The Lemon Tree:

An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East. A young reader's adaptation.

By Sandy Tolan.

Published in 2020 by Bloomsbury Children's Books.

Informative, Descriptive, Honest, Emotional, Thought provoking.

Summary

Two countries and two groups of people are both connected through and divided over the same land: historic Palestine. The Israelis view it as a safe haven after the Holocaust, and as a return to the Jewish homeland. The Arabs, who lived on this same land, were forced out of their homeland to make room for the Israelis. They seek to return home. This informational novel tells the story of an Arab, Bashir, and a Jew, Dalia, who form an unlikely friendship despite the conflict between their people.

CCSS Standard

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.

For integration with social studies standards, consider the following:

CT Social Studies Frameworks

Middle East and Northern Africa. "Evaluate important factors that have made political and cultural unity in the region difficult, both in ancient and modern times."

Recommended Delivery

Read Aloud

Why read this book aloud to the class?

Reading aloud provides access to complex texts which students might struggle to read independently.
Model fluent reading; model think-alouds and other comprehension strategies.

Small Groups

Why assign this book in small groups?

- Homogeneous groupings are beneficial to students, as they can work alongside peers with similar skill levels.
- Students can practice comprehension strategies with the support of their peers.

Comprehension Strategies

Before

Build schema and make predictions.

First, students will view the following CBC Kids News video, "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict explained." Next, students will read about Palestine on Britannica Kids, and Israel on National Geographic Kids.

Then, students will synthesize information from the above sources to complete this pre-labeled timeline of events, created on Canva. For each marked year on the timeline, students are provided with the source(s) that have the information for that year.

Lastly, students will make predictions about what they will learn by reading two points of view: one Jewish Israeli, one Arab Palestinian.

During

Graphic organizers,note-taking, and utilizing text features. Provide students with the following graphic organizers:

A character web to record character relationships and traits.
A cause & effect organizer to keep detailed, logical notes about historical events.
A 3-column chart to help students compare and contrast the Israeli and Palestinian points of view/beliefs.

As students read, they have the option of using these graphic organizers to structure their note-taking. They will refer to, add to, and revise their timelines. They will refer to the map included in the novel to improve their understanding of where different events take place.

After

Ask and answer questions, extend the text.

Students will generate questions about what they still don’t understand regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They will re-read the text or research online to find answers to their own questions.

Next, students will re-read the articles from the pre-reading activities. They will analyze which parts of the story are glossed over or not included in the articles. This task promotes critical thinking and historical perspective-taking.

Lastly, students will revise, edit, and submit their timelines.

Key Vocabulary

Arab: an ethnic group mainly from West Asia and North Africa. Ethnic groups share a common cultural background and/or common ancestors.
Jew: a cultural and religious identity. Jews are descendants of the Hebrew people and most follow the religion of Judaism.
Muslim: someone who follows the religion of Islam, or is from a Muslim country or region.
Israel: a country in the Middle East established for Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.
Palestine: a country that is made up of parts of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza strip.
Jerusalem: the capital city that is claimed by both Israel and Palestine.
Holocaust: The German Nazi's extermination and genocide of European Jews and other minority groups between 1933 and 1945, during World War II.
UN (United Nations): an international organization, of which many of the world's countries are members. Its purpose is to maintain international peace and security among its member nations.
Refugee: someone who has been forced to leave their home or country because of factors like violence and persecution. They leave their homes to seek safety and refuge (thus, refugee).
Exile: being forced to live in a foreign country; to be banished or expelled from your home country.

Writing Prompt

If you were Dalia, what would you have done with the family house? Provide least three reasons for using the house in that way. Articulate who might benefit from its use, who might be upset, and why. Support your answer by referring to the novel and the pre-reading materials.