I Am Khan, the Ruler
Kubla Khan : the emperor of everything by Krull, Kathleen — Viking, 2010--950; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.7 An illustrated exploration of the life of the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire Kublai Khan that discusses his building of Beijing, children, rule, and more. Kubla Khan, the 13th century emperor of China was a wise and influential leader. Details about his childhood and rise to power, the construction of the Imperial City, luxurious court life, and inventions are shared in an engaging text with impressive illustrations.
Rationale: My library philosophy requires that I have an intimate knowledge of the curriculum for every grade and every subject. My library philosophy requires that I know what is happening in each room any given week. My library philosophy requires that what I do in the library is directly connected to what is happening in the assorted classrooms including phy ed, art, music, and math as well as the more traditional science and health, language arts and social studies.
To that end, I meet weekly with grade level groupings to plan our roles for the week. Sometimes I’m the lead teacher when research is involved; sometimes I provide the resources; sometimes we meet in the library, sometimes the classroom, sometimes the computer lab. If for some reason, I can’t meet with the teachers, I distribute a “needs” checklist, and then later circulate to pick up the checklist. I ask for specific needs and generic needs.
What we do each week varies including the number of times I meet with a group. A flexible schedule permits that. Open communication and planning permit that. I also am able to do a better job of book and software and game selection knowing what is happening.
Sometimes the teachers and I develop a whole unit and describe our roles. Sometimes the unit lasts a month, sometimes a period. Sometimes we use multiple resources, sometimes only one. Books and other resources are always the center of our planning.
Some books, while excellent books, do not warrant a whole lesson based on just that book. This Inspiration Book is one such book. In fact, most books are such books. How would I use this book? Students in Grades 6-8 often study world history and world leaders. Most of the textbooks give passing reference to the Mongols and Genghis Khan and Kubla Khan--maybe a paragraph at best. When the class reaches that period of world history, either give the teacher a copy of the Inspiration Book to read aloud OR read it aloud yourself in the library or the classroom.
Another approach to the Khans and other rulers is a research project involving many world rulers over history. This activity is a great culminating activity and review for the whole year. One person or a small group is assigned to each of the rulers. They research the person and create a timeline and a scrapbook page. Combine the timelines into one long and overlapping timeline and mount in the library hallway or library itself. Order the scrapbook pages according to the timeline. Decide on the requirements for each activity based on your emphasis during the year. Build a rubric based on the requirements. You could add an oral presentation based on either the timeline or scrapbook page; you could even require an appropriate costume. Introduce this long range project at the beginning of the year. Many students will have a favorite ruler that they would like to research and/or impersonate.
If you and the social studies teacher want to do a more indepth unit type study of the Khans and Mongols and ancient China, the resources below are excellent. Connect this lesson with the book Barbarians, listed below.
Teacher Resources:
A Video Interview with Krull http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/krull
Related Books:
Marco? Polo! by Scieszka, Jon Marco? Polo! by Scieszka, Jon — Puffin Books, c2006 p2008--Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 3.3— Puffin Books, c2006 p2008--Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 3.3 Joe, Sam, and Fred travel to thirteenth-century China, where they disguise themselves as astrologers and meet Marco Polo.
Genghis Khan by Demi — Marshall Cavendish Children, c1991 p2009--950; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.3 A biography of the Mongol leader and military strategist who, at the height of his power, was supreme master of the largest empire ever created in the lifetime of one man.
Chengli and the Silk Road caravan by Kang, Hildi — Tanglewood, 2011 -Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.4. Called to follow the wind and search for information about his father who disappeared many years ago, thirteen-year-old Chengli, carrying a piece of jade with strange writing that had belonged to his father, joins a caravan charged with giving safe passage to the Emperor's daughter as it navigates the constant dangers of the Silk Road in 630 A.D.
Secrets of the terra-cotta soldier by Compestine, Ying Chang — Amulet Books, 2014. -Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.4. Through the stories of a terra-cotta soldier who has survived through the centuries, thirteen-year-old Ming, a village boy in 1970s China, learns the history of Emperor Qin, known both for building the Great Wall of China and for burying scholars alive, and how and why the terra-cotta soldiers came to be.
The kite rider : a novel by McCaughrean, Geraldine ( — HarperTrophy, 2003--Fic-; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 6.2 In thirteenth-century China, after trying to save his widowed mother from a horrendous second marriage, twelve-year-old Haoyou has life-changing adventures when he takes to the sky as a circus kite rider and ends up meeting the great Mongol ruler Kublai Khan.
Genghis Khan by Bankston, John — Mitchell Lane Publishers, 2014--950; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.4 Young love -- Living with the cold -- Captive! -- The battle begins -- Over the wall. Explores the life of Genghis Khan, the Mongol king that led an invasion of China.
Confucius : great teacher of China by Demi — Shen's Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc., 2018. Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.5. An illustrated biography of Confucius (551 BCE-479 BCE), the ancient Chinese teacher, politician, thinker, and philosopher known for his popular aphorisms, his emphasis on education and study, and his models of social interaction. Includes a map and author's sources.
Barbarians! by Kroll, Steven — Dutton Children's Books, 2009--940.1; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.7 An introduction to the nomadic warriors known as barbarians, including Goths, Huns, Vikings, and Mongols, looking at their lives, worship, and celebrations, and discussing their impact on the world. .
At home in her tomb : Lady Dai and the ancient Chinese treasures of Mawangdui by Liu-Perkins, Christine — Charlesbridge, 2014. 931; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 7.2. Presents the mysteries of the Mawangdui tombs, one of China's top archaeological finds of the last century, shedding light upon life in China during the Han dynasty.
Genghis Khan by Lange, Brenda — Chelsea House, 2003--950; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.0 A biography of Genghis Khan, the Mongolian leader who, by conquest, created an empire that stretched from Mongolia through the Middle East.
Marco Polo : history's great adventurer : being an account of his travels, 1270-1295 (Historical Notebooks) by Twist, Clint — Templar Books, 2011. 915.04; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.0. Including extracts from The Travels of Marco Polo." Informative text, booklets, foldouts, maps, and excerpts from "The Travels of Marco Polo" provide information about the life and journeys of the Christian merchant.
Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire by Nardo, Don — Lucent Books, 2011-- EBook. 950; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 8.8 Important dates at the time of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire -- Introduction : From barbarian to modern man -- Ancient peoples of the steppes -- The rise of Genghis Khan -- Military and legal reforms -- Subduing Northern China -- Conquests in Western Asia -- The Mongols after Genghis Khan -- Glossary. Describes how Genghis Khan became the ruler of the Mongols and how these nomadic people lived.
