CDJ – Reading Street Alignment
Grade 1
Title/Author / Summary / CDJ/Reading Street OverlapGRADE 1, UNIT 1
Animals, Tame and Wild: How are people and animals important to one another? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 1, UNIT 2
Communities: What is a community? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 1, UNIT 3
Changes: What is changing in our world?
Ruby in her Own Time
Jonathan Emmett / Ruby doesn’t develop skills as quickly as her siblings. Dad’s worried. Mom is confident that she’ll be fine. When it’s time to fly, Ruby goes higher and farther than her siblings. / Connects to William’s Doll: Each individual should be respected for following his or her own nature.
GRADE 1, UNIT 4
Treasures: What do we treasure?
GRADE 1, UNIT 5
Great Ideas: What difference can a great idea make?
Mole and the Baby Bird
Marjorie Newman / Mole cares for a baby bird. When the bird tries to fly, he builds a cage to keep him even though his parents tell him it’s a wild bird that should go free. Grandpa helps mole deal with his problem. Issues: responsibilities of pet care, pain of loss, respect for the natural world / “Natural rules” vs. “unspoken or social rules” and “doing the right thing. Story relates to Jamaica’s Find and William’s Doll
CDJ – Reading Street Alignment
Grade 2
GRADE 2 UNIT 1Exploration: What can we learn from exploring new things? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 2, UNIT 2
Working together: How can we work together? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 2, UNIT 3
Creative Ideas: What does it mean to be creative?
Pearl and Wagner Two Good Friends
Kate McMullan / Wagner helps Pearl with her science project by climbing inside her robot to make it operate. Their friendship is tested when Wagner tells Pearl he doesn’t like her new boots. Later, he apologizes and says that what’s important is that Pearl likes them / Listed as a science book but deals with cooperation and respect for differences.
GRADE 2, UNIT 4
Our Changing World: How do things change? How do they stay the same?
The Quilt Story
Tony Johnston / A quilt, made by a little girl’s mother in pioneer times, comforts the girl in many ways, including a move across the country. Generations later, another girl finds the quilt, which comforts her on a big move, / Connects to: How Many Days to America, story about a family moving far from original home and If a Bus could Talk, the past’s impact on the present
GRADE 2, UNIT 5
Responsibility: What does it mean to be responsible?
Horace and Morris but mostly Dolores
James Howe / Horace, Morris, and Dolores are three good friends who do everything together until Horace and Morris decide to join a “boys only” club. Unhappy, Dolores joins a “girls only” club but is bored and misses playing with her old friends. Dolores engineers a happy resolution to the problem. / Connects to: What is Equality? The Sneetches – an “in” group, outsiders, and how they learn to get along
GRADE 2, UNIT 6
Traditions: How are traditions and celebrations important to our lives?
Just Like Josh Gibson
Angela Johnson / Young African-American girl tells the story of her grandmother. Her grandmother’s father admired Josh Gibson, a star in the Negro baseball league and taught his daughter how to play, even though there were no teams for girls. One day, she subs for her cousin who hurts his arm. She runs the bases and steals home. / Connects to “What is Equality?” Gender equity
Red White and Blue: The Story of the American Flag
John Herman / How the flag was created, how it has evolved, and what it stands for. / CDJ book – Might have already read this book for CDJ before getting to it in Reading Street. Can use the second reading to strengthen Reading Street skills not found in CDJ.
Jingle Dancer
Cynthia Leitich Smith / Young, modern Native-American girl carries on dance tradition with the help of family and friends to obtain and sew the jingles needed to perform the same dance she saw her grandmother perform. / Very loosely connected to the bonds between earlier and current generations portrayed in If a Bus Could Talk.
CDJ – Reading Street Alignment
Grade 3
GRADE 3, UNIT 1Dollars and sense: When is money important, and when does it affect our lives?
Boomtown
Sonia Levitin / Amanda’s family has recently moved to California. She begins a pie business that helps a successful town evolve. / Connect to Sleds on Boston Common—children taking action, asserting themselves and getting recognized for it. Both show snippets of American history.
Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday
Judith Viorst / Alexander had money last week, but since then he spent it on many things. His friends have a few dollars, but he only has bus tokens. / Responsibility comes in many different forms. In this case, it is taking responsibility of one’s belongings and money. Connects to Section One: What Are Rights and Responsibilities?
My Rows and Piles of Coins
Tololwa Mollel / Set in 1960s Tanzania, this book tells the story of a young boy who tries to raise enough money to buy a bicycle to help his mother transport her goods more efficiently. / Connects to Sleds on Boston Common. Tells the story of a child who solves problems by being creative and respectful, just like Henry Price. Also can connect to theme of responsibility to help family and community.
GRADE 3, UNIT 2
Smart Solutions: What are smart ways that problems are solved? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 3, UNIT 3
People and Nature: How are people and nature connected?
The Gardener
Sarah Stewart / A girl makes her uncle’s bakery beautiful by starting a garden. Even one small person can make a big change. / Connects to The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere (Reading St- 5th grade, CDJ- 3rd grade). One person can have a large impact on a situation.
GRADE 3, UNIT 4
One-of-a-Kind: What does it mean to be unique?
Wings
Christopher Myers / A boy flies around his new neighborhood and becomes friends with a lonely girl who ends up standing up for the flying boy. / Connects to the themes of Rights and Responsibilities: Individuals have the right to share their opinions and be different, even if they think there’s nobody who agrees with them. People have the responsibility to stand up for others who are being mistreated.
GRADE 3, UNIT 5
Cultures: What happens when two ways of life come together? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 3, UNIT 6
Freedom: What does it mean to be free?
The Story of the Statue of Liberty
Betsy Maestro / A picture book that chronicles the history of the Statue of Liberty. / A symbol of American values: acceptance, inclusion, freedom and liberty.
Elena’s Serenade
Campbell Geeslin / Elena wants to be a glassblower even though nobody believes she can. Dressed as a boy, she shows everybody how talented she really is. / Connects to: Phoebe the Spy, The Secret Soldier: The Story of Deborah Sampson, and Phyllis Wheatley. They are all independent females, proving their abilities to their communities. In The Secret Soldier and in Elena’s Serenade, the girls dress as boys so they will be allowed to participate in activities where girls are not permitted.
CDJ – Reading Street Alignment / Grade 4
This Land is Your Land: How do the diverse regions and people of the United States reflect its greatness?
Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo / Young girl moves to a new town where she acquires a dog. They befriend some quirky people in the town. / Adjusting to new community, relocating. Connects to the theme and experience of immigration. Coming to America: The Story of Immigration.
Lewis and Clark and Me
Laurie Myers / The story of Lewis and Clark, as told by their dog. / Regions of America: from Pittsburgh to the Pacific Northwest. (Midwest to Northwest)
Grandfather’s Journey
Allen Say / Two Japanese immigrants long to return home. / Shows the struggles of immigration. Connects to Coming to America: The Story of Immigration as well as Annushka’s Voyage.
This Land is Your Land
Woody Guthrie / The classic American song with themes of acceptance, liberty and oneness. / Discusses the unique geographical features of the United States as well as the unity of the nation.
GRADE 4, UNIT 2
Work and Play: What is the value of work and play?
Coyote School News
Joan Sandin / The story of Monchi Ramirez, a young boy in pre-WWII Arizona. Shows Mexican traditions as a part of American culture. / Connects to the theme of immigration. Especially stresses the point that American culture is made up of immigrant cultures. Relevant to Coming to America: The Story of Immigration and Annushka’s Voyage.
Marven of the Great North Woods
Kathryn Lasky / A young boy must leave home to escape the influenza breakout of 1918. He goes to work in a lumberjack camp where he is the smallest and youngest of all the men. He has quite an adventure. / Discusses the geography of the Northwest region, as well as themes of relocation and acceptance.
So You Want to Be President?
David Small / Anyone can be president. Discusses the unlikely individuals who have been presidents in the past. / Although the presidents came from very different backgrounds, they are all American. Connects to the question: what defines our nation?
GRADE 4, UNIT 3
Patterns in Nature: What are some patterns in nature?
