Room4engagement

"God’s Own Creation"

I started my third novel unit with my 5^th graders today.  Don’t freak out, I am at a year round school and actually began my year in July.  I like to read a novel a month with my class.  Novels are a big deal with me.  They are non-negotiable.  I’m pretty sure that my district is in the “no time for novels” phase, but I’m not.  I’ll squeeze them in between textual analysis, cross curricular instruction, thinking maps, graphic organizers, journaling, flipping my classroom, differentiating instruction, integrating technology, small group interventions, creating performance tasks, ELD, PCT, PTT, and OMG!

So yes, we began Wonder by RJ Palacio today.  I don’t have a class set.  I encouraged parents to buy it from Amazon or Scholastic.  I’d say about half the class has a copy and the other half are happily cuddled up with a partner. 
I’ve been hyping the book for about a week. 
 It’s like a premier party.  
I started off talking about the 
themes we’d be encountering.

Bullying

Physical deformity

Friendship

Kindness

This is no Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

We had a pretty serious discussion about physical handicaps and being “different”.  
Everyone wanted to share. 
The buzz was building…

I showed the video of Natalie Merchant singing "Wonder".  It’s just her at the piano with her fragile, gorgeous voice, and those emotional lyrics.  You could have heard a pin drop while she sang. I was so into the song myself 
(child of the 80’s) 
and they were so quiet, that I thought they had left. Afterwards, they shocked me. They all started clapping.  Not that pounding fake clapping that is so annoying, but an honest round of applause.  They were hooked.  
They were primed.

My novel units are living breathing entities.  They change every year.  Every class has a different perspective and children relate to themes in ways I will often never know.  
This time is sacred in my classroom.  
Yes, I make it engaging.  
Yes, we have a student journal and we make connections to themes, and analyze character 
and plot development. 
Yes, we respond to literature, 
discuss vocabulary,
 and examine figurative language. 

All the while the kids are loving it.

Engaged Kids

Happy Kids

Happy Teacher

"With Love and Patience and with Faith"