3 Must Read Books for Middle School Educators

Teaching middle school is a beast in itself. I have found that the more you connect to the students, the smoother the school year goes. Below, you will find 3 books that have changed my perspective, guided my insight, and overall thoroughly enjoyed reading to, with, and about the middle school mind.

Animal Farm ( my awesome 8th grade class score 3.5 stars)

To begin my list, I must start with a classic. Animal Farm by George Orwell is a rather quick read, but has the opportunities for many lessons and aligns with several state standards. As my students read Animal Farm, we had the opportunity to explore the Russian Revolution, propaganda, character, and the art of persuasion and being influenced. We were able to read this after Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, which allowed students to gain background knowledge on propaganda techniques used during WW1.

When I asked students to review the novel, "It was okay, I didn't like how the pigs rebelled against all the animals." A big take away students had were, "don't be greedy."

One of my favorite assignments to complete with students is to have them create a rolling list of "What the Pigs Say" vs. "What's the Truth" throughout the novel. You can check out a student sample below.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian ( my 8th graders scored this as 3 stars )

Next up on my list, a classroom favorite, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. As one of my students exclaimed, "It was good, it could have been longer!" This novel takes its readers on a journey of growth, self-worth and resilience. Through the character, Junior, readers are able to connect to personal life, school life, and athletics. Teaching at a title one charter school, many of my students connected with the main character. One of my 8th graders who grew up on a reservation stated, "I like how they talked about life on the reservation." While we were reading, he also made several comments on his own personal life on the reservation.

Another great piece of this novel is the variety of characters. "I like how his friends acted completely different than him," commented one of my 8th grade boys. Overall, this novel has potential for many character lessons, plot development, and the authors use of word choice to convey meaning to its readers.

As you read the novel, you will notice the author uses comic stripes and illustrations to help narrate the story. The main character, Junior, uses art as a way to destress and express himself. Below, you can see a students sample work for an assignment that I assigned while we were reading as a class. Students were instructed to create a comic strip inspired by the novel.

Of Mice and Men ( A hit every year, they scored this novel 4.5 stars )

Despite the many controversies this novel brings, every year I make it a point to read Of Mice and Men. This is a timeless classic that will always be relevant. I had a student repeat the 8th grade and I was unsure if I should switch up the literature this year or keep it the same. I decided to repeat the reading of this novel; I must admit, I was amazed at his reaction when asked how he felt about reading this one again. He stated, "(This book is) Awesome! I can't spoil it, but just know, it's awesome!"

After a week of content on archetypes and character charts, I gave students the following assignment to pull all the pieces together: Based on what we have read so far and using our character charts that we have created, draw an image of what you think George and Lennie looks like. Use the books description and comparisons. Think about the clothes they may be wearing, what belongings they may have with them, etc. Caption your picture with the archetype you think fits best with George and Lennie. Attach your drawings.

Below is an example of student work which was submitted via google classroom during online learning.

Bonus: Fahrenheit 451( 4 stars )

I know, I know. Another classic. I suggest to do this one as a read aloud. With the amount of figurative language, you don't want to miss your chance to have students hear how to "read with expression!" Plus, chances are, they will read this again in high school. Might as well give them a head start...

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