As a public school student, I only enjoyed our reading lessons when we were covering a book that truly interested me. Unfortunately, many of my students have felt the same way. First, core reading programs, or basal readers, offer a structured approach to teaching a range of skills, but they often fail to truly engage students.
To inspire lifelong learning, students need to develop a love for reading by exploring content they find compelling, whether it's fiction, nonfiction, or anything in between. Inviting students to choose their own chapter books is one way to foster a sense of ownership over their learning. But how can you as the teacher successfully coordinate a variety of literature circles or book clubs? Find practical teaching tips below as you incorporate novel studies for any book. #novelstudyanybook
Setting Up a Novel Study
Whole Class:
When arranging novel studies, you may choose to read and discuss the book during your reading block as a whole class. You can do this through read alouds or by giving each student a copy of the book. Consider looking for ebooks or using digital library apps if you're unable to purchase paper copies for each student.
Small Group:
Another way to read and discuss chapter books is by creating small book clubs. Students can read and discuss parts of their book each day or once a week.
Individual Students:
You may also invite students to read their own books individually. This can add enrichment into your school day for gifted students. Print a novel-study packet and have students work on activities after completing classroom assignments. Encourage them to present their projects when they finish the book.
Choosing a Book
Book Tasting Event
Novel studies work best when students are eager to read and participate. A colleague once shared the idea of setting up a "book tasting event," similar to sampling treats at Costco on a Saturday! The first year I tried this activity, I simply placed a piece of colored cardstock on each students' desk to use as a placemat. While they were out of the classroom for specials, I arranged different chapter books around the room on top of the placemats.
When they returned, I instructed them to sit down at a desk and explore a book for a few minutes before moving on to another table. They looked at the front and back covers, read the summary, and tried a few of the first pages. Now, I have even more fun transforming the classroom into a full-fledged "Bookworm Bistro!" This activity often helps students discover several book options that appeal to them, making them more enthusiastic about the novel study experience.
Try This:
If you have a few class sets of certain novels, separate students into book club groups. They can record impressions about each book they "taste" and arrange them in order of their favorite to least favorite pick. Then, you can finalize the clubs by sorting students' opinions into specific groups. It's ok to have two groups reading the same book, too, if you're opting for smaller literature circles.
Invite students to carry a bookmark around the room while "tasting" so they can record titles and authors they'd like to remember for later. Cut strips of construction paper or use this template.
Incorporating Standards
Some of the easiest upper-elementary standards to teach during novel studies are as follows:
Reading Literature
RL.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RL.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
RL.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
RL.6 Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
RL.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature in the grade-level text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. #readingliteraturestandards
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language
Reading Foundational Skills
Planning the Unit
Consider creating some of the following activities to use with any novel study, or download the ready-to-use pages.
Reading Due Dates | Create a calendar of due dates for chapter sections. |
About the Author | Students can research the author and gain insights into the novel's creation. |
Sneak Peek | Invite students to read the first chapter. They can write about the characters they meet and other relevant information. |
Vocabulary | Have students dedicate a page in a composition notebook to record vocabulary terms. They can keep a list of less-familiar words and add definitions from a dictionary. |
Comprehension Pages | Determine how students will track what they are reading. They can write a few notes following each chapter, draw occasional pictures to show major parts of the plot, or complete graphic organizers about the beginning, middle, and end of the book. |
Projects | Students love creating projects about books they enjoy reading. One impactful project is having students advertise their book. They can create a promotional poster for a bookstore, record a commercial ad for YouTube, or write a blog post encouraging other elementary students to read it, too. In my Novel Study for Any Book resource, students can choose from a variety of projects and earn stickers to add to a collection page (they can glue the "stickers" onto a clipart image of a laptop or water bottle similar to real life). |
Hosting Discussions
Another important part of literature circles is hosting meaningful discussions. I like to demonstrate what a productive discussion looks like before students break into groups. To do this, I enlist a few students who enjoy acting to role-play with me.
Points to Consider:
Students may need help staying on topic. Show what happens when a student begins talking about the book and veers into talking about irrelevant events from their weekend. Teach them how to politely redirect.
"Wow, I would love to hear more about this later, but right now let's return to our book discussion."
Provide sentence starters:
"I heard _____ say... and I want to say..."
"To add to ____"
"You can also look at it like..."
"I thought of something different."
Emphasize that students can talk about the novel in many ways:
My favorite part was when...
This quote made me think about...
I wish ___ hadn't happened because...
I was surprised when...
This chapter reminded me of...
I predict ____ because...
If you have a few extra minutes at the end of a class period or perhaps you ran out of time prepping for a literature discussion, try one of these ready-to-use slides. Access all seven activities by downloading the Novel Study for Any Book resource.
Refresh Your Classroom Schedule with a Novel Study
Incorporating novel studies into your classroom can transform the way students experience reading. By allowing them to explore books that pique their interest, whether through a "Bookworm Bistro" or student-led book clubs, you encourage a love of literature and foster deeper engagement with texts. Novel studies provide a flexible framework to meet a variety of educational standards while keeping students actively involved. With these creative strategies and practical tips, you'll be ready to change up your monotonous reading routine and inspire learners.
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