An Educator’s Guide to I Survived by Lauren Tarshis
Includes specific text-based examples for teachers to use in engaging and engaging ways to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary.
Do You Have What It Takes to Survive?
This guide will take your students on an exciting historical journey while engaging them in a Common Core thematic author study. The activities in this guide will engage students in reading groups, class discussions, and individual writing opportunities while encouraging them to make connections between the events in the books and their own lives.
About the I Survived Books
Disasters appeal to people of all ages, and the I Survived series takes young readers on journeys into the past, but most importantly, the books follow the main characters on a soul-searching quest, where they discover how resilient they truly are and discover they are survivors.
About the Author
Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived series and Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree, hated school as a kid because she struggled with reading, but now she’s teaching students that learning is never too late.
Complexity of Text (RL.4)
Each book in the I Survived series begins with a flashback, captivating students by starting the story at a climactic point in history. The Lexile levels range from 590L to 620L.
History Connections (RL.9)
The author’s notes at the back of the book help students understand how a writer researches and weaves fact and fiction into a story. These fictional stories are based on historical events and provide a great model for using research in creative writing projects.
Science Connections (W.7)
These questions can be used to encourage students to become self-motivated learners.
Vocabulary Connections (L.6)
An author study provides a window into the author’s style of writing, and these stories are rich in jargon, such as nautical or military terms, or earthquake and hurricane terms. Common Core requires us to include Tier II vocabulary, or terms that cross all content areas.
Distinguishing Fact from Fiction (RL.9)
Identify ten details from the story that are true, based on historical events or scientific research, and ten details that are false, based on the author’s imagination, and draw a conclusion about which parts of the story are true and which are false.
Summarizing the Story (RL.2)
Pretend to be a news reporter from the time period in question, and write an I Survived newspaper article based on details from the book to tell the character’s story.
Understanding Denotation and Connotation (RL.4)
Create a poster explaining what the author “really” means, or the connotative meaning, using a picture or clip art to illustrate the literal meaning.
Compare and Contrast Genres (RL.5)
Lauren Tarshis’ website has read-aloud plays for I Survived the Titanic’s Sinking and Hurricane Katrina. A play is driven by dialogue with some narration, whereas a story is driven by a well-orchestrated balance of narration and dialogue that functions to slow down or speed up the story.
Identifying Types of Conflicts (RL.9)
Use sticky notes to sort the conflicts, both internal (man vs. self) and external (man vs. nature, man vs. man, society), and create a chart to compare and contrast the conflicts in the book.
Understanding Character Traits (RL.3)
Collaborate in groups to come up with a list of words that best describe the main character. Write the character trait on the front of an index card, and on the back, write a detail from the story that BEST supports the word chosen. Each group will present their section to the entire class.
What grade level are I Survived books?
The I Survived book series brings history to life for readers in grades 2 to 7 with best-selling author Lauren Tarshis’ historical fiction series about the world’s most extraordinary eventsu2014perfect for your classroom history buffs and thrill seekers.
Are I Survived books appropriate?
The I Survived series is recommended for children in grades two through five; readers at the lower end of that range may be learning details about 9/11 and the Holocaust for the first time.
What point of view are I Survived books?
Lauren Tarshis at the ruins of Pompeii, which was the subject of one of her “I Survived” books. March 27, 2019 Updated: March 29, 2019 2:24 p.m. Lauren Tarshis at the ruins of Pompeii, which was the subject of one of her “I Survived” books.
What to read after I Survived books?
READ-ALIKES: I Made It Through
- Earthquake Terror. by Peg Kehret. Book – 1996.
- Kensuke’s Kingdom. by Michael Morpurgo. Book – 1999.
- Volcano Blast. by Marlane Kennedy.
- Storm Runners. by Roland Smith.
- Earthquake Shock. by Marlane Kennedy.
- Terror at Bottle Creek. by Key, Watt.
- Shipwreck Island. by S. A. Bodeen.
Do the I Survived books need to be read in order?
While children may prefer to begin with the topics that pique their interest, they can also embark on an exciting journey through history by reading the books in chronological order.
What age group is the I Survived series?
Look no further than the New York Times bestselling I Survived chapter book (and now graphic novel) series to hook a newly independent reader or a reluctant reader! Kids in the 8- to 12-year-old age range have traditionally been shielded from most disasters.
Are the I Survived stories real?
The answer can be found in this book, I Survived/True Stories: Five Epic Disasters, which is nonfiction and features real kids who have lived through some of history’s most intense and terrifying events, such as the Children’s Blizzard of 1888.
How much I Survived books are there?
It’s the summer of 1916, and the Jersey shore is being terrorized by a Great White shark. Chet has a job at the local diner with his uncle Jerry, three great friends, and the perfect summertime destination: cool, refreshing Matawan Creek. However, Chet’s summer is cut short by shocking news.
What genre is I survived the shark attacks of 1916?
(November 23, 1963) 57 years