Families and neighbors working together can succeed in spite of adversity.
The story shows how a non-traditional family (daughter, mother, grandmother), pull together toward a common goal. When they face unexpected adversity, their neighbors, (themselves of meager means,) generously help the family.
II. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
Markers, chart paper, pastel colors of 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper, one per student. Puzzle pieces, created from two copies of the book, and at least 10 copies of the book, A Chair for My Mother, by Vera Williams. For older students, Rosa's Diary handout, a Venn diagram for each student, and an Open Mind for each student.
III. ACTIVITIES:
A. ENGAGEMENT Activities
Puzzle Party - Several pictures from the book have been cut into puzzles of four pieces each. The pieces are shuffled and students are each given one piece. They find their group of four by matching puzzle pieces, and then as a group, students predict how their puzzle illustration fits into the story.
In groups of four, the students will discuss a time when they or their families saved their money for a long time.
B. COMPREHENSION Activities
The teacher will read the story to the students, pausing at certain times to ask prediction or confirmation questions.
Students will reread the story in partners, or listen to it at the listening center.
Students will create visual interpretations of the story that will be used to create a class quilt display.
Students will write first person journal entries for "Rosa's Diary" in three different parts of the story. (Grades 2 and 3)
In groups of three or four, students will enact scenes from the story for the rest of the class in a "tableau" format.
C. EXTENSION Activities:
In this story, Rosa and her family suffered hardships. The students will write and/or draw about a time when they, their family, or their neighbors, needed to work together during adversity.
The teacher will model a Venn diagram with the class, comparing Rosa's family to a family in another piece of literature. Then the students will create a personal Venn diagram, comparing Rosa's family to their family. (Grades 2 and 3)
The students will design a chair they would like to have for their home. Each student will draw the picture and write a description of the chair.
IV. OUTCOMES AND EVALUATIONS:
The teacher will take anecdotal records of the students' oral language as they discuss and enact the story.
The teacher will take anecdotal records as the students reread the story in partners. (grades 2 and 3)
Samples of writing will be collected during the lesson. Using a rubric, the students' writing will be assessed, and samples will be saved over time to show growth in writing development.
VI. RELATED Activities:
Throughout the year we will read other books in which the characters overcome diversity. We will relate them to A Chair for My Mother.
Title's might include:
The Rag Coat, by Lauren Mills Fly Away Home, by Eve Bunting Josefina's Story Quilt, by Eleanor Coerr Crow Boy, by Taro Yashima
