Alia`s Mission - Hampton

Collection B, Unit 5
Challenges
Alia’s Mission
Can You Feel the Thunder?
Tae’s Sonata
Alia’s Mission
by Mark Alan Stamaty
T
he dramatic black-and-white panels
in this graphic novel tell the true
account of a librarian’s mission to save
the irreplaceable treasures of her people
during the Iraq war. It’s 2003 and Alia
knows that war is coming to Basra.
Fearing that all the books in her library
will be destroyed, she sneaks armloads
out of the library and stores them safely
at home. Once the bombing, burning,
and looting begin, even more books
are in danger. Alia convinces friends,
neighbors, and local merchants that the
books are worth saving. Together, they
save over 30,000 books.
Reading Level (Lexile) 850L
Format/Length Graphic novel, 32 pages
Picture Support Substantial and realistic
Language Register Dialogue and simple narration
Content Load Foreign, adult, war
Related Skills
• Comprehension and Critical Thinking
Cause and Effect
Summarize
Analyze Persuasive Techniques
• Literary Analysis
Author’s Purpose and Point of View
• Reading and Learning Strategies
Use SQ3R
About the Author
A well-known cartoonist, Mark Alan Stamaty has published several comic
strips in the Village Voice, Washington Post, and Boston Globe. His Boox
comic strip appears regularly in the New York Times Book Review. When
the heroic effort of the Basra librarian was reported in the New York
Times in 2003, Stamaty saw the elements for a powerful story. Using
graphic panels and pen-and-ink with pencil and gray wash, he produced
an informative telling of the story. Stamaty lives in New York City and
often visits the New York Public Library.
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Alia’s Mission
Think About What You Know
Risks Alia took a serious risk by ignoring the government
official. To help students understand how important the
books were to her:
• Display the expression, take a risk, and define it: A risk
is a danger or possibility that something unexpected
could happen. When you take a risk, you take a chance
that something won’t happen the way you think it will.
Sometimes when you take a risk, there is a good result;
other times there is a bad result.
• Then brainstorm examples of taking risks by using everyday
examples such as trying a new sport, speaking in front
of a group, or trying a new hairstyle; and more serious
examples such as mountain climbing, swimming with
sharks, or rescuing people from a fire.
• Next, have students use Student Journal, page 3 to
tell what they think it means to take a risk and give an
example.
Preview and Predict
Have students look at the front cover, read the title, and
then read the book summary on the back cover. Say:
• Do you think Alia is in danger? Why would she want
to risk her life to save books?
Student Journal, page 3
Prepare to Read
Think About What You Know
Then point out The Exchange question on the title page:
What is worth saving? Explain that when they finish
reading, they’ll share their ideas about this and other
questions with a group.
What does it mean to take a risk? How does it feel? Give an example.
Preview and Predict
Next, have students complete Student Journal, page 3
to preview the book and make predictions about Alia’s
mission.
As students page through this graphic novel, help them
identify its features and how to read it:
• Look at one panel or frame at a time.
• Start at the top of each frame and read left to right,
then down.
• Use the different shapes to see who is speaking. Explain
that the white areas without pointers contain narration,
the speech balloons contain dialogue, and the thought
bubbles show what the character is thinking.
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• Look at the front cover.
• Read the book summary on the back cover.
• Read The Exchange question on the title page.
1. Page through the book. What do you notice about the format?
2. This book is based on real events and a real person. What do you think
Alia will do to protect the books? Will she be successful?
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Alia’s Mission
Use a Reading Strategy
Cause and Effect Chart Preview the graphic organizer on
Student Journal, page 4 with students. Explain that as they read
Alia’s Mission, they can complete the Chart to show how Alia saves
so many books. Have students add to their Charts after they finish
reading each section.
Student Journal, page 4
Use a Reading Strategy
Use a Cause and Effect Chart
As you read Alia’s Mission, use a Cause and Effect Chart to show how Alia
saves so many books.
Causes
Effects
Alia loves books.
Alia becomes a librarian.
War is coming. Alia worries
about the library.
She asks the government for
help. They say no.
Alia wants to protect the
books from the war.
Alia starts to move the books
to her house.
Looters come to the library.
Alia gets other people to
help her move the books.
