Introduction
This week I had the pleasure of reading two new books that are an excellent addition to any classroom library. Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed and Malala:A Brave Girl From Pakistan/Iqbal: A Brave Boy From Pakistan by Jeanette Winter are two books that feature characters who use their voices to stand up for what is unjust. Please enjoy my second attempt at a VLOG with my classmate, Megan Laws!
Amal Unbound
Amal Unbound is an inspiring chapter book that encourages readers to USE THEIR VOICE! Amal is a twelve-year old girl from Pakistan that isn't afraid to stand up for what's right. She may face danger and persecution, but she isn't afraid to use her #girlpower! So many young children and women can be inspired by Amal and how strong she is!
"If everyone decided nothing could change, nothing ever would."
Additional Resources to use with Amal Unbound:
Aisha Saeed's Website:
Check out these awesome videos that feature #girlpower:
Malala: A Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal: A Brave Boy from Pakistan
"One child, one teacher, one book, one pen, can change the world."
Jeanette Winter does a remarkable job at bringing the inspiring true stories of Malala Yousafzai and Iqbal Masih to life. Even though these Pakistani children were young, they were not afraid to stand up for what was unjust around them. Their stories continue to inspire students to take action in their world!
Additional Resources that feature Malala Yousafzai:
Check out I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai!
Additional Resources that feature Iqbal Masih:
Classroom Connections
In the article titled Reading to Make a Difference by Lester L. Laminack and Katie Kelly, the authors discuss how to take steps to inspire your students to "speak freely, think deeply, and take action" (Laminack & Kelly, 2019). An activity that really caught my eye is the Venn Diagram and Two-Voice Poem that the authors discuss towards the end of the article. At an elementary school in South Carolina, students created a Venn Diagram to compare similarities between two females that took action and made a difference (Malala Yousafzai and Rosa Parks). After creating the Venn Diagram, the students created a Two-Voice Poem to "convey the character's emotions, experiences, and perspectives" (Laminack & Kelly, 2019). As I plan to incorporate Amal Unbound and Malala/Iqbal into my future classroom, I intend to use this activity at the end of the unit. The students will have a choice to compare Amal, Malala, or Iqbal as they fully engage in the texts. This will allow my readers to take on a "critical lens" and aspire to be like the characters in the books.
Resources
Laminack, L. & Kelly, K. (2019). Reading to Make a Difference: Using Literature to Help Students Speak Freely, Think Deeply, and Take Action. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Winter, J. (2014). Malala/ Iqbal: Two Stories of Bravery. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books.
Saeed, A. (2018). Amal Unbound. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.