We will start on our first Readers Workshop Unit--A  Deep Study of Character--in the 1st trimester.  The students will read between 4-5 fiction novels that will task students with exploring different character traits in the characters.  Our second bend is 7 days, and students will be expected to read approximately 2 books in this unit. Students were encouraged to pick books that were within their reading band.  These bands could be U and below (below level) or U, V, W (on level) or X, Y, Z (above level).  

They were also assigned a reading partner in their class.  These partners chose books in the same genre, so they could also compare if character traits are similar across genres even if the books are about different topics.

Nightly Homework:

• Students will do their homework online in the Readers NB that is posted on Google Classroom.

• Each night students are expected to read at least 35-40 minutes.  In that time, they should be able to read between 30-40 pages.  

• They are required to do some form of homework that is tied in with the reading lesson of the day.  The homework assignment will always be listed on the daily lesson posting.

• They should also be thinking if these characters are mirrors or windows to them.  A mirror would be a character that is like them or has similar experiences.  A window is a character that is not like them or has different experiences than they do.  

The skills the students practiced in the first bend (8 sessions) were focusing on character traits (and using a more academic language), creating theories about those traits and how they will impact the story, and exploring the impact different pressures can put on a character to make them act in less-likeable ways.  Students were required to finish at least 1 novel in this bend. Students wanting to challenge themselves more might choose to finish a longer novel or 2 novels.

The 2nd bend takes the skills from the first bend and will now incorporate a study of setting and how that mood and atmosphere will impact our character's traits and actions.  The students are required to complete at least 2 novels in this bend.

The 3rd bend focuses on students finding motifs and themes in their stories.  They will still be asked to do the work from before, however, we are adding a new layer onto this reading work.  The students are required to complete 1 novel in this bend.

The skills the students practiced in the first bend (8 sessions) were focusing on character traits (and using a more academic language), creating theories about those traits and how they will impact the story, and exploring the impact different pressures can put on a character to make them act in less-likeable ways.  Students were required to finish at least 1 novel in this bend. Students wanting to challenge themselves more might choose to finish a longer novel or 2 novels.

The 2nd bend takes the skills from the first bend and will now incorporate a study of setting and how that mood and atmosphere will impact our character's traits and actions.  The students are required to complete at least 2 novels in this bend.

The 3rd bend focuses on students finding motifs and themes in their stories.  They will still be asked to do the work from before, however, we are adding a new layer onto this reading work.  The students are required to complete 1 novel in this bend.