Friendship

www.nyhumanities.org/conversations

Thank yo u for hosting a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids !

Celebrating the important history of the Niagara Falls region, this Community Conversation for Kids is built around Alexis ONeills beautiful childrens book, T h e K i t e t h a t B r i d g e d T w o N a t i o n s . This is the story of Homan Walsh, a young man who flew his kite across the Niagara River, and whose string became the first thread in the first bridge across the Niagara Gorge. Homans story teaches us the value of friendship and the ways in which cooperation can help us persevere in the face of daunting odds. Community Conversations provides an opportunity for people to come together for thoughtful discussion and dialogue about their shared values as Americanspast, present, and future. Focused on central themes in American life such as service, freedom and democracy, Community Conversations allows New Yorkers to join in discussions that offer an alternative to received wisdom and provide the chance to take part in a shared national dialogue.
O ve rvi ew Community Conversations are stand-alone, text-based discussions led by a facilitator from the local community. Each toolkit includes a text that tackles an important aspect of American life and encourages community dialogue. Your Community Conversation should last between 60 and 90 minutes without interruption. Discussions should be guided by a facilitator and focused on the text and the theme. Hold your conversation in a room where a group of 10-30 participants can hear each other clearly. Use the tips sheets for host sites and facilitators included in this toolkit for ideas about how to encourage everyone to participate in the discussion. Faci litato r A good facilitator is the key to making a Community Conversation successful. The facilitator should be someone in your community who enjoys working with people, is interested in what others have to say, and believes in the merit of conversation-based programs. The facilitator does not need to be someone with an advanced degree in the humanities, but rather someone who has some experience leading open conversations and who is enthusiastic about learning how to facilitate. We encourage all prospective facilitators to attend one of the Councils free facilitation webinars* to learn more about best practices for guiding successful and meaningful discussions.
*Facilitators at featured sites must attend a facilitation webinar.

Struc ture

In clu d ed in th is to ol kit:

The Kite that Bridged Two Nations by Alexis ONeill Discussion Questions for The Kite that Bridged Two Nations Tips for Facilitating Tips for Hosting Sample Schedule Participant Evaluation Keep the Conversation Going

page 3 page 4 page 5 page 6 page 7 page 8 page 9

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

The Kite that Bridged Two Nations by Alexis ONeill illustrated by T erry Widener

This Community Conversations for Kids toolkit focuses on the theme of friendship, between family members, neighbors, strangers, and nations. The text for this conversation is The Kite that Bridged Two Nations by Alexis ONeill and illustrated by Terry Widener, a high-quality childrens book appropriate for 8- to 12-year-olds. The Kite that Bridged Two Nations is available for free from the Council for any Community Conversations for Kids host site.

This soaring and poetic picture book is based on the true story of Homan J. Walsh, an ordinary boy born in Ireland and raised in Niagara Falls, NY. In 1848, Homan entered a kite-flying contest. The winners kite string would span Niagara Falls and bridge the United States and Canada. Despite biting cold and strong winds and against tremendous odds, Homan Walsh won the contest, earning him a place in history. His success also led to the building of the first suspension bridge across the Falls, linking the two neighboring countries. Author Alexis ONeill and illustrator Terry Widener worked closely with experts on both sides of the Falls, and the book includes authors note, timeline, bibliography and further resources.

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Discussio n Questions for The Kite that Bridged Two Nations by Alexis ONeill illustrated by Ter ry Widener

What makes someone a good friend? What examples of friendship do you see in this book? Would you describe the United States and Canada as friends? Why do you think that Homan, the boy in the story, loves flying kites so much? Why do you think that Homan named his kite Union? How would you describe the relationship between Homan and Union? Have you ever had that kind of relationship with something that you made or owned? Homan says that when he was flying kites not once did I think of the bone-chilling cold. Have you ever been so excited or focused on something that you ignored everything else around you? What kinds of challenges does Homan face while trying to fly his kite from one side of the Niagara River to the other? Why does he keep trying? Why do you think that Homan is so determined to fly his kite between the two countries? What kind of help does Homan receive while he is trying to fly his kite across the river? Do you think it would be possible for him to succeed on his own? Why do you think that people cheer Homan on, feed him, and even give him a place to stay while he is trying to fly his kite between America and Canada? Have you ever faced a problem you couldnt solve on your own? How did other people help you solve it? Not everyone supports Homans quest to win the contest. Why do you think that Homans father doesnt encourage him? How does the relationship between Homan and his father change during the story? Why do you think it changes? Do you think that Homan could have finally succeeded without his fathers support? Why are both Americans and Canadians in this story so excited about the kite flying competition? Why do you think that the bridge builders wanted to start the bridge between the United States and Canada with a kite string? Why do you think that its so important to Homan that Union be the kite that wins the contest? Do you think that Homan would feel as proud of himself when Union finally makes it across the river if it had been easy to do? Have you visited any of the places in this story? Is there something special about places where two nations come together?

