Ban This Book by Alan Gratz is an engaging, thought-provoking novel that tackles censorship, freedom of expression, and the importance of standing up for what’s right. This novel is a powerful tool for educators looking to inspire students to think critically about literature, free speech, and activism.
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Benefits of Using Ban This Book in Your Classroom
Encourages Critical Thinking About Censorship: Ban This Book tells the story of a young girl, Amy Anne Ollinger, who discovers that her favorite book has been banned from her school library. This sparks a movement where she and her friends fight back by creating their own “banned books” library. Through this storyline, students learn about censorship and its implications on knowledge and freedom. Encouraging students to think about why certain books are banned helps them engage in deeper discussions about what makes content controversial and how to navigate sensitive topics.
Promotes Advocacy and Empowerment: One of the strongest messages in Ban This Bookis the power of student activism. Amy Anne’s decision to stand up for what she believes in, despite fear and uncertainty, sends a clear message to young readers: they can make a difference. By using this book in the classroom, teachers can promote themes of empowerment and advocacy, encouraging students to speak up about issues that matter to them. This can lead to meaningful classroom discussions about social justice, equality, and personal responsibility.
Introduces Complex Themes in an Accessible Way: Censorship and free speech can be difficult topics for younger students to understand, but Gratz does an excellent job of breaking these themes down into an age-appropriate, accessible narrative. Ban This Book uses relatable characters and real-world scenarios to introduce these complex ideas in a way that engages students and makes the topics feel relevant to their own lives. This makes it easier for teachers to introduce discussions on the First Amendment and freedom of speech.
Fosters a Love of Reading: By highlighting banned books that many students may already know and love, Ban This Book fosters curiosity about literature that has been challenged or removed from libraries. It inspires students to read widely and explore books they may not have otherwise considered. This message is invaluable in encouraging reluctant readers to pick up a book and explore its content.
Connects to Real-World Events: The issue of banning books is not a thing of the past. Censorship and book challenges continue to be hot topics in schools and libraries across the country. By teaching Ban This Book, educators can connect students with current events, demonstrating that these issues are ongoing and relevant. This real-world connection helps students see the importance of defending intellectual freedom and access to diverse ideas.
Aligns with ELA Standards: Ban This Book is not only a fun and relevant read but also aligns with many educational standards in English Language Arts (ELA). Teachers can use it to cover essential skills such as analyzing characters, understanding plot development, identifying themes, and engaging in persuasive writing. Students can write essays or engage in debates about the merits of banning books, giving them the chance to practice key writing and communication skills.
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz is a timely and engaging novel that offers many benefits for the classroom. It encourages critical thinking, promotes student activism, introduces important themes like censorship and free speech, and connects to current events. Most importantly, it fosters a love for reading and allows students to explore diverse perspectives through literature. Adding this book to your curriculum will not only engage your students but also inspire them to stand up for the right to read.
I offer a complete novel study to accompany Ban This Book, for use in the classroom or homeschool. The unit includes both a printable format and a Google Drive™ format for use in a paperless classroom or with Google Classroom.
Try a free sample of the novel study for Ban This Book
You can purchase this novel study at the following locations:
Are you interested in reading about and sharing ideas with other educators on using children’s literature in your classroom? My goal is to bring together teachers and homeschoolers who teach grades 3-8 and use novels with their students. I’d love for you to join me to learn, share, and grow together!
Click here or the image below to join my Facebook group, Book Talk with The Teaching Bank!
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Some of my most vivid childhood memories of school were the novel studies I read for various subjects. It was my favorite way to learn skills, history, and any topic! I love books, and being allowed to read an entire book from cover to cover as a school assignment put me in heaven! I am sure this is a major reason why, as a teacher, my passion is to create and teach novel studies! I love introducing new books to my class, and as a community, being immersed in the book together. I love it when a student pulls us off the schedule with a question or comment from something they read and leads the class into a lively discussion. That’s where the real memorable learning takes place, after all!
I create novel studies more than any other product line simply because I like to focus on what I love. I want to work with my passion! I often get questions from readers asking how I would set up novel studies in my classroom. I decided to write a small series explaining my methods. For the most part, my novel studies include comprehension questions, vocabulary/grammar skill work, extension activities, and assessments.
Today’s post, Part 4, deals with the extras added to the novel studies, from writing activities to non-fiction research activities. You can read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 here.
Novel Studies Part 4: The Extras!
Of course, when using novel studies in the classroom, you must hit the basics of comprehension and vocabulary. One of the wonderful bonuses of using novel studies is the opportunity to pull other areas of the curriculum into a larger thematic unit. The various topics of the different books can lead to a plethora of inquiry and learning.
As I create a novel study, I open my mind to all the places the story is taking me. Some books are easier to explore outside the reading domain than others. Some take me down the rabbit hole of investigation with a deep-thought question that allows for longer writing passages that can lead to some really inspiring class debates!
With The One and Only Ivan Novel Study, students can research gorillas and elephants. They can learn about and compare life for these animals in the wild vs. captivity. The most interesting to me was the true story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla that inspired the story!
