Citation:
Zola, M., Zola. M. 1984. Terry Fox: “Dreams are made if people try.” Grolier Limited.
To Use or Not to Use:
Not worth using.
This book is one of what seems to be very few books about Terry Fox. Unfortunately, it’s a hot mess. The pictures match poorly (when they match at all) with the text. Some pages have no pictures at all. The text reads awkwardly and there is far too much of it.
Themes:
Determination, Terry Fox, fundraising, goals, activism, awareness, altruism
Genre:
Biography
Type:
More of an early reader than a picture book.
Grade Range:
Kindergarten + if read by a teacher with very good read-aloud skills.
Grade 4 + if read alone.
Curricular Connections:
Big Ideas:
-Grade 2 (SOCIAL STUDIES) “Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences.”
Money from Terry’s Marathon of Hope has funded medical advancements that help people with cancer all over the world.
Curricular Competencies:
– Kindergarten-Grade 1(SOCIAL STUDIES) “Explain the significance of personal or local events, objects, people, and places.” And Grades 2-3 (SOCIAL STUDIES) “Explain why people, events, and places are significant to various individuals and groups.” And Grade 7 (SOCIAL STUDIES) “Assess the significance of people, places, events, and developments at particular times and places.”
-Kindergarten-Grade 6 (SOCIAL STUDIES) “Sequence objects, images, and events, and recognize the positive and negative aspects of continuities and changes in the past and present (continuity and change)”
If used in conjunction with a timeline activity.
Summary:
Terry Fox: “Dreams are made if people try” tells the story of Terry Fox`s life. Beginning with Terry as a two-year-old and finishing with his death, the story is relatively comprehensive. It focuses heavily on Terry’s determination in everything he did.
Teaching Tips:
The first time I taught a Terry Fox lesson I realized a number of the students did not understand why it was important to raise money for cancer research. I was surprised; this was a grade 4/5 class and most all of them would have done Terry Fox runs before. It seems they had been unable to make the connection between ‘research’ and its practical. I had to explain that the money we were raising was going to pay scientists to work on medicines for people who have cancer.
Teachers can tie Terry Fox lessons in with the Social Studies curriculum by having students make timelines or label maps with Terry’s route.
A number of lesson plans are available on the Terry Fox Foundation’s website. http://www.terryfox.org/SchoolRun/Terry_Fox_Lesson_Plans.html
Other Notes:
Other books about Terry Fox include:
Terry Fox: A Story of Hope by Maxine Trottier
This book is full of photographs and pictures of documents. It is a little text-heavy for a classroom read-aloud, but may be useful for a picture walk.
Value of Facing a Challenge: The Story of Terry Fox by Anne Donegan Johnson and illustrated by Steve Pileggi
I have never seen this book, it may be out of print.
You can purchase Terry Fox: “Dreams are made if people try” here.
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