8th Grade World History Guided Reading Books

Young Voices: Stories of Courage & Resilience in Conflict & Adversity

64 pages

Grade 5 to 8

All stories also available individually

Discover the resilience and hope of youth with our collection of eight short stories for grades 5 to 8, each set against the backdrop of global conflict and adversity. These narratives, ranging from a diary in the ruins of Gaza to unexpected friendships in Kashmir, offer a window into the impact of war on young lives. They capture the essence of innocence and the unyielding human spirit, providing a poignant exploration of loss, tradition, and the strength found in family and friendship bonds amidst turmoil.

Our carefully curated anthology spans from the streets of Sarajevo to the tense borders of East Ukraine and beyond, bringing to light the often-overlooked experiences of children in war-torn environments. These authentic tales not only confront the harsh realities of violence but also weave threads of hope, suggesting paths toward healing and peace. This collection is a profound reminder of our shared humanity and the vital importance of nurturing and listening to the world's youth, who carry the promise of a brighter, more united future.

Each story comes with a set of probing and thought-provoking questions.

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Stories

Iqbal & Yasmin: A Kashmiri Story

● A Kashmiri boy starts a cricket league to bring together youth from opposing

sides and provide hope in the midst of conflict.

Mykhala & Daniela: Slava Ukraini

● Two girls driven from their homes in Ukraine find friendship and purpose in

creating a bird sanctuary, becoming symbols of resilience and peace.

Kiribati: Rising Tides, Resilient Hearts

● Two girls from the island nation of Kiribati find strength in their bond as their

community is forced to leave their sinking homeland.

Irene’s Steps: A Story from the Troubles in Northern Ireland

● An unlikely friendship between a Catholic girl and a Protestant boy in Northern

Ireland during the Troubles helps bridge divides through their school project

sharing personal stories.

Beyond the Horizon: A Mexican Tale

● Four friends from Mexico undertake the perilous journey across the border,

driven by hopes for a better future.

Echoes of Hope: The Children of Sarajevo

● Children create an oasis of hope and resistance through education and art during the Siege of Sarajevo.

Gaza Diary: Shadows of Hope

● A young girl in Gaza chronicles her family's daily struggles for survival and

glimpses of hope amidst the cycles of war devastating her community.

The Day the World Changed: 9/11

● Two NYC teenagers find purpose helping their community cope with the

aftermath of 9/11, gaining resilience amidst tragedy.

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General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design Stories

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the

human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the

safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

Engage your students with a comprehensive Pre-Reading Historical Introduction to The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This Digital PowerPoint Lesson seamlessly presents this novel’s significant setting with critical world events of the time. This resource greatly improves comprehension while aligning to standards, ensuring a richer literary experience for all learning styles.

For use with whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeschool classrooms

PowerPoint Slides:

1. **Author Photo and Short Biography** Providing students with a personal connection to the author, enhancing their engagement and understanding of the writer’s influence behind the story.

2. **Historical Fiction Genre** Preparing students to critically analyze how real-world events of the time-period are portrayed through creative storytelling.

3. **Audio Link to Book**Providing an additional resource to support diverse learning styles and ensuring all students can access and engage with the text.

4. **Location Facts, Photos, and Maps** Providing students with a concrete understanding of the setting, enriching their grasp of the historical and geographical context of the story.

5. **Time-period Facts, Photos and Links** Helping students visualize and comprehend the novel’s historical context, deepening their understanding of the events and culture depicted in the story.

6. **Link to Time-period Music** Immersing students in the cultural atmosphere of the era, promoting an emotional connection.

7. **Links to Historical Video Clips** Bringing history to life, providing visual imagery and helping students better understand the events and people of the time-period.

8. **List of Books Written by this Author** Reading other books by the same author is important because it allows students to explore similar themes and styles, fostering a greater interest in literature and a deeper connection with the author's body of work.

9. **Pre and Post Printable Assessments and Answer Key** Crucial for the digital introduction lesson helping to gauge students' initial knowledge and track their progress, ensuring their understanding of the novel.

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide factual backstory to historical fiction text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage

· Add to electronic notebooks

Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

This lesson is also available in Google Slides.

Enjoy!

-From Kiwious About Vocab

This NONFICTION PowerPoint lesson provides digital pre-reading resources & factual historical background information for The Book Thief -BL 5.1, plus a digital book report template!

* LINK to the AUDIOBOOK is included

1.HISTORICAL POWERPOINT: Please be aware that YOUTUBE LINKS open to a standard warning page which must be clicked to access video.

• Opening slides

-Audiobook link

-genre, author photo and short bio.

•Setting slides

-Location facts, photos, maps

-Time period facts, photos and links

-Link to period music

-Links to historical video clips

*Assessments

-Printable Pre and Post assessments

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide factual backstory to historical fiction text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage for review

· Add to electronic notebooks

· Provide test review

· Prompt Writing or Research assignments

2. EDITABLE BOOK REPORT CULMINATING ACTIVITY OR ASSESSMENT

This PowerPoint template has been designed to assist students in creating an upper elementary historical fictional book project. The editable slides are highly organized with titles of story elements needed for a thorough project. The end product may be used as a Reading assessment. Questions and prompts are included so students will always include all critical information.

Teachers can adapt the template to their needs and the needs of their students. The template is perfect to support Special Education students, ESL students, struggling students, or guide the entire class!

Fictional story mapping includes elements such as exposition, rising action, character traits, climax, turning point……. The slides are logically organized and allow for adding photos or drawings. Slides can be deleted, and others added where needed.

This PowerPoint template will allow all students to complete their Reading Project, book report, or assessment and present an end product of which they are they proud!