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HanasSuitcase

byKarenLevine

ALevelYBookPlan

In March 2000, a suitcase arrived at a childrens Holocaust
education center in Tokyo, Japan. On the outside, in white paint,
were these words: Hana Brady, May 16, 1931, and waisenkind - the
Germanwordfororphan.
Children who saw the suitcase on display were full of
questions. Who was Hana Brady? What happened to her? They
wantedFumikoIshioka,thecenter'scurator,tofindtheanswers.
In a suspenseful journey, Fumiko searches for clues across
Europe and North America. The mystery of the suitcase takes her
back through seventy years, to a young Hana and her family,
whose happy life in a small Czech town was turned upside down
bytheinvasionoftheNazis.-backcoverofHanasSuitcase

CCSS:(W.5.7)(RI.5.9)(SL.5.1)(RI.5.4)(RI.5.1)(W.5.10)
(RL.5.5)(L.5.4b)(RI.5.3)



Day One and Day Two: Prior to pulling the group together to read Hanas
Suitcase, take time to gain some background knowledge about the history
behind the setting. Give students in the group 2 days to researchAdolphHitler
and concentration camps. They may present whattheyfindinanyformatthey
desire. Share direction viagoogledriveusingdocumenttitledHanasSuitcase-
MiniInquiry.(W.5.7)(RI.5.9)

Day Three: Pull group together and open the space astimetosharewhatthey
havelearnedoverthecourseofthepasttwodays.(SL.5.1)

Once everyone has had an opportunity to share, have students turn to the
document entitled Hanas Suitcase - World War II Axis Powers&Allies.Take
time to note which sides countries fought on, specifically noting that Japan
was allied with Germany in World War II. During World War II, this would
have made these countries (and others that fought with them) enemies of the
UnitedStates.

Day Four: Hand out copies of Hanas Suitcase. Introduce the book by reading
thebackcoveraloudwiththesmallgroup:

In March 2000, a suitcase arrived at a childrens Holocaust education center


in Tokyo, Japan. On theoutside,inwhitepaint,werethesewords:HanaBrady,
May16,1931,andWaisenkindtheGermanwordfororphan.

Children who saw the suitcase on display were full of questions. Who was
Hana Brady? What happened to her? They wanted Fumiko Ishioka,thecenters
curator,tofindtheanswers.

In a suspenseful journey, Fumiko searches for clues across Europe and North
America. The mystery of the suitcase takes her backthroughseventyyears,to
a young Hana and her family, whose happy life in a small Czech town was
turnedupsidedownbytheinvasionoftheNazis.

Open to the Introduction, and take turns reading paragraphs of it together,


taking time to discuss. As you read about Czechoslovakia on page V of the
introduction, be sure to pause and cover a bit of information on that country
as found on the Word Study document. As you discuss what might have put
Czechoslovakia at risk during World War II, you could share this information
fromThisDayinHistory:

On September 30, 1938, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, French Premier


Edouard Daladier, and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the
Munich Pact, which sealed the fate of Czechoslovakia, virtually handing it
over to Germany in the name of peace. Although the agreement was to give
into Hitlers hands only the Sudentenland, that part of Czechoslovakia where
3 million ethnic Germans lived, it also handed over to the Nazi war machine
66 percent of Czechoslovakias coal, 70 percent of its iron and steel, and 70
percent of its electricalpower.Withoutthoseresources,theCzechnationwas
leftvulnerabletocompleteGermandomination.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nazis-take-czechoslovakia

Also on page V of the Introduction will appear the name Adolf Hitler. While
students have some background knowledge on him from their mini-inquiry,
make time to take a deeper and more thoughtful look at him by covering the
informationprovidedontheWordStudydocument.

Finally on page V, take time to access concentration camps on theWordStudy


document. This will prepare you as readers for the journey ahead. Finish
reading the Introduction to Hanas Suitcase as a small group - individual
studentsreadingaparagraphatatime.(RI.5.4)

Day Five: Today you will read pages 2-9inHanasSuitcase.Asasmallgroup,


take turns reading paragraphs,stoppingtocoverthewordIMPISH(page6)and
JEWISH(page9)ontheWordStudydocument.(RI.5.4)

Day Six: Today you will read pages 10-19 in Hanas Suitcase. As a small
group, taketurnsreadingparagraphs,stoppingtocoverthewordHOLOCAUST
(page 10), OPTIMISM (page 10), and MENACING (page 18) on the Word Study
document.(RI.5.4)

Be sure to take time to discusstheoccurrencedescribedinthefinalparagraph


on page 19. Ask students how they feel astheyreadaboutHanascandlegoing
out? Foreshadowing is a warning or an indication of a future event. Do
students feel the author is using foreshadowing here? Or is this just a
superstition? (There is no way to know the answer to this at this point - just
allowforthediscussion.)

