Download StellaLuna

Bibliotherapy Lesson
Celebrating Differences
Blanca Maritza Nunez
SPED 620
April 13, 2005
Materials
• Cannon, Janell,
(1993). Stellaluna.
New York, NY:
Scholastic Inc.
• Classic Music
• Candle (mango fruit
scented)
• Stellaluna puppet.
Synopsis
A baby fruit bat is separated from her mother after an owl attack. Since she is
still very young and unable to fly, Stellaluna lands into a nest where three baby
birds are awaiting for food. Stellaluna is “adopted” by the mother bird who
raises her as one of her own. Stellaluna must follow the rules and way of life of
her foster family. She must eat live bugs and worms, sit in the nest instead of
hanging upside down and sleep at night. She adapts very obediently to this new
way of life- even though it is sometimes difficult for her-so she could fit in.
Once Stellaluna learns to fly, she has chance to soar at night. This allows her to
meet other fruit bats, who make fun of her strange customs. She follows them
and is finally reunited with her own mother who explains that her ways of
doing things is appropriate for fruit bats. Stellaluna feels happy to find this out
and learns the ways of bats. She returns to her adoptive family to show her stepbrothers and sisters what she has learned. She invites her friends to visit her true
family. The birds tried the ways of bats and recognized that bat behavior was not
appropriate for their species. Finally, Stellaluna and her bird stepbrothers and
sisters, realize that despite the huge differences in their ways of life, they can still
be friends.
Goal
To help children appreciate differences
among people, and value the rights
and cultural diversity of others.
Overview
• This Bibliotherapy lesson provides an opportunity for
students to reflect upon and personally relate to a story,
read by the teacher, by having students reflect on similar
situations or emotions in their own lives.
• This is a positive way to acknowledge individual
differences of people, especially friends and peers.
• With a beautiful language, and exquisite illustrations,
Cannon portrays how the norms learned in a social group
may differ from those practiced in other groups.
• As a consequence, familiar behaviors tend to be viewed as
good and accepted while that of the others are less good
and rejected. This tendency leads to make prejudicial
judgments about others and exhorting discriminatory
behaviors.
Overview
• The main character of the book portrays the
psychological stages through which a person advances
during an intercultural encounter. Stellaluna experiences
several emotional reactions when she is forced to behave
differently. Then she adapts to a new way of life and
finally she, and her siblings, experience a significant
personal change, becoming more complex thinkers as a
consequence of such intercultural experience:
• As the cover of the book illustrates, Stellaluna is trapped
between two worlds: the world of the birds above and the
world of the bats below: Two creatures that are alike and
yet so different. An allegory for accepting differences: we
are alike in some ways, but we are different in others.
Overview
• This story is especially important for children who are not
being raised in the style of the majority of the population
. If children are comfortable with being different, then
they can help their peers be comfortable with these
differences as well.
• This fable also proves the importance of finding true
roots. Stellaluna feels happy when she finds out that her
strange ways are normal for the one of her species:
–“How can we be so different
and feel so much alike?,”
mused Flitter.
–“And how can we feel so
different and be so much
alike?”, wondered Pip
–“ I think this is quite a
mystery”, Flap chirped.
– “I agree”, said Stellaluna.
“But we are friends. And
that’s a fact .”
“Wrong for a Bird, but not for a Bat!”
Justification
Themes/Key Concepts
•
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•
•
•
•
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Accepting differences
Appreciation of cultural diversity
Tolerance
Friendship
Responsibility
Accepting rules
Identity crisis
True roots
Adoption
Feelings: love, fear, loneliness, sadness, confusion,
embarrassment, relief , happiness
• Adaptation
From Theory to Practice
• Bibliotherapy is defined by Riordan and Wilson as "the
guided reading of written materials in gaining
understanding or solving problems relevant to a person's
therapeutic needs" (Riordan and Wilson, 1989, p. 506).
• "Through Bibliotherapy," children have an opportunity to
identify, to compensate, and to relive in a controlled
manner a problem that they are aware of" (Olsen, 1975).
Olsen (1975) compares Bibliotherapy to prevention of a
disease, and suggests that, because books help a child
develop his or her self-concept, the child will be better
adjusted to trying situations in the future.
From theory to Practice
“One long-term goal in education is for individuals to
become broader, more complex thinkers…Strategies
designed to increase cognitive sophistication have been
shown to have a positive impact on prejudice.” (Cushner,
et al. 2003)
• Pettegrew(1981)established that “the more confident a
person is in his own sense of identity and competence,
the lower is that person’s degree of prejudice”
From Theory to Practice
• Simulations, acting out plays and writing stories that
characterize acts of prejudice are excellent tools for
helping children become sensitive to others who look and
act different (Shaver &Curtis,1981).
• Children co-construct knowledge during social exchanges
that occur among and between individuals in a setting.( J.
Bruner, 1985) Social interactions allow children to
extend their thinking and prolong their involvement with
the text.
Objectives
Objectives
Derived from Colombian Social Studies
Standards for Grades 1-3
Strand: Relation with History and Cultures
The learner will…
• Identify some physical, social cultural and
emotional characteristics that describe him or her
or as a unique human being.
• Identify some physical, social cultural and
emotional Characteristics of other members of
his own community and members from other
communities.
Objectives
Strand: Ethical and Political Relations
The learner will…
• Identify the characteristics of the basic social
organizations in his community.
Strand: Communicating in social Sciences
The learner will….
• Communicate in written and oral form
• Work with others to gather information
Objectives
Strand: Development of Personal and Social
commitments:
The learner will….
