The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights

Title: The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights
2005 Newbery Honor Book
Author: Russell Freedman
Published: 2004
Plot Summary: This biography celebrates the artistic accomplishments of world renown singer Marian Anderson. Her artistic achievements are place in a historical and political context highlighting the Jim Crow US through the civil rights movement. Anderson's performance at the Lincoln Memorial ushered in the desegregation of the arts.
Main Characters: Marian Anderson
Theme(s): defying discrimination
Readers Response: Readers will reflect on the rights of citizens and various groups fight against racial and gender discrimination by exploring the life of Marian Anderson
Teaching Idea: Using Windows Movie Maker (or media format of choice) juxapose images and text, past and present, of struggle against and victory over racial and/or gender discrimination from each era: 1920s - 1940s, 1950s - 1960s, 1970s - 1990s. Select a song that could represent each era.
Grade Level: 5 - 9
Reading Level (Lexile): 1180

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

Title: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
2004 Caldecott Winner
Author/Illustrator: Mordicai Gerstein
Published: 2003
Summary: A true story about how in 1974 French trapezist, Philippe Petit, walked on a tightrope suspended between the World Trade Center towers.
Memorable Quote: Now the towers are gone.
Artistic Example: Gerstein artistic play on vertical and horizontal line denotes Petit's balancing act.
Teaching Idea: Use google map to teach geographical concepts such as location, direction, region, etc. by locating site where World Trade memorial and museum will be. Discuss the purpose of memorials and national traditions that honor the memories of historical events. Work with students using personalized google map to create a map of some other national memorials such as Mt. Rushmore. Upload photos of these memorials with brief description onto google map. Discuss other books that feature national memorials such as So You Want to Be President by Judith St. George; take students on virtual tour of national monuments using United Streaming.
Grade Level: K5 - 3
Reading Level (Lexile): 730