What to do about Alice?

(Kerley, B., & Fotheringham, E. (2008). What to do about Alice?: how Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy!. New York: Scholastic Press.)

Summary:  Alice is the spirited daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt who breaks all the conventions of her time to embrace her own sense of spirit and adventure. This book traces Alice from her birth to her adult like with bright and engaging drawings and text.

Alice Roosevelt

Reading Level: Ages 4-8, Lexile AD800L

Key words/phrases:

1.      Alice Roosevelt           

2.      Expectations of children in early 1900s

3.      Independent

4.      President’s daughter

5.      Politics

Suggested Delivery: Third grade read aloud

Electronic Resources:

1.      Alice Roosevelt Longworth: As part of a website on Theodore Roosevelt, this site provides in-depth background and history about Alice.

2.    Women's History in America  provides backgroundhistory on the role and place of women in society in 1900s.

3.      The Fight for Women's Suffrage outlines the fight for the women's right to vote and compliments this book.

Teaching Suggestions:  

 Key Vocabulary: voraciously, badlands, Rough Riders, outlaw, gamboled, primly, gallivanting, delegation, ardent,

Reading Strategies to increase comprehension:

Before: Build background knowledge and revive prior knowledge by discussing the expectations of children in the present day. Fill out as a class the left hand column of the table

Expectations For Children
Present Day	Early 1900s

During: Create a chart outlining Facts about Alice. As you are reading the book, create a chart listing Alice’s personality, activities, she enjoyed, and the actions she took.

All about Alice
Personality	Activities	Facts

            After: Have students describe the expectations of children during Alice’s time based on Alice’s activities and the reactions to them. Have students fill out the right hand side of the table from the “Before” activity and have students state whether Alice followed or didn’t follow these expectations.

	Barbara Kerley

Writing activity demonstrating inferential comprehension: Have students pick a family member or friend and have the students describe themselves as this person might see them.