Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis: A Story of A Childhood

By: Marjane Satrapi

“One can forgive but one should never forget” (Satrapi, 2003, p. 2)

Genre: Nonfiction, Graphic Novel, World Literature, Memoir

Lexile Level: GN380L

Summary: Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Her story is told through black and white comic strips. During her life in Tehran between the ages of six and fourteen, Satrapi saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the success of the Islamic Revolution, and the effects of war with Iraq. She tells of her childhood experiences through comics. The result is an extremely personal, political, and original story of growing up. It shows the reader how we carry on in the face of adversity and introduces us to a little girl we can’t help but love.

Please click here to view my selling tool, an infographic on Persepolis.

Standards:

AASL: 1.1.1 Follow and inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects and make the real world connections for using this process in own life.

1.1.7 Make sense of information from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view of bias.

Common Core Standards: CC.8.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CC.7.R.I.2 Key Ideas and Details: Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their developments over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Learning Goal: Students will compare and contrast the comic strips of Persepolis to photographs of the Islamic Revolution. Students will write a journal entry portraying the thoughts and feelings of a child living in Iran during this time.

Learning Objectives:

1. Students will compare and contrast the text of Persepolis to the historical events of the Islamic Revolution.
2. Students will assess the comic strips of Persepolis and find three comics that relate to three real photographs from the Iranian Revolution using pictures from this website.
3. Students will write a journal entry from the point of view of a child living through the Islamic Revolution in Iran. They will describe the feelings, worries, and daily life of someone living at that time.

Learning Outcome:

1. Students will be able to identify the real-life events that Satrapi describes and draws in her comics to actual photographs from the revolution.
2. Students will write a journal entry describing the thoughts and feelings of a child living during this time.

El Deafo: A Book Review and Learning Activity

By: Charlene V. Martoni

Title: El Deafo
Author/illustrator: Cece Bell
Genre: Graphic novel, autobiography, memoir, disability
Age Range: 8-12
Grade Level: 3-7
Lexile Level: GN420L








MLA 8 Citation: Bell, Cece. El Deafo. Amulet Books, 2014.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL BOOK REVIEW SLIDESHOW😀

CLICK HERE FOR THE LEARNING ACTIVITY OUTLINE.

Ugly: A Read Aloud

By: Charlene V. Martoni

Title: Ugly
Author: Robert Hoge
Genre: Autobiography, memoir, disability
Age Range: 8-12
Grade Level: 3-7
Lexile Level: 890L








MLA 8 Citation: Hoge, Robert. Ugly. Hachette Publishing, 2015.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SLIDESHOW😀

CLICK HERE FOR THE LEARNING ACTIVITY OUTLINE.

BOOK TALK:

Fun Home, A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

(courtesy of amazon.com) Title: Fun Home, A Family Tragicomic Author: Alison Bechdel Lexile: N/A Genre: Banned books, graphic novel, memoir Summary: An extremely candid memoir of Alison Bechdel’s early life, and a document of her difficult father. Deep in emotion and revelation, Bechdel’s book pulls no punches in describing her family. As the banned book suggest, this book contains explicit material. Activity: If I’m to be honest this book would not be recommended for library activities, the subject matter is sensitive and quiet dark, those teens who wish to read it will no doubt find deep emotional value in Bechdel’s life but it would be best read as its own entity not tied with curriculum. Discussion: As an alternative to a traditional lesson I would suggest this novel as a good discussion piece, where teens can review the material maturely, perhaps in a discussion on the difficulties of creating a memoir and putting your life out on display, for good and ill?

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson

 

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir

Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown girl dreaming. NY, NY: Penguin Group, 2014. Print.

ISBN: 978-0-399-25251-8

Recommended for: Grades 5 and up

Lexile Level: 0990

Awards:

Newbery Medal Winner

National book award Finalist

Personal Response:

This is a memoir book written in a lyrical format about an African-American girl named Jackie. She grew up in 1960’s when there was still segregation and marches for social equality. She tells about her life as a child, enjoying the comfort of grandma’s Carolina Home; as a student, struggling with reading but being able to memorize whole books; as a grown dreamer who grew up in a beautiful and strong woman and an honor writer. This book was a real easy read and I can even use it in my upper elementary grades. I believe many of my African American children can relate to some aspects of Jacqueline’s life.

Selling Tool: Book talking

This book is a great find for social studies students, no matter the grade level. Topics like racism, segregation, marches, peaceful protest have a big place in this book along with Jacqueline’s life story. When you read it, it sounds like a novel but then it hits you that this is a memoir and it adds a whole different meaning to the situations described in the book. This book is also great if anyone is looking for insights about the religion of Jehovah witnesses. It has many references to the religion and religious practices. Overall, the book is very multifaceted and is a great read not only for children 10 and up but I believe adults will find it very interesting as well. I strongly recommend it for its authentic stories that are told in beautiful poems.

Read-alikes:

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Also by Jacqueline Woodson:

Feathers

Miracle’s Boys

Activity: after reading the book, students will think of some events that happened to them and pick one to write a short poem about it. Remind them that it doesn't have to rhyme all the time, but it would definitely be nice if it does. Demonstrate by writing a short poem that the whole class can make together about the school life.
Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.A
Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
Goal: Students will learn how to write short poems
Objective: Students will write a short poem about one event that actually happened in their lives, creating at least 4 lines.
Outcome: Students will be able to put a story in a poem