[bellevuetiger]

My school still uses a anthology basal. I decided to try to use a novel study in my curriculum. My reading teacher has rounded up enough Maniac Magee books for my class. Does anyone have suggestions on how to teach the unit? Do I assign chapters to be read in class and then have a reading group come to me to discuss? Do I give them questions to answer about the book? What do you find to be the best way to teach a novel? I want to use the literary elements .... plot, protagonist,etc. Thanks for the help.

[maryteach]

is going to be doing the same book, then I would probably teach it whole-class. Within a novel unit, they should show you that they can:

identify conflict
evaluate a character, most especially the CHANGE a character undergoes
naturally progesses to stating the theme
should be able to define words in context
explain metaphors/motifs/symbolism
make salient predictions
infer all that needs to be inferred

I would assign the day's chapters to be read, give the questions/activities you want them to complete, assign the day's chapters, etc. At the end, you can do some sort of posters to show the evolution of the character or stating the theme. Have them illustrate these and put them up in the hall.

After you do this successfully, try getting two books going. Now you pull groups. Get through a single novel unit first, then ask us here how to do the group thing, and we'll help.

Good for you for leaving the basal.

[bellevuetiger]

Thanks for the vote of confidence! The reading teacher and I both decided it might be easiest to do a novel as a whole group. She thought Maniac Magee would be appropriate for my readers. I have some very good readers who will need to be challenged with other activities. What you suggested is my plan... I'd like to get to books going after Christmas break. Do you have any suggestions for my top readers? I am having to beg, borrow and buy these books.

[maryteach]

the heading for this thread, "what grade" doesn't make sense. It's a long story. Ignore it.

Higher reads for sixth graders:

About a 7th grade level:

Esperanza Rising
Walk Two Moons (7th or 8th)
The Gospel According to Larry
Freak the Mighty
The Giver
Artemis Fowl
Al Capone Does My Shirts (7th or 8th)

About an 8th grade level:

Redwall series (gifted boys tend to really like this)
the short story collections of Gary Soto
Guys Read (not a novel, but check it out! You can use this!)
Crispin (maybe high 7th)

By 8th grade levels, though, reader's workshop is really better, probably, than book groups. RW is awesome and easy for all levels, but is a whole other post.

Some, if not many, of the above books are used by elementary teachers (in 4th and 5th grade, as read alouds) but these really are 7th and 8th grade materials.

For grade level readers:

The Hatchet
Coraline
Bud, Not Buddy
Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963
Loser
Tuck Everlasting
Tale of Despereaux (much, much deeper than it's given credit for in the younger classrooms in which it's often read aloud)
The Pinballs
Heartbeat (novel in verse)
Locomotion (novel in verse)

For below grade level readers:

Shiloh (4th grade)
Because of Winn Dixie (4th grade)
Love That Dog (4th/5th grade) novel in verse
Holes (5th grade)
The Tiger Rising (5th grade or so)
Dear Mr. Henshaw (4th grade, high 3rd)
Maniac Magee (5th grade)

Scary-low readers (3rd grade and below):

Clementine
Chocolate Fever
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Stone Fox
Pippi Longstocking

For independent reading for these kids, there is a new series, called Alvin Ho! that appeals to boys and for girls, try Mabel Strikes a Chord, Navy Brat, Spelling Bee (more of a 4th grade, maybe).