Historical Fiction Book Club for the Engaged Reader
Together we will meet and discuss a different historical fiction book every time we meet.
Jill Harper
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(285)
What's included
8 live meetings
6 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students need to come to class having read the book so they can participate in a lively discussion.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 9
Our first book is We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963 by Shelia P. Moses. This is a very quick read making it perfect for those who sign up close to the start date. Join us for a fun and informal book club where we meet every other week to discuss a historical fiction book. By teaching in a conversational manner, I will foster a love for books. Students in the class will be asked to think about what they read, form an opinion on what they read, and then share that opinion with others. We will also have fun rating and reviewing each book and comparing them to past reads. Students with a wide array of previous book club experience are welcome. They only need to be open to exploring and discussing the materials and their themes. Regarding the structure, when we meet, I will lead a round-table discussion for each book we read. For each book we read, we will discuss topics ranging from the author's intent to character and plot development. Then, we will all share our opinions with each other as we analyze the works. I will teach the students how to clearly express their thoughts and debate and discuss topics with their peers by facilitating the discussion. Every student in the class will have an opportunity to share their opinion. The books we will be discussing are: Meeting 1 - We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963 by Shelia P. Moses Meeting 2 - Secret Soldiers: A Novel of World War I by Keely Hutton Meeting 3 - Red Stars by Davide Morosinotto Meeting 4 - Brother's Keeper By Julie Lee Meeting 5 - Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Alan Gratz Meeting 6 - Mèo and Bé by Doan Phuong Nguyen Meeting 7 - The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez Meeting 8 - I Must Betray You by Ruta Septys Please look up the books prior to enrolling your student to make sure the choices will be a good match for your student and your family. For brand new and future releases, Goodreads often has reviews. We need 5 students for this class to run. If you enroll, please share with others who also might be interested. Thank you!
Learning Goals
Book clubs in middle school are a great way to teach students to form and share opinions with others which is an important skill to have as they get older. I run all book clubs, so every student is able to answer questions that I pose and participate in the lively discussion. I also know that some students prefer to participate through chat than on a microphone. This is completely acceptable. My goal for the students is to get them to share their thoughts however they feel comfortable doing that.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Historical fiction books deal with big issues including war, mistreatment of children, and other social issues. These books tackle all of these issues and more. There is war, racism, torture, abuse, terrorism, war trauma, and more. Please pre-read if you have concerns.
Supply List
Meeting 1 - We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963 by Shelia P. Moses Meeting 2 - Secret Soldiers: A Novel of World War I by Keely Hutton Meeting 3 - Red Stars by Davide Morosinotto Meeting 4 - Brother's Keeper By Julie Lee Meeting 5 - Heroes: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Alan Gratz Meeting 6 - Mèo and Bé by Doan Phuong Nguyen Meeting 7 - The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez Meeting 8 - I Must Betray You by Ruta Septys
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Books need to be purchased or borrowed from a library.
Jill Harper
4.9
285reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree from University of California Santa Barbara
Hello! My name is Jill and I am passionate about education and have extensive experience teaching in the online community. I love overseeing book clubs for tweens and teens, sharing my love of literature and writng, and offering classes that encourage and inspire students to share their thoughts and opinions with their peers.
My goal is to expose students to a wide range of books that they may not pick up on their own. For teens, I have also developed book clubs that focus on one specific area and curate book lists that add depth to the course descriptions for when it is time to apply to colleges.
Outside of Outschool, I am an educational consultant and homeschool expert at Simplify Homeschool. I run a group for homeschooled parents on Facebook called College Confident Homeschoolers and specialize in developing year long plans for teens and parents based on goals and interests. Additionaly, I support families with the college application process.
As for my own background, I began breaking away from the educational norm and deciding my own path when I took the California High School Proficiency Exam at age 16 and enrolled in community college. From there I went on to the University of California, Santa Barbara and graduated with honors with a B.A. in film studies. I completed the credentialing program from National University.
I am well-versed in all things related to homeschooling and education. I specialize in the area of homeschooling gifted tweens and teens, twice-exceptional students, and students with disabilities, including both learning and physical disabilities. This interest stems from raising three amazing children who are living with disabilities.
I welcome and support all learners in my classes and enjoy supporting every student no matter where they are at in their educational journey.Reviews
Live Group Class
$10
weekly1x per week, 8 weeks
45 min
Completed by 96 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
4-12 learners per class
