Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

Hoose, P. (2009). Claudette Colvin: Twice toward justice. New York: Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux.

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Nonfiction- Biography

2010 Newbery Honor Book

2010 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

Grades 6-8

Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose is a biography that gives Claudette the recognition that she deserves,  She actually refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery City bus to a white woman nine months before Rosa Parks.  Because she was young and considered unfit, she wasn't recognized for her efforts during the Civil Rights Movement.  The book tells of Claudette growing up in poverty and living with her great aunt and uncle.  She was smart and resented segregation.  She was inquisitive and studied black history and her constitutional rights.  There are two main events to be remembered: 1) her refusal to give up her seat on the bus to a white woman and 2) her testimony in Browder vs Gale.  Claudette wasn't officially recognized for her efforts until the mid 2000's.

Partner Titles:

 Parks, R., & Haskins, J. (1992). Rosa Parks: My story. New York: Dial Books. 

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Nonfiction- Autobiography

Grades 4-6

Rosa Parks: My Story would partner well with Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose because Rosa and Claudette were fighting for the same things.  Although Claudette refused to give up her seat on the bus before Rosa it was still a fight for what was right.  Rosa tells her story through this personal narrative- from her defiance to her role in the Civil Rights Movement.  School Library Journal (SLJ) says she uses simple, gracious, and compelling language.

 Williams, D., & Greenhaw, W. (2006). The thunder of angels the Montgomery bus boycott and the people who broke the back of Jim Crow. Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books. 

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Nonfiction

Grades 6-8

The Thunder of Angels the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the People Who Broke the Back of Jim Crow by Donnie Williams and Wayne Greenhaw would partner well with Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose because it shares stories from people whose lives were forever changed due to the Montgomery bus boycott.  This book uses interviews, documents, and first-hand accounts to tell the story.

 Levine, E. (1993). Freedom's children: Young civil rights activists tell their own stories. New York: Putnam. 

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Nonfiction

Grades 5-8

Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories by Ellen Levine partners well with Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose because this book also speaks of young activists.  This is a collection of true stories by African- Americans who were either children of teenagers during the time of segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.

 Garcia, R. (2010). One crazy summer. New York: Amistad. 

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Fiction-Historical

2011 Newbery Medal Honor

2011 Coretta Scott King Award for Authors

2011 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

Grades 4-7

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia could partner well with Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose because Delphine and her sisters are making history going to a Black Panthers camp that their mother sends them to everyday. Moving on to the time of Malcolm X, Delphine and her sisters are sent to spend the summer with their mother in California.  Their mother doesn't seem to want them there and sends them to a camp at the center everyday.  Cecile, their mother, ends up getting arrested, there is a rally, and Delphine struggles to understand it all.

 Curtis, C. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963. New York: Delacorte Press.

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Fiction-Historical

1996 Newbery Medal Honor Book

1996 Coretta Scott King Honor Book

Grades 3-7

The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis could partner well with Claudette Colvin Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose because of the connections to the Civill Rights Movement.  Kenny and his family go to Alabama to visit grandma because his brother is getting into too much trouble.  They just happen to be there when grandma's church is bombed.

Teaching Ideas:

1. Venn Diagram- USII.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the key domestic and international issues during the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries by a) examining the Civil Rights Movement and the changing role of women.  Ask students to work with a collaborative partner to create a Venn Diagram on which they compare and contrast the similarities and differences in the details found on the arrest records of Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks. (O'Malley, 2011.)

2. Research- English 6 SOL 6.9 The student will find, evaluate, and select appropriate resources for a research product. a) Collect information from multiple sources including online, print, and media.  Have a set of cards with Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jim Crow Law, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Browder vs Gayle, Brown vs The Board of Education.  Ask students to work with a partner to research and develop a presentation to explain who or what each of these is.  Present information to the class using Prezi, Emaze, Animoto, or Powerpoint..

3. Timeline- USII.1  The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible citizenship, including the ability to c) sequence events in United States history from 1865 to the present.  Complete a timeline of events using tiki toki.

Further Exploration:

Phillip Hoose's Official Blog- Click here 

Check out the Library of Congress- Civil Rights

Claudette Colvin talking about her experience in a Youtube video- Click here

The Civil Rights Movement on History.com- read articles, look at pictures, and watch videos.

