Serafina and the Black Cloak: Mystery Book Club

"Serafina and the Black Cloak" by Robert Beatty will explore the the mystery of Serafina and the missing girl in the yellow dress. Set in 1889 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, Serafina lives in the basement of the mansion with her father, yet she is different and not allowed to be seen by others. In this class, we will use clues and evidence to uncover the true identity of Serafina while identifying clues and applying inferencing skills to solve the mystery surrounding the grand estate.

This class will focus on learning objectives addressing critical thinking, reading fluency, listening and written comprehension, vocabulary, speaking, and figurative language. Students will explore charactarization, conflict, symbolism, conflict resolution, and theme.  In addition, students will make inferences by searching for clues in the text, with the ultimate goal of solving the mystery...!

The class will be taught using a guided reading structure in which the teacher guides the small group instruction before, during and after reading. Students will be assessed informally through oral reading, discussion, short writing prompts, and review games. Each class will begin with vocabulary and a creative or critical thinking question(s) related to the day's reading. Students will be invited to read the selection aloud, taking turns as they volunteer. There will be comprehension questions as well as creative activities in which students can demonstrate deeper understanding of the text. Each class will end with a review activity or game and an at home reading assignment. Vocabulary and focus questions will be presented through slides, while the text will be shared through a document camera. 

Students at this age are learning to gain meaning from reading, and they are building reading stamina as they practice reading for longer periods of time. They are curious about the world around them, but chapter books filled with symbolism and figurative language can seem overwhelming compared to picture books. It is important for students to be able to comprehend the deeper meaning and context found increasingly complex texts--but HOW does that happen? Students must apply literal, inferential, and evaluative skills to answer who, what, when, where, why, and how questions based on the text. 

In this camp, we will practice answering comprehension questions based on nonfiction texts. During the 45 minute class: 
• Students will be welcomed to class. We will quickly review the class rules and our learning goals. 
• The teacher will review vocabulary for the chapter and do a brief review of previous chapters. The teacher will guide students to read the text apply their skills. Teacher support will be available to all students during this time. Students should raise their hand if they have a question. 
• During the last 5 minutes of class, students will review through questioning, writing, and games. 
 
Chapters Covered by Week:
Week 1 <Introduction and Chapter 1-6>
Week 2 <Chapter 7-12>
Week 3 <Chapters 13-18>
Week 4 <Chapters 19-24>
Week 5 <Chapters 25-31>