The Benefits of Using a Novel Study Guide in Your Classroom

Lesson Plans for the Classroom Teacher

Using novel study guides for all grades in your classroom helps you get the most benefit from having students read a novel. If you are just going to read the novel aloud in class with students following along, it is just the same as taking 15 minutes a day to read to the class. You really need to get into the nuts and bolts of the book and help the students understand what it is they are reading. Through questions and discussions, you help them form their own opinions about events unfolding in the book, make predictions, write letters and essays - in short with a novel study you cover all your Language Arts outcomes.

When you do a novel study, you should make sure that all students have their own novels. The school may have a set of the novels prescribed for each grade or you can require the students to buy their own. Simply specify which novels you will be doing in the book list you give out at the beginning of the year.

When students know that they are required to do projects on the novel, they will do the reading on their own. For students in your class with reading problems, you can pair them with better readers, use a taped version of the novel for them to follow along with or ask the parent to read the book with them. Most of the novels used in schools appeal to all ages, so parents will probably want to read them anyway.

If your school wishes to have the novels for the students, one option may be to search the second-hand bookstores. You will find that you can pick up used novels in excellent condition for as little as $2.00. Amazon.com also sells used novels as well as new and when you order online, the books are shipped directly to the school.

Some of the features that we offer in our novel study guides include:

· Suggestions regarding how the teacher can use the guide

· Record keeping sheets

· Comprehension questions

· Journal writing suggestions

· Activities for Creative Writing, Integrated Studies, Word Study, Grammar and Research.

· Portfolio cover for students

· Record of activities for students