Teaching Guide for teaching the historical fiction book, Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz (Harper Teen: 2017)

World War Two has shattered Valka's homeland of , and Valka is determined to help the effort. She knows her skills as a pilot rival the best of the men, so when an all-female aviation group forms, Valka is the first to sign up. Flying has always meant freedom and exhilaration for Valka, but dropping bombs on German soldiers from a fragile canvas biplane is no joyride. The war is taking its toll on everyone, including the boy Valka grew up with, who is fighting for his life on the front lines. As the war intensifies and those around her fall, Valka must decide how much she is willing to risk to defend the skies she once called home. Inspired by the true story of the airwomen the Nazis called , Gwen C. Katz weaves a tale of strength and sacrifice, learning to fight for yourself, and the perils of a world at war. (from the back cover of the book)

This book can be used with advanced middle school students or with high school students studying World War II (WWII), flight/aviation, geography, or women in non-traditional roles.

The four lesson plans included in this teaching guide all align with specific middle school and high school Common Core State Standards for History/Social Studies. The full text of these standards is included at the end of the teaching guide. The “Common Core State Standards” are copyright 2010 by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

This guide also includes links to two articles that explain in detail how to use historical novels in the classroom, so you can expand on the lesson ideas included here.

LESSON 1 CCSS alignment Compare and contrast primary sources, secondary sources, and Key ideas and details; Integration of knowledge and ideas this historical fiction account to distinguish between fact and RH.6-8.1 RH.6-8.2 RH.6-8.9 fiction about one of the topics listed below. RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.9 (for grades 6-12) RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.9

Marina Raskova Primary source: Pravda, “International Communist Woman’s Day,” March 9, 1939. http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/p/48.html Retrieved from “Women in World History” website http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/searchwwh.php on 9-11-17

Secondary source: “” in Wikipedia

Russian female “night witch” pilots like Valka Primary sources: Interviews with Russian female pilots who flew Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) biplanes during WWII night bombing missions against the Nazis: Irina Rakobolskaya: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/116083477/chief-of-staff-irina-vyacheslavovna-rakobolskaya.htm

Klaudia Deriabina: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090237/klaudia-andreevna-ryzhkova-deriabina.htm

Nadezhda Popova: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090240/anastasiia-nadezhda-vasil-evna-popova.htm

Secondary sources: “Night witches” or “” in Wikipedia

Russian female “night witch” navigators like Iskra Primary sources: Interviews with Russian female navigators who flew Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) biplanes during WWII night bombing missions against the Nazis: Rufina Gasheva: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090746/rufina-sergeevna-gasheva.htm

Alexandra Akimova: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117042376/alexandra-fidorovna-akimova.htm

Polina Gelman: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090316/polina-vladimirovna-gel-man.htm

Secondary sources: “Rufina Gasheva,” “List of Heroes of the Russian Federation,” or “Polina Gelman” in Wikipedia

How was the Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) plane used during WWII? How effective was it in battle? Primary sources: Interviews of pilots who flew the Po-2 during WWII: http://video.flyingheritage.com/search?q=Po-2

Secondary source: “Polikarpov Po-2” in Wikipedia See one of the planes the Russian female pilots flew: http://www.flyingheritage.com/Explore/The-Collection/Russia/Polikarpov-U-2-Po-2.aspx

LESSON 2 CCSS alignment Analyze how a text is structured. Craft and Structure

For grades 6-8: Describe how the book presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally). RH.6-8.5

For grades 9-10: Analyze how the book uses structure to emphasize key points. RH.9-10.5

For grades 11-12: After reading the book, choose one of the primary source interviews of a Russian female RH.11-12.5 pilot or navigator. Copy the transcript of the interview. Analyze in detail how the interview (a complex primary source) is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.

Interviews of Russian female pilots who flew Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) biplanes during WWII night bombing missions against the Nazis: http://video.flyingheritage.com/search?q=&f1=%22Russian%22&f3=%22Female%22&f5=%22World%20War%20II%22&f6=%22Pilot%22

Interviews of Russian female navigators who flew Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) biplanes during WWII night bombing missions against the Nazis: http://video.flyingheritage.com/search?q=&f1=%22Russian%22&f3=%22Female%22&f6=%22Navigator%22

LESSON 3 CCSS alignment Analyze authors’ points of view on a specific historical event. Craft and Structure

For grades 6-8: Identify aspects of the book that reveal the author's point of view on the WWII campaign RH.6-8.6 referred to as “Operation Mars.”

