PreK-12th Grade Resources

for
Khaled Hosseini’s
The Kite Runner

ONE BOOK
ONE BUCKS COUNTY
2006
A Project of the
Bucks County Free Library

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About the One Book • One Bucks County project….
The "One Book" initiative is a nationwide effort to broaden and deepen an
appreciation of literature. The intent is to bring people of all backgrounds
and ages together to foster unity and literacy through sharing books and
discussing the important issues raised by their reading. For the second year
of this program in Bucks County, the Bucks County Free Library has chosen
the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. During April 2006, the
library and its partners will be sponsoring discussion groups, film showings,
workshops, exhibits, panel discussions, lectures, and many other programs
related to the novel and its themes. Secondary schools are asked to include
the reading and discussion of The Kite Runner in their classrooms where
appropriate so Bucks County teens will be active participants in this project.
Elementary and Middle Schools are asked to use this resource guide to begin
discussions of the themes of The Kite Runner with their students. Copies of
the book are available for borrowing at all Bucks County public libraries and
at many school libraries.

The Kite Runner and younger children….

While adults may have concerns about sharing the specific content and some
of the themes of The Kite Runner with younger children many of its themes
are highly appropriate, and in fact, important, for sharing with children.
This resource guide has been prepared by librarians, teachers, and literacy
professionals from Bucks County in order to provide appropriate materials,
websites, and activities that are based on the themes in the book for
preschoolers through twelfth graders so they may also share in the One Book
One Bucks experience.

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 Preschool-12th Grade Resources for
The Kite Runner

About the One Book One Bucks County Project 2

The Kite Runner and Younger Children 2
About this resource guide 5
About Khaled Hosseini 6
About The Kite Runner 6
The Kite Runner programming resources
KITES 7
Kite Facts 7
Booklist Bookmark Template 8
Library Program – Preschool 10
Classroom Lessons Grades K-4 11
Parent-Child Activities 13
AFGHANISTAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST 14
Booklist and Web Resources 14
School Library/Public Library Cooperative Program 16
Classroom Lesson Grades K-4 18
Classroom Lesson Grades 5-9 20
Classroom Lesson Grades 10-12 27
Parent-Child Activities 29
IMMIGRATION 30
Booklist Bookmark Template 30
Library Program – Family Storytime 32
Lesson Plans and Curriculum Support Resources 33
Parent-Child Activities 34

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 FRIENDSHIP 35
Booklist Bookmark Template 35
School Library/Public Library Cooperative Program 37
Lesson Plans and Curriculum Support Resources 39
Parent-Child Activities 40

This guide and a calendar of events for the One Book One Bucks County
project can be found at http://www.buckslib.org.

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About this resource guide….
This guide is intended to aid librarians, teachers, community leaders, and
parents in using Kite Runner-based themes in their libraries, classrooms,
centers, and homes. Because these environments vary widely, the guide
must, of necessity, be somewhat general, offering adults the opportunity to
adapt the ideas to their specific needs. Although there are many themes
worthy of discussion in The Kite Runner four were chosen for this guide.
There will be overlap between the topics so several of them may be used
together to create an entire program. All books included are available at
libraries throughout Bucks County and the activities require little or no
money.

We hope that librarians, teachers, community leaders, and parents in our

area will participate in this project by doing the following:
z read the book!
z promote the reading of The Kite Runner to teenagers and adults
z incorporate the themes into lessons or activities with younger
children

The Bucks County Free Library in cooperation with the Bucks County
Intermediate Unit and VITA is providing this resource guide for
librarians/teachers/community leaders/parents to use. Any part of the guide
may be reproduced for educational purposes. The guide is also available
online at http://www.buckslib.org.

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About Khaled Hosseini….
The oldest of five children, Khaled Hosseini was born in 1965 in Kabul,
Afghanistan. Hosseini’s father was a diplomat and when posted to the
Afghan Embassy in Paris in 1976 moved with his entire family. Political
asylum was granted to the Hosseini family by the United States in 1980
following the 1978 coup and Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Hosseini has
lived in California since then. He is currently an internist and is married
with two children.

About The Kite Runner….

(from Penguin Group Reading Guide
http://www.penguinputnam.com/static/rguides/us/kite_runner.html)

Khaled Hosseini's stunning debut novel The Kite Runner follows a young
boy, Amir, as he faces the challenges that confront him on the path to
manhood—testing friendships, finding love, cheating death, accepting faults,
and gaining understanding. Living in Afghanistan in the 1960s, Amir enjoys
a life of privilege that is shaped by his brotherly friendship with Hassan, his
servant's son. Amir lives in constant want of his father's attention, feeling
that he is a failure in his father's eyes. Hassan, on the other hand, seems to
be able to do no wrong. Their friendship is a complex tapestry of love, loss,
privilege, and shame.

Striving to be the son his father always wanted, Amir takes on the weight of
living up to unrealistic expectations and places the fate of his relationship
with his father on the outcome of a kite running tournament, a popular
challenge in which participants must cut down the kites of others with their
own kite. Amir wins the tournament. Yet just as he begins to feel that all
will be right in the world, a tragedy occurs with his friend Hassan in a back
alley on the very streets where the boys once played. This moment marks a
turning point in Amir's life—one whose memory he seeks to bury by moving
to America. There he realizes his dream of becoming a writer and marries for
love but the memory of that fateful day will prove too strong to forget.

Eventually it draws Amir back to Afghanistan to right the wrongs that began
that day in the alley and continued in the days, months, and years that
followed.

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 Kite Facts
¾Kites made from split bamboo and silk were flown as early as 1000 B.C. in China.

¾Ancient Polynesian fishermen made simple kites from a leaf and a few sticks.
Launched over the water, the kite could carry a fishing line with a bone hook far
out into the deep water, improving their catch.

¾In Thailand there is a kite-fighting tournament each March. There are two sides
to the playing field. On one side, a large, human-shaped kite called a chula is
launched. On the other side are five diamond-shaped kites called pakpao. On
each pakpao is a loop of string. On each chula are six long barbs. Each side tries
to ensnare the other.

¾In India, kite fighting takes place at the Winter Solstice. Small diamond-shaped
kites are made of bamboo and tissue paper. The purpose is to saw through other
peoples’ kite strings. To increase their advantage, some of the kites have ground
glass glued to the upper part of the kite string.

¾Roman soldiers flew dragon-shaped windsocks as they marched into battle. The
windsocks told the archers which way the wind was blowing. They also frightened
the enemy as they writhed and slithered overhead.

¾ Ben Franklin, as we all know, flew a kite to experiment with electricity.

¾When the bridge was built over the Niagara Falls between Canada and the United
States, a kite carried the first cable across the gorge.

¾In England in 1853 George Cayley put two kites together to develop a glider. He
launched it with his coachman on board. This was the first manned flight that
went a reasonable distance.

¾The shape of the Wright Brothers’ airplane was based on a box kite.

¾When inventor Gugliermo Marconi planned a radio transmission from England to

Canada, he used a kite to raise his antenna.

This information is taken from The Great Kite Book, by Norman Schmidt.
[Sterling, 1997.]

