Wednesday, March 5, 2014

A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return


A Game for Swallows- To Die, To Leave, To Return
 
by Zeina Abirached
 
Part I
 
Abirached, Z. (2012). A game for swallows: To die, to leave, to return. New York: Graphic Universe.
 
Genre- Batchelder Award, Graphic Novel 
 
Grade Level- 6-8
 
Part II
 
This book really hit home for me. As I read through it I was amazed to hear such a vivid story in so few words. I absolutely loved this and I can't wait to use it in a lesson. I don't wish a tragedy like this on anyone, but if I were a teacher and something happened in a another area, this would be the text I would use to express the things going on to my students, so they could feel what others are feeling. This hit home to me because I thought of 911 when I was reading it. I remembered the hurt my family and friends were going through. My generation hasn't been through nearly as much as generations before me. This could be argued, but to stay on topic, 911 is one of the most tragic things in my generation and this novel really does a great job portraying the authors tragedy.



I really want to use this novel for a lesson that has students look into other stories that are informational and personal and make a video that shows the story. Their interpretation of the story could be through music that helps tell the story. Below I have the lesson sketched out.
 
Part III
 
The story is very powerful. I feel It would have a very strong effect on students because of the way the story is presented. Telling this story in a graphic novel was brilliant. I love the use of black and white because it emphasizes on the theme which brings out the style. The illustrations are done by the author and this brings more to the table in the way the novel is presented. I feel the drawing lighten the mood, and I feel it makes the tragedy lighter for the readers. The drawings done by the author make me, personally feel more in sync with the author. I feel she gave me a piece of herself.
 
Part IV
 
Grade 7
Objective:
  • Students will identify the information the text is portraying
  • Students will compare another informational text to the text
  • Students will reflect their opinions in a video

Discussion Questions:
  1. Where does this story take place?
  2. What is going on in the story?
  3. What makes this story different from others?
  4. How did this story effect you emotionally?
 
Lesson Sketch:
  1. Students will read A Game for Swallows in groups.
  2. Each group will collaborate and chart the standards below that analyze the text.
  3. Students will then, find another text to compare for better understanding of the informational text.
  4. Students will choose A Game for Swallows or the text they used to compare and make a video like the one below.
    1. The video must tell the story and use music to interpret what the group feels from the story.



 
 
Standards:
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.7 Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).


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