Teacher Reading

W1: Pages 1-55

TASKS - Choose from the following...

1. ART - Draw a picture of the three main characters in their home settings (Josef - Berlin, Isabel - Havana, Mahmoud - Aleppo).

2. Create a map showing the 3 locations in the story (Berlin - Germany, Havana - Cuba, Aleppo - Syria)

3. Create a mind map of the story so far. Split your map into three sections, one for each story. Your mind map should include the dates, locations, characters and plots of the stories so far. Make sure to add in the conflict that is happening in each story. Why are they leaving?

4. Pretend you are Fidel Castro and record yourself saying his special message. Make sure you write down your script first.

5. RESEARCH - Research the history of either Germany, Cuba or Syria. How have they changed over time? Present in a poster, video or slideshow.

6. HANDS-ON - Make the bright yellow Star of David armbands that the Landaus family wore on the train.

7. WRITING - Pretend you are either Josef, Isabel or Mahmoud and start a diary of your journey. Add to it as the story goes on. Or write the telegram Josef’s father sent his family.

8. VOCABULARY - Find the meanings of the following words: Bureaus, recoiled, dismissive, promenade, indignation, pandemonium, truncheon, melodious, catatonic and anecdotes.

9. FLIPGRID - What do you think of the story so far? What do you think is going to happen? Add your thoughts to this FLIPGRID. https://flip.com/76321101

10. MINECRAFT - Create the Dachau concentration camp that Josef’s father was sent to. Or make the Lehrter Bahnhof, Berlin’s main railway station. (An amazing building)

QUESTIONS

* What is a REFUGEE? Why do we have them? What do you think it feels like to be one?

* The story takes place in three different locations (Germany, Cuba and Syria). If you could choose one to visit which one would it be and why?

What is Kristallnacht? How did it impact Josef’s family?

Cuba was described as a communist country. What does this mean? What was life like in Cuba after the Soviet Union went away?

Why did life change in Syria? What caused the war to start?

How did war change Mahmoud and Waleed? Why did Mahmoud believe it was better to not have any friends?

How did the station attendants and other passengers treat Josef and his family? Why did the German’s treat the Jews this way?

Why was there a riot in the streets of Cuba? Why did Isabel’s papa have to leave?

When Josef’s father returned how had he changed? Why do you think he was acting this way?

Do you think Isabel’s family should try to escape from Cuba? Why or why not?

Do you think it is a good idea for Mahmoud’s family to leave Syria? What obstacles do you think they will run into along the way?