I begin today’s lesson by reframing confusion as a strength. I tell students that strong novels want readers to feel unsettled at times. When authors leave questions unanswered or introduce surprising moments, they’re inviting readers to think, predict, and interpret—not just follow the plot. I explain that today’s focus is noticing moments that feel strange,…
Today’s lesson sits right at the intersection of reading comprehension and critical thinking. When students understand who is telling the story — and how much that narrator knows — their interpretations become sharper, more skeptical, and far more interesting. In book clubs especially, narrative point of view matters. Two students can read the same chapter…
Today’s lesson uses something deceptively simple—the first three lines of a students’ independent reading novel—to help them slow down, observe, and start uncovering the author’s early clues about the world of the story. Even the shortest opening can reveal remarkable hints about setting, character, tone, and conflict. Students often rush past these early details, so…