The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: A Novel Study using Socratic Seminar

Hello! My name is Shelly Smith, and I am a National Board Certified Teacher in Elementary Literacy. My students get results that are much higher than our district/state average! I believe much of it is due to the way in which literacy is taught in my classroom. Welcome to my Literacy Studio!

I believe you will be extremely pleased with this unique and rigorous approach to literacy that hooks students from the very beginning. This study is based on the novel, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. All of the CCSS 5th grade literacy standards are covered, as well as three of the Next Generation Science Standards all within one novel! This study will change the way you teach literacy. Socratic Seminars are the backbone to this approach along with the interpretive questions. Students use text-based evidence while responding in their Socratic Seminars and in their written responses.

I have learned through my years of teaching that my classroom curriculum needs to be rigorous, engaging, and it needs to meet the CCSS. This novel study is just that! Each student has a copy of the novel we are reading. Donorschoose.org is a great resource in obtaining the books you need. One reason I like this whole class approach is that all my students are being exposed to grade level reading material, vocabulary, and the CCSS. My lower level reading students are set up to be successful with grade level text because they have heard me read the text before they read it with a partner, a more competent other.

In this unit you will find:
1. How to use this resource in your classroom
2. The Socratic Seminar: research based and strategy in practice
3. Teaching vocabulary with novel studies
4. Scripted lesson examples
5. Reading response notebook examples from my classroom
6. Common Core standard alignment
7. 15 Lesson plans
8. 3 Bonus lessons including creating a working windmill model!

Let the higher order thinking and learning begin!


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