A Friendship for Today

Mckissack, Patricia C.. Friendship For Today. New York: Scholastic Press, 2007.

A Friendship For Today was honored as the Teacher's Choice in 2008. In 1954 after the Supreme Court outlaws segregation in schools in Missouri, sixth grader Rosemary enrolls as the first African American into an all-white school. Throughout the year, Rosemary constructs troubled friendships, one with her neighborhood enemy Grace Hamilton who comes from a highly racist family. Through the support of adults and an injured kitten that is rescued, Rosemary learns the value of tolerance and perseverance. The author incorporates several historical references into the text including the Civil Rights Movement and the Polio epidemic.

Resources to Support the Text

Brown vs. Board of Education.

This website provides the reader with information about the Brown vs. Board of Education case that led to the desegregation in schools in certain regions. The students can be become familiar with the Supreme Court case, the parties involved, where it took place, the ruling and other information that relates to the text in the book.

Photos of the Supreme Court Decision

This site provides the students with additional pictures that illustrate the beginning of the historical event. The students are able to get a better idea of what exactly happened through viewing the photographs. This website also provides newspaper articles that specifically deal with the Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education that the students can view and analyze.

Key Vocabulary

Segregation, prejudice, polio, Civil Rights Movement, stereotype, Brown vs. Board of Education, integration, tolerance, perseverance

Reading Strategy

Before reading the text, the students can complete a KWL as a whole class. They can brainstorm what they already know about the Civil Rights Movement, questions that they want to know from reading the text and then after reading the story finish filling in the chart with what they learned.

Writing Activity

Why is J.J. and Rosemary selected to enroll into Robertson School while the rest of their classmates are sent to different schools?