Title: The Predator
Author: Norma L. Gentner
Publisher: Wright Group Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Books to Begin On
Number of Pages: 16
Location of Book: Leveled Readers
Reading Level: Level 15 in Leveled Readers Series
Awards: None
Summary: The Predator assists students in learning how a snake operates in the wild. The book describes how it slithers and slides, while sneaking up on its prey. The Predator highlights how the snake continues to hunt day and night, eventually eating its prey whole.
Relation to "What is a holocaust?": The easy reader, The Predator, showcases how a snake quietly sneaks up on its prey, eventually attacks, and then swallows it whole, with no remorse. This story is metaphoric in terms of how many governments treat their citizens during times of turmoil. They sneak up quietly on their people and then attack, leaving no tracks behind.
Personal Connection: Immediately upon reading The Predator I began to relate the slithering, sneaky snake to the Nazi's during World War II. This military force would sneak quietly, at first, into towns "searching night and day" looking for Jewish Families and other outcasts in society. This "wary prey" desperately hid, trying to fight for survival. Eventually, the predator, the Nazi's, would swallow the Jews whole by quickly ending their life by shooting or gassing them. The bodies would then be rapidly buried in mass graves or burned in a crematory; leaving no sign that any human being had recently lived in that location. Just like the snake's prey, the Jews were "swallowed whole" never to be seen from again (Gentner, 1995).
Classroom Use: Since The Predator is a leveled reader, many elementary students who are early fluent readers may find this book quite enjoyable. These students would view the story strictly on a literal basis; snakes need to be sly while catching their prey in order to eat. On a more advanced level, students at the Middle School level should be able to make the metaphorical connection between the snake and cruel governments throughout history.
The Predator would be a great tool for introducing powerful governments within the classroom. The teacher would read the story to his/her class. The students would then discuss how the snake finds, stalks, and devours its prey. The teacher could then lead the students into a discussion about how the snake relates to governments throughout history. This book could launch the classes discussion on how people in our world can be predators, on the hunt for prey of its own. The teacher could mention briefly the idea of The Nazi's during World War II, Pol Pot in Cambodia, and The United States Government vs. Native Americans. The Predator would be an excellent story to launch the "What is a "holocaust?" unit!
Author: Norma L. Gentner
Publisher: Wright Group Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Books to Begin On
Number of Pages: 16
Location of Book: Leveled Readers
Reading Level: Level 15 in Leveled Readers Series
Awards: None
Summary: The Predator assists students in learning how a snake operates in the wild. The book describes how it slithers and slides, while sneaking up on its prey. The Predator highlights how the snake continues to hunt day and night, eventually eating its prey whole.
Relation to "What is a holocaust?": The easy reader, The Predator, showcases how a snake quietly sneaks up on its prey, eventually attacks, and then swallows it whole, with no remorse. This story is metaphoric in terms of how many governments treat their citizens during times of turmoil. They sneak up quietly on their people and then attack, leaving no tracks behind.
Personal Connection: Immediately upon reading The Predator I began to relate the slithering, sneaky snake to the Nazi's during World War II. This military force would sneak quietly, at first, into towns "searching night and day" looking for Jewish Families and other outcasts in society. This "wary prey" desperately hid, trying to fight for survival. Eventually, the predator, the Nazi's, would swallow the Jews whole by quickly ending their life by shooting or gassing them. The bodies would then be rapidly buried in mass graves or burned in a crematory; leaving no sign that any human being had recently lived in that location. Just like the snake's prey, the Jews were "swallowed whole" never to be seen from again (Gentner, 1995).
Classroom Use: Since The Predator is a leveled reader, many elementary students who are early fluent readers may find this book quite enjoyable. These students would view the story strictly on a literal basis; snakes need to be sly while catching their prey in order to eat. On a more advanced level, students at the Middle School level should be able to make the metaphorical connection between the snake and cruel governments throughout history.
The Predator would be a great tool for introducing powerful governments within the classroom. The teacher would read the story to his/her class. The students would then discuss how the snake finds, stalks, and devours its prey. The teacher could then lead the students into a discussion about how the snake relates to governments throughout history. This book could launch the classes discussion on how people in our world can be predators, on the hunt for prey of its own. The teacher could mention briefly the idea of The Nazi's during World War II, Pol Pot in Cambodia, and The United States Government vs. Native Americans. The Predator would be an excellent story to launch the "What is a "holocaust?" unit!
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