Third Quarter

Non-Fiction/Courage Unit

This quarter we will be reading and focusing on different types of non-fiction

writing, learning to gather research and write a research paper. The focus of our
unit is Courage. We will be reading a book aloud as a class and students will also
be reading an independent book that all focus on the topic of courage. The five
choices for their independent book are listed on the attached pages.
We are asking that each student get a copy of this book (you do NOT have to
purchase this book) unless you want too. You may check them out from the library.
Students will need a copy of their book no later than Monday, January 25, 2016.
Students are not expected to begin reading this book until after January 26th; they
simply need a copy of it by that date.
I will have a few copies of some of these books for students to borrow for this unit,
however it is ideal that they are able to obtain a copy on their own.
*For students that need an extra challenge, think about reading two of the choices
above and making a comparison of the two novels or please see me for additional
titles.
Some suggestions of places to look for these books
1. Any public library (free), you may also borrow or purchase the books on your Kindle, Nook or
iPhone.
2. Sells library (free)
3. Amazon.com (very cheap prices)
4. Half Price Books (also very reasonable price

Soul Surfer: By Bethany Hamilton A True Story of Faith, Family,

and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton and
Rick Bundschuh with Sheryl Berk
Lexile 960 GL 6
She lost her arm in a shark attack and nearly died, but she never
lost her faith. In her #1 New York Times bestseller, Bethany
Hamilton tells the moving story of her triumphant return to
competitive surfing, which continues to inspire all that hear it.
They say Bethany Hamilton has salt water in her veins. How else
could one explain the passion that drives her to surf? Or that
nothingnot
even the loss of her armcould come between her
and the waves? That Halloween morning in Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany responded to
the sharks stealth attack with the calm of a teenage girl with God on her side,
resolutely pushing aside her pain and panic while being rescued and brought back
to shore. When can I surf again? was the first thing Bethany asked after her
emergency surgery, leaving no doubt that her spirit and determination were part of
a greater storya tale of personal empowerment and spiritual grit that shows the
body is no more essential to surfing, perhaps even less so, than the soul.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Lexile 1080 GL 6.5
Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her
life, Anne Frank's remarkable diary has since become a world
classica powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an
eloquent testament to the human spirit.
In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish
girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into
hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were
betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the "Secret Annex" of
an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the
constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery
and death.
In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period.
By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary
on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited
young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.

Leons Story by Leon Walter Tillage

Lexile 970 GL 6.8

"Leon's Story is a powerful, wonderful thing!" -- Nikki Giovanni
I remember that as a young boy I used to look in the mirror and I would curse my color, my
blackness. But in those days they didn't call you "black." They didnt say "minority." They
called us "colored.
Leon Tillage grew up the son of a sharecropper in a small town in North Carolina. Told in
vignettes, this is his story about walking four miles to the school for black children, and
watching a school bus full of white children go past. It's about his being forced to sit in the
balcony at the movie theater, hiding all night when the Klansmen came riding, and worse.
Much worse.
But it is also the story of a strong family and the love that bound them together. And,
finally, it's about working to change an oppressive existence by joining the civil rights
movement. Edited from recorded interviews conducted by Susan L. Roth, Leon's story will
stay with readers long after they have finished his powerful account.
Leon's Story is the winner of the 1998 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Nonfiction.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

#1 NEW YORK

TIMES BESTSELLER

Lexile 850 GL 6 s a child, Louis Zamperini spent most of his timeme

brawling and stealing, but as a teenager he discovered his true talent --- running. With the
coaching of his older brother, Pete, Louis trained day and night to get into the Olympics. He
accomplished his goal in 1936 when he went to the Berlin Olympics for the 5,000 meter, but his
real dream was to compete in the 1940 Olympics in the 1,500 meter. Unfortunately, his
dreams were set on hold after the start of World War II. Despite the setback, Louis remained
positive about his Olympic future and soon ended up enlisting in the Army Air Corp in 1941,
ready to help his country. Little did he know how much this decision would affect his life.

