1. Supporting Learning in Book Clubs
Historical Fiction, Fantasy and beyond
Eileen Murtaugh

2. Unit Alignment
MAISA Oakland Schools Units Calkins 3-5 Kit Calkins at many levels Free Cycles

3. Writing about text
Crucial to understanding of the deeper meanings of text
Important to balance amount of reading and amount of writing
If they cannot write down what they think, how will they be able to share deeper in their groups?

4. How to do this… Show exemplar examples
Have them discuss why the samples work
Chalk talk to discuss weaknesses/strengths of samples
They need to be able to elevate their thinking on their own, so they can be a productive member of a group
Create a common language

5. Notice and Note Signposts
Words of the wiser
Contrasts and contradictions
Again and again
Memory moment
Aha moment
Tough questions

7. Set Club Norms

8. Now they have common language and norms, what next..
Now they can write long about an idea and they have common language…begin book clubs
WAIT!!! I don’t have enough books….

9. Building Your Collection . . . .
Multiple Copies 2-8 ish
Second and Charles
Salvation Army
Book Drive
To start, Few themes, More Choices (at least 2 books for each theme)
Build as you get more sets to add more themes
For struggling readers,
Match their book’s theme with your read aloud.
Match their book’s theme with a picture book the class has read

10. Launching Book Clubs
“There is no such thing as a struggling readers just kids with the wrong books” Kylene Beers
Give kids CHOICE
Set up tables with books grouped by band
Keep your groups 3-5 kids
Have students submit their top 2-3 selections on a sticky note or via a goggle doc
Goal is NOT for kids to read one book but to read several books before the unit is over in one era
Aiming for Instructional level NOT independent b/c students are supported by their peers

11. Band Research
N, O, P, Q (30-40ish) R,S,T (high 40-50ish) U.V.W (60ish) X,Y, Z Higher up the bands you go the more careful you need to be about inappropriateness

12. But I have a level 28 reader . . .
LRC teacher or LSS teacher could team teach the unit
Book on tape and allow level 28 reader to join a more advanced book club (with care, remembering that each time a reader does this they are not growing in the same way as their counter parts who are reading vs. listening to the book)
Join classes so the low kids can form one group or mix all your kids to better meet needs
Match the student(s) with a book for which they extensive background knowledge

13. But I have a level 28 reader . . .
Increase the number of conferences
Read aloud the first chapter
Support readers with book trailer, movie trailer, super bowl commercial
Match book with time period being studied as a mentor (HF)
Use time travel books like Magic Tree House, Who was. which can be found at lower levels
Start a chart with Students
Use laminated charts that they can wipe off
Decrease the amount of paperwork
Perhaps allow one set of paperwork for the whole group

14. Constitution

15. Changing Gears

16. Historical Fiction Book Clubs
Eileen Murtaugh & Kate DiMeo
In Collaboration with:
Becky Allen & Stephanie Dukus
Lake Orion Community Schools

17. How this might look in Gr. 4
Whole Class Study of WWII Holocaust*
Students read at least 2 books on the topic
Whole class study of Slavery/Civil War*
Students read at least 2 books on that topic OR
Whole class study of Slavery/Civil War
Some students do that topic and others
move into other eras
Pairs can also branch off after the clubs start to die off . .
*These historical topics have been selected based on their high level of interest and accessibility of low level texts
Why we chose the topics we did
Bonus Social Studies
Levels

18. How this might look in Gr. 5 and up
Whole Class Study of WWII Pacific* Or
Whole class study of the Great Depression
Kids Do NOT follow suit on Era however struggling kids may want follow that era or kids whose passion has been ignited
Encourage in partners to keep the era going . . .
Consider this. . .In writing kids study Revolutionary War in 4th grade, in Social Studies the kids studied Revolutionary War at the end of 5th grade. Do you want them to study it in Historical Fiction as well?
What about your struggling kids?
Consider your affinities
Skills you are teaching are transferable

19. Choosing Anchor Texts Read Alouds-Fiction Novel Non-fiction
Song or video and photographs

20. Building Your Collection . . . .
Multiple Copies 2-8 ish
Second and Charles
Salvation Army
Book Drive
Few Topics More Choices
Bonus Social Studies
Non-Fiction
Struggling Reader
I Survived
Who was?
Magic Tree Hourse
Dan Gutman and Me Series

21. Setting up Non-Fiction to Support Your Unit
Map or a chart-laminated
Photos-laminated
1 everybody article (green)
2-3 easy articles
2-3 picture books
2-3 NonFiction books
You can have more than one
text set bin per era, but keep the text set small-no more than 10 items
Kids will be energized and engrossed in the topic they study. Try to find Who was . . .or What was books to match the time period. Multiple copies would be best.
Historicalhelper.weebly.com