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Kite Runner related resources for children
and teens…
Nonfiction Books: About Kites
J 629.133 D
Demi
Kites: Magic Wishes that Fly Up to the Sky
This picture book combines information about
kites with an intriguing fictional story of how
kites might have originated.
J 629.113 E
Maxwell, Eden
The Magnificent Book of Kites: Explorations in
Design, Construction, Enjoyment, and Flight
Everything you wanted to know about kites
and more!
(See the shelf locations J 629.133 and J 796.15
for more titles)
Fiction Books: About Kites
Berenstain, Stan
The Berenstain Bears and the Big Red Kite
The famous bears are back in this easy
reading kite adventure.
Compestine, Ying Chang
The Story of Kites
Picture book tale of how the first kites were
created in China also includes directions for
kite making and flying.
Emmett, Jonathan
Someone Bigger
Even though Jonathan’s kite is really big, he
turns out to be just the right size.
Kite Runner related resources for children
and teens…
Nonfiction Books: About Kites
J 629.133 D
Demi
Kites: Magic Wishes that Fly Up to the Sky
This picture book combines information about
kites with an intriguing fictional story of how
kites might have originated.
J 629.113 E
Maxwell, Eden
The Magnificent Book of Kites: Explorations in
Design, Construction, Enjoyment, and Flight
Everything you wanted to know about kites
and more!
(See the shelf locations J 629.133 and J 796.15
for more titles)
Fiction Books: About Kites
Berenstain, Stan
The Berenstain Bears and the Big Red Kite
The famous bears are back in this easy
reading kite adventure.
Compestine, Ying Chang
The Story of Kites
Picture book tale of how the first kites were
created in China also includes directions for
kite making and flying.
Emmett, Jonathan
Someone Bigger
Even though Jonathan’s kite is really big, he
turns out to be just the right size.
8
Kite Runner related resources for children
and teens…
Nonfiction Books: About Kites
J 629.133 D
Demi
Kites: Magic Wishes that Fly Up to the Sky
This picture book combines information about
kites with an intriguing fictional story of how
kites might have originated.
J 629.113 E
Maxwell, Eden
The Magnificent Book of Kites: Explorations in
Design, Construction, Enjoyment, and Flight
Everything you wanted to know about kites
and more!
(See the shelf locations J 629.133 and J 796.15
for more titles)
Fiction Books: About Kites
Berenstain, Stan
The Berenstain Bears and the Big Red Kite
The famous bears are back in this easy
reading kite adventure.
Compestine, Ying Chang
The Story of Kites
Picture book tale of how the first kites were
created in China also includes directions for
kite making and flying.
Emmett, Jonathan
Someone Bigger
Even though Jonathan’s kite is really big, he
turns out to be just the right size.
Lin, Grace
Kite Flying
The whole family gets involved with
making and flying kites in this colorful
picture book.
McCaughrean, Geraldine
Kite Rider
In 13th century China, 12-year-old
Haoyou, finds adventure as a kite flyer in
a circus.
Murphy, Stuart
Let’s Fly a Kite
A babysitter helps two squabbling siblings
learn about symmetry in this math lesson
presented in a picture book format.
Park, Linda Sue
The Kite Fighters
The New Year kite-fighting competition
becomes particularly rough for a pair of
rivalrous siblings in Korea in 1473.
Rey, H. A.
Curious George Flies a Kite
Everyone’s favorite monkey can’t stay out
of trouble, even when he’s flying a kite.
Spalding, Andrea
The Most Beautiful Kite in the World
Instead of the beautiful store-bought kite
she wanted, Jenny gets a handmade one
and a lesson in perseverance in this
picture book.
Williams, Vera B.
Lucky Song
Evie has a very lucky day when her
grandpa makes a kite for her and her
father helps her fly it.
Lin, Grace
Kite Flying
The whole family gets involved with
making and flying kites in this colorful
picture book.
McCaughrean, Geraldine
Kite Rider
In 13th century China, 12-year-old
Haoyou, finds adventure as a kite flyer in
a circus.
Murphy, Stuart
Let’s Fly a Kite
A babysitter helps two squabbling siblings
learn about symmetry in this math lesson
presented in a picture book format.
Park, Linda Sue
The Kite Fighters
The New Year kite-fighting competition
becomes particularly rough for a pair of
rivalrous siblings in Korea in 1473.
Rey, H. A.
Curious George Flies a Kite
Everyone’s favorite monkey can’t stay out
of trouble, even when he’s flying a kite.
Spalding, Andrea
The Most Beautiful Kite in the World
Instead of the beautiful store-bought kite
she wanted, Jenny gets a handmade one
and a lesson in perseverance in this
picture book.
Williams, Vera B.
Lucky Song
Evie has a very lucky day when her
grandpa makes a kite for her and her
father helps her fly it.
9
Lin, Grace
Kite Flying
The whole family gets involved with
making and flying kites in this colorful
picture book.
McCaughrean, Geraldine
Kite Rider
In 13th century China, 12-year-old
Haoyou, finds adventure as a kite flyer in
a circus.
Murphy, Stuart
Let’s Fly a Kite
A babysitter helps two squabbling siblings
learn about symmetry in this math lesson
presented in a picture book format.
Park, Linda Sue
The Kite Fighters
The New Year kite-fighting competition
becomes particularly rough for a pair of
rivalrous siblings in Korea in 1473.
Rey, H. A.
Curious George Flies a Kite
Everyone’s favorite monkey can’t stay out
of trouble, even when he’s flying a kite.
Spalding, Andrea
The Most Beautiful Kite in the World
Instead of the beautiful store-bought kite
she wanted, Jenny gets a handmade one
and a lesson in perseverance in this
picture book.
Williams, Vera B.
Lucky Song
Evie has a very lucky day when her
grandpa makes a kite for her and her
father helps her fly it.
 Library Program – Preschool: KITES
(approximately 45 minutes with craft)
Decorations:
Use the patterns at the website to decorate a calendar for the month of April:
http://www.fastq.com/%7Ejbpratt/education/theme/kitecalendarpieces.pdf

Opening: Traditional storyhour opening fingerplay, song, or other activity

Read: The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins

Fingerplay
Or Song: Pick one of the fingerplays or songs from:
http://www.preschooleducation.com/skite.shtml

Read: Curious George Flies a Kite by H. A. Rey

Fingerplay
Or Song: Pick one of the fingerplays or songs from:
http://www.preschooleducation.com/skite.shtml

Read: Lucky Song by Vera Williams

Closing: Traditional storyhour closing fingerplay, song, or other activity

Craft:
1. For the adventurous:
Centipede Kite for Flying or Display
For details see article: http://www.bhc.com/Dancingfrog/centipede.html

2. For the not-so adventurous:

Kite Decorations
a. Cut out kite shapes from heavy white paper using Ellison Dye or pattern
found at:
http://www.fastq.com/%7Ejbpratt/education/theme/kitepatterns.pdf
b. Have children decorate kites using crayons or markers
c. If not using Ellison Dye, have children create tail by poking hole in
bottom of kite, attaching yarn which they’ve added paper “bows” to
d. Hang from the ceiling

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 Classroom Lessons Grades K-4: KITES
All Grades:
Catch the Wind! All about Kites by Gail Gibbons

This book is a wonderful non-fiction introduction to kites of all sorts: their different
shapes, materials, and uses. There are instructions for building a kite at the end of
the book. Have your students search the school library for more information on
kites. Make use of
• General Encyclopedias
• Non-fiction books
• Internet sources

Pair this factual material with any of the read-alouds listed below:

Classroom Lessons Grade K:

Lucky Song by Vera B. Williams

Summary
Evie, who wants something new to play with, flies a kite made by her grandfather,
and then goes home to the warmth and love of her family.

Suggested Activity
There is a pattern in the structure of this story. On each page, there is a cause [Evie
wanted, Evie shouted] and an effect [her grandpa made it for her, her mother ran to
look.] Construct a similar story with the children as a group, writing it on chart
paper.

Classroom Lesson Grades 1-3:

The Story of Kites by Ying Chang Compestine

Summary
In old China, three brothers are given the job of scaring birds away from the family’s
rice fields. Tiring of running after the birds, the boys attempt to make wings, but
realize they are too heavy to fly. Further experimentation leads to the creation of
kites. These kites, equipped with flutes, scare away the birds.

Suggested Activities
Have the children design their own beautiful bird or insect kites.