A book like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH leads to some deep-thought questions regarding animal testing that can be debated and discussed in-depth in the classroom.
All of my novel studies offer a Google Drive™ format, in addition to the printable format, shown above, to use with your students. This allows you to use novel studies in a 1:1 classroom, save paper, and easily engage students who are absent. The “extras” of the novel study are included in the Google Drive™ format as well. Here’s an example page from the Google Drive™ format of my The Lightning Thief Novel Study.
I love how you can combine the theme from a full novel throughout different curriculum areas in a way that you just can’t do with short passage reading instruction. This allows for even deeper learning by using novel studies!
Join me for the conclusion of my series to learn how I handle the assessments to end my novel studies.
Are you interested in reading about and sharing ideas with other educators on using children’s literature in your classroom? My goal is to bring together teachers and homeschoolers who teach grades 3-8 and use novels with their students. I’d love for you to join me to learn, share, and grow together!
Teachers are always looking for innovative ways to engage and inspire their students. One exceptional method is integrating contemporary novels into the curriculum. A prime example of such a novel is Ghost by Jason Reynolds. This captivating story holds immense potential for enriching classroom experiences while fostering essential skills in students.
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The Benefits of Using Ghost in Your Classroom:
Contains Relatable Themes: Ghost by Jason Reynolds touches upon relatable themes that resonate with young readers. Addressing topics like friendship, identity, and perseverance, the novel provides a lens through which students can examine their own lives and experiences. Teachers can leverage these themes to initiate discussions that encourage empathy, critical thinking, and self-reflection.
Showcases Diversity and Representation: Diversity in literature matters, and Ghost excels in portraying a diverse range of characters. This representation offers a unique opportunity for teachers to introduce students to different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. Through the characters’ journeys, students can develop a broader understanding of the world around them, fostering inclusivity and empathy.
Enhances Literacy Skills: Integrating Ghost into the curriculum can significantly enhance students’ literacy skills. The novel’s engaging narrative style and accessible language make it an ideal tool for teaching literary elements such as characterization, plot development, and figurative language. By analyzing Reynolds’ writing techniques, students can develop a deeper appreciation for storytelling and improve their own writing skills.
Can Spark Meaningful Discussions: The novel’s compelling narrative invites thought-provoking discussions about important topics such as family dynamics, socioeconomic challenges, and personal growth. Teachers can utilize these discussions to create a safe space for students to share their thoughts and opinions. This not only enhances their communication skills but also encourages them to consider different viewpoints.
Cultivates Critical Thinking:Ghost presents complex characters and situations that require critical thinking to fully understand. Encouraging students to analyze characters’ motivations, decisions, and conflicts fosters critical thinking skills essential for their academic and personal growth. These skills can translate into improved problem-solving abilities across various subjects.
Integrates with Other Subjects: The versatility of Ghost enables teachers to integrate the novel across multiple subjects. In history classes, discussions about the characters’ backgrounds can offer insights into different time periods and social contexts. In art classes, students can create visual representations of pivotal scenes. This interdisciplinary approach enhances students’ learning experience and highlights the interconnectedness of knowledge.
Inspiring a Love for Reading: One of the most significant benefits of incorporating Ghost into the classroom is its potential to ignite a passion for reading. The relatable story, combined with its fast-paced narrative, hooks reluctant readers and captivates even the most avid readers, alike. Once students experience the thrill of connecting with a story, they’re more likely to explore other works of literature, expanding their literary horizons.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds isn’t just a novel; it’s a powerful tool that can revolutionize classroom dynamics and enrich students’ educational journey. By addressing relatable themes, promoting diversity, enhancing literacy skills, sparking discussions, cultivating critical thinking, and facilitating interdisciplinary learning, this novel opens doors to a more engaging and holistic education. Incorporating Ghost into the curriculum can help educators foster a love for reading, a thirst for knowledge, and a lifelong passion for learning in their students.
I offer a novel study for Ghost that includes both a printable and a Google Drive format, for you to use in your classroom.
Try a free sample of the novel study for Ghost
You can purchase this novel study at the following locations:
Are you interested in reading about and sharing ideas with other educators on using children’s literature in your classroom? My goal is to bring together teachers and homeschoolers who teach grades 3-8 and use novels with their students. I’d love for you to join me to learn, share, and grow together!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl is a classic children’s novel that has captured the imagination of readers of all ages since its publication in 1964. It tells the story of an impoverished boy named Charlie Bucket who wins a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, where he embarks on a fantastical adventure with four other children. This beloved tale has been adapted into several films and stage productions, and it’s an excellent addition to any classroom.
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Benefits of Using Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Your Classroom:
Engaging and Fun for Students:Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a timeless classic that has been loved by children for generations. The novel is known for its whimsical plot and quirky characters, making it an engaging and fun read for students of all ages. Using this novel in your classroom can help cultivate a love for reading in your students, as they will be excited to discover what happens next in the story.
Teaches Important Lessons: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an excellent source of life lessons for children. The story teaches children the importance of honesty, hard work, and perseverance. Additionally, it highlights the dangers of greed, gluttony, and selfishness. By using this book in your classroom, you can spark important discussions about these topics and help your students understand their significance in everyday life.
