Half Spoon of Rice
Publication Information
Author:  Smith, Icy	Illustrator:  Nhem, Sopaul
Title:  Half Spoon of Rice	Date:  2010
Publisher:  East West Discovery Press	City:  Manhattan Beach, CA
ISBN, paperback:  9780982167588	ISBN, hardback:
Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes	ESOL:
Family:	Young Adult:
Picture:   Yes
General Information:
Book Type(s):    historical fiction
HSE Descriptor(s):    social studies
Summary:
Nine-year old Nat is forced from his home and marched into the countryside when the Khmer Rouge takes power. He is separated from his family and is forced to labor in the rice fields for four years. He survives and is reunited with his family. A survival story of the Cambodian genocide from 1975-1979,
Teaching Ideas:
This story could serve as an introduction to a study of the oppression and chaos caused when the Khmer Rouge came to power. Another look at concentration camps that could be used with the Holocaust, Japanese-American camps, etc. Google search of "Cambodian genocide" gave multiple websites for students to study the situation and offer reflection of what happened.
Teaching Strategies:
Book Conversations    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/book_conversations.pdf
DR-TA: Directed Reading Thinking Activity    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/dr_ta.pdf
K-W-L Instruction Strategy    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/k_w_l.pdf
Think-Pair-Share    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/think_pair_share.pdf
Unsent Letters    http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/unsent_letters.pdf
Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
History > time period > 20th Century History > topic > political expansion > oppression History > topic > war > refugees > refugees survival History > topic > war > soldiers History > topic > war > Vietnam Family > orphan

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