Calling all middle school teachers!!


11 comments
I'm working on putting together some novel units for my 8th graders. Since I have never taught 8th graders....and really don't have a clue as to their interests....I need some help!!

I know some of you out there are teachers....and you may happen to be middle school teachers!! I need some tips on some good novels/reading material for 8th graders. The text book I'm working with is....well...horrible. So, I'm trying to pull what I can from that, but it's torture for even me to flip through.

So far, I know I am going to teach The Hunger Games. Here are also some other possibilities for novel studies:

Speak
The Giver
Hatchet
The Secret Life of Bees
The Diary of Anne Frank
The Pearl
The Pigman
Hoot
Anthem
Many Waters
The House of Dies Drear
The Fire Next Time
Milkweed


I'm having a hard time determining whether or not these books are too young...too advanced...which I realize I can't really know until I meet my students and get an idea for myself. But...not being around 8th graders and just not knowing what will and will not work for them....it's making me nervous and leaving me feeling very unprepared.

So, if any of you out there have taught 8th grade....especially 8th grade Language Arts....I'd LOVE any advice/tips/resources you want to give me.

One thing I am learning is that I'm going to break my teaching down a lot more than I did while teaching high school. I have a whole year with this kids instead of working with semesters, so I'm going to have to work on breaking it all down....stretching it out....and I'm actually looking forward to this! I can actually spend time on poetry or drama....take my time explaining things instead of rushing on to the next unit.

I'm trying not to feel to overwhelmed. I just want to get as much done as I can now...so I don't have to come home with so much once school starts.....in a matter of weeks. (ugh)

11 comments:

  1. I'm not a middle school teacher but I am a mom of 4 teenagers, 3 of whom are avid readers. Hatchet seems bit easy for eighth graders. My kids did that one in fifth grade. They did love the book and have read most of Paulsen's books One of the books my kids read in middle school was "Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry." They loved it and later went on to read all of the other books in Mildred Taylor's series.

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  2. I teach fifth grade. We do Hatchet in fifth grade. I know our sixth graders read The Diary of Anne Frank as well as The Giver. So, I don't know if those are too young for eighth grade or not. Good luck though!

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  3. Okay, I'm not an English teacher...but...I do remember reading (and really enjoying) the following books from your list in middle school:

    The Giver
    Hatchet
    The Diary of Anne Frank
    The Pearl
    The House of Dies Drear

    Congratulations on your new job!

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  4. I taught 8th grade LA a few years ago, after having taught high school for many years, and loved it. I hope you will too. I thought The House of Dies Drear was a little too easy. The story was interesting, but, upon examination, the book really isn't too well written. My students tolerated it, but I thought it was a waste of time in the end. One good thing was that the boys did like it as well as the girls did. I think the Diary of Anne Frank might be a good bet. I also always like The Pigman, but I haven't taught it. I'm not as fammiliar with some of your other books, but I'd only use The House of Dies Drear at the very beginning of the year, to introduce literary criticism, etc, or at the end of the year as a fun read.

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  5. I taught 8th grade LA a few years ago, after having taught high school for many years, and loved it. I hope you will too. I thought The House of Dies Drear was a little too easy. The story was interesting, but, upon examination, the book really isn't too well written. My students tolerated it, but I thought it was a waste of time in the end. One good thing was that the boys did like it as well as the girls did. I think the Diary of Anne Frank might be a good bet. I also always like The Pigman, but I haven't taught it. I'm not as fammiliar with some of your other books, but I'd only use The House of Dies Drear at the very beginning of the year, to introduce literary criticism, etc, or at the end of the year as a fun read.

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  6. My husband and I are both middle school teachers. He teaches Comm. Arts. He says our 8th graders read
    Outsiders, Hunger Games, and the Invention of Hugo Cabret. :O) Good Luck! Middle school is such a different beast than high school. So much more focus on the student than the curriculum. You can do it! :O)

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  7. I'm not a teacher, but I remember reading The Giver in my 8th grade English class and absolutely loved it.

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  8. so, i'm definitely not an 8th grade teacher... but !
    i very distinctly remember reading all of the following in my eighth grade reading classes (at eb aycock actually, 1999-2000!)

    the giver
    the true confessions of charlotte doyle
    flowers for algernon

    1984
    brave new world
    (both of those in AG, or whatever it's called now).

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  9. I taught grade eight my first year of teaching and The Giver was one of our novel studies. The students loved the book and even though the actual text is not extremely advanced the content is amazing. It really allows for your higher level children to expand their thinking. I think I even have the discussion questions of you need those as well.

    Good Luck,

    Marisa

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  10. I am actually a middle school librarian and if you have not read Milkweed, you should. It is one of the most graphic holocaust novels I have ever read. It was on the Battle of the Books list a few years ago, and our 6th Grade AIG students have read it in the past. The list is composed of several good choices that have been read in classes during my tenure as a school librarian.

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  11. Hi! This is my first teaching (I'm both excited and terrified!), and I will be teaching 7th and 8th grade LA. The Pearl and The Diary of Anne Frank is on our 8th grade required reading list. I was told about a really cool virtual online tour of where Anne Frank lived. You can find that here: http://www.annefrank.org/en/Subsites/Home/
    I found your post by searching for 8th grade and Hunger Games. I love this book, and I hope I can find a way to work it in. Good luck this year!

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