Lit Sets

The students are getting used to leading their own small group discussions, to different levels of success. I am happy to see that all of the students seem engaged in their books and have kept up with their reading assignments. I have enjoyed walking amidst the different groups and listening in to their conversations. After Thanksgiving break, the students will spend the rest of the quarter on their group project--creating a book trailer. I will put more information up after break.

Students from 8A discussing their various books.

Students from 8F finishing their discussion or reading their books.

The Hitchhiker Recordings

Here are The Hitchhiker recordings we did in class. The Hitchhiker was a radio play that we dramatized. Students did a great job, whether they were voice parts, in charge of music, or running and creating the sound effects. Please enjoy.

Lit set books

We will be starting literature sets in class this week and the readings/discussion and the group project will take us basically to the end of the semester...which is not as far away as it seems!

There are many different book options you will choose from. If you want to research them beforehand, go ahead. I have linked each title with amazon.com so you can read a synopsis. (I will also be going over them in class this week.) Not all of these books will be offered to both classes, just as a note. If you have previously read the book OR seen a movie version (three of these books have also been made into movies) then you will not be allowed to read it for class. Step out of the box and choose something else. :-)

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys
Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper
Nothing but the Truth by Avi
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

NOTE TO PARENTS:
When choosing quality young adult literature that will be engaging, yet thought provoking and educational, the task becomes difficult but fulfilling. Obviously, not all young adult books are written for the same reading level, interest level, or maturity level. I have tried to amass a group of books that will offer students choice.

I would like to make you aware of a few of these titles that will require a more mature reader. If you feel your child will not be able to handle this material, then please speak with me personally or email me. Although the students rate their choices, I ultimately decide what books each student reads.

Between Shades of Gray is a beautifully written book about the sufferings of Lithuanians under Stalin's rule. It is a part of history that is often overshadowed by the Holocaust and yet it is also a story that needs to be told. The author of this book collected memoirs and spoke with many Lithuanian survivors to create an authentic reading experience. Because it is authentic, however, there is mature content. Nothing is described in too much detail but just as there actually was violence and suffering during this time, there also is in the book.

Bronx Masquerade is a book that deals with a high school English classroom in the Bronx. As their teacher opens up "Poetry Fridays," these inner-city students begin sharing their problems. Ultimately, it is a book about identity and stereotyping told in an interesting way, as each short chapter is narrated by a different character and includes their poems. Again, keeping the book realistic, these students deal with issues normal for the inner city--friends or family members who do drugs, teen pregnancy, single parent homes, etc. As each chapter's narrative is short there is not excessive detail.

Ender's Game has recently been released in film and is considered by many people to be one of the best science fiction novels written. The reading level is not difficult but the themes and concepts are complex. The book will bring up questions about the ends justifying the means and blindly following authority. There is some violence in the novel (as they are fighting aliens and also between students) and there is some mild cursing (mostly in just a few pages and mainly by the main character's brother, which I may be cutting out of the book anyway.) There is also some potty humor, as you might expect would happen in a school full of young and adolescent boys.

Hunger Games series is quite popular, of course. We may be at the point where so many students have read the novels or seen the movie that these choices will not be possible. Either way, the books are violent. However, this violence is not there just to tantalize kids into reading but has a real purpose to the theme of the novels.

Also, as a point of reference, all of these books were given a target age of 12 on the website Common Sense Media. (Bronx Masquerade is not reviewed on their website.)

Thanks for reading!

Some of our Favorite Reads

Curtis with Captain Underpants. (Yes, you read that correctly!) 

Michaela loves the Hunger Games series and the Michael Vey series.     

Natali's current favorite is The Cupcake Queen.

Grace is a big fan of the Divergent series.

Meghan likes Divergent, as well.

Peyton also likes Divergent and the Gallagher Girls series.

Jenna loves Divergent, Mockingjay, and Michael Vey.

Molly's favorite is Catching Fire.

What is your favorite read?

The Outsiders Readers' Theater--CCLS style

Both classes acted out a scene from The Outsiders in a Readers' Theater style. Please enjoy this Academy Award caliber acting. :-)

Starring:

Edward as Ponyboy
Lucas as Johnny
Emmett as Bob
Robby as Randy
Deanne as David
Paul as a Soc
Kate as a Soc

Starring:
RJ as Ponyboy
Brock as Johnny
Curtis as Bob
Grace as Randy
Aly as David
Gage as a Soc
Natali as a Soc

The Outsiders

We have started The Outsiders. So far there has been very positive feedback on the book and we're just getting into the thick of it this week. There will be two projects to go along with the daily reading assignments, quizzes, and discussion.

1. Casting a new movie version of the book (which I'm surprised hasn't been remade yet!) The students will have to write a description of several characters from the novel, choose a person to play that character, and explain his or her choice. I have added this to the assignments tab above and will be discussing it in class on Friday.

2. There will be a short creative writing piece based on the novel. I will not assign this until closer to the end of our reading of the novel. More details to come!

Again...it doesn't matter which character these illustrations are supposed to represent!

Links for the 1960s research

Here are a few links you can use to direct your research today on the 1960s. You may find your own sites, as well.

Music

Music

Television

Television

1960s movies list
(Be sure to focus on the movies of the early 1960s).

Historical Events

1960s timeline

1960s History

Historical Events, Music, Entertainment
(You will need to scroll through art and architecture, etc.)

Realistic Fiction

We are nearly through with our realistic fiction short story unit. We are spending much of our time focusing on theme. In particular, we are paying attention to how characters change and what that teaches us about the story.

Once we are finished with this unit, we will begin The Outsiders. Please don't watch the movie! I promise it is not as good as the book. I know people always say that but I always have students every year watch it after reading the book and just hate it. Trust me on this! :-)

Book report information has been posted. Check the tab above for the directions. As always, please direct any questions to me.

Non-fiction unit

8th graders have almost completed their first unit in literature! We started out with a small non-fiction unit. So far students have read two memoirs, an interview, a newspaper article, a humorous essay, and will read and analyze editorials this week.

After this unit we will move on to a short realistic fiction unit, leading us to our first novel--The Outsiders.

Just a reminder...students need to have their book report book turned in to me on Tuesday, September 3rd. This can be any non-fiction book, including autobiography and biography. Please make sure that you approve of the content of these books. Some non-fiction books, especially if they detail difficult experiences such as war, can have material that may not be appropriate for all maturity levels of 8th graders. 

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Welcome!

Please use this blog to get a first-hand view of what the 8th graders are reading and discussing in literature class this year. I plan to post pictures/videos of activities and projects throughout the year so please check back frequently. I may also use the blog to give some reading recommendations and review different young adult books (assuming I have time to read any during the school year!)

Please also note the tabs at the top of the page. As the year continues, I will be using them as a gathering place of any important links and student work.

Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions. Also, I love getting reading requests so if you've read a great book lately, let me know!