Social Justice Book Clubs in Reader's Workshop
Middle school students are getting started with their last reading unit of the year: social justice book clubs.
Students in grades 6-8 are using their reading to start discussions about current and historical issues related to social justice.
In grades seven and eight, students are getting started by practicing how to read with a particular lens, zooming in on a specific topic. Yesterday, we practiced this by investigating social justice topics in children's picture books.
Students organized their discussion and writing around these questions:
What did your books teach you about this topic?
Does the way your stories talk about the topic ring true for you?
What values are expressed in the stories?
As the unit continues, students will have many opportunities to develop their thinking through writing, reading, and discussion.