Text Set for Great Depression Unit

1. Title: Out of the Dust

Genre: Historical Fiction                                                                   

Author: Karen Hesse

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Year: 1999

Number of Pages: 227

Summary: This is the story of a girl growing up in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. Her mother dies after a freak accident, and she is left alone with her father. She faces many difficulties including the dust bowls.

Anticipated Use: I will use this book in a literacy circle. I will use this book with my grade level readers.

 

2. Title: Bud, Not Buddy

Genre: Historical Fiction

Author: Christopher Paul Curtis

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Year: 2004

Number of Pages: 272

Summary: This is the story of an African American boy growing up during the Great Depression. He is motherless and her sets out to find his long lost father. He starts out in Flint, Michigan and ends up in Grand Rapids.

Anticipated Use: I will use this book in a literacy circle. I will use this with my low grade level readers.

 

3. Title: Nothing to Fear

Genre: Historical Fiction

Author: Jackie French Koller

-Publisher: Hancourt

Year: 1993

Number of Pages: 288

Summary: This is the story of a boy growing up in New York City during the Great Depression. When his father leaves to find work, Danny must work to help his family make ends meet.

Anticipated Use: I will use this book in a literacy circle. I will use this book with my above grade level readers.

 

4. Title: Leah’s Pony

Genre: Historical Fiction

Author: Elizabeth Friedrich

Illustrator: Michael Garland

Publisher: Boyd Mills Press

Year: 1999

Number of Pages: 32

Summary: This is the story of a girl who sells her pony in order to buy her father’s tractor back when debt causes the family to lose everything needed to fun the family farm. Their stuff is auctioned off and neighbors buy it back for them. Leah gets her pony back in the end.

Anticipated Use: Read aloud to introduce students to penny auctions and the affect the Great Depression had on farmers and their families. The pictures will also teach the students about the time period.

 

5. Title:  Eleanor

Genre: Biography-full

Author/Illustrator: Barbara Cooney

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers

Year: 1999

Number of Pages: 32

Summary: This books tells Eleanor’s life story. It shows how Eleanor went from an unloved child to a respectable role model.

Anticipated Use: I will read this book aloud in order to introduce students to Eleanor Roosevelt. This can be a starting point for students looking for information about Eleanor.

 

6. Title: Children of the Depression

Genre: Informational

Author: Russell Freedman

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

Year: 2006

Number of Pages: 112

Summary: This book uses pictures taken by people sent out by Roosevelt to show how the Great Depression affected children and their families. Topics mentioned in this book include boxcar kids, school during the Great Depression, living conditions, kids working, and many other subjects.

Anticipated Use: I will use the pictures in this book to show students the Great Depression was real and it affected real people. Students can also use this book to start on their individual research papers. I will also use this book myself as a resource to teach lessons.

 

7. Title: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"

Format: WebQuest

URL: http://www.todaysteacher.com/TheGreatDepressionWebQuest/Introduction.htm#introduction

Author/Publisher: Unknown-Made by teacher

Date: November 2007

Summary: This is a WebQuest made for students in upper elementary grades. The students have tasks they must complete online. This site provides resources for the students to use.

Anticipated Use: I will use this WebQuest with my students to integrate technology into my class. Students will use math, reading, and writing on this site.

 

8. Title: Dust to Eat

Genre: Informational

Author: Michael L. Cooper

Publisher: Clarion Books

Year: 2004

Number of Pages: 82

Summary:  This book provides information on the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The book contains a map of the Dust Bowl.

Anticipated Use: This book will be used as a resource for both the students and I. Students will use the book to aide in their research papers.

 

9. Title:  The Babe and I

Genre: Historical Fiction

Author: David A. Adler

Illustrator: Terry Widener

Publisher: Hancourt Children’s Books

Year: 2004

Number of Pages: 32

Summary: This is the story of a little boy living in New York during the Great Depression. He meets Babe Ruth while he is selling newspapers to help his family.

Anticipated Use: I will read this book aloud to my students to show how even little kids had to work during the Great Depression.

 

10. Title: Lizzie’s Storm

Genre: historical fiction

Author: Sally Fitz-Gibbon

Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside

Year: 2003

Number of Pages: 64

Summary: This is the story of a girl from London who moves to a prairie farm in the middle of the Dust Bowl after she is orphaned. She struggles to fit in. She finally feels like she fits in when she saves her aunt’s life during a dust storm.

Anticipated Use: I will use this book in a read aloud to show my students what it was like to live in the Dust Bowl. The illustrations will show the students how people dressed during the Great Depression.

 

In Addition to the books listed in the text book I will have the following books available for students to read and look at during their personal reading time. They are all historical fiction books related to the Great Depression.

l  What You Know First by Patricia McLachlan

l The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

l Dust for Dinner by Ann Turner

l Potato: A Tale From The Great Depression by Kate Lied

l The Dust Bowl by David Booth

l The Doll House Magic by Yona McDonough

l Rose’s Journal: The Story of a Girl in the Great Depression by Marissa Moss

Go to the Great Depression Home Page