Words Have Power

by Karen Leggett Abouraya

“Let us pick up our books and pens…

One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.”

            United Nations, July 12, 2013

The words of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen shot for defending the right of all children to be educated, have echoed around the world.  She continues to travel and speak out, highlighting the dim future for girls forced to leave school early and children forced to flee their homes.

The new edition of Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words (2019, Lee & Low)  tells Malala’s story from the blog she began writing for the BBC at age 11 to her Nobel Prize in 2014 and the organizations she continues to inspire as a 21-year-old college student.

When she returned from her Girl Power Trip around the world in 2017, she said she “wants every girl and boy to stand up and speak out for the millions of children worldwide who are not yet able to attend school.”  The book includes extensive back matter on Pakistan, the Taliban, the Malala Fund and other organizations young people can join to support the cause of global education for all.

Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words is a perfect launchpad for children from elementary school even through high school to think and write about civic engagement, as well as their own lives contrasted with Malala and the children for whom she advocates. Here are a few suggestions:

·       Malala was forced to flee her own home with just a small backpack when the Pakistani Army began fighting the Taliban.  Aside from whatever food and clothes you could carry, what three things would you take if you had to leave your home suddenly and why? (Give this assignment very carefully if there are children in your class who may actually have experienced such displacement.)

·       Children have an immediate understanding of things that are not fair. Have them write about something in their school or community that is unfair – and what they could do about it.

·       For an art project, have students consider this illustration showing Malala’s family when they returned to their town after it had been heavily damaged by fighting. Illustrator Susan L. Roth says she is not precise in her art, which she makes with paper, fabric and other “found” objects. But the emotions in this illustration are very clear. What is the family feeling? Ask students to use paper and found objects to make a portrait showing an emotion. 

·       Older students may scoff at the idea of reading a picture book, but they too can write about how illustrations help tell the story (visual literacy). Students can also react to the ideas in this Washington Post article about the moral authority of children – including Malala. Why do her ideas resonate? Why do students think protests, marches and other civic action by children have a greater impact than actions by adults (or not)?

·       A long-term project: Identify an issue or cause that is supported by the majority of students in class and talk about ways to make the change they would like to see. Write letters to the appropriate authority, design flyers and write online messages to spread the word.

Malala rarely draws attention to herself when she speaks. When she accepted the Nobel Prize, she said, “This award is…for those forgotten children who want education. It is for those frightened children who want peace. It is for those voiceless children who want change.”

Indeed, says the young warrior with words, “our words can change the world.”

CANDY CANDIDATES: Writing Campaign Posters

by Jacqueline Jules

Both Halloween and Election Day are just around the corner. Why not capture the excitement of both events by having a candy election?

Elementary school students should enjoy making posters and writing slogans for their favorite candy treat.

Since there are so many different kinds of candy, you could have primary elections to select candy candidates. Or you can simplify the process and offer three choices.

The important thing is to get students thinking about what goes into a campaign and attracting voters. It takes more than artwork, it takes poetry in the form of slogans.

How do you describe the best qualities of your favorite candy? Can you write 5 to 10 reasons why your candy will improve the life of voters? What promises can your candy make? What can you write that will persuade someone to vote for your candy?

You could even have a debate between candy candidates. One group could write questions and another group could prepare answers.

A classroom of 25 students is the perfect environment for demonstrating the importance of each ballot. A single vote may win the election or there could be a tie, requiring a runoff or coin toss.

Voting is a civic duty. It is never too early to explain the process and to get your students excited about voting.

For more teaching resources on government, voting, and civic responsibility, please check out the following:

Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government

Hot Chalk Lesson Plans--Elections

Scholastic Lesson Plans and Book Resources--Elections

U.S.Elections – Teacher Vision

Voting and Elections: Resources For A Civil Classroom

WRITING CONNECTIONS WITH KAREN LEGGETT ABOURAYA

by Mary Quattlebaum

I’m delighted to welcome Karen Leggett Abouraya to Pencil Tips.  Karen is a long-time champion of children’s books and literacy and first-time co-author, with Susan L. Roth, of Hands Around the Library (Dial 2012), an inspiring nonfiction account of people coming together to protect the great library of Alexandria during the 2011 Egyptian revolution.  Karen reflects on the joys and challenges of writing and offers a prompt to jumpstart youngsters’ thinking about their own civic engagement. The book’s back matter and Susan’s website www.susanlroth.com include information on the international “Let’s Hold Hands” art project, which encourages children to create and share their own self-portrait collaged paper dolls.   This could be a wonderful project for the classroom or home.

1.  I loved reading about a community acting together to ensure the continuation of a library.  It seems that libraries are one of the most important (and cost-effective) ways to foster a love of reading and to ensure the availability of books for everyone.  What was your greatest joy in writing Hands Around the Library?

My greatest joy was finding the opportunity to write a compelling story about modern Egypt – and collaborating with a good friend to do it (acclaimed illustrator and collage artist Susan Roth).  Children know all about pyramids and mummies and the Sphinx, but we tend to forget that Egypt is full of people living busy and interesting lives today.

Here are Karen and Susan in one of Susan’s collage illustrations for the book.

  

2.  Has the book had an impact internationally?

The book has provided an opportunity to share both similarities and differences in the lives of American and Egyptian kids. During a Skype session between students in Alexandria, Virginia, and Alexandria, Egypt, one American boy asked the Egyptian children, “What’s your favorite food?”  An Egyptian girl said, “Pizza and hamburgers.”  It may have been one of the more significant questions of the day because it reminded these kids that they are more alike than different.

3.  What was your greatest challenge in writing the book?

The biggest challenge was making sure we stayed true to what actually happened during the revolution in Egypt in 2011.  The “goosebumps” in this story come not so much from a sense of imminent danger as from seeing so many diverse people – rich and poor, Muslim and Christian, young and old – holding hands to save one community institution they all cherished.  We worked hard to give that message top priority in the story.

4.  Your school visits galvanize much discussion.  Do you have a writing prompt that might connect with the book?

I have conversations, more than writing exercises, with students, but this question would work as a writing prompt as well. The most interesting discussions have been generated when I ask, “What place in your community is so special that you would work hard to save it if it were going to be damaged or destroyed?”   The answers have ranged from the local animal shelter to a local park to the students’ school and homes to Chuck E. Cheese (yes, that was the very first answer I received to this question!). Then we talk about what you might do to save that place – especially if you are one kid or a group of kids – making signs, writing letters, organizing friends, gathering petitions, etc.  I’ve had some great discussions with kids on these issues of civic engagement.

Thank you, Karen!   Your prompt got me thinking about ways to save and strengthen libraries in the United States, many of which have been hit hard by budget cuts.

www.maryquattlebaum.com