Teachers pay teachers is an online marketplace where teachers buy and sell original educational materials. A free powerpoint ppt presentation displayed as a flash slide show on id. Rifkas family hid in the trains boxcars, and rifka had to distract the soldiers. Front cover template writing prompt directions included literary elements flipbook characters, theme, conflict, climax, resolution, symbolism, foreshadowing, setting, irony.
The kind rifka would look at in her belgium home with marie and gaston. Occasionally, when i grab a banana, i remember rifka laughing about how people on the island used bananas to tell if someone was a new immigrant. Karen hesse in letters to her cousin, a young jewish girl chronicles her familys flight from russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in belgium for a while when the others immigrate to. Her family had to flee russia so her brothers would not be killed because they fled their regiment in the russian armed services. But she dreams that in the new country she will at last be safe from the russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the jews.
Hesse discovered that she was good with words in the fifth grade. However, rifka convinced him to read from her book and the officials saw that he was actually very intelligent, and was granted permission. Letters from rifka is a short childrens novel narrated by a 12 year old jewish girl fleeing russia in 1919. All questions are taken from our litplan teacher pack for letters from rifka, but you dont need to haveuse the litplan to use this slide presentation. From newbery media winner karen hesse comes an unforgettable story of an immigrant familys journey to america. Read with a group group members read an agreedupon number of pages, complete the corresponding student journal pages, and meet to discuss. Feb 01, 2009 rifka, the protagonist of this book, is 12years old, which matches the beginning age for appropriateness of this book. However, rifka encounters many difficulties along the way. Why did rifkas family hide in different places around the train station. Free letters from rifka study unit worksheets for teachers to print. Pj our way offers free, monthly jewish chapter books to kids 911 years of age. Jan 01, 1992 letters from rifka is a short childrens novel narrated by a 12 year old jewish girl fleeing russia in 1919.
Giving rifka a book helped to expand the readers understanding of her character, as well as providing a vehicle in which she could record her tale. In letters from rifka, rifka and her family travel to many countries before arriving in the united states. Essay and discussion questions are for the whole book. The soldiers came to the boxcars to search for nathan, and rifka distracted them. Because she has no spare paper, she uses the blank spaces of the book to write letters to a cousin who remains in the motherland. Letters from rifka by karen hesse, 9780312535612, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Read the book form the group that will read letters from rifka. Twelveyearold rifkas journey from a jewish community in the ukraine to ellis island is anything but smooth sailing. My favorite highlights were when rifka and her family got typhus but survived.
Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifka s family makes their way across russia to poland and the u. Along the way she faces many obstacles and the only way she feels comfort is when she writes in a book called pushkin, that her cousin gave her. Free letters from rifka worksheets and literature unit for. She studied theatre at towson state college, and finished her undergraduate degree at the university of maryland in english, psychology, and anthropology. Thank god that iyla got to go to america but the part that scared me was that they had to check rifkas head to see if she was growing some hair. The time peroid for the story was during the 1920s, the setting occured in various places. Rifka makes the difficult journey from the ukraine to america and records the adventure, as well as her solo journey to rejoin her family after being separated from them, in a series of letters. Growing up in baltimore, maryland, karen hesse dreamed of many different careers archaeologist, actress, and author. After doing a bit of research, i felt pushkin, whose poetry i knew only in passing, seemed the best optionhis work would have been in print and its possible rifkas family, particularly. Letters from rifka is a childrens historical novel by karen hesse, published by holt in 1992. I learned more about jewish history from this book. Thank god that iyla got to go to america but the part. My class just read it and we are on the last letter. A painting of antwerp, belgium in the early 1900s, the time when rifka was there.
Letters from rifka interactive journal by teaching and so. Letters from rifka through the looking glass childrens. Jul 31, 2014 rifka explains her escape to her cousin, in the form of a letter. Choose from 500 different sets of letters from rifka flashcards on quizlet. Karen hesse is the author of many books for young people, including out of the dust. At the end, rifka is finally able to send the letters to her cousin. Letters from rifka 10 questions by davisfor5th last updated.
Setting letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. I remember being so fascinated by rifkas story i still think back to it today. Throughout her journey, rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by alexander pushkin. Rifkas mother talk to her about how it has been in america. Our online letters from rifka trivia quizzes can be adapted to suit your requirements for taking some of the top letters from rifka quizzes. In letters to her cousin, a young jewish girl chronicles her familys flight from russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in belgium for a. The thrilling novel letters from rifka includes content some students may struggle to understand. What is missing from rifkas rucksack when the guards returned her belongings. Ms hesse is also the author of wish on a unicorn and the forthcoming lesters dog and lavender.