Enhances Critical Thinking Skills: One of the most significant benefits of using Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in your classroom is that it encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Throughout the book, the characters face various challenges, and they must use their wits and creativity to overcome them. By analyzing these situations, students can learn how to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real-world situations.
Increases Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension:Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in your classroom can also help improve your student’s vocabulary and reading comprehension. The novel uses a variety of descriptive language and literary devices, which can help students expand their vocabulary and develop a deeper understanding of the text. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an engaging and entertaining book that can improve reading comprehension in children. The book’s characters, plot, and dialogue are easy to follow and understand, which can help struggling readers build their confidence and comprehension skills. Additionally, the book’s vivid descriptions and imagery can help students visualize and connect with the story on a deeper level.
Encourages a love of reading: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an enjoyable and entertaining book that can instill a love of reading in children. By introducing children to a book that is both fun and educational, you can help them develop a lifelong love of reading. Additionally, the book’s popularity and familiarity can make it an accessible and engaging choice for reluctant readers.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a fantastic addition to any classroom. It promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills, teaches valuable lessons, improves reading comprehension, inspires creativity, and encourages a love of reading. By using this book in your classroom, you can engage and inspire your students, and help them develop important skills and values that they can carry with them throughout their lives.
I offer a complete novel study to accompany Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for use in the classroom or homeschool. The unit includes both a printable format and a Google Drive™ format for use in a paperless classroom or with Google Classroom.
Try a free sample of the novel study for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
You can purchase this novel study at the following locations:
Try a chocolate theme by incorporating reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory along with Chocolate Fever and The Chocolate Touch!
Are you interested in reading about and sharing ideas with other educators on using children’s literature in your classroom? My goal is to bring together teachers and homeschoolers who teach grades 3-8 and use novels with their students. I’d love for you to join me to learn, share, and grow together!
Some of my most vivid childhood memories of school were the novel studies I read for various subjects. It was my favorite way to learn skills, history, and any topic! I love books, and being allowed to read an entire book from cover to cover as a school assignment put me in heaven! I am sure this is a major reason why, as a teacher, my passion is to create and teach novel studies! I love introducing new books to my class, and as a community, being immersed in the book together. I love it when a student pulls us off the schedule with a question or comment from something they read and leads the class into a lively discussion. That’s where the real memorable learning takes place, after all!
I create novel studies more than any other product line simply because I like to focus on what I love. I want to work with my passion! I often get questions from readers asking how I would set up novel studies in my classroom. I decided to write a small series explaining my methods. For the most part, my novel studies include comprehension questions, vocabulary/grammar skill work, extension activities, and assessments.
Today’s post, part 3, deals with pacing the novel study. You can read part 1 and part 2 here.
Novel Studies Part 3: Pacing
One of the challenges of using novel studies in the classroom is finding the time. It’s a balance between not moving too fast and not letting the unit drag on for too long because we all know you have a million other things to squeeze into your curriculum!
Each of my complete novel studies includes detailed daily teacher lesson plans that include the objective and directions for the day. You can see how this is designed fo my Freak the Mighty Novel Study.
I also create a pacing guide for each novel study that helps you map out your long-range plan. You can see an example here from my Crenshaw Novel Study.
It’s a delicate balance to set the pacing. I generally try to aim for approximately 20 pages to read per day. This will be altered based on the chapter sizes. I don’t schedule split chapters as I feel this disrupts the reader. I know I hate to stop reading mid-chapter. That’s just mean!
All of my novel studies offer a Google Drive™ format, in addition to the printable format, shown above, to use with your students. This allows you to use novel studies in a 1:1 classroom, save paper, and easily engage students that are absent. Here’s an example page from the Google Drive™ format of my Wishtree Novel Study. The same pacing would apply for the Google™ version as you would use for the printable version.
This pacing is a suggestion as it has worked for me, but it is very adaptable, so you can work to fit it into the schedule that you are working with. The planning pages are written for a whole class novel study, but can be easily adapted to fit small book groups or individual novel studies. How much teacher interaction you want to have during the course of the study is up to you and can be worked in with the suggested pacing.
Join me for part 4 of my series to learn how I add extra experiences to my novel studies for deeper learning and growth.
Are you interested in reading about and sharing ideas with other educators on using children’s literature in your classroom? My goal is to bring together teachers and homeschoolers who teach grades 3-8 and use novels with their students. I’d love for you to join me to learn, share, and grow together!
Novel Studies Part 4: The Extras!
All of my novel studies offer a Google Drive™ format, in addition to the printable format, shown above, to use with your students. This allows you to use novel studies in a 1:1 classroom, save paper, and easily engage students who are absent. The “extras” of the novel study are included in the Google Drive™ format as well. Here’s an example page from the Google Drive™ format of my 
Novel Studies Part 3: Pacing
All of my novel studies offer a Google Drive™ format, in addition to the printable format, shown above, to use with your students. This allows you to use novel studies in a 1:1 classroom, save paper, and easily engage students that are absent. Here’s an example page from the Google Drive™ format of my 
