Do you remember being assigned books to read that didn't connect to your life, or sitting in class listening to boring novels your teacher read? What if there was a book that students love and could make reading exciting? Stargirl is that book.
I work in a multi-cultural school and my class has a diverse population of students.
This year my class includes students with special needs and ESL students. They often require graphic organizers and other teacher-created resources to help break down information. They also need extra time to complete assignments, and have difficulty taking notes. They want to learn, but they don't always have someone to motivate them. They often go home to empty houses because their parents are working or their parents don't understand the classwork and are unable to help them.
My Project
My students meet once a week for literature circles. Each week groups are assigned pages to read and each student is assigned a different role to complete based on the text they read. The roles focus on higher level thinking skills that encourage the students to ask each other questions and make text connections. During literature circle meetings, students share their roles and discuss what they read. Literature circles are an important part of my classroom because the students choose the books they read and the weekly discussions are led by the students. For literature circles to be successful, the students need books they can relate to and that will interest them.
Stargirl is a novel about a girl who isn't afraid to be different and encourages other students to be themselves.
This is a great way to teach students about diversity and accepting others who may look or act differently. The events in the story can also lead to great group discussions. The students can relate to this book because it is written about a girl around their age and the events that happen are realistic. My class has many reluctant readers and this book would motivate them to read and lead to great discussions.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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