Resource:

Momma, Where
Are You From?
by Marie Bradby

Medium:
book

Annotation:
This story is about a
young African American
girl who asks her
mother about where
shes from. Her mother
responds in a very
poetic manner
explaining what her life
was like when she grew
up.

What Are Roots?

by Marco Bravo,
Ashley Chase,
and Kimi
Hosoume

book

This informational text

teaches students all
about roots, their
purpose, and the
different kinds of roots.

Limitations/Comments:
This book was given to me by Penny Silver and
is a great addition to the unit. The mothers
response to the simple question, Where are
you from? can help broaden students concept
of where someone comes from. The mother
defines herself by experiences she believes are
important, and not by labels. This story also
portrays an African American family. This is an
asset since the majority of my students are
African American, and I believe it is important
for them to be exposed to characters who look
like them. This story also goes right along with
the interview assignment, as students will take
on the role of the little girl and ask their own
family members about where theyre from.
This book goes right along with the scientific
aspect of my essential questions- What are
roots? What is their role/purpose? However,
this book transmits knowledge directly to
students, which is why Im saving it until the
second week of the unit. This way we can use
the text to build upon the knowledge students
will have already gained from interacting with
real life roots. We have enough books for each
student, although the book is a level J which is
above the reading level of most students.
However, we will do a shared reading of this
text. Students should also have an easier time
reading it if they are interested in the topic and

FOSS kit: Pebble,

Sand and Silt

curriculum
kit

carrots and lilies

from NancyLee

plants

This is the Rope

by Jacqueline
Woodson

book

Google Earth

website

Google Maps

website

Lesson plans and

materials on pebbles,
sand, and silt.
NancyLee is bringing in
carrots that she has
grown and lily of the
valley plants that she
got from the Flower
Show. Carrots are
examples of tap roots
while lilies are examples
of fibrous roots.
A story of a familys
journey north during the
Great Migration. The
story is linked together
by a rope that is passed
along from generation
to generation and used
in a variety of ways.
Google Earth is a
website that allows you
to see satellite imagery,
maps, and terrain from
all over the world.
Google maps allows you
to create interactive

have already been exposed to the more difficult

vocabulary.
Lots of material, although much more
information than I need for this unit. Lesson
plans were easily adaptable.
Great for providing students with experiential
science learning!

Very interesting story with great history. Not

sure if we will really be able to dig deeply into
the historical context given the timeframe.
Very relevant in terms of learning about family
roots, however. Another story with African
American protagonists. Read alouds at the end
of the day will need to include families of other
races to make sure non-black students see
themselves represented as well.
Can zoom in and out to view different
perspectives. Can see real life images. Need
to familiarize myself with the website more so
that it does not become a time waster.
Would be able to track where different
students families are from. Again, need to

maps.
Museum of
Tolerance

website

Whos Who in My
Family?
by Loreen Leedy

book

The Museum of
Tolerance is designed to
teach about the
Holocaust as well as
contemporary forms of
discrimination. They
have a section of
teacher resources on
their website.
Teaches about family
trees and different
family relations.

familiarize myself with the website so it does

not become a time waster.
Has sample lesson plans, including one on
family tree/family interview:
http://www.museumoftolerance.com/atf/cf/
%7B0418CDF9-65C7-4424-955CE30218530A20%7D/FOFFO_Lessons_Elementar
y.pdf.
Designed for grades 3-6, however, I think there
will be enough scaffolding for first graders to
complete the assignments.
Includes a variety of family compositions.
Maybe too simplistic?