WORLD CAFE BOOK CLUB:
Cultural Stories: Author Studies and Book Reviews
as a Response to Literature
In this activity, students read and share books from different
cultures through author studies and book reviews. Students will
brainstorm the meaning of "culture" and complete family
trees to find out about their heritage. Students will be required
to make inferences about their heritage and interpret stories from
their own or other cultures.
Students will create online book reviews to be shared with the
community. The online review will consist of a summary of the book,
something about the author, and an illustration of the book reviewer.
Reviews will be posted on our World Cafe Book Club website along
with an image of the book cover. Viewers will be able to access
the book review in two ways:
- Through the "Tell Me a Story" website, by clicking
on the image of the REVIEWER.
- Or by clicking on the book cover on our World Cafe Book Club
site. Viewers will be able to leave a comment about the book on
the World Cafe Book Club Message Board.
Essential Questions:
How does culture shape the way we see ourselves, others, and the
world?
How does my culture shape me?
Why is it important to understand culture?
Materials for Teacher:
Worksheet
#1 Features of Culture
*Lesson
Plan
Worksheet
#2 Everyone Has a Culture Worksheet
*Lesson
plan
Book Discussion Questions
for Rainbow Tulip and How My Parents Learned to Eat
Book Reaction Journal
Book Review Checklist
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*These are the steps to follow to create YOUR BOOK REVIEW:
- The first step to take is to find out more about your family.
Where were your parents/grandparents/great-grandparents born?
Try to find out the country or state where your immediate family
members were born and where, if applicable, they died. Print out
a family tree and fill it out at home with your family: what is
culture mind maps.
- Fan family tree template
- Instructions
for HW Assignment #1
- Using the OPAC, find and choose a book about the culture or
one of the cultures of your heritage. Be sure to have your book
choice approved by your teacher.
- Search the Internet and the library for information about your
author.
- Take notes on both your book and your author on the provided
project organizers.
- Your class will be divided in half. Half of you will read the
story, How My Parents Learned to Eat. The other half
will read The Rainbow Tulip.
- Next go to our research
website.
 Click
on "Research Projects" ->Your teacher's name->How
My Parents Learned to Eat. Open up the Book Review Word document
and discuss and answer the questions with your group. You can
also open the document here.
READ OUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE
RAINBOW TULIP!
- Next, go to the
PBS Reading Rainbow's website and read or listen to the student
book reviews of this book. Be prepared to answer the following
questions:
- "What makes this a good review?"
- "Would you have added or changed
anything?" "Why?"
- Choose the book you will read.
- Receive your Book Reaction Journal
- Research your author; fill in the information on your Book Reaction
Journal.
- Finish reading your book by next week.
Next: Creating Your Self-Portrait
Create your self-portrait-including symbol/symbols of your cultural
background.
Portraits must be done on 8 1/2 x 11" paper.
Portraits should be your face only.
Portraits should fill the entire page.
Draw a decorated border around your self-portrait. The border should
contain symbols or patterns that reflect who YOU are. Go back to
your cultural worksheets for inspiration.
Mount your artwork and book review on a posterboard.
Evaluation: We will have a Gallery
Walk of your reviews before posting them to the Internet.
Last step! Scan your self-portrait on to the computer. You will
post your book review on our World Cafe Book Club website. If possible,
we will create a message board on the site so that others can leave
a comment.
Learning Tip:
You may want to search the Internet and the library for information
about your country of origin and its culture.
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Student Gallery:
World Cafe Book Club Reviews