ELA: Number the Stars Novel Study

This class uses the Moving Beyond the Page Language Arts curriculum. As such learners will use literature to learn language arts, develop their critical thinking and creativity skills, and use the 6+1 traits of writing approach (Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, Presentations). A Summary of Skills will be provided when you enroll that tells you which state and national (US) standards that each unit covers for your own planning and any documentation requirements that you need to submit to your local authorities.  

Number the Stars Unit - In this Newberry Award winning novel, two friends’ lives are turned upside down as a result of the Nazi occupation of Denmark. Jewish people all over Europe are facing persecution, and it is only becoming more extreme. Ellen and her family fear for their freedom and their lives. Annemarie’s family risks everything by taking Ellen into their home and eventually helping Jewish families as they try to escape being captured by the Nazi army. In this unit learn common proofreading symbols that will help you edit and revise your writing assignments. Then pretend you are a journalist writing and expository piece for a magazine article that highlights Denmark’s involvement in World War II.

Week 1 - Learners will begin reading and discussing Number the Stars. They will learn about Lois Lowry (the author), background on World War II, the country of Denmark and its citizens, vocabulary words, poetry, proofreading techniques, write a summary, and imagine what it would be like to be Annemarie. 

Week 2 - Learners will continue reading and discussing Number the Stars. They will learn about more proofreading techniques, practice reading aloud, what propaganda is and identify it, Jewish culture, write your own discussion question based off the text, and what is a problem/solution situation. 

Week 3 - Learners will continue reading and discussing Number the Stars. They will learn about more proofreading techniques, settings in relation to conflict, what are coded messages, practice reading aloud, and read about real life resisters. 

Week 4 - Learners will continue reading and discussing Number the Stars. They will learn about more proofreading techniques, illustrate a scene from the book, research a historical figure who has sacrificed for a cause, create a character sketch focusing on traits, fairy tales, similarities and differences between stories, research a topic, write an expository essay, and turn their essay into a magazine article.