My students learn best when they are excited about the topic. If I can get them hooked on a book they love, it creates a foundation for teaching essential reading and writing skills.
The novel Peak is a high-interest story of a teenage boy who faces challenges that my students can relate to. They may not be climbing Everest like the main character Peak Marcello, but they can connect to his story. Our unit theme is "Exploration" and while Peak climbs Mount Everest for the first time as a teenager, he is also exploring his personal fears and aspirations.
While we explore the novel Peak together, we will engage in an argument writing unit. My students will use Peak and informational texts as a foundation to debate about whether teens should be allowed to participate in risky or life-threatening adventures like exploring Everest or skydiving. They will also research famous explorers such as Sir Edmund Hillary and develop their argument writing skills by convincing others about which explorer made the greatest contribution to our world.
About my class
My students learn best when they are excited about the topic. If I can get them hooked on a book they love, it creates a foundation for teaching essential reading and writing skills.
The novel Peak is a high-interest story of a teenage boy who faces challenges that my students can relate to. They may not be climbing Everest like the main character Peak Marcello, but they can connect to his story. Our unit theme is "Exploration" and while Peak climbs Mount Everest for the first time as a teenager, he is also exploring his personal fears and aspirations.
While we explore the novel Peak together, we will engage in an argument writing unit. My students will use Peak and informational texts as a foundation to debate about whether teens should be allowed to participate in risky or life-threatening adventures like exploring Everest or skydiving. They will also research famous explorers such as Sir Edmund Hillary and develop their argument writing skills by convincing others about which explorer made the greatest contribution to our world.