September 21 – International Day of Peace

You can’t miss hearing about the horrors of being a Syrian refugee at the moment.  Whatever mode of news you open or turn on each day, there are more stories to let us know just how terrible the crisis is. I don’t know how many times I’ve read about how someone hopes and yearns for a place to settle and just live their lives in peace.

September 21^st marks the UN International Day of Peace, a day “devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.”

Seems to me that we might have a ways to go on this one.

Here are a few recommendations to open discussions and explore issues: 

ELEMENTARY

Peace by Wendy Anderson Halperin

The Toa Te Ching poses the question, how can we bring peace to the world?. Using beautiful quotes and illustrations the big concept of peace is explored, from a global perspective to more personal one.

Peaceful pieces: poems and quilts about peace by Anna Grossnickle Hines

A collection of poems beautifully illustrated with quilted pieces that offer reflections about the nature of peace and conditions that can conspire to create atmospheres where peace doesn’t exist.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

A historical novel that looks at the trials and tribulations of preteens during the period of the Cuban Missile crisis in the 60s. Included are all sorts of primary document sources like headlines of news articles, songs, poetry, and government pamphlets about safety if a nuclear bomb should be dropped.

Thanadelthur: peacemaker of the Chipewyan by Claude Belanger

Thanadelthur was a Chipewyan woman, who worked to establish peace with the Cree to promote better trade relations with the Hudson’s Bay Company in the early 1700s.  This short play could be used for readers’ theatre.

Why do we fight?: conflict, war and peace by Niki Walker

Looks at real world conflict situations to explore the issues related to war and peace.

SECONDARY

Kamakwie: finding peace, love and injustice in Sierra Leone by Kathleen Martin

Not the easiest of reads but illuminating nevertheless.  Martin recounts her time and the people she met while living in a village in Sierra Leone.  She explains how civil war has played a huge part in contributing to brutal living conditions which continue to impact the villagers.

Peace: the biography of a symbol by Ken Kolsbun

From the 50s to present, relates how this image has been used over time with lots of photographs.

TEACHING BOOKS

World peace and other 4^th grade achievements by John Hunt

Fascinating look at Hunter’s approach to teaching and his development of a simulation that taps into gaming and challenges young people to figure 

International Day of Peace - September 21, 2011

Otherwise known as Peace Day, this is the day that the United Nations has set aside to encourage all nations and all people to work toward worldwide peace.

"Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace."
 

So, in honor of today I’d like to suggest Peaceful pieces: poems and quilts about peace by Anna Grossnickle Hines (811 HiPe 2011 PIC BK) for your consideration.

This is one of those books that I think will be appreciated in many classrooms for a variety of purposes. This collection of poems explores various aspects of peace from the personal to the profound, between everyday people and people with public prominence.

Children will recognize themselves when reading the poem about two siblings who must stand nose-to-nose after their bickering drives their mother crazy. Predictably, tensions between the two disperse quickly as they try not to break out giggling. Or, as described in another poem, a busy, agitated brain is bombarded with chaotic, frenzied thoughts and ideas, fighting to calm itself, looking for peace.

The efforts of people such as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela are celebrated here as well as people who I had not known about, like Samantha Smith and Mattie Stepanek. Short biographies are included at the back of the book to tell us of their labours making the world a better place.

The most notable aspect of this collection though is the illustrations. The author has illustrated each two page spread with stunning quilted panels. The vibrant colours and patterns, the stitching and the cloth-piecing are dazzling.

This is a gorgeous book, relevant to all of us. Teachers will use this for poetry units, art, science, and social studies as it ties into personal, political and natural worlds.

The suggested reading level is grade 1-5 but the theme will work for older students, as well.

Last year’s recommendation, What does peace feel like? by Vladimir Radunsky (303.66 RaW 2004 PIC BK) compliments Peaceful pieces perfectly.

Today is Nonfiction Monday, a roundup of blogs that review nonfiction children's literature. Stop by Tales from the Rushmore Kid to read up on this week's recommendation.

International Day of Peace – September 21, 2010. - Nonfiction Monday.

I know!  Another International Day of… in this case, Peace.  There so many of these International Days of… that I was quite determined when I started blogging not to overuse them.  But I am finding that it is a great way to: 1. raise awareness and, 2. promote a favorite book or two, at the same time.

So, to point #1 – awareness.  This is a day that the United Nations  encourages all nations to observe a “day of global ceasefire and non-violence".  This year’s initiative is being pitched to kids, looking to hear how they are working toward a more peaceful world.

Point #2: One of my all time favorite books that I recommend time and again is What does peace feel like? by Vladimir Radunsky (303.66 RaW 2004 PIC BK).  It’s a highly descriptive way of looking at the concept of peace using metaphors and walking us through the senses at the same time.  To each of the questions: What does peace feel like? What does peace taste like?  …smell like?, etc.,children ranging between the ages of 8 and 10,  provide answers like, peace smells like new furniture or pizza and peace looks like a dog and cat curled sleeping together.

I like that a concept such as ‘peace’ is described in more concrete terms to help children understand what peace is all about.  Tying it to the senses makes for an opportunity to bring in science, too.

Doesn’t it make you wonder what the life of the child is like who connects peace to new furniture? 

                        

Join Nonfiction Monday Roundup at Wrapped in Foil to see a list of recent blogs dedicated to highlighting nonfiction resources.