[MOSAIC] Race, Identity, Relationships and Literature

[Olivia Fulmer]

For the eighth graders, you might consider Romiette and Julio, a reworking
of the Romeo and Juliet story. I cannot think of the author's name right now
(it might be Sharon Draper, but please, please don't quote me on that!). We
use Romiette and Julio with our ninth graders as a literature circles option
during the Romeo and Juliet unit. Another choice might be Korman's Son of
the Mob. While this book does not have race as an issue, it does deal with
identity. The narrator is the son of a mafia-style mob boss. The son falls
in love with the daughter of the FBI agent who is investigating the mob
boss. The book is funny and light-hearted. It also is a lit circles option
for the R&J unit.

-----Original Message-----
From: mosaic-bounces at literacyworkshop.org
[mailto:mosaic-bounces at literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of ljackson
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 7:41 AM
To: Teachers Applying Whole Language; A list for improving literacy with
focus on middle grades.; RealWritingTeachers at yahoogroups.com; Mosaic: A
Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv
Subject: [MOSAIC] Race, Identity, Relationships and Literature

I have three young teachers working with small groups of students in grades
5 through 8.  Each works within a small school with multi-level classrooms
and each school is isolated geographically from one another.  We are
designing an inquiry based literature unit which will use Blackboard
technology to facilitate lit groups across these classrooms.  The question
we have posed as central to the unit is:

How does race inform identity and impact relationships?

We are beginning to brainstorm novels which could be used with this study.
Here is what we have so far:

Iggy;s House
Maniac Magee
Edger Allen

Help!! In my former life, I was a first and second grade teacher.  Can you
help us build this list?  I would love to include a book in which there was
romance impacted by race, but it needs to be relatively tame.

Thank you all in advance!!
-- 
Lori Jackson
District Literacy Coach & Mentor
Todd County School District
Box 87
Mission SD  57555
 
http:www.tcsdk12.org
ph. 605.856.2211


Literacies for All Summer Institute
"Literate Lives:  A Human Right"
July 12-15, 2007
Louisville, Kentucky

http://www.ncte.org/profdev/conv/wlu



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