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Classroom Lesson Grades 1-3 (cont):

Discuss the way human need leads to invention. What problems do the students
have that could be solved with a good invention?

The kites in the book are equipped with noisemakers. An author’s note tells of a
number of ways to add sound to kites. Make kites with your students, or encourage
them to make kites of their own. Experiment with adding the element of sound.

Classroom Lesson Grades 2-4:

Kites: Magic Wishes That Fly Up to the Sky by Demi

Summary
It is customary in old China to show the gods a picture of what you want. A woman
asks a painter for a picture of a dragon, to show the gods that she wants her son to
grow strong. However, she proposes that the picture be made in the form of a kite,
so that she can send it up to the heavens where the gods will surely see it. Many
other people like her idea, and they request kites of every shape and description.
The book gives many examples of kites made to resemble birds, insects, people, gods,
and objects, and explains the meaning of each one. This is given as the origin of the
Festival of Kites, which takes place on the ninth day of the ninth month. Directions
for making a kite are given at the end of the book.

Suggested activities
There are a vast number of different kites illustrated in the book, each with its own
special meaning. Ask each child to select a kite pattern that has meaning for
him/her, and draw his/her own personal kite. Children may wish to add
embellishments or noisemakers to their pattern, as described in the book.

Make kites with your class. Each child may decorate his/her kite based on the
design developed above.

Topics for discussion

1. The book tells of letting go of troubles by sending them away with the cut of a kite
string. What troubles would the children send away with their released kite?

2. The book says “On this day, kite-flying is taken as a symbol of rising higher and
higher, being better and better, stronger, smarter, and finer in everything one does.”
Do we have a festival that encourages us in a similar way? If not, should we create
one?

Find more information and activities at the Community Learning Network:

http://www.cln.org/themes/kites.html

or Education World:
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson056.shtml

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 Parent-Child Activities: KITES
Online activities:

http://www.first-school.ws/activities/onlinestory/animals/spotwindyday.htm
Go to the First School website and read an online version of the book Spot’s Windy
Day by Eric Hill. Find discussion questions, crafts and other activities for families
with preschool-age children.

http://www.first-school.ws/activities/occasions/kiteday.htm
This First School website section lists all sorts of activities related to kites and the
history of kite making and flying for families with school-age children. Includes
links to directions for several easy-to-make kites

http://www.skratch-pad.com/kites/fly.html
Read this simple explanation of how kites fly.

Craft:
Draw a fish shape on a paper plate (as large as possible). Allow the child to
cut out the shape and decorate it using crayons, tissue paper, sequins, etc.
The child can also glue two or three 12” long pieces of party streamers to the
tail of the fish plate. Punch a hole in the nose (front) of the paper plate and
tie a piece of yarn through the hole. Tape and then wind the other end of the
yarn to a craft stick.

Literacy Activities:
The word “kite” starts with the letter “k.” Draw a capital and lowercase “k”
on a piece of paper and let the child trace the letters with her finger and then
practice writing them. Talk about other words that start with the letter “k.”

Pre-math Activities:
Matching:
Cut kite shapes out of different colored paper or paper with different designs
(such as wallpaper samples or tissue paper). Have the child match each
shape with its partner.

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 Afghanistan and the Middle East
Booklist - Nonfiction

(see the shelf location 958.1)

Benke, Alison Cooking the Middle Eastern Way
Boaz, John (Ed.) The US Attack on Afghanistan
Einfeld, Jann (Ed.) Current Controversies: Afghanistan
Harik, Ramsay Women in the Middle East: Tradition and Change
Haskins, James Count Your Way Through the Arab World
Marchant, Kerena Muslim Festival Tales
Nye, Naomi Shihab 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East
Stewart, Gail Life Under the Taliban

Booklist – Fiction

Ellis, Deborah The Breadwinner

Parvana, an eleven-year-old, masquerades as a boy to help her family during the
oppressive rule of the Taliban.

Ellis, Deborah Parvana’s Journey

In this sequel to The Breadwinner, Parvana, now 13, must again disguise herself as
a boy so she can reunite her family.

Ellis, Deborah Mud City

Parvana’s (from the first two books in The Breadwinner trilogy) friend, Shauzia,
dreams of a life in Paris far different from the one she is living in while in an
Afghani refugee camp in Pakistan.

Kimmel, Eric Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East

The prince who finds the most precious treasure gets to marry the princess.

Nye, Naomi Shihab Habibi

14-year-old Liyana and her younger brother gain first-hand knowledge of Arab-
Jewish relations when their Palestinian born father moves the family from St. Louis
to Israel.

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Shah, Indries The Old Woman and the Eagle
This Sufi tale tells of an old woman who tries to change an unfamiliar eagle into a
more familiar bird, a pigeon, with mixed results.

Staples, Suzanne Fisher Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind

Growing up is never easy, but it’s particularly difficult for Shabanu a young
Pakistani girl.

Staples, Suzanne Fisher Haveli

In this sequel to Shabanu, Shabanu and her daughter flee the home of their
husband/father and his other three wives.

Staples, Suzanne Fisher Under the Persimmon Tree

The stories of an Afghani refugee and an American woman both living in Pakistan
intertwine in this tale of war and its aftermath.

Internet Resources – Including Lesson Plans

Afghanistan Online
http://www.afghan-web.com/

Discovery School 9th-12th Grade World History Lesson on Afghanistan

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/afghanistan/

Discover School 10th-12th Grade Mathematics Lesson on Algebra

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/algebra/

Discover School 9th-12th Grade Science Lesson on Desert Dwellers

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/desertdwellers/

National Geographic: Afghanistan – Land in Crisis

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/landincrisis/

PBS: American Responds to 9/11

http://www.pbs.org/americaresponds/educators.html

EdSITEment: Arabic Poetry: Guzzle a Ghazal

http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=388
High school language arts lesson on form of Arabic poetry.

Afghan I Stand: Learning and Teaching About the History and Culture of
Afghanistan from the NY Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20011003wednesday.html?pagew
anted=print&searchpv

Exploring the Islamic Religions a lesson from CNN.com

http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2001/fyi/lesson.plans/09/28/islamic.explainer/

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 School Library/Public Library Cooperative Program:
AFGHANISTAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Grades 5-8:

Explore Afghan Culture Through Story

Age Group: Grades 5-8

Students should have some experience in searching the library catalog
and the Internet.

Objectives: Expose students to the universal tradition of storytelling.

Give students the opportunity to sharpen their research skills.

Lesson Plan:
Public Librarian at the School Library:

Read tales from Afghanistan and explore with students the similarities of these
tales to others they have already read. Have Aesop’s Fables available to read some
examples.

School Librarian:

Review with students how to search the library catalog and the Internet to find
similar tales. Give students time to research other tales.

Public + School Librarians at the School Library:

Work with students in groups to chart the similarities of the tales.

Public + School Librarians at the Public Library:

The Public Librarian could host a “multicultural tasting” at the library.

The Public Librarian and the School Librarian would each share 1-2 stories from
different countries. International refreshments would be served. Parents would be
encouraged to share an appetizer or dessert from the country of their heritage.

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School Library/Public Library Cooperative Program (cont)

Resources:

Cook, Deanna. The Kids’ Multicultural Cookbook. Williamson Publishing Co.,

1995.

D’Amico, Joan. The Coming to America Cookbook. Wiley, 2005.

Forest, Heather. Wisdom Tales From Around the World. August House, 1996.
“Sufi Stories of Mulla Nastudin.”

McCaughrean, Geraldine. Starry Tales. Margaret McElderry Books, 1998

“The Giant Who Stole the Sun.”

Shah, Idries. Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin. Octagon Press,

1977.