The library is bombed.
The remaining books are
destroyed.
Alia works too hard.
She has a stroke.
Alia gets better.
She begins plans for a
new library.
Pages
3-10
Pages
11-21
Pages
22-32
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Alia’s Mission
Read the Book
Form the group that will read Alia’s Mission. Plan how the group
will read and respond. Some options are:
• Read with a Group Group members read an agreed-upon
number of pages, complete the corresponding Student Journal
page(s), and meet to discuss. When they finish the book, they
meet again for The Exchange. The group can use the planner
on Student Journal, page 2 to establish meeting times.
• Read Independently Group members read the book on
their own and then meet for The Exchange. The group can
use the planner on Student Journal, page 2 to establish the
meeting time.
• Guided Reading Read aloud the summary at the beginning
of each section to give students an overview of the section.
Use the Before You Move On questions to check comprehension
as students read. Use Look Ahead to set a focus for reading
the next set of pages. At the end of each section, assign the
appropriate Student Journal page. Discuss the page before
starting the next section. Establish a date for The Exchange
and record it on the planner.
Whichever option you choose, use pages 5–6 for an at-a-glance
view of Student Journal pages, as well as answers to the
Before You Move On questions.
Student Journal, page 2
Plan Your Schedule
My group members are:
We plan to read Alia’s Mission and meet on these dates:
Sections
Date We Will Finish Reading
Date We Will Discuss
1: Pages 3–10
2: Pages 11–21
3: Pages 22–32
Our Exchange meeting will be on this date:
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Alia’s Mission
Pages 3–10
Student Journal, page 5
Section 1
Section 1: Pages 3–10
Respond to Pages 3 –10
ANSWERS TO “BEFORE YOU MOVE ON”
Cause and Effect Chart
Review what happens in the story on pages 3–10. Fill in the first two rows of
your Cause and Effect Chart on Journal page 4.
PAGE 7
1. Fact and Opinion Reread page 3. Which statements are facts
and which are opinions?
Fact: Alia is a woman who lives and works in Iraq. Iraq was ruled by
Saddam Hussein in 2003. Armies are planning to invade. Opinion:
Alia is a superhero. Iraq is a troubled nation ruled by a cruel dictator.
The world is troubled.
2. Summarize Why are books so important to Alia?
They are a source of happiness and adventure for her. They have
taught her many things.
Think It Over
PAGE 10
3. SQ3R Reread page 5. Read the box at the top right of the page. Turn it
into a question. Then, read pages 5–8 again. Write the answer to your
question.
1. Conclusions Alia is worried that the library in Basra will be
destroyed. Why?
She read about what happened to the library in Baghdad and heard
Basra would also be attacked.
2. Main Idea and Details Reread page 10. Alia believes books
are worth saving. What details support this main idea?
They are records of culture, history, people, and places. Without
books, these things could be forgotten.
Think about what you have read so far, and write the answers to these questions.
1. Personal Response The author calls Alia “a real-life superhero.” Tell about
someone you would call a real-life superhero. Why do you feel this way?
2. Author’s Point of View Reread page 3. Why does the author think that
Alia’s story is important? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Because he thinks Alia shows that real people can be
superheroes. He says she shows that people can do
important things even if they do not have superpowers.
Question: Why does Alia love her job as Chief Librarian
of Basra Central Library? Answer: Her favorite thing
is books. She has read since she was a little girl. She
learns the history of different cultures in books. She likes
to share the joy of books with others.
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Pages 11–21
Student Journal, page 6
Section 2
Section 2: Pages 11–21
Respond to Pages 11–21
ANSWERS TO “BEFORE YOU MOVE ON”
Cause and Effect Chart
PAGE 15
1. Conclusions Reread page 11. Why does Saddam put an
anti-aircraft gun on the library?
The library is a strong building and can protect the artillery. The
enemy will not want to attack a library and look bad.
2. Problem and Solution The library is in danger. What is Alia’s
solution?
She begins to take the books to her house to protect them.
PAGE 21
1. Cause and Effect British tanks enter Basra. What happens to
the city and the library next?
There is chaos as people loot stores and buildings burn.
2. Conclusions Reread pages 20–21. Why do so many people
join Alia to save the books?
