Lailah's Lunchbox: A Mentor Text Activity that Focuses on Asking Higher-Level Questions

Welcome to our Celebrating Diversity mentor text link-up! The book I'm choosing to feature is Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi. This is a powerful read-aloud that will touch everyone in your classroom. Your Muslim students will be excited to find a proud, strong Muslim main character that may be facing difficult situations similar to the ones they face on a daily basis. Furthermore, your non-Muslim students will connect with a character much like themselves, as well, who worries about her classmates' and teacher's opinion of her. The author of this book explains the tradition of fasting during Ramadan in a sensitive, positive manner that is perfect for the upper elementary classroom. (Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.)

A quick summary: The book begins the day before Ramadan, when Lailah hangs up her lunchbox because she won't be needing it for the next month. Lailah and her mother are both thrilled and proud that she has reached this special milestone in her life. However, the next day her excitement quickly turns to anxiety, as she worries about what exactly will happen during lunchtime when she is the only student who doesn't eat lunch. She finds herself wishing she could return to Abu Dhabi, her old home where her best friends would also be fasting for Ramadan. When lunchtime arrives, Lailah is still too scared to give her teacher the note her mother wrote, and she heads to the lunchroom with her classmates. A few thoughtful classmates volunteer to share their lunches with Lailah, but she is too nervous to explain why she doesn't accept their offer. Finally, she sneaks out of the cafeteria and heads to the library, where she explains everything to the librarian. Mrs. Carman encourages Lailah to write down what she is feeling, and Lailah proceeds to write a letter to her classroom teacher, along with a poem about Ramadan. She drops it on her teacher's desk before she leaves school. The next day, Lailah's anxiety returns. However, her teacher hands her a message that invites her to visit the library instead of sitting in the cafeteria during lunchtime throughout Ramadan. Her teacher also invites Lailah to share her poem with the class later that day. Lailah is relieved that she doesn't have to endure lunchtime in the cafeteria, and she is excited about sharing her poem with her classmates.

Focus Skill: Asking Higher-Level Questions

Teachers know that asking higher-level questions is extremely important. When students are required to answer open-ended questions related to the books they are reading, they achieve a deeper understanding that results in advanced cognitive and emotional responses. Furthermore, I have found that it is helpful for students to understand the differences between lower-level questions and higher-level questions. Not only does this knowledge prepare students for when they are asked a higher-level question, but it also prepares them to independently participate in book clubs and literature circles in a way that has meaningful results.

Feel free to download the free worksheet that I created to accompany Lailah's Lunchbox. First, I intend to read aloud the book for pure enjoyment. When I finish the book, I will say something like "Wow, this book has given me a lot to think about. When I read books like these, I like to discuss it with others to find out if they feel the same way I do, or if they feel differently. In order to have a book discussion, though, it is helpful to plan the questions you want to ask."

Then, I will distribute the worksheet and tell students that we are going to review a list of questions that were written about the book we just read together. After discussing the content in the top two boxes, I will ask students to consider which questions are most conducive to a book discussion (Higher-level questions are more helpful because they allow for more discussion.) Next, I will give students about 5 minutes to complete the worksheet. When everyone has finished, we will go through the questions together, labeling them as higher-level or lower-level questions. Finally, I will divide the students into small groups and have them share the questions and answers they wrote for the final two items on the worksheet.

Thank you for stopping by today! Be sure to hop around and visit my friends' blogs and check out the other diverse books shared in this mentor text link up!

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2 comments 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, Freebie, mentor text, Read Alouds