Having students choose a favorite quote or scene from the book allows them to express which parts of the story resonated with them on a personal level. In this way, students are making a text-to-self connection that demonstrates their understanding of the characters and their development or the themes of the novel. Students can share their storyboards afterwards and have a short discussion about what the quotes mean to them.
Some students may end up choosing the same quote, but have different perspectives. This is always interesting for students to see and can open up a discussion as to how not everyone can read the same lines in the same way based on their own perspectives and personal experiences.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana (Prologue)
"We are not defined by our mistakes ... but by what we do after we've learned from them." (p. 4)
"Those were dark times, yes ... but what has stayed with me the most is not the darkness but the light. That is what I have held onto all these years.." (p. 7)
"The birds know mountains that we have not dreamed - Muriel Rukeyser, "Fifth Elegy: A Turning Wind", Part One
"They have a darkness inside them, so that is all they see in others: darkness. Why do they hate us? Because they cannot see our light. Nor can they extinguish it. As long as we shine our light, we win." (p. 38-39)
"It's not up to God to make it end, Pastor. Evil will only be stopped when good people decide to put an end to it. It is our fight, not God's." (p. 116)
"In these dark times, it's those small acts of kindness that keep us alive, after all. They remind us of our humanity." (p. 117)
"The best friendships are the ones where words are not needed." (p. 130)
"You might forget many things in your life, but you never forget kindness. Like love, it stays with you ... forever." (p. 185)
"It always takes courage to be kind, but in those days, when such kindness could cost you everything - your freedom, your life - kindness becomes a miracle. It becomes that light in the darkness that papa talked about, the very essence of our humanity. It is hope." (p. 186)
"What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it from happening again." - Anne Frank (Epilogue)
"Evil is only stopped when good people finally come together to put an end to it. There must be the will. The struggle follows." (p. 190)
"Never Again. We Remember."(p. 204)
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies your favorite quote or scene in White Bird. Illustrate your quote and write what it means to you.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Quote, Illustration, 1-2 sentences about what it means to you.
Ask the students to read the story carefully and select a line from "White Bird" that speaks to them. Encourage them to choose a quotation that has meaning for them personally, or that they believe to be especially strong or thought-provoking. Students will be using this quote to give it their own perspective by making a poster.
If appropriate, students can add pictures, symbols, or other representations of the phrase or the book's ideas. These images might clarify the quote's meaning. Students can also make their own paintings and drawings based on whatever the quote means to them. Encourage the students to draw the first thing that comes to their minds after reading the quote.
Encourage the students to be imaginative while creating their posters. To improve the overall look, they might add borders, patterns, or other ornamental components. Guide the students to be respectful while adding their creativity as many of the themes and topics in the book are sensitive and hold sentimental value for people.
To highlight the students' creative effort, consider exhibiting the finished posters in the classroom or another appropriate location. Students can also invite other teachers and students to walk through their posters and discuss their perspectives on the quote and the overall story.
Through the poster display, students can look at each other's work and understand the perspectives of their classmates on different ideas. It will also enhance their understanding of the narrative and look at the story from several different viewpoints. Encourage the students to learn from this activity and apply this concept in their lives as well.
Themes that appear frequently in "White Bird" include the Holocaust, prejudice, resiliency, heroism, identification, generosity, trauma, and torture. Any of these subjects can be explored through quotes. Students can analyze the quotes and categorize them according to the themes they represent in the narrative.
When used effectively, quotes can help readers comprehend the author's main ideas or message. They frequently condense important points that the author wants the reader to understand. Students can reflect on the author’s intended message and the message of the quotation side by side to examine the central message of the story.