American Girl Doll (Molly) Book Club: Read Aloud & Interactive Activities (Flex)
In this flex reading course, learners will listen to a read aloud of the books in the American Girl Molly series, discuss the book, create a learning portfolio and participate in fun, relevant activities to connect to the stories.
Miss April
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(88)
What's included
Homework
2-4 hours per week. Each week there will be a variety of activities for learners to complete and upload to the classroom. There will also be about 5-6 videos to watch each week. All of the activities should be able to be completed in about two hours each week.Class Experience
US Grade 2 - 4
Come get to know Molly McIntire! Molly is a 9 year old girl living in the Midwest during the 1940s. Her dad is a doctor serving wounded soldiers overseas. She is feisty, loyal and creative. This 6 book series follows Molly as she grapples with how world events are affecting her at home, while also dealing with the normal moments of growing up and dealing with siblings and friends. Learners get to sit back and relax as each book is read aloud. 📕 Benefits of read alouds for independent readers: 1. Learners practice active listening skills. 👂 2. Read alouds model what language sounds like through inflection and pronunciation. 3. Learners expand their vocabulary. Learners will get to know each other (including me) through classroom discussions. Weekly activities will also help learners engage with the stories and literary elements such as setting, cast of characters, character development and plot. Now for the details of how our class works: - This is a Flex course, which means there will not be any live classes. - I will teach through 5-6 pre-recorded videos each week. - All videos and materials will be uploaded to the classroom on Monday mornings at 8:00 am CST. - Learners will upload all activities and discussions to the classroom and will be encouraged to comment on their peer's posts. - I will visit the classroom daily to comment on all posts, providing encouragement and guidance. We will read the following books: Meet Molly by Valerie Tripp Molly Learns a Lesson by Valerie Tripp Molly's Surprise by Valerie Tripp Happy Birthday, Molly! by Valerie Tripp Molly Saves the Day by Valerie Tripp Changes for Molly by Valerie Tripp Here is what a typical week looks like: ✔5-6 pre-recorded videos ✔Discussion questions ✔A craft ✔An activity ✔Learning portfolio prompts - A learning portfolio helps learners keep track of important story elements - characters, conflict, plot, setting as the series progresses Interactive activities include: make a hula skirt, bake lemon curd tartlets, make a paper doll, design a game using household items, make a pipe cleaner ornament, describe family holiday traditions...and more! Parents, please refer to the Parental Guidance section to review themes or story elements of which you should be made aware. Please do not hesitate to message me with any questions you might have. I look forward to diving into Molly's world together through some fun stories and activities!
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Please review the supply list for recipe ingredients. If your learner has any food allergies or sensitivities, please let me know and I am happy for us to work together to find a substitute recipe! And while most of the activities can be completed independently by your learner, it is necessary for parental guidance in the kitchen for learner safety.
Because this book series is historical fiction, sometimes there are more difficult or unpleasant moments from the past that are mentioned. Learners might have questions about some of these mentions. I will handle these conversations with compassion and an unbiased approach. My goal is to invite learners to practice empathy while reflecting on this chapter in history. Additionally, I will keep parents personally informed so they are also invited into these conversations with their learners.
This series of books all take place during WWII. Talk of war and the hardships families at home faced during war time are prevalent throughout the books. There are specific moments where Molly and her sister openly worry about their dad's safety and their fear that he might not be ok while working overseas.
Sibling rivalry is a theme throughout the series and thus, Molly and her siblings do not always interact in the kindest manner. These instances offer an opportunity to practice empathy with not only Molly, but her siblings as well.
Molly's Surprise centers around the Christmas season and does reference Molly's family attending church. A quote from the Bible is referenced but does not state where it can be found. Religious carols are also referenced. These happen when describing how Molly's family celebrates Christmas Eve but is not the primary focus of the story.
In Happy Birthday, Molly!, Molly's family hosts a girl from England, Emily. There is a blackout drill and it triggers memories for Emily of bombing raids in London and it opens dialogue for Molly to understand more of what kids in other parts of the world are experiencing in the war. This story could draw connections to current events today regarding the war in Ukraine and thus provide opportunity to practice empathy with the realities of kids in Ukraine.
In Changes for Molly, there is reference to pipe tobacco (as a scent memory) and discussion of soldiers dying in the war. Additionally, the historical epilogue briefly mentions the dropping of the atomic bomb and its impact.
Supply List
Owning your own copy of the books in the series is not required. However, Amazon does sell all 6 of the books in both paperback and Kindle formats if your learner would like to read along. You can also check with your local library to see if these titles are in their catalog. Week One: Doll for show and tell, learning profile pages (provided by teacher), paper and pencil or crayons, green crepe streamers, green painter's tape Week Two: learning profile pages (provided by teacher), paper and pencil or crayons, ingredients for recipe: 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup raisins, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground allspice, 3/4 cup honey, 1 1/4 cup water, 3 Tbsp shortening (like Crisco), 1 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, powdered sugar for dusting, 12 cup cupcake pan, 12 paper cup liners, saucepan, mixing bowl Week Three: learning portfolio pages (provided by teacher), paper and pencil or crayons, 24 pipe cleaners Week Four: learning portfolio pages (provided by teacher), paper and pencil or crayons, ingredients for recipe: 2 packages mini phyllo shells, 1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 5 lemons), 3 large eggs, 2 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind, 1 cup vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup Cool Whip Week Five: learning portfolio pages (provided by teacher), paper and pencil, air drying clay, paint, paintbrushes, thin wire, twine, beads Week Six: learning portfolio pages (provided by teacher), paper and pencil, crayons or markers, scissors
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined February, 2022
5.0
88reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
American Girl books and dolls were a foundational part of my childhood. The books sparked a love for history and the dolls inspired my imagination for years. I have a deep love for these books and the characters in them. I even went in search of recipes, crafts and other activities myself to more fully dive into the world of these characters. Molly was my first American Girl doll so she holds a special place in my heart.
I have also participated in and led many book club discussions. I have also led other group discussions, where I asked thought provoking questions to encourage young people to share about themselves, their interests, and their thoughts about the world.Reviews
Live Group Class
$9
weekly or $54 for 6 weeks6 weeks
Completed by 1 learner
No live video meetings
Ages: 7-10
