Ninth Ward

Memorable, Sensational, Heroic, Suspenseful, Luminous 

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Published by Little, Brown and Company Copyright 2010

2011 Coretta Scott King Award Winner

"An enjoyable, satisfying novel about the magical spirit of a young girl navigating her way through an American tragedy." - Author Christopher Paul Curtis

Jewell Parker Rhodes invites readers to share a moving and memorable experience that so many victims of Hurricane Katrina had to endure.  Set in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, LA in 2005, this book tells the story of Lanesha and her "grandmother," Mama Ya-Ya.  The connection Lanesha has to her only supporter, Mama Ya-Ya, gives her hope.  However, Mama Ya-Ya is not a typical woman: she can predict the future.  Also, Lanesha already is different because she does not live with her birth family and longs to be accepted by them.  While Lanesha is thankful that Mama Ya-Ya raised her and took care of her, Mama Ya-Ya's gift makes forming friendships and living a normal life even harder.   But as Hurricane Katrina begins to approach the Ninth Ward, Lanesha discovers she has to be brave, reverse roles, and start taking care of Mama Ya-Ya in order to fight for her survival.

Reading Level: Lexile Framework HL470L, Grade 4

Suggested Delivery: Small Group Read
Description: Realistic Fiction, Diversity

Electronic Resources:
Author's Site
This is a link to the author's site.  Here there is additional information about Jewell Parker Rhodes, her decision to write about Hurricane Katrina, links to other sites to inform students and teachers about the hurricane, and before and after pictures of the Ninth Ward in New Orleans.

Study Guide
This is a link to a PDF file.  It provides discussion questions, a reproducible vocabulary chart, and ideas to connect the text to the other content areas.

Hurrican Katrina Video
This is a link to a documentary about the effects of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation is brought to New Orleans.  

Key Vocabulary: Caul, Devastating, Defiant, Evacuate, Exasperated, Fortitude, Loitering, Omen, Quantity, Transparent, Suspension Bridge, Unfathomable, Velocity

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use this text in social studies to review Hurricane Katrina as a past event in American history.  Students can also research New Orleans and create a timeline of its history.
2. Use this text in science to supplement a unit on natural disasters.
3. Use this text to teach students about community service and the importance of people supporting others during difficult times.  If New Orleans is too far away to interact with, find a local food bank or shelter that students can help support to teach the value of offering help.
   

Comprehension Strategies
Pre-Reading- Activate prior knowledge by asking students what a hurricane is and if they recognize Hurricane Katrina.  Explain to students that Hurricane Katrina was a devastating storm that impacted families for a very long time.

During Reading- Have students participate in small group discussions.  Some suggested discussion questions include:

1. What is Lanesha's life like with Mama Ya-Ya in New Orleans?
2. What is an "outsider"? How is Lanesha treated like an outsider?
3. Why does Lanesha keep talking about her other family?  Who are they?
4. Why do some people stay in New Orleans while others leave when the hurricane is about to arrive?
5. How do you think Lanesha was feeling when she had to start taking care of Mama Ya-Ya?

Post-Reading- Have students make text-to-self connections by thinking about a time when they did not have power during a storm or have access to food or water.  Have students write journal entries comparing their situation to Lanesha's.   

Writing Activity: Have students write letters and cards to Hurricane Katrina survivors.  If this is not possible, find other survivors from more recent weather-related catastrophes so students can show their support.

Rhodes, J. P. (2010). Ninth Ward. New York: Little, Brown and Co.