The Stranger
Chris Van Allsberg / A mysterious story about a stranger whose presence on the Bailey family farm makes magical things happen. / Connects to geography: describes farm life in the Northeast (?)
The Great Kapok Tree
Lynne Cherry / A man is sent to the forest to cut down a large tree. If he cuts it down, many animals will have nowhere to live and nothing to eat. The animals beg him to spare the tree and he does. / Connects to geography: talks about the importance of ecosystems and trees. The theme of interdependence relates to many of the Native American cultures.
GRADE 4, UNIT 4
Puzzles and Mysteries: Is there an explanation for everything?
The Houdini Box
Brian Selznick / Tells the story of Houdini and encourages children to believe in the impossible. / An immigrant from Hungary who became an iconic American figure. Connected to Coming to America: The Story of Immigration and Annushka’s Voyage.
GRADE 4, UNIT 5
Adventures by Land, Air and Water: What makes and adventure? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 4, UNIT 6
Reaching for Goals: What does it take to achieve our goals and dreams?
Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
Joseph Bruchac / Covers the unfair treatment of Native Americans through the story of Jim Thorpe. / Connects to themes of Native Americans.
How Tia Lola Came to – Visit – Stay
Julia Alvarez / Lola comes to visit her family in Vermont, where she stands out like a sore thumb. The kids just want to fit in, having recently moved from New York. Eventually, Lola wins the love of the town and of her nieces and nephews. / Themes of relocation similar to immigration. Chronicles the struggle to be accepted by a new community, which can be seen in Coming to America: The Story of Immigration and Annushka’s Voyage.
CDJ – Reading Street Alignment
Grade 5
GRADE 5, UNIT 1Meeting Challenges: What kinds of challenges do people face and how do they meet them?
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Scott O’Dell / Young girl lives alone on a Pacific island. She learns from her solitude. / A young girl learns to problem solve and to be independent. She learns from her mistakes and eventually figures out systems that work to help improve her lifestyle.
Satchel Paige
Lena Cline-Ransome / Biography of Satchel Paige, a successful African American baseball player in the 1940s. / Connect to the theme of problem solving in America. Relates to the segment on slavery, as well as the internment of Japanese Americans. The United States is filled with many different types of people and there have been problems between these groups: how can we solve these problems?
The Girls of Summer
Ellen Klages / The story of the adversity the U.S. Women’s soccer team met while trying to gain the support of the United States Soccer Federation. / Another story where a group of Americans has a problem and fixes it using creativity and perseverance.
GRADE 5, UNIT 2
Doing the Right Thing: What makes people want to do the right thing?
Passage to Freedom
Ken Mochizuki / The story of a Japanese diplomat named Sugihara who saved the lives of thousands of Polish Jews by helping them acquire visas to escape the Nazis. / Connects to Baseball Saved Us and The Bracelet. Shows another side of the Japanese role in the war.
The Lion and the Mouse
Aesop / The classic tale of a lion and a mouse who become friends despite their obvious differences. / Working together and cooperating in order to survive. Connects to over-arching theme of problem solving and collaboration.
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow / The well-known poem that chronicles Paul Revere’s ride to warn the colonists of the arrival of the British troops. / CDJ Book (3rd grade, “Rights and Responsibilities: Why Was There a War?”)
GRADE 5, UNIT 3
Inventors and Artists: What do people gain from the work of inventors and artists? / NO TRADE BOOKS
GRADE 5, UNIT 4
Adapting: How do people and animals adapt to different situations?
Weslandia
Paul Fleischmann / A social outcast named Wesley creates his own world. Then he is happy and people like him. / Connects to Baseball Saved Us. In that story, Japanese kids play baseball in internment camps to make the best of a bad situation. In this story, a socially awkward boy figures out a way to be true to himself and become more social.
GRADE 5, UNIT 5
Adventurers: Who goes seeking adventure and why?
Shipwreck Season
Donna Hill / Teenage boy is sent to live on a boat with his uncle because he is not doing well in school. He has to adjust to this new life and overcome some fears. / Connects to themes of relocation as well as making the best of a situation and on some level, problem solving.
GRADE 5, UNIT 6
The Unexpected: What can we learn from encounters with the unexpected? / NO TRADE BOOKS