Empathy and Strategy Lead 5th-Grade Novel Discussions

To kick off 2023, 5th-grade students are working in small groups to read and discuss books of their choosing among A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers by Celia C. Pérez, and Holes by Louis Sachar. Within their mini-cohorts, students have collaborated to plan out deadlines that will allow them to finish a whole novel by the end of January. 

In assigned texts throughout the year, 5th graders have been defining and practicing reading strategies, including “Notice and Note Signposts” that invite readers to pause and consider. These signposts—such as “aha moments,” “tough questions,” “words of the wiser,” or “contrasts and contradictions”—can spark predictions, illuminate comprehension, and guide meaningful discussions. “This unit asks students to apply the skills they have learned this term to a new text with an added layer of responsibility and long-term planning,” said teachers Allison and Lydia, who are excited to see student-directed discussions in action.

Before each session, many of which spread out across 3rd-floor classrooms and hallways, the participants think critically about the excerpt they read and take notes of their observations as guided by the signposts. They support their ideas with specific examples from the novel, which is great practice for citing primary sources. As they read their comments aloud to classmates, many students actively revise their words. They consider the thoughts they had recorded in the moment with added perspective from further reading or peers’ ideas: “I wrote this down, but what I meant was…” Students update their written comments throughout the discussions, self-editing and improving any text that may be unclear.