Lesson 1: Welcome to Wonder!
During this class, the students’ prior knowledge will be engaged to explore the themes of Wonder in their own lives. We will begin reading the novel Wonder, and learn about the characters, settings, and discuss how this context relates to the lives of the students and the world at large. The students will engage in activities that provide a foundation for the rest of the skills we will be using in subsequent lessons, as I assess their skill level to determine scaffolding foci.
Lesson 2: Annotation & Extraordinary Animals
We will continue to read and dissect the narrative as we uncover the characters and the plot begins to rise. Students will learn how to annotate the text for vocabulary, themes, and symbols. They will create an animal character that is extraordinary in some way.
Lesson 3: Characterization Catalog
We will continue to read Wonder and look at how characters are developing and relating to each other, and how this drives the overall plot. We will examine diction and the author’s style of writing, and learn the different types of characters. Students will write a brief analysis of a character.
Lesson 4: Irony
As we delve deeper into the book, students will make more connections to their own lives and school systems and peer pressure, and analyze the themes of the book. Students will analyze the scene in which Auggie is being bullied and come up with strategies for real life scenarios. They will identify verbal, situational, and dramatic forms of irony and analyze how this affects the characters and the audience.
Lesson 5: Point of View
As the text switches perspectives, we will examine point of view and how this relates to the telling of a narrative. Students will practice writing and reading from different points of view, including those in the novel.
Lesson 6: Allusion
Students will examine the allusions in the novel and analyze why the novel contains these references. They will brainstorm other allusions they have noticed in reading, and we will analyze and discuss a few allusions in their own lives.
Lesson 7: Imagery
Students will examine the sensory imagery in the text and write about the imagery of their dream bedroom. Students will analyze how figurative language is used in the text to enhance meaning.
Lesson 8: Symbolism
We will investigate the symbols of the story and discuss how they add depth to the plot and themes. We will share the reading and build oral reading skills as we go.
Lesson 9: Mood, Tone & Voice
Students will compare the tone of the various character’s voices, as the narrative continues to switch points of view, and reveal insights to many characters’ intricate personas.
Lesson 10: Diction
Students will analyze the diction of the story and juxtapose it to passages from other comparable authors. We will continue to read the novel together and analyze how the relationships grow and progress.
Lesson 11: Hyperbole
We will learn about over and under exaggeration and how it is used by an author for effect, and evaluate the overall use of figurative language to drive a deeper set of meanings.
Lesson 12: Juxtaposition
Students will juxtapose characters in the story, their own lives, and history, as we delve deeper into how the characters have changed and grown throughout the story.
Lesson 13: Connotations
Students will examine language more closely and complete activities to help them understand word connotations, enhancing their ability to identify and apply loaded language.
Lesson 14: Motifs & Themes
As we complete the novel, and discuss overarching motifs and themes, students will create their own presentation for one of the themes of the books.
Lesson 15: Wonder Conclusion & Presentations
Students will present their slideshows and discuss the end of the novel. They will write an alternate ending of the book