Summary

How can we best support and encourage one another? How can we, ourselves, have courage in the face of adversity?  In the book, Lubna and Pebble, Wendy Meddour and Daniel Egneus offer many opportunities to consider the answers to these questions.  The opening image is that of a boat, which leads into a child peering at a shiny, smooth pebble. This pebble may bring about ideas of a “worry stone” or other special item.  The important role that this pebble plays is pivotal to the way that this story transpires. It is a friend and comfort to those that hold it.

Explore the “land of tents” and those that “arrive in the night” as well as the supporting illustrations to get a sense of immigration or refugee status in a new land.  Many conclusions can be supported through this wonderful and touching book.

The importance of a comfort item is explored throughout this story as the pebble crosses hands across the arrivals of newcomers to a land. The “Pebble” becomes a friend and comfort to newcomers to a land.

Lesson Resources

AASL Standards Framework for Learners: Include/Grow II.D.2 Learners demonstrate empathy and equity in knowledge building within the global learning community by demonstrating interest in other perspectives during learning activities. 

• Consider push and pull factors for individuals from different backgrounds
• Explore what it is like to be the “new person”
• Inquire about the meanings and importance of mementos, souvenirs, and touchstone items.  Younger learners may consider a favorite stuffed animal or hand-me-down. Older learners may consider the importance of gratitude and giving.

If you like these lesson ideas, please take a look at our book, Lessons Inspired by Picture Books for Primary Grades. This resource includes ready-to-go lesson plans that meet the standards. Worksheets, assessments and rubrics are included. 

What is real, and what is fake? How do we know when a source is truly credible?  In the interesting true story Fairy Spell, by Marc Tyler Nobleman, we read the story of two British girls that convinced the world that fairies are real! Based on the true story of cousins that for over 60 years held to their claim that they had taken photographs of fairies. They took the photos to prove that “fairies frolicked at the beck (stream) where they played”. These photos were shared and authenticated by several experts in photography.  

The question that arises in the reading of this book is how do you determine a credible source?  How do you know when something is untrue? It took decades for these cousins to open up about the actual events, though questions still remain! Be sure not to miss this great one!

Lesson Resources
AASL Standards Framework for Learners: Engage/Think VI.A.2 Learners follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information by understanding the ethical use of information, technology, and media.

• Have learners consider what it means to be a credible source.  In this story, the cousins were considered credible because they had “decent families” and “no history of hoaxing”.  Ask learners what conditions they consider important to determine credibility.
• Have learners consider motivation.  Why would an individual “fake” an event or “fake” news?
• Consider what it means to convince others.  What is real, and what does real mean?

If you like these lesson ideas, please take a look at our book, Lessons Inspired by Picture Books for Primary Grades. This resource includes ready-to-go lesson plans that meet the standards. Worksheets, assessments and rubrics are included. 

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor- The Woman Who Loved Reptiles by Patricia Valdez

Watch out! This is the story of a girl with very unusual guests to her tea parties…reptiles!  Yes, Joan Procter was a pioneer in the field of woman scientists. She was fascinated by reptiles, and was often joined by her companion crocodile.  

Not only was she enthralled with reptiles, she managed to turn her passion into a career.  During the war, when women were first invited into the workforce, Joan Procter took the job as a designer for the Reptile House at the London Zoo.  There, she even hosted children’s tea parties with the deadly komodo dragon as a special guest.

Joan Procter paved the way for women to become involved in fields that were previously seen as male oriented careers. She dared to think outside of the box and follow her passion.

AASL Standards Framework for Learners: Explore/Think V.A.1 Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and write and create for a variety of purposes.

Lesson Resources

• Consider the statement “authors write about what they know”. Patricia Valdez is a scientist with a Ph.D in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She works at the National Institute of Health as well as being an author.  Ask learners “why do you think she wrote this book?”
• Have learners consider the historical impact of the war on Joan Procter’s path.  How did the war create a door that was opened for Procter’s role at the London Zoo?
• Dig in to the non-fiction possibilities for research and writing. Have learners create a “zoo” with artwork and images to examine the details of reptiles and create blurbs of information to be shared with “zoo visitors”.

If you like these lesson ideas, please take a look at our book, Lessons Inspired by Picture Books for Primary Grades. This resource includes ready-to-go lesson plans that meet the standards. Worksheets, assessments and rubrics are included.

Summary

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems by Paul B. Janeczko is a great way to share step by step processes with kids through poetry. There are many out of the box poem ideas that focus on  key words and phrases. In some poems, there are plays on the way text is used, in others, a key element of an object is focused in on. There is a poem that uses clever text layout to identify elements of a camel’s physical features. In another, there is a focus on an environment from the viewpoint of a mole.  

What is really special about this book is how it takes very diverse topics and simplifies them through choice words and illustrations.  The poems are free form and offer light hearted, funny and informative depictions of topics.

Response to Literature

AASL Standards Framework for Learners: Explore/Share V.C.1 Learners engage with the learning community by expressing curiosity about a topic of personal interest or curricular relevance.

There are some really exciting ways that this text can be used to develop learner’s inquiry skills as well as writing abilities.  A few ideas include:

• In reading the poems, learners will notice that big ideas are conveyed through a few choice words.  Learners can dissect the poems to develop questions about why those other chose certain key words to explain a complex system, process or creature
• Have learners identify a topic of interest and generate interesting, key words to begin developing into a How-to poem of their own.  Differentiation can be enhanced through the use of pictures for those that are not yet reading and writing independently. Learners can use these to create a “How to” picture collage to express their understandings about a topic.
• Many classrooms across primary grade levels write a version of “How To” poems or books.  Use this book as a connection for collaboration with classroom teachers!

If you like these lesson ideas, please take a look at our book, Lessons Inspired by Picture Books for Primary Grades. This resource includes ready-to-go lesson plans that meet the standards. Worksheets, assessments and rubrics are included.