The Newbery Challenge Back in Time: A Rigorous Book Club

Description

BONUS MATERIAL:

–See skyrocketing motivation! All students receive a virtual passport to keep as they journey back in time. After finishing a novel, they receive a passport stamp to put in their passport! When the passport is complete, you will be able to print the passport as a photo book, a treasured memento of learning and growth. If you have your passport link, click here for instructions! https://youtu.be/_0P-uGk-PDM
–All students receive a bookmark to use as they read through each novel that helps them think about the literature more deeply. This increases their comprehension and prepares them to participate actively in the book club discussion.

Are you up for the challenge?

We are reading every book that has won the Newbery medal, starting with the 2022 winner and working back in time to 1922! We discuss a new novel during each class. The novel should be read before class. This isn’t your average book club! Feel free to join us for all the books or just the ones you want. Pop in and out of the class as you wish. This class will be ongoing until we finish!

ALL SECTIONS MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK. You are not charged for the weeks we do not meet.

CLASS EXPERIENCE:

Students will learn reading strategies, how to analyze, who they are as readers, and how to communicate about literature and life! They will begin to develop their own criteria for evaluating the books they read and begin to understand the type of readers they are. To do this, each student takes a turn in talking about the book, and the teacher will probe a bit to get each learner to do a little deeper thinking. Because it’s a discussion class, we encourage students to leave their cameras on, to use the chatbox to expand the discussion, and to think about what they want to say before class begins. This isn’t your average book club! Feel free to join us for all the books or just the ones you want. Pop in and out of the class as you wish, or transfer to different sections if your schedule changes. Sometimes students don’t quite finish the book, but they are still welcome to attend–they can pass on the discussion and listen; however, we also ask questions that apply to reading in general, and these topics can be discussed whether they read the book or not. This class will be ongoing until we finish! Students will earn a badge for each book they complete. Examples of in-class activities are below. Students will:
1. discuss literature in a large group with the instructor and other students.
2. discuss how American literature has changed over the past 100 years.
3. reflect on how literature reveals elements of humanity or the world in which we live.
4. speak aloud and use the chatbox to participate in the conversation.
5. articulate an evaluation of the novel and why they think the way they do.
6. learn how to analyze a literary character.
7. learn how to analyze a piece of literature for the theme.
8. learn how to analyze conflict to reveal character and theme.
9. learn elements of the story.
10. learn point of view.
11. learn how to analyze literature in light of the culture in which it is written.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE SECTIONS OF THIS CLASS. If a section is sold out, keep your eye out as students tend to move in and out based on vacations, etc. You can transfer from one section to another without missing any discussions about novels. Students can send transfer request emails to their teacher for a different section weekly. This class will continue year-round so long as enrollment stays strong; sections may be merged eventually. To learn more about each book, look at the list from the Albuquerque library.

SECTION SCHEDULES:
**This schedule is displayed in U.S. Time zones**
***Students should finish reading the book before we meet***

SECTION NAME: Tuesdays
The week starting Jan 7: (2023) FREEWATER BY AMINA LUQMAN-DAWSON
The week starting Jan 14: NO CLASS
The week starting Jan 21: (2022) The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
The week starting Jan 28: NO CLASS
The week starting Feb 4: (2021) When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
The week starting Feb 11: NO CLASS
The week starting Feb 18: (2020) New Kid by Jerry Craft
The week starting Feb 25: NO CLASS
The week starting Mar 3: (2019) Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
The week starting Mar 10: NO CLASS
The week starting Mar 17: (2018) Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
The week starting Mar 24: NO CLASS
The week starting Mar 31: (2017) The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
The week starting April 7: NO CLASS
The week starting April 14: (2016) Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De la Pena
The week starting April 21: NO CLASS
The week starting April 28: (2015) The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
The week starting May 5: NO CLASS
The week starting May 12: (2014) Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
The week starting May 19: NO CLASS
The week starting May 26: (2013) The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The week starting Jun 2: NO CLASS
The week starting Jun 9: (2012) Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
The week starting Jun 16: NO CLASS
The week starting Jun 23: (2011) Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
The week starting Jun 30: NO CLASS
The week starting July 7: (2010) When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The week starting July 14: NO CLASS
*more coming soon