Books and Media to Share

Here are some books and media I think you should recommend to your students. Enjoy! [This list will be updated.]

General Fiction

• The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
• The Alchemist by Paolo Cuelho
• Boy Meets Boy by David Levitan (any of his novels!)
• The Realm of Possibility by David Levitan
• Are We There Yet? by David Levitan
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (trilogy)
• Soldier X by Don Wulffson
• The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

"Classics"

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Graphic Novels

• American-Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
• Maus and Maus II by Art Spiegelman

Non-Fiction

• You Can Get Arrested for That: 2 Guys, 25 Dumb Laws, and 1 Absurd American Crime Spree by Rich Smith
• Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sloot
• The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
• Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
• The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins
• Overachievers by Alexandra Robbins
• Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden
• Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas
• Little Princes by Conor Grennan
• Join Me! by Danny Wallace - learn more about the movement here
• The History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

Film & Media

• God Grew Tired of Us (National Geographic Films) - the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan

1984 by George Orwell

You can now find my materials posted in my store.

Here are the activities I use with 1984:

• Foundations - This activity asks students to record and review details, make predictions, and draw conclusions about several characters, concepts, and topics from the opening chapters of the novel. It helps students build a foundation on which to begin their understanding of the novel. Topics include Winston, Big Brother, thoughtcrime, women, and history.
• Writing Assertions - Students practice generating an assertion, providing relevant and appropriate evidence, and writing thoughtful commentary. This activity may be used at any point in the novel. Available in my store!
• Animal Imagery - Students analyze Orwell's use of animal imagery and explain the significance of it. They look at how diction creates positive and negative connotations. Use this activity at the end of Book One. Available in my store!
• Diction Activity - Students examine Orwell's diction in several passages. Specifically students analyze how the use of certain words affect characterization and imagery. Students do this by choosing the three most important words in the passage and finding appropriate dictionary definitions for the words. Then they explain why they chose these words by discussing their connotations in relation to the conflict, mood, and themes of the novel. Available for free download here.
• Paired Scenes Analysis - Use this matrix to compare and contrast two pairs of scenes: Winston's two dreams about his mother (in the subway and eating chocolate), and Winston's two experiences with O'Brien (Two Minutes Hate and meeting in apartment). Students practice drawing conclusions based on evidence. Available in my store!
• Parallels to the Fall of Man - Use this matrix to compare and contrast Winston and Julia's relationship to Adam and Eve's. This activity encourages students to organize their thinking and analysis in the assertion-evidence-commentary model. Available in my store!
• Parallels to Contemporary Politics - This activity is particularly relevant, with the recent focus on North Korea. Students read an excerpt from the book Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden to discuss the similarities to Winston's experience in Room 101. The worksheet directs students to focus on certain sensory experiences to draw conclusions about fear, pain, and power.
• Study Guide - A comprehensive study guide helps students with characters, setting, ideas/concepts, conflicts, and themes in preparation for a multiple choice exam. Available for free download here.

"The Secret Garden" by Azadeh Moaveni

Sorry - I'm fixing up this blog!