Book

Flying Lessons & Other Stories

Whether it is basketball dreams, family fiascos, first crushes, or new neighborhoods, this bold middle-grade anthology features stories written by notable authors including Kwame Alexander, Meg Medina, Jacqueline Woodson, and more. This collection, published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us.

Last Updated: February 16, 2023

Book

Language

English — US

Subject

English & Language Arts

Culture & Identity

Edited by Ellen Oh

Whether it is basketball dreams, family fiascos, first crushes, or new neighborhoods, this bold short story collection—written by some of the best children’s authors including Kwame Alexander, Meg Medina, Jacqueline Woodson, and many more and published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books—celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us.

Flying Lessons & Other Stories

Date of Publication: August 2018

We partner with Sora, the student reading app, to provide digital access to this book. Your district may already have access to this digital book, or you may need to purchase digital copies for your students.

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Assessment

Create a culminating experience for your students that helps them draw new connections between the concepts and ideas presented in this text set, themselves, and the world today.

Lesson

Students reflect on how aspects of their identities are more visible or felt in certain situations and read an informational text to help them consider the interplay between individual identity and social identity.

Activity

Students reflect on a meaningful, inspirational, or thought-provoking quotation.

The back of a white book with a quote from Brianna Wiest which reads "I thought becoming myself was improving each part piece by piece. But it was finding a hidden wholeness seeing the fractures at the design."

Activity

The Rose, Thorn, Bud exercise increases students' self-awareness as they reflect on recent successes, challenges, and opportunities.

Activity

Students communicate how they are feeling in response to a chosen prompt, giving teachers a pulse on the class’s opinions or well-being.

A person holding a rectangular white photo frame near a body of water.

Activity

Read aloud a chapter of a book your students are interested in to build community around stories and storytelling.

Person sitting on the floor while holding a book.

Activity

Students identify their strengths and areas for growth in a journal reflection.

A student in a grey sweatshirt looks down at a paper with a pencil in hand.

Activity

Students get an opportunity to give feedback about the class and communicate their needs and worries.

A person holds a compass in their hand with the ocean in the background.

Activity

Students share how they are feeling, what their needs are, and what goals they’d like to set in an exit card.

A person holds a glass door open with a backpack over one shoulder.

Collection

These opening and closing classroom routines will set a welcoming tone, allow students to connect with one another, and encourage goal setting.

Two students in conversation while looking down at a laptop computer.

Lesson

Students explore the costs and benefits of sharing aspects of their identities, discuss an informational text about “narrative identity,” and apply these concepts to their own lives in an original poem.

Activity

Students explore the relationship between our names, identities, and the societies in which we live.

A pile of "Hello my name is" nametags and sharpie markers sit on top of a desk.

More Like This Teaching Resources Learning & Events

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Flying Lessons & Other Stories

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Flying Lessons & Other Stories

Borrow

You might also be interested in…

Identity and Storytelling Assessment Ideas

Why Identity Matters

Notable Quotable

Rose, Thorn, Bud

Fist to Five

First Chapter Fridays

Maintain and Modify

Compass Points

Exit Cards

Establishing Opening and Closing Routines

Authoring My Identity

What’s In a Name?

Flying Lessons & Other Stories

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Flying Lessons & Other Stories

Borrow

You might also be interested in…

Identity and Storytelling Assessment Ideas

Why Identity Matters

Notable Quotable

Rose, Thorn, Bud

Fist to Five

First Chapter Fridays

Maintain and Modify

Compass Points

Exit Cards

Establishing Opening and Closing Routines

Authoring My Identity

What’s In a Name?

Inspiration, insights, & ways to get involved