Summary:
Just like any young child Minna wants to go to school, but before she can do that she needs one important item, a coat. After a tragic summer, the Quilting Mothers who gather at her house decide to use their scraps to make her a winter coat. The Quilting Mothers get together everyday to create her coat and along the way she learns all the stories behind the different scraps. When the coat is finally ready Minna wears it to school, but upon arriving she does not get the reaction she thought she would. After running away she decides to stand up for herself and show her classmates how special her coat is and how each of her classmates are apart of it.
Just like any young child Minna wants to go to school, but before she can do that she needs one important item, a coat. After a tragic summer, the Quilting Mothers who gather at her house decide to use their scraps to make her a winter coat. The Quilting Mothers get together everyday to create her coat and along the way she learns all the stories behind the different scraps. When the coat is finally ready Minna wears it to school, but upon arriving she does not get the reaction she thought she would. After running away she decides to stand up for herself and show her classmates how special her coat is and how each of her classmates are apart of it.
Key Words To Describe the Book
Teaching Strategies
Key Vocabulary to Help With Understanding
Electronic Resources:
Dealing With Feelings: Throughout this book Minna is constantly forced to deal with her feelings. This website is an interactive way for students to learn about feelings and the different facial expressions that go with certain feelings. Students can create different feelings, test how well they know feelings, and even play a different version of tic tac toes that incorporates feelings.
Coal Mining: This is a website designed for students that will teach them about coal. Coal mining is the career that Minna's dad has where he becomes sick and is unable to work. This causes Minna to not be able to attend school and have to start at a later time. Having students learn about the coal mining process they will be able to understand how severe his sickness was and how difficult his job was. Students will be able use what they learn to better understand how Minna is feeling and what her family is going through.
Before Reading Activity:
As a before reading activity have the students fill out an anticipation guide. Some direction questions can be, what they believe the time period may be, what does the title mean, or by looking at the picture on the front cover analyze how they think the girl is feel and why they think that?
During Reading Activity:
Have students take part in generative reading. Read a page or two from the book and then have the students write down a discussion question. Then have the students talk with a small group and discuss their questions. Students can talk about how they would feel if they were the girl, talk about the time period and how that affects the story, or how the other students acted toward her causing her to run away.
After Reading Activity:
As an after reading activity pose the question: Would you have reacted the same way Minna did after the other students made fun of her coat, why or why not? And if not, how would you have reacted. This will require students to write their reactions and be able to support it with examples from the book.
Writing Activity:
As a writing activity have the students create a journal. In the journal students must write 5 entries using the point of view of Minna and writing her about the things that happened throughout the novel. The entries should include specific details from the book to demonstrate their comprehension.
- Children
- Feelings
- Kindess
- Family
- Community
Teaching Strategies
Key Vocabulary to Help With Understanding
- Stitched: A piece of thread that is passed through a piece of material with a needle
- Quilting: The activity or process of making a quilt
- Porcelain: A hard, white substance that is very delicate and that is made by baking clay
- Soot: A black powder that is formed when something (such as wood or coal) is burned
- Burlap: A strong, rough fabric that is used mostly for making bags
Electronic Resources:
Dealing With Feelings: Throughout this book Minna is constantly forced to deal with her feelings. This website is an interactive way for students to learn about feelings and the different facial expressions that go with certain feelings. Students can create different feelings, test how well they know feelings, and even play a different version of tic tac toes that incorporates feelings.
Coal Mining: This is a website designed for students that will teach them about coal. Coal mining is the career that Minna's dad has where he becomes sick and is unable to work. This causes Minna to not be able to attend school and have to start at a later time. Having students learn about the coal mining process they will be able to understand how severe his sickness was and how difficult his job was. Students will be able use what they learn to better understand how Minna is feeling and what her family is going through.
Before Reading Activity:
As a before reading activity have the students fill out an anticipation guide. Some direction questions can be, what they believe the time period may be, what does the title mean, or by looking at the picture on the front cover analyze how they think the girl is feel and why they think that?
During Reading Activity:
Have students take part in generative reading. Read a page or two from the book and then have the students write down a discussion question. Then have the students talk with a small group and discuss their questions. Students can talk about how they would feel if they were the girl, talk about the time period and how that affects the story, or how the other students acted toward her causing her to run away.
After Reading Activity:
As an after reading activity pose the question: Would you have reacted the same way Minna did after the other students made fun of her coat, why or why not? And if not, how would you have reacted. This will require students to write their reactions and be able to support it with examples from the book.
Writing Activity:
As a writing activity have the students create a journal. In the journal students must write 5 entries using the point of view of Minna and writing her about the things that happened throughout the novel. The entries should include specific details from the book to demonstrate their comprehension.