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

Lexile 1090 GL 7.8

When she was 19 months old, Helen Keller (1880-1968) suffered a

severe illness that left her blind and deaf. Not long after, she also
became mute. Her tenacious struggle to overcome these handicapswith the help of her inspired teacher, Anne Sullivan-is one of the
great stories of human courage and dedication. In this classic
autobiography, first published in 1903, Miss Keller recounts the first
22 years of her life, including the magical moment at the water pump
when, recognizing the connection between the word "water" and the
cold liquid flowing over her hand, she realized that objects had
names. Subsequent experiences were equally noteworthy: her joy at
eventually learning to speak, her friendships with Oliver Wendell
Holmes, Edward Everett Hale and other notables, her education at
Radcliffe (from which she graduated cum laude), and-underlying allher extraordinary relationship with Miss Sullivan, who showed a remarkable genius for
communicating with her eager and quick-to-learn pupil. These and many other aspects of
Helen Keller's life are presented here in clear, straightforward prose full of wonderful
descriptions and imagery that would do credit to a sighted writer. Completely devoid of
self-pity, yet full of love and compassion for others, this deeply moving memoir offers an
unforgettable portrait of one of the outstanding women of the twentieth century.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver

Lexile 910L GL 6-8
This young readers edition of the worldwide bestseller Three
Cups of Tea has been specially adapted and updated by Greg
Mortenson to bring his remarkable story of humanitarianism
up-to-date. It includes brand-new photos, maps, and
illustrations, as well as a special afterword by Greg's twelveyear-old daughter, Amira, who has traveled with her father as
an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children.

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom

Lexile 830L GR 7-9

Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague.
Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when
you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice
to help you make your way through it. For Mitch Albom, that
person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from
nearly twenty years ago. Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of
this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded.
Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger
questions that still haunt you? Mitch Albom had that second
chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the
older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor
neurone disease - MItch visited Morrie in his study every
Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned
into one final 'class': lessons in how to live. TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE is a magical
chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie's lasting gift
with the world.

Little Rock Girl 1957 by Shelley Tougas

Lexile 1010L GL 5-7

Nine African American students made history when they

defied a governor and integrated an Arkansas high
school in 1957. It was the photo of one of the nine trying
to enter the school a young girl being taunted, harassed
and threatened by an angry mob that grabbed the
worlds attention and kept its disapproving gaze on Little
Rock, Arkansas. In defiance of a federal court order,
Governor Orval Faubus called in the National Guard to
prevent the students from entering all white Central
High School. The plan had been for the students to meet
and go to school as a group on September 4, 1957. But
one student, Elizabeth Eckford, didnt hear of the plan and tried to enter the school
alone. A chilling photo by newspaper photographer Will Counts captured the
sneering expression of a girl in the mob and made history. Years later Counts
snapped another photo, this one of the same two girls, now grownup, reconciling in
front of Central High School.
** Must get Permission from Teacher**

**A Captains Duty by Richard Phillips

A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and
Dangerous Days at Sea is a book by Captain Richard
Phillips, the captain of the container ship MV Maersk
Alabama when it was hijacked in 2009. It was written with
Stephan Talty. (Based on the Movie Captain Phillips).

**Steve Jobs Book by Walter Isaacson Grades 4-7 Lexile 1020L

From best-selling author Walter Isaacson comes the landmark biography of Apple co-founder Steve
Jobs.
In Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, Isaacson provides an extraordinary account of Jobs'
professional and personal life. Drawn from three years of exclusive and unprecedented interviews
Isaacson has conducted with Jobs as well as extensive interviews with Jobs' family members and
key colleagues from Apple and its competitors, Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography is the definitive
portrait of the greatest innovator of his generation
**If none of these are of interest any biography or autobiography of courageous people
are wonderful too! Some suggestions may include: Rosa Parks, MLK, Abraham Lincoln,
George Washington, Malala Yousafzai, Ghandi, and Nelson Mandela.

