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By Shelley Wockenfuss READ 3226 9/27/2011

Rhodes, Jewel Parker. __Ninth Ward__. New York: Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc., 2010. The __Ninth Ward__ received the CSK Award, which is the Coretta Scott King Book Award for authors. This book is recommended for grades four thru eight. The Scholastic reading level is 3.3.

The __Ninth Ward__ is a beautifully written story about the devastation to New Orleans, Louisiana caused by Hurricane Katrina. This story was written in the eyes of a twelve year old girl named Lanesha, who lives in the Ninth Ward with Mama Ya-Ya, her caregiver. Lanesha’s mom died while giving birth to her at the age of sixteen. Lanesha was born with a caul over her face and if it was not for Mama Ya-Ya, she too would have died. Since Lanesha’s uptown relatives did not want her, Mama Ya-Ya, who delivered Lanesha, took her in. Mama Ya-Ya had the talent to see into the future, as well as the ability to see ghosts. Lanesha could not predict the future, however, she could see the unliving and knew her Mom was still in the house with her and Mama Ya-Ya.
 * Book Summary: **

Lanesha did not have many friends; the other children thought she was different and that Mama Ya-Ya was crazy. Lanesha loved school and books. Everyone in the Ninth Ward knew each other and it was a close community. Lanesha befriended a boy named TaShon, who was also different. TaShon was born with twelve fingers, six on each hand. TaShon’s father removed the extra fingers when he was a baby, leaving only stubs. Lanesha and TaShon became friends after Lanesha told some bullies to stop hurting him. They were hurting TaShon because he was protecting a stray dog from the boys physical abuse. TaShon named the dog Spot. Knowing his family could not afford another mouth to feed, Lanesha agreed to keep the dog at her house.

Mama Ya-Ya began having dreams of a bad hurricane on the way. Everyone in the Ninth Ward began watching the news, which was calling for an evacuation. Some chose to leave and stay with family, others who did not have much money went to the Superdome, and several decided to stay in the Ninth Ward. Mama Ya-Ya and Lanesha stayed because they had no vehicle or family to stay with. TaShon and his parents went to the Superdome.

After Hurricane Katrina had passed, TaShon came back to the Ninth Ward without his parents, who he had lost in the surplus of people who fled to the Superdome. Mama Ya-Ya took him in. Next came the flooding. Homes were buried with the thick, muddy water of the Mississippi River. Lanesha, TaShon, Mama Ya-Ya, and Spot moved to the attic of the house, where Mama Ya-Ya became increasingly weak and died. Lanesha, TaShon, and Spot climbed out the window and into a small rowboat and were then rescued.


 * Story Elements **


 * Major Characters ** :

__ Lanesha __ : Lanesha is a twelve year old girl who is the narrator of the book. She is not like most children her age; she sees ghosts. Lanesha likes school, books, learning new words, and is fascinated with bridges. She was delivered, saved from death, and cared for by Mama Ya-Ya. Lanesha did not have many friends, just TaShon and a girl from school, who she was starting to become friends with before the hurricane hit.

__ Mama Ya-Ya __ : Mama Ya-Ya is an elderly lady in her eighties, who used to deliver babies for many people in the Ninth Ward who had very little money. She has the ability to predict the future and to see ghosts. She has very little money, but still took Lanesha in when no one else would. Mama Ya-Ya wears thick glasses, false teeth, and smells of Vicks Rub and Evening in Paris perfume.

__ TaShon __ : TaShon is Lanesha’s friend who was born with twelve fingers. He is extremely shy, keeps to himself, and is much shorter than the other children of the same age.

__ Spot __ : Spot is the stray dog that TaShon saved from the bullies, who where causing physical harm to him.


 * Setting: **

The setting of this story was a poverty stricken area in New Orleans, Louisiana called the Ninth Ward. Most of the homes were old and in need of some repairs. The Ninth Ward is a close-knit community where everyone knows each other.


 * Genre: **

The __Ninth Ward__ is a narrative of the life and experiences of a twelve year old girl named Lanesha. She describes in detail, her experience of Hurricane Katrina and the major flooding that followed. Lanesha describes the rising muddy water of the Mississippi River, as it quickly covers the houses in the Ninth Ward. She expresses her fear, exhaustion, and bravery as she struggles to survive and help her friend TaShon.


