My students need a class set (70 copies) of the novel Divergent to explore relevant coming-of-age themes like identity, belonging, and group responsibility.
"Who are you?" said the Caterpillar.
Alice replied, rather shyly, "I - I hardly know, sir, just at present - at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then."
~ Alice in Wonderland
7th grade as only Lewis Carroll could describe!
My scholars are superheroes.
They have the weight of the world on their shoulders and responsibilities 7th graders shouldn't have to deal with. But they show up everyday with their capes to push their learning in spite of these challenges. Like tankers carrying precious cargo amid choppy waters - faced with the constant threat of being capsized - they navigate steadily and determinedly towards the beacons myself and my fellow instructors provide. Beacons to ultimately lead them to college and successful careers.
My scholars are superheroes. They carry the hopes and dreams of a community and are resilient despite the adversity that surrounds them like a fog to obscure their path. Dutifully they arrive ready to learn and expand their knowledge with the prayers of their community girding them.
Myself and my fellow instructors shine the brightest light we can muster through the fog so they can see clear towards a future that is filled with success.
My scholars are superheroes.
My Project
Using the acclaimed novel Divergent, our scholars will explore the meaning of identity, the role of group responsibility and fidelity, and how this guides our relationships and perceptions of the world we live in. They will be able to make connections to existing groups in their own culture based upon similar characteristics and analyze the positive or negative effects these groups have on society.
Having personal copies to read outside the classroom is a critical ingredient for fostering a lifetime of literacy.
Assigned reading becomes leisure reading when a student with peaked interest has the opportunity to explore a novel beyond the classroom. My 7th grade scholars will be encouraged to personalize their reading experience with their own copy and dive into this fascinating tale of identity search.
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