Wells 1

Sarah Wells
Dr. Snow
READ 560
March 16, 2016
Final Text Set
Topic with applicable Standards of Learning
Voice and mood, specifically in dealing with texts- picture books, novels, and videos (fiction and
non-fiction) about Oppression
Standards of Learning
7.2 The student will identify and demonstrate the relationship between a speakers verbal and
nonverbal messages.
a) Use verbal communication skills, such as word choice, pitch, feeling, tone, and voice
appropriate for the intended audience.
7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative
nonfiction, and poetry.
b) Compare and contrast various forms and genres of fictional text.
7.6 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of nonfiction texts.
g) Describe how word choice and language structure convey an authors viewpoint.
7.7 The student will write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on exposition, narration, and
persuasion.
g) Select vocabulary and information to enhance the central idea, tone, and voice.
Writing Objective
This collection of texts and visuals will demonstrate how an authors voice through their
particular type of writing style can impact the reader in becoming a part of the text. The voice
within the text will place a significant part in creating the mood, tone, and style of both the
author and the character. Authors use voice to help the reader to hear the words being said.
Ultimately, students will be encouraged to develop their own voice when writing and utilizing
the information they learned from reading these specific authors and their craft.
Even though a lot of the novels and books are at a grade level equivalent of lower than 7th grade,
they are quite versatile depending on the school and student body make-up. They reach a high
level interest ranging from 4th-12th and the vocabulary varies from each text so making note of
larger vocabulary words will be important. The importance of incorporating a variety of text
levels is to offer the opportunity for students of all reading levels to partake in the lesson,

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contribute their prior knowledge and what theyve learned, and foster a deeper understanding and
meaning of the literature.
Lesson
This lesson can be manipulated to range from a week to semester long project. The goal is to
have the students thinking about the different types of oppression that is seen in the text, visuals,
and videos and how the different voice that the author creates for that genre affects the readers
perspective and attitude on the subject. Using voice as an anchor for the objective will allow the
classroom teacher to manipulate the lesson to have students finding similarities and differences,
historical, social, or political influences, or character traits among the various texts. Even though
I have included sources that are ranging in the reading level of 3rd-6th (below my target grade), I
find it critical to include a variety of resources with this common theme of oppression. Also,
depending on my students in my class, including books that are realistically on their reading
level will allow them to feel included and comfortable reading during the unit/lesson. However,
using stations that have some students reading picture books while others starting a novel then
switching is also a great way to engage all the students in the text. In todays age, oppression is
not usually talked about as way for change but for our students, it can be. I wanted to include
texts that showed kids that strength and fighting for what you believe in does change your future
if it is in a positive and uplifting manner.

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Annotated Bibliography
Ali, M. (2003). Brick Lane: A Novel. New York, NY: Scribner.
Grade Level Equivalent: 8.5
Written from a females point of view, depicting the deeply moving story of one woman,
Nazneen who is sent to London at age eighteen to enter into an arranged marriage with an
older man. Nazneen was born in a Bangladesi village, where her family still confirms to
the traditions of arranged marriages and that women are meant to be in a lower place than
men in society. Once arriving in London, Nazneen must not only learn to love her new
husband but adapt to a culture that she is completely unfamiliar with. Nazneen is a clear
representation of the fight for womens rights, not only in her culture but that became a
worldwide shock to traditions.
Any wife is better than no wife. Something is better than nothing. What had she
imagined? That he was in love with her? That he was grateful because she, young and
graceful, had accepted him? That in sacrificing herself to him, she was owed something?
Yes. Yes. She realized in a stinging rush she had imagined all these things. Such a foolish
girl. Such high notions. What self-regard. (page 35)
Nazneen had entered her situation with hope and promise that she would be loved by her
husband and accepted for the woman that she is. However, upon several interactions with
her husband, she realizes that she is far from any romantic and happy future. Her voice
immediately changes from questioning herself and husband to complete dismissal of her
choices and frustration with her foolishness. This conversation that she has with herself
represents the millions of women who face various types of oppression, dating back
hundreds of years, who have had the exact same talk with themselves.
Curtis, C. P. (1999). Bud, not Buddy. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.0
Taking place in 1936 in Flint, Michigan, ten-year old Bud (not Buddy) is a motherless
child who is on the run, not from the police but really on the search for a part of his
identity and who he really is. On the search for his father using the only clue that his
mother left him, a flyer with names of band members on it, Bud climbs abroad a magical
adventure with new friends, Jazz singers and players. Bud, Not Buddy focuses on the
determination of a young homeless and motherless child to find who he is despite the
adversities of people, places, and the time period.
I was smiling and laughing and busting my gut so much that I got carried away and
some rusty old valve squeaked open in me then woop, zoop, sloop tears started

