I always feel like any blog I post around the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday should be dedicated to imparting his message. I looked back at my prior blogs during this time and realized that I wanted to share a review I wrote in 2012 of As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson. Please enjoy!
Nothing like overhearing older students argue about whether Michael Jackson was white or black because they couldn't figure out if he should go on the Black History Month mini word wall. If it weren't for the books at the table, students would've come up short on names of black heroes. Typically, MLK, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Barack Obama make the list without having to look in a book. I realized they needed to expand their repertoire of black people who made or are making a difference. That's when I made the decision to whip out a project I did two years ago with my 5th graders called Post-Worthy Hero. The 5th graders chose a famous black person from anywhere in the world that they considered worthy of being on a postage stamp. The project turned out pretty decent and the students did a good job of applying research skills and their postage stamps were creative. This year, I'm having my 3rd-5th graders complete the project. The template I used for the 5th graders is readjusted for each grade level--all end up asking for facts, an event including year, and a justification statement as to why the individual deserves to be on a postage stamp. It's nothing fancy, but here is the link to an example. Students will use three different resources: book, online database (World Book Online), and the Internet. Students will use each resource as a different center--15 min looking through a book, 15 minutes looking through World Book Online, and 15 minutes searching the Internet. This allows for student management by group sizes because I only have 12 computers currently and I want everyone to be able to use that resource. The hope is that this project guides students to learn about other eras besides Civil Rights and modern day pop star singers/rappers. Having students get to know famous figures that are beginning to get lost in the shuffle--Sojourner Truth, Nelson Mandela, Duke Ellington, Joe Louis, Mahalia Jackson, Wangari Maathai,Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Wilma Rudolph, Lonnie G. Johnson, Mae Jemison, Louis Armstrong--that would expand their knowledge base a considerable amount. Image courtesy of zole4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Having listened to The Lady and the Panda by Vicki Croke, I've become an admirer of Mrs. Ruth Harkness for her bravey, persistance, and dedication in bringing the first live panda to the United States in the '30s. With surprise and delight I cracked open the children's version of her story, Mrs. Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter. It is an enjoyable 2nd grade and up read aloud and does a good job of summarizing Harkness's journey to China. Dress designer Ruth Harkness took over her husband's expedition after he died in China. All her friends thought she was crazy to even fathom the trek to find a panda. But, Ruth was determined to finish what her husband started. She packed up and sailed to China. She met more friends that told her she should just turn back. But, there was one person who said he would help her, a young Chinese man named Quentin Young. Packed with all their 22 pieces of luggage, they set off with their crew through the mountains of China. They searched and searched, only finding traces of panda habitation, yet no live panda. Then one day they hear a small moan from a tree--it's a baby panda! Ruth takes the panda, Su Lin, back to the United States, where he enjoys a home at Brookfield Zoo. This allowed the whole world to know of the giant panda. The illustrations by Caldecott honor-winner Melissa Sweet add an extra depth to the story. She uses materials from a trip to China she went on to illustrate this work. There is also a couple of photographs of Harkness and Su Lin. Random House offers a teacher's guide via this link. Cover image from randomhouse.com
"On the path. To the dream. To the words. And the songs."
Intertwining the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahalia Jackson in this picture book biography by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkey was a superb idea. I had never heard of Mahalia Jackson (don't judge!), but as soon as I saw this book, it was a done deal that I would get to know her. It was interesting to find out how she and Martin supported each other through the vocalizing of their beliefs; his words, her song (as the subtitle states).
The reader finds out how Martin and Mahalia faced inequality from a young age, used their voices to spread the gospel, had fulfilling careers, and united for civil rights. The text of the story is rich, with Pinkney using metaphors, such as "brass and butter" to describe Mahalia's strong and smooth voice. She connects Martin and Mahalia with "the gift of gospel" in the beginning and then continues to connect them with words such as "proud," "strong," and "freedom." Mahalia was with Martin at the March on Washington--her song quieting the thousands in attendance, so that Martin could voice his dream. Brian Pinkney's illustrations flow smoothly with his wife's text. Pinkney's unique style shines through, but manage a twist incoporating the words and song of Martin and Mahalia. The Pinkneys both provide afterwords explaining more about Mahalia's career and her link with Martin and the subtleties and inspiration behind the illustrations. Here is a video of Mahalia Jackson, just so you understand why she's known as the "Queen of Gospel."
