{"id":3428,"date":"2021-02-07T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-07T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/?p=3428"},"modified":"2021-06-21T16:40:04","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T21:40:04","slug":"how-to-plan-a-novel-study-quickly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/how-to-plan-a-novel-study-quickly\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan a Novel Study QUICKLY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

During my first year of teaching, my novel studies were a mess. We didn’t finish the first two books. I was up all night trying to plan the next day. I had no sense of direction and no idea how long any of my plans would take. Now, I can plan an entire novel study in under an hour. This post will walk you through the exact steps I take to plan a novel study quickly<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pinterest<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Plan A Novel Study Step 1: Get Your Calendar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every school functions a little differently. Before you plan anything, make sure you have a calendar in front of you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I usually start with a paper calendar and later transition to a digital calendar after I have some general ideas down. Play around with different calendars and planners until you find one you like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Want a free<\/em> planning calendar? I include one in my FREE email series for new English teachers. Sign up right here!<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you can even begin planning your novel study unit, you need to know how much time you have. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some curriculums might dictate that you move through units faster. You might only have 4 weeks to do a whole novel study. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a novel study, I use my whole quarter. That’s nine-weeks in my district (and most high schools in the United States). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My school is an alternative school; we don’t assign homework. That means all of the reading and work will be done in class, so finishing a novel study in less than nine-weeks is nearly impossible for me and my students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Figure out your timeframe according to your district and your school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Important Dates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Then, label your calendar with any days that might affect your teaching time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I always make sure to label in-service days, holidays, half-days, and even days when I already have an appointment scheduled and I know that I’ll be absent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, you should know exactly how many teaching days you have with your students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, note which days it might be best to “teach light”.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day before winter break, for example, may not be the best day to teach an intense lesson. You might not want to leave a sub to introduce a huge project the day you have a dentist appointment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Block Off Your Buffer Week<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I learned early in my teaching career that there is never enough time. Inevitably, a last-minute assembly will be scheduled, a snow day will happen, or your counselors will insist on coming in to discuss college applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I always<\/em> leave the last week of a unit as a “buffer” week.<\/strong> This way, if we need to slow down or reschedule, I know there will still be time to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if we miraculously end our unit on schedule? Then I have five glorious days to review, teach enrichment minilessons, and have fun with my students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So in my nine-week novel study, I plan as if I only have eight weeks.<\/strong> That last week is blocked off and completely ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting your calendar ready should take no more than 5 minutes. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pinterest<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Plan A Novel Study Step 2: Get Your Book<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your novel choice might be dictated by your school or district. Or, you might have a list of novels to choose from. You might even have complete freedom.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of how rigid or free your curriculum is, you’ll need a novel to study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you already have a book in mind, move on to step 3.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t, be sure to consider a few things while you make your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, your novel choice should support your overall goals.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re teaching an African American unit, remember to double-check that the book is written by an African American. If you’re diving into dystopian fiction, make sure you choose a dystopian novel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Teachers<\/a>
The Hate U Give<\/a><\/em> is what I teach during our required African American studies unit.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I know that sounds obvious, but when you start digging into book recommendations on blogs and social media, you can end up down a rabbit hole and accidentally start planning for a unit that you’re not even teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another aspect to consider is the time you have and your students’ abilities.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you only have four weeks and you can’t assign reading outside of the classroom, you may want to lean towards graphic novels or novellas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your class contains many high-needs students, it might not be the time to read the entirety of the Canterbury Tales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be sure that your novel choice makes sense for your timeframe and your students. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually narrowing down your book choice might take a while if you don’t have one prescribed or any ideas before trying to plan. I always recommend talking to your colleagues and consulting teacher Facebook group for ideas if you get stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This step should only take 5 minutes if you have a book idea but might take days if you have no idea where to begin.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n