Book Club: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate Dicamillo
In this book club, learners will read and discuss "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo. This will be a fun book club for your learner and a great way to strengthen their reading comprehension skills.
Tristan - Book Clubs/Reading Comprehension
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(403)
What's included
5 live meetings
3 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Reading Schedule: (Please do not read ahead of our schedule so that we can all enjoy the story together.) Prior to our first meeting read chapters 1-5. Prior to our second meeting read chapters 6-10 and answer journal question #1. Prior to our third meeting read chapters 11-15 and answer journal question #2. Prior to our fourth meeting read chapters 16-21 and answer journal question #3. Prior to our fifth meeting read chapters 22-26 and answer journal question #4. **A PDF file of journal discussion questions will be attached to the classroom after our first meeting. Please print or use a separate sheet of paper to write your answers down. We will share our answers during class.Class Experience
US Grade 3 - 6
In this book club, learners will have the opportunity to read and discuss one of the most beloved stories in children's literature, "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo. During our sessions, learners will participate in teacher-led in-depth discussions and activities related to the assigned chapters. Our engaging discussions will encourage learners to ask questions, make connections, and provide their input throughout, allowing them to dive deeper into the story, explore its themes and characters, and gain valuable insights from others’ perspectives. To enhance our discussions, I will use slides to display the discussion questions and other relevant visual aids. These slides will help learners engage with the material in a more interactive and meaningful way. We will cover the book over the course of five sessions. To prepare for each class, learners will be asked to read about five chapters and complete an assigned activity that will be posted in the classroom section after our first meeting. Before each session, learners will know exactly which chapters to read. Prior to our first session, learners will be asked to read chapters 1-5, chapters 6-10 before our second session, chapters 11-15 before our third session, chapters 16-21 before our fourth session, and chapters 22-26 before our final session. The chapters are quick page-turners, so learners will be engaged and excited to continue reading. This book club is an excellent opportunity for your child to sharpen their reading comprehension skills, gain insights from others’ perspectives, and have a fun time reading an unforgettable story. Join us for an enriching and enjoyable learning experience as we explore this timeless classic.
Learning Goals
Engage in learning dialogues with the teacher and peers.
Predict story events.
Search the text to select appropriate information when answering questions.
Practice using story clues and prior knowledge (schema) to make inferences about the story.
Practice using context clues to discover the meaning of unknown words.
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings).
Make connections
Explore themes
Engage in critical discussion of shared texts.
Read for the sheer joy of it, learning to value one another as readers and learners.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
"Because of Winn-Dixie" tackles some real-life struggles, such as abandonment, alcoholism, death, and coping with change as a child. These problems are approached delicately, without excessive detail.
- Opal's mother left her and her father and had a drinking problem that caused problems within the family.
- Opal's father explains how some people have pathological fears when Winn-Dixie gets scared during a thunderstorm.
- There were some unkind name-calling incidents between Opal and the Dewberry brothers.
- Otis has been to jail and reveals the reason why after Opal asks him.
- Miss Franny uses the phrase "war is hell," which sparks a discussion in the book on appropriate language.
- In Chapter 15, Miss Franny Block suggests Opal read, "Gone with the Wind" to Gloria and tells the story of her great-grandfather who fought in the Civil War. (However, references to the book, "Gone with the Wind" were removed in the 20th-anniversary edition.)
Supply List
Learners will need a copy of the book, "Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo. Ideas for finding the book include Amazon, Walmart, Target, libraries, audio, or used book stores. All other materials will be provided in the Outschool classroom. **A PDF file of journal discussion questions will be attached to the classroom after our first meeting. Please print or use a separate sheet of paper to write your answers down. We will share our answers with the group during our sessions.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined April, 2020
5.0
403reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Tennessee Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Master's Degree in Education from Harding University
Kate DiCamillo is one of my favorite authors. When I taught in the classroom, I always used Kate DiCamillo’s books to read aloud to my students because she does a great job of helping readers to learn important life lessons and think deeply. I also have a Masters in Reading, and it is my goal to help your child think deeper about the texts that they read. It would be my pleasure to share this amazing reading adventure with your child.Reviews
Live Group Class
$60
for 5 classes5x per week, 1 week
40 min
Completed by 15 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-12
1-6 learners per class
