I am working with a group of grade five students and we are engaged in a book club. We meet once per week for 45 minutes, and we discuss novels. I assign a book, they read up to a certain chapter, and we discuss.
I came to the process with clear guidelines, but what I am enjoying most is having these seven students talk about each book. They discuss whether or not they like the characters, what they found moving, or disturbing, or enjoyable. I lead the conversation with questions, and I keep them on track, but they love to share their opinions and ideas.I assigned them the Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird, first, because it is such a great novel to talk about human rights and how kids may live in a different part of the world. Even though the novel has its dark parts, it also has a good ending, which the students really like. The main character is essentially sold into slavery, and escapes to live on the streets in Ethiopia. A really fantastic story.The next book I assigned was The Giver by Lois Lowry: a classic novel about a world that is very different from ours as well; a completely controlled society. This group did not like the novel. I thought that they would enjoy how different it was from "The Garbage King", but they expressed to me that they didn't like the ending...it was vague and open ended and it was up to the reader to interpret what happens to the main character.
The next book we are reading is "Out of My Mind" by Sharon Drapper; a favourite book of mine. I think the group is eager to read this, and I am looking forward to their ideas and what they felt about the book. Finally, I am ending with an entertaining book, with a great story, "Holes" by Louis Sachar. I think they will like the story and how it has a happy ending!
Once we read all four books (before Christmas), I will work with the students on completing a project based on the books. We are deciding this collaboratively. I am having a wonderful time reading, sharing, and inspiring these fantastic readers.
One of my students in the Grade 4 book club recommended this book to me. It is called "Journey to the River Sea" by the late Eva Ibbotson.What a beautiful book. I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. I have now purchased another book by the same author titled "The Dragonfly Pool", which I will hopefully find time to read soon.Why did I like this book? It was a beautiful tale about the Amazon River, finding oneself, and friendship. It was so nice to read a book that wasn't "over the top" as some literature is today (think Hunger Games, etc), but a nice story that all students can read and get drawn into. I was impressed with the grade four readers I worked with last week. Their passion for reading and their wide range of interest in novels was so refreshing and wonderful. When I sat down and asked the students to recommend novels or stories they had read, I thought we would have a 10 minute discussion, but instead, the students talked and shared books for nearly an hour. I needed to write some of those titles down, too, as I am always learning from the students what to read! Thank you Grade Fours...you are truly amazing and inspiring and I now have lots of book suggestions for Spring Break!
One of my students in the Grade 4 book club recommended this book to me. It is called "Journey to the River Sea" by the late Eva Ibbotson.
What a beautiful book. I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. I have now purchased another book by the same author titled "The Dragonfly Pool", which I will hopefully find time to read soon.
Why did I like this book? It was a beautiful tale about the Amazon River, finding oneself, and friendship. It was so nice to read a book that wasn't "over the top" as some literature is today (think Hunger Games, etc), but a nice story that all students can read and get drawn into.
I was impressed with the grade four readers I worked with last week. Their passion for reading and their wide range of interest in novels was so refreshing and wonderful. When I sat down and asked the students to recommend novels or stories they had read, I thought we would have a 10 minute discussion, but instead, the students talked and shared books for nearly an hour. I needed to write some of those titles down, too, as I am always learning from the students what to read!
Thank you Grade Fours...you are truly amazing and inspiring and I now have lots of book suggestions for Spring Break!
Hope your Hallowe'en was specatular....ours was lots of fun, but it is shocking to be in November! I am busy figuring out who is coming to the next few challenge centres: Personal Interest Projects and Book it!, our first book club in the challenge centre!Personal Interest Projects will be held at the end of November, and here, students get to design and create their own project about an area or interest or passion that they may have. I will be working with a great group of grade 6 and 7 students, I am sure, and I am excited to see what they are going to study. As well, the response for Book It! was so overwhelming, that I am going to offer another section in the new year. I will be dividing the groups between a grade 5-6 group and a grade 4 group.For the book club, I am thinking of starting with The Mysterious Benedict Society, and then a classic, followed by an individual book of choice, and ending off with a group selected book. Any ideas for novels would be greatly appreciated.....
Hope your Hallowe'en was specatular....ours was lots of fun, but it is shocking to be in November! I am busy figuring out who is coming to the next few challenge centres: Personal Interest Projects and Book it!, our first book club in the challenge centre!
Personal Interest Projects will be held at the end of November, and here, students get to design and create their own project about an area or interest or passion that they may have. I will be working with a great group of grade 6 and 7 students, I am sure, and I am excited to see what they are going to study.
As well, the response for Book It! was so overwhelming, that I am going to offer another section in the new year. I will be dividing the groups between a grade 5-6 group and a grade 4 group.
For the book club, I am thinking of starting with The Mysterious Benedict Society, and then a classic, followed by an individual book of choice, and ending off with a group selected book. Any ideas for novels would be greatly appreciated.....
