Number The Stars Reading Unit
Number The Stars Reading Unit
Number The Stars Reading Unit
FIFTH GRADE
During a late night visit from Peter Neilsen, a member of the Resistance and the
man Lise was to marry, Annemarie is told more about the war. Her parents and
Peter explain that Jewish stores are being closed. The next day, the Rosens
must flee. They leave Ellen with the Johansens. During the night, German
soldiers come to the apartment demanding that Mr. Johansen disclose the
location of his friends. He refuses and they search the apartment. Ellen pretends
to be one of the Johansen's daughters, but her dark hair causes the solider to be
suspicious. Luckily, Mr. Johansen is able to show them a baby picture of Lise
with dark hair, which convinces the soldiers.
The next day, Mrs. Johansen takes the three girls to her brother Henrik's home in
Gilleleje, Denmark, where Henrik is a fisherman. They spend a peaceful day in
the house by the ocean before Henrik announces that their Great-aunt Birte has
died. The service is to be held that evening. Annemarie knows that no such aunt
exists, and demands the truth. Uncle Henrik explains the importance of not
knowing too much when bravery is needed. That night the coffin arrives and they
gather around it. Many more people arrive, but all are silent. Soon Peter appears
with the Rosens, who are reunited with Ellen. Soldiers, drawn by the post-curfew
lights, come to the house. They demand that the coffin be opened, a problem
since the coffin is empty. Mrs. Johansen thinks quickly and says that her aunt
died of highly contagious typhus. The soldiers leave.
Henrik takes the first group of people down to his boat. Mrs. Johansen follows
with the Rosens. Annemarie, who now understands that the people are being
taken to safety in Sweden, awaits her mother's safe return. When her mother
does not appear, she discovers that Mrs. Johansen has broken her ankle.
Because of this, Annemarie must take an important package to her uncle before
they can leave. On the way to the boat, soldiers with dogs stop her. They search
her basket and discover the package. But when they rip it open it contains only a
handkerchief, and they let her go. Annemarie makes it to the boat in time, to
Henrik's evident relief.
That evening, Henrik is safe at home having dinner with Annemarie, Kirsti, and
Mrs. Johansen, whose ankle has been taken care of by the local doctor. After
dinner, Uncle Henrik takes Annemarie to learn how to milk the cow. They talk
about the events of the day. He explains that he hid his passengers in the bottom
of the boat, and the handkerchief was essential because it kept the Germans'
dogs from smelling the human cargo. Uncle Henrik praises Annemarie for her
bravery and reassures her that Ellen is safe and they will meet again someday.
The war ends in May, and Annemarie and her family watch from their balcony as
people parade in the streets with the Danish flag. Annemarie thinks of the
Rosens and realizes that they, along with all the others who were forced to flee,
will soon be returning home. Peter Nielsen has died. He was shot in a public
square for his involvement in the Resistance. Annemarie's parents tell her that
Lise was a member of the Resistance, too, and that she did not die in an
accident, but was killed by the Germans. Thinking of Lise and of Ellen,
Annemarie goes to the trunk of Lise's things in her room and takes out the Star of
David pendant that she has been keeping for Ellen. She says she will wear the
necklace herself until Ellen returns.
(Provided by Sparknotes)
Whole Class Lesson #1, Day 1
Classroom Resources:
Overhead projector/document camera
Computer
http://www.pocanticohills.org/amprogress/holocaust.htm
http://www.ushmm.org/learn/students/the-holocaust-a-learning-site-for-students
http://www.theholocaustexplained.org/
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/16-educational/history/269-
holocaust.html
Instructional Plan:
The purpose of this lesson is to prepare students to read Number the Stars.
Students need to understand the term historical fiction and its components. More
importantly, students need to gain an understanding of the who, what, when,
where and why of the Holocaust.
Student Assessment/Reflections:
Collect students’ written conversations to informally assess student responses.
Informally assess students’ comprehension through questioning in group
discussion. Provide opportunities to turn and talk with partners while you
circulate the room to listen.