• Recognize and respect different points of view
• Respect individual physical features and that of
the others
• Recognize that rules are basic agreements that
look for the well-being of the community
Specific Objectives
At the end of this Bibliotherapy lesson Children will be able to:
• Recognize and accept that each person is unique and
special.
• Describe how she/he is alike as well as different from
others.
• Verbalize a personal traits or behavior that she/he likes
about self.
• Respond to reading, listening, viewing experiences orally,
artistically, dramatically through various formats.
“You
are teaching
my children bad things!”
The Lesson
Grade Level
This book is exceptional for:
First Grade
(6-7 years old)
This Bibliotherapy Lesson could be part
of a Long term project on multicultural awareness.
Classroom Setting
• This lesson could be used, after several activities
have helped develop inclusion for everyone in the
group, and when conflicts begin to arise.
• Shared Reading time with whole class.
• Children are gathered close to the text, so they
can see the print.
• The book is on an easel.
• The teacher sits on a low chair.
Estimated Lesson Time
• Two 30-minute sessions on consecutive days which will
allow children to explore the main goal of the lesson:
Accepting Differences:
• Session I
Read aloud Session: 15-20min.
Discussion Questions 10 min.
• Session II
Revisiting the Book 5 min.
Venn Diagram Activity 5 min.
Individual work 10
Sharing Activity 10
Introductory Activities
• Play ‘classic’ music, turn of lights and light a mango fruit
scented candle.
• Invite children to sit around you on the carpet, by holding
the book in an inviting way.
• Build on student’s prior knowledge by asking them what
animal they see on the cover of the book. Invite a few
children to give some characteristics of bats.
• Ask children to anticipate what the book will be about
after looking at the picture in the cover and after reading
the title.
• Read the book Stellaluna, displaying emotions and interest
as you read. At appropriate parts, ask children to predict
what might happen.
Preparing the Environment for
Discussion Questions
Session I
• After Book has been read Sequence the story events with
the help of children.
• Introduce the Stellaluna puppet.
• The puppet will share with children how the feelings of
being judged for not being like the others and how she felt
to find out that what she was doing was right for the ones
of her species. The puppet will also recognize the that it
is alright to have friends that look and behave differently.
• Explain to children that the puppet will be asking them
some questions.
Discussion Questions
1. In what ways was I (Stellaluna) like the birds?
2. In what ways was I (Stellaluna ) different from the
birds?
3. Do you (children) think people are like me
(Stellaluna), and my friends? Alike in some ways and
different in other ways ? How?
4. What did Mama Bird do when she saw me ( Stellaluna)
sleeping upside down? Why did Mama Bird act this
way?
5. Do you feel is alright to say that somebody is bad
because he or she acts differently? Why?
6. How did I (Stellaluna) feel when I (Stellaluna) was
forced to do things I(Stellaluna) was not used to?
Discussion Questions
7. Could you describe a situation in which you have
experienced a similar emotion or situation as I
(Stellaluna) did in the story? How did you feel?
8. How did I (Stellaluna) feel when I(Stellaluna) found my
real (Stellaluna’s) family?
9. How Did I (Stellaluna) feel when I saw that my
(Stellaluna’s) bird brothers were not able to do the
things I was able to do?
10. How did I (Stellaluna) and my (Stellaluna’s) bird
brothers solve the problem?
11. What is the most important message that this story tells
you?
Session II Activity
Session II
• Create, with children’s input, a Venn diagram showing
the similarities and differences between bats and birds.
List only the facts highlighted in the book.
• After the Venn diagram has been completed, have the
children think of the ways that they are different/special.
Children draw pictures of the things that make them
special. (favorite foods, toys, games, etc.).
• Pair children and ask them to compare their likenesses
and differences. Each pair of students will share his/her
picture with the class telling one of the ways that he/she
is different that makes him/her special.
Follow-up Activities
• Children Reenact crucial scenes in the book.
• Children draw pictures of things they like to do together
with friends.
• Children collaboratively create a mural :“Different but
the Same”, using their pictures.
• Children write their reflections on the story in their
Reading Response Journals.
• Children prepare questions and interview a member of
the community that has a different nationality, religion,
or ethnic background.
• Children learn the poem “Same but Different” and
celebrate what they have learned presenting this chant to
the community during an school assembly.
Cross Curricular Activities
Technology: Children use the electronic version of the children's
story of the same title, designed to help them with word
recognition, reading comprehension, and computer literacy.
Writing: Children create a similar story line but using different
animals as the main characters, such as a fish and a dolphin.
Science : Children research to find other bat facts and
comparethem with what is known about birds.
Math: Children create bar graphs to explore favorite foods, pets,
toys, TV programs etc.
Extensions
• Read other books about accepting people and celebrating
our differences: Whoever You Are, Fox; Fish is fish, Leoni;
People, Spier.
• Participate in a global education project through websites
such as “The Global Schoolhouse” (http://www.gsn.org/),
that promotes multicultural awareness by connecting
classroom teachers and students around the world.
Assessment
Each student's understanding of likenesses and
differences will be evident in the conversations that
take place during the activity and in the sharing of
same and different exchanges.
References
Cannon, Janell, (1993). Stellaluna. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
Cushner , K. et. Al., (2003). Human Diversity in Education: an
Integrative Approach. 4th ed. New York:, NY: Mc Graw Hill
M.E.N. (2004) Estandares Basicos de Competencias en Ciencias
Naturales y Ciencias Sociales. Ninisterio de Educacion Nacional
Republica de Colombia.
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/bibliotherapy.htm