The Maze Runner Book Discussion: Flexible Schedule
In this 6-week course, students will read and discuss Book One in James Dashner's dystopian trilogy, The Maze Runner #academic
Janelle Fila
Average rating:
4.6
Number of reviews:(903)
Star Educator
What's included
Homework
1-2 hours per week. Students will read approximately 60 pages a week on their own time. Each Sunday, students will have access to the new video and a corresponding one page worksheet with discussion questions and places for fill-in-the blank answers. Each week, I assign a short writing assignment focused around that week's discussion questions and ask the students to share their responses in the classroom. There are also daily activities each day like vocabulary words, an I Spy game, word searches and crossword puzzles to test their comprehension from the weekly chapters.Assessment
The more questions, comments, and posts that students share in the classroom, the more I can understand their knowledge and comprehension of the topics we are discussing.Class Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
Students will read approximately 60 pages a week on their own time (the chapters are fast paced but incredibly short). Each week a new video will discuss the pages that the students have previously read. This class does not meet live. The prerecorded sessions will emphasize characters, their motivations, theme, story plausibility, and inferences about what might come next. We will also refer to any symbolism within the story and discuss what the author intended to represent with those symbols. Each Sunday, students will have access to a video that covers the important elements of the week's reading and a corresponding one page worksheet with discussion questions and places for fill-in-the blank answers. The worksheets will also address/remind the students of some of the important topics from each chapter. Each week, I assign a short writing assignment focused around that week's discussion questions and ask the students to share their responses in the classroom (so other students may view, comment, and interact as well). I also ask students to submit any vocabulary words the students didn't recognize or passages the students did not understand. The more questions the students ask, the more "discussion" we can have in the classroom after each chapter. Weekly breakdown: Sunday: Students will receive a worksheet and discussion questions for each weekly video. There is one weekly writing assignment to complete after the weekly readings. Monday: I post an I Spy challenge and ask the students to list one specific item they can "spy" from the week's reading. These items may force the students to think abstractly (for example, I might ask them to spy a character showing jealousy). Students can also challenge other students (or myself!) to find other items as well. Tuesday through Fridays: I will post a vocabulary word from the weekly reading for the students to use in a sentence that showcases their understanding of the definition. Saturday: I post a link to a Maze Runner themed crossword puzzle, word search, Kahoot! or other trivia resource the students can fill out to further immerse themselves in this world. Students can share their experience (was there a crossword clue they didn't know the answer to or a word that they just could not find?) in the classroom to share their experience with their classmates.
Learning Goals
Week One Chapters 1-8
Week Two Chapters 9-17
Week Three Chapters 18-28
Week Four Chapters 29-37
Week Five Chapters 38-51
Week Six Chapters 52-62
Other Details
Parental Guidance
From commonsensemedia.org: Parents need to know that the scenes of violence are stronger in this book and more graphic than those of, say, The Hunger Games, partly because at times it is adults murdering children, and not from a distance or out of sight. The teens stranded in the Maze have their memories wiped, but they are still aware on some level that they are being held captive and endangered by adults, not monsters or other children. Some of the teens in the Maze go insane from the fear, the attacks, or in one case, the memory of the world he had left behind. Main characters are conscientious and risk their lives to save others.
Supply List
The students will need a copy of The Maze Runner to read on their own. It can be borrowed from the library or even listened to as an audio book. The students will not need a physical copy of the story in class, although they may find it helpful to have while filling out their worksheets or working on their writing assignment.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined June, 2019
4.6
903reviews
Star Educator
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Spalding University
I have a Master's Degree in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults. I was a substitute teacher for three years before teaching full-time on Outschool for multiple years. When my nephew, a reluctant reader, mentioned that he loved this series, I knew I had to give it a try! I have since read the series, watched the movies, and had multiple discussions about this world and the technology described within. This book has short chapters and a fast, edge of your seat pace, which makes it an excellent choice for reluctant readers! It is an excellent book to discuss because there are so many lies, half-truths, and cover ups to discover. It has many real world implications that are interesting to ponder (could the world end up like this? Is it okay to experiment on a few in order to benefit many?). I also like to discuss the political system/hierarchy that develops in a world of teenage boys thrown together unexpectedly. I am excited to read it alongside your student to see what emotions, feelings, and gut reactions The Maze Runner stirs up for them.Reviews
Live Group Class
$9
weekly6 weeks
Completed by 2 learners
No live video meetings
Ages: 12-17
This class is no longer offered
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