Book Detail

Miss Spitfire

Publication Information
Author:  Miller, Sarah Illustrator:  
Title:  Miss Spitfire Date:  2007
Publisher:  Atheneum City:  New York
ISBN, paperback:  978-1-4169-2542-2 ISBN, hardback:  

Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes ESOL:   Yes
Family:   Yes Young Adult:   Yes
Picture:  

General Information:
Book Type(s):    historical fiction

HSE Descriptor(s):   

Summary:
Using real letters and records, the author vividly imagines the early days of the relationship between Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan from the teacher's perspective.

Teaching Ideas:
Readers should be urged to keep a reader's journal to note the stages of Helen's progress, in preparation for class discussion and writing on 1) the connection between sense impressions and words; 2) the importance of expectations and disciplilne in learning; and 3) the relation of teacher and learner. Since the author draws the reader's attention to the common traits of Annie Sullivan and Hellen Keller, readers can visualize the similarities and differences with a Venn diagram. Readers will want to choose a favorite passage and examine the use of language. This book would work well for an ABLE book club/discussion.

Teaching Strategies:
bullet Bleich's Heuristic for Responding to Reading
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/bleichs_heuristic.pdf
bullet Reader's Theater
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/readers_theater.pdf
bullet Types of Journals
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/types_of_journals.pdf
bullet Venn Diagrams
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/venn_diagrams.pdf
bullet 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
bullet Education > teachers
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > anger
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > imagination
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > personal issues > individual > physical issues > physical disability
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > personal issues > individual > life choices > problem solving
bullet Family > children > childhood
bullet Hardships > adversity
bullet Literature and Language > language
bullet Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history
bullet Literature and Language > sign language


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