Lesson Plan for In Search of a Novel

"Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman

My students have a separate reading class from Language Arts but occasionally we read a book in class. One activity we do is with the picture book "Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman. I discovered the main idea to use this book from another book called "Books, Lessons, Ideas - for Teaching the Six Traits". First I read the book aloud to the class, showing them the pictures as I go. Even 7th graders like to be read to. The book is not written in 1st person so the reader can only guess at what the main character, Wesley, is thinking or feeling. After reading and discussing the story, the students write Wesley’s diary. Each student takes a day (or event) from the book and pretends he or she is Wesley. I write out the days/events on slips of paper and the students draw a slip out of a hat. I divide the days/events of the book up according to how many students I have in the class. The students write what they think Wesley would write in his diary based on what he did or what happened to him that day. When we are done writing, the students present their diary entry to the class. Of course we do this in order of the events in the book. By reading the diary entries aloud they not only get some practice with public speaking they also get a chance to hear what their classmates wrote. The trait that is being focused on is organization, but we cover other areas as well.

Literature Circles

Over the past two years, I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching novels in literature circles. As I'm sure many of you are familiar with this process, I won't go into endless detail about the small groups themselves. However, what I will share is a way that I've found to create some ownership of the learning and get some really great thinking out of my kids. Before beginning to read the novels, I tell my students that at the end of the process they will determine how they will get a "final test" grade from me for that book. Their choices are fairly limitless, but I let them know that they must "pitch" their idea to me, complete with grading rubric, and that we may need to negotiate point values together. I give them some general big ideas to consider, and I describe 3-4 different projects done in the past. I am always pleasantly surprised and sometimes completely amazed at what these kids come up with. I've had kids videotape themselves doing Siskel&Ebert-type reviews of the novel, including homemade film clips; many different powerpoint presentations, some with video clips; posters; dramatizations; scripted debates; and even a lego-video, where the students created animation by moving the legos between each frame. They added music, words, etc... and provided a great discussion of the importance of their book. I've gotten much more in terms of depth and quality than I ever would have gotten by giving a test or assigning an essay. All projects are presented to the class, so this often sparks an interest in the books that other students did not read. Definitely my current favorite part about teaching literature.

"The Crucible"--an introductory activity

“The Crucible” by Arthur Miller

This assignment is meant to cover the introductory materials through the opening scene of the play.

Background needed: On the board, list the name of the characters introduced in the first scene:
Reverend Samuel Parris Mr. Thomas Putnam
Betty Parris Ruth Putnam
Tituba Reverend John Hale
Abigail Williams Mercy Lewis
Susanna Walcott Mary Warren
Mrs. Ann Putnam

Lead-in: I want to make sure you understand two things at this point in the play.
First, you should know what action took place in a clearing in the forest outside Salem, MA, the night before the play opens.
Secondly, because of that midnight action, you should know what emotions and effects the characters that we’ve met so far in the play are demonstrating. (You should know what they did in the forest, what they fear now, and what story they plan to concoct.)

Set: Your task will be to demonstrate your understanding of the background information Arthur Miller lays out for his audience.
Your assignment will be to complete an informative paragraph telling what is happening in the play so far. You may begin with one of the following topic sentences. That should be followed with at least five additional sentences highlighting the actions, as well as the inner motivations, of the characters we have met up to this point. Finish your paragraph with a concluding or summarizing statement to bring your ideas to a logical close. Again, you are composing one complete paragraph with seven sentences retelling the action in the play so far.

Suggested topic sentences: (You may also devise one of your own.)

This whole incident is being blown out of proportion.
The girls will have to work hard to get out of this mess.
It’s not all fun and games anymore.
This situation could get unpleasant.
Arthur Miller weaves a web from the beginning.
Salem only appears to be a quiet village.

Assessment: After about 5-8 minutes of writing, pair students to check each others’ paragraphs for legitimate details from the play so far. Award one point for each sentence of supporting detail. Do not count the topic or concluding sentences. (5 pts.)

Second Lesson Plan for Week 8- Book Clubs

I will describe a lesson plan for conducting book clubs, or lit circles. Sometime after the first half of the year (January at least) I introduce book clubs to the students. If there are students from older grades that do book clubs, I try to arrange for a "fish bowl" so my students can see one being demonstrated. Once students are ready, they are given a list of 4 books to choose from and sign their name on the list for that book. There is a maximum of 6 students per club. If their first choice is full, they sign on their second choice. Once clubs are formed, each one meets with the teacher to decide on the job they will do. Some jobs include discussion director, connector director, art director, word finder, summarizer, or any that the teacher feels worthwhile. The task of the student is to come up with a question to ask the other students pertaining to their topic. (Asking questions allows for better discussions rather than just sharing their own thoughts with the group.) After the jobs are decided on, the students read the book independently, with a buddy, or with another adult. Towards the end of the week (2-4 days later) groups get together to discuss their books. The teacher needs to give the students a great deal of support at the beginning to get them started. After participating in few book clubs, the students can handle more of the discussions themselves. For at least the first few meetings, I like to bring in a snack for the children so they can eat while the "visit" about their book. (I'm trying to make a correlation of something they like (snack) with books. I say "whatever works" to get them to love books.)Most students end up loving to do book clubs and are disappointed when they are done for the year.

Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry Lesson Plan

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

This novel is filled with many opportunities. We use it in a variety of ways.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry addresses several themes that students are able to identify as we travel through the novel. The most obvious is racism, but others are injustice, betrayal, and the power of choice and consequences. Working with behavior students in an alternative school, we try to focus on the power of choice and consequence as much as possible!

When we begin the book, I have the students choose a character and analyze that character in their journal as we continue reading. Students document what kind of person that character is and support their analysis with excerpts from the novel. For example: T.J. is a sneaky person because he conned Stacey into giving T.J. his coat.

As their character is presented with a conflict, students journal a diary entry from that character explaining the conflict and possible solutions. Discussion of consequences resulting from each solution is required. The novel offers several opportunities for this type of diary entry.

After the completion of the novel, we have conducted a mock trial for T.J. in the classroom. This activity has gone well sometimes and not so great other times. The students are so upset with the injustice, they forget to play characters according to the personalities in the novel. It’s a learning experience… but the success will depend on the maturity of your class.

A Lesson Plan for a Novel

In seventh grade, we read the novel The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. One of the focuses of this novel is characterization. It is full of interesting characters!

Throughout the reading of the novel, students complete a character grid on one of the characters in the story, listing the physical appearance, quotes-what he/she says, actions-what he/she does, and quotes-what others say about him/her (including page numbers giving evidence of the information found).

For a final study on characterization, students create a poster that introduces the character. Using the information collected, students' posters include the following:
* the character's name at the top of the poster;
* a picture of a current actor/actress that the student would cast in the 2007 Outsiders movie;
* a complete physical description of the character;
* three of the character's direct quotes and what these quotes reveal (p. #);
* three of the character's actions and what they reveal (p. #);
* three examples of what others have said about the character and what this reveals (p. #); and
* spelling, and overall neatness and effort.

Some teachers at my school also have a day where students dress up as those characters, and students really seem to enjoy that activity. We watch the Outsiders movie as well.

While there are also many other elements/devices present in this story, such as the themes of friendship, heroism, and "staying gold," this is a lesson students can carry into their reading of other novels and also into their own writing.

Novel techniques

I think the strategies in teaching novels depends on the novels being taught. If the novel is strong in figuative and style like Their Eyes were Watching God or House on Mango Street, one needs to focus on those aspects. When the strong elements are introduced, they must be reinforced with how it enhances the presentatin of the novel. What doe sthe novel gain from this? Discussion is importatnn when dealing with syle. Studetns tend to have a bit of difficulty understanding style and allowing themselves to be taken away from the plot. In the novels I teach I try to focus more on the themes of the novels and the ideas being presented rather than plots. Sophomores in high school are still worried about plot. I try to address their questions about what is hapening but at the same time try to identify what idea is being present according to this plot. WHne the novel is heavy with themes and symbols like a Lord of the Flies or a Mockingbird, these symblos and themes need to be placed in the students' world. Novels and not isolated int their pages; they are instructions at times just waiting to be followed. I atempt to lead the studetns to this reallization. We do this through discussin, listening, and application.

lesson plan for a novel

I use the novel When the Legends Die to promote discussions and activities regarding cultural differences. We begin by mapping territories of Native American lands and how they became lesser and lesser with time. We read several short essays by Native American writers - trying to learn as much as we can about cultural beliefs. We, in particular, study about the Ute Nation - as this is the one in the novel. If time allows, we do an internet search - looking for other works written by Hal Borland. As we begin reading, we make journal entries about the setting and the characters - especially the protagonist and how he is affected by other characters and by setting. We keep track of the protagonist's many names - why he gets them and his reaction to them. Each student then finds out what his/her name means - first and last - and why his/her parents chose that name. The students create a visual of this which is displayed. The other classes that come into the room really enjoy these posters. Discovering this tradition in the novel often leads us to a discussion about religious traditions (allowed in our school). Throughout the story - we make a circle, the theme of the story being that life travels in a circle. Actions lead to reactions and the chain continues. The final includes a short essay recounting a life experience where a decision toward action caused a chain of reactions.