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jumping out of my eyes so hard that I had to cover my face with the big red and white
napkin that was on the table. (page 173)
Since the novel is told from the first person perspective of Bud, the reader gets a very
authentic feel of the emotions that he is feeling. Curtis also writes the book using
language that allows the reader to picture a ten-year old saying. Buds phrases like
woop, zoop, sloop give this sound effect to the reader of his changing emotions from
happy to an overwhelming tears of joy of being surrounded with people who finally feel
like family. His use of the phrases rusty old valve squeaked open and jumping out of
my eyes reinforce the emotional appeal of his identity search to his audience by creating
auditory images.
Curtis, C. P. (1997). The Watsons Go to Birmingham. London: Orion Children's Books.
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.5
When his parents decide to go visit his grandparents in Birmingham, Alabama, ten year
old Kenny from Flint, Michigan does not know the emotional, comical, and overall eyeopening adventure he is about to partake in. He is traveling to the South during one of the
darkest moments of American history, discrimination of whites and blacks and the fight
for Civil Rights. As a young man, Kenny will learn what it means to stand up for what
you believe in not only verbally, but inside your heart. The reader can sense Kennys
growth as he learns to find out the consequences of being a African-American in the
segregated South, but still grapples with the truth as he vacations with his family.
We'd seen the pictures of a bunch of really mad white people with twisted-up faces
screaming and giving dirty finger signs to some little Negro kids who were trying to go to
school. I'd seen the pictures but I didn't really know how these white people could hate
some kids so much. (page 116)
Kenny is a young child who doesnt quite understand how the boundaries that some white
people had created against African-Americans in the South during this time period. His
first real experience is through a photograph where he is shown the image of a young
children being thrown inappropriate hand gestures. His word choice such as really mad,
twisted-up, and dirty finger signs reveal the innocence and curiosity that he still has
in his youth. It is the type of language that allows the reader to envision this photograph
and feel the same disgust as Kenny.
Frank, A. (1993). Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Bantam Books.
Grade Level Equivalent: 5.9-6
Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank's
remarkable diary is a powerful reminder of the horrors of war through the oppression by
the twisted quest by a dictator to diminish certain types of individuals due to religious,
race, or ethnic background. In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old

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Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the
next two years, they and another family lived cloistered in the "Secret Annex" of an old
office building. Her diary is written from her personal experiences of the suffering from
small living quarters, hunger, and fear of discovery but she tries to draw upon her own
courage to lift her spirits for hope of a better future until her life is cut short.
Cycling, dancing, whistling, looking out into the world, feeling young, to know that Im
free- thats what I long for; still, I mustnt show it, because I sometimes think if all eight
of us begin to pity ourselves, or went about with discontented faces, where would it lead
us? I sometimes ask myself, Would anyone, either Jew or non-Jew, understand this about
me, that I am simply a young girl badly in need of some rollicking fun? (page 140)
Since this is a first-person narrative, the reader does emotionally invest in the life of Anne
Frank while she is living in this condition. Yet, Anne reveals how much she has grown
emotionally and mentally due to the circumstances. Hearing these wishes of cycling
and dancing (things that are taken for granted by some youth) make one reflect more
on the gift of ones life. Her attitude reflects maturity as she seeks to find the light in such
a dark place by keeping her tortured dreams to herself. Then, Anne calls out to this
imaginary audience (now a real reader) and those who discriminate against her due to
religion and simply asks if she could play because she is really just a child, yearning for
the freedom that has been oppressed. A young reader might be imaging a time where they
felt that their freedom was taken away and how it now reminds of them of Annes
situation and how she never got it.
Mochizuki, K., & Lee, D. (1993). Baseball Saved Us. New York, NY: Lee & Low.
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.1
Even though Baseball Saved Us is an illustrated picture book, it is an excellent resource
for all students to use as a visual along with reading. Students who are not as advanced
readers as their classmates can read this book in order to gauge the same understanding as
some of the other texts they are reading. Learning through this shorter picture book will
allow them more opportunities to connect prior knowledge with the content they are
learning. Baseball Saved Us is about a Japanese-American boy whose family is being
sent to the Internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Shorty and his family, along
with thousands of Japanese Americans, are sent to an internment camp after the attack on
Pearl Harbor. Fighting the heat and dust of the desert, Shorty and his father decide to
build a baseball diamond and form a league in order to boost the spirits of the internees.
Shorty quickly learns that he is playing not only to win, but to gain dignity and selfrespect as well.
But as soon as we got out there, it hit me: nobody on my team or the other team, or even
anybody in the crowd looked like me. When we walked out onto the field, my hands were

