How I Learned Geography

Picture Book Month Day 9 theme: World

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How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz  

Having fled from war in their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange country. Food is scarce, so when the boy's father brings home a map instead of bread for supper, at first the boy is furious. But when the map is hung on the wall, it floods their cheerless room with color. As the boy studies its every detail, he is transported to exotic places without ever leaving the room, and he eventually comes to realize that the map feeds him in a way that bread never could.

Literature Connections: Lesson Plans, Activities and Resources

Pronouncing the Author's name Uri Shulevitz 

Teacher's Guide using the books of Uri Shulevitz (Macmillian  Publishing)

Helping Your Child Learn Geography-excellent resources from the Dept. of Education

Where We Live-a social studies and technology lesson

Geography Lesson Plans, Activities, and Presentation-multiple resources and links

Visit National Geographic for video and information resources

Everything I Need to Know Before I'm Five

I love this adorable new book trailer from Random House Kids. Young children are still tying to sort out their place within the world and it's nice to know which important things a kid should know and understand. 

A wonderful world of literature is waiting 

for you to set sail into an adventure of your own!

Goal!

Picture Book Month

Day 24 theme: Sports

Author/Illustrator of the Day: Don Tate

In a dusty township in South Africa, Ajani and his friends have earned a brand-new, federation-size soccer ball.  They kick. They dribble. They run. They score. These clever boys are football champions! But when a crew of bullies tries to steal their ball, will Ajani and his friends be able to beat them at their own game?

Goal is one of my favorite sports books because it captures the joy that football, or soccer as we in America call it, brings to kids around the world and incorporates multicultural literature into the classroom. Goal also captures the ingenuity of children's thinking when it comes to dealing with bullies. For American children, it offers a glimpse into a world different than their own. The illustrations are bold and action pack and the energy of the story snatches you up having you look left, then right and aiming for your own goal. A wonderful read aloud for everyone who loves the joy of a game well played and for children triumphing bad things in the world.

GOAL Resources

Hear Mina Javaherbin tell why she wrote Goal and hear an excerpt from Goal.

Bluebonnet Book Club GOAL!

Map Activity: Ajani and his friends live in South Africa. Take a look at this interactive map of Africa. Once you locate South Africa, click on it to learn more.

Book Dads interview with Mina Javaherbin

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