The Buffalo Are Back

"Environmental good news." -- Kirkus Reviews

George, J. C. (2010). The buffalo are back. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

In this nonfiction story, George tells the story of how the buffalo escaped extinction in the late 1800s. The book begins with the relationship between the buffalo and the Native Americans. Although the Natives kill the buffalo, they make sure to use every part of their body. They used the meat for food and the hide for clothing and other accessories. Not only is this resourceful, it also ensures that enough buffalo are left to reproduce and roam the land. During westward expansion, the whites kill nearly every buffalo they come across. Unlike the Natives, they leave much of the buffalo to waste away. Not only do they kill the buffalo, they damage the land the Natives have been living on. When news reaches the government, bills are passed to protect both the buffalo and the land. Over time, the grasses return to the plain and the buffalo make a comeback.

Reading Level: 800L

Suggested Delivery: Read aloud or small group

Electronic Resources:

The Great Plains: This website has a lot of information about the Great Plains. It tells where the they are geographically and which states make up the plains. The website also describes its physical features, such as where the rain water drains, what the soil is made up off, and the typical climates. The various types of grasses are also described. This is valuable information because the book discusses the importance of the grass, both to the animal life and the Natives. The website discusses the people who have lived on the plains throughout history. This is presented in chronological order, much like the book. This information will be very useful when using this book in the classroom because it will give students the background knowledge they need to understand the content.

Writing Tips: "Most of us need a prod to get ideas swirling in our heads. Once that happens it is easy to write. Here are a few prods for writing a story. Perhaps you can use them, perhaps you will say "ugh" and come up with your own original way to write a book. No matter which - write - and write out of the love of words."

                                                    -Jean Craighead George

George provides her readers with tips they can use in their own writing. Not only does she explain where to start and how to reach the ending, she describes how she does it. For example, the settings of her stories are always in the woods, so she sits in the woods and takes notes before writing. She makes writing a personal task. If students are struggling with how to begin writing, they can read this to get some good tips.

Vocabulary: lark, panpipe, ablaze, nutrients, wallow, tracts, reservations, eons, flourished, eroded, grazer, refuges, contour, botanist, census

Reading Strategies:

• Before Reading: Ask students what they know about the plains. This can be anything from where it is located to who or what lives there. Use the information from the Great Plains electronic resource to give students the background information that they need to understand the text. Students especially need to know about the westward expansion and the role it played in the livelihood of the plains. After hearing what they already know, ask students to list questions that they wish to learn from the book. This will set the purpose for their reading.
• During Reading: As you read the book, create a timeline following the events in the book. This will help students understand the cause and effect relationship among various events. It will also be a visual students can refer to.
• After Reading: Discuss how the illustrations add to the meaning of the text. Many students have never learned about or seen the Great Plains, and may have difficulties imagining them. Do the illustrations aid in their comprehension of the text? Do they match what they were imagining as they learned about the plains? Do the illustrations match the text? Explain.

Inferential Comprehension:  How did the the Native Americans feel when the whites came to take their land. How would you feel?

Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring

“This splendid behind-the-scenes story succeeds on all counts….Intelligent and inspiring, [it] makes tangible the glory of true collaboration.” -- San Francisco Chronicle

Greenberg, J., & Jordan, S. (2010). Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring. New York: Flash Point.

Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring introduces readers to the famous ballet Appalachian Spring. While the storyline of the ballet is present throughout the book, Greenberg is more concerned with the collaboration between the choreographer, composer, and set designer. Martha Graham has a clear vision of how she wants her ballet to look. She trains several dancers and presents her work to Aaron Copland, the composer. He studies her dance style and creates beautiful music to accompany it. They then take their ideas to a famous set designer, Isamu Noguchi. As the three collaborate and put finishing touches on the ballet, opening night draws near. The press has taken an interest in the play, but will it be a success?

Reading Level: AD710L

Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud

Electronic Resources:

Ballet comes to life: This source offers several useful features. It has an article explaining how Greenberg and Floca worked together to create the book. This is similar to the ways in which the creators of the ballet had to collaborate in order to create a successful work of art. This website also has links to video of the actual ballet. This can be watched either before or after the book is read. These videos are very useful for who students have trouble visualizing the dance as they read the story.

Martha Graham: This website gives a complete biography of Martha Graham.

Vocabulary: choreographer, composer, frontier, pioneer, rollicking, troupe, solemn, glowering, tableau, angular, collaboration, composer, gesture, imitation, interpret, melody, severe, suspense

Reading Strategies:

• Before Reading: As a class, discuss collaboration. What is collaboration? Why is it important for people to work together? What would happen if we did not work together, but did everything for ourselves? How do we collaborate as a class? Is collaborating hard or easy? Look at the cover of this book. Do you think collaboration will play a part in the story? Explain.
• During/After Reading: Students use split-page note taking to record information as they read the book and as they watch the videos of the actual ballet. As students read the book, have them write down what they know about the ballet. What does it look like? What is the message? How do the movements, music, and set designs relate to each other? Do they add to the meaning and message of the ballet? After reading, show students the videos of the actual ballet. As they watch, have them answer the same questions. Have a discussion about whether their images were similar to those in the video. If not, how were they different?

Inferential Comprehension: Martha Graham said that the title "Appalachian Spring" has nothing to do with the ballet. What would you name the show? Explain using examples from the text.