– 5 An Educator’s Guide to GRADES 2

by Lauren Tarshis

Featuring Classroom Activities for Teaching Includes specifi c text-based examples for to the COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS • Content Area Connections in the areas of • Comprehension Activities • Reading Standards for Literature (RL) • Word Study • Writing Standards (W) • Writing Connections • Language Standards (L) • Technology Connections About the Series

Do You Have What It Takes to Survive? Take your students on an adventurous historical journey, engaging them in a Common Core thematic author study. The activities in this guide engage students in reading groups, class discussions, and individual writing opportunities. Encourage your students to make connections between the events in the books and in their own lives. About the “I Survived” Books Does surviving a disaster change who you are? Or, does it force you to look inside yourself to discover what was there all along? Hopefully, your students, unlike the protagonists in the series, will never have to fi nd out. Still, there is something intriguing about disasters that attracts people of all ages. The I Survived historical fi ction series takes young readers on journeys into the past, giving them an up close and personal view of terrifying and thrilling adventures based on disasters that have left their mark on history. Most importantly, the books follow the main characters on a soul-searching quest, as they discover how resilient they truly are and fi nd out that they are also survivors. “Tarshis has done Meet the Author Lauren Tarshis is the author of the a masterful job… I Survived series as well as the critically acclaimed Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell vivid language that Out of a Tree and Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love. She is also the editor of a reluctant reader the Scholastic magazine Storyworks. Additional I Survived teacher resources, can handle.” including comprehension quizzes, can be —Library Media found online at laurentarshis.com.

Connection Lauren Tarshis is an inspiration for every student and teacher. If you know a student who struggles with reading or who never imagined he or she could write, much less publish a book, then introduce them to Lauren.

During a videotaped interview at scholastic.com/Isurvived/author.htm, Lauren shares her research strategies and Photo: David Dreyfuss explains how she plunks her characters into historical events, creating thrilling adventure books. More importantly, she shares a well-guarded childhood secret, one she kept from family, friends, and teachers for most of her school years. Lauren hated school because she struggled with reading, not even reading a book until she was in high school. As an adult, she fell in love with children’s literature and learned to write children’s books by analyzing the author’s style of writing, much as we are asked to do with the Common Core.

Introduce your students to a role model, someone who overcame reading struggles to enjoy endless hours of reading and writing. Now Lauren is living a dream she never imagined—and teaching students that it is never too late to learn.

2 Common Core Connections

Complexity of Text Vocabulary Connections (L.6) (RL.4) Common Core asks us to include Text complexity is measured by three Tier II vocabulary, or terms that criteria: quantitative, qualitative, transcend all content areas, as well and student knowledge and task as content-specifi c vocabulary. An complexity. The Lexile levels range author study provides a window from 590L to 620L. Each book in the into the author’s style of writing, I Survived historical fi ction adventure including vocabulary that are often series begins with a fl ashback, repeated throughout the series. An captivating students by starting the added benefi t is that these stories are story at a climactic point in history. rich in jargon, specialized vocabulary, The author’s use of metaphors, such as nautical or military terms, or similes, onomatopoeia, and other earthquakes and hurricanes. These literary devices provides rich fodder terms build necessary background for exploring connotative and knowledge that supports learning in fi gurative meaning of the text. The other content areas. qualitative measures, combined with student background knowledge and Comprehension with the text-dependent tasks listed Activities Distinguishing Fact from Fiction below, suggest that the books are (RL.9) perfect for intermediate grade levels. (See reproducible: “Fact or Fiction”) Content Area After reading the book, read the Connections author’s notes and facts in the back. History Connections (RL.9) As a group, identify ten details from These fi ctional stories are based the story that are factual, or based on historical events. Whether you on historical events or scientifi c are hanging over the edge of a research, and ten details that are magnifi cent sinking ship, swimming fi ctional, or created from the author’s in raging fl oodwaters, or dodging imagination. Draw a conclusion. “Incorporates bombs that are falling like rain, the Which parts of the story are based historical facts embedded within the on facts and which are fi ctional? information about stories build background knowledge. The author’s notes at the back of the (Answers will vary. Overall, the real events and book help students understand how dates and events are factual, but the a writer researches and weaves fact character is fi ctional. For example, fi ctionalizes it, and fi ction into a story, providing a in I Survived Hurricane Katrina, great model for using research in a 2005, the dates, the breaking of then follows the creative writing project. the levees, and the reason for the fl ooding are factual. The mandatory story with facts… Science Connections (W.7) evacuation of the people in the You can’t help but ask questions Lower Nine to the Superdome is gripping…will when reading these adventure true. Abandoning pets is also a hold the interest of stories. Do all sharks attack people? true fact. The characters, including What makes an iceberg so powerful Barry, his friends, and Cruz are a reluctant readers.” that it can sink an unsinkable ship? part of the author’s imagination. The How do hurricanes form? The rich creation of the comic book superhero —School Library Journal details spark inquiring minds. It is is also fi ctional.) a perfect time to engage students in mini research projects, inspiring Summarizing the Story (RL.2) them to become self-motivated (See reproducible: “Newspaper learners as they seek answers to Article”) scientifi c questions and build a better When tragedy strikes, newspapers understanding of their world. report on the event. Pretend that 3 Common Core Connections

