Why you’ll like this unit…

1. Why you’ll like this unit… • It’s our LAST NOVEL for the year!! • You get to decide what you want to read!! • You get to work in groups on discussion days!! • You get to decide when you want to complete each role assignment!! • You have the chance of earning bonus points depending on which book you choose!!

2. Out of the Dustby: Karen Hesse Historical Fiction • Written in poetry form and organized like a diary through the winter of 1934-winter 1935 • Told by a 14-year-old girl in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl • Main character faces family problems during the Depression

3. Johnny Tremainby: Esther Forbes Historical Fiction A story filled with danger and excitement, Johnny Tremain tells of the passionate times in Boston just after the Revolutionary War. Johnny, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in a dramatic involvement with James Otis, John Hancock, and John and Samuel Adams in the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington; and finally, a touching resolution of Johnny's personal life. Extra Credit given if you choose this book due to the amount of pages!

4. Ever since Wallace Wallace was little, he has faithfully told the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So when this football hero is forced to report on the book Old Shep, My Pal for his English class, he cannot tell a lie. He feels compelled to inform his teacher that it was one of the worst books he's ever read. Why does the dog in every classic book always have to croak at the end? Not pleased with this report is Wallace's English teacher, who thinks it's the best book ever written and also happens to be directing the play version at school. He orders Wallace to attend the play rehearsals until he can come to his senses. Wallace doesn't change his mind - but he does start to change the play. It begins with his suggestion to add a line, and then a pair of old Rollerblades, until the play has evolved into a rock-and-roll edition of the older classic. No More Dead Dogsby: Gordon Korman Modern Fiction

5. Grade 6-9-- Ninth grader Philip Malloy finds himself unable to participate on the track team because of his failing grade in English. Convinced the teacher, Margaret Narwin, dislikes him, he concocts a scheme to get transferred from her homeroom: instead of standing during the national anthem, Philip hums. His parents take his side, ignore the fact that he is breaking a school rule, and concentrate on issues of patriotism. The conflict between Philip and his school escalates, and he quickly finds the situation out of his control. Avi wrote the novel through conversations between students, Philip's parents, school personnel, etc., while Philip's point of view is revealed through his diary entries, and Margaret Narwin's through letters to her sister. Nothing But the Truthby: Avi Modern Fiction

6. Paul is a teenager who lives at home with his dad, his mean brother and his mom.    He has just moved to Tangerine and started the school year.   Paul is legally blind.   He can see with his glasses on, but without them he cannot.    His brother told him that he stared into a solar eclipse when he was a kid and that is what messed up his eyesight.    He tries out for soccer, and makes the team, only to be told he cannot play because he is legally blind.    To make matters worse, his dad doesn't seem to care-- all he cares about is Paul's brother Eric. Because of a natural disaster, Paul has to go to a new school, that is filled with tough people.  He doesn't think he will fit in, but when he tries out for the soccer team, he is pleasantly surprised.  All goes well until a turn of events involving his brother happens, leaving everything turned upside down. Tangerineby: Edward Bloor Extra Credit given if you choose this book due to the amount of pages! Modern Fiction

7. Your Name Date Period #

8. Quick Summary • Out of the Dust: poems about a girl during depression • No More Dead Dogs: After being punished in class, a kid must attend play rehearsals and changes it into a rock-and-roll play. • Nothing but the Truth: written in notes, letters, etc. about a kid who gets in trouble during homeroom. • Tangerine: A soccer player who learns to be friends with a different crowd of kids. • Johnny Tremain: Johnny Tremain tells a story about his involvement in the Revolutionary War.

9. Beware… • This is the LAST unit in 3rd quarter! • The ONLY remaining grades will be: • participation grades for reading daily • sharing in the discussions • completing your assigned role sheet. • If you do not complete the above, you are very well likely to receive a D for this unit, and depending on what your grade is going into unit 6, it could fail you for 3rd quarter. • This is an easy way to end with a good grade if you just do the work. • Remember….you are choosing the book you read, so there is no reason why you all can not succeed!

10. Group Roles • Discussion Leader:responsible for leading the discussion by keeping the group on task, bringing insightful questions for the group to discuss, and to summarize the pages read that week. • Word Smith: responsible for choosing and sharing 6 new words from the pages read that week, completing the written assignment, and adding 1 of the 6 words to the word wall. • Line Lighter: responsible for selecting 5 key passages and sharing those passages with the group as well as explaining how they are examples of good writing or important to story. • Journaler:responsible for sketching 3 important scenes from the pages read that week and explaining why those scenes were significant.

11. Thursday’s Assignments • Choose weekly roles for entire unit (4 roles/4 weeks). • Decide how many pages a week the entire group should read. Divide book into 4 weekly sessions. Remember -- ALL reading has to be done in class. • Create a movie poster of your book to display. Must have an original picture, the title and author, and an intriguing caption. (caption-two or three lines that make others want to “see the movie”)