Teaching Guide for Teaching the Historical Fiction Book, Among the Red Stars by Gwen C
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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 Russia, 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 Night Witches, 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: “Marina Raskova” 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 “Nadezhda Popova” 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.