Number the Stars

Taking a trip to relieve your mind- Chapt. 3 TC

After reading that the girls assumed the Hirsches were on a vacation to the seashore, I quickly realized what was happening. The girls were covering up what was really taking place around them. They were fantasizing about at trip that was once a reality. Everyone has a special place that makes them happy or tranquil. I think it is important for children to also have such a place. Once you have read about the "vacation to the seashore" it would be an excellent time to question your children about a place that they have either fantasize about or actually go to when feeling rushed or upset . You could explain that the girls probably loved visiting the seashore. Then you could pose questions about the student's special place. After disscussion, the students could write about their special place and illustrate the things there that make them happy. Children love ownership. This is an excellent way to open their minds and give them complete ownership of their special place. It is also a lead into discussing why the girls still dreamed of and mentioned this happy place.

That's what friends are for - JC

In chapter 3, on page 24, Annemarie's mother says,"Friends will take care of them.  That's what friend do."  This phrase was in reference to what would happen to the Johansens if they lost everything, just as Ms. Hirsch with her button shop.  This made me wonder which of my friends would step up and help me if I were in a time of need such as this.

People always assume that nothing bad, such as occurences in this book, would ever happen to them.  I connected to this passage because if made me realize that aside from all of the great belongings I have in my life, my friends and family are the most important asset I will ever possess.  Reading about difficult situations in books forces one to connect to that situation and reflect it in their own life.  This book would work great in a classroom for students to recognize how thankful they should be for their friends, family, and country.

The Death

It is sad how Annemarie's older sister passed away.  The story said that she was going to get married, but I presume something tragic happened before the wedding.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

The way she spoke of her sister, it is obvious that they had a very close relationship.<o:p></o:p>

In a character building lesson, you could have the students talk about their interaction with their family members and their importance.  <o:p></o:p>

The Death

It is sad how Annemarie's older sister passed away.  The story said that she was going to get married, but I presume something tragic happened before the wedding.

The way she spoke of her sister, it is obvious that they had a very close relationships.

In a charcter builing lesson, you could have the students talk about their interaction with their family members and their importance. 

What's a King? Chapter 2/TMP

What is this character King Christian all about? He comes out of his palace riding a horse everyday? What would it be like if we (US) had a king? Would we still have our freedoms? Is the Pope like a King?

Language Barriers

Like Tom, I noticed how Annemarie commented on the German's poor Danish accent. She said, "three years they've been in our country, and still they can't speak our language." I instantly thought of my ESOL students in my class. Many adults and students make this same comment about the English language. This would be a great lead-in into a discussion about respecting others, including our classmates.

Connector- Chapter 1 - AH

Who were the Resistance Fighters?  This could be a good Social Studies lesson for the students to find information on who these people were and what they did during WWII.  This would also be a good word to put on a word wall for this story.