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A
Net of Stars
By Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Book
Discussion Questions:
Have
you ever been afraid to try something? What did you
do?
Why
do you think that it's important for Etta to ride
the Ferris wheel?
Does
this story remind you of others that you've read?
In what ways?
Reading
Comprehension Mini-Lessons:
Plot
Structure: Many stories are propelled by the wants
or desires (motives) of the main character. The character
wants something; the author creates obstacles (often
three obstacles) that stand in the way of the character
getting what he or she wants, and in the end, the
character triumphs. Compare A Net of Stars with other
picture books with the same pattern. Suggest that
students focus on what their character really wants
when writing a story of their own.
Characterization:
What is Etta like? How does the reader know? Create
a two-column chart. Write, "Etta is..."
at the top of the first column. Write, "How we
know" at the top of the second column. Have students
list character traits that describe Etta and record
them in the first column. Ask them to tell you the
text or the illustration that revealed that trait
and record it in the second column. Explain to students
that authors must know their characters well in order
to make them seem like real people. You may want to
provide students with the character survey at the
web address below to help them to develop their own
characters when pre-writing.
http://www.jenniferjacobson.com/resources/Character+Survey.htm
Book
Celebration
Overcoming
Obstacles: The Fairmount School in Bangor, Maine
created a young author's day focused on the theme
of surmounting obstacles. Before the day began, students
created "obstacle course" posters for the
gym — visuals that demonstrated the types of
obstacles 4th and 5th graders might encounter in their
lives.
Here
is the schedule for the special day:
- Assembly
in the morning in which I gave a presentation
on story and how all stories (and particularly
A Net of Stars) contain obstacles for the character
to surmount. Students sang, "We Shall Overcome."
(It was January - near Martin Luther King Jr.'s
birthday).
- Workshops
in which students worked together to develop strategies
for dealing with prejudice, fears, learning a
new task, understanding and helping those with
disabilities, peer pressure and life change.
- Assembly
at the end of the day in which I gave a presentation
on the obstacles I had to surmount to become a
published writer. Students sang "High Hopes."
Language
Arts
Myths
and Legends about the Stars: Fiona tells Etta
that "people used to imagine lines between the
stars to make pictures." Tell students that people
told stories to explain life phenomena and the constellations
represented the characters in these myths.
Activities
- Have
students read two versions of the same myth and
compare them.
- Invite
groups of students to tell the story of "their"
zodiac constellation. They could take turns telling
a part or perform a reader's theater.
- Suggest
that students create a constellation and write
a legend to accompany it.
Internet
Connections
I
am Brave! These are Etta's words as she overcomes
her fear and rides the Ferris wheel all on her own.
Activities
- Read
other stories about courage. Compare and contrast
the stories.
- Have
students draw a self-portrait and write about
a time when they overcame a fear. Create a Ferris
Wheel to exhibit their portraits and their writing.
(Photograph and Idea from the Longfellow School
in Portland, ME)
Internet
Connections
Math
Money:
The children race away with clean shirts and a whole
ten dollar bill. What could a ten dollar bill buy
at the fair?
Activities
- Create
a price list for amusement rides, food and games.
Suggest that children decide how they would spend
a ten dollar bill. Ask them to list what they
would spend their money on, and the total cost
of the day at the fair.
- Encourage
children to use the Internet and your local library
to research and compare prices at a fair twenty-five
years ago and the prices today. Make a graph of
their findings.
- County
fairs help to support agriculture and bring farming
communities together. Have students list all of
the ways that farmers and their families benefit
economically from a county fair.
Internet
Connections
Science
Constellations:
What is the scientific name for the mama bear and
the baby bear that Etta is looking for her night sky?
How far away are the stars that make up those constellations?
Activities
- Classify
stars by their attributes. Are all of the stars
in a constellation the same type and age?
- Research
how long it takes for light from a star to reach
earth. How does that figure compare to the time
it takes for the sun's light to reach the earth?
- Is
the sun a small, medium or giant star? Find out.
Make a poster to describe the sun in relation
to other stars.
Internet
Connections
Social
Studies
State
and County Fairs: Etta knows that at haying time,
the midway comes to town. Local and state fairs can
help teach students about their state and its traditions.
Activities
- If
possible, visit a state or county fair. Provide
students with a list of questions such as "Why
do farmers shear their sheep?" that they
will be able to answer while learning at the fair.
- Invite
local farmers and craftsman to your classroom
to teach students about a local practice or tradition.
- Encourage
students to write about their own experiences
when visiting an annual event.
Books
about going to the fair:
- Charlotte's
Web by E.B. White
- Night
at the Fair by Donald Crews
- Meet
Me At the Fair: Country, State, and World's Fairs
& Expositions
by July Alter
- Country
Fair by Elisha Cooper
- Come
to the Fair by Janet Lunn
Internet
Connections
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