Finding The Right Book at the Right Time
Created By:
Jean Wolf Kirschenman
Title/Role:
School Librarian
Organization/School Name:
Brookings High School Library
Location:
South Dakota
Grade Level:
9 Type of Lesson:
Stand-alone lesson Type of Schedule:
Combination Collaboration Continuum:
Moderate Content Area:
Language Arts Content Topic:
Book Selection Scenario:
The lesson will be taught early in the year to help students learn strategies to find books that they will like and are at the appropriate reading level. Students will reflect on and improve their book choices. Throughout the year, they will use the websites and build on the skills from this lesson. (This lesson was taught with Rhonda Young for a freshmen special education English class.) Overview:
Students will work toward independent selection of books to read for class and personal reading. Websites used include www.lexile.com (Find a Book), www.ARbookfind.com, and Destiny. Essential Question: How do I select the right book for the right purpose, based on my interests and at an appropriate reading level, and how do I make better choices in the future?
What tools are available for finding a book for independent reading within my Lexile range?
Final Product:
Products for this unit: complete handout, successful AR test, and reaction journals.
Products for future learning: plan/list for reading, successfully meet requirements for reading all year. Library Lesson:
Students will learn to use www.lexile.com (Find a Book)to identify books in their interest areas and Lexile score taken from standarized tests. They will learn the process of self reflection in deciding if they liked a book and were successful (passed an Accelerated Reader test). Most importantly, they will fine-tune their own selection process to find the perfect book match for themselves. Estimated Lesson Time:
120 minutes Have you taught this lesson before:
Yes Strategies for differentiation:
The different Lexiles provide differentiation. Students are all reading in their reading level ranges. The class we taught was a special education class, and this process could be followed in all classes, including Honors or AP. There is time in this lesson for individualized instruction as students ask questions and talk to the librarian and teacher while looking for books.