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shaking. It felt like all these mean eyes were starting at me, wanting me to make mistakes.
I dropped the ball that was thrown to me, and I heard people in the crowd yelling Jap. I
hadnt heard that word since before I went to Campit meant that they hated me. (page
11)
Shorty represents the suppressed youths voice, who wants to be heard amongst adults,
chaos, and choices made without their consent. Shorty decides that he can make his skill
in baseball his voice and use it to silence the crowds. The tension felt by the crowd
yelling names at him reveal the real portrayal of oppression that had no age limit. Shorty
is well aware of the tension he has created on the field, but it is up to himself to break this
pattern.
Nelson, S. D. (2010). Black Elk's Vision: A Lakota Story. New York, NY: Abrams Books for
Young Readers.
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.0
Though as seen from the outside as a picture book, this text contains real images,
illustrations and maps about the life of Native American Indian, Black Elk, who lived
from 1863-1950. A cousin of Crazy Horse, Black Elk was involved in the battles of Little
Bighorn and Wounded Knee. S.D Nelson uses Black Elks own documented words as
well as historical documentation to bring to light the life of a Native American during this
time period. It details the oppression felt by the Indians when their land became overrun
with the White Man, the buffalo being slaughtered, and the migration to find a new
home and land.
By performing the Horse Dance ceremony, I had shared the knowledge of my Great
Vision. All fears and doubts about my vision were washed away. Still, there seemed to be
no future for my people living on the Indian reservation. The buffalo were gone. We could
not move. The Circle of Life was broken. (page 31)
Black Elks quest to seek a more positive and better future has been scarred with the
reality that he and his people face moving forward. When the reader catches words like
my people, all fears and doubts, and we could not move, reveals this unity that this
group of individuals kept together during this oppression. The reader feels them say aloud
it is our people and that sense of voice to the reader makes eludes to not only their
strength but their suffering.
Tavares, M. (2015). Growing Up Pedro. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.0

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Built around the real quest of a two young mens dreams to play professional baseball,
Growing Up Pedro illustrates the life of Pedro Martinez and his brother, Ramon, before
he became the one of the best pitchers for the Boston Red Sox. Their journey began in a
small village, Manoguayabo, in the Dominican Republic, where they often laid in their
beds, dreaming of becoming millionaires. Pedro admires his older brother, Ramon, as he
gets contracted to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pedro works hard to receive the
opportunity to play for the Dominican Republic team before becoming drafted into some
of the major league baseball teams in the United States. Working hard against growing up
in poverty, complexities of learning a new language, and people saying he was too
small to pitch, Pedro became one of the best pitchers in MLB.
Some of Pedros teammates in the minors think Pedro is only there because he is the
great Ramon Martinezs little brother. Pedro works hard to prove that he belongs. He
keeps working on his English, too. During long bus rides, he stares out the window and
tries to read every road sign. (page 13)
Even though this is a picture book, the illustrations help portray the mood and voice of
the author and the life of Pedro. They detail the words that are written in order to show
the obstacles that he had to overcome on his journey to live his dream. The images
reinforce the words on the page in a way that it is created in the readers mind. Pedros
life journey to his dream are depicted in the illustrations in a way to detail that the
oppression did not define him, but made him work harder and win.
The Great Zamperini [Video file]. (1998). United States: CBS Sports.
Grade Level Equivalent: 7.0 and above
Illustrating the real life of Olympic athlete turned Prisoner of War, Louis Zamperini, this
documentary portrays the events of one of the few survivors of the torture during World
War I. When Zamperini was a young boy, he was always getting called out for being
trouble. However, one day when his older brother catches Zamperini running away from
the police, he notices how fast he really can run. Through his teenage life, Louis and his
brother trained and by the time he turned eighteen, he was qualified to run in the
Olympics. Soon came the start of World War II and Zamperini enlisted as an airman in
the U.S Army. One afternoon during a test flight, his engine became faulty and crashed
into the Pacific Ocean, with his two other comrades, without any one finding them. The
Japanese come upon their small raft and Zamperini endures the most horrific and
terrifying punishments. His strength to beat those who have told him he cant do it and
wont survive saves him and shows those out there that his spirit is unbroken.