Yolen, Jane. Mightier Than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys.
Harcourt, 2003. “Hired Hands.”

Websites:
www.afghan-web.com/culture
Short Wisdom Stories, Proverbs

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 Classroom Lessons: AFGHANISTAN AND THE MIDDLE
EAST
Grades K-4:
The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter

Summary

“In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was ‘Read.’”
From the New York Times, July 27, 2003

So begins the true story of Alia Muhammad Baker, a librarian in the Iraqi port city
of Basra. Her library is a meeting place for all who love books. Now that war is
surely coming, Alia fears that the library, and the thousands of ancient and modern
books within it, will be destroyed. When the governor denies her permission to move
the books, Alia takes responsibility to save the books herself. With the help of brave
friends and neighbors, Alia secretly removes thousands of books from the library
building. Within days the library building is destroyed. Alia and her friends take
care of the books, hoping for the war to end, and dreaming of peace and a new
library.

This story was told to New York Times reporter, Shaila Dewan, who reported it in
the New York Times on July 27, 2003.

Preparing for the Story

1. Locate Iraq on a world map or globe. Locate Basra on a map of Iraq (in
southern Iraq, near Kuwait and the Persian Sea).
a. What do you know about Iraq?
2. Talk about libraries:
a. What do people do at the library?
b. What does a librarian do?
c. What do you find in a library?
3. Show the front and back covers of the book.

Read the story

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Questions for discussion: Discuss as a large group, or break up in smaller
groups. Use large paper and markers to write important thoughts and ideas. If this
is done in smaller groups, at the close, share what was said with each other.

Who is the story about?

Why is Alia worried?
When the governor won’t help Alia, what does she do?
Who helps her?

Why are books important?

Why was it so important to Alia and her friends to save the books?
Why do you think the governor didn’t help her?
How do you think Alia feel at different points through the story?
• when she went to the governor?
• when she decided she was going to save the books?
• when her friends agreed to help her?
• when she was moving the books?
• when the library building was burned?

How do Alia and her neighbors feel about the war?

Why is Alia hopeful?

What is a hero?
Do you think Alia is a hero? Why? Why not?

Alia worried about the safety of the books in her library. Are there things that you
are worried about? What are they?
Toward the end of the story, Alia dreams of a new library and of peace. What are
your dreams of the future?

What qualities do Alia and her friends have that enabled them to make a difference?
Have you ever done something that made the world better? (If students can’t think
of anything, remind them that little things count- like helping around the house, or
being kind to others.)
What qualities do you have that enable you to make a difference?

Listen to an interview with Jeanette Winter talking about this book at

http://www.npr.org/

Other books to check out:

Alia’s Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq by Mark Alan Stamaty.

19
 Classroom Lesson: AFGHANISTAN AND THE MIDDLE
EAST
Grades 5-8
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis is set in Afghanistan in about 1996. It takes

place in Taliban-controlled Kabul, and is the story of an eleven-year-old girl who
must be the mainstay of her family after the arrest of her father.

Below is a teacher’s guide to the book The Breadwinner. It includes a synopsis of

each chapter, vocabulary words, and questions for discussion and understanding.

Background Information
Afghanistan has a long history of invasion by other countries. It is located to the
south of the former Soviet Union, with Iran to the west, Pakistan to the east and
south, and China to the northeast. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded the country
and waged a destructive war from 1970 to 1989. After the Soviet troops withdrew,
the Taliban took control of the county. The Taliban restricted the freedom of
individuals, especially women. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, the
United States helped to drive the Taliban out of power. Right now the country is
under a transitional government.

At the end of the text of The Breadwinner is a glossary of unfamiliar words.

Vocabulary words are noted in the chapter where they first occur.

Student preparation
Before reading the story, have your students look at a map of Afghanistan and its
surrounding countries. Locate Kabul, where the story takes place. What do they
students know about Afghanistan?

Chapter 1
This chapter sets the scene and provides background information. Parvana’s father,
once a high school teacher, sits in the market in Kabul each day, reading and
writing letters for the local people, and selling small household objects. Parvana, his
11-year-old daughter, goes with him each day to guide his steps, because he lost a
leg in a bombing attack. Parvana must always keep herself covered by her burqua
and chador, and must never speak. Parvana has never known life without war. The
other members of the family never go outside at all.

20
Vocabulary
Kabul Taliban, Talib
chador Dari
burqua Pashtu

Questions
1. What do we know about the history of Afghanistan from this first chapter?
2. Compare the life of Parvana’s family before and after the coming of the war.
3. How is Kabul different since the advent of war? [Consider the physical
conditions, the political situation, and personal freedoms of the inhabitants]
4. What happened to Father’s false leg? Why was he willing to sell it?
5. Who are the Taliban? Go to an encyclopedia and get a brief description of the
group. What are their goals in ruling the country of Afghanistan? How are these
goals carried out? Start a list of things that are allowed and not allowed in
Afghanistan under their rule.

Chapter 2
We learn of Parvana’s home life. There is no running water in their apartment.
They store the water that Parvana fetches from a communal tap down the street in a
metal drum. The family cooks on a small propane stove. Parvana’s mother and
siblings never go outside at all. Parvana’s mother and older sister Nooria spend a
lot of time cleaning, and finding small items that they can sell from the items that
they have left. Mother decides to put Parvana’s good clothing up for sale. Father
tells the story of the girl heroine Malali. Taliban soldiers come and drag Father
away.

Vocabulary
toshak nan
shalwar kameez platform toilet - A hole in the floor
Eid with footholds on each side.

Questions
1. What additional things do you learn about living conditions in this chapter?
2. Why did the Taliban soldiers take Father away?
3. How does Parvana stop the soldiers from finding Father’s English books?
4. Why does Father call Parvana “my Malali” as he is dragged away? What do you
think he expects of her?
5. Who was Hossain? What happened to him?
6. Add to your list of things that are not allowed by the Taliban.

Chapter 3
The family cleans up most of the mess left by the soldiers, and then goes to bed. No
one sleeps well. The next morning Parvana and her mother go to the jail. The
guards ignore their repeated cries for Father’s release. Finally the soldiers beat
Mother and knock Parvana down.

Vocabulary
toshak

21
Questions
1. There is only one small window in the apartment. Why has Father chosen to
defy the Taliban rule to paint it black?
2. Why does Nooria write a note for her Mother and Parvana to take with them?
3. Mother shows Father’s picture to everyone they meet. What will be the Taliban’s
response if she is caught doing this?
4. It is a long way to the prison. Why don’t the two women ride the bus?
5. How does Parvana rescue the small pieces of her father’s picture?

Chapter 4
Parvana and her mother return home. Their feet are badly torn and blistered from
the unaccustomed walking. Mother cries herself to sleep. Nooria tends to Mother,
while five-year-old Maryam washed Parvana’s wounds. Mother falls into deep
depression and will not get up or communicate. The girls are afraid to go outside.
They do not wash the diapers, and the room begins to smell. Ali becomes
withdrawn. When all of the food is gone, Nooria tells Parvana that she must go and
get more.

Questions
1. Mother and Father have very different viewpoints as to the situation in
Afghanistan. Why has Father chosen to stay in the country? What is mother’s
point of view? Why has she refused to go outside all of this time? Why will she
not write about what is happening? Compare their two points of view.
2. Nooria urges Parvana to go and get some food. Why is it less dangerous for
Parvana to go outside than for Nooria?
3. What is happening to Ali? If the situation continues, what might be the result in
his life?

Chapter 5
Parvana goes out for food. She buys some nan, and then is chased by Taliban
soldiers for not wearing her burqua. As she runs she crashes into Mrs. Weera, a
physical education teacher from her old school. Mrs. Weera comes to the apartment
with Parvana. She rouses Parvana’s mother, and gets her washed and dressed.