you are a news reporter during the Understanding Character Traits historical time period and interview (RL.3) the main character. Write an I (See reproducible: “Character Study”) Survived newspaper article, using Working in groups, brainstorm a details from the book to tell the list of words that describe the main character’s story. Be sure to provide character. Select the BEST word the who, what, where, when, why, that describes the character (e.g., and how details. courageous, determined, persistent). Label the front of an index card with Understanding Denotation and the character trait. On the back, Connotation (RL.4) write a detail from the story that Identify examples of fi gurative BEST supports the word selected. language, onomatopoeia, or idioms Focus on details that describe what from the book. Select one. Create a the character says or does. Sort the poster explaining what the author details from strongest to weakest. “really” means, or the connotative meaning. Draw a picture or use clip Use the two strongest details to art to illustrate the literal meaning. write a paragraph answering the Include the excerpt from the text question: What word BEST describes on the poster. Be sure to cite the the main character? (Answers will page number. Write a sentence or vary. In I Survived the San Francisco two explaining the connotative Earthquake, 1906, one student may meaning. Display the posters on the describe Leo as loyal and another classroom walls. as persistent. In either case, the students can support their opinions Compare and Contrast Genres (RL.5) by using the character’s actions, A great way to increase comprehen- such as running into a fi re to save sion is to develop reading fl uency. his friend, Morris. He did not give Nothing does that better than up even when it meant risking his reader’s theater. Read-aloud plays for own life.) I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 and I Survived Hurricane An example of a cumulative Katrina, 2005 are available at activity is to meet as a whole laurentarshis.com. Compare and class to fi ll in the character study “Realistic and contrast the play and prose versions. matrix. Each group will choose a (Answers will vary. A play is driven book and select what they believe gripping…will keep by dialogue with some narration. is the BEST character trait and A story is driven with a well- fi ll in the corresponding section of readers turning orchestrated balance of narration and the classroom chart. Each group dialogue that functions to slow down will present their section to the the pages.” or speed up the story.) whole class.

—Kirkus Reviews Identifying Types of Confl icts (RL.9) Analyzing the Author’s Craft (RL.5) Create a chart to compare and Understanding the use of a fl ashback contrast the confl icts in the book. helps to better understand plot or Use sticky notes to sort the main the sequence of events in the story. character’s confl icts, both internal Identify where the fl ashback in the (man vs. self) and external (man story begins and when it ends. Why vs. nature, man vs. man, man vs. does the author use a fl ashback? society). How do the confl icts build (Answers will vary. It hooks the suspense in the story? (Answers will reader because it begins with the vary. As the main character is forced climax, the highest point of action. to face the confl icts or challenges, the For example, in I Survived the suspense increases.) Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941, 4 Common Core Connections

