How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz Included: A brief excerpt from the book and rigorous question set activities promoting higher level-thinking development

Additional Resources

Tier 1 Excerpt from book Jacob’s Ladder Goals & Objectives Habits of Mind

Excerpt One day when his father brings home a map rather than food for dinner, a young boy is furious. However, as he comes to spend hours studying it, the map provides him an escape from the hunger and misery of refugee life. How I Learned Geography is based on the author’s childhood in Kazakhstan, where he lived as a Polish refugee during World War II. Obtain the book from a school library to read the story in its entirety and complete the ladder activities.

Students will be able: Ladder C C1 Literary Elements - To identify and explain specific story elements such as character, setting, or poetic-device. C2 Inference - To use textual clues to read between the lines and make judgments about specific textual events, ideas, or character analysis. C3 Theme/Concept - To identify a major idea or theme common in the text. Ladder D D1 Paraphrasing - Students will be able to restate lines read using their own words. D2 Summarizing - Students will be able to provide a synopsis of text sections. D3 Creative Synthesis - Students will create something new using what they have learned from reading and their synopses. Ladder E E1 Understanding Emotion – to explain how emotion and feeling are conveyed in a text and/or their personal experience. E2 Expressing Emotion – to articulate their feelings through a variety of media (e.g., song, art, poem, story, essay, speech) E3 Using Emotion – to analyze how emotion affects the passage and/or the reader.

Habits of Mind Working Interdependently Thinking about Thinking (metacognition) Innovating, Creating, Imagining Refer to Jacob’s Ladder Story Table for Ladder C, D, & E Thinking Questions.

Tier 2 Rigor (Discussion) High Level Strategies with Ladder C, D & E Questions

Discussion Strategies: Think-Pair-Share, Write-around, 3-4 Podcast slides (Pixie, Frames). Choose 2 of 3 questions below to complete. C1—How does the author use words and pictures to help you better understand the story? Would you understand the story as well without the pictures? C2—Why did the father buy a map for his family instead of bread? What would you have done? D1—After reading he Author’s Note on the last page of the book, tell how you know this story is based on a true story by listing information. D2—In your own words, summarize the author’s life using his notes. Illustrate important facts/events from his life. E1—How did you feel when you heard or read this story? What words or pictures in the story made you feel that way? Share your answers with a classmate.

Tier 3 Rigor (Discussion) High Level Strategies with Ladder C, D & E Questions

Discussion Strategies: Think-Pair-Share, Write- around, 3-4 Podcast slides (Pixie, Frames). Choose 2 of 3 questions below to complete. C3—What does this story tell you about imagination? Use information from the story to justify your answer. D3—Create a symbol or representation of the author’s life other than a map. Explain why your creation is also accurate. E2—Do you think the family was really poor? Why or Why not? Discuss with your classmates what you think and why. E3—Write a journal entry about the boy’s feelings about his dad before and after he discovered the joy of the map. What would you feel in the boy’s situation?

Tier 4 Reflections/Relevance

Choose one of the writing ideas to complete. Be creative. 1. Make or find a map of somewhere familiar to you. Write a story about traveling using the map to help you with directions and what you will see on your travels. 2. What would you like to learn from an adult. Write them a letter expressing your interest in learning from and with them. Suggested project strategies: Write a podcast script; create a puppet show; develop a PSA; a PowerPoint presentation; write and be an actor in a skit; write a persuasive speech and give before the class.