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Change Has Come: An Artist Celebrates Our American Spirit by Barack Obama and Kadir Nelson, ill. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4169-8955-4

 

Annotation: Using words from his speeches, Nelson’s series of spontaneous, energetic drawings capture the hope and excitement of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America.

 

Media: Graphite.

 

Rating: 5Q/5P.

 

Curricular connections: History/Social Studies, English/Language Arts/Black History Month.

 

School level: Middle school or junior high, High school.

 

NP 07/29/09

 

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TOP TEN

Change has Come: An Artist Celebrates our American Spirit by Barack Obama and Kadir Nelson, ill.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009.

ISBN: 978-1-4169-8955-4

Annotation: This “keepsake” picture book celebrates the spontaneous excitement of the election in 2008 and the moment in history when Barack Obama became our President. The text is created from quotations of his speeches over the past four years.

Media: graphite pencil sketches

Aspects of the artwork: Award winning illustrator Kadir Nelson had only 10 days to complete the illustrations which are pencil sketches; a departure from his usual elaborate and emotional paintings. The pencil sketches catch the movement, excitement, and events that celebrate this moment in history.

Curricular Connections: 5-8th grades:Elections, US Government, Black History

Rating: 5Q/5P 

 

Lesson Plan:  History/Current Events

Audience: 5+ (can be modified for any grade level)

Goals and Objectives:

California Curriculum Standards

ELA.5.2.2. Deliver informative presentations about an important idea, issue, or event by the following means:

a. Frame questions to direct the investigation.

b. Establish a controlling idea or topic.

c. Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations. 

 

ELA.5.2.4. Write persuasive letters or compositions:

a. State a clear position in support of a proposal.

b. Support a position with relevant evidence.

c. Follow a simple organizational pattern.

d. Address reader concerns.

  

ALA Information Literacy Standards

Standard 9. the student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and participates in groups to pursue and generate information.

9.1. Collaborates in formal and informal study and research groups.

9.2. Respects the views of others in study and research groups.

Lesson Preparation:

Use an online survey tool like my-eCoach survey tool to conduct an online survey before discussion and at the end of the project.

Type out multiple discussion topic papers for each Table Talk Team (see questions below) Provide space for response recordings and names of the Table Talk group

Have chart paper available for Session 3

Activities:

You can divide activities into multiple sessions 

Prior Knowledge Check.

*Week before Session 1 :  Conduct an online survey using choices shown to collect the following data:

Did you follow the Presidential Election?  daily-weekly-often-seldom-never

Did you watch TV for election information? daily-weekly-often-seldom-never

Did you go online for information? daily-weekly-often-seldom-never

Did you read newspapers for information? daily-weekly-often-seldom-never

Did you talk about it at home? daily-weekly-often-seldom-never

Did you watch the election results at home? daily-weekly-often-seldom-never

Do you watch or listen to the President’s weekly address? yes-no

Do you know about current legislation that affects our lives? yes-no

 

Session 1: What do you know about current events affecting you and the President’s Plan for change?

*Prior Knowledge Check

Review the data collected about the election and how students accessed information about the election. Discuss the implications of the data and what it means, and if there is anything to learn from it. Explain that by the end of this activity students will know where they can go to get current information.

*Read aloud the book Change Has Come.

*Table Talk Teams of 5-6 students each group form together for rapid fire discussions. Students will choose 3 of the questions and spend 3 minutes to discuss what they think, then 2 minutes to record their answers to share aloud with others.

-What does it mean “We’re not going to settle anymore”

-What does it mean “Yes We Can.” Can what?

-“American faith in the simple dreams of people.” What are those dreams?

-What does it mean? “The audacity of hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.” What are the things we need to achieve?

-What are some of the challenges that face us today?

-Change has come to America. What would you be willing to put time and energy into?

Time each section to assure students proceed through the discussions together. Your choice: 3 minutes. Now write your response.2 minutes.

All Together Now:  Each group will choose one of their questions to share with everyone. Rotate through the groups sharing responses. Collect response sheets at the end of the session.

Note: We “Table Talk” all the time and throughout the grades, so my students already know how to work collaboratively, actively listen, and respect multiple perspectives. You may need to spend some time developing these strategies before the Table Talk discussion to assure meaningful responses.

*Session 2

Labwork: Show students http://www.whitehouse.gov  Watch this week’s Presidential address and highlight major topics. In partner teams at the computer go to the briefing room and be ready to share one issue and what is currently happening to it.

For older students, assign homework to choose and read at 3 types of featured legislations, take notes, and be prepared to explain what each is and the current status.

Session 3:  Write a letter to the President

Brainstorm topics from previous Table Talk and the online website that are important topics before the legislation and the President that need change.

As a writing assignment, write a letter to the President and let him know about what you are most concerned about and what you would like him to do.

Evaluation: Have students take a final my-eCoach online survey answering these questions:

Do you know where to get online information about current legislation?

Do you know where to hear the president’s weekly address?

Do you think you will talk about current events in the future with

            Your friends?

            Your family?

            Your class?

Do you know more about the President’s Plans for Change?

What would you like the President to address ASAP?

RAC 7.28.09

 

 

Change has come: An artist celebrates our American Spirit by Barack Obama and Kadir Nelson, ill.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009.

ISBN: 978-1-4169-9-8955-4.                    Subject: Barack Obama                                Grades:  5 and Up

Curricular Connections: a yearbook club may find some of the quotes helpful when developing this year's edition-could also be used in developing a time capsule project.

Change takes President Obama’s words from five public addresses between 2004-2008 to weave into an inspirational tale of what’s to come.  Graphite illustrations are spellbinding in detailed and abstract format.

Q/P:  5/4  (While this book will be very popular this year, it remains to be seen whether it will continue to be so after 2009.)

BVG, 7/21/09

Change has Come: An Artist Celebrates our American Spirit by Barack Obama and Kadir Nelson, ill.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009. ISBN-13: 9781416989554

Interspersed with pieces of Barack Obama's speeches, this picturebook endeavors to capture the excitement of Barack Obama's momentous election as the first black president of the United States.

   - Media: Pencil
   - Rating: 5Q/5P

   - Special Category: one of five copyright 2009 picture books for older readers.

CHA 8/1/09