Historical Fiction
This unit will offer students a chance to focus on book clubs, building conversational skills about their reading to deepen their comprehension. Students will explore some literary features of historical fiction through the study of this genre. However, the real focus of this unit is on the comprehension. In both their book clubs and through the use of a class novel, such as Number the Stars, setting, character development, symbolism and theme will be explored. Using The Signposts as a starting point, students will read and think about books independently to prepare for their conversations in their book club groups.
Essential questions
- How can I use details from within a text, such as specific examples and quotes to explain my ideas?
- In what ways do recognisable structures such as chapters fit together to help us find meaning in a story?
- What are some of the similarities and differences in the setting, characters and plot between the books I am reading?
- How can a narrator’s point of view influence the way events in a novel are described?
- Why might other people have different interpretations of a story and how can I use these to make my thinking stronger?
- What speaking and listening strategies can I use when I am my book club to help me in my learning?
What makes a good book club meeting?
Meeting a couple of times a week to discuss a shared book in a group is a very good way for students to help each other dig deeper into texts. The contributions of others, the conversations and debates back and forth about points raised, generally make for a richer understanding of the text. Here are some typical guidelines that students operate under, to ensure that a book club meeting works well:
- agree on a page and stick to it
- remember to take books home and bring them back to school
- remember to write post-it notes and have them ready to discuss for the meeting
- everyone has the responsibility to contribute
- always justify opinions with evidence from the book
Essentially, the children's conversations are built around respectful sharing of their ideas and are likely to include summaries, predictions, questions and clarifications about plot, characters, author's style, things that change throughout the book and the problems or dilemmas that exist within the story.
Many of our stories are based within the context of WW2, although this is not a war unit. There are some super historical fiction texts from that period and we have many of those. However, there are also plenty of great books that are not to do with that kind of conflict but do have a dilemma that belongs in a particular historical time and place. Children within their book club are free to select from a range of texts. All conversations have the aim of stretching each other's thinking.
Next unit... Navigating Non-Fiction.
