Who are you? Where is your place in society? How has society treated people, historically and currently? These are the questions that sixth graders discussed in reading class during our social justice unit. We started with a deep dive into The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. This Holocaust-themed novel prompted many discussions of history, bystanders, upstanders, and perpetrators. Our students are to be commended for their sensitivity to a complex topic and their willingness to ask questions and listen to each other. We also had a presentation from our music teacher, Mrs. Contreras, who shared her own family’s experience during the Holocaust. After reading the novel, the class visited The Museum of Tolerance to solidify their understanding. We received high praise from the docents for the students’ knowledge and compassion.
We are now completing a book club rotation in which each group deeply dives into a second book with a social justice theme. Books read include Ghost Boys, Out of My Mind, and Return to Sender. Each group discussed how characters are complex, like people in real life, and how actions and decisions have consequences. They have also become proficient at explaining themes and conflicts in novels. Our readers are working on book talks, which they will present to demonstrate their newfound knowledge.
As we leave the world of fiction, students will move into biographical reading to discuss the plight of the lost boys of Sudan in A Long Walk to Water and the life of disability activist Judy Heumann in Rolling Warrior. As a character said in Ghost Boys, “Only the living can make change.” Our sixth graders are ready to embrace the role of changemakers.