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Tips for Facilitating a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids

Community Conversations are simple gatherings that encourage thoughtful, engaged dialogue using a short reading to foster discussion. The goal is a comfortable, lively discussion free of bias and judgment. We hope the following suggestions will help you create an inviting environment for you and your community.
Pl an ni ng fo r th e Co nv e rsatio n
Expect a healthy conversation to last between 60 and 90 minutes. Read the text several times, paying attention to the parts that were difficult or that made you pause. These will be the places that generate the most conversation. Use the sample questions in this toolkit as a starting point for writing questions that will resonate with your group. Decide how you will begin the conversation. The first few questions will set the tone for the discussion, so think about what themes in the text you would like to explore. Prepare about three times as many questions as you think youll cover with the group. You wont get to everything, but extra planning will help you follow the natural progression of the conversation. Plan a closing question or exercise that signals the end of the formal discussion, but encourages the group to keep the conversation going at home or among friends.

Ge ttin g Starte d Arrange chairs in a circle or semi-circle so that participants can easily see one another and be heard by all.

Start by establishing some basic guidelines with the group. For example, be respectful, make sure that everyone has a turn to speak, and focus your comments on the reading. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the session and ask each participant to do the same. Keep introductions short. Begin by reading the whole text aloud together. This allows everyone to have the opportunity to hear a fluent reader and invites people with lower levels of literacy to actively participate. Plan an opening activity to help participants get comfortable: ask a discussion question and encourage participants to share their thoughts in pairs and report back to the group.

Aski ng Go o d Qu e stio ns
Ask short, open-ended questions that dont have a right or wrong answer. Invite the participants to interpret the text in their own ways. Focus on places where opinions may differ (not on facts that cannot be disputed). Look for ways to connect the subject matter to everyday life. Encourage participants to form their own questions. Prioritize keeping the conversation going over getting to all of your questions. Use the text as a neutral place to return to if the conversation gets heated.

Li sten an d Le arn
Focus on listening, not teaching. Be flexible and let your questions follow the natural course of conversation. Dont feel that you need to ask every question youve prepared or in the order you planned. When the conversation is flowing, share your opinion last or not at all. Avoid answering your own questions. If there is a lull in the conversation, let people think about their answers before you move on. Look at the person speaking, and try not to cross your arms or legs. Address group members by their first names.

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Tips for Hosting a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids

Fin d in g a Facil itato r

Find a facilitator who is a good fit for your group. (The host-site coordinator and the facilitator can be the same person.) The success of your conversation is highly dependent on the skill of your facilitator. ! Look for someone who is open, friendly, and enjoys working with people. Your facilitator should believe in the program and share your enthusiasm for doing it! ! Look for someone who is interested in what others have to say. Keep in mind, the facilitator is not there to teach the text or lecture on the topic, but rather to ask questions and let the group do the talking. ! Look for someone who is willing to learn how to be a facilitator and can commit to doing the training webinar (if you are a featured site).

Re crui tmen t
Plan to begin publicizing your discussion at least three weeks in advance. The Council provides templates for press releases, fliers, and Community Conversation logos on our website. For public conversations, make fliers and post them at local libraries, community centers, coffee houses, school campuses, churches, veterans or union halls, and store bulletin boards. Be sure to get permission to leave or post fliers. Make every effort to draw a diverse audience to your program so that a variety of perspectives are represented in the discussion. If your conversation is for a closed group (staff, club, etc.), consider including the discussion at a time when you already meet, such as at a staff meeting. You may consider including the conversation on the day of a planned service project, either to start or conclude the project. Consider making fliers with the time, date, and location on one side and the text on the other.

Ro om Set-U p
Be sure to choose a room with good acoustics so that everyone, including people who may be hard of hearing, can hear each other. Choose a room that is free of other distractions. Seat participants in a circle or semi-circle so everyone can make eye contact with each other. Create a welcome table with copies of the text near the entrance to the room. Provide nametags and ask participants to use their first names. You may also want to include other literature or pamphlets from your organization related to the theme of the discussion. Make more than enough copies of the text so that everyone has a copy. Invite participants to take an extra copy after the discussion and share it with a friend or family member. Its a great way to keep the conversation going! Test any audiovisual equipment ahead of time to make sure that the volume is loud enough for everyone to hear. Dont play off of built-in computer speakersits difficult to hear in large groups and people may feel uncomfortable saying so. Provide light refreshments like juice, coffee or tea, and cookies. You can use the stipend to cover the cost of drinks and snacks. Make sure the facilitator has a view of a clock or other time-keeping device. If you are not the facilitator, seat yourself across from him or her so that you can easily make eye-contact.

