Making Multicultural Connections
Through Trade Books

Grandfather's Journey
Written and Illustrated by Allen Say

Cultural Group: Japanese American

Content Connection: Social Studies Grade 2

Topic : Communities -Transportation

Suggested Exemplars

• Collection- Transportation: toy boat, train, steam boat, row boat
• Word of the Day - "journey"

Learning Sequence

1. Revealed collection of transportation items. Students will sort the items and support their classification.

2. After working with the collection, ask students why they think you gathered this particular collection with these specific items.

3. After discussion, let students know that the items represent forms of transportation that occur in the story.

4. Discuss the word journey, ask students what types of journeys they have been on, and what kinds of journeys their Grandparents have been on.

5. Read aloud Grandfather's Journey.

6. Students discuss the Grandfathers journey. Make a "mini time line" to sequence the events in the story.

7. Reflective Dialogue: Ask students: "How would this journey change if it occurred today? Would the means of transportation change?"

Extension

• Students describe the different communities portrayed in the story: desert, farm, cities, Bay area, village, and then create illustrations. These illustrations can be used on the class time line for the story.
• Students create a chart of different forms of transportation, starting with those used in the story. List advantages/disadvantages of each form on the chart, returning to chart periodically so students can add to the information.

Technology Link

• Use WRITING CENTER (Learning Company) to write about a journey using pictures in transportation picture file.

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© 1996 MCPS Department of Academic Programs, Division of Enriched and Innovative Instruction,Program of Assessment, Diagnosis, and Instruction