If you’ve stumbled here from Pinterest, or some other site … welcome! While each of these books/lessons can stand alone, they are also a part of a year-long series that we have taught at our homeschool co-op. Each lesson builds in part on the one before. Some stories also have similar themes with the books that go before/after them. If you are interested in more information, or to see the complete booklist, check out our main page, More FIAR – Inspired Literature-Based Lesson Plans, especially for homeschool and homeschool co-ops. Thanks for looking around, and welcome to the site!
Something from Nothing
by Phoebe Gilman
Things I Need:
Something from Nothing Book
Something from Nothing Handwriting Sheet
The Memory Coat
World Map that Shows Russia, NYC
Word Detective Sheet (optional)
Something from Nothing Context Clues sheet (optional)
Something from Nothing Context Clues sheet (optional)
Pattern for Joseph’s Overcoat
Blue and Yellow, and White Crayons
Glue
Scissors
Scissors
Something (Cardstock preferred) to glue the Overcoat to
Ahead of Time:
Ask the class to bring in a something special that the have
had since childhood (similar to Joseph’s blanket)
Review & Story Introduction:
This story share a similar theme with a book we covered several months back, The Memory Coat. The story of course, is completely different. But the pictures, people (Jews, probably Russian Jews), and time period (late 1800’s-early 1900s) are probably similar based on the pictures. If you still have the book, The Memory Coat, bring it along with you to show the class and refresh their memories.
The story is sweet. There is not a ton of obvious educational value or geography or history or hidden lessons to bring out, like many other books we’ve done (which have mostly been a part of the Five in a Row Curriculum, this one is not). But the story is sweet, and fun to read, and when combined with The Memory Coat, it provides an excellent opportunity to compare the two.
Plus, the relationship with the boy and his grandfather, the way he trusts so simply that, “grandpa can fix it”, and the detailed illustrations, showing the mouse family collecting the discared scraps from Joseph’s various things, the gentle repetitions the weave throughout the story …all make this a book I chose to include in our More FIAR – Inspired Literature-Based Lesson Plans – even though it is not a FIAR book.
If you haven’t heard of the book before, you can preview it below. If you can’t find the book, there is a very very similar book called, “Joseph Had A Little Overcoat”, that is basically the same story.
Introduce the Story
Show and Tell:
Before I did anything – I asked the class if anyone had brought in something to share that was special to them.
If they didn’t bring it, you can also just ask them to share (without having it on them).
This is a great way to get the kids sharing, and also to help them draw an immediate conneciton to Joseph
Tell the class that the boy in today’s story also has something that is special to him, but before we read the story, we’re going to review another book. Take out, The Memory Coat, and see if they remember anything about the story.
“Who remembers this story?”
“Do you remember the characters in this story?” (Grisha & his adopted family)
“Does anyone remember where this story takes place?” (Russia)
Does anyone remember what was happening in this story?”
(Jews were being kicked out of Russia, fled to America)
In the story we are going to read today, it doesn’t say where it takes place – but I want you to study the pictures and see if you see any similarities with this book we read earlier?
Take out and show both books side by side, open a few pages.
Read the 1st two pages of The Memory Coat
Read the 1st two pages of The Memory Coat
Pay attention to the dress (head scarves, hats, jackets, all very similar),
the buildings (wooden)
the shops (together, on the street)
the streets (all made of cobblestone, with animals running around outdoors)
Also, just a reading of the first two pages of The Memory Coat tells that the people in the town were Jewish, and that they mainly held jobs as cobblers, blacksmiles, tailors, and shopkeepers.
The grandfather in Something from Nothing, is a tailor. And although the book never mentions that they are Jewish, and never tells that they live in Russia, the context within the pictures shows the grandfather wearing a kippah, and also shows them sitting down to a Friday night Sedar.
There is one other place they could live.
See if your class can put together the pieces on this one.
(New York City.) Point to NYC on the map.
Remind the class that many Jews fled from NYC to Russia during the late 1800’s because of persecution. You could reference any of the last books – The Memory Coat, The Story of St. Valentine, and The Story of St. Patrick, to remind them of what persecution is.
Things to Search for as you Read – Context Clues
So … how can you tell where a book takes place?
Context Clues.
Explain that a “Context Clue” is a secret hint, that is hidden either in the words of the text or in the pictures. Sometimes a story doesn’t tell you something, but there is something hidden in the pictures. Sometimes it is hidden in the words. As we read through the stories today lets try to find things hidden within the pictures that tell us more details about the story.
