HENRY BRAUN Elementary School

This week we will be launching a literature group novel study. Your group will be required to read a novel, complete role sheets, participate in discussions, write a written response each week and complete an independent project. I think the exciting part of this unit will be not only the group work but the independent work.

Below is a summary of novels. You must choose your top five choices and then you will be grouped. Details about how the unit will work will be provided in class. For now read each of the following summaries and submit your top 5 choices to me by the end of class today.

The Tuesday Cafe

15-year-old Harper Winslow’s sentence for starting a garbage fire in his school’s hallway, is to write a 2000 word essay on how he’s going to turn his life around. His mom’s solution is to send him to a writing class so that he can write an effective essay. Once he is registered in the class, he discovers that his classmates are all adults who are struggling with literacy (either from learning disabilities or mental challenges.) For the first time, Harper finds his voice and someone who will really listen.

The Hobbit

Local Shire Hobbit Bilbo Baggins, Uncle of Frodo Baggins, is living a quiet, peaceful life until Gandalf the Grey knocks on his door. A band of wandering dwarves shows up one or two at a time, the goal, to hire poor Bilbo for a quest (as a burgler) that entails defeating a dragon and recovering (burgling) a treasure. Along the way there are adventures with Trolls and elves, a battle with Goblins, the naming of Bilbo's sword as Sting after, a battle with some spiders, escaping from wargs, and a barrel ride in a river. There is a great battle The Battle of Five Armies which includes men, dwarfs, elves, goblins with wargs, and more. Most importantly of all, part of this story leads Bilbo into Riddles in the Dark where he meets Gollum and in the process acquires a peculiar ring that has had and will have a great impact on the future of their world.

Stargirl

The first day Leo Borlock sees Stargirl he is filled with disbelief. She's the new girl who showed up to her first day of school in an antique, off-white gown that could have been a wedding dress. Then at lunch time she did the unthinkable, she took her ukulele off her back and sang "I'm looking for a four leaf clover." You just don't do things like that if you want to fit in. Things continue like this, getting more outrageous as the book continues, until the students rebel and the shunning begins. Leo and Stargirl try to go about their lives, and pretend that the others don't matter. But life is difficult enough when you're in high school and ten times worse if you don't "fit in". Leo tries to change Stargirl to be more "normal", but in the end manages to destroy the very thing that made her special to begin with.

Daniel's Story

Daniel's Story is the tale of the horrific odyssey of a Jewish family, an odyssey which begins in Frankfurt, Germany in 1933 and concludes in Lodz, Poland in 1945. The narrator, Daniel, both a German and a Jew, is but six years of age when his family's story begins, and he is a very weary eighteen when it concludes. Through Daniel's eyes, readers experience the rising anti-semitism in Germany, a growing hatred which culminates in the Nazis' establishment and gruesome use of the death camps.

Touching Spirit Bear

Within Cole Matthews lies anger, rage and hate. Cole has been stealing and fighting for years. This time he caught Peter Driscal in the parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. Now, Peter may have permanent brain damage and Cole is in the biggest trouble of his life. Cole is offered Circle Justice: a system based on Native American traditions that attempts to provide healing for the criminal offender, the victim, and the community. With prison as his only alternative, Cole plays along. He says he wants to repent, but in his heart, Cole blames his alcoholic mom, his abusive dad, wimpy Peter- everyone but himself- for his situation. Cole receives a one-year banishment to a remote Alaskan island. There, he is mauled by a mysterious white bear of Native American legend. Hideously injured, Cole waits for death. His thoughts shift from anger to humility. To survive, he must stop blaming others and take responsibility for his life. Rescuers arrive to save Cole's body, but it is the attack of the Spirit Bear that may save his soul.

The Giver

The Giver is a science fiction story about a 12-year-old boy who must choose between a world of sameness or one filled with both the intense joys and pains of life. Jonas lives in a "perfect" world, devoid of strife or conflict. When Jonas begins training for his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory, he meets his teacher, a man called The Giver. As The Giver transfers to Jonas the memories of the world, Jonas begins to realize that his seemingly perfect world has many flaws. When the life of a baby, whom Jonas has become attached to, is threatened, Jonas must decide where his loyalties lie.

Number your paper 1 - 5 and write your book choices in order of your first to your fifth. Make sure your name is on your paper and hand it in to Ms Gatzke.

Click on this link for the inpendent novel study project rubric.