The Book Pass as a Reading Tool

The Book Pass is a structured way to look at a collection of books in a limited amount of time as a way to evaluate literature. Set up stations with four seats each. At each station, place one set of books related to a book group theme. Hand out the Book Pass Review sheet. Have everyone sit down and grab a book. Browse the book for 2 minutes. Then in the next 30 seconds fill out the review sheet so you remember which book(s) you liked and why. Then pass your book to the left and repeat. This can be used as a pre-reading activity to help students choose a book for literature circle or reading.

Adapted from: Harvey Daniels & Nancy Steineke, ed., Mini-Lessons for Literature Circles (2004)

Exploration & Discovery
Jean Fritz, The Lost Colony of Roanoke (2004)
Melody Herr, Exploring the New World: An Interactive History Adventure (2008)
Karen Lange, 1607: A New Look at Jamestown (2007)
Betsy and Giulio Maestro, Exploration and Conquest: The Americas after Columbus (1994)
Scott O’Dell, The King’s Fifth (1966)
Jane Yolen, Encounter (1992)
Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple, Roanoke: The Lost Colony (2003)

Changes in the Land
Virginia Lee Burton, The Little House (1942)
Lynne Cherry, A River Ran Wild
David Foster, New England Forests Through Time (2000)
Richard Michelson, Tuttle’s Red Barn: The Story of America’s Oldest Family Farm (2007)

Slavery in the North
Laurie Halse Anderson, Chains (2008)
Kathryn Lasky, A Voice of Her Own: The Story of Phillis Wheatley, Slave Poet
Ann Rinaldi, Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons, 1996
Patricia Wall, Child Out of Place: A Story of New England (2004)

Lewis & Clark
Joseph Bruchac, Sacajawea (2000)
Alvin Josephy, Jr., ed., Lewis and Clark through Indian Eyes (2006)
Rosalyn Schanzer, How we Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis & Clark (1997)
Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, Bad River Boys: A Meeting of the Lakota Sioux with Lewis and Clark

Book Pass Review Sheet

Title:

Author:

Relates to: __Exploration ­__Changes in the Land __Slavery in the North __ Lewis and Clark __ General Historical Thinking

Genre _____ Fiction _____Non Fiction ____Biography

_____ Picture Book _____ Chapter Book with Pictures _____Unillustrated Chapter Book

Reading Level ____Above Grade Level ____At Grade Level ____Below Grade Level ____Good Read Aloud

Illustrations ____None ____Historically Accurate _____ Good for Visual Thinking Strategies

Historical Accuracy _____ Endnotes and Bibliography Provided ______Stereotypes Avoided

Comments:

Slavery in the North

Did you know that John Winthrop was a slave owner? In book group we have been reading Ten Hills Farm: The Forgotten History of Slavery in the North. This deep history of one farm (first owned by John Winthrop) north of Boston reveals how interconnected the North was to slavery.

Want to find out more about slavery in the North? Check out these links:

You can actually visit The Isaac Royall House and Slave Quarters in Medford, Mass. This is the real "Ten Hills Farm."

Slavery in the North This website provides an overview of each northern state and its relationship to slavery.

Traces of the Trade: A Story of the Deep North tells the story of how descendants of Rhode Island's most powerful slave trader came to grips with their family history. The website accompanies a film which follows the family as they retrace the triangle trade. The film and teaching materials are available online.

A Forgotten History: The Slave Trade and Slavery in New England is a curriculum published by Brown University. You can purchase the curriculum for download.