(Something from Nothing is full of context clues. The story it self is soooo simple. But you can tell a LOT from the pictures.
You also can draw many lessons from Joseph’s trust in his grandfather.
For a more simple explaination, if you think your class can handle it
(and depending on how much time you have),
(and depending on how much time you have),
try reading a few of these sentences – and see if they can figure out the word using context clues.
You can get your own printable version from education.com, at this link.
Read the Story
As you read the story, continue to point out context clues that tell us the time period and location of the story.
Another thing to point out is the Grandfather. It is interesting to note that we really are not told anything about the Grandfather – yet the pictures, and especially Joseph’s undying trust that he can continually “fix it”, both speak volumes about him. Try to draw out what kind of person he must be as you read the story.
If you’d like, you can make a list on the board of “Clues” that tell us,
The family is Jewish
They live in Russia
The grandfather is nice / kind / etc.
The family is Jewish
They live in Russia
The grandfather is nice / kind / etc.
After the Story
Context Clues Work Sheet
If you have a class that is reading and writing, you might consider adding in this worksheet. My class is half/half. The youngers needed extra teacher help. The olders were fine to do this on their own. If you think your class could benefit from some additional encouragemen to write, this sheet is a great way for them to put into words the things we have been talking about the entire class.
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| Click here for printable version |
Story Order and Reading Comprehension Renforcment Craft
If you still have time … check out this great pattern at StoryTiming. It served as a great way to get some cutting practice in, while *secretly* reinforcing reading comprehension and the order of the story.
To be honest, the class LOVED this activity much more than the above worksheet, and if I only had time for one, I would pick this one. It was simple to follow, easy to do, and everyone – even the youngest guys – could do this on their own.
To be honest, the class LOVED this activity much more than the above worksheet, and if I only had time for one, I would pick this one. It was simple to follow, easy to do, and everyone – even the youngest guys – could do this on their own.
Encourage the kiddos to color the printout blue, and add white and yellow stars, moons, etc.
Begin to cut, staying on the lines.
Encourage the class to cut in the order of the story (so make the jacket first, then the vest, etc.
There is one line to avoid, and that is the top notch of the tie
They may need help with the very last step (cutting the button out of the tie)
You can either teach them the trick about folding the tie in half and cutting it out, or you and your helpers can do it for them
**We realize during class that this template did NOT include the handkerchief.**
We solved this by drawing/cutting a line through the tie, just above and below the button.
**We realize during class that this template did NOT include the handkerchief.**
We solved this by drawing/cutting a line through the tie, just above and below the button.
Then, glue all the pieces back together on another sheet of paper.
Voila – Joseph’s Blanket/Coat/Vest/Tie/Handkerchief/Button!
Thanks StoryTiming for this simple, yet perfect, pattern.
Handwriting Sheet – 1 Peter 5:7
I was shocked to realize we hadn’t yet covered this simple, yet extremely useful verse this year. Remind your students to start at the top.
If you have a few minutes to share a little more about the verse … I LOVE this picture of Joseph’s grandfather. When Joseph has a problem, does he worry about it? Does he keep it to himself? Does he go tell everyone else? No … he is always certain, “Grandpa can fix it”, and he goes right to him.
What a beautiful picture of faith, and especially the faith we should have in our Heavenly Father.
“Cast your cares on the Lord, for he cares about you”
Joseph knew his grandfather loved him. Though the story doesn’t tell us much about him, you can tell by Joseph’s absolute confidence in his grandfather, that he loves him deeply, and that they have a special relationship. He has faith that if only he can bring it to Grandpa, Grandpa can fix it.
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| Click here for printable version |
That’s it for this week! To see what we’ve done so far in our Homeschool Co-op’s Literature Series this year, click here. Each lesson builds on the one before and seeks to cover basic geography within the book, historical contexts, a handwriting sheet and a language arts lesson, as it applies to the book.
Or, you can check out the complete Learning the ABC’s through Literature Series, which is a similar series that we did with this same group of kiddos a year earlier. Both of these series of books have been inspired by the Five in a Row curriculum, with many of the books being the same. The ideas, implementation of it for a co-op, and printables are all my own, unless otherwise indicated.
Also – I would love to hear from you! If you have feed back, suggestions, or questions … or if you have used this in some way … please, share a picture, post a note, or just say hi. Especially if you’re using this for a co-op … it’s great to get ideas and share them around to help each other!
Thanks for reading!