 * Interdisciplinary Connections: **

> ** Strategies: ** > > **__ Vocabulary __** – The strategy I chose to use for this text is the Context-Structure-Sound-Resource (CSSR) System. The objective is to help students acquire the four-step strategies that will lead to independently constructing meaning for new words in the story. The four steps can be displayed in the classroom for easy reference. These four steps are as follows. > The writing vocabulary worksheet, located at the end of the book talk, comes from: [] > > **__ Comprehension __** – Reciprocal teaching is a comprehension strategy that consists of four parts. Students get in small groups and take turns being student teacher, in order to use the skills of predicting, guessing, clarifying, and summarizing what the teacher has modeled for them. The reading discussion guide, located at the end of the book talk, comes from: [] > > **__ Motivation __** – Background knowledge and comprehension, through small group discussion, will make a child successful. If students understand the text they are reading, they are motivated to continue reading. Showing children a map of New Orleans, Louisiana will give them a visual strategy to help with motivation. Reciprocal teaching and the CSSR system, mentioned earlier, are also useful strategies with motivation. > > ** Recommended Readings: ** > > The first recommendation for further reading, about similar topics, is the text: __About__ __Disasters__, by J. Berry. This book discusses twelve different natural and man-made disasters, one of which is flooding, and ways to prepare for and survive them. The book uses illustrations that add a bit of humor to the text and is recommended for children in grades four thru six. > > > __Hobie Hanson, Greatest Hero of the Mall__, by J. Gilson, is another recommended reading. This is a humorous fiction book about a fifth grade class that has to meet for school in a shopping mall, when the town is devastated by a flood. Through a series of funny and daring escapades that happen in the classroom, Hobie learns that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. > > > __Eyewitness Disaster__, by Angela Royston, is a book series that provide information about natural disasters from survivors and rescue workers. __Hurricanes,__ which is one of the books in the series, provides quotes from hurricane survivors that describe the atmosphere, feeling, and terror that storms can bring. > > > READING DISCUSSION GUIDE > > > 1. After reading the first 10 pages of the novel discuss Lanesha’s life with Mama Ya-Ya in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. What have you learned about her? > 2. How is Lanesha treated at school? Who else is treated as an outsider? > 3. Lanesha says, “I need all the signs. Dreams. Words. Word problems. Math. Like air, they make my mind breathe.” (p. 31) What does she mean by this? What do you need to make your mind breathe? > 4. What is special about Lanesha? What gifts do you have that are unique in your family or neighborhood? > 5. Why does Lanesha get involved when there is a fight? Who were the bullies picking on? Why? How is she rewarded for standing up for what is right? How do you handle bullies in your school or neighborhood? > 6. What is an ordinary day like in the Ninth Ward? How does it compare to an ordinary day in your own neighborhood? > 7. Who is Ginia? Why hasn’t Lanesha accepted her invitations to be together after school? How does that change? How do new friendships start? How do they get better over time? > 8. Why is Ms. Johnson Lanesha’s favorite teacher? Who is your favorite teacher? What makes a good teacher? What does she give Lanesha that is so special? How has a teacher encouraged you to do more? > 9. Is Mama Ya-Ya Lanesha’s real grandmother? Why could this be an important detail? Why did her rich family not accept Lanesha? Mama Ya-Ya says, “Love is as love does.” What does this mean? How does Mama Ya-Ya show love? > 10. Why don’t Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya leave New Orleans with the impending hurricane? Why do some people stay while others evacuate? > 11. Why is Mama Ya-Ya so nervous and agitated about the hurricane? What does she ask Lanesha to do for the first time? Who does Lanesha appeal to for an answer? How would you feel if you had Lanesha’s gifts? > 12. As the storm approaches, how does Lanesha turn the tables and take care of Mama Ya-Ya? What does she do to prepare for the storm? Does doing all these things prove she is growing up or is the work itself making her grow up? Why do you say so? > 13. How does the author use poetic elements such as metaphor and simile to bring the storm to life for the reader? What can you do in your own writing to make it feel this immediate and intense? > 14. What does Mama Ya-Ya tell Lanesha about her life? Why has she held on all these years? Would it be better to know that you might lose someone and be able to say everything first or would you rather it be a surprise to lose someone suddenly? How do Mama Ya-Ya and Lanesha say goodbye? > 15. Why does TaShon show up at the house? How do they prepare for the rest of Mama Ya-Ya’s predictions? Describe how they survive the flood. What would be the most difficult part for you? How does Lanesha save the day with her mathematical thinking? Who else helps Lanesha to survive? > > READING: CHARACTER > > Create a character web for Lanesha after reading the first 10 pages of the novel. Try to fill in bubbles with as much detail as possible about her and her life with Mama Ya-Ya. > > WRITING VOCABULARY > > > Lanesha loves words and the subtleties of their meanings. As you read the story find the following words in their context and try to figure out what they mean by how they are used. Sometimes Lanesha gives you the definition exactly, but other times you can probably figure it out. If not, check your hypothesis by looking it up in a dictionary (just like she would do). > > __**Vocabulary word** **Sentence it's found in** **Hypothesize meaning from context Dictionary definition (if necessary)**__ > > > __**Fortitude**__ > > __**Quantity**__ > > __**Suspension Bridge**__
 * __ Social Studies/History __ : This story can be incorporated into a Social Studies unit by Locating New Orleans, Louisiana and the Mississippi River on a map. Children can then explain why the geography of this city is unique. Students can Google various attractions in the area or list some important facts about the city. What type of food and music is New Orleans known for? Students can form small groups and create a brochure to list the information they have learned from their research.
 * __ Science: __ Students can research information about hurricanes, such as: how they form, how the strength and severity are measured, and if they are more prevalent in certain areas and why. Students can compare and contrast hurricanes to other storms, such as tornadoes and perhaps do an experiment on wind speed. They can also compare other natural disasters and how people and communities handle the devastation, such as the tsunami in Japan. Students can then get in small groups and choose one type of storm to create a poster about and then present to the class.
 * __ Math: __ Lanesha is fascinated with bridges and sees herself building them one day. Students can use this information to research the four main types of bridges (arch, beam, cantilever, and suspension) and then build one using recycled materials. Students can keep a log of the steps used in creating their bridge and finally create a powerpoint presentation about what they learned.
 * **// Context //** : This is looking for clues in the paragraph that would help give meaning to the word.
 * **// Structure //**** : ** This is looking for parts of the word that are recognizable, such as prefixes.
 * **// Sound //**// : // After sounding out the word, does it sound familiar?
 * **// Resource //**// : // Use available resources, such as a glossary or dictionary for further explanation.

__**Unfathomable**__

__**Exasperated**__

__**Anxious**__

__**Evacuate**__

__**Loitering**__