Science Fiction: The Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh (Chapter Book)

This book is about a girl and her family who are packing to leave the Earth before it is destroyed. They are only allowed to pack certain things and everything else will be rationed out. Each person is allowed to bring just one book on this four year journey. When everyone begins to switch their books, they make fun of Pattie because her book is empty. When they arrive at their new home the water and air is okay but something tastes funny about the vegetation. Seeing that Pattie is able to name the new city she names it Shine. When they begin to settle down they realize that something is not right about the surroundings. Nothing will grow on its own except the wheat, so then they wonder where they will get food. When the wheat harvest comes in they want to keep track of how much wheat people are getting by using Patties blank book but she will not give it to them. When her dad finally takes it he realizes that she has turned it into her own dairy and has written about her new endeavor. In a classroom I would most likely do a writing activity with the students and have them write about the things they would take on the trip if they had to leave. They would also have to explain why they chose those items.