the name jar, melody mcgarrahan - immigration theatre...
TRANSCRIPT
Lesson Plan for Unit on Immigration & Identity for Young Learners Melody McGarrahan, 2016 Guiding Purpose: By creating an awareness of the importance of each student’s identity at an early age students will appreciate their own heritage story as well as respect the stories of others. Materials: *Classroom library collection of the following books as well as others representing the many cultures that share immigration stories. *Big Book copy of The Name Jar, by Yankshook Choi to be used as a Read Aloud with class. Overview of Primary Text: The Name Jar by Yankshook Choi Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey. Pre-Reading Activity: 1. Play “Name Game” warm-up activity. Taking turns around a class circle each student completes the sentence, “My name is _________ and I like ___________.” After they complete their sentence they clap two times which keeps a rhythm and pace to the activity. 2. Students stand in a circle. Teacher will read the following “thinking” questions. If the student’s answer is “yes” student takes one step into the middle of the circle. * I like my name. * I have had to move to a new home. * I was nervous about the beginning of school. * I have felt lonely before. * When something was difficult I wanted to give up. Procedure: 1. Before reading aloud teacher and students will do a “picture walk” thorough the story. Teacher will then ask students to “Turn & Talk” with a partner over the following “I Wonder” questions. * I wonder what a name jar is? * I wonder what the girl on the book cover is doing? * I wonder why Unhei and her family had to move? * I wonder what Joey is doing at the Korean market? 2. During reading ask questions and check for comprehension. 3. After reading students will pair up and with a classmate and using a Venn Diagram and letter tiles compare and contrast the letters in each of their names.
Post Discussion Activity: Students will create a self-‐portrait of themselves below the poem. The pages will be bond together to create a class book, which will be shared with family members at the school Open House. Extension Activity: With family assistance, students will find out the history of their name. Does their name have a personal meaning or story behind it? Students will write down the story behind their name so that they will be able to share their “name story” with others.
Immigration and Identity Picture Books for Class Library
Hannah Is My Name: A Young Immigrant's Story By Belle Yang
A Picnic in October By Eve Bunting
Good-Bye, 382 Shin Dang Dong By Francis Park
I Hate English! (A Blue Ribbon Book) By Ellen Levine
Butterfly Seeds, The By Mary Watson
The Bear That Wasn't (New York Review Books Children's Collection) By Tashlin Frank
"This book does not focus on immigration, but I included it because this is a good intro for identity, which is what we do before getting into immigration."
My Name Is Yoon (Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award, 2004)
By Helen Recorvits
The Name Jar By Yanksook Choi
Nadia's Hands By Karen English
The Memory Coat By Elvira Woodruff
A Piece of Home By Juan Wijngaard
Marianthe's Story: Painted Words and Spoken Memories By Aliki
Naming Liberty By Jane Yolen
When Jessie Came Across the Sea, By Amy Hest
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, By Maria Desmondy