Happy Women's History Month! Part 1

Today I asked some of my 4th and 5th grade Dewey Duty helpers to read picture book biographies and then write short reviews in honor of Women's History Month.  I pulled out a bunch of books from my collection and had kids work in pairs reading and writing the reviews.  They seemed to have fun with it.  It was great seeing them reading to each other.  I have to admit,  this morning I read a tweet from Mr. Schu with a picture of Shana Corey's Here Come the Girl Scouts which sparked this idea.  (I hope someone reviews that book tomorrow!) I love all these biographies on women we may not always learn about. Hope you do, too! Note:  Editing on the reviews was very limited...kid driven, kid written.

DAREDEVIL-The Daring Life of Betty Skelton

By: Meghan McCarthy

Reviews By: Emily and Maggie

Grade-5

  DAREDEVIL by Meghan McCarthy is a very interesting book. When Betty Skelton was a little girl she used to sit on her back steps and watch airplanes fly by her house and she imagined that she was the pilot. When Betty was 16 instead of getting her driver's license she got an airplane license. Betty became the first woman to become a stunt pilot. After Betty retired from being a stunt pilot she became many other things including a racecar driver,first female boat jumper. These are some details Betty did during her life.

Title: Little Melba and Her Big Trombone

Author: Katheryn Russell-Brown
Illustrator: Frank Morrison

Isabella S. and Rachael F. - 5th grade

Have you ever heard a little girl play the trombone? Well then you need to meet Melba Doretta Liston. Even though she was short, and had short arms, if she tilted of her head she could still play the trombone. Melba was only eight but she could still the play any instrument the way other people could. Melba lived in Kansas City but she moved to Los Angeles in 1937. There, Melba’s talent kept growing. She began writing her own music, too.Then in 1943, when she was seventeen, Melba was invited to tour the country with a new band led by trumpet player Gerald Wilson. So, if you ever get to play or want to play the trombone, you can think back to what Melba Doretta did when she played the trombone.

Martin & Mahalia

By Andrea Davis Pinkney & Brian Pinkney

Zackary C. & Cole D.

4th Grade

Did you know than Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t the only one who had his voice heard?  Mahalia and Martin worked together to get equality for African Americans. They were both born with the gift of the gospel. She sang and he spoke. Without them, there would be no equality.

    

                                   

The Tree Lady  by Ethan and Luke
By H. Joseph Hopkins
Illustrated by Jill McElmurry

5th grade    

                           

       Could you imagine a young girl planting trees all over San Diego? 

Katherine Olivia Sessions was the first girl to get a degree in science at the University of California in 1881. Kate love to be in forest and no other girl liked the forest. Kate was the vice principal of a school.These are some facts about the book The Tree Lady  .    

Title: Brave Girl

Author: Michelle Markel
Illustrated by: Melissa Sweet

Name: Isabella S. and Rachael F.

5th grade

        Have you ever been bossed around? Then meet Clara Lemlich. She only gets a few hours of sleep, and gets underpaid. Clara works at a sewing factory, and has to carry her sewing machine there. If she is a few minutes late, you get a half a day's pay. If you get blood on your clothes you’re fined. If it happens a second time, you’re fired. At night, the doors are locked and you’re inspected every night before you leave to make sure you haven’t stolen anything. When Clara was walking down the street with girls, the bosses hired men to beat her, and other strikers. The police arrested her seventeen times. They broke six of her ribs but they couldn’t break her spirit, because it is shatter proof. So for all of those people who got bossed around, you can think back to what Clara did to get her rights.  

Stay tuned for more reviews tomorrow including Julia Child, Rosa Parks and Annie Taylor!