Fast Paced, Beautifully Illustrated, Engaging, Relatible, Gripping | Reviews: "Measured, masterful pacing... Simply stunning." The Horn Book "A complex but accessible and fascinating book." School Library Journal Awards:
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Bibliography:
Phelan, Matt. The storm in the barn. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2009. Print.
Phelan, Matt. The storm in the barn. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2009. Print.
Reading Level: An AR rating of 2.3 (2nd grade) with an interest level of middle grades (4th-8th grade).
*Although this book is only rated at a second grade level, the content is not for younger children. One section of the book is a rabbit drive (which was when jackrabbits were killed so that people during the Dust Bowl could survive). However, nothing graphic is shown, but it is heavily implied so that the meaning is clear.
*Although this book is only rated at a second grade level, the content is not for younger children. One section of the book is a rabbit drive (which was when jackrabbits were killed so that people during the Dust Bowl could survive). However, nothing graphic is shown, but it is heavily implied so that the meaning is clear.
Suggested Delivery: Independent Reading or Shared Reading
Summary:
It’s the middle of the Dust Bowl in Kansas. No rain has fallen in four years. People are sick. The novel starts with a family leaving Kansas and almost hitting a shadow in the dust. They think it’s just their imagination; after all it hasn't rained in a long time.
The next couple of days seem normal, until Jack walks into a barn and sees a face that “looks like rain.” His father says it is just his imagination. He tries to forget about what he saw, but things are getting bad; his sister is sick and people are taking desperate measures to feed their families. Jack knows something has to be done, but what can he do. He is just a boy who can’t win his father’s approval and is beaten up by bullies. When the time comes to save the town, does he have what it takes to stand up and fight?
It’s the middle of the Dust Bowl in Kansas. No rain has fallen in four years. People are sick. The novel starts with a family leaving Kansas and almost hitting a shadow in the dust. They think it’s just their imagination; after all it hasn't rained in a long time.
The next couple of days seem normal, until Jack walks into a barn and sees a face that “looks like rain.” His father says it is just his imagination. He tries to forget about what he saw, but things are getting bad; his sister is sick and people are taking desperate measures to feed their families. Jack knows something has to be done, but what can he do. He is just a boy who can’t win his father’s approval and is beaten up by bullies. When the time comes to save the town, does he have what it takes to stand up and fight?
Key Vocabulary:
Dust Bowl (this definition will help students understand the historical context): a region in the Southwest of the United States that suffered from dust storms and drought during the 1930's
Dust storm (20): a storm characterized by strong winds and air filled with dust that occurs during a period of drought
Dust pneumonia (28): an infection in the lungs as a result of high exposure to dust and dirt*
Dementia (29): severe lost in intellectual abilities and personal integrity
Spooked (48): to be frightened
Superstitious (48): to believe in the possibility of unearthly beings
Pastureland (69): an area covered in grass that is suitable for sustaining animals such as cows and horses
Ranching (69): a type of farm that mostly grows one crop or raises one animal
Plight (90): an unfortunate situation
Manifestation (91): to make something known visually
Apparatus (91): a machine
Lam (92): in hiding, (in this novel lam is used as the idiom “on the lam.”)
Definitions are based on dictionary.com except in definitions followed by a *.
*Definition is from http://www.livestrong.com/article/17213-symptoms-dust-pneumonia/
Dust Bowl (this definition will help students understand the historical context): a region in the Southwest of the United States that suffered from dust storms and drought during the 1930's
Dust storm (20): a storm characterized by strong winds and air filled with dust that occurs during a period of drought
Dust pneumonia (28): an infection in the lungs as a result of high exposure to dust and dirt*
Dementia (29): severe lost in intellectual abilities and personal integrity
Spooked (48): to be frightened
Superstitious (48): to believe in the possibility of unearthly beings
Pastureland (69): an area covered in grass that is suitable for sustaining animals such as cows and horses
Ranching (69): a type of farm that mostly grows one crop or raises one animal
Plight (90): an unfortunate situation
Manifestation (91): to make something known visually
Apparatus (91): a machine
Lam (92): in hiding, (in this novel lam is used as the idiom “on the lam.”)
Definitions are based on dictionary.com except in definitions followed by a *.
*Definition is from http://www.livestrong.com/article/17213-symptoms-dust-pneumonia/
Before Reading Strategy:
Have a miniature walk-through of the book. Show you students how the book should be read (looking at every panel, looking at what is happening visually in each panel, etc.) through a think a-loud. This will help show students what to focus on and think about during reading.
For example, on the first page there are quite a few things to look at.
Have a miniature walk-through of the book. Show you students how the book should be read (looking at every panel, looking at what is happening visually in each panel, etc.) through a think a-loud. This will help show students what to focus on and think about during reading.
For example, on the first page there are quite a few things to look at.
1. There is a location and a date. This will help set the context of the novel. This is a good point to remind the students what you have learned about that time period and location (i.e. the Dust Bowl).
2. The first panel shows a car being packed, and a woman hold the hand of a child while carrying a child.
a. You can say, “I’m looking at the first panel and I notice a couple of thing. First, there is a family who looks like they are going on a trip or moving. There is also a lot of dust floating around. Finally, I notice that the colors the author chose are very dull. I think that this is not a trip or move that the family wants to make.
3. The next panel gives a close-up of the man’s face who is loading the car.
4. The woman is buckling in the baby in the next panel.
5. In the fourth panel the reader sees the man looking back.
6. In the fifth panel there is a close-up of a building covered in dust.
a. You can say, “Wow that is a lot of dust. What do you remember about the Dust Bowl?” Here you can give the students a chance to connect to prior knowledge as well as a time to give them some background of the book if they don’t.
7. In the sixth panel there is a close-up of both the man and the woman’s face.
a. You can say, “They don’t look very happy. In fact, they look very sad.”
8. At this point you can say, “I’m putting all this information and what I know about the Dust Bowl together. I think that this family is moving away because there is too much dust and not enough food for the family. But, I’m going to keep reading to see if this right.”
2. The first panel shows a car being packed, and a woman hold the hand of a child while carrying a child.
a. You can say, “I’m looking at the first panel and I notice a couple of thing. First, there is a family who looks like they are going on a trip or moving. There is also a lot of dust floating around. Finally, I notice that the colors the author chose are very dull. I think that this is not a trip or move that the family wants to make.
3. The next panel gives a close-up of the man’s face who is loading the car.
4. The woman is buckling in the baby in the next panel.
5. In the fourth panel the reader sees the man looking back.
6. In the fifth panel there is a close-up of a building covered in dust.
a. You can say, “Wow that is a lot of dust. What do you remember about the Dust Bowl?” Here you can give the students a chance to connect to prior knowledge as well as a time to give them some background of the book if they don’t.
7. In the sixth panel there is a close-up of both the man and the woman’s face.
a. You can say, “They don’t look very happy. In fact, they look very sad.”
8. At this point you can say, “I’m putting all this information and what I know about the Dust Bowl together. I think that this family is moving away because there is too much dust and not enough food for the family. But, I’m going to keep reading to see if this right.”
During Reading Strategy:
Even though this book is suggested as an independent read, have students only read a certain number of pages at a time. At the end of each section, have a class discussion on what has happened in that section. This is to scaffold students who are not familiar with graphic novels. As the students read more of the novel have your students read longer sections. This way they can gradually become comfortable with reading a text that is primarily visual.
Also, have students jot down notes on what is happening in each section. Here is an example of the kinds of notes that students can take:
Even though this book is suggested as an independent read, have students only read a certain number of pages at a time. At the end of each section, have a class discussion on what has happened in that section. This is to scaffold students who are not familiar with graphic novels. As the students read more of the novel have your students read longer sections. This way they can gradually become comfortable with reading a text that is primarily visual.
Also, have students jot down notes on what is happening in each section. Here is an example of the kinds of notes that students can take:
Pages Read: 12-15
Describe Setting:
There is a lot of dust.
The colors used are dull.
There is an overall feeling of bleakness.
Describe What is Happening:
People are packing up and moving. As they are driving they see something in the dust. However, they think it is just their imagination and keep driving.
Describe the People:
They look unhappy. The man over all looks angry, but the woman looks sad.
Describe Setting:
There is a lot of dust.
The colors used are dull.
There is an overall feeling of bleakness.
Describe What is Happening:
People are packing up and moving. As they are driving they see something in the dust. However, they think it is just their imagination and keep driving.
Describe the People:
They look unhappy. The man over all looks angry, but the woman looks sad.
After Reading Strategy:
Have a class discussion. Here are some starting questions:
1) What did you think about reading a graphic novel instead of a traditional novel*?
2) Which is easier to read, a graphic novel or traditional novel? Why?
3) Why did Jack keep asking if his father needed help?
4) Why did Jack follow his father to the rabbit drive?
5) How did Jack’s father’s attitude change toward Jack?
6) Can you relate to Jack? How?
*Traditional novel is a novel that uses only words to tell the story.
Have a class discussion. Here are some starting questions:
1) What did you think about reading a graphic novel instead of a traditional novel*?
2) Which is easier to read, a graphic novel or traditional novel? Why?
3) Why did Jack keep asking if his father needed help?
4) Why did Jack follow his father to the rabbit drive?
5) How did Jack’s father’s attitude change toward Jack?
6) Can you relate to Jack? How?
*Traditional novel is a novel that uses only words to tell the story.
Electronic Resources:Before reading, have the students create their own comic. By creating their own comic the students will be familiar with format and thus help students understand some of the basics of the graphic novel they are going to read. You can have them create a comic strip of their own choice or have it relate to the theme or setting of The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan. To make this assignment easier use this website that sets up the comic strip for you.
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/
Here are a few snapshots of what the program looks like.
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/
Here are a few snapshots of what the program looks like.
Step 1: Step 2: | Step 3: How many of the snapshots below appear depend on how many panels you chose (1,2, 3, of 6); to get rid of unwanted objects you have added, just drag it to the box you clicked on “People,” “Balloons,” or “Props.” Change the background by clicking of the side arrows. Finished Product of Step 3: |
Step 4:
After inserting all y our images, click “Finish.” You will be prompted to print you picture or start a new one. A new cartoon will delete everything that has been done. Once printed students can color it in.
After inserting all y our images, click “Finish.” You will be prompted to print you picture or start a new one. A new cartoon will delete everything that has been done. Once printed students can color it in.
This video is about Matt Phelan and his reasoning for using a graphic novel instead of a traditional novel for The Storm in the Barn. Interestingly, The Storm in the Barn was his first graphic novel (but he had written other works). He talks a lot about his experience on writing his first graphic novel. He talks specifically about The Storm in the Barn for the first minute and forty seconds. After that he begins to talk about other graphic novels he has created.
http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/authors-illustrators/matt-phelan-on-visual-storytelling-in-graphic-novels-slj-day-of-dialog-2013/#_
http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/authors-illustrators/matt-phelan-on-visual-storytelling-in-graphic-novels-slj-day-of-dialog-2013/#_
Resources:
Boehlke, Julie. "What are symptoms of dust pneumonia?". "LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http:// www.livestrong.com/article/17213-symptoms-dust-pneumonia/>.
"Comic Creator." Comic Creator . ReadWriteThink, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives /comic/>.
"Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary." Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http://www.dictionary.com>.
Phelan, Matt (Speaker). "Matt Phelan on visual storytelling in graphic novels." School Library Journal. N.p., 4 June 2013. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/authors-illustrators/matt-phelan-on-visual-storytelling-in-graphic-novels-slj-day-of-dialog-2013/#_>.
Boehlke, Julie. "What are symptoms of dust pneumonia?". "LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http:// www.livestrong.com/article/17213-symptoms-dust-pneumonia/>.
"Comic Creator." Comic Creator . ReadWriteThink, n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives /comic/>.
"Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary." Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http://www.dictionary.com>.
Phelan, Matt (Speaker). "Matt Phelan on visual storytelling in graphic novels." School Library Journal. N.p., 4 June 2013. Web. 31 Aug. 2013. <http://www.slj.com/2013/06/books-media/authors-illustrators/matt-phelan-on-visual-storytelling-in-graphic-novels-slj-day-of-dialog-2013/#_>.