Biography - Togo

NF - G is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book

Historical Fiction

This is an historical fiction written by Barbara Olenyik Morrow and illustrated by Leonard Jenkins. This book discusses about the Underground Railroad times where runaway slaves were very much present. Did the event happen exactly in reality? Perhaps, but that is why it is fiction because the names may be changed or the events are a bit different.

Social Justice features "Element Two, students gain respect for the history and characteristics of people different from themselves. By building on the natural empathy of children, teachers encourage students to care about “unfair” conditions that have affected others." She figured out about slavery and how it was wrong to meddle into business that was not hers to deal with. However, she did consider the fact of what would happen if she helped the female slaves. 

How I would use it in my classroom: I will be using this book for social studies while we're discussing the slavery during the civil war as well as discussing the ethics of what the girl did with runaway slaves.

Historical Fiction: "Encounter"

               
                      The historical fiction book that I chose is called Encounter written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by David Shannon. This is the story of Christopher Columbus “discovering” the new world, but through the eyes of a young Taino boy. This story shows a perspective of this story that is rarely told. This perspective shows the fear that the Taino people felt and shows the greed of Christopher Columbus.
                This story does not have specific details including dates and places, but the information on the jacket sleeve gives a little bit of background information about Christopher Columbus and the Taino people. This perspective seems highly plausible that this was the accurate perspective of many of the Arawak people during this time. Since there isn’t any documentation to reference, based on the stories of Native American people this story seems accurate.
                   From the Social Justice handout, the Encounter includes elements of raising awareness. This story is rarely told if at all, and the more stories that can show the oppressed groups’ perspective is valuable. Too many stories are from the majority group and the oppressor’s perspective, but this perspective isn’t ever the full story.
                 In the classroom, this book can be used to bring up the discussion about different perspectives. Many students may have never thought about the perspectives of Native Americans like this before. This book can help to teach students that it is important to always investigate multiple perspectives of a historical event in order to get a full picture.

Historical Fiction: Miss Rumphius

Book's Title: Miss Rumphius

Author: Barbara Cooney

Historical Fiction: 'The Other Side'

The book that I chosen  is Memoirs of a  Geisha by Arthur Golden. Golden born on December 6, 1956 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. His occupation is writer the genre is historical fiction, his wife called Trudy Legge and their children are Nathaniel and Tess.

This is the story of a 9 year old girl, beautiful eyes blue with a gray tone . She is sold to a Geisha house, she starts cleaning the house of Geichas, and then goes to a school as an apprentice in a Geisha. Within the story an unknown man gives her a handkerchief. That scarf is a symbol of hope for Chiyo. To become a true Geisha.

Years later Chiyo still studying to be one Geisha with support of  Mameha's tutelage,  Chiyo acquire a  new name: Sayuri. This story is developing in the era of the Second World War. For reason of the War, 'houses geisha closed and Sayuri has to survive, working, keeping the hope of seeing the man who handkerchief gift.

The element that most approaches this story is, Issues of Social Injustice. One way to address the serious issue starting with a question, Do  you think you have to be a Geisha, it is a worthy profession.?  Do you think that girls in Japan should be separated from their parents to go to a Geisha home to work? What was the goal of Chiyo to have a better life? With a discussion about the book, we would allow children to express themselves and give their opinion about the story of Chiyo.