My Favorite Things: Middle Grades Novel Studies, Part One

One thing you will quickly learn about me: I LOVE BOOKS. Nothing makes me happier than sharing my love of books and the written word with others, especially kids.

Learning to teach novels to a group of students can be challenging at times, but it is a challenge that ignites my passion to this day.

Nancy Atwell's Reading Workshop models deeply influenced my teacher development all the way back from undergrad school in the early 2000s. From her, I learned how to enrich a learning environment by providing reading instruction where students have CHOICES when it comes to what they read. 

From the basic structure of Atwell's model, I also embraced doing small group book clubs in the classroom, and I taught whole group novels as well. 

Getting kids excited to read books and discuss and write about them is so rewarding! Seeing faces light up during passionate discussions about books makes any tough day a little brighter.

Here are a few of my tips and tricks for whole group and small group novel studies:

1. Let the class vote on what book to read. The more choices you give the kiddos, they more invested they will be. Give two or three choices that you provide book talks on so they know about the options. Maybe even read an excerpt from each one (First Chapter Friday-style!)

2. Pick books with diverse characters and by diverse authors. This is getting easier as more diversity infiltrates our daily culture, but do your research and really branch out on what you're offering your kiddos to read. I'm a lover of the classics, but a balance of classic and contemporary literature is important. If all your classic literature is written by old white dudes, you will want to include some women authors and authors of color as well.

An example of this would be a 6th grade unit I taught that I called "Overcoming Adversity" (AKA-- "Finding Courage" or "Never Give Up" 6th grade HMH Into Literature unit). In this unit, students got to choose between three novels with diverse characters that survive and grow through numerous tragedies and the tough circumstances of immigration and/or the Great Depression: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; Esperanza Rising; or Dragonwings. Check out my free resource library for my cumulative project for this unit. Click here to get your free copy!

3. Offer a choice of multiple books with the same theme. It never fails-- every time I'd start a whole group novel study, a handful of kids would raise their hands and say, "But Ms. T., I've already read this book!" I started having two or three options so that these readers would have something new and exciting to read as well. This also helped with early-finishers. There's always that one kid who goes home and finishes reading the entire book the first weekend you hand it out. Now that kid also has something else to read and discuss with the class throughout your unit. 

One way I do this within my "hero unit" (AKA-- "Hidden Truth" 6th grade HMH Into Literature unit) is by allowing students to choose any novels either by Rick Riordan or "Rick Riordan Presents". All of these books are hero's tales that loop in with some level of mythology. You can see an example of this with my Rick Riordan Story Elements Project Directions and Grading Checklist. Click here to view the preview it!

4. Offer format options. Some schools purchase a class set of paperback novels for teachers, but in today's technology-driven world, there are a lot of other options. For struggling readers, I would also recommend to their parents to find them an audiobook so they could listen along while they read. Some books have free audio version on YouTube, and many public libraries offer audiobook and eBook rentals. Depending on your school's policies on devices, you may be able to allow students to use eBooks in school, so look into that! My one rule was that IN CLASS the student had to either have easy access to the eBook on their iPad or they needed to use the paperback copy. When they read at home, they could use audiobooks as well.

One unit I taught where I always encouraged multiple formats was my Classic Horror unit (AKA-- "Thrill of Horror" 8th grade HMH Into Literature unit). Classic literature is tough to get through sometimes, so I encouraged my students to use a physical book AND an audiobook to help move them along, especially if they chose to read the unabridged versions. Check out my Thrill of Horror Unit materials here!

5. Keep reading aloud to your class. No matter how old your students are, READ ALOUD TO THEM SOMETIMES. I would try to do a read aloud at least once a week or so. I'd model proper fluency, and I'd even attempt to do voices sometimes. The more animated and excited they see you are to read to them, the more excited they'll be to continue reading it on their own.

What are your tips and tricks for teaching novel studies? Share your ideas in the comments! :)

Looking for book recommendations for your ELA classes? I've got just what you need, teacher bestie! 

Click here to get my FREEBIE: 21 Novels I Recommend for the Middle School ELA classroom.