Questions
1. What are the rules for women who wish to shop under Taliban rule?
2. Why do the Taliban soldiers chase Parvana?
3. How does Mrs. Weera know Parvana’s mother?
4. What is Mrs. Weera’s attitude? How does she get the family up and functioning
again?
5. Why is it so important to boil water before drinking it? Imagine having to boil
all the water you drink.

Chapter 6
The decision is made to dress Parvana as a boy. Her hair is cut off, and she wears
her dead brother’s clothes. Parvana goes shopping, and is successful. Mother is
upset when she sees Parvana in Hossain’s clothing, and becomes depressed again.

22
Vocabulary
Pakul

Questions
1. Why does Mrs. Weera ask Parvana to agree to the cutting off of her hair, instead
of just forcing the issue?
2. As soon as Nooria sees Parvana in Hossain’s clothing, she insults her. What is
her real reason for doing this?
3. Mother slips back into depression again. What two events bring on this
behavior?
4. Nooria suggests that Parvana stay dressed as a boy all of the time. Why is this a
good idea?

Chapter 7
Parvana goes to work, doing her father’s job as a writer and reader of letters. A
Talib approaches her with a letter from Germany, written to his dead wife. Parvana
reads him the letter, and for the first time sees a member of the Taliban who seems
to have the same feelings as other people. Parvana sells her fancy shalwar kameez.

Questions
1. Father always chose the same spot in the marketplace. Why did he do this?
2. What is Parvana’s cover story? What is she to say about herself? What is she to
say about her father?
3. Why does the Talib want to know the contents of the letter from Germany? What
is his reaction when Parvana reads it?
4. Why does Parvana go home before the day is over?

Chapter 8
Mrs. Weera moves in. The other children venture outside for the first time.
Parvana gets a mysterious gift from someone in the building behind her pitch. She
encounters another girl who is masquerading as a boy.

Vocabulary
karachi

Questions
1. There is a big change in Mother. What has Mrs. Weera persuaded her to do?
2. Parvana helps Mrs. Weera move her possessions to the apartment. Of what item
is Mrs. Weera most proud? Consider how much Afghanistan has changed since
she won that medal.
3. Why does Parvana decide to take Maryam outside? Why is it now relatively safe
to do so?
4. How does Parvana’s disguise as a boy change life for Maryam, Ali and Nooria?
5. What encouragement does Parvana receive from the man she mistakes for her
father?
6. Describe the gift that falls onto Parvana’s blanket.
7. What shock does Parvana receive at the end of the chapter?

23
Chapter 9
Parvana has a new friend. A girl from her class, Shauzia, is working as a tea boy.
Mrs. Weera and Mother are going to write articles for a magazine, telling what
conditions are in Afghanistan. Mrs. Weera plans to start a small secret school.
Parvana receives another gift from the Window Woman. Shauzia suggests a
different line of work.

Questions
1. Where is Pakistan in relation to Afghanistan? Why choose Pakistan as a place to
smuggle stories?
2. What is Shauzia’s suggestion of a way to make more money?
3. What is Shauzia’s home situation? Compare it to Parvana’s.
4. How does the prospect of a secret school change Nooria?
5. What is the new gift from the Window Woman? Why do you think she is
dropping gifts for Parvana?
6. What might the new kind of work be?

Chapter 10
Parvana and Shauzia take a new job that pays more money, but is very unpleasant.
They dig up bones from a graveyard and sell them to a bone broker. The girls plan
to give part of their wages to their families, and save the rest to buy trays so they
can sell things in the market.

Questions
1. Describe the cemetery where the girls go to work. Why is it easy to get the bones
from the ground?
2. What role is given to Mr. Skull?
3. How do the girls solve the problem of going to the bathroom? What is the danger
in going into abandoned buildings?
4. How do the girls deal with their feelings about the unpleasant task they are
doing?
5. Parvana hopes to save some of the money she has earned. Do you think she will
earn enough to get a tray?

Chapter 11
Parvana comes home from a day of bone digging. She is so upset by the experience
that she cries and tells her family everything. Mother thinks that Parvana should
not go back, but Nooria and Mrs. Weera support her decision to make money any
way she can. Shauzia and Parvana save enough money to buy trays. They start
selling gum, cigarettes, and matches. One day they follow a crowd of men into a
stadium. They think they are going to a soccer game. Instead, they witness the
punishment of four thieves: their hands are cut off. The girls are shocked.

Questions
1. How does Mrs. Weera say that the bones are used?
2. Why do the girls choose the items they will sell?
3. How is Parvana’s relationship with Nooria changing? What might be some
reasons for this change?

24
4. Why do you think the Taliban forced the men to come to watch the punishment
of thieves?

Chapter 12
Parvana wants a break from bad things. She stays home until the food runs out, and
then goes back to work. Parvana expands her inventory to include food. Shauzia
shares her dream of going to France. Parvana tells Shauzia about the Window
Woman.

Questions
1. Compare Shauzia’s dream of a good life with Parvana’s. Which girl’s dream
better reflects how you would feel in her place?
2. Look at a map. Trace Shauzia’s proposed path to get to France. Would her idea
work?
3. Shuzia beats a rhythm on the wall. Why does Parvana stop her?
4. What has Parvana added to her inventory of wares?

Chapter 13
Nooria has received a marriage proposal. The family will travel north to Mazar-al
Sharif to see her married. They decide to leave Parvana behind with Mrs. Weera.
This is the safest way to keep her status as a girl a secret. Parvana buys Nooria a
gift. After the family leaves, Parvana, Mrs. Weera, and her grandchild have the
room to themselves. Mrs. Weera trusts Parvana to make her own decisions. One
afternoon Parvana goes into a building to escape a rainstorm, and hears crying.

Questions
1. Look on the map. Where is Mazar al-Sharif?
2. What are the benefits to Nooria in moving to Mazar, and getting married?
3. Why does Parvana fight so hard to stay in Kabul? Why does Mother agree to let
her stay behind?

Chapter 14
In the abandoned building, Parvana has found a hungry, frightened woman with no
burqua or chador. The two wait until dark, then creep to Parvana’s home. Mrs.
Weera helps the woman to wash and change her clothes. Soon she tells her story.
Her name is Homa. She tells them that the Taliban has taken over Mazar, where
she lived. She witnessed the killing of her family, and fled the city on a truck.
Parvana is terrified for her family, and lies down until Shauzia comes and urges her
to go back to work. Father is brought home.

Questions
1. What is Homa’s story? What part of her story is particularly shocking and
upsetting to Parvana?
2. What does Parvana fear has happened to her family? How does she react to this
new shock?

25
Chapter 15
Father has come home. The Taliban threw him out of prison, and two men found
him lying on the ground. They brought him to the apartment. Father is weak. Mrs.
Weera nurses him and puts poultices on the wounds on his back. Shauzia tells that
she must leave before her father’s family finds her a husband so they can get the
bride-price. Mrs. Weera hears that many people who left Mazar are in refugee
camps. Parvana and her father decide to go looking for the rest of the family. Mrs.
Weera announces that she is going to Pakistan to a refugee camp. Homa will go
with her. Parvana plants a flower to say goodbye to the Window Woman.

Questions
1. What circumstances force Shauzia to make a move to leave her family?
2. Why does Mrs. Weera choose to go to Pakistan? What does she plan to do there?
3. Why does Parvana choose to plant a flower at the base of the wall?
4. An old man helps Parvana plant her flower. Why, according to him, don’t people
appreciate what she is doing?
5. Mrs. Weera shows Parvana a copy of the magazine. What does she expect to
happen as a result of its publication?
6. What is Shauzia’s escape plan?
7. How do Parvana and Shauzia plan to keep in touch?
8. How do you feel at the end of the book? Do you think Parvana and her father
have any chance of finding their family? Do you believe Shauzia will be
successful?
9. What is life like in Afghanistan today? Are girls able to go to school now? Are
there still restrictions on women, or are they free to live as they please?