People feel the books are valuable and want to be able to read
them; or protect them for others to read.
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Review what happens in the story on pages 11–21. Fill in the next two rows
of your Cause and Effect Chart on Journal page 4.
Think It Over
Think about what you have read so far, and write the answers to these questions.
1. Personal Response Alia thinks of a plan to save the books. Tell about
a plan you used to achieve a goal. What was your goal? Were you
successful?
2. Cause and Effect The war causes the people in Basra to behave
differently. How do they change? What are some of the good changes?
What are some of the bad changes?
They become afraid and realize there are no laws.
Good changes: People like Alia try to save things.
They work together. Bad changes: People try to loot the
city. Saddam Hussein uses the library as a military fort.
3. Text Feature In this graphic novel, there are words in boxes and words
in speech balloons. How are they different? Do the words in the speech
balloons help you understand the story better? How?
The narrator’s words are in the boxes and the
characters’ words are in the speech balloons. Reading
the characters’ words helps give more detail, emotion,
and opinion to the story.
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Alia’s Mission
Pages 22–32
Student Journal, page 7
Section 3
Section 3: Pages 22–32
Respond to Pages 22–32
ANSWERS TO “BEFORE YOU MOVE ON”
Cause and Effect Chart
Review what happens in the story on pages 22–32. Fill in the last three rows
of your Cause and Effect Chart on Journal page 4.
PAGE 27
1. Simile Reread page 26. Alia says that books are like people to
her. What does she mean?
Books and people hold important information and stories. They are
essential to memories.
2. Cause and Effect Reread page 27. What causes Alia to have
a stroke?
She is exhausted from all the work of saving the books.
Think It Over
Think about what you have read, and write the answers to these questions.
1. Personal Response Alia and her community worked hard to save the
books. They believed the books were valuable for now and for the
future. What do you think is valuable in your town, state, or nation?
Would you lead or join a group, to save it? Why or why not?
2. Author’s Purpose Why do you think the author decided to tell Alia’s
story? Do you think he achieved his goal? Why or why not?
PAGE 32
1. Sequence Alia helped save 30,000 books. What
happened next?
She and her husband put them in a truck. They moved the books
to the homes of neighbors and friends. She began to plan a new
library. Many people are helping her.
2. Cause and Effect Reread page 32. Who was Hulagu Khan?
What effect did he have on the books of Iraq and on Alia?
A Mongol leader in 1258 C.E. He destroyed many of the
books in Baghdad. Alia read about him and did not want a
similar thing to happen in Basra.
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3. Analyze Persuasive Techniques Reread page 32. How does the author use
words and sentences to persuade readers that libraries are important?
Find some of the words that the author uses. Write them below. Do you
agree with the author? Why or why not?
Possible answers: long and fascinating history, world’s
first-ever libraries, made such an impression, ravaged,
most importantly, worked so hard, precious cultural
history of Iraq
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Alia’s Mission
Allow time for groups to meet for The Exchange. If you plan to participate, use
these tips for guiding students in discussing the big question:
What is worth saving?
Why does Alia think the books in the Basra library need to be saved? Think
about how she risks her life to save so many of them.
Because she knows people can learn a lot from books. She learns a lot from books
and loves them. She believes books are an important part of the collective memory
of her people and explain her country’s place in the world. She says books are like
people to her.
Name some of the challenges Alia and her friends overcame to save the
books. Then tell about some of the challenges you overcame when you tried
to do something.
Alia and her friends overcame government resistance, looting, an approaching war,
and fatigue to save the books.
Alia and her friends risked everything to save the books. Now tell about
something you think is worth saving and why.
Extend the Reading
Write a Poem
Describe the Event
Can Rules Be Broken?
Ask students why it was so
important for Alia to save the
books in Basra. Then have
them make a list of details
that express their own views
about books. Turn these into
lines for a poem.
Remind students that a
graphic novel uses short
lines of text that when put
together tell a story or
describe an event. Then invite
them to retell Alia’s account
in a narrative form using
the third person.
Set up Roundtable discussion
groups. Remind students that
Alia broke the government’s
rules when she ignored the
official’s order to leave the
books in the library. Then
have them discuss situations
when it is okay to break rules.
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