Loser, by Jerry Spinelli: A PDF & EASEL Book Club Packet

This ready-to-use packet was created to use with students in grades 3-6 who are reading the novel, Loser, by Jerry Spinelli. It may be used as a printable and/or it can be exported to Easel and used digitally. Included are 16 student pages designed for independent work to reinforce essential reading, writing, and thinking skills. In addition, an answer key is included for use by teacher or aide.

The student pages divide Loser into five reading assignments of about 40 pages each. Each assignment has about 3 pages of activities to go with it. Skills addressed in the activities include summarizing, visualizing, determining author's purpose, inferring, comprehension, explaining, recognizing character traits, using context, recognizing point-of-view, and defining vocabulary.

Students are typically responsible for completing one reading assignment with the accompanying questions/activities each week. They then meet once a week with the teacher (or an aide or a parent), along with the other students reading the same book (I call this a "book club meeting") to discuss the book and the assignments.

Customize the use of this packet as you wish. What works for me, may not be what works best for you. For example, instead of using this as class work, the packet can also be used as homework. Also, instead of creating a booklet, the pages can be copied and handed out singly as separate assignments and if you export to Easel the pages can be sent to students via Google Classroom and also completed digitally by the student and returned digitally.

Loser in a Nutshell:

This is a very short book written by Newbery Award-winning author, Jerry Spinelli. He introduces us to the world of Donald Zinkoff. Donald is a kind and charming boy who has always marched to the beat of his own drum. In his enthusiasm for life and for learning he is sometimes too busy to notice that he is the brunt of jokes and distain; at other times he becomes painfully aware. But in the end, he shows that he has what it takes to be a hero. Everyone who reads this book is bound to be moved by Zinkoff! In addition, you can be sure it is a great book for modeling character-building and tolerance.

Appropriate for students in grades 3-6. Reading level approximately 4th grade