Summary of "Ian's Walk" by Laurie Lears

Lears, Laurie

Ian’s Walk

1998

Albert Whitman and Company

Winner of the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award

Keywords: Autism, Differently

Summary: An older sister is going to the park with a friend. Her young brother, Ian who has autism, wants to go to. On the say to the park the children do things the sister likes. On the way home they do what Ian finds enjoyable. This is a book that takes a simplistic look at a complex disability.

Teaching Strategies:

• Idaho social studies content standard, “1.SS.1.1.1; recognize that each person belongs to many groups such as family, school, friends and neighborhood.” This could be an introduction for children to being a discussion on different disabilities people have.
• This could be an introduction to a discussion on the difference between a handicap and a disability.
• For something a little more light hearted students could use this book to create maps of where Ian walked. This goes with the first grade Idaho social studies content goal 2.1, “analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environment on the earth’s surface.

Year Long Plan

This is a link to my year long plan.  If you have any questions or comments please let me know.

Year Long Plan

Summary of "The Bat Boy and His Violin" by Gavin Curtis

Curtis, Gavin

The Bat Boy and His Violin

September 2000

Scholastic Incorporated. 

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for non-violent social change through peace and brotherhood.

Keywords: Negro Leagues, Coloreds, Jackie Robinson, African Americans

Summary: A manager of a baseball team in a negro league enlists his son as a batboy. The son is not very good at being a batboy but the team loves listening to him play his violin. In the end the son realizes that his father appreciates him and his music more than baseball, something the son didn’t think was possible.

Teaching Suggestions:

• This could be a great book for an introduction to the topic of segregation for younger grade levels.
• This is a book that discusses the Jim Crow laws and how some people just accepted them.
• It could be used to discuss such people as Jackie Robinson or , famous athletes from the past and present.
• For first grade this book could tie into the social studies content goal, “1.SS.1.1.2, compare difference in the ways American families live today to how they lived in the past.