Welcome to the Middle School Book-to-Movie Club! I'm so happy you're interested in this course. I'm an enthusiastic educator with a more casual demeanor. 

Each class includes time for discussion, a brief English Language Arts lesson that hits a middle school milestone, and an activity or game related to the story or lesson. We often stay after class to chat or continue with our game or activity. 

Book titles for the next few months are listed below Class Structure. Please check each month since titles are subject to change. 

NEW STUDENT INFORMATION: New students may enroll anytime during the month. Although not mandatory, new students are encouraged to obtain a copy of the book before or after their first class. 

READING SCHEDULE  Since we follow the same reading schedule each month, it's easy for new & returning learners to know how much to read each week; m

This is how it goes: For the first three meetings of the month, we read and discuss the novel in thirds. In the fourth meeting, we compare the book to the movie version (the movie is viewed outside of class time). This reading schedule repeats each month. To find out how much to read and which section of the story we'll discuss that week, learners divide the book's total page count by three. ! 

For example, if a book is 300 pages, we'd read 100 pages each week for the first three weeks of the month.

Reading Schedule EXAMPLE: 
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 
Total Page count: 300 pages  
300 pages ÷ 3 weeks =  100 pages per week 

CLASS STRUCTURE 
Check-in   5 minutes
Group Review  5  minutes
Group Discussion 20 - 30 min
Learn Something New 
Group Activity or Game  10 - 15 minutes 
Check-out 1 - 5 minutes  
*OPTIONAL After-class: Learners may leave whenever they need to, but some learners choose to stick around for 10-30 minutes to socialize or play an online game together, such as Gimkit. It's offten the game we played at the end of class with its close-reading comprehension questions. 

BOOK SELECTIONS & READING SCHEDULE for June 2024 - August 2024 (to be updated before Sept.) 
 Book titles are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances or group reading levels/speeds. I appreciate your understanding should adjustments be necessary. 

2024 
 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Themes: Power, survival, appearance, family, loyalty 
Mature Subject Matter: Violence, adults drink, a 16-year-old tastes wine 
Week 1 | Discuss Chapters  1- 9| Topics: Significant Plot Points &  Hero's 
Week 2 | Discuss Chapters 10 - 18 | Topics: Conflict & Rising Tension 
Week 3 | Discuss Chapters 19 - the end |  Topics: Characters' Roles & Character Development
Week 4 | Discuss & Compare the Movie |  Topics: Opening & Closing Images 

The Fault in Our Stars by J. Green 
Themes:  Love and friendship, Pain and suffering
Mature Subject Matter: Serious illness, death
Week 1 | Discuss first third of book | Topics: Setting & Theme  
Week 2 | Discuss second third of book | Topics: POV & Narrators 
Week 3 | Discuss final third of book | Topics: Resolutions & Readers' Satisfaction 
Week 4  | Discuss the Movie  | Topics: Casting & Character Arcs 

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Themes: Coming-of-age, identity, 
Mature Subject Matter: Bras, characters discuss getting their period
Week 1 | Discuss Chapters 1 - 10 | Topic: Reader Bias & Stereotypes 
Week 2 | Discuss Chapters 11 - 20 | Topic: Dialogue & Character Development 
Week 3 | Discuss Chapters 21 - the end | Topic: Thematic Statements 
Week 4 | Discuss the Movie | Topic: What makes a book or movie iconic? 

Here are other book/movies I've previously taught that we might read in Fall/Winter 24-25: 
The Adventures of Hugo Cabret
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli 
The Giver by Lois Lowry 
My Side of the Mountain by Jean George 
The One and Only Ivan 

TEACHING STYLE
I believe students learn best when they are comfortable in the group and engaged with the content. I ask questions about the story that encourage reflection on themes and creative & critical thinking. If a student answers, "I don't know," when asked how they came to an inference or opinion, they're encouraged to dive into their Why (a.k.a., life experience) and refer to the text. In class, I like to use slides, prompts, activities, quiz games, video clips, or any resource that provides context to the story or invites deeper reflection and closer reading skills. 

WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT: In short, we practice and develop our critical, creative, and lateral thinking skills, using the story as our conductor to become more effective communicators and mindful and compassionate citizens. 
 
-Literary elements, devices, and techniques, including but not limited to: theme, plot structures, Point-of-View, figurative language, foreshadowing, and character development. 
-Close reading skills 
-Inferences vs. Opinions 
-Using textual evidence to support inferences and opinions. 
-Theme: What It Is and What It is Not 
-Finding & Applying Themes
-Thematic Statements
-Author's Intention
-Readers' Bias
-Venn Diagrams
-Compare/Contrast
-The Role of Setting
-The Role of the Narrator 
-Creative Inspirations
-Icons/Iconic: What Makes Something Iconic? 
-Vocabulary Words 


DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 
Our classroom is more dynamic when diverse. I welcome all cultures, races, gender identities, learning styles, abilities, and personalities. I enjoy encouraging ESL students, having experienced living and learning in another language myself, and I teach from a neurodivergent-affirming perspective. This means I believe neurodivergence is a difference, not a deficit, and support accommodations and education. Please don't hesitate to tell me about your learner and how I can best support them. 

INTERACTION 
Students interact with the teacher and each other throughout the 55-minute class through check-in, answering discussion questions, playing games, and activities.