We will read aloud together "WONDER" by RJ Palacio.  This story brings to light how important it is to always treat others with kindness and compassion.  We will read aloud together approximately 20-30 pages per class, and discuss the characters, precepts, events, behaviors, attitudes, and evaluate what we would do in a similar situation.  This book lends well to important life lessons of how to treat others, how to be careful of other people's feelings, and what is rude versus what is kind.

Book summary from commonsensemedia.org:  "August Pullman is a fifth-grade boy with a severe facial difference. His loving parents and sister have shielded him from many outside influences before WONDER begins; he's been homeschooled up until that point, for example. But at the start of the book, his mother has decided that it's time for Auggie to brave a real school experience. Auggie is upset and afraid to face the kids' reactions to his appearance, but there's also part of him that wants to do "normal" things. The director of his new school, Mr. Tushman, introduces Auggie to a small group of students before school starts, thinking this will help ease the transition. Whereas some of the students Auggie meets are accepting and kind, others are a bit put off by him, and still others are downright cruel. The novel follows Auggie's first year of middle school from beginning to end. It's a year in which Auggie experiences the best and the worst of human nature and a year of tremendous emotional growth for him."

We will read aloud together in class and discuss the themes and lessons of the story. We will discuss social kindness, desire for acceptance, personal choices, and how to deal with cruel people/uncomfortable situations. As we evaluate why the characters do the things they do, we will also determine what we would do in the same situation, and how we could make it better. We will add new vocabulary in context, and keep a running list of words we learn.

Here is the schedule we will tentatively follow:
Week 1 pages 1-23 and pages 24-44
Week 2 pages 45-65 and pages 66-87
Week 3 pages 88-110 and pages 111-132
Week 4 pages 133-157 and pages 158-179
Week 5 pages 179-204 and pages 205-222
Week 6 pages 223-242 and pages 243-262
Week 7 pages 263-283 and pages 284-304
Week 8 pages 305 to end and discuss themes/end of book, plus what we will read next

I look forward to experiencing this story with you!