DaySeven:Begingrouptodaybyreflectingonthepriordaysreading:

Last time we met, we learned about Fumikos purpose in creating the


Tokyo Holocaust Center. Follow along on pages 10-11 while I read to
discoverherpurpose:
Fumiko wanted young people in Japan to learn from the Holocaust as
well. It was her job to make it happen. And it wasn't an easy one. How, she
wondered, could she help Japanese children understand the terrible story of
what happened to millions of Jewish children on a faraway continent over
fiftyyearsago?
She decided the best waytostartwouldbethroughphysicalobjectsthat
thechildrencouldseeandtouch.

DiscussionPoints:
We can see from the text that Fumiko wanted tohaveJapanesechildren
learn about the Holocaust and she felt the best way would be to find
physical objects that the children could see andtouch.Whydoyouthink
Fumikofeltphysicalobjectswouldbesopowerful?

Turn to page 14 in your book. Take a moment to study the picture. Now
turn to pages 16 and 17. Study those pictures as well. What are some
adjectivesthatyouwouldusetodescribeHana?(Possibleanswerscould
be:athletic,outdoorsy,healthy,playful,graceful,competitive,pretty,etc.)

We cant touch Hanas suitcase, but we can see it. And we can see
photographs from her life. What do you think author Karen Levines
purposewasinaddingphotographsofHanatoherbook?Inwhatway(if
any) does having this window into her life impact your involvement
withthestory?

Readpages20-21togetherinsmallgroup,sharingaparagraphatatime.

Day Eight: Today you will be reading pages 22-27 together as a small group.
Take turns reading paragraphs, being sure to stop at OPTIMISM (pages 24-25)
to revisit the meaning of the word, as well as INGENIOUS (page 26) in the
WordStudydocument.

Once youve finished reading, make sure each student gets a copy of The
Relationship Between the Nazis and the Jews. Students will use this
documenttoshowtheirabilitytoexplaintherelationshipbetweentwoormore
individuals in a historical text based on specific information in the text. The
pages youve just finished reading will give a lot of the specific information
requiredtorespondtothisprompt.

To prepare students for this independent assignment, model responding to this


type of question using a copy of The Relationship Between Ankeny Police &
Citizens. Talk through the model and specifically the use of the underlined
wordsasthestudentswillalsobeaskedtousethosewords.(RI.5.3)

Day Nine: Today you will be reading pages 28-32 together as asmallgroup.
Take turns reading paragraphs, After you finish reading, turn back to the
definition for JEWISH. One of the characteristics of the Jewish culture is to
place a strong emphasis on education. Youaregoingtohavestudentsexercise
their ability to quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text
saysexplicitlyandwhendrawinginferencesfromthebook.(RI.5.1)

Give each student a sticky note. Say, Harvey Rachlin wrote that having a
strong emphasis on education was a characteristic of the Jewish culture.
Using your sticky note, please scan page 29 (paragraph one) and page 30
(paragraphs 2-3). Find evidence for Harvey Rachlins choice of education as
something of value to the Jewish culture andquoteitcorrectlyonyoursticky
note.Wewillsharethesestickynotesatthebeginningofgrouptomorrow.

Day Ten: Begin todays small group by having students share their sticky
notes from the preceding session. Use the opportunity to correct any mistakes
youseebeingmadewhileexercisingthisstandard.

Point out that on page 30 it tells us what Hanawantedtobewhenshegrows


up. Have one of the students point out the profession. (A teacher) Say,
According to what you know about the Jewish culture, why might someone
whoisJewishwanttheirprofessiontobeinteaching?

Today you will be reading pages 33-39 together as a small group. Take turns
having students read a paragraph at a time. As you reach page 39, be sure to
usetheWordStudydocumenttodefinethewordBRAZEN.

Day Eleven: Todayyouwillbereadingpages40-48togetherasasmallgroup.


Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Discuss circumstances
inyourreadingasyougo.

Discussion point: Fumiko had a desire to share Hanas story with a Tokyo
audience,specificallytargetingchildren.
Read the first three paragraphs on page 110. How has the circle of
influence spread? (A man named Paul Lungen wrote an article about
Hanas suitcase - which then inspired Karen Levine to produce a radio
documentary about Hanas story - which then led to Karen writing a
bookaboutthestoryofHanaandFumikocombined.)
Today Karen Levines book is being read around the world by hundreds
ofthousandsofchildren.Itisavailableinmorethan20languages.
Do you think Fumiko ever imagined the way Hanas story would
spread?Explainyourthinking.

