Sunday, February 28, 2016

Module 4: Number the Stars

  • Book Cover Image:


  • Book Summary: Annemarie Johansen is a young girl growing up in German occupied Denmark during World War II. When her parents decide to help the Jews, including her best friend's family, Annemarie has an opportunity to show bravery to assist in leading them to safety. She aides in a mission to get their family, among others, to a boat that will take them to Sweden. It is not until near the end of the story that Annemarie fully realizes just how courageous and wonderful the achievement was.   
  • APA Reference of Book: Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin 
  • Impressions: From Annemarie's point of view, this story gives young readers a realistic account of what it was like living in Nazi occupied territories during WWII. It is written appropriately for the developmental level of the audience, not getting too graphic with the true horrors that were experienced during the holocaust. I think many upper elementary aged students are curious about the events, yet are not mature enough to handle the gruesome details. Lowry does an excellent job of describing the setting in a way that readers get a sense of the the fear that was experienced yet won't have lasting haunting visuals. This book is a great complement to a history unit on WWII.  By having students read and be able to connect with a child from that era, I think the historical events from their history text would be more meaningful. 
  • Professional Review:The gripping story of a ten-year-old Danish girl and her family's courageous efforts to smuggle Jews out of their Nazi-occupied homeland to safety in Sweden. Reader's are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.
     [Review of the book Number the stars, by L. Lowry]. (1989). School library journal. 35(16). p39

  • Library Uses: Set up centers around the library and divide the students into groups, with each group using an ipad. Each center will have a QR code to scan with different information given at each station. One center will have a Google map showing where Denmark is located with geographic questions to answer about the country. Another center will have information about the Holocaust and a form with questions for the students to fill out by reading the information provided. The third center will have the book The Diary of Anne Frank, with information for the students to compare and contrast about the two stories. 

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