The Skin I'm In Novel Study

A comprehensive set of instructional materials for teaching The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake. With these Common-Core aligned materials, students will deeply engage with the novel and develop their literacy skills. The suite includes 80+ resources to help you implement an engaging, rigorous ELA unit.

Snapshot of Resources Included in Unit:

• 21 Lesson Plans, Standards Alignment, Pacing Guide, Instruction PPT
• 16 Literary Analysis Assignments
• 16 Close Reading Assignments (literary skills-based)
• 8 Nonfiction Readings, 5 Mindfulness Strategies
• 5 Extension Activities & 3 Projects
• Vocabulary Resources - 3 Crossword Puzzles, 3 Quizzes, Graphic Organizers
• Assessment Resources - 16 Mini-Quizzes, 2 Final Tests, Essay Questions
• Answer Keys for ALL applicable resources!
• Digital links for student pages!

The Skin I’m In: Chapter Analysis and Comprehension Questions, Mini-Quizzes: The 16 literary analysis assignments provide a framework for students to complete a deep analysis of every two chapters from The Skin I’m In. The assignments are aligned to the Common Core State Standards. They are designed not only to have students practice literary skills but also demonstrate their comprehension of the text. The materials could supply homework, facilitate guided reading groups, or stimulate whole class literacy discussions.

Nonfiction Close Readings and Mindfulness Materials: The 8 close reading lessons develop students’ background knowledge about some of the novel's themes, such as self-esteem, mindfulness, self-compassion, and positive self-talk. In conjunction with these informational texts, students will learn mindful strategies that cultivate a healthier sense of self. Each close reading includes questions aligned to the Common Core State Standards for reading informational texts. After practicing these skills over the course of the unit, you can be confident your students will have mastered numerous, essential skills.

Fiction Close Reading Materials: With the 16 fiction close reading lessons, students will deeply engage the novel to develop a variety of reading and literary skills aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The close reading lessons see students engage in a close reading of The Skin I’m In while honing in on particular skills to develop their literary proficiency. Each assignment requires students to use textual evidence to support their claims, and the resource also includes an answer key.

The Skin I’m In: Vocabulary Materials, Crossword Puzzles, Quizzes: The vocabulary resources are a great way to help students learn, acquire, and use new words they will encounter in The Skin I’m In. The vocabulary resources - 3 crossword puzzles, 3 quizzes, and graphic organizers - will assist students in building their dictionary and engage them in a variety of ways to maximize vocabulary expansion based on the challenging words the resources identify from each chapter of the novel. 

The Skin I’m In: Tests, Comprehension Quizzes, Essays: After students complete the chapter analysis, close reading assignments, and vocabulary pages, they will know The Skin I’m In inside and out. The Common-Core aligned assessments will then help you measure your students’ comprehension of the text and their ability to apply the literary skills taught throughout the unit.

Extension Activities and Projects: Extension activities give you the power to choose how to enhance your students’ knowledge of self-esteem, self-compassion, mindfulness, and positive self-talk. You know your students best, and based on their interests, any or all of these nine activities provide a structure for students to conduct investigations about these themes. Students will develop their critical thinking skills and build background knowledge through the work, which includes activities like analyzing TED talks, viewing popular movies, and neutralizing negative self-talk. While the extension activities are shorter in scope, the three novel projects offer a more extended avenue for students to engage at a deeper level with the novel and its content. The novel projects supply the framework for students to conduct research, write an essay, and take action in their community. Once again, the activities will help students develop critical thinking skills, build background knowledge, and demonstrate agency while practicing skills aligned with essential Common Core standards that have been embedded in the project’s course.

PLEASE NOTE: This resource is NOT EDITABLE! It is intended to be comprehensive, but if you have particular needs for your classroom, please contact me! (lauren@lit-lessons.com)

Looking for the individual products listed above? Check out these products below:

The Skin I’m In: Chapter Analysis and Comprehension Questions, Mini-Quizzes

The Skin I’m In: Tests, Comprehension Quizzes, Essays

The Skin I’m In: Vocabulary Materials, Crossword Puzzles, Quizzes