The concepts of social classes, hatred and hardships, and rifkas determination also play a role in this moving story. Letters from rifka timeline timeline created by kittycat. Its important to lay some background knowledge early by posing these prereading questions. On ellis island rifka meets a new friend named ilya, but he first does not talk to her nor will he eat, so everyone thinks. Rifka knows nothing about america when she flees from russia with her family in 1919. This book is an indepth look at a 12 year old girls struggle to get to america from russia. When a case of ringworm prevents rifka from joining her russian family as they emigrate. This book is especially powerful because, as the author tells us in the beginning of the story in her authors note, rifkas experiences are largely based on the life of one of her own relatives. Twelve yearold rifka is the strong jewish heroine of this historical novel. I bought it for my 9year old and, thankfully, read a part of it first before making a determination to give it to her. Letters from rifka plan your schedule my group members are. Introduction this study guide aims to provide material to help in the preparation of a lesson, unit, or book club discussion about the novel letters from rifka by karen hesse.
Because she has no spare paper, she uses the blank spaces of the book to write letters to a. Karen hesse is the author of many books for young people, including out of the dust, winner of the newbery medal, brooklyn bridge, phoenix rising, sable and lavender. One of my kids won letters from rifka as a prize from the library summer reading program a. Letters from rifka by karen hesse in chm, epub, fb2 download e book. Have students use a blank world map to trace the journey of rifka and her family. Then have students briefly research each country and provide relevant. She has received honors including the scott odell historical fiction award, the christopher award, and the macarthur fellowship genius award, making her only the second childrens book author to receive this. Karen hesse born on august 29, 1952 baltimore, maryland is an american author of childrens literature and literature for young adults. This book tackles the issues of antisemitism and a totalitarian government, which are the underlying causes of rifkas familys need to flee russia. Indeed it is within the pages of this beloved volume that rifka writes letters to tovah, letters describing her experiences and her feelings. Always, to help her, she has the book of pushkin poems that her beloved cousin tovah gave her. Beginning in russia in 1919, this epistolary novel, based on experiences of the authors greataunt, tells how 12yearold rifka nebrot and her family fled the antisemitism of postrevolutionary russia and emigrated to the us. Rifkas family quickly packed up their things and left.
Stay connected to your students with prezi video, now in microsoft teams. Rifka was also able to convince the officials that she could succeed in life with or without hair. Ppt letters from rifka powerpoint presentation free to. Hesses vivacious tale colorfully and convincingly refreshes the immigrant experience. Learn letters from rifka with free interactive flashcards. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading letters from rifka. The year is 1919 and rifka and her family are making the. Karen hesse calls letters from rifka a gift to my grandparents and to my heritage, and to people like rifka who have made the passage between two worlds. It features a jewish familys emigration from russia in 1919, to belgium and ultimately to the u. They chose rifka because she could speak russian and she had light hair and blue eyes. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to tovah. Persecuted in russia by the soldiers and others who dislike jews, rifkas family makes their way across russia to poland and the u. For each country rifka visits, have students label that country on the map. Lee letters from rifka por karen hesse disponible en rakuten kobo.
Rifka also shows her mother about the boy who looks at rifka as a mother. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Karen hesse lives in williamsville, vermont, with her husband, randy, and her daughters, kate and rachel. Rifka tells her mom about hows she been while in belgium. Sections date we will finish reading date we will discuss 1. Short answer and multiple choice questions are listed by book section.
The letters, each prefaced by a few telling lines of pushkin, tell of the fear, indignities, privation, and disease endured as they traveled through poland and into. They are going to help you out while you read the selection from letters from rifka emma likes to ask questions about what youre thinking while you read alex tries to answer emmas questions and asks for your help along the way with the help of your coaches youll be a literary whiz in no time. When a case of ringworm prevents rifka from joining her russian family as they emigrate to the united states, she spends nine months living in warsaw, with her care overseen by the hebrew immigrant aid society. If the guards discovered only one of them, perhaps the others might still escape. Nov, 2019 giving rifka a book helped to expand the readers understanding of her character, as well as providing a vehicle in which she could record her tale. Rifka finally sees her mother and she has never been happier, especially in her problem. A comprehensive database of letters from rifka quizzes online, test your knowledge with letters from rifka quiz questions. Her family decided to leave russia and take a train to poland where they got sick with typhus and were stuck there for weeks. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Kate kerrigan talks about her tv book club summer read, ellis island. Problem and solution for each letter character analysis shutter folds. Letters from rifka is the story of a young russianjewish girl and her family who leave their homeland in 1919 to travel to america. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Also, i liked how she was the little mother of a polish baby when the babys real mom died from typhus.
The power of pushkins poetry in karen hesses letters from rifka. Both rifka and ilya were grated permission to enter america. This is a great during reading or after reading assignment. Rifka, the protagonist of this book, is 12years old, which matches the beginning age for appropriateness of this book. We plan to read letters from rifka and meet on these dates. Just when rifkas troubles should be over she finds herself facing new hardships. Among contemporary honors it won the 1993 national jewish book award in category childrens literature. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response activities and projects, tests, and much more. The book is super unique in that it is written as series of journal entries or letters. Letters from rifka is a story about a jewish girl that escapes to america because her brothers are wanted by the german army. Plot summary letters from rifkabook project by anna dayton. Letters from rifka ebook por karen hesse 97814668025.
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