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.