Whole Class Lesson #1, Day 2
Setting the Stage
Learning about historical fiction and the Holocaust
Overview:
This lesson teaches students about the basic elements of both historical fiction
and the Holocaust.
Classroom Resources:
Overhead projector/document camera
Computer
http://www.pocanticohills.org/amprogress/holocaust.htm
http://www.ushmm.org/learn/students/the-holocaust-a-learning-site-for-students
http://www.theholocaustexplained.org/
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/16-educational/history/269-
holocaust.html
Map of Europe
Instructional Plan:
The purpose of this lesson is to prepare students to read Number the Stars.
Students need to understand the term historical fiction and its components. More
importantly, students need to gain an understanding of the who, what, when,
where and why of the Holocaust.
3. Distribute map of Europe. Students will color this map according to the
code on the bottom of the page in order to gain an understanding of the
locations of the countries in Europe, which were under German control,
which were Allied countries and which countries remained neutral.
Student Assessment/Reflections:
Informally assess students’ comprehension through questioning in group
discussion as well as map completion. Provide opportunities to turn and talk with
partners while you circulate the room to listen.
Lesson: Answering Open-Ended Questions
(RL5.1)
Overview: Students will use the acronym RACE to answer open ended
questions. It is expected that students use this model to answer open ended
questions for the remainder of the year.
Resources: You will find a PowerPoint presentation and a handout about RACE
on the e-board as well as a scoring rubric. This will be moved to the new website.
1. Click “Teacher Resources.”
2. Click Elementary English Language Arts
3. Password: ELA
4. Under ELA Overview, click white tab labeled, “Open-ended Questions (NJ
ASK format) Grades 3-5
R.A.C.E.
• Review the question
• Answer all parts of the question
• Cite specific details and support from the text
• Extend your response to push your thinking
• R = Review: Review the question. Make certain you understand all parts of
the question. You may simply restate the question when answering the
prompt. This creates a familiarity with the text and also shows the test
graders that you are aware of what is being asked.
• A = Answer: Answer all parts of the question. If there are two bullets to a
question, you are to answer each bullet. If the bullet itself has multiple
parts, all parts must be answered to receive an acceptable score.
• C= Cite: Cite evidence from the text to support your response. This is
perhaps the most crucial element. Include direct support, in your response.
This can be accomplished either in the form of quotes, paraphrases, or
summaries in your answer.
The following transitions may be helpful :
• An example of this is…
• I know this is true because…
• The author says…
• In the book/article on page___ it says____
• In paragraph ____ the author states…
• E=Extend: Extend your response to push your thinking. This can really
increase your scoring potential. Reflect on the question and answer and
offer some insight, whether it be a personal anecdote or global reference. It
creates closure and offers the grader a chance to see you think
"outside the box."
Activity: Read aloud Star of Fear, Star of Hope. Model thinking aloud using
post-it notes to record questions and thoughts. Choose one of the following
questions and model R.A.C.E to complete a written response.
What did Lydia’s mother mean when she said, “The place for
stars is in the sky. When people take them down from the sky
and sew them on their clothes, it only brings trouble.”
Describe a type of trouble that came to the Jewish people
who had to wear the stars.
Name ________________________________ Number the Stars
Things Annemarie
Says or Does:
Day One:
The teacher will pass out the close read with guiding questions.
Students should read the section on their own and take notes on
the questions. Students can write their initial thoughts about this
section in the space provided. It is important that students have the
opportunity to wrestle with complex text and challenging questions
on their own before group discussion.
Next, the teacher reads section aloud to students. Students and
teacher discuss the guiding questions.
Students add to and amend their notes as needed. This is an
important part of the process as it requires students to use the
discussion to revise their initial thinking.
Day Two:
Creates
Peaceful Mood
Creates Mood
of Danger
Close Read: Number the Stars: Section 2 Guiding Questions
Section 2 Close Read (Part 1 – page 60) How is the setting described?
