Welcome to the Homeless Bird Unit!
Novel Summary:
Like many girls her age in India, thirteen-year-old Koly faces her arranged marriage with hope and courage. But Koly's story takes a terrible turn when in the wake of the ceremony, she discovers she's been horribly misled—her life has been sold for a dowry. Can she forge her own future, even in the face of time-worn tradition?
Perfect for schools and classrooms, this universally acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning novel by master of historical fiction Gloria Whelan is a gripping tale of hope that will transport readers of all ages.
Whole Class Activity: Indian Culture Video
Whole Class Activity: Please Create a Homeless Bird Notebook in Activities.
Whole Class Activity: Ganges River Video
Step 1: Download the map of India and highlight the following areas of India: Jammu, New Delhi, Kashmir, Bangladesh, Jaipur, Rajasthan
a. Read about Indian Culture
b. Download the Indian Culture bubble map and add two bubbles to each subtitle. Place interesting facts in each of the bubbles.
b. Download the map of the Ganges River. Highlight the river in blue.
c. Please read about the Ganges River.
d. Place these words on a tic tac toe board before watching the video. Ganges River, holy people, pilgrims, ritualistic, India, Varanasi, Bathing,
e. Please re-read these pages and highlight figurative language: similes, personification, etc.
pg. 2
pg. 7
pg. 11
pg. 19
Step 2: Please download six images on the Indian culture page.
a. Add one to your Homeless Bird Notebook.
b. Download a blank cube.
c. Add six images to your cube label and underline each label.
Whole Class Activity: How to make a paper quilt. video
Whole Class Activity: Homeless Bird Vocabulary
Step 3. Read about the Caste System.
a. Highlight the topic sentence (most Important) of each paragraph Sometimes it is the first sentence, other times, the last.
b. Download the Two Column Notes Graphic Organizer: Title: The Caste System.
c. Left side label is Caste Name. Right side label is People in the Caste.
d. Caste System Activity: Copy and Paste the Indian Caste System on the graphic Organizer. Make sure the Untouchables are at the bottom.
Whole Class Activity: Strategies for Paraphrasing
Whole Class Activity: The Caste System Video
Whole Class Activity: An Indian Wedding
Step 4: Write 5 things you see in an American Wedding Ceremony using a Venn Diagram. After watching the Indian Wedding, compare and contrast the weddings.
Step 5: Practice pronouncing the major cities in India using Quizlet.
a. Practice Homeless Bird vocabulary using Quizlet.
Step 6: Read Chapter 1. Write an I AM poem about Koly using the template.
a.Put your work into I AM Website
b. Place your poem next to the background of your choice of Indian Culture Images.
Here is a sample template in Slides
c. Upload your "I AM KOLY" poem into the Homeless Bird Google Slide. (Don't forget to screenshot, then add your own slide.)
Step 7: Download the Homeless Bird Novel Study Vocabulary. Choose one word and move on to step 8.
Step 8. Choose a vocabulary word to present using the vocabulary web activity. Screenshot your work and upload into Google Slides.
Step 9: Homeless Bird Discussion Groups: Chapter 1,2:
Step 10: Read Chapter 3,4
Step 11: Please upload your best vocabulary web into Google Slides . Click for your invitation to Homeless Bird Vocabulary Webs.
Step 12: Read Chapter 5
Step 13: Please download the Chapter Summary Activity.
Step 14: Please download the Compare and Contrast Outline.
a. Please compose your own question. ex ( Have you ever?, Do you think?,What is?, Why do?)
b. Please download and add new transition words.
c. Please look for synonyms for any words that are repeated in your essay.
d. Do not forget your Alliterative Titile.
Step 15: Read Chapters 6 and 7.
Step 16: Discussion questions for chapter 7.
Step 17: Please download the vocabulary worksheet.
a. Chapter 5,6
b. Chapter 7,8
Step 18: Please download the vocabulary web.
Step 19: Please upload your work into Google Slides. (Homeless Bird Vocabulary)
Step 20: Read chapters 8 and 9.
Step 21: Write a chapter summary for chapter 9. Choose Koly, Raji, Maa Kamala, and the rich lady. Type it into Pages.
Step 22: Please use question stems to answer Chapter 10 and 11 discussion questions.
Whole Class Post Activities
Step 23: Socratic Seminar Reflection: Please take the Survey
Step 24: Please Complete the Homeless Bird WordSearch
Step 25: Please download the Quilt activity and research stencils and patterns to place on your 5 by 5 template.
Step 26: Jeopardy Game Review
Step 27: Novel Critique of Homeless Bird
Step 28: Homeless Bird Final Test
About the Author: Gloria Whelan