Elementary Library

Joe came to America from the West African country of Sierra Leone when he was young. He worked hard in school, made friends, and embraced his new home. Like so many immigrants before and after him. Joe succeeded when many thought he would fail. Discussion Prompts: ●​ Before reading: This book is called “Watch Me”. “Watch Me” is the title. What do you think the title means? Make a prediction about what you think is going to happen in the story based on the cover and title. ●​ They said he’d never fit in : Why would Joe’s friends and family say people in America would “laugh at his accent and fear his dark skin” Can you think of a time when you didn’t feel like you fit in? How did you overcome those feelings? How can we help others feel like they belong? ●​ Double page spread with airplane: What do you think this page means? Make a prediction about where Joe is going. ●​ Do you see people like Joe: How would you describe Joe? [brave, smart, hard worker, immigrant] Have you met people like Joe? An immigrant is someone who moves to a new country to build a life. Have you ever met someone who immigrated to our community? ●​ All kinds of looks…: What do you see happening on this page? How can we support friends dealing with this kind of treatment? ●​ This land is…: What does “This land is your land. This land is our land.” mean in this story? How can we welcome newcomers? ●​ Dr. Joe was my dad… : Can anyone retell the story of Joe? Prompt through beginning in Sierra Leone, moving to America, working hard in school, becoming a doctor, raising a family. ●​ She says and smiles…: Now that we’ve read the story, what do you think the phrase “Watch me” means in this book? Is your thinking different from when we asked at the beginning of the book? The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story by Aya Khalil (E KHA) Kanzi's family has moved from Egypt to America, and on her first day in a new school, what she wants more than anything is to fit in. Maybe that's why she forgets to take the kofta sandwich her mother has made for her lunch, but that backfires when Mama shows up at school with the sandwich. Mama wears a hijab and calls her daughter Habibti (dear one). When she leaves, the teasing starts. Discussion Prompts: ●​ Before reading…: Imagine you are the little girl in the illustration. What is she doing? How does her pose make you feel? ●​ Why might she “quickly and carefully” fold her quilt? What does that say about how she feels about the quilt? ●​ Kanzi is worried about being different at her new school. Before even getting inside the building, what does she do to try and fit in? Have you ever felt like Kanzi? What did you do? ●​ Mrs. Haugen says that “Learning other languages besides the one we grow up with helps make the world a friendlier place.” Explain what you think she means, in your own words. ●​ When the story started, Kanzi was worried that she would be different from her classmates at school and was worried about letting them see her culture. Does she still feel this way at the end of the story? Why?

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