DayTwelve: Todayyouwillbereadingpages49-52togetherasasmallgroup.
Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Be sure to stop and
discuss the word DEPORTATION (page 49) as you reach it, using the Word
Studydocument.

Todays reading is short to allow for a write-around activity. Print one set of
the prompts on the document titled Hanas Suitcase Write Around. Each
student will receive a sheet of paper with a prompt at the top. Every prompt
will be different. Students will have one minute to silently respond in writing
to the prompt on their paper. At the end of the minute, students should pass
theirpapersclockwise.

Students should not read the response of the student who answered the
prompt before them. They should only focus on the prompt itself andwriting
their answer to it. They will then answer the question on the sheet they just
received. Continue in this manner until each student has answered each
question.(W.5.10)

Savecollectedpaperstoshareinsmallgrouptomorrow.

Day Thirteen: As students come up for small group, handeachofthemoneof


the papers from yesterday. Have each student read the prompt and then the
responses on the sheet they were given so that all students can hear the full
array of responses written by their classmates. Responses can remain
anonymous,ifdesired.

Today you will be reading pages 53-55 together as a small group. Take turns
havingstudentsreadaparagraphatatime.

Day Fourteen: Today you will be reading pages 56-61 together as a small
group. Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Be sure to stop
and discuss the word FORTRESS (page 59) as you reach it, using the Word
Studydocument.


Day Fifteen: Today you will be reading pages 62-70 together as a small
group. Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Be sure to stop
and discuss as you read today. There is a lot of information about life in
Theresienstadt.

Day Sixteen: Today you will be reading pages 71-73 together as a small
group.Taketurnshavingstudentsreadaparagraphatatime.

On page 73, have students study the document. Ask them,Whatdoyouthink


it means that all the names but George Brady has a check behind them?
Explain that students will spend the next 5-10 minutesworkinginpairsatthe
table to target their answer to what that means and then back it up with text
evidence. Have a supply ofpens,pencils,andstickynotesavailableforstudents
touseintheirsearchforinformation.Remindstudentsthatyouwillbelooking
for them to quote material correctly using pages numbers and quotation
marks. I would suggest keepingthestudentsatthetabletodiscourageanyone
fromcheatingandlookingaheadtotheendofthestory!

As partner time draws to a close, have each pair share the evidence they
collected.Didanyoftheevidencesharedchangethemindofanyone?(RI.5.1)

Day Seventeen: Today you will be reading pages 74-82 together as a small
group. Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Be sure to stop
and discussthewordsREFINEDandCULTURED(page74),aswellasCURFEW
and DESPONDENT (page 79) as you reach them, using the Word Study
document.

Day Eighteen: Today you will be reading pages 82-88 together as a small
group. Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Be sure to stop
and discuss the word SLEUTHING (page 85) as you reach it, using the Word
Studydocument.

Day Nineteen: Today you will be reading pages 89-96 together as a small
group. Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Today as you
read you will find out for certain that Hana did not survive being a prisoner
of the Nazis. Allow time for reaction to that - and possibly revisit the sticky
notes to see if any of the collected evidence for a prediction about Hanas
survivalseemstofitnow-orifotherevidencenowbecomesmoreevident.

Day Twenty: Today you will be reading pages 97-107 together as a small
group. Take turns having students read a paragraph at a time. Take time to
discussasyouread.ThiswillbringyoutotheendofHanasSuitcase.

Day Twenty-One: The Afterword of Hanas Suitcase has an interesting


surprise.Pullthegroupuptoreadpages108-109together.Discuss:
Ifitmakesadifferenceinthewayyouviewthestory
Whytheyauthorincludedthisinformation

Say to the small group, Weve talked quite a bit about Japan, Germany, and
Czechoslovakia during the course of reading Hanas Suitcase. Great Britain
and the United States were also involved heavily in this war. Today were
going to take a quick look at a few famous quotes leaders of these countries
are credited with as they struggled with this great battle. Hand everyone a
copy of Famous Quotes from World War II. Read through the quotes together
discussing what they may have meant in context of what was happening in
theworldatthatpointintime.

Day Twenty-Two: During smallgrouptimethenexttwodaysstudentswillbe


reflecting on their learning from Hanas Suitcase. They will need a copy of a
summative document called Great Teachers. Hand each studentanassessment
and havethemcompleteitindependentlyattheirdesk.Theyarewelcometouse
theircopyofHanasSuitcaseasaresourcewhiletheytakethetest.

