The Underground Railroad and Ziggy Mystery #2

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My grade three students have started their second Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs Mystery. We loved reading the first book together and are already enjoying the second. As I write this update to you we are about to start Chapter 5.

Ziggy continues to make us laugh even while we are learning about serious historical events. Ziggy and his friends live in Ohio near the Ohio River. As the story begins, Ziggy is looking for his homework. Completed homework is a requirement to  attend the class field trip to visit the Ohio River.

During this unit I read historical picture books with the first four chapters to build background knowledge and help students get a better understanding of the story. I am extremely inspired by the amazing questions and connections the students are making with a difficult part of America's history.

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In Freedom River,  John Parker an ex-slave that bought his own freedom, helps a family escape across the river from the slave state of Kentucky to the free state of Ohio. John Parker was a real abolitionist. More information about John Parker can be found here.

More information about author Doreen Rappaport can be found here. And see more of Bryan Collier by clicking on this link.

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Our next historical picture book was Underground by Shane W. Evans. You can get a first hand feel for this book by going to Shane's website.

We also read Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story From The Underground Railroad - enjoy the beautiful Kadir Nelson illustrations. And Unspoken, a wordless picture book by Henry Cole.

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The plot thickens when we start Chapter 5 of Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs, Lost in the Tunnel of Time. Stay tuned for more exciting news from your child's 3rd grade Library Media Class!

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