Blog Day #1:
Tell about a favorite book to share or teach. Provide at least one example of a lesson or cross curricular lesson.
I teach language arts and reading at the seventh grade level, and I love reading YA books that I can recommend to my students. Dystopians are especially my favorites. Every Tuesday, we do "Book Talk Tuesday", and I discuss a new book with my students. It has really surprised me how much the majority of the students love the book talks (even the reluctant readers). The librarian at our school said that many students have come into the library asking for certain books that we have talked about in my class. To get back on track, in terms of a favorite book, too many spring to my mind (The Hunger Games, Enclave, Under the Never Sky, The Fault in Our Stars, Legend, Across the Universe, Delirium, Spark, Matched, The Maze Runner, etc.). Although I do not teach this book in class, one of the first books that popped in my head is Divergent by Veronica Roth.
After reading The Hunger Games series, I really wanted something to read that was in the same genre. I think Barnes and Noble actually had a list that was something like "Books to read after reading The Hunger Games." I found Divergent on that list. I think it took me a day or two to read the book - it is so suspenseful that I couldn't put it down. I loved it. I think I almost loved it more than The Hunger Games (which is saying a lot).
Divergent is a dystopian, set in futuristic Chicago. The story centers on a young girl named Beatrice Prior. In Beatrice's time, people are broken up into five factions: Abnegation (which she is in), Dauntless, Amity, Candor, and Erudite. The people in each faction have a certain set of characteristics. Abnegation are selfless, Dauntless are brave, Amity are peace loving, Candor are honest, and Erudite are intelligent. On a specified day each year, all sixteen-year-olds must decide which faction they will stay in for the rest of their lives. Beatrice has to decide if she wants to stay with her faction (and her family) or if she wants to truly be herself and pick the faction for which she feels she is really meant. Tris's character shows a great deal of growth throughout the book, and as a dystopian, this book will not disappoint. This book is a trilogy, so if you like series, this is a good series to get into. Oh yeah, and even better...the movie for this book is coming out March 21, 2014! Read the book first; books are always better than the movies!
As an English teacher, I can think of a lot of lesson ideas for this book, most of which involve writing. Ex. A Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting Beatrice at the beginning of the book to Tris at the end of the book, focus on elements of fiction (plot, setting, characters, conflict, etc.) specific to the book, student blog entries, journal writing, etc.
Here are a few additional links that I have found useful for this book:
Veronica Roth's blog
Ten books to read after reading The Hunger Games trilogy
Teaching Divergent: YA Lit Ideas and Research Projects
Divergent Fans Faction Quiz
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