Walker, 1991

Summary: Short, personalized vignettes are interspersed between segments of key political decisions and war events during 1941. Against this backdrop readers see both ordinary people and famous decision makers.

Level: Grades 5-8

Themes: World War II through 1941

Activities:

1a. Re-read the dedication to this book and page 135. Explain the first part of the dedication.

1b. What are the four freedoms mentioned in the dedication? Did our servicemen fight for them all over the world or only here at home? Which if any of these freedoms are in jeopardy in the United States at this time? Around the world? What if any efforts are being made or need to be made by the United States at home or abroad? Prioritize these efforts. (This activity lends itself to two class discussions or teacher/student conferences, both involving some previous research - the first to identify both the freedoms and those in jeopardy, the second to assess current and needed efforts.)

2. Compile or add to a glossary as you read this book, one that will help others who read it after you. For instance, on page 4 are the words blitzkrieg, juggernaut, and "corvette". The glossary could be a small booklet to fit in the books' card pocket or a computerized database. If more than one person is involved, each can take a portion of the book.

3. Explore the hypercard stack The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Examine the pop-up card underneath the swastika buttons. Watch the timeline carefully and note how the map changes before, during, and after 1941. Write a description of these changes in three segments.

4. Find a set of statistics that interests you in the text and prepare a fitting graph, chart, diagram, or other visual to describe it. For instance, on pages 7 & 8 the Royal Air Force is describes as having about 2,000 pilots, 4 to 1 German pilots.

You will note that the text by each photograph in this book includes where the photograph came from. You will also note that some of the quotes in this book are referenced; that is, the author tells you who said the words or where the words came from. For instance, he quotes Hitler's Mein Kampf on page 72, and on page 158 he quotes the diary of General Halder. List three more "referenced" quotes in this book. Now find three unreferenced quotes in this book that are of interest to you. List them and make a guess as to what sources Mr. Delany may have used to procure the quotes. Now write a paragraph about how an author might acquire information to produce a book about the Vietnam War or the Gulf War.

6. The ship Reuben James is discussed on page 106. Find a recording of a folk song by Woodie Guthrie about this ship and listen to it. What does it add to what you learned on page 106? Put the two sources of information together and write about how you felt as well as about what you thought.

Have you heard of the ship called the good Reuben James?

Manned by hard fighting men, both of honor and fame.

She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the free

But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.

Chorus:

Tell me, what were their names, tell me what were their names?

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

What were their names, tell me what were their names?

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

It was there in the dark of that uncertain night,

That we watched for the U-boats, and waited for the fight.

Then the fire, and the rock, and the great explosion roared,

They laid the Reuben James on the cold ocean floor.

Chorus:

Now tonight there are lights in our country so bright,

In the farms and in the cities they're telling of the fight,

And now our mighty battleships will storm the bounding main,

And remember the name of that good Reuben James.

7. Seven one-page biographies are included in this book. Examine these biographies and write a paragraph explaining the structure, or the style of these short descriptions. Include what kinds of information are in each bio. For instance, each bio included the person's beliefs. Now choose and eighth person in the book and write a one page bio using your paragraph as a guide. (Be sure there is enough information available.)

8. Find and read another book (either fiction or factual) that takes place at the same time as this history (1939-1914). Write about, conference about, or have a class discussion about how books inter-relate. What did each book contribute to your understanding of the other? Which type of book do you prefer in this instance? Explain.

Fiction

Bawden, Nina. Henry. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1988. [England]
Donaldson, Margaret. The Moon's on Fire. Andre Deutsch, 1980 [England]
Donaldson, Margaret. Journey Into War. Andre Deutsch. [France]
Gillham, Bill. Home Before Long. Andre Deutsch, 1983. [England]
Green, Phyllis. Wild Violets. Nelson, 1977. [U.S.A.]
Kerr, Judith. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. Coward, McCann & Goeghegan, 1971. [Germany, Switzerland, France]
Kerr, Judith. The Other Way Round. Coward, McCann & Goeghegan, 1975. [England]
McSwigan, Marie. Snow Treasure . Dutton, 1942. [Norway]
Van Stockum, Hilda. The Borrowed House. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1975. [Netherlands]

Non fiction

Davis, Daniel. Behind Barbed Wire: the Imprisonment of Japanese Americans During World War II. Dutton, 1983. [U.S.A.]
Dupuy, Trevor Nevitt. European Land Battles 1939-1943. Franklin Watts, 1962.
Foreman, Michael. War Boy. Arcade, 1990. [England]
Garrigue, Sheila. The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito. Bradbury, 1985. [Canada]
Leckie, Robert. The Story of World War II. Random, 1964.
Siegal, Aranka. Upon the Head of a Goat. Farrar, 1982.
The Story of America: a National Geographic Picture Atlas. National Geographic, 1984.
Terkel, Studs. The Good War, an Oral History of World War Two. Pantheon, 1984.

Software

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Heizer Software.

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Prepared by Audrey Conant, Wayne Elementary School, and Marie Benner, Waterville Public Library

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