For grades 9-10: Compare the points of view of the author of the book and the author of a Wikipedia article RH.9-10.6 for how they treat the topic of the WWII campaign named “Operation Mars.” Include which details they emphasize in their respective accounts.

For grades 11-12: Evaluate three authors' differing points of view on the historical WWII campaign named RH.11-12.6 “Operation Mars” by assessing the claims, reasoning, and evidence presented by the book author, the Wikipedia article author, and the Russian general in his interview.

Secondary source: “Operation Mars” in Wikipedia

Primary source: Interview with General Major Alexey Nikiforovich Rapota discussing Operation Mars http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/116998862/general-major-alexey-nikiforovich-rapota.htm?seek=1088.5

LESSON 4 CCSS alignment Create a multimedia presentation that describes how the night witches of WWII used Polikarpov U-2 Integration of Knowledge and (Po-2) planes to help defeat the Nazis. Ideas

For grades 6-10: Integrate at least three different types of visual information with other information in print RH.6-8.7 RH.9-10.7 and digital texts. Include text from the book plus two of these different types of visual information to support the text: photos, videos, diagrams, or maps.

For grades 11-12: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and RH.11-12.7 media. Include text from the book plus four of these different types of visual information to support the text: photos, videos, diagrams, maps, charts, or graphs.

Cite specific quotes from the book that describe how the Night Witches and their Po-2 planes caused damage that helped the Russian Army defeat the Nazi Army during WWII.

Search the internet to find visual information that brings your chosen quotes to life. CAUTION: Be sure that your internet information comes from an historically accurate web site. Ask your teacher or librarian how you can tell!

Background articles on how to use historical fiction in middle school and high school social studies courses:

Diamond, A. “Using Historical Fiction to Connect Past to Present.” The Atlantic. 2/21/17 Retrieved 9/11/17. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/02/using-historical-fiction-to-connect-past-and-present/516543/

Lindquist, T. “Why and How I Teach With Historical Fiction.” Scholastic Teacher. October 1995. Retrieved 9/11/17. https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/why-and-how-i-teach-historical-fiction/

Primary sources: (from the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum, Everett WA; retrieved from web site 9/11/17)

Interviews of Russian female pilots who flew Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) biplanes during WWII night bombing missions against the Nazis: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/116083477/chief-of-staff-irina-vyacheslavovna-rakobolskaya.htm http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090237/klaudia-andreevna-ryzhkova-deriabina.htm http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090240/anastasiia-nadezhda-vasil-evna-popova.htm

Interviews of Russian female navigators who flew Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) biplanes during WWII night bombing missions against the Nazis: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090746/rufina-sergeevna-gasheva.htm http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117042376/alexandra-fidorovna-akimova.htm http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090316/polina-vladimirovna-gel-man.htm

Interview of a Russian female mechanic who serviced the Polikarpov U-2 (Po-2) biplanes used during WWII night bombing missions against the Nazis: http://video.flyingheritage.com/v/117090750/vera-timofeevna-mamonko-kondratenko.htm

See one of the planes flown by the Russian female “night witch” pilots: http://www.flyingheritage.com/Explore/The-Collection/Russia/Polikarpov-U-2-Po-2.aspx

Common Core State Standards » English Language Arts Standards » History/Social Studies http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/introduction/ Retrieved 9/11/17 The name “Common Core State Standards” is copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

Grades 6-8

Key Ideas and Details: RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

Craft and Structure: RH.6-8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

RH.6-8.5: Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).

RH.6-8.6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

RH.6-8.8: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

RH.6-8.9: Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

Grades 9-10

Key Ideas and Details: RH.9-10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

RH.9-10.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.

RH.9-10.3: Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.

Craft and Structure: RH.9-10.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.

RH.9-10.5: Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

RH.9-10.6: Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: RH.9-10.7: Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.

RH.9-10.8: Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author's claims.

RH.9-10.9: Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.

Grades 11 – 12

Key Ideas and Details: RH.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.

RH.11-12.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

RH.11-12.3: Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Craft and Structure: RH.11-12.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text.

RH.11-12.5: Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.

RH.11-12.6: Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims, reasoning, and evidence.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: RH.11-12.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

RH.11-12.8: Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.

RH.11-12.9: Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.