Courses
Book Club
ages 12-16
[MONTHLY FULL YEAR COURSE]
Course Description:
Note: Participants must be comfortable reading at a a gr.7 level or above to register.
(Reading conventionally or as an audiobook!)
Explore amazing multicultural literature set across time and space to develop great discussion and annotation skills. This course will support students in both participating and leading discussions supported by their own well-annotated and thorough readings of the novels. All of the novels for this class are also available on audiobook. Join us as we meet monthly from October to June for a total of 9 sessions. After the first class, each student will take a turn leading the group discussion for 30-45 minutes on their assigned month. At the end of each class, we will have a meta-discussion in which we collaboratively assess the process with the goal of improving everyone’s technique in the future. Students will also use a rubric to self-assess their role in the discussion.
Additional Course Details:
The book list draws from a wide variety of historical, geographical, and cultural contexts in order to provide excellent material for discussion. However, the book list has been chosen with an easy-to-read feel to enable everyone to read and annotate each novel over the course of the month. All of the books are also available in audiobook format.
During the first class, we will explore how to annotate, how to be an active participant and how to lead.
A link to the sign up sheet will be sent approximately 1 week before the start of class. Each student will sign up for the novel/date for which they will be leading the group discussion.
Schedule and Cost:
ONCE A MONTH FROM OCTOBER, 2021 TO JUNE, 2022
Day: Monday
Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm ET
*October 18th Start; 9 MONTHLY sessions
COURSE DATES: Oct 18, Nov 22, Dec 13, Jan 17, Feb 14, Mar 21, Apr 11, May 9, and Jun 13
(NOTE: The Oct 18 class will be 90min. as we have a lot to cover!)
For Tuition Fees, Code of Conduct, and all the details, see THE FINE PRINT.
Required Homework:
Each student will require a physical copy of the book that they can write in, in order to annotate the novel – siblings will EACH need their own copy. Reading each monthly novel TWICE is strongly recommended. At least once during the year, each student will be required to lead the group discussion.
Course Materials:
COURSE MANUAL:
You will be provided with a digital course manual which will need to be printed out, hole punched, and placed in a report folder with fasteners (aka a DuoTang).
NOVELS:
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Keeping Score by Linda Sue Park
Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park