The 5,000-Year Old Puzzle: Solving A Mystery of Ancient Egypt

Author: Logan, Claudia
Title: The 5,000 Year-Old Puzzle: Solving A Mystery of Ancient Egypt
Book Genre: Historical Fiction
Publishing Info: Melane Kroupa
Books, 41pp.

Summary: This book presents historical information about ancient Egypt through the accounts and letters of “Will Hunt.” Although this character is fictitious, the information given is based on the actual records of archeologist, Dr. George Reisner. The setting for this mystery is late 1924, until the summer of 1927, in Egypt. Will’s father, a member of Dr. Reisner’s archeological team, is traveling to Giza, to help with the expedition. Luckily for Will, he and his mother are able to travel with him. After a month of travel just to get there, Will finally arrives at the Great Pyramids, and the journey begins. He witnesses the team accidentally finds the remains of an unknown tomb, which is later revealed as Queen Hetep-heres, the mother of King Khufu. Will becomes more consumed by his adventure each day, only to learn that some of the greatest mysteries may never be solved. Because the historical content is presented from the viewpoint of a child, it becomes very interesting for its readers. The book also contains a wealth of background information, which helps readers learn and understand various Egyptian cultures.

Personal rating: ****

Rationale: Information presented in letters, personal accounts, and historical information in a manner that a reader can enjoy; well-written; exceptional illustrations and photographs of the real expedition; presents ancient history in a way that all learners can enjoy

Reading level: 3.2 Interest level: 2nd -6th

Thematic Areas: Exploration; adventure; Egyptian culture

Content Areas: History; Art

Potential Problems or Difficulties: Terminology may be too advanced for those unfamiliar with Egyptian history; some things described may be too graphic for young readers
Possible use in classroom: In a thematic unit about ancient Egypt; have students research various people and elements of Egyptian culture, and compile these findings in a report; using a mock journal entry, students will write from the viewpoint of an ancient Egyptian boy or girl

Dad, Jackie, and Me

Author: Uhlberg, Myron Title: Dad, Jackie, and Me

Book Genre: Historic fiction Publishing Info: Peachtree, 32 pp.

Summary: This book is set in 1947 in New York City. This story portrays the passion that a young boy and his deaf father have for baseball; both of them love the Brooklyn Dodgers, and this is a historical time for baseball. Jackie Robinson has just begun to play ball with the Dodgers, and he is the first black man to play in the major leagues. Highlights of the summer of 1947 for this young boy and his father include many days spent together at Ebbets Field watching baseball games. Read this book to learn what this deaf father and Jackie have in common.

Personal rating: **** Great

Rationale: Well written, great illustrations, and believable characters


Reading level: 4.0 Interest level: K- 4th

Thematic Areas: Compassion, endurance, family, hardship

Content Areas: Health, History, Math, Language Arts, Physical Education

Potential Problems or Difficulties: Some students may have a hard time seeing this as a work of fiction, because of Jackie Robinson is in the story. This would be a good opportunity to distinguish to them the difference of historical fiction and non-fiction.

Possible use in classroom:
· The teacher could teach students the rules of baseball and talk about good sportsmanship. Students could then participate in an actual soft ballgame for physical exercise and an opportunity to learn how to work with classmates on a team.
· For a connection to Math, the teacher could bring in a newspaper and discuss the stats of the players and help the students understand what these numbers represent. Then for an activity, the students could use computers or newspapers to look up and compare the stats of different teams, showing similarities and differences on a chart. Prediction of the teams’ end of season standings would be a good activity for students to participate in. Then at the end of the season students could research the actual final stats to see if their predictions were true.
· For younger students the teacher could have student use math manipulatives to work on addition. The students would be given scenario (I.e. Your team has four runs and two children on base. When these children cross the home plate what will be your teams score?) Once the students figured out the solution with manipulatives then they would be asked to represent their solutions on paper. After everyone had completed the assignment students could explain their answers to each other.
· This book could be used to teach a history lesson on the era of civil rights movement. Students could interact in a group discussion about what it would have felt like to be Jackie. They could compare and contrast the “father” figure in the book with Jackie Robinson.

The Well

Author: Mildred Taylor                        Title:  The Well

Book Genre: Historical Fiction             Publishing Info: Dial Books NY, 1995 (92pgs

Summary: This is a story set in the early 1900’s, where slavery is not seen as much, but racial tension and discrimination is definitely a problem.  African Americans are allowed to own land and it just so happens that the Logan’s own about 200 acres.  All the wells have gone dry, except for the Logan’s.  The Logan family shares with the community, both black and white folk.  There is one family that happens to be white, that the Logan boys find it hard to share with because they are very disrespectful and stretch the truth, to make Hammer and David Logan look bad and get punished.  The tension between the boys cause so much turmoil, that the only water for the community is spoiled by a trick that the Simms’ boys play, just this time they get caught.

Personal rating:  ****

Rationale: There are many great lessons to be learned from this story, as well as historically based truths to be reminded of.  The characters are easy to relate to, even if you are not of the same race.  It is an unpredictable book, which makes it a book that one does not want to put down.

Reading level: 4.3                                                            Interest level: 4-8

Thematic Areas: Racial issues and discrimination, family, social issues, community, character, 

Content Areas: History and Social Studies

Potential Problems or Difficulties: The “n” word is used throughout the story because it helps portray the racial discrimination of the time.

Possible use in classroom:  Have students choose an instance in which a character in the book displays great courage.• Describe the incident. • Describe the way in which the person behaved courageously. • Tell why (specifically) this act was courageous.

Have students choose an incident from the book in which a character acted in a manner that did not display self-control. • Describe the incident. • State the actions taken by that character which displayed a lack of self-control. • What actions could the character have taken, that would have displayed better self-control. 

Have the students to research, on the computer, the time period in which the story takes place and what could have been different if people would have learned from the past.