Day Twenty-Three: Students will continue working on Great Teachers and


handtheminattheendoftheperiod.

Day Twenty-Four: Hand back scored summative assessments. Discus quality


answers (and what made them quality) as a small group. Ideallyyourquality
answers will be able to strategically be introduced from within your small
group, but here are some other possible responses to pull bits and pieces from
asyougothroughtheassessment.

PossibleQualityResponsestoGreatTeachers:

In Hanas Suitcase the chapters were mostly structuredinawaythatHanas


story and Fumikos story took turns being told. This kept me going from the
pasttothepresentasIread.
I think this structure had a couple of benefits. First of all, I have to say that
for me it built suspense. I do not read ahead in books because I like the
tension of suspense building as I read toward the ending. My ultimate
suspense in reading this book was the question of whether or not Hana
survived World War II. Being interrupted by Fumikos story added to my
senseofsuspense.
In addition, having the chapters alternate between Hanas story and Fumikos
story showed me how the two stories from different periods of time were
literally woven together. They became part of the same cloth. Fumikos story
would not be possible without Hanas story happening first - and Hanas
story would never have been known and used to teach without Fumikos
storybecominginvolved.

HANA: Of the two great teachers, I would have to say that Hana had the
greatest impact on me. The courage she showed as she was separated first
from her mother, then from her father, and finally from her brother really
made me think about being in her place. I dont know how I would begin to
deal with all of that loss in the midst of the great fear and intimidation of
living at Theresienstadt among strangers. Seeing her treatment of her
grandmother at Theresienstadt - and even dealing with that death - showed
me the character within Hana. There are some lessons you learn through
study of books. There are some lessons you learn through discussion with
others. Perhaps the most inspiring lessons of all are taught by seemingly
ordinary people who are put into situations that stretch themextraordinarily.
Rather than snapping under the pressure, they become stronger. Better. And
by their example an enthusiasm is fired in the hearts of those who witness
the struggle and are ignited with a desire toseekjusticeinaworldthatoften
lacks it. Intheend,IlearnedfromHanasactions-andthoseactionsreallydid
speaklouderthanwords.

Or

FUMIKO: While I learned something from both of the great teachers in this
book, I would have to say the greater teacher for me was Fumiko.Hanawas
pulled into a dark period of time that she hadnocontroloverandshereacted
to it in courageous ways. Fumiko, however, purposefully and with planning
and perseverance walked into astorythatcouldhavebeenunwelcometoher
initial audience. After all, Japan sided with Germany during World War II -
and that makes Fumikos mission a mission that may not be welcomed by
everyone in Japan. Despite that, she heads a Holocaust museum in Tokyo to
teach children about global tolerance and understanding. She knows that the
children she works with will be more impacted by personal items belonging
to victims of the Holocaust, and she sets out with determination to collect
them. As the suitcase and its owner become a favorite focal point of the
children, she seeks information about the owner of it through manyupsand
downs. We never see Fumiko giving up, and as the bookcomestoaclosewe
can tellthatFumiko,likeallgreatteachers,has notonlytouchedthemindsof
the children she has taught - she has inspired change. She has softened
hearts. And as Small Wings forms she has equipped a new generation of
children with the realization that they have the power to create peace in the
future.

Prisoners held in concentration camps were in a state of being held with


many other people who were in the same situation. They were a close
gathering of people (althoughIwouldarguethatcrowdedorpackedgathering
ismorespecifictothesituation).

Impish means that someone is apt to do something that is a bit naughty for
fun. The picture I think best delivers that message is the dog with the toilet
paper.Ihaveadogwhoalsohasafascinationwithunwindingthetoiletpaper
in our bathroom. Even though he gets scolded for it (and therefore should
know it is naughty) he continues to take advantage of the toilet paper every
time we forget to keep thedoorshuttolockhimout!Heisimpish! (Accept
otheranswersthatmakesense,aswell.)

Optimism means hopeful confidence in the successful outcome of


something. In this picture a pencil is erasing the part of the wordonthepage
that is negative and turning the word into a possibility. I dontthinksomeone
who has optimism would have the word impossible in their vocabulary!
(Acceptotheranswersthatmakesense,aswell.)

An ingenious person is full of the ability to be creative. To think outside of


the box. To come up with inventive ideas that make something easier - and
maybe more fun in the process! Babies are always crawling around on the
floor - but the ingenious person who put the same soft material that mops
are made from on the front of the babys outfit was able to see a way to
accomplish two things with one action. (Accept other answers that make
sense,aswell.)

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