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech.  Click here

The Montgomery Bus Boycott changed everything. Click here for biographies, pictures, and more.

Bibliography:

Civil Rights. (n.d.). Library of congress. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/themes/civil-rights/ 

Civil Rights Movement. (2015). History. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement 

Curtis, C. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963. New York: Delacorte Press. 

Garcia, R. (2010). One crazy summer. New York: Amistad. 

Hoose, P. (n.d.). Blog. Retrieved from www.philliphoose.com

Hoose, P. (2009). Claudette Colvin: Twice toward justice. New York: Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux.

Levine, E. (1993). Freedom's children: Young civil rights activists tell their own stories. New York: Putnam.

Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have A Dream Speech. (2013, August 28). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vDWWy4CMhE

Montgomery Bus Boycott. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.montgomeryboycott.com/ . 

O'Malley, F. (2011). Lesson resurrecting Claudette. Retrieved from http://www.dcte.udel.edu/hlp2/resources/civilrights/Lesson-Resurrecting_Claudette.pdf 

Parks, R., & Haskins, J. (1992). Rosa Parks: My story. New York: Dial Books. 

The Other Rosa Parks: Now 73, Claudette Colvin Was First to Refuse Giving Up Seat on Montgomery Bus. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW80tV31eL0 

Virginia Department of Education. (2012). Grade 6 English. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english6.pdf 

Virginia Department of Education. (2012). USII. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/next_version/stds_ushistory_1865-present.pdf

Williams, D., & Greenhaw, W. (2006). The thunder of angels the Montgomery bus boycott and the people who broke the back of Jim Crow. Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books. 

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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Fiction-Poetry

2015 Newbery Medal Winner

2015 Coretta Scott King Honor Award Winner

Grades 4-10

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is a YA novel written in verse.  Josh, aka Filthy McNasty, and his twin brother Jordan are best friends and basketball stars at their junior high,  They have learned a lot from their dad, a former professional ball player, who had to quit for health issues. Josh tells the story through a collection of poems that vary from the excitement of a basketball game to the struggles of a twelve year old boy.  Josh and Jordan's relationship is put to the test when Jordan gets a girlfriend. Due to Josh's jealousy, he makes a poor choice and is suspended from the basketball team by his mom which is also the school administrator.  He is also upset over his dad's refusal to go to the doctor for high blood pressure.  There are themes of relationships, consequences of actions, and dealing with illness/death.   School Library Journal (SLJ) says despite his immaturity, Josh is a likable, funny, and authentic character. Underscoring the sports and the fraternal tension is a portrait of a family that truly loves and supports one another. Alexander has crafted a story that vibrates with energy and heart and begs to be read aloud. A slam dunk!

Partner Titles:

 Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books.

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Memoir in Verse

2015 Newbery Medal Honor

2015 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner

Grades 5 and up

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson would be a great partner title for The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because it is also written in verse.  Woodson tells of her childhood from living with her grandparents in South Carolina to moving to New York with her mother through poems. She is able to find her voice through writing.  This book received outstanding reviews from SLJ, Library Media Connection, Kirkus, and Horn Book.  

 Feinstein, J. (2005). Last shot: A Final Four mystery. New York: Knopf :. 

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Fiction- Mystery

Grades 6-10

Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery by John Feinstein could partner well with The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because of the basketball theme.  Students who love sports could be drawn into this mystery.  Stevie and Susan Carol have won a writing contest for aspiring sports journalists and won a press pass to the Final Four in New Orleans.  They overhear of a plan to throw the game and they have to figure out what the scandal is and who is blackmailing.  They are determined to help.

 Myers, C. (2014). H.O.R.S.E.: A game of basketball and imagination. Live Oak Media. 

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Fiction

2013 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award

Grades 3-6

H.O.R.S.E.: A Game of Basketball and Imagination by Christopher Myers would be a great partner title for The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because basketball and trash talk.  Two friends get creative while playing the old favorite HORSE.

 Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins. 

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Fiction-Poetry

Grades 3-7

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech would pair well with The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because of the theme of death and loss.  Written in verse, we follow Jack as he discovers that boys can like poetry.  His teacher helps him discover this and he is able to write about his dog, Sky, that was hit and killed.

 Hesse, K. (1997). Out of the dust. New York: Scholastic Press. 

