HSC 343: Health Education in the Elementary School: Disabilities

Brown and Ortiz show that the differences that seem to separate children with handicaps from others are not important. What is important is the common delight in life--a desire to love, learn and play, and to be accepted for themselves as other children are.

For all those children who ask their parents why someone looks or acts "different," author and journalist Maria Shriver provides a base for discussion. Kate's mother models appropriate behavior, speaking to her daughter calmly and directly, and providing examples from her own life to help Kate understand about Timmy.

Living legend and Kennedy Center honoree Pete Seeger, renowned poet Paul DuBois Jacobs, and Coretta Scott King honor winner R. Gregory Christie present a jazzy riff on the power of music, overcoming obstacles, and all the different ways to hear the world.

Becky is Sarah's big sister. Becky walks Sarah to her classroom each day. She is brave about going to a new school, about standing up to a big dog, and even about having epilepsy. But one day Becky has a seizure during class. Many kids stare, and some laugh. That evening, Becky decides she doesn't want to go to school anymore. Now Shy Sarah must find the strength to be brave for her sister.

Jack Gantos has perfect pitch in capturing the humor, the off-the-wall intensity, and the serious challenges that life presents to a kid dealing with hyper-activity and related disorders. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is a 1998 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.

Chuck Close is one of America's most celebrated artists and the subject of this inspiring and thought-provoking book. Close's remarkable larger-than-life portraits are the result of a carefully constructed system that finds its roots in both his struggle to overcome severe learning difficulties as a child and immense physical challenges later in life.

Mrs. Olinski, returning to teaching after having been injured in an automobile accident, found that her Academic Bowl team became her answer to finding confidence and success. This is a tale about a team, a class, a school, a series of contests and, set in the midst of this, four jewel-like short stories -- one for each of the team members -- that ask questions and demonstrate surprising answers.

Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability.

A car accident causes fifteen-year-old Izzy to lose one leg and face the need to start building a new life as an amputee.