The House by the Sea It’s beautiful
“Oh, Annemarie,” Ellen said, with awe in her voice, “it They remind Annemarie of her childhood
is beautiful.” The house is old and has imperfections, but has
Annemarie looked around and nodded her head in a country, cottage feel
agreement. The house and the meadows that surrounded it There is a kitten running around in the grass
were so much a part of her childhood, a part of her life, that meadow sprinkled with wildflowers.
she didn’t often look at them with fresh eyes. But now she
did, seeing Ellen’s pleasure. And it was true. They were What mood is created by this description?
beautiful.
There is a nostalgic feeling. She reflects back
The little red-roofed farmhouse was very old, its on her childhood and the time she spent there.
chimney crooked and even the small, shuttered windows
It is a free mood. They run in the meadow and
tilted at angles. A bird’s nest, wispy with straw, was half
hidden in the corner where the roof met the wall above a
chase the kitten.
bedroom window. Nearby, a gnarled tree was still speckled There is a quaint, feeling about that slightly
with a few apples now long past ripe. crooked house. It is not a frightening place, but
Mama and Kirsti had gone inside, but Annemarie and
just old and settled in.
Ellen ran across the high-grassed meadow, through the last There is a bucolic quality to the place.
wildflowers. From nowhere, a gray kitten appeared and ran
beside them, pouncing here and there upon imagined mice,
pausing to lick its paws, and then darting off again.
Section 2 Close Read (Part 2 – page 63) Guiding Questions
“I took Ellen down to show her the sea,” Annemarie What are some of the things that Mama says that let
explained when they reached the place where Mama waited.
“She’d never been that close before! We started to wade, but it the reader know that danger lurks beneath the
was too cold. I wish we had come in the summer so we could peaceful scene?
swim.”
She asks if they have seen anyone
“It’s cold even then,” Mama said. She looked around. “You
didn’t see anyone, did you? You didn’t talk to anyone?”
She warns them to stay away from everyone,
even people considered Uncle Henrick’s friend.
Annemarie shook her head. “Just the kitten.” Ellen had
picked it up, and it lay purring in her arms as she stroked its small
They cannot even trust people they think are
head and talked to it softly. friends.
“I meant to warn you. You must stay away from people
She tells them soldiers are everywhere. There
while you are here.” is no escape, no respite. She sees danger
“But there is no one around here,” Annemarie reminded
everywhere.
her.
Ellen looked up and bit her lip. “There aren’t soldiers here,
too?” she asked.
“It’s cold even then,” Mama said. She looked around. “You
didn’t see anyone, did you? You didn’t talk to anyone?”
Ellen looked up and bit her lip. “There aren’t soldiers here,
too?” she asked.
Now…
Number the Stars: Section 3
Chapters 9-13
Overview: Students will continue to read this section with partners or in small
groups. Please note that students should not be participating in round robin
reading. They may partner read or read a few pages silently and discuss as a
group and continue. Students should continue to practice recording and sharing
their thoughts. As the groups meet to read, teacher will circulate. While there is
no close reading lesson for this section, teachers should choose one discussion
question for written response.
Contrast: Comparison:
Instructional Plan: Teachers should provide a copy of a Venn Diagram or graphic organizer for
students to record their thoughts about characters, settings, or events. Teachers may decide to
do one with the class first and then have students work with partners or create independently and
then discuss. Once students have recorded their thoughts, discuss orally how you could put this
into a paragraph. Students can also write a paragraph using the above transitions to make a
cohesive paragraph.
Characters: Johansen’s and the Rosen’s, Annemarie and Ellen, Annemarie and Kirsti
Events: Soldiers stopping girls on street and soldier entering home at night
STORY MAP
Title: ________________________________
Setting:
Characters: Traits:
______________________ ______________________
______________________ ______________________
______________________ ______________________
______________________ ______________________
______________________ ______________________
Problem:
Event 1: ___________________________________________________
Event 2: __________________________________________________
Event 3: __________________________________________________
Event 4:___________________________________________________
Event 5: __________________________________________________
Solution: