Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Moon Over Manifest (2010)
Written by: Clare Vanderpool
Delacorte Press, New York, New York
Lexile: 800L
Accelerated Reader: 12.0

Mysterious, Nostalgic, Historical, Rich Narrative, Complex Characters, 

Suggested Delivery: small group reading

Electronic Resources to Support Reading:

     1.  Kansas in 1918

          This website contains information on Kansas in 1918, including the Great Pandemic of Kansas that impacted many people and families.  It also includes what life expectancy was during 1918, world snapshots, medical care, and documents and media from 1918.

     2.  A History of Kansas

          This website includes a host of information about the state of Kansas: information on education, history, ancestry, preservation, and much more.  Students may explore this website to learn more about the state in which they are reading about.

          

Key Vocabulary:

• cantankerous - bad-tempered, cranky, argumentative
• evaded - to escape or avoid, usually by trickery
• requisition - demand the use of, usually by official order for military use
• jurisdiction - the official power to make legal decisions
• siphon - a tube bent into legs of unequal lengths, to move a liquid from one container to another
• furtively - done in stealth or in secret, sly
• brogue - an Irish accent in the pronunciation of English, or a strong regional accent
• assenting - expressing approval or agreement
• consternation - feelings of anxiety or dismay

Before Reading:  This story takes place during extremely different time periods than students are used to, transitioning between 1918 and 1936.  Before beginning to read Moon Over Manifest, discuss with students what they already know about either of these time periods and record information on a large board for all to see.  Allow time for students to research further information about these time periods in American history, specifically the midwest and Kansas.  After conducting further research, have students record additional information on the large board and leave up the information throughout reading of the story.  Throughout reading, students may continue to add information they learn about these time periods.

During Reading:  Students will write either a news article or an advertisement, and then read it aloud while creating a Voki, to put a face to the voice.  The news article must be fictional and something original the student created, as well as the advertisement.  Here is an example of a Voki reading aloud a news article: Voki News Article 

After Reading:  Students will work together in groups to comprise a Padlet, an interactive 2.0 tool that allows users to create a story board.  Students are to post important information pertaining to Moon Over Manifest, such as important characters, setting, events that occurred throughout the story, and questions they had while reading.  They may present these questions as unsolved mysteries or explain the outcome of the questions they had.  There must be at least ten pieces of information on their group Padlet.  Groups will present their Padlet to the rest of the class and explain the information they chose to include.  Padlet

Writing Activity:  Students will write a news article or an advertisement (their choice), similar to Hattie May's news auxiliary.  This must be a fictional piece of writing or advertising, and students are urged to be creative or use humor as many of the advertisements throughout the story do.  While the writing must be fictional, students may gain inspiration from current events happening in their town, school, or country.  This news article or advertisement will be read as the students create a Voki.  Afterwards, students may share their Vokis to the rest of the class.