Following the reading of this book, some students might be interested in the other
two books in the trilogy.

Parvana’s Journey by Deborah Ellis follows Parvana, now 13, as she searches for her
family. She takes with her three children she finds on her travels, each one with a
story of struggle and survival.

Mud City by Deborah Ellis is Shauzia’s story. She has reached Pakistan, and met
Mrs. Weera in a refugee camp. She decides to strike out on her own, dressed as a
boy. She finds life extremely hard as she tries to make her own way.

For another view of the refugee camps, there is a mention of them in Will Hobbs’s
book Jessie’s Wild Seattle, in which the parents of the main character are in
Pakistan working at a refugee camp as part of the group Doctors without Borders.

For information about one new school in Kabul, go to www.sparksacademy.org

26
 Classroom Lesson: AFGHANISTAN AND THE MIDDLE
EAST
Grades 10-12, Language Arts
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Introduction

The Kite Runner is a beautifully-written novel whose action takes place in the
country of Afghanistan. The Kite Runner was written by Khaled Hosseini who was
born in Afghanistan and moved to the United States at the age of 15 when his family
was granted political asylum.

This novel, the author’s first, includes family relationships, friendship, commitment,
and betrayal set among the tumultuous changes occurring in Afghanistan during
the last thirty years of the twentieth century. It offers a perspective on the struggles
of a country which has often been misunderstood or ignored.

This novel gets its name from the Afghan custom of competing with kites. Kite flying
is a complicated sport, involving strings with glass embedded in them to cut the
strings of other kites. The winner of the competition is the one with the last kite
flying, but also the one who catches the last cut kite: the kite runner.

Objectives

¾ to consider the meaning of what seems to be a simple title;

¾ to discover the theme which follows from the sport of kite running;
¾ to relate kite running to the main characters activities and relationships.

Assumption: The teacher will assume that all students in the class will have read
The Kite Runner so that accurate, insightful discussion can occur.

27
 Study Questions (obtained from published sources)

1. What is the significance of the novel’s title? What might the fighting tournament
symbolize? Does the competition’s combination of physical brutality and aesthetic
beauty parallel any other aspects of the book?

2. The author begins and ends the novel with Amir’s favorite pastime, kite flying. At
the novel’s beginning, Amir, while looking for Hassan who is “running” his kite,
witnesses a horrible tragedy. At the conclusion of the novel, Amir is once again
flying kites, this time with Hassan’s son. Why do you think he chooses to bookend
the novel with kite flying?

3. One website notes that using glass on the strings of kites to cut down your
opponent’s kite and the subsequent race for the downed kites in not only an Afghan
hobby but also a metaphor for the violent tribal, religious, and government fighting
throughout Afghanistan’s history. It wasn’t until the Taliban assumed power that
kite flying was banned. Why? How is the kite flying episode in the first third of the
novel different than the one in the last third? What does that suggest about the
author’s hope for the future of Afghanistan?

4. Were you satisfied with the novel’s ending? Does it resolve the conflicts which had
developed throughout the entire novel?

Evaluation and Assessment

After discussion of these questions and the way in which they relate to the title of
The Kite Runner, it would be very appropriate to require students to write a
composition combining their answers to the four questions above.

Assessments of these compositions can be adjusted for the level of ability

represented in each class. Specific information about characters’ names and
personalities should be used in the most thorough compositions. In addition, specific
references to events which occurred in the novel would add depth and quality to
these written compositions.

28
 Parent-Child Activities: AFGHANISTAN AND THE
MIDDLE EAST

Online Activities for elementary school age children and up:

CIA World Factbook

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/af.html
Look up current information about Afghanistan in the online.

National Geographic
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/11/1117_041117_afghan_treasure.html
Read an article about recently discovered ancient Afghan treasures. Great photos.

Afghan Web
http://www.afghan-web.com/index.html
Afghan Web features information on all aspects of life in Afghanistan
including food, culture, and history.

Afghani Recipes
http://asiarecipe.com/afghanistan.html
Try making a traditional Afghanistan dish with one of the recipes that can be
found at this website. Also includes information about the culture of
Afghanistan, parables, superstitions, and general information about the food
of the county.

Afghanistan in Photos
http://www.canajun.com/rmcguire/travel/asia/afghanistan/
Get a look at traditional life in Afghanistan in the early ‘70s thanks to the photographs on
this website.

29
Kite Runner related resources for children and Kite Runner related resources for children and Kite Runner related resources for children and
teens… teens… teens…

Nonfiction Books: About Immigration Nonfiction Books: About Immigration Nonfiction Books: About Immigration

J 304.873 C J 304.873 C J 304.873 C

Collier, Christopher Collier, Christopher Collier, Christopher
A Century of Immigration, 1820-1924 A Century of Immigration, 1820-1924 A Century of Immigration, 1820-1924

J 304.873 H J 304.873 H J 304.873 H

Hoobler, Dorothy Hoobler, Dorothy Hoobler, Dorothy
We Are Americans: Voices of the Immigrant Experience We Are Americans: Voices of the Immigrant Experience We Are Americans: Voices of the Immigrant Experience

J 304.873 S J 304.873 S J 304.873 S

Sandler, Martin W. Sandler, Martin W. Sandler, Martin W.
Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to
America America America

(See other books in call numbers J 304.873 and J 973.049) (See other books in call numbers J 304.873 and J 973.049) (See other books in call numbers J 304.873 and J 973.049)

Fiction Books: About Immigration Fiction Books: About Immigration Fiction Books: About Immigration

Auch, Mary Jane Auch, Mary Jane Auch, Mary Jane

Ashes of Roses Ashes of Roses Ashes of Roses
16-year-old Rose finds her new life in America very 16-year-old Rose finds her new life in America very 16-year-old Rose finds her new life in America very
difficult. difficult. difficult.
Avi Avi Avi
Silent Movie Silent Movie Silent Movie
Illustrated in the style of a silent movie, this picture book is Illustrated in the style of a silent movie, this picture book is Illustrated in the style of a silent movie, this picture book is
the tale of Swedish immigrant family and their new life in the tale of Swedish immigrant family and their new life in the tale of Swedish immigrant family and their new life in
America. America. America.

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Susan Campbell

Dear America: Coal Miner’s Bride Dear America: Coal Miner’s Bride Dear America: Coal Miner’s Bride
This Pennsylvania author brings home the experiences of a This Pennsylvania author brings home the experiences of a This Pennsylvania author brings home the experiences of a
Polish girl brought to the United States to wed a coal miner. Polish girl brought to the United States to wed a coal miner. Polish girl brought to the United States to wed a coal miner.

30
Cohen, Barbara Cohen, Barbara Cohen, Barbara
Molly’s Pilgrim Molly’s Pilgrim Molly’s Pilgrim
The Pilgrim doll that Russian-Immigrant Molly makes is The Pilgrim doll that Russian-Immigrant Molly makes is The Pilgrim doll that Russian-Immigrant Molly makes is
different from everyone else’s in her class and even more different from everyone else’s in her class and even more different from everyone else’s in her class and even more
special. special. special.

Danticat, Ed Danticat, Ed Danticat, Ed

Behind the Mountains Behind the Mountains Behind the Mountains
13-year-old Celiane flees Haiti after a bomb nearly kills her 13-year-old Celiane flees Haiti after a bomb nearly kills her 13-year-old Celiane flees Haiti after a bomb nearly kills her
mother and herself. mother and herself. mother and herself.

