Under The Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba Book

1) I love this book to use in a classroom, mainly because it shows the struggles and joys that the author goes through in her childhood, just as some of the students will have probably gone through. Books are such a great way to relate to people sometimes, and sometimes all it takes is someone hearing that someone else went through the same thing they did or are at the time and relating to that. I think it's also a great way to teach the history of Cuba from all the events and places the author describes in Cuba, how she makes you feel as if you are really there with her. I think it could be read indivuadually or over the course of a week throughout class.
2) Grade Level: 3rd-7th grade, Age level: 8-12 years old
3) Appropriate classroom use of the book: History, to show the differences such as culture and customs in Cuba and America
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book would be: students who may think they have a rough life here in America, but when they see how much underprivileged other countries are, they will learn to be thankful for what they have.
5) Small group use: Each small group could have a different book that has experiences from different countries and they would have to come up with a skit to act out to the class of an event that happened in their book with their group so that we feel as if we were there.
6) Whole class use: Read as a whole class to show that even children in other countries go through the same struggles and joys that we do here in America. Ask the students what events throughout their lives have shaped them into the person they are today and have everyone share if they want to.
7) Related books: Enchanted Air, An Island Like You, Where the Flame Trees Bloom
8) Multimedia connections: I could not find any multimedia connections directly related to this book, however you could get on YouTube and show your class videos of Cuba, so they would be able to get a better understanding of what she was living in.