a reference tool for writing activities Write each word on an index card. connected to the books. Sort the words according to how the –ing changes the spelling of the Context Clues (RL.4, L4) word. For example, with run + ing, Collect unfamiliar words from the consonant “n” is doubled. The the stories. Using think alouds, “e” is dropped when adding –ing to show students how to fall back escape. Use these words as a spelling one sentence and hop ahead two list. Depending on the grade level, sentences, looking for clues to the you may want to sort words by long meaning of the unfamiliar word. or short vowel patterns fi rst. (Rule: When students fi nd a word they do drop the “e” before adding a suffi x not know, have them write it on the that begins with a vowel. Double the front of the index card. On the back, consonant when the last accented include the context clue, or the word syllable is a short vowel sound.) or phrase that helped them fi gure out the meaning of the word. Make Forms of Verbs and Nouns (L.1b) sure they record the page number Create a verb chart for the past, in parentheses. Include a synonym present, and future forms of selected or antonym (a word they already verbs harvested from the books. know) for the word, as well as the Post the chart, a reference tool, defi nition in their own words. Post in the classroom. Create a noun the words on a classroom word wall. chart to study singular and plural Have students sort the words into nouns lifted from the story. Take it the fl ashback starts with bombs categories: “Jargon,” or specialized a step further and create a chart of raining on Danny. This is a life- terms, and “Web Words,” or words singular and plural possessive nouns. and-death situation that hooks the that they think will reappear in Any of these word lists can become reader, making them want to read other texts. the spelling words for the week. the rest of the book to fi nd out how Affi xes and Roots (L.3, L.4b) Danny got in this situation and how Writing Connections Prefi xes change the meaning of he gets out of it.) Common Core asks students to words. Suffi xes change the forms engage in three types of writing: Analyzing Setting (RL.3) of words. Before reading, review persuade, explain, and convey Understanding how the setting affi xes and roots. Use Scholastic’s personal experience, distributed at contributes to confl icts and handout, Most Common Prefi xes and 30%, 35%, and 35%, respectively. 1 resolution is important to Suffi xes , to support students. Enjoy Each genre of writing requires the 2 understanding plot. How does the a Bingo Lingo Game , available at use of textual evidence. setting contribute to the confl icts Scholastic Printables, to help students in the story? (Answers will vary. familiarize themselves with some of Persuasive/Argument Writing (W.1) The setting in I Survived the the most common root words before Argument writing is one of the major Sinking of the Titanic,1912 creates reading. Once students learn a root shifts in the Common Core. It asks confl ict. The story takes place on a word and understand how affi xes that we focus on logical fallacies massive ocean liner in the Atlantic change a word, this knowledge can and textual evidence to support an Ocean. It is nighttime. The water is help them decode many new words. argument or opinion. freezing, cold enough to harbor huge Have students create mathematical • Defending Your Position (RL.9): icebergs that can rip open the hull equations from the new words. (See reproducible: “Supporting of an unsinkable ship. When George Have students dissect a word from Character Traits”) falls into the water, the suspense the novels: prefi x + root + suffi x = Text-to-world connections meet the increases because he will die if he meaning. For example, invisible: in + Common Core thematic approach stays in the water too long.) vis + ible = not able to be seen. to teaching because they connect Word Sorts and Spelling (L.2d) to real world events and build Word Study Engage students in word sorts that background knowledge. Nelson As students read, have them collect teach spelling rules. Search for Mandela, former South African a list of words to create word walls, words in the story that end in –ing. president, once said, “I learned that

1 http://teacher.scholastic.com/reading/bestpractices/vocabulary/pdf/prefi xes_suffi xes.pdf 2 http://printables.scholastic.com/printables/detail/?id=32009&Nty=0&_N=fff&Ntk=Printables_SI&N=1231+138&No=0 5 Common Core Connections

