Digital Portfolio
EDU 614

Mary Jerzak

Agnes Scott University

Mary Jerzak

Blackwood, Gary. The Shakespeare Stealer. New York: Scholastic, 2000.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0-439-11310-5
The Shakespeare Stealer is an inventive and enjoyable novel about Widge, an Oliver Twist-type orphan who goes from being a poor prentice to Shakespeare player through many ups and downs. He learns a efficient coded shorthand and is soon "sold" to a master (Samuel Bass) who wishes to use his skills to steal Shakespeare's plays, which have not been published yet. The story is set in the time of Shakespeare and is good in introducing historical elements as well as the themes of drama.
Three ways to use this text in the classroom:
1. This is a great text for a read-aloud or read-along. Incorporate a storyboard approach, to enhance the visual aspect of the storyline.
2. Use descriptions in the text to draw out the story's setting - Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the stage, etc. Have students do independent research (individually or in small groups) about theatres in England and around the world at the time, and biographical information about William Shakespeare.
3. Ask students to think about codes and encrypted language. With students, develop a simple code language, perhaps assigning letters to represent different letters. Use examples from newspaper word games, etc. Use coded language to test vocabulary and other content knowledge.

Carmi, Daniella. Samir and Yonatan. NY: Scholastic, 1994.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0-439-13504-4
Samir is a young Palestinian boy who is injured and must go to a Jewish hospital to have knee surgery. He is able to make a connection with the other Jewish children in his ward, despite their different life circumstances. It is an emotional and metaphysical journey to another world and to a place where hope is still possible. I would use this for the middle grades and perhaps 9th and 10th grade in combination with a world literature class or more in-depth social-historical study.
Three ways to use this text in a classroom:
1. Ask students to write a letter to Samir from one of his parents, either his mother or his father. This letter can explain why they are unable to visit him while he is in the hospital or to explain past events. Samir's family is one of the central aspects of the story.
2. Ask students to compare and contrast the Jewish hospital with the West Bank where Samir is from. This can be either a list or drawings, depending on the grade level and creativity of the students.
3. QtA. Through a discussion with students, analyze the story for meanings and applications to American society, literature, etc.

Chambers, Veronica. Marisol and Magdalena. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 1998.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0-7868-0437-8
Marisol is sent to Panama for her 9th grade year, so that her mother can finish graduate school and give them a better life. In Panama, Marisol reconnects with a motherland she only knows through her family in New York and through photographs. The characters that appear in Marisol's life are full of life, culture, and personality. She struggles to find her estranged father and in the meantime, enjoys a new found popularity due to being the cool foreign exchange student. This is the charming and compelling tale of two best friends in Brooklyn, New York, who grow to be strong independent young women while separated from each other.
Three ways to use this text in the classroom:
1. This is a great text for a read-aloud, because of its use of Spanish words intermingled with the dialogue and descriptions. Have students make a list of Spanish words and definitions to help read the story.
2. Compare Marisol and Magdalena's characters. What do they have in common and what makes them different? Including family, family history, attitudes, etc. Why are they best friends? Can you have more than one best friend? Ask students to write about their best friend(s).
3. Ask students to write an epilogue or afterword to the book, which speculates on what happens to Marisol and Magdalena when Marisol returns to America. This will help students to recognize and apply elements of a story, as well as character development.

Coman, Carolyn. What Jamie Saw. Arden, North Carolina: Front Street Press, 1995.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1-886910-02-2
This book is the story of Jamie, his sister Nin and his mother Patty. Jamie witnesses his sister being thrown across the room by his mother's boyfriend Van. That night the family leaves Van and finds refuge with a family friend. They end up moving into a small trailer in a wooded, mountainous area. The book explores the issue of living through abuse through Jamie's perspective, as he copes with his fear of Van and Van's abuse, and fear of losing his mother. It is a well-written, emotionally charged story of one boy struggling to overcome abuse, traumatic experiences, and help his family to move past their problems.
Three ways to use this text in the classroom:
1. Do a read-aloud of the first chapter; ask the question: What did Jamie see? How does Jamie react to this scary situation? Is he scared? Is he brave? How does his mother act? What happens next?
2. Imagine what it would be like if your family was the only one left on Earth. What would you do first? What would it look like, feel like and sound like? Exercise: When Jamie, his sister Nin, and mother move into the trailer, Jamie imagines they are the only people left on Earth. He enjoys the isolation and turns it into an adventure of sorts. Take Jamie's fantasy a step further.
3. Ask students to write a second ending to the story. What happens after the end of this story? For example, does Jamie continue going to school? Does Patty get a new job? Does Nin start to speak? What is her first word?

Cutler, Jane. Spaceman. New York: Dutton Children's Books, 1997.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities
ISBN: 0-525-45636-8
Spaceman is the story of Gary, a young boy who has problems understanding his environment, getting along with peers, and controlling his behavior. His parents are divorced and he is stuck between his soft mother, who lets him get away with everything, and his strict father who wants to put him in a military school. The book does a great job describing Gary's struggles in a regular classroom and adapting to a special education classroom. The book rewards the readers by letting us see Gary's self-esteem, learning abilities, and peer relationships improve. This is a great story for special needs students, no matter what disability.
Three ways to use this text in the classroom:
1. Ask students, before starting to read the text, to free write for about ten or fifteen minutes about a difficult time they had learning something, in school or outside of school. Use the free write exercise to draw out key themes in the text.
2. Separate class into small groups and assign each group a character from Gary's special education class. Ask students to describe that character's personality, including problems with learning or school, and list possible solutions or ways to improve learning.
3. Ask students to write a letter Gary to one of several characters from the novel: Gary's father, Gary's mother, Jesse, Ms. Hernandez, or Ms. Block. Address how Gary's behavior and attitude has changed.

Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. NY: HarperTrophy, 1998.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities
ISBN: 0-064-40833-7
This is the story of Joey Pigza, a wired but kind-hearted kid, and his struggles with ADHD. He and his mother go through a lot of difficult situations together, but they come through with more love for each other. I might teach this book if I had ADHD or behaviorally challenged students in my class, because of some of the lessons it teaches. Otherwise, I probably would not teach it in my class.

Horvash, Polly. Everything on a Waffle. New York: Scholastic, 2001.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0-439-44039-4
This is the cleverly funny and endearing story of Primrose Squarp, a young girl growing up in Coal Harbor, a small coastal town in Canada. One day her parents are lost at sea. Everyone in town believes they have died, except for Primrose, who believes her parents are waiting on an island somewhere, shipwrecked, and will one day return. She goes to the pier often to wait for them. In the meantime, she moves in with her Uncle Jack, who is a "developer" or real estate agent trying to develop Coal Harbor. She has many adventures and misadventures as she waits for her parents return, including losing a toe, losing part of a finger, getting a puppy, setting a guinea pig on fire, and cooking up all sorts of good things to eat. The interesting part of this book is its use of recipes throughout the book. At the end of each chapter, Primrose supplies us with a new recipe, whether something her mother used to make or something Miss Bowzer cooks up. The book is an original recipe of its own, which details in a more subtle way how to find interesting characters and stories in your own backyard, with an open-mind, an open-heart, and a pinch of faith.
Three ways to use this text in a classroom:
1. This is a great text for a book-long read along. Create a storyboard where students can write out the important facts and events in each chapter.
2. Have the students make one of Primrose's recipes. For example, Lemon Sugar Cookies or Chocolate Covered Nuts. Ask students to bring in a recipe from home. Discuss the literary nature of recipes and why the author chooses to use them in the book.
3. Ask students to choose one character to write a short essay about. Discuss that character's family history, occupation, personality, etc., as described in the book.

Lord, Bettie Bao. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. New York: Harper Trophy, 1984.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0-06-440175-8
A young Chinese girl immigrates to America in the 1960s with her parents. She faces many challenges, including learning a new language, creating friendships, and maintaining a link with her history and Chinese identity. She falls in love with the sport of baseball, which is used as an example of democracy and the fulfillment of the American dream. Jackie Robinson is the ultimate underdog turn hero for this non-traditional young Chinese-American girl. The author does a good job in working in these elements of race, American society, and fair play through subtlety and real life examples, without overstating her purpose.
Three ways to use this text in the classroom:
1. Do a read-aloud of the first chapter; define the major characters, setting, and other story elements. Analyze cultural references in a literary text, whether that is Chinese culture or the culture of American baseball; define these cultural references and how they inform the story at hand.
2. Ask students to rewrite the ending to imagine their own meeting with Jackie Robinson. What would he or she say to Jackie Robinson? What would Jackie Robinson say to him or her?
3. Play a game of baseball in the classroom, using a drawing of a baseball field on the board and moving students around the bases with correct answers. The game's purpose would be to test knowledge about the story, including characters, plot, and other story elements, as well as vocabulary.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. NY: Scholastic, 1997.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy.
ISBN: 0-590-35342-X
This is the fantastic first novel by J. K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series. It is the tale of Harry Potter, a wizard with a famous past, even though he does not know it, who is introduced to the world of magic, finds friendship and family, and overcomes incredible odds. If you could find a group of 25 to 35 students who have not read this book already, it would be fun to teach.
Three ways to use this text in the classroom:
1. Read along. I would pick certain chapters throughout the book to read aloud to my students as they read along in their copies.
2. Storyboarding. I would ask the students to draw a story board for the first four chapters and the last four chapters. Important questions to draw out: What is Harry Potter's life like in the Muggle world? What is the wizard world like? How has Harry Potter changed by the end of the book? How is he the same at the end of the book?
3. Ask the students to write a letter from one of the characters to another. Examples: Harry Potter writes a letter to his uncle or aunt, or Harry's dead parents write a letter to Harry. This would help to draw out some of the characters more and their relationships to each other.

Snicket, Lemony. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning. NY: HarperCollins, 1999.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0-064-40766-7
Lemony Snicket tells the unfortunate story of the Baudelaire children, Violent, Klaus, and Sunny, who lose their parents in a fire and are forced to live with Count Olaf, a distant and mean relative. They use their individual talents and interests to discover Count Olaf's evil plans to gain control over their fortune. The book is full of vocabulary and ideas challenging to a middle school reader, while providing an entertaining and cleverly emotive story.
Three ways to use this text in a classroom:
1. Character Webbing, to draw out distinct aspects of the key characters in the book.
2. KWL, following the thread of the story and gathering data that we know and learn about the Baudelaires, Mr. Poe, Justice Strauss, and Count Olaf.
3. Freewrite exercise - ask the students to write about an unfortunate event (whether in their personal lives or made up) using new vocabulary and how a person can overcome such an event or circumstance.