What Makes a Great Novel Study?

[ladysarahjane]

Thank you so much for those you who responded to my previous post. You have given me some great titles that I haven't read before and reminded me of a few of my old favorites (Rash, Ender's Game) that I had forgotten about

Comments

[lady_kathana]

I really like extension projects, especially ones that encourage the kids to dig deeper into the novel. I did The Watsons go to Birmingham this semester and my unit included watching two documentaries about the Civil Rights movement and a trip to the King Center. When we read Peak, we watched a TV series about a team of climbers climbing Mount Everest and built clay models of the mountain and marked all the base camps.

[whyintellectual]

I think basic project ideas or extension essays would be my only contribution to your list. I like the idea of levels of essays. Like 3 choices for an easy topic, 3 choices for intermediate, and 3 choices for advanced levels.

[if_venice_sinks]

I personally hate reading comp questions even though I know they're "good" for kids. They're so boring! For them and me lol. I do a lot of round table student-led discussions instead. I give them a booklet of open-ended, higher level questions for each chapter, then the kids talk either in small groups or as a whole class. This is usually really successful and the kids love it. I also brought in common place books with my grade 11 study of Brace New World and it's been great so far! The students are making such thoughtful, insightful intertextual connections and reflecting on their own lives in a meaningful way. I'd definitely do it again!

I'd like to know from everyone - do you read to the kids? Popcorn read? Have them read on their own? I never know how to best do the actual reading part of a novel study! My 9s love being read to (and I love reading to them), but my 10ib class thinks it's juvenile... Thoughts?