Emily Cornett

Read 520
Text Set: India

Read Aloud:
Monkey: A Trickster Tale From India by Gerald McDermott
Lexile: AD630L
This is a story that comes from a collection of
folktales from India. It is a tale of a hungry Monkey who manages to outsmart a
hungry, one-track minded crocodile. Monkey only wants to find a way to eat mangos
and Crocodile only wants to eat Monkey. Crocodile tries many times to trick Monkey
including getting him to ride on his back to the mangos or pretending his back were
some rocks that he could skip across, but each time Monkey gets away from him.
Eventually, Monkey learns to watch out for Crocodile and his tricks and Crocodile
watches and waits in hopes that one day he will catch Monkey.
This book is great because it does not focus on the basic culture of India;
instead it captures the tradition of Indian folklore. It gives students an opportunity
to think about the history of India and how stories played a part for the people. A
teacher could use this book while introducing fables, legends, and other folklore and
strengthen cultural acceptance in the classroom. This book allows for the
introduction of irony and morality and, because I am recommending it as a read
aloud, the teacher could lead the students into a discussion of the moral of the story
as she reads it to the class. Finally, the discussion could lead to students who may
be from India or understand their culture to share their thoughts about the story.
Country Explorers: India by Tom Streissguth

Lexile: IG570L

This is a great informational, non-fiction text to learn more about India as a

whole. It includes facts about the landscape, from the mountains to the rivers, and
the people, from the first Indians to those that live today. Students will learn about
transportation, religion, and family life in India. This book also includes information
about the food, clothes, and entertainment. There are many pictures that align with
the text as well as a glossary for words that students may not understand while
reading.
This is a great book for a read aloud because it includes many elements that
are great for leading discussion while reading. For example, the book is broken into
different sections that give information about certain characteristics of India. The
teacher could introduce each section and ask for volunteers to guess what they will
read about in that section. How is this part of India different or the same as the

United States? Then, the teacher will read that section, showing the students the
pictures that go with it and they can discuss their reactions. The section on school in
India would be interesting for this activity. Also, this book is great for bringing in
elements of geography when reading about the mountains and rivers.
SOL Support:
Monsoon by Uma Krishnaswami

Lexile: AD 630L

3.10 The student will investigate and understand that

natural events and human influences can affect the survival
of species. Key concepts include
b)
the effects of human activity on the quality of
air, water, and habitat;
c)
the effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion
on organisms;
This book follows the observations of one girl who lives in India while waiting
for the arrival of rain. She explains activities of daily life around this part of India.
The dryness, the winds, and the dust are all a part of the season before the rain
comes. People watch and wait, some patiently and certain, and others not so
patient and certain. There is worry that there might be too much rain which can be
just as dangerous as no rain at all. The great winds keep blowing and eventually
bring big, full clouds with thunder the distance. Finally, the rain begins to fall
making the girl and people everywhere celebrate its arrival. The book also includes
a page about the monsoon; where the word comes from and what it entails for the
country of India and its people.
This book is perfect for a 3rd grade science SOL about natural events/disasters
and their influences on humans and the environment. It not only discusses a natural
event that is relevant to the Indian culture every year, but also how its presence, or
lack of, affects the population of India. Students are able to follow how one natural
event, the monsoon, can have such an impact on a country. People of India rely on
this season of rain every year, but they also worry that too much rain can flood
the land, destroying crops and villages. This book would be great for making
connections between science and reading because students could practice reading
while also reinforcing science content (there is a short history of monsoon included
in the book). Not only that, but students are able to bring meaning to what they are
reading because they see how it applies to real life situations.

Leveled Student Text:

A Taste of Freedom: Gandhi and the Great Salt March by

Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Lexile: 680L
This book tells the story of Gandhis Salt March through the
eyes of an interested, little boy. Talk spreads through the boys
town that Gandhi is coming to visit and talk to the people. The boy
sneaks and listens to the leader speak about leading a peaceful
march to the sea to collect salt, something that has been
forbidden by the British rule. The boy becomes excited to join
Gandhi on this march and sneaks away to go with him on what
becomes an important step towards Indias freedom from British
rule.
This book presents students with an opportunity to learn about India from a
historical perspective. They will learn about one of the biggest figures in giving India
its independence. This would be a great book to use in the classroom when you are
teaching about leadership and independence. For example, the teacher could
explain that like America, other countries also have their own stories about how
they became free and they include important people in their journey to freedom.
This book allows students to be introduced to the values that are important to India
and appreciate them as they do their own in America. Finally, this book would be a
great conversation starter on how far you would go to do
something that you believed in?
Professional Development:
Countries of the World: India by Michael Allaby
This is an informational text that goes into detail about
the country of India. It includes maps, diagrams, charts, and
photographs to support each section of text. The sections found
in this book include physical geography, environment, economy
and development, resources, work and leisure, and issues
related to Indias future. This reference book is easy to read and explains
characteristics of India that set it apart from other countries of the world.
This book would be useful because it is full of not just basic information on
India, but also more detailed information that would be great for a teacher to know
before a student comes into the classroom. It is important for a teacher to

understand the history of India because a student may have certain religious views
that the teacher may need to be aware of. For example, some religions do not allow
for the celebration of certain holidays. Other factors may affect a student in school
such as their family life based on their culture or their experiences in their home
country. It is best for a teacher to be prepared so that they can ensure that the
student feel welcomed in the classroom.
We Visit India by Khadija Ejaz
This book is full of information about the country of India. Like a few of the
other reference books in this text set, it tells interesting facts about the country that
people living elsewhere may not know. However, this book tells where India is
located in relation to other parts of the world, invasions of the country, and how the
government has changed since the beginning of its time. This book also explains
why India wanted to become independent in the first place and the role of Mahatma
Gandhi. Finally, this book goes into more detail about the religion in India and why
Mark Twain called it the millionaire compared to other countries religions.
We Visit India makes a great professional development resource because
separates information into chapters instead of short sections. This provides for more
detail to be discussed and learned, especially on the part of the teacher. This book
also allows teachers to learn about India in simple terms that their students would
benefit the most from. It supports the thought that India, although not a very old
independent country, has made quite a name for itself. This text presents teachers
with ways to incorporate the study of India into geography, communication,
government, religion, and word study. Finally, it provides a glossary of new words as
well as a list of other great reference texts to use in the classroom.