Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

• Who is the main character? • What does the main character want?

Are there times when a person has to set her dreams aside for a time for the betterment of others?

http://www.shannonhitchcock.com/forteachers.html

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

Even in times of duress and trouble, is it good to keep dreaming for a better day?

Is it good to think of the needs of others rather than insist upon your own being met?

Do you think “learning” is limited to the occurrences that happen within the walls of the classroom?

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

Are there times when a person has to set her dreams aside for a time for the betterment of others?

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

• Take sides—discuss• Those in middle may not speak• Eventually, those in middle must

choose a side and explain why• Immediate follow-up:• Talking• Writing• Researching

• Circle variation

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

The Grid

The Grid

Good for group

Good for individual

Good for group

Bad for individual

Bad for group Bad for group

Good for individual Bad for individual

Good for group Good for group

Bad for group Bad for group

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

Jessie wants to drive

Liza wants to drive

Jessie applies to teacher college

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

Follow-up:• Writing (argument)• Writing (narrative)• Research (history)• Research (evidence from text)

Reading → Discussion → Investigation

www.barrygilmore.net

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionShannon Hitchcock: The Ballad of Jessie Pearl

www.barrygilmore.net

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Technical Aspects

Free verse

Haiku

Narrative

Emulation (“Learning from Langston”)

Wednesday night is laundry night—the clothesblowing clean on the line abovemy grandfather’s garden. When no one is looking,we run through the sheets,breathe in all the wonderful smells the air

adds to them.

from “how i learn the days of the week”

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Content

Historical context

Issues of identity—race, faith, geography

Adolescence

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

“Write what you know.”

How can students harness what they

know?

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Some days in this new placethere is only a box of pancake mixan egg, and faucet water, the hiss of those togetheragainst a black cast-iron pan,the pancakes sticking to it…

from “saturday morning”

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

So Barbara runs into her room and I start to follow her then I’m like NO, and I go throw open the front door and run down the street to the ice cream man and I’m running after him like “WAIT!!” And then he waits, and we get Spongebob popsicles. It was pretty grand. But then, just when I thought the experience was pretty stupendous, I was so intent on my popsicle that I tripped and sprained my ankle. I couldn’t run track for two weeks, my coach got mad, and it was all Spongebob’s fault (and the ice cream guy). So the lesson is: it’s okay to run, but sometimes you have to be careful how you walk.

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

Read and emulate

Visualize Write and rewrite

(and share)

Return to reading

Linking YA Literature and Non-FictionJacqueline Woodson: Brown Girl Dreaming

www.barrygilmore.net

www.jacquelinewoodson.com