gives examples. Students can search different acronyms. After-Reading Resources: • Care2.com. EcoInfo: Hybrid Cars. 2005. February 24, 2005. http://www.care2.com/channels/ecoinfo/hybrid This would be a very fun and interesting after-reading resource. It talks about what a hybrid car is and what its strengths are. This would be good to use for this novel because Nadia talks about being a hybrid. Other sources defining hybrids could also be used, but cars could stimulate more interest in some students and its modern science. Students could talk about hybrid cars being better/stronger than other cars and how that view on hybrids could be used to consider Nadia’s strengths. • Donne, John. “Meditation XVII: No Man is an Island.” Jalic LLC. The Literature Network. 2004. February 24, 2005. http://www.online-literature.com/donne/409/ This would be a valuable after-reading resource. John Donne’s prose expresses the idea that all mankind are connected. This global human connection can mean that we all need each other or that everything we do affects others—both of these ideas can be discussed in the context of the novel, both with how the characters in the book treat each other, how the Souls helped each individual grow, etc. • Educators for Social Responsibility. Teachable Moments: Find Someone Who. February 23, 2005. http://www.teachablemoment.org/middle/findsomeonewho.html This would be a good lesson plan for an after-reading activity. It engages students in discovering how they are different from and similar to their classmates. It would go along with the novel because the children in the book were all very different but had things in common. This could stimulate a class discussion on how our differences can be useful. • Gardner, Traci. Traci’s lists of ten: Traci’s 6th List of Ten. May 2, 2004. February 24, 2005. http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/006.shtml This site gives ten different writing prompts for personal narratives. Since the majority of the novel is made up of different characters’ personal narratives, it could be fun for students to write their own on what they did last summer, if they were ever in some sort of a contest, or their experiences with random acts of kindness. • Lewis, Joan Johnson. Kindness Quotes. 2004. February 23, 2005. http://www.wisdomquotes.com/cat_kindness.html This is a fun collection of quotes about kindness. The book often mentions kindness and shows the children doing kind deeds for others. Favorite quotes from this site could be used to inspire discussion or journal entries. • The Nemours Foundation. KidsHealth: A Kid’s Guide to Divorce. 2005. February 23, 2005. http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/home_family/divorce.html This site gives valuable information about divorce, written for a young readership. It tells kids what divorce means and that it’s not their fault. This would help our reader understand what Nadia and her father are going through and possible make text-to-self connections. • Seeds of Knowledge-Old Fashioned Living. Tea Time Traditions. 2004. February 23, 2005. http://oldfashionedliving.com/teatime.htm This would be a fun after-reading resource because it talks about why some people have tea time today and gives recipes for tea time treats. This could fuel discussion on Mrs. Olinski’s feeling relaxed for the first time during tea or could result in having your own class tea party. • Simon, Paul. “I Am a Rock.” Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits. Columbia Records, 1972. This would be a fun after-reading resource. Paul Simon claims he doesn’t need friendship or love because they only bring pain. Students can use examples from the text to dispute or support his claim. Students can decide if he really believes what he’s saying and consider if any of the characters in the book feel the same way he does. • Society of Kabalarians of Canada & Kabalarian Philosophy. Kabalarian Philosophy: Demonstrations of . . . What’s in Your Name. 2004. February 23, 2005. http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/your.cfm This is one view (of many) on the importance of names. It talks about why they’re important and how you can figure out what they mean. While it is just one opinion, it would be a valuable resource in stimulating thought from students on the names used in the novel. All of the characters have very unique names, and the name of their group (the Souls) and their school (Epiphany) are probably not coincidental. • Stephenson, Bret. The Adolescent Mind: The Hero’s Journey. Nov. 24, 2002. February 23, 2005. http://www.adolescentmind.com/call_to_adventure1.htm This site gives a good explanation of what the hero’s journey is and gives details to the steps. Each child in the book experiences their own small hero’s journey. This site can be used to aid the students in identifying the steps each character takes in his or her journey and can fuel discussion on the journeys each of us makes.