Exciting, Thrilling Adventure, Suspenseful, Hopeful, Breathtaking | Review "...Contains a satisfying mystery, a breathtaking escape over rooftops in darkness, a harrowing journey in the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to deciper...The cliffhanger ending will leave readers clamoring for the next installment." Kirkus |
Bibliography:
DuPrau, J. (2003). The city of Ember. New York: Random House.
DuPrau, J. (2003). The city of Ember. New York: Random House.
Reading Level: An AR rating of 4.6 (4th/5th grade) with an interest level of middle grades (4th-8th grade).
Suggested Delivery: Shared reading or independent reading
Summary:
Electric light is the only divider between light and dark in a world where darkness is a constant companion. However, in the city of Ember the blackouts are getting more frequent and lasting longer. Who knows when the last blackout will happen, leaving the city plunged into darkness. Not only are the blackouts getting worst, but the city's supplies of everything from light bulbs to food are running dangerously low, and in some cases no longer existent. On day, Lina Mayflet finds her sister chewing on an old paper that Lina believes was left by the Builders of Ember. Now, the message has become illegible with only a few occasional words decipherable. Two of those words define the importance for the message: "instructions for Egress." She seeks help from Doon Harrow to decipher the "Instructions for Egress." Can Lina and Doon find a way out of Ember and save the city before it's too late? Or is Ember destined to meet a dark end?
Electric light is the only divider between light and dark in a world where darkness is a constant companion. However, in the city of Ember the blackouts are getting more frequent and lasting longer. Who knows when the last blackout will happen, leaving the city plunged into darkness. Not only are the blackouts getting worst, but the city's supplies of everything from light bulbs to food are running dangerously low, and in some cases no longer existent. On day, Lina Mayflet finds her sister chewing on an old paper that Lina believes was left by the Builders of Ember. Now, the message has become illegible with only a few occasional words decipherable. Two of those words define the importance for the message: "instructions for Egress." She seeks help from Doon Harrow to decipher the "Instructions for Egress." Can Lina and Doon find a way out of Ember and save the city before it's too late? Or is Ember destined to meet a dark end?
Key Vocabulary:
Blackout (13): a period of darkness caused by lack of electricity
Storeroom (100): a room or space used to store supplies (like food, light bulbs, and blankets)
Illegible (103): writing that cannot be read
Decode (109): to understand or determine the underlying meaning of a message
Egress (171): a way to leave a place
Definitions are based off of dictioanry.com
Blackout (13): a period of darkness caused by lack of electricity
Storeroom (100): a room or space used to store supplies (like food, light bulbs, and blankets)
Illegible (103): writing that cannot be read
Decode (109): to understand or determine the underlying meaning of a message
Egress (171): a way to leave a place
Definitions are based off of dictioanry.com
Before Reading Strategy:
Mock Assignment Day- Explain that today is "Assignment Day." Give the students a preview of the jobs that are present in the book (messengers, physical laborers, electricians, trash collector, and supply clerk) and ask them what kind of place would need all of these jobs. Use some of these jobs for mock assignments. Then, explain that students will get a job placement that will determine their future within the classroom. Distribute mock job assignments to students and give a talk about service to the classroom. Ask students how they feel about being assigned to a profession that they may or may not like. Then, ask them how would feel if this was their job for the rest of their life.
Mock Assignment Day- Explain that today is "Assignment Day." Give the students a preview of the jobs that are present in the book (messengers, physical laborers, electricians, trash collector, and supply clerk) and ask them what kind of place would need all of these jobs. Use some of these jobs for mock assignments. Then, explain that students will get a job placement that will determine their future within the classroom. Distribute mock job assignments to students and give a talk about service to the classroom. Ask students how they feel about being assigned to a profession that they may or may not like. Then, ask them how would feel if this was their job for the rest of their life.
During Reading Strategy:
Using "On the Road to the Future" graphic organizer have students decide the important events in a story during reading. This will assist students in thinking of how the story ties together and requires some fore thought in that students have to decide the important events before the end of the story. Stop every two or three chapters discuss the events and whether or not any events are believed to be essential to the plot of the story. Get the students started with the first event to show students what they should be looking for. Be sure to include metacognition and a think aloud during the beginning stages of the activity.
Using "On the Road to the Future" graphic organizer have students decide the important events in a story during reading. This will assist students in thinking of how the story ties together and requires some fore thought in that students have to decide the important events before the end of the story. Stop every two or three chapters discuss the events and whether or not any events are believed to be essential to the plot of the story. Get the students started with the first event to show students what they should be looking for. Be sure to include metacognition and a think aloud during the beginning stages of the activity.
After Reading Strategy:
Have students complete a Character Chart on either Linna Mayfleet or Doon Harrow. The first time you use this graphic organizer, use a well known literary character (i.e. Harry Potter) to show students how to complete the chart. Be sure to emphasize that under "one thing character did" the event should be essential to the plot of the story.
Have students complete a Character Chart on either Linna Mayfleet or Doon Harrow. The first time you use this graphic organizer, use a well known literary character (i.e. Harry Potter) to show students how to complete the chart. Be sure to emphasize that under "one thing character did" the event should be essential to the plot of the story.
Inferential Comprehension Writing Activity:
Pretend you are a citizen of Ember. How do you feel that the blackouts are more frequent and last longer? How do you feel that the supplies are running low? Would you try to save the city? What would you do? If you don't want to try to save the city, why not?
Pretend you are a citizen of Ember. How do you feel that the blackouts are more frequent and last longer? How do you feel that the supplies are running low? Would you try to save the city? What would you do? If you don't want to try to save the city, why not?
Electronic Resources:
City of Ember is now a movie. After reading the book watch the movie. Then, have a class discussion on what was different in the movie from the book and what was the same. This gives students a change to explore the book in detail.
This site can be used to connect the students to the text before reading. Have the students work in groups or individually to attempt to decipher the message. If your school is low on electronic resources print the document out and make copies for each student. This activity will also help students to connect to the character's difficulty in deciphering the message. http://www.jeanneduprau.com/puzzle.shtml When the picture is deciphered it says "The World's longest-burning light bulb is in a firehouse in Livermore, California. It has been on almost all the time for one hundred and seven years." This is a website about the light bulb (which including last year (2012) has now been burning for 112 years): http://www.centennialbulb.org/ |
Resources:
Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. (n.d.). Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.dictionary.com.
Jacobson, Jennifer and Dottie Raymer. The big book of reproducible graphic organizers: 50 great templates to help kids get more out of reading, writing, social studies & more. New York: Scholastic Professional Books.
Jeanne DuPrau. (n.d.). Jeanne DuPrau. Retrieved Retrieved July 7, 2013 rom http://www.jeanneduprau.com/puzzle.shtml.
Livermore's Centennial Light Bulb. (n.d.).Livermore's Centennial Light Bulb. Retrieved Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.centennialbulb.org/.
Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. (n.d.). Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.dictionary.com.
Jacobson, Jennifer and Dottie Raymer. The big book of reproducible graphic organizers: 50 great templates to help kids get more out of reading, writing, social studies & more. New York: Scholastic Professional Books.
Jeanne DuPrau. (n.d.). Jeanne DuPrau. Retrieved Retrieved July 7, 2013 rom http://www.jeanneduprau.com/puzzle.shtml.
Livermore's Centennial Light Bulb. (n.d.).Livermore's Centennial Light Bulb. Retrieved Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.centennialbulb.org/.