Wrap -U p
Decide whether you will ask participants to fill out an evaluation form. Have copies on hand to distribute after the discussion has concluded. The Council has included a short evaluation form in this toolkit that you can use, or you can design your own. Be sure to share participant feedback, formal and informal, on the host-site coordinator evaluation form. Keep accurate attendance data for your own records to report back to the Council. The Council does not require you to share names or contact information of attendees. If you are a featured site, complete the online evaluation for host-site coordinators within two weeks of the event. !
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org 6

Sample Schedule fo r a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids

Planning Guidelines for Community Conversations

Get students thinking about the topic " 15 minutes

Activate prior knowledge: What is friendship? What makes someone a friend? Who are your friends and why do you like them?

Read the text aloud " 10 minutes

Ask students to write down one or two surprising facts or quotes from the story as they listen. Ask students to bookmark their favorite illustrations. Did everyone understand the vocabulary? Are there any phrases that need further clarification?

Check comprehension " 5 minutes

Discuss " 50 minutes

Use the discussion questions in the toolkit and add your own. Focus on questions that ask kids to interpret the actions and events in the texts and how they feel about what is going on. Do you think we have a friendly community? Do we treat our classmates and neighbors as friends? What kinds of things can kids do to make our community friendlier?

Wrap-Up " 10 minutes

Ne w Yor k State S tandards for Grades 6-12 Com mon Co re En glish Langu age Arts: Comprehension and Collaboration and Conventions of Standard English
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Participant Evaluatio n

Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions about todays conversation on friendship.

Di d you l ea rn n e w th in gs abo ut frie nd shi p d urin g tod ays c on ve rsatio n? Nothing new Not a lot Some new things A lot of new things

Di d you g et the ch an ce to share yo ur ide as on frie nd shi p an d th e bo o k? No Not really A little bit Yes

Di d oth er ki ds ge t the c han ce to sh are th e ir i de as o n frie nd shi p an d th e bo o k? No Not really A little bit Yes

Ho w mu ch di d yo u li ke th is co nv e rsatio n? Not at all Not very much A little bit A lot

Wo u ld you l ike to p artici pate in an o th e r co nv e rs atio n like thi s o n e? No Maybe

Yes

Wi ll you sh are wh at you tal ke d abo u t tod ay wi th yo u r frie nd s o r family? No Maybe Yes

Wh at d id you l ike be st ab ou t to days co nv ersati on ?

Wh at wo u ld hav e mad e this co nv ersa ti on b e tte r?

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Keep the Conversation Going with Support from the New York Council for the Humanities

Explore more of what the Council has to offer! These grants and programs support conversation-based programming.

TogetherBook Talk for Kids and Parents Family reading and discussion program for parents and kids
A forum for parents and their 9- to 11-year-old children to come together to talk about books and ideas. Six 90-minute sessions are co-facilitated by a librarian and a humanities scholar from the local community. Explore key themes in American life such as courage, freedom, and being American.

Speakers in the Humanities and Speakers in the Schools Lectures on humanities topics
Over 200 humanities-based lectures on a wide variety of topics, including: ! History of Music in Buffalo ! Traditional and Historical Songs of New York State ! Masterpiece Comics: Looking at Literature Through the Cartoon Medium ! The Wild, Wild East: New York's Drama of Westward Expansion

www.nyhumanities.org/together

www.nyhumanities.org/speakers

Grants Funding for projects using humanities to engage the public

Design your own conversation-based programming about important humanities ideas or texts that encourage informed public discourse in communities. Apply for a Planning, Project, or Special Initiatives Grant. Grants range from $1,500 to $3,000.

Rea ding & Discussion Prog rams for Adults Read and talk about books and ideas in a group setting
Series of thematically linked texts over the course of four, five, or six sessions. Muslim Journeys: Explore how the humanities promote understanding of and mutual respect for people with diverse stories, cultures, and perspectives within the U.S. and abroad. Other themes include: Working, Serving, Growing and Aging, Making Sense of the Civil War, and Lincoln on the Civil War. www.nyhumanities.org/adultrd

www.nyhumanities.org/grants

Visit us at w ww .ny hu ma nitie s.o rg for all program information, guidelines, and application forms. Any not-for-profit organization in New York State is eligible to apply for Council grants and programs.
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org 9