By Jack Gantos                              By Sharon G. Flake
  Sections 1-5                                                Sections 6-10
 

Section 1	Section 2
Section 3	Section 4
Section 5	Section 6
Section 7	Section 8
Section 9	Section 10

Launch Idea:

When life hands you a lemon, peel it
 
We often think that teaching our children about diversity is a long and difficult task. However as the following exercise shows, it can be as simple as peeling a lemon:
Gather a group of young children and give them lemons, one lemon for each child. Tell them to `get to know your lemon." The children will examine their lemons-smell them, touch them, throw them in the air, and roll them around. After a few minutes, take the lemons back and collect them in a big basket. Next, ask the children to find their lemons from among the bunch. Remarkably, most recognize their lemons at once. Some will even get protective of them.
Next, ask the children to describe how they recognized their lemons. The responses are always varied. "My lemon was a big lemon," one might say. "My lemon was a perfect lemon," says another. And another, "My lemon had dents and bruises." This launches the discussion about how people are like that-different sizes, different shapes, different shades of color, different "dents and bruises."
After exploring those ideas, collect the lemons again. This time, peel the lemons and return them to the basket without their protective skin. Now tell the children to again find their lemon. Presented with this quandary, the children's reactions are always precious. "But the lemons all look the same!" they'll exclaim. This opens the door to a discussion of how people, much like the lemons, are pretty much the same on the inside.
While it may take only 15 minutes and a bowl of lemons to teach young children about diversity, it takes a conscious effort and a lifetime of attention to ensure that lesson is remembered. As teachers, we must provide that commitment.

Source:  www.tolerance.org
 

Alignment to the NC Standard Course of Study:
1.02 Select key vocabulary critical to the text and apply appropriate meanings as necessary for comprehension.
1.03 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
• wide reading.
• word study.
• word reference materials.
• content area study.
• writing process elements.
• writing as a tool.
• debate.
• discussions.
• seminars.
• examining the author’s craft.
1.04 Use word reference materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus, on-line reference tools) to identify and comprehend unknown words.
1.05 Read independently daily from self-selected materials (consistent with the student’s independent reading level) to:
• increase fluency.
• build background knowledge.
• expand and refine vocabulary.
2.01 Use metacognitive strategies independently and flexibly to monitor comprehension and extend vocabulary (e.g., skim, scan, reread the text, consult other sources, ask for help, summarize, paraphrase, question).
2.02 Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
• making predictions.
• formulating questions.
• supporting answers from textual information, previous experience, and/or other sources.
• drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
• seeking additional information.
2.03 Read a variety of texts, such as:
• fiction (tall tales, myths).
• nonfiction (books of true experience, newspaper and magazine articles, schedules).
• poetry (narrative, lyric, and cinquains).
• drama (plays and skits).
2.05 Evaluate inferences, conclusions, and generalizations and provide evidence by referencing the text(s).
2.06 Analyze choice of reading materials congruent with purposes (e.g., reading for information, reading to extend content area learning, reading for pleasure, entertainment).
2.07 Evaluate the usefulness and quality of information and ideas based on purpose, experiences, text(s), and graphics.
2.09 Listen actively and critically by:
• asking questions.
• delving deeper into the topic.
• elaborating on the information and ideas presented.
• evaluating information and ideas.
• making inferences and drawing conclusions.
• making judgments.
2.10 Identify strategies used by a speaker or writer to inform, entertain, or influence an audience.
3.01 Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
• analyzing word choice and content.
• examining reasons for a character’s actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character.
• creating and presenting a product that effectively demonstrates a personal response to a selection or experience.
• examining alternative perspectives.
3.02 Make connections between texts by recognizing similarities and differences based on a common lesson, theme, or message.
3.03 Justify evaluation of characters and events from different selections by citing supporting evidence in the text(s).
3.06 Conduct research (with assistance) from a variety of sources for assigned or self-selected projects (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people, libraries, databases, computer networks).
4.06 Compose a draft that elaborates on major ideas and adheres to the topic by using an appropriate organizational pattern that accomplishes the purpose of the writing task and effectively communicates its content.
4.07 Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using self-selected topic and format (e.g., poetry, research reports, news articles, letters to the editor, business letters).
4.08 Focus revision on target elements by:
• improving word choice.
• rearranging text for clarity.
• creating simple and/or complex sentences for clarity or impact.
• developing a lead, characters, or m
4.10 Use technology as a tool to enhance and/or publish a product
5.04 Determine the impact of word choice on written and spoken language.
5.08 Create readable documents through legible handwriting and word processing.