We will meet once per week for 3 weeks to discuss the book and play Gim Kit games to test your knowledge of the previous class readings.  In addition, we will be analyzing major themes, conflicts, literary devices, syntactical choices and elements of plot introduced in the book by the author.

Week 1 
- Class will begin with an icebreaker activity
- Introduce the book
- Discuss the beauty of being different and connect that to our main character
- Explore Conflicts in the book that arise from others not accepting Ally and examine how she deals with them
- Each class will end with playing a Gim Kit game about the book and previously discussed topics in class

Week 2 
- Class will begin with an icebreaker activity
- Discuss literary devices that are used in the book (I will show a couple of video clips and play some song clips to review the specific literary device that we will talk about during each class.)
- Explore the discussion questions provided by the author, Lynda Mullaly Hunt.
- Students will have an opportunity to share connections that they have made to the book
- Each class will begin or end with playing a Gim Kit game about the book and previously discussed topics in class

Week 3 
- Class will begin with an icebreaker activity
- Discuss mood, theme, and major conflicts in the book
- Explore the discussion questions provided by the author, Lynda Mullaly Hunt.
- Students will have an opportunity to share connections that they have made to the book
- Each class will begin or end with playing a Gim Kit game about the book and previously discussed topics in class



Book Summary Excerpt from Google Books

The author of the beloved One for the Murphys gives readers an emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who’s ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn’t fit in.
 
“Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.”
 
Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.