Katy's Text Set for Summarizing and Synthesizing

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Winter, Jeanette. Nino's Mask. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc, 2003.

Book Synopsis: Nino is a little boy who wants to wear a mask in a fiesta that his village is having. The mask is not only something that the person wears, in a sense, they become the creature that is on their mask for that day. Eventually he gets to wear the mask of the dog, and he is credited with the corn growing in his village. At the end of the text, there is a glossary of Spanish words that were used in the text, and information on why masks are so important in Latin America, and what they use them for.

Strategy Connection: This strategy helps students to understand that things such as masks, that are not important to them, are often used by other cultures as a tradition. I would ask the students to write answers to the question, what are masks used for, in their reading logs before reading Nino's Mask. After reading the book, I would have students revisit their answers, and write down their changed thinking on the subject.

Wiles, Deborah. Freedom Summer. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001.

Book Synopsis: Two young boys named Joe and John Henry are best friends, and do everything together one summer. There is only one difference between them, Joe is white, and John Henry is black. They would like to do everything together, but since John Henry is black, he is not allowed to do many of the things that Joe is because of segregation. Then, the boys find out that there is a law forbidding segregation passed, and that the public pool is to be open to everyone. When they both race to the pool out of excitement, John Henry is still not allowed to go in, showing that people must also change their opinion, and the law does not always make a difference.

Strategy Connection: This is a great book for students to use to track their changed thinking on a topic because most students do not see something such as the color of their skin as a factor that determines friendship, or things that they can do together. I would ask the students a question such as, how do you and your friends decide what to do for fun together? Students would write down their responses in their reading log under before reading, and then I would allow them to read the book. They would then write their changed thinking about reasons that friends might decide what do for fun together based on things that they have learned in the book. Many young children do not realize that black children were not allowed to do the same thing as white children, and this book is a great way to help students change their thinking in an age appropriate way.

http://www.amazon.com/Kumaks-Fish-Tall-Tale-North/dp/0882405845/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225044438&sr=1-1

Bania, Michael. Kumak's Fish: A Tale Tale from the Far North. Portland: Alaska Northwest Books, 2004.

Book Synopsis: Kumak and his family decide to go fishing on a beautiful day. They plan on catching lots of fish for everyone to eat, most of them do, except for Kumak. He cannot seem to catch a single fish, until he feels a great tug on his line. He pulls, and pulls, but can never get the fish out of the hole that he has made in the ice. Eventually all of his family begins tugging on the line with him, and what they thought was a large fish finally emerges from the ice hole. When they see it, they realize that it is many fish attached to the line, and they have a great feast. This book also contains an author's note about the people who live in Northern Alaska, and the importance of fish to the community.

Strategy Connection: This is a good book to use for synthesizing information from a text. Students would write down, before reading the book, why they go fishing. After writing down their answer to this question, they will read the book, and write down their changed thinking about why they go fishing in their reading log. After doing this, the students will be able to discuss why fishing could be important to certain cultures, and be more than just a fun sport for people to participate in.