Rosa

Informational, Inspiring, Historical, Revolutionary, Educational 
Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Published by Henry Holt and Company Copyright 2005

2006 Caldecott Honor Book for Illustration

2006 Coretta Scott King Award Winner
2006 Teacher's Choice Winner

In this beautifully illustrated expository text by Nikki Giovanni, Rosa tells the real-life story of American heroine and Civil Rights activist, Rosa Parks.  The story begins on December 1, 1955 when Rosa Parks was returning home from a long day at work. When the bus driver recognized that the "White's Only" seats were full and he demanded that the black men and women move to the back, Rosa courageously refused to give up her seat.  The story continues by describing what happened to Rosa Parks and the impact her defiance had on the rest of the black community.  The murder of Emmett Till, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the support of leader, Martin Luther King Jr. are all historically tied into the text showing the challenges and progression of the Civil Rights Movement. 

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 900L, Grade 3

Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud

Description: Non-fiction, Historical, Diversity, Civil Rights

Electronic Resources: 
Montgomery Bus Boycott
This is a link to a site that offers additional sites related to the Civil Rights Movement.  It has worksheets and other supplementary materials, primary source documents, and includes videos and lectures regarding the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Meet Rosa Parks
This is a link to a brief video clip that describes Rosa Parks' life.  The biography, complete with photographs, can help visual and auditory learners comprehend the text. 

Key Vocabulary: Alterations, Civil Rights, Furtively, Inherently, Justice, Lynch, Mutter, Neutral, Seamstress, Supervisor, Trespassing, Vicious

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use this text in social studies to introduce students to Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement.
2. Read the text as a part of a collection of read-alouds during a lesson on American heroes and heroines.
3. Use the text to support Black History Month in February.

Comprehension Strategies
Pre-Reading- Have students complete the K and W portions of a KWL chart to activate prior knowledge and explore what they want to learn about Rosa Parks.

During Reading- Pause after Rosa refuses to give up her seat even though the bus driver demands she does and threatens to call the police.  Ask students what courage and bravery mean in this context.  Have students make text-to-self connections by asking what they would do if they were Rosa.  Would they follow the law or choose to stand up for what they believe is right?

Post-Reading- Students should complete the KWL chart with the L section.  Have students create found poems using duplicate pages from the text.  Students deliberately cross out words to leave the remaining, meaningful words as the text for their own poem that describes Rosa Parks or the courage that she had.

Writing Activity: Have students write a letter to Rosa Parks asking her about her life and why she chose to be brave that fateful day.

Giovanni, N., & Collier, B. (2005). Rosa. New York: Henry Holt.