and events accurately? State if to the other, using details from the you agree or disagree. Support books to retell the events. your position using text details from the story. • Retell an Episode: Tell what happened from another • Mini Research (W.7): Research character’s point of view. For a topic of interest sparked from example, students might want reading the novel: icebergs, Civil to use the facts from the back War technology, Underground of I Survived the Attacks of Railroad, earthquakes, September 11, 2001 to retell hurricanes, etc. Create a Uncle Benny’s story, explaining classroom presentation to share how he survived that day. with the class. • Historical Fiction (W.7): • Sequencing Events (W.8): Individually or as a group, write Create a timeline of historical a historical fi ction story based events (before, during, and on information learned from after) as they unfold in the mini research. story. Illustrate each event on the timeline. Include a caption Technology describing the event. Connections (W.6) Common Core asks that students Personal Experience Writing engage in collaborative writing and (W.3) Personal experience writing online publishing. The resources courage was not the absence of encompasses journals, letters, below are great for primary and fear, but the triumph over it. The blogs, poetry, and creative writing. intermediate level teachers because brave man is not he who does not Historical fi ction novels are great teachers can create student accounts, feel afraid, but he who conquers models to demonstrate how authors and no e-mail addresses are required. that fear.” Explain what Nelson utilize information from research However, as with any Internet activity, Mandela meant by this. Would to engage in personal writing, you will want to inform parents of any Nelson Mandela describe the main incorporating research details to online activities in the classroom. character as courageous? Use text create stories from the imagination. evidence from the story to explain • Kidblog: Create and manage a • Ode Poem: Write an ode poem, why or why not. blog based on the novel. praising a person, place, or object Expository/Informational Writing from the story. Publish them in • PBWorks: Engage students in (W.2) Common Core asks students a class book. For example, in collaborative writing and digital to engage in more informational I Survived the Sinking of the publishing. writing. The following activities ask Titanic, 1912, you may want to students to evaluate the author’s write an ode on the Titanic or the • Glogster (for Educators): Create use of information, engage in mini mummy. In I Survived the San multimedia posters presenting an research, and utilize research Francisco Earthquake, 1906, you overview of the book or research information in their own writing. might write a poem on the gold sparked from reading the book. nugget. Depending on the age of • Evaluate the Author’s Craft the students, you may want to • Google Apps: Create presentations (RL.9): (See reproducible: engage them in researching a or work collaboratively on “Analyzing the Author’s Use person or object for additional documents. Teachers can create of Historical Facts”) background information. templates (e.g., a playwright Use the author’s notes from the script) that students can access. back of the book. Select a fact • Friendly Letter: Pair a student that corresponds with a passage who read one book with a student • Book Trailers: Use a digital from the story. Compare and who read another book. Engage in camera to create a book trailer. contrast the facts to the author’s a discussion that shares the details See Lauren’s I Survived the Shark fi ctional version. Did the author of the book. Have each student Attacks of 1916 book trailer on use the historical facts, dates, write a letter from one character YouTube. 6 I FactSurvived or Fiction Series Fact or Fiction Student Names: Student Names ______Historical fiction is a combination ______of true details based on historical events and fictional details created ______from the author s imagination. ______

Title of Book: ______

Directions: Write 5 fact details in the left-hand column. Write 5 fiction details in the right- hand column. Cite the page numbers where you found the fact or fiction details.

Historical Details Fictional Details (true facts based on historical events (created from the author s imagination) and research)

( ___ )( ___ )

( ___ )( ___ )

( ___ )( ___ )

( ___ )( ___ )

( ___ )( ___ )

scholastic.com/isurvived SCHOLASTIC™ Scholastic Inc. REPRODUCIBLE NewspaperI Survived Article Newspaper Article Name: ______Directions: Pretend that you are interviewing the main character. Use details from the story to tell what happened to the character. Write the who, what, where, when, why, and how details in the boxes below.

Who What Where

When Why How

Directions: Use the information above to write a newspaper article summarizing the character s story. Include the who, what, where, when, why and how details above.

scholastic.com/isurvived SCHOLASTIC™ Scholastic Inc. REPRODUCIBLE Character Study REPRODUCIBLE Name(s): I Survived Character Study

I Survived...Main Main Character Character Character’s Words, Actions, or Character’s Words,Character’s Words, Actions, or Actions, II Survived… Survived... Character Character Trait Trait Thoughts or Thoughts Thoughts

TheThe Battle of Battle of

Gettysburg,Gettysburg, 1863 1863

The San Francisco The San Francisco

Earthquake,Earthquake, 1906 1906

The Sinking of the The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 Titanic, 1912

The Shark Attacks The Shark Attacks of 1916 of 1916 scholastic.com/isurvived The Bombing of PearlThe Bombing of Harbor, 1941

Pearl Harbor, 1941 The Attacks of SeptemberThe Attacks of 11, September 11, 2001 2001 Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Hurricane Katrina,

