Rosa

Written by Nikki Giovanni

Published by Henry Holt & Company in 2005

"They decided they would stand under the umbrella of courage Rosa Parks had offered, keeping off the rains of ear and self disgust."

Summary: Through beautiful illustrations and powerful language, this picture book tells the true story of Rosa Parks and her courage. With one simple "No", Rosa challenged racism and started a city-wide movement in Montgomery, Alabama. Readers will learn about Rosa's story through the eyes of the discriminated, and step back in history to witness a Civil Rights Movement that changed history.

Awards: 

• 2006 Caldecott Honor Book
• 2006 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration
• 2006 Teacher's Choice Winner

Reading Level: Lexile Framework: 900L Grade Level: 3-4

Suggested Delivery: Read-Aloud

Description: Biography, Historical Non-Fiction, PIcture Book, Diversity

Key Vocabulary: Civil Rights, Inherently, Justice, NAACP, neutral section, integrity, Brown v. Board of Education

Vocabulary that MUST be addressed: lynched

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use Rosa to support Black History month in February. This book can be used for more than just Rosa's story; it features other historical events (Brown V.Board of Ed, NAACP, Jim Crow Laws) and emphasizes the overall theme of inequality and diversity.
2. While reading, give students opportunities to react to the powerful subject matter. Encourage discussion, journal entries, think-pair-share, etc.... anything to get students thinking and open up about this very important topic.
3. Introduce the book by asking students what they think "courage" means. Have students write a short response in which they define what courage means to them, or give examples of someone they think is courageous.

Comprehension Strategies:

Before Reading: Before reading this novel, it is necessary that students have some background knowledge of Rosa Parks. Post a K-W-L chart on the board and ask students to share what they know about her. Then, have students break into pairs and spend some time int he library/computer lab to generate some more entries for the K column as well as some questions for the W column. 

During Reading: While reading, stop when another historical event is mentioned. In this book, there are references to Jim Crow Laws, NAACP, 1954 Brown v. Board of Education, Emmett Till's lynching and the Civil Rights Movement as a whole. These are important topics which must be addressed. Compile a list of these events and then, after reading, divide students into small groups to conduct some additional research. Have group share their findings with the class.

After Reading: In addition to completing the L section of the K-W-L chart, and having students conduct additional research on more historical events mentioned in the book, students will participate in student book talks. This will be an opportunity for students to discuss, in small groups, their reactions to the events in the book and the topic of Civil Rights overall.

Writing Activity: Students will write a letter to Rosa Parks giving their reactions to her actions that day on the bus. Remind students of the prejudices of the time, and how much courage it takes for one person to stand up to societal norms. Propose questions to students such as "Why do you think Rosa decided to be brave that day?" "Do you think she was scared?" etc.

Electronic Resources:

The Story Behind the Bus

This website is about the real bus Rosa sat on which now sits at an exhibit in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

The Civil Rights Movement: A Short Video Clip

This video gives an overview of the Civil Rights Movement with all of its important events and figures. 

Giovanni, Nikki. (2005). Rosa. New York: Henry Holt and Company.