Basic Lesson Plan for the Novel- Literature Circles

I have taught novels primarily within Literature circles. I generally allow the students to “test drive” the novels in about a five minute span each. They can read the beginning of the novel, or they can read whichever part they might need to. After they have read all of them, and usually there are about eight choices, the students are to fill out a card ranking their choices one through three. Once the students have been grouped together, they are to meet in groups and determine how many pages must be read each week. I usually give an assignment for each week. One week they are to find five elements of mood and use sticky notes to mark the periods that mood is used. The assignment that will be given the upcoming Friday will deal with mood and the collection of what they have done. While students are in groups, they are able to discuss what they have read and any problems. I will generally walk around and ask a few questions as well. I have done various projects while doing the Literature circles. Some of the projects are book in a bag, a different version of a plot chart, creating another ending chapter for the novel, creating a new front and back cover for the novel, creating a persuasive commercial for the book, and several other persuasive elements. Usually they have to use all of the literary elements that we have gone over. I try to make teaching novels more project and discussion based. I have yet to teach a novel with a whole class reading the same novel. I have also used puzzle posters in order to show the different elements. This could be used with a plot line, to show what happens if a piece was taken away…or even used with a variety of elements.

Novel Lesson Plan - Nicole

When I teach to a novel I usually like to have a literary element in mind that I will focus on. It helps to narrow down what I am teaching so that I can cover one standard at a time. I will give you two examples of novels that I have used and the literary element for each.

The Miraclous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamilo

This is a great story for teaching setting because it has multiple settings in the story. We created a timeline of events from beginning to end. Edward is a china rabbit that belongs to a little girl in a well to do family - throughout the story he gets thrown out to sea, lost in a heap of garbage, claimed by a man who lives on the street, loved by an elderly couple, and repaired by a craftsman. Anyway, you get the idea. As we read the story students drew pictures and wrote a caption for each of the settings in the story and reflected on how each one was related to the other. I think having a focus and setting the stage for reading helps students organize their thoughts while reading.

Loser by Jerry Spinelli

I used this novel to focus on characterization. It is easy to organize because it follows the main character, Zinkof, through his years in school. We used an organizational mini book to label each year that he was in school and wrote how his character developed through the story. Students were able to make self to text connections when they reflected on how they have matured through the years. Again, I think just these small organizers help to focus reading and structure mini lessons on standards that need to be covered throughout the school year.

Lesson Plan for a novel

I teach first grade so I will explain a lesson I would do for the level of my students. When reading "Johnny Appleseed," I start with reading the book to the students, since this would be too difficult for most first graders to read independently. (We read about "Johnny" at the beginning of the school year.) I bring in other books about Johnny Appleseed written by different authors. We discuss similarities and differences in the books and determine what things about Johnny were true and what things were added to the story. With a partner, students do interactive writing and write about (and draw a picture) the thing they liked most or were impressed with in Johnny Appleseed. These are later presented to the rest of the class. We tie it in with art and make Johnny Appleseed puppets to be used in our puppet theatre in an informal fashion. The lesson ties in with geography as we look at the states he traveled in on our carpet which has a huge map of the United States. Because Johnny lived off the land with basically the shirt on his back, a pan on his head, and no shoes (according to most versions), we take our shoes off and walk on the gravel playground and also on the grass to feel how it was for Jonny when he went barefoot. We discuss the importance of planting trees and plant apple seeds in containers to grow in our classroom. Finally, each student brings an apple and we make applesauce. While students enjoy their applesauce, they watch the video of Johnny Appleseed that comes from our public library. I realize this is more like a mini unit than a lesson plan but activities could be added or deleted according to the amount of time that is available.

Lessen plan for teaching a novel

Another way I teach a novel is mainly journaling and discussions. I book talk five novels and students vote. Knowing that not everyone will get their choice, they are also invited to read the other novels individually. After setting up journals in binders that stay in the classroom, I gather what they already know about the elements of literature(plot, characters, etc.) and 5-10 figurative language terms (flashback, etc.). Third, we review or reteach imagery, connections, questions, predictions, clarification, and evaluation. With the students thoroughly impressed with how much they already know, we listen to the book on tape, stopping 5-10 pages in to have students work in groups to fill in their notes with details from the novel telling the setting, etc. that we had previously defined in our notes. This is followed by full class discussion. As the novel progresses, students are required to either write or orally contribute daily; and they write while listening or may ask to stop the tape to comment. Bonus points are given for contributing figurative language examples, current connections, or higher level thought questions etc. and points deducted if students do not write or speak. Students have to share the speaking time, and I mark who speaks each day, making some allowances for extended response time and such. I try to have students answer questions other students pose, so I'm not the expert but everyone's view is a possibility. Along the way we get mini lessons or do extended writing and they have been told we'll do a paper or project at the end of the book-usually about themes but open to any related topic students want meeting some preset rubric- 8-10 pieces of evidence from the book or new (author, comparison to other lit., etc.) info.