980L

**Chasing Lincolns Killer by James Swanson

Grades 7-9 Lexile

Based on rare archival material, obscure trial manuscripts, and interviews with relatives of the
conspirators and the manhunters, CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER is a fast-paced thriller about the
pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth: a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of

Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia.
"This story is true. All the characters are real and were alive during the great manhunt of April
1865. Their words are authentic and come from original sources: letters, manuscripts, trial
transcripts, newspapers, government reports, pamphlets, books and other documents. What
happened in Washington, D.C., that spring, and in the swamps and rivers, forests and fields of
Maryland and Virginia during the next twelve days, is far too incredible to have been made up."
So begins this fast-paced thriller that tells the story of the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth
and gives a day-by-day account of the wild chase to find this killer and his accomplices. Based on
James Swanson's bestselling adult book MANHUNT: THE 12-DAY CHASE FOR LINCOLN'S KILLER, this
young people's version is an accessible look at the assassination of a president, and shows readers
Abraham Lincoln the man, the father, the husband, the friend, and how his death impacted those
closest to him

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson Grade Level 4-8

Lexile 990L
Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in
mesmerizing verse.
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid
poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s,
living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement.
Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse
into a childs soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodsons eloquent poetry also
reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with
reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of
the gifted writer she was to become.

Dear Bully by Megan Kelly Hall

Grades 5-7 Lexile 850

Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting
under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate
ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the
"funny guy" into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

Today's top authors for teens come together to share their stories about bullying
as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators
in a collection at turns moving and self-effacing, but always deeply personal

Titanic: Voices of Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson Grades 6-7

Lexile 1040
Titanic: Voices from the Disaster is a 2013 Sibert Honor book and a 2013 Excellence in
Nonfiction for Young Adults Finalist.
Critically acclaimed nonfiction author Deborah Hopkinson pieces together the story of the
TITANIC and that fateful April night, drawing on the voices of survivors and archival
photographs.
Scheduled to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the TITANIC, a
topic that continues to haunt and thrill readers to this day, this book by critically acclaimed
author Deborah Hopkinson weaves together the voices and stories of real TITANIC
survivors and witnesses to the disaster -- from the stewardess Violet Jessop to Captain
Arthur Rostron of the CARPATHIA, who came to the rescue of the sinking ship. Packed with
heartstopping action, devastating drama, fascinating historical details, loads of archival
photographs on almost every page, and quotes from primary sources, this gripping story,
which follows the TITANIC and its passengers from the ship's celebrated launch at Belfast
to her cataclysmic icy end, is sure to thrill and move readers

I am Malala By Malala Yousafzai Grade 7-9 Lexile 1000

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai
refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was

shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her
to survive.
Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote
valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has
become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls'
education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to
write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society
that prizes sons.
I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the

world.

Carlys Voice by Arthur & Carly Fleischmann

In this international bestseller, father and advocate for Autism awareness
Arthur Fleischmann blends his daughter Carlys own words with his story of
getting to know his remarkable daughterafter years of believing that she
was unable to understand or communicate with him.
At the age of two, Carly Fleischmann was diagnosed with severe autism and
an oral motor condition that prevented her from speaking. Doctors predicted
that she would never intellectually develop beyond the abilities of a small
child. Carly remained largely unreachable through the years. Then, at the age
of ten, she had a breakthrough.
While working with her devoted therapists, Carly reached over to their laptop and typed HELP
TEETH HURT, much to everyones astonishment. Although Carly still struggles with all the
symptoms of autism, she now has regular, witty, and profound conversations on the computer with
her family and her many thousands of supporters online.
One of the first books to explore firsthand the challenges of living with autism, Carlys Voice brings
readers inside a once-secret world in the company of an inspiring young woman who has found her
voice and her mission.

Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Lexile 1260L (grades 6-10)
Daniel James Browns robust book tells the story of the
University of Washingtons 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic
quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed
the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans.
The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys
defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities
and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the
Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.
The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, Joe
Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain
his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is
assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British
boat builder, but it is their trust in each other that makes them a victorious team.
They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls
togethera perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism.

The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

Lexile 1800L Grades 6-8

It is 1896. Cuba has fought three wars for independence and

still is not free. People have been rounded up in
reconcentration camps with too little food and too much
illness. Rosa is a nurse, but she dares not go to the camps. So
she turns hidden caves into hospitals for those who know
how to find her.
Black, white, Cuban, SpanishRosa does her best for
everyone. Yet who can heal a country so torn apart by war?
Acclaimed poet Margarita Engle has created another
breathtaking portrait of Cuba.
The Surrender Tree is a 2009 Newbery Honor Book, the
winner of the 2009 Pura Belpre Medal for Narrative and the
2009 Bank Street - Claudia Lewis Award, and a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's
Book of the Year.

Books that have ** next to the title means there may be adult
language so parents please be advised to the titles that your child is
choosing.