EDU T&L 467
Monday Class
Summary
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a true story about Sadako, an eleven year old japanese child who was alive and living in Hiroshima during the United State’s Hiroshima bombing. Sadly, as a result of what Sadako refers to as the “thunderbolt,” Sadako is suffering from leukemia and the illness is causing her body to become weak. While coping with her illness, Sadako attempts to make one thousand paper cranes because she has heard that anyone who does so is granted one wish. Sadako dies before she can finish making all one thousand cranes, but after her death people begin to make origami themselves with Sadako in their thoughts. Sadako is then buried with all one thousand paper cranes and the people create a statue of her as a way to commemorate those who lost their lives as a result of the bombings. The statue also serves to advocate peace worldwide.
Analysis
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, written by Eleanor Corr, is a novel much different than the light hearted books often incorporated into young children’s literature. Unlike elementary school favorites like the Clementine series, Judy Bloom books, or the Magic School Bus series, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes presents itself as a historical novel with depth. The novel touches on sensitive subjects that are more likely to be censored in schools, like death and pain. The emotional connection linked with the novel is both strong and lingering. Though the book based on a true story does not boast of humor, children are still able to enjoy this read with its refreshingly unique context.
I would most likely incorporate this book into a fourth grade curriculum. Due to the topic of the book, I think that students would get the most out of it if it were directed to the class as a read aloud. I would plan to first talk to students about the events of WW2. This would allow the students to have a sense of background before diving into the book, as the book itself directly mentions the bomb falling as well as people being stricken with illness and dying. This book would be even more so beneficial if it coincided with our class history lessons. Having an even greater understanding for what was going on during Sadako’s lifespan and during the setting of the book would only enhance student’s comprehension.
After each reading of the book, I would allow time for class discussion. In order to ensure that students are engaging with the text, I would make sure to ask questions. Questions about what they think about Sadako, and similarities between students lives and Sadako’s may help give students direction. Perhaps the students will note that they too have a collection of some sort, just as Sadako is collecting paper cranes. If students needed additional help to make connections between their lives and Sadako’s, I would ask questions and have students raise their hands if the question applied to them. For example, I would ask, “how many of you guys have a best friend, like Sadako?” “Go to school?” “Have a brother or sister?” It is important that students know that they aren’t so different from this foreign character living decades before them.
By the end of the book, I would question students about the importance of peace. This book should act as a reminder to students that wars do have consequences and that human life is fragile. Though it should be expected that if this book is read to fourth graders, as oppose to being taken home and read by sixth graders, the analysis of the book will vary. It would be assumed that different age groups would take away different things from the book and appreciate it in their own ways. The idea of peace being imperative, however, should be a central concept to all age groups.
To further children’s connection with the book, I would have my fourth grade class attempt to make origami themselves. In doing so, the students would feel more actively engaged with the text as a whole. Assuming that most students will struggle with the task, and that the process of making origami will take up a decent amount of class time, I would then ask students to try to relate with Sadako and her dream of making one thousand paper cranes. Students will get the sense that the task itself is difficult, and that Sadako was very determined. Students should be reminded that Sadako’s battle with leukemia enhanced the difficulty of the task. In addition, it should also be noted that the challenge of making all one thousand paper cranes helped Sadako to keep distracted from her illness as well as to find the strength to continue to fight for her life. At the end of class, I would collect all the paper cranes and explain to the students that we will be using them again at a later time, but explain that they won’t know when we use the paper cranes again until the book is completed.
After finishing the book, students may be a little uneasy because the book doesn’t end with Sadako surviving. However, the book does not end graphically, which is another reason why I believe that the book is not too advanced for a group of fourth graders. Eleanor Corr chooses to narrate Sadako’s death by explaining that the girl fell asleep and did not wake up. It may also be interesting to challenge the students understanding of the book by questioning weather they believe that the book had a happy ending or not. Though the main character did die, it is relevant that after her death, people were moved and began to show their support. Her story became inspirational, and Sadako’s death initiated what could be explained as a peace movement. I would explain that paper cranes are sent to Hiroshima annually in remembrance of Sadako and those who died because of the bombings. After explaining this, I would pull out the paper cranes collected earlier, and ask the students if they’d like to send their paper crane to Hiroshima as a symbol of peace.
Citation
Coerr, Eleanor, and Ronald Himler. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. New York: Puffin,
1999. Print.
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