Author: Sharon M. Draper
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Reading Level:
Fountas and Pinnell: S
Lexile: 700 L
Accelerated Reader: 4.3
A heroic, heart warming, gut wrenching, inspiring, and depressing story that is near impossible to put down and will incite every possible emotion from anger to joy.
Suggested Delivery: independent read or small group read aloud
2 electronic resources to support/extend the text:
This is the official website for the book. Students can look
at a brief summary and watch a video about the book as well as learn what
awards and recognitions the book received or read reviews from different
countries about the story. There is also a page that contains study guides that
students could use to monitor their comprehension while reading. This resource
is also great for teachers to spark discussion after a read aloud.
This video is a book trailer for the novel and includes the
plot as well as definitions of cerebral palsy and pictures of children who have
the condition so that students can visualize the main character of the story
and learn a little about the plot and major events in the story.
Key Vocabulary:
1. Contentment- A state or feeling of happiness and
satisfaction.
2. Shag Carpet- A long, thick, and rough textured carpet or
rug.
3. Matinee- A performance in a theater or a showing of a
movie that takes place in the
daytime.
4. Ecology- The study of how plants and animals relate to
each other and their
surrounding habitats.
5. Cerebral Palsy- A condition that makes a person have
impaired muscle coordination and
other disabilities caused by damage to the brain before or during birth.
6. Drawl- A slow, lazy way of speaking or an accent with
unusually long vowel
sounds.
Before Reading Strategy:
Before reading, have a class discussion about Cerebral Palsy. Write the word on the board and then create a word web of what the students know. Once all of the students have discussed what they know, explain the condition and what it means for the person who has it as well as the family around them.
After the discussion, have the students write a reflection
on how they would feel if they could hardly move their body and were unable to
communicate with the people around them. How would that effect their life?
During Reading Strategy:
Have students create a character map of all the characters who appear in the story with a few of their important characteristics and their
relation to Melody. This will help students follow all of the different characters and understand how they both negatively and positively affect Melody's life.
Once the story map is done, have students discuss and
identify what impact each of the character’s had on Melody’s life. Who has the
biggest impact? Was the impact of every character positive or were some
negative? Why do you think the author included all the characters?
After Reading Strategy:
After reading, have students digest the ending of the story
and talk about their feelings, connections, and thoughts about the major events
that happened in the last few chapters of the book. How would they have felt if
they were in Melody’s situation? What would they have done if they were one of
the student’s on the quiz team? What about if they were Mr. Dimmings?
After discussing their feelings have students write about
what they would have done differently, if anything, and how they will share
what they have learned about Cerebral Palsy and other mental/physical
disabilities to ensure that situations like this do not happen to other kids
with disabilities.
Writing activity to demonstrate inferential comprehension:
There are multiple times in the book where the author uses
the word “freedom.” Write a reflection paper about this topic that answers the following questions:
a) What
does freedom mean to you?
b) What
freedoms do you have in your life that other students may not have?
c) What
does freedom mean to Melody? What aspects of freedom does she have?
What aspects of freedom does she not have?
d) Does
Melody ever receive the "freedoms" she wants?
Explain how she feels
when she is given a freedom that she did not have before.
e) Describe
how you would feel if you were in Melody’s situation. What would
you want other students to know about you? How would you want other
students to treat you?