Giff, Patricia Reilly Giff, Patricia Reilly Giff, Patricia Reilly

Maggie’s Door Maggie’s Door Maggie’s Door
This follow-up to Nory Ryan’s Song finds Nory and Sean This follow-up to Nory Ryan’s Song finds Nory and Sean This follow-up to Nory Ryan’s Song finds Nory and Sean
headed to America. headed to America. headed to America.

Giff, Patricia Reilly Giff, Patricia Reilly Giff, Patricia Reilly

Nory Ryan’s Song Nory Ryan’s Song Nory Ryan’s Song
The Irish potato famine leads 12-year-old Nory to find out The Irish potato famine leads 12-year-old Nory to find out The Irish potato famine leads 12-year-old Nory to find out
what she’s made of. what she’s made of. what she’s made of.

Na, An Na, An Na, An

A Step from Heaven A Step from Heaven A Step from Heaven
Korean-born Young Ju finds life in American both exciting Korean-born Young Ju finds life in American both exciting Korean-born Young Ju finds life in American both exciting
and strange. and strange. and strange.

Polacco, Patricia Polacco, Patricia Polacco, Patricia

The Keeping Quilt The Keeping Quilt The Keeping Quilt
This picture book tale of Polacco’s great-grandmother’s This picture book tale of Polacco’s great-grandmother’s This picture book tale of Polacco’s great-grandmother’s
arrival in the US. arrival in the US. arrival in the US.

Shaw, Janet Beeler Shaw, Janet Beeler Shaw, Janet Beeler

Kirsten: An American Girl Kirsten: An American Girl Kirsten: An American Girl
Read the series of books about immigrant Kirsten. Read the series of books about immigrant Kirsten. Read the series of books about immigrant Kirsten.

Veciana Suarez, Ana Veciana Suarez, Ana Veciana Suarez, Ana

The Flight to Freedom The Flight to Freedom The Flight to Freedom
Life in Communist Cuba becomes too difficult for Life in Communist Cuba becomes too difficult for Life in Communist Cuba becomes too difficult for
teenager, Yara, and her family and they are forced to flee. teenager, Yara, and her family and they are forced to flee. teenager, Yara, and her family and they are forced to flee.

31
 Library Program – Family Storytime: IMMIGRATION
(approximately 45 minutes with craft)

Advance Preparation: Have at least one large globe or world map on hand.

Read: My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits

Pretend that Yoon lives somewhere in Bucks County. Have one child find Bucks
County on the map or globe and have another one find Korea. Ask if any of the
participants know anything about life in Korea.

Read: Apple Pie and Onions by Judith Caseley

Grandma calls Russia the “Old Country.” Find Russia on the globe or map. Is it
close to Korea?

Allow participants who know where their families came to the United States from
time to go up to the map or globe and find their country (countries) of origin.

Activity: Family Coat of Arms

Materials: Coat of Arms patterns (see below for sources)
Crayons or markers
Books on Heraldry
Have the families talk together about their history and where they came from.
Allow them time in the entire library to find out about their county (countries) of
origin and pick out several symbols that they can use to create a coat of arms for
their family using the pattern found on page 217 of the 2005 Summer Reading Club
manual or at:
http://www.scholastic.com/dearamerica/activities/crafts/coatofarms.pdf. For an
excellent resource for European heraldry symbols, see the Fleur de Lis design
website: http://www.fleurdelis.com/meanings.htm

32
 Lesson Plans and Curriculum Support: IMMIGRATION
Electronic Field Trips – Ellis Island
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/letsnet/noframes/Subjects/la/b1u1.html
Middle School – High School, 5 days minimum
Tied to national social studies standards

Discussing Immigration through Literature

http://www.intranet.csupomona.edu/%7Etassi/immigrate.htm
Elementary School lesson using the books: Coming To America by Betsy Maestro,
The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland, and Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
Cross-curricular activities tied to standards

Scholastic Teacher’s Guide for Immigration

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/index.htm
Elementary School
Includes virtual tour of Ellis Island, stories from real immigrants, and activities
using maps, charts, and graphs.

Internet Lesson Plan – Ellis Island

http://www.libsci.sc.edu/miller/EllisIsland.htm
Middle/High School lesson plan written by Elizabeth Miller

Kennedy Center Arts Edge

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2315/
Immigration unit for grades 3-4 using photographs to investigate the immigrant
experience in 8 – 45 minute class periods.

American Immigration Law Foundation

http://www.ailf.org/pubed/tc_lessonplans.asp#FIRST
Links to lesson plans for second through twelfth graders.

Education World
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson204.shtml
Links to immigration units for kindergarten through twelfth graders.

Library of Congress
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/immig/immigration_set2.html
Immigration resources for teachers

33
 Parent-Child Activities: IMMIGRATION

Online Activities:
History Channel’s Ellis Island Online Exhibit
http://www.historychannel.com/ellisisland/index2.html
Visit the museum from the comfort of your house or the library by taking this
virtual tour.

Digging Up Our History

http://www.cesa8.k12.wi.us/teares/it/summer2001/immigration/immigrationindexc.htm
Help children discover their family history by using the variety of activities
provided on this website.

Immigration Word Search

http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/immigration/WordSearch.htm
Print out this page and see if you can find all of the words.

Games:
Words: Many words we use in English actually come from other
languages (see the list below). How many more can you find?

algebra (Arabic) cinnamon (Hebrew)

tea (Chinese) circus (Greek)
canoe (Native American) pony (Irish)

Cooking:
Teach your child a family recipe or go to the library and look through
international cookbooks to find a new “family” recipe. Try the 641.5 section
or ask your librarian.

Crafts:
Find a variety of ideas for multicultural art projects in your library in the
372.5 or 745 sections or try an online site like:
Kinderart - http://www.kinderart.com/multic/

34
 Kite Runner related resources for children and Kite Runner related resources for children and
Kite Runner related resources for children and
teens… teens…
teens…

Nonfiction Books About Friendship Nonfiction Books About Friendship

Nonfiction Books About Friendship
J 302.34 C J 302.34 C
J 302.34 C
Criswell, Patti Kelley Criswell, Patti Kelley
Criswell, Patti Kelley
Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles
Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles
J 811.008 V J 811.008 V
J 811.008 V
Very Best (Almost) Friends: Poems of Friendship Very Best (Almost) Friends: Poems of Friendship
Very Best (Almost) Friends: Poems of Friendship
Fiction Books About Friendship Fiction Books About Friendship
Fiction Books About Friendship
Beaumont, Karen Beaumont, Karen
Beaumont, Karen
Being Friends Being Friends
Being Friends
This picture book perfectly captures what it feels like to This picture book perfectly captures what it feels like to
This picture book perfectly captures what it feels like to
make your first friend. make your first friend.
make your first friend.
Bottner, Barbara Bottner, Barbara
Bottner, Barbara
Wallace’s Lists Wallace’s Lists
Wallace’s Lists
In this pricture book, Wallace and Albert are complete In this pricture book, Wallace and Albert are complete
In this pricture book, Wallace and Albert are complete
opposites and still the best of friends. opposites and still the best of friends.
opposites and still the best of friends.
Brashares, Ann Brashares, Ann
Brashares, Ann
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
In these novels for older teens, nothing comes between four In these novels for older teens, nothing comes between four
In these novels for older teens, nothing comes between four
girls, not even a pair of perfect jeans. girls, not even a pair of perfect jeans.
girls, not even a pair of perfect jeans.
Caletti, Deb Caletti, Deb
Caletti, Deb
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart Honey, Baby, Sweetheart
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart
Teenager Ruby finds friendship with the Casserole Queens, Teenager Ruby finds friendship with the Casserole Queens,
Teenager Ruby finds friendship with the Casserole Queens,
a bookgroup for seniors in this teen novel. a bookgroup for seniors in this teen novel.
a bookgroup for seniors in this teen novel.
Deever, Julie Reece Deever, Julie Reece
Deever, Julie Reece
Say Goodnight, Gracie Say Goodnight, Gracie
Say Goodnight, Gracie
Morgan finds herself with only half a friendship when Morgan finds herself with only half a friendship when
Morgan finds herself with only half a friendship when
Jimmy dies and must overcome her grief to move on with Jimmy dies and must overcome her grief to move on with
Jimmy dies and must overcome her grief to move on with
her life in this novel for teens. her life in this novel for teens.
her life in this novel for teens.