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Fiction- Historical

1998 Newbery Medal Winner

Grades 3-7

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse can pair well with The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because it is written in verse and has death/loss.  Billie Jo is growing up in the panhandle of Oklahoma during the Depression and she tells her story through a series of diary entries in verse.  Life is hard, but becomes even harder after the accident.  Will Billie Jo and her father ever be able to heal and repair their nonexistent relationship?

Teaching Ideas:

1. Poetry- English 6 SOL 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. j) Identify and analyze the author’s use of figurative language. Read The Crossover when studying poetry and discuss figurative language.  Discuss the definition of free verse and share entries- On the way to the game pg.13, At the end of the warm-ups, my brother tries to dunk pgs. 24-25, The game is tied pg. 36, and Missing pg 43.  Ask students to complete a free verse poem for their poetry project.  Students can represent their project in a variety of ways- Write it, type it, Powerpoint, Prezi, Animoto, Emaze, or any other presentation tool of their choosing.

2. Theme- English 6 SOL 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. a) Identify the elements of narrative structure, including setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme. Two major themes are prominent in this book – family relationships and loss.  I would begin by asking students an open-ended question such as “How do relationships affect me?”  Have students respond personally.  As students read this book, the same question can be answered with the characters in the book.  How are the relationships affecting the character?  What evidence do you have to support that?  (Literary Fusions, 2014)

3. Vocabulary- English 6 SOL 6.4 The student will read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases within authentic texts. In The Crossover the author presents important vocabulary using the usual dictionary format in presenting the vocabulary term: the word is shown in syllables, with a pronunciation guide, the part of speech is indicated, and the poem provides a kind of definition along with examples of the meaning of the word (using the phrase “as in:”). Working together, look up some of these words in a dictionary (or online) and compare your findings with the vocabulary poem. Challenge students to write their own “vocabulary” poems for a new word they encounter in the book using Alexander’s formula. (Fairfax County Public Schools, n.d.)

4. Jazz/Music- Music SOL 6.7 The student will explore historical and cultural aspects of music by 1. identifying and describing the cultures, musical styles, composers, and historical periods associated with the music literature being studied; USII.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the key domestic and international issues during the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries by b) describing the development of new technologies in communication, entertainment, and business and their impact on American life.  Josh's nickname is "Filthy McNasty" given to him by his dad.  It is in reference to a song by Horace Silver.  Research Horace Silver, listen to his songs, and discuss as a class.

Further Exploration:

Follow Kwame Alexander here on Twitter.

PBS News Hour- Poet turns young sports lovers into book lovers

Kwame Alexander's Book Trailer for The Crossover

School Library Journal Book Review of The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Kidshealth.org- Dealing with the death of a parent

Youtube video of Horace Silver- Filthy McNasty

Bibliography: 

Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 

Alexander, K. (n.d.) Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/kwamealexander

 Book Review: The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander. (2014, April 22). Literary fusions blog. Retrieved fromhttp://www.literaryfusions.com/2014/04/22/book-review-the-crossover-by-kwame-alexander/

Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins. 

Educator's Guide: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. (n.d.) Fairfax county public schools. Retrieved from http://www.fcps.edu/fairfaxnetwork/mta/kalexander/TheCrossover_BG.pdf

Extended Book Trailer for The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. (2015, January 2). Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BONWz5Ao82E

Feinstein, J. (2005). Last shot: A Final Four mystery. New York: Knopf :. 

Horace Silver - Filthy McNasty. (n.d.). Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTYtZa2XrDQ

Hesse, K. (1997). Out of the dust. New York: Scholastic Press. 

 Lyness, A. (2012, October 1). How Can I Cope With My Dad's Death? Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/expert/emotions/expert_coping.html

Myers, C. (2014). H.O.R.S.E.: A game of basketball and imagination. Live Oak Media. 

Parrott, K. (2015). SLJ Reviews of 2015 Youth Media Award–Winning and Honor Books. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2015/02/industry-news/slj-reviews-of-2015-youth-media-award-winning-and-honor-books/

Poet's novel turns young sports lovers into book lovers. (2015, March 26). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/poets-novel-turns-young-sports-lovers-book-lovers/ 

Virginia Department of Education. (2012). Grade 6 English. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english6.pdf

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books.