Connect: After reading, Encounter by Jane Yolen, and going deeper through the questioning, I wanted my first graders to have an opportunity to get into the characters' skin. The book lent itself to this thinking routine because the reader naturally empathizes with the main character and dislikes the villan. It is also a diffcult book that we worked hard to understand and I wanted to give my first graders a chance to go deeper.
What I did: I had the class count off by one and two and then split them up accordingly. I assigned each number a role. I then paired each student up with their advisary and told them they had to defend their behaviors and goals in the book. Lastly, the children had to articulate their main argument on a sticky note. Their conversations were so amazing. I was impressed by the kiddos that were able to argue for the plight of the white setterlers and their "need" for land and gold. Scarily enough, some of them were pretty convincing.
Extend: I have used the experience in conversations about needs and wants. We have talked about how, like the white settlers, we have strong wants, and if not checked, we can easily trample other people. I also plan to use this routine to help children understand the civil rights movment.
Challenge: The difficulty lies in leading young children through a routine that may bring up yucky feelings. The conversations and the opportunities to learn from the good guys and the bad guys are invaluable, but difficult, none the less.