2005 The Japanese Tsunami, 2011 SCHOLASTIC™ Scholastic Inc. Scholastic SCHOLASTIC™ SupportingI Survived Character Traits Supporting Character Traits Name: ______Name: ______Character traits are words that describe a character. Use the characterʼs words, actions,Character and traits thoughts are words to identify that describethe word aor character. character Usetrait thethat character BEST describesʼs words, the mainactions, character. and thoughts to identify the word or character trait that BEST describes the main character.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ‐‐Nelson Mandela is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ‐‐Nelson Mandela

1. What does Nelson Mandela mean when he said this? 1. What What does Nelson Mandela meanmean whenwhen hehe saidsaid this? this? ______

2. Would Nelson Mandela describe the main character as courageous? Why or why not? 2. WouldUse Would the Nelson characters Mandela actions describe or thoughts thethe mainmain to support charactercharacter your as as opinion.courageous? courageous? Why Why or or why why not? not? UseUse eachthe characters character’s actions actions or orthoughts thoughts to supportto support your your opinion. opinion.

scholastic.com/isurvived SCHOLASTIC™ Scholastic Inc. REPRODUCIBLE Analyzing the Author’sI Survived Use of Historical Facts REPRODUCIBLE Analyzing the Author s Use of Historical Facts Analyzing the Authorʼs Use of Historical Facts Name: ______Name: ______Historical fiction is created from historical facts, which are true, and details from the authorʼs imagination, which are not true. EvaluateHistorical the fiction author isʼ screated writing fromby determining historical facts, if the whichhistorical are detailstrue, and are details accurately from portrayedthe author inʼs imagination,the novel. Read which the are author not ʼtrue.s notesEvaluate at the the back author ofʼ sthe writing book. by Record determining a fact inif thethe historicalfirst column details. Identify are accurately the passage portrayed in the story in the where novel. the Read author the used author theʼs details.notes at Write the back the detailsof the book.in the Recordsecond acolumn. fact in theDid first the columnauthor portray. Identify history the passage accurately? in the Write story yes where or no. the In author the last used column, the explaindetails. whyWrite or the why details not. in the second column. Did the author portray history accurately? Write yes or no. In the last column, explain why or why not. Authorʼs Notes Details Story Details Yes or No Why or Why Not? Authorʼs Notes Details Story Details Yes or No Why or Why Not?

( ___ ) ( ___ ) ( ___ ) ( ___ ) scholastic.com/isurvived ( ___ ) ( ___ ) ( ___ ) ( ___ )

( ___ ) ( ___ ) ( ___ ) ( ___ ) What is your conclusion? Overall, did the author portray history accurately? Explain. What is your conclusion? Overall, did the author portray history accurately? Explain. SCHOLASTIC™ Scholastic Inc. Scholastic SCHOLASTIC™ About the Writer of This Guide Mary Blow, a sixth grade English teacher in upstate New York, has been one of Scholastic’s teacher bloggers and has written about strategies and resources to support teachers through the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. These resources and more can be found at scholastic. com/teachers/contributor/mary-blow. For the past four years, Mary has been a teacher advisor for Scope and Storyworks, Scholastic’s literary magazines at elementary and middle school levels, providing ideas and suggestions for transitioning to the Common Core. Visit Mary’s classroom website at lowvilleacademy.org/webpages/MBlow where she shares many of her resources with students and teachers.

Books Available

I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941 Paperback • 978-0-545-45936-5 • $4.99 Hardcover • 978-0-545-20691-4 • $16.99 Paperback • 978-0-545-20698-3 • $4.99 I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906 Paperback • 978-0-545-20699-0 • $4.99 I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 Hardcover • 978-0-545-20693-8 • $16.99 I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 Paperback • 978-0-545-20700-3 • $4.99 Hardcover • 978-0-545-20687-7 • $16.99 Paperback • 978-0-545-20694-5 • $4.99 I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Paperback • 978-0-545-20696-9 • $4.99 I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 Paperback • 978-0-545-20695-2 • $4.99 I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2010 Paperback • 978-0-545-45937-2 • $4.99

For the most up-to-date listing, visit scholastic.com/isurvived.

Books may be ordered from any bookseller or your usual vendor. Teachers and librarians may order from Scholastic, 2931 East McCarty Street, P.O. Box 7502, Jefferson City, MO 65102 Or call toll-free 1-800-724-6527.

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