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I think the hardest thing in life is to forgive. Hate is self-destructive. If you hate
somebody, you're not hurting the person you hate, you're hurting yourself. It's a healing,
actually, it's a real healing...forgiveness. (Last few minutes of the documentary)
A true example of beating the odds despite the adversity of life or death being thrust upon
one every single day is the legacy of Louis Zamperinis time as a prisoner of war. This
quote is extremely powerful because it is what Zamperini has said about forgiving his
Japanese captors after what they had done. Despite the oppression that he felt and what
the audience views during the video reveals the depth of his character. A lot of young
students might relate to how he felt as an Olympic athlete when everyone who saw him
as trouble doubted him. Utilizing the power of sound and real images from his time
creates that mood and tone for the viewers that really depicts the extent of his capture.
Tillage, L. W., & Roth, S. L. (n.d.). Leon's Story. Canada: Douglas & McIntyre.
Grade Level Equivalent: 6.8
Leons Story is the true autobiography of a young African-American male growing up in
the 1930s in the segregated South. Living in North Carolina, Leons family was the
second largest group of sharecroppers in their town. Leon faced the reality of segregation
every day from walking four miles to the school for black children and watching a school
bus full of white children go past to being forced to sit in the balcony at the movie
theater. Yet, this autobiography is the definition of the love of a family as they seek to
ignore the oppressions that they must face in order to fight for the civil and more
importantly, human rights.
We kids wanted to know why we had to live in an old broken-down house. Why we had
to walk around with no new shoes. Why we couldnt have a pretty car like Mr. Johnson
(who owned the farm) and them. ...and I couldnt figure out why we didnt have some of
these nice things. We knew somewhere something was wrong, but we just couldnt figure
out what to do about it. Why in America we had to be second best. Our parents would
only say Well, thats the way its intended, thats the way its supposed to be. Youll never
equal up to the whites. (page 57)
This book is extremely moving having been written from the first person perspective with
such intensity and clear details. This quote really enforces that voice of the young boy
and his struggle with understanding segregation. His use of we embodies this whole
race that was being placed as second or not even worth anyones time by some. The
repetition of the unanswered questions to audience asking why begins to make the
reader question themselves and this time in American history. These questions have gone
unanswered for years now because of the honesty and brutality behind them. The reader

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knows this is not the way it should be or intended to be, so why was it that way to begin
with?
Uchida, Y., & Yardley, J. (1993). The Bracelet. New York: Philomel.
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3
The Bracelet is an excellent text for students to use in identifying voice. This story is
about a young Japanese-American girl whose family is sent to live in an Internment
Camp after the conclusion of World War I. This young girl does not clearly understand
the reasoning of her family being sent away and she must leave her school, friends, and
importantly, the life she knew behind. Her next door neighbor and best friend (who is
Caucasian American) gives her a bracelet as a token to remember their friendship. When
Ruri gets to the camp, she realizes she has lost the bracelet amidst all the chaos but her
mother reminds her that some memories can always be felt in the heart.
Mama! I said. Were going to live in an apartment! The only apartment I had ever
seen was the one my piano teacher lived in. (page 171)
The enthusiasm that you feel coming from this young girls voice represents her
innocence and excitement for living in an apartment. However, as the reader knows,
she is not going to be in a real apartment and just reading how excited she is but knowing
the disappointment to come allows the reader to sympathize with her. This is done
through the authors use of punctuation (exclamation points) and following it with her
thinking about how she has never lived in one. The author has done this to have the
readers side with the young girl and her family during this time of Oppression.