The Lion of Mars: A Fidget to Focus Bookclub
Does your learner love stories but struggle with attention span? Has your learner been discouraged from fidgeting or using other appropriate accommodations? Here, their needs and natural coping mechanisms are welcomed and celebrated.
Kristin Carter
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(4)
What's included
12 live meetings
10 in-class hoursMastery Evaluation
1 hour per week. Mastery will be determined by in class participation, whether verbal or in the chat, and in class assignmentsGrading
If you need a specific grading style or feedback, let me know before the first class.Class Experience
US Grade 3 - 6
Beginner - Intermediate Level
Bell is just like any other 11 year old: school work, chores, the usual. Except he lives on Mars. Join us for an engaging sci fi adventure! We will listen to the story together alongside a variety of hands-on “fidgety” activities. No homework is required. No sitting still is required. In this book club, you are expected to fidget and wiggle and move as needed. Bring your favorite fidgets to class or try one of my totally optional suggestions: Playdough or air dry clay: roll, squish, stretch, pound, and more! You can make something related to the story or indulge your imagination. Lacing beads: small to large, simple to intricate, lacing beads on string, yarn, a shoelace or even a pipe cleaner is a great way to keep your hands busy Fabric scraps: twist, tie, stretch, and rub various textures with wriggly fingers Or just bring some blank paper and doodle or sketch anything you can imagine Do you have other ideas for fidgeting during the story? Feel free to share! We’ll aim for 30 minutes of listening, with breaks as needed, and a chance for discussion. During the story, if there is a word you don’t know, write it in the chat! We’ll learn about it together. Each discussion will have a different literary or story-related topic. If time allows, learners can choose to share what they made while fidgeting. __________ Publisher’s description: Bell has spent his whole life—all eleven years of it—on Mars. But he's still just a regular kid—he loves cats and any kind of cake, and is curious about the secrets the adults in the US colony are keeping. Like, why don't they have contact with anyone on the other Mars colonies? Why are they so isolated? When a virus breaks out and the grown-ups all fall ill, Bell and the other children are the only ones who can help. It's up to Bell—a regular kid in a very different world—to uncover the truth and save his family...and possibly unite an entire planet. Mars may be a world far, far away, but in the hands of Jennifer L. Holm, beloved and bestselling author of The Fourteenth Goldfish, it can't help but feel like home. __________ Finances should never stand in the way of meeting a learner’s educational needs. Check out my “Pay What You Can” policy in my teacher bio or message me for details. “Pay What You Can” policy applies to classes with 3+ enrolled learners and you must make arrangements with me before enrolling. I cannot give refunds after the fact. __________ Learners will need paper and pencils/pens/crayons/markers Fidgets are recommended - bring your own or see suggestions above Visual learners may prefer to have a copy of the book and read along to the audio. This is optional, not required.
Learning Goals
Learners will gain self confidence by being encouraged to use fidgets and other accommodationsLearners will gain knowledge of literary concepts such as characters, settings, plot, story structure, etc
Syllabus
12 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Introduction
Book club expectations, setting and main characters 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Goals and questions
What are you hoping to learn about in the story? What questions do you have about the setting and characters? 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Visualizing and Feeling
Create a map of one of the rooms or areas described. How would it feel to spend time here and do the same tasks as the characters? 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Making Connections - Comparing and Contrasting
Venn Diagram - Life on Mars as presented vs life on Earth today 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
In this class, we celebrate learners uniqueness and the creative ways they have found to accommodate their needs. This is a low demand class, meant to be comfortable, engaging, and confidence-building.
Parental Guidance
From Common Sense Media:
Parents need to know that The Lion of Mars is a tween science-fiction adventure about the first people from Earth to colonize Mars in 2091. There's some sadness from two settlers dying, one in the past and one who was a grandfather-figure to the narrator. All the adult settlers come down with a mysterious, contagious, viral illness that causes hardship and worry but has a safe resolution. Tween narrator Bell sees teens kiss once, and « adults kiss once. There's a rover-driving accident that causes a broken bone, and some scariness from a long, dark tunnel and green, glowing eyes. "Fart" is used a couple of times. A pet mouse has to be exterminated and is described as going right to sleep.
Pre-Requisites
Wishtree: A Fidget to Focus Bookclub is recommended but not required
Supply List
Learners will need paper and pencils/pens/crayons/markers Fidgets are recommended - bring your own or see suggestions in class description Visual learners may prefer to have a copy of the book and read along to the audio. This is optional, not required.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm
Joined July, 2024
5.0
4reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from UC Santa Barbara
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
BS Psychology and Child Development
MA Education
Certified Executive Function Coach
Personal, parental, and professional experience with neurodivergence
15 years of professional experience in education
9 years of homeschooling
3 years of educational content creation
I’m an avid reader, long-time fidgeter, and author of, among other books, Non-Mythical Animals - a book that develops nonfiction reading comprehension and provides a variety of engaging learning activities centered on fantastic *real* animalsReviews
Live Group Course
$30
weekly or $180 for 12 classes2x per week, 6 weeks
50 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-12
3-8 learners per class
Financial Assistance
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