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Fleischman, Sid Fleischman, Sid Fleischman, Sid
The Whipping Boy The Whipping Boy The Whipping Boy
An unlikely friendship blooms between a bratty prince and An unlikely friendship blooms between a bratty prince and An unlikely friendship blooms between a bratty prince and
his whipping boy in this historical novel for children. his whipping boy in this historical novel for children. his whipping boy in this historical novel for children.

Fox, Mem Fox, Mem Fox, Mem

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
When Wilfrid’s friend, Miss Nancy loses her memory, When Wilfrid’s friend, Miss Nancy loses her memory, When Wilfrid’s friend, Miss Nancy loses her memory,
young Wilfrid helps her get it back in this picture book. young Wilfrid helps her get it back in this picture book. young Wilfrid helps her get it back in this picture book.

Komaiko, Leah Komaiko, Leah Komaiko, Leah

Annie Bananie - Best Friends to the End Annie Bananie - Best Friends to the End Annie Bananie - Best Friends to the End
Annie and Libby remain best friends despite the crazy Annie and Libby remain best friends despite the crazy Annie and Libby remain best friends despite the crazy
situations they themselves in in this easy chapter book. situations they themselves in in this easy chapter book. situations they themselves in in this easy chapter book.

Peters, Julie Anne Peters, Julie Anne Peters, Julie Anne

Define Normal Define Normal Define Normal
Two seemingly opposite teen girls not only learn to tolerate Two seemingly opposite teen girls not only learn to tolerate Two seemingly opposite teen girls not only learn to tolerate
each other, they become close friends. each other, they become close friends. each other, they become close friends.

Rockwell, Thomas Rockwell, Thomas Rockwell, Thomas

How to Eat Fried Worms How to Eat Fried Worms How to Eat Fried Worms
True friends will do anything for each other, including True friends will do anything for each other, including True friends will do anything for each other, including
eating worms. eating worms. eating worms.

Rylant, Cynthia Rylant, Cynthia Rylant, Cynthia

Henry and Mudge series Henry and Mudge series Henry and Mudge series
No one could be closer friends than a boy and his dog in No one could be closer friends than a boy and his dog in No one could be closer friends than a boy and his dog in
this series of easy readers this series of easy readers this series of easy readers

Van Draanen, Wendelin Van Draanen, Wendelin Van Draanen, Wendelin

Swear to Howdy Swear to Howdy Swear to Howdy
Rusty and Joey have the best summer ever until their Rusty and Joey have the best summer ever until their Rusty and Joey have the best summer ever until their
friendship is tested after a tragedy in this novel for older friendship is tested after a tragedy in this novel for older friendship is tested after a tragedy in this novel for older
children. children. children.

William, Mo William, Mo William, Mo

Leonardo the Terrible Monster Leonardo the Terrible Monster Leonardo the Terrible Monster
Try as he might, Leonard just can’t scare anyone but that Try as he might, Leonard just can’t scare anyone but that Try as he might, Leonard just can’t scare anyone but that
doesn’t mean he can’t find a friend in this picture book. doesn’t mean he can’t find a friend in this picture book. doesn’t mean he can’t find a friend in this picture book.

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 School Library/Public Library Cooperative Program:
FRIENDSHIP

Age Group: Grades 3-4 (could be adapted for any age)

Objective: Through literature, poetry, and plays, students learn ways in

which friendship can be demonstrated.

Lesson Plan:
Public Librarian:
First visit:
• Visits the school library and shares reading stories and poems about friends
with the school librarian.

Second visit:
• Participates in a discussion about friendship/bullying with classes and school
librarian.
• Helps school librarian to choose students who will be in the play about
friendship.
• The school and public librarian also choose which students will read poems
and which students will read what they wrote about friendship.

In the classroom:
Classroom Teacher:
• Given a prompt, students write about what friendship means to them.

School Librarian:
• Gathers stories, poems, and plays about friendship.
• Participates during both visits by Public Librarian.
• Works with the students selected to be in the play during their lunch recess.
Provides the classroom teacher with materials for the classroom to support
the project.
• Helps publicize the play and is present when it is performed at the public
library.

In the Music Room:

Music Teacher:
• Sing the songs based on the book If You’re Angry and You Know It!

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School Library/Public Library Cooperative Program (cont)

Resources:

Bauer, Caroline Feller. Presenting Reader’s Theater; Plays and Poems to Read
Aloud. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1987. “Dragons and Giants”

Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown Goes Fourth. New York: Putnam , 1995.

DeRegniers, Beatrice Schenk. A Week In the Life of Best Friends and Other Poems
About Friendship. New York: Atheneum, 1986.

Giff, Patricia Reilly. All About Stacy. New York: Young Yearling Book, 1988.

Imtiaz, Razna. A Gift of Friendship. Islamic Foundation, 1997.

Kaiser, Cecily. If you’re Angry and You Know It! New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2004.

Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. New York: Harper Collins, 1970.

Martin, Ann, et al. Friends: Stories About New Friends, Old Friends, and
Unexpectedly True Friends. New York: Scholastic, Inc.,

You Can Choose Series # 9, “Being Friends.” San Francisco, CA: Live Wire Video
(www.goodcharacter.com/YCC/YouCanChoose.html)

Websites:

www.goodcharacter.com/YCC/BeingFriends.html

www.Idonline.org/Id_indepth/teaching_techniques/childlit_socskills.html

www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/frog/frogtg.html

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 Lesson Plans and Curriculum Support: FRIENDSHIP

A to Z Teacher Stuff
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/pages/320.shtml
Kindergarten lesson on the book, Do You Want to Be My Friend? by Eric Carle.

EdSITEment
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=346
A lesson for elementary school age children using quilts to discuss friendship

In the Mix
http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/lessons/schoolviol2/
Lesson for 9-12 graders that examines friendships versus cliques.

PBS Kids
http://pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel/english/parentsteachers/lessonplans/language.html
Lesson for 1-4 graders related to the PBS Maya & Miguel series. Tied to national
curriculum standards.

Opening Doors to Social Studies with Children’s Literature

http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-literature/PALAZZ%7E1.HTM
Uses the book, Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox for several lessons
for 1-2 graders including one on friendship.

Education World
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp294-03.shtml
Lesson on acceptance and being open to new people adaptable for kindergarten
through eight grades and tied to national curriculum standards.

Actvity Idea Place

http://www.123child.com/selfconcept/friend.html
Lots of great activities, rhymes, and songs for preschool age children.

edHelper.com
http://www.edhelper.com/books/Frog_and_Toad_Are_Friends.htm
Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel form the basis for many lessons
appropriate for 1-3 graders.

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 Parent-Child Activities: FRIENDSHIP

Crafts:

Go to the website - http://www.makingfriends.com/f_Friends.htm

There are patterns for paper doll “friends” that can be printed out, cut out and
assembled by preschool/elementary school age children with help.

Make a friend collage:

http://pbskids.org/lions/parentsteachers/activities/friend-collage.html

Reading:

Read the book Do You Want to Be My Friend by Eric Carle and talk to your
child/children about what they think the qualities of of being a good friend are.

Information for Parents:

Read the packet from Penn State Extension about bullying here:
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/ui368.pdf

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