Annotated Resource List

Resource Shannon, David (1998). A Bad Case of Stripes. New York: Blue Sky. Medium Book Rationale This picture book provides a good starting point for discussing differences. While saying the Pledge of Allegiance Camillas skin turns the color of the flag. Throughout the book Camillas skin continues to change colors. She is so concerned about what her classmates think about her, but finally learns that being different is great. Limitations This book would need to be read during an interactive read aloud in order to ensure that students will be able to make connections to the text and the importance of celebrating differences. This book would need to be read during an interactive read aloud in order to ensure that students will be able to make larger connections to social justice.

Lionni, Leo (1963). Swimmy. New York: Pantheon.

Book

This book is a great way to prompt discussions about fairness. Swimmy the fishs family is eaten by a tuna. Later in the story Swimmy mobilizes the other fish in the sea to swim as one big fish and chase the tuna away. This book is also great for learning about the strength of numbers when working to defeat injustice.

Coles, Robert, and George Ford (1995). The Story of Ruby Bridges. New York: Scholastic.

Book

Bridges, Ruby. Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story (2009). New York: Scholastic.

Book

Child psychologist Robert Coles volunteered to work with Ruby Bridges when she first began attending Frantz Elementary School. This picture book provides a brief overview about Bridges life before Frantz and her school experience. It would be beneficial for students to gain insight into Coles perspective on Bridges experience. In addition, this story will remind students that children can also create change This Scholastic Easy reader is great way for students to learn about Ruby Bridges through independent reading. Bridges includes essential facts about her schooling experiences. This film of Bridges story will provide students with an

Coles' worldview and perceptions affect the information influence the information about Bridges found within this text.

Disneys Ruby Bridges (1998)

Film

This book simplifies Bridges story and does not provide much background information. The film is bit lengthy and

Disneys A Bugs Life (1998)

Film

opportunity to note similarities and differences between the texts and they way Rubys story is depicted in the film. This film will help students to think about issues of fairness. A young ant tries to unite other in his colony to defeat the grasshoppers that essentially rule over all the ants. Students can consider whether its fair for the grasshoppers to be rulers. In addition, they can discuss what they would do if they were in the placed in the ants situation. Offers another medium for the students to learn about Bridges story. Students can also analyze the picture and determine if it is reflective of what they are reading in the texts about Ruby Bridges.

could not be shown in one period. The film could not be shown in one period.

Norman Rockwells Painting of Ruby Bridges

Painting

Watkins, PhD, A. F. (2011). My Uncle Martin's Words for America. New York, NY: Abrams Books for young readers

Book

Johnson, J. C. (2010). Seeds of Change. New York, NY: Lee and Low Books.

Book

Rivera, S. (2007). Mohandas Gandhi: A life of Integrity. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publication Company

Book

My Uncle Martin's Words for America provides the reader with a brief but descriptive overview of Kings work. Watkins focuses on important words and phrases from King speeches, such as justice, freedom, and equality. She heightens the reader awareness of these words by color coordinating and bolding them. The text, combined with a timeline and glossary (which covers terms such as Jim Crow and Voting Rights Act of 1964), also makes this book a great tool for helping students learn about key events during the Movement. Seeds of Change tells the story of Nobel Prize Winner, Wangari Maathai. In this picture book biography Johnson does an excellent job of providing the reader with a detailed account of Maathais life from childhood to present day. The connections to environmental issues in this book teach students about alternative about of reacting to injustice in ways other than marching and protests. Rivera does an excellent job of providing readers with insight into the nonviolent tactics Gandhi used to

Students may not be able to interpret resources such as the timeline independently

This book is a rather long. Students may have trouble reading it independently

Students may not be able to interpret

McDonough, Y. Z. (2002). Peaceful protest: The life of Nelson Mandela. New York, NY: Waker Publishing Company Inc.

Book

Krull, K. (2003). Harvesting hope: The story of Cesar Chavez. New York, NY: Harcourt Inc.

Book

lead his country to independence. The timeline and bolding key terms such as Mahatma (meaning great soul) and untouchables can be extremely helpful to students. There are also references to Martin Luther King in the additional information section of the book. This book would be useful when drawing comparisons between King and Gandhi. This biography gives an in depth account of Nelson Mandelas life and work. McDonough touches on aspects of Mandels life that are often left out in textbooks (The chronology list in the back provide readers with a organized list of key moments in Mandelas life). For example, she highlights how losing his father at an early age played a large role in Mandelas activism. This book could also be used to illustrate the parallels between the Anti Apartheid Movement in South Africa and the Civil Rights Movement. McDonoughs decision to include South African words also provides students with insight into the culture. Krull begins by introducing readers to Chavezs early life on his family ranch in Arizona. She later moves on to describe the injustices experienced by him his family and other migrant workers. Krull also provides readers with additional information such as direct quotes from Chavez. The book also has exposes students to Spanish words such as huegla (strike) and phrases like si se puede (yes we can) This book would be useful in showing how the fight for equal rights in the United States is an issue for other ethnic groups and not just the African American community. This up beat reggae song is great for discussing how music can be used to speak out about injustice. It can also be helpful when discussing how influential and powerful music was during the 70s. This song is great for discussing how music can be used to promote

resources such as the timeline independently

This book is a rather long. Students also may have trouble reading it independently

Krull devotes a lot of the beginning of book to background information on Chavez.

Bob Marley. Get Up, Stand Up. Chris Blackwell and The Wailers, 1973. CD.

Song

Some versus would need to be skipped when playing for students because of language Some versus would need to be

John Lennon. Imagine. John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Phil Spector, 1971. CD.

Song

awareness about injustice and the need for social change. It can also be helpful when discussing how influential and powerful music was during the 70s. Marvin Gaye. What's Going On. Marvin Gaye, 1971. CD. Song This song would be a good starting pint for discussing the importance of questioning injustice and thinking critically.

skipped when playing for students because of language This song is a bit long. It may be difficult to breakdown and have meaningful discussion about each verse. The video would have to be paused often to provide context about the photographs that appear.

School House Rock Sufferin' till suffrage [Web].

Video

This catchy video is great for discussing the Womens Suffrage Movement. It features photographs from the time period. The cartoon character that leads the song in the video (who is also a woman) provides information on women like Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott. She also discusses laws such as the 19th amendment.

"Teachers For Social Justice." Teachers For Social Justice. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. <http://www.teachersforjustice.org/>

Website

This website provides an abundance of resources for teaching units about social justice. There are also academic articles about effective methods for teaching about injustice in the classroom. In addition, there are many lesson plans covering a wide range of issues from animal rights to environmental problems.

Since Teachers for Social Justice is an organization based in Chicago many of the community events they promote are only in the Chicago area.