Getting to teach a novel -- or play -- unit is probably one of my favorite parts of being a high school English teacher. I love everything about it: setting up classroom decor, discussions, character analysis, developing projects and prompts, seeing how the kids are enjoying it, and, of course, the beginning. When I think how to begin a novel unit with my secondary English students, I typically have a few goals in mind: 1) Grab their attention by building excitement and mystery without giving too much away 2) Provide the information they need … [Read more...]