While reading the first chapter in Four Perfect Pebbles I noted some question and ideas that could be used to help students gain a better understanding of the text. I think that this text might be very hard for children to relate too because they are so disconnected from the ideologies of concentration camps and the Holocaust. Although genocide is still happening today in places like Africa, and even on a smaller scale, racism in the United States I think that students might have a hard time seeing how these concepts relate to them--thus why is it important? For this reason I think that it is extremely import to help make students see the connection and importance through questions and various outside discussions.
Ideas before reading:
-Have students take a look at the front cover. Based on the title and cover see if they can come up with a prediction of what the story might be about.
-Have students look at the table of contents and see if they can predict the events of the story based on the chapter titles (like Dr. Cohen demonstrated with us in class).
-Have students fill out a KWL chart of the Holocaust. Then give a mini-lesson about the Holocaust.
-Discuss present day genocide or racial hatred --Rwanda, Darfur, racism.
Questions/Ideas while reading/after reading:
-Research about Bergen-Belsen
-Where does the title Four Perfect Pebbles come from?
-What would you do or how would you feel if you were in Marion's place?
-Finish Mama's story. "when you were just a baby in that small town in Germany..."
I like the way you included a map in the blog. Using maps to better understand the text and the context is critical. Maps can be used with many texts. Can you think of others?
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