Copyright: 2008 Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
About the Book:
This nonfiction novel written about our 44th president, Barack Obama, tells of his life during childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Fasten your seat belt as we embark
on a fast-paced and bumpy journey as we move with Obama to different countries, learn new languages and religions, battle racism, find love, and become the leader of our nation. This book focuses on dozens of challenges and triumphs that Obama overcame in his struggle to find out who he was as he established himself as an African American citizen in a predominately white society. This novel will pull the reader into learning much more than just Obama's history, but also what was going on in the world throughout his life as well. This novel takes on a much more advanced view than the typical biography - truly a great read.
What is the book like?
Nonfiction/Expository
Presidential biography
Historical
Inspirational
Relevant
Online Resources to Support Text:
This site, built by an elementary school, features a slide show about how a presidential election works, a link to an interactive game about becoming the president, a quiz, and content-area vocabulary with definitions. The site also includes teacher lesson plans.
This site focuses on the election of 2008 and could be used as a pre-reading activity or for clarifying any confusion as an after-reading strategy. The site compares the candidates, defines key vocabulary, talks about the different issues the presidents plan on addressing, and even goes through the procedure of becoming president!
Teaching Suggestions:
1. Pull out content specific vocabulary from the text before reading and teach explicitly. Compare unique terms to something children can relate to. Suggest that children mark unfamiliar words while reading with post-it notes and be sure to review and teach these terms until there is no confusion. Possible teaching strategy: create pocket chart with word cards, say word aloud, ask children to repeat word, and spell word on board. Have images ready for children to look at online and be ready to discuss their purposes.
2. While reading ask students to create a character chart to aid in their comprehension of the text. This particular text introduces many characters. It would be beneficial and less confusing for the students to group the characters according to their significance in Obama's life as well as a few facts about them, such as why they are important to Obama or to his life in a general way.
3. After reading ask students to create an interactive timeline of what each student feels were the five most important or challenging aspects of Obama's life. This activity will help children to sequence time visually, while also engaging children to think deeply and empathetically as they compare and constrast events in another's life.
Happy Reading!
I need notes on this like really badly :(
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