OBJECTIVES:

Participants will:

• exam and read young adult literature for the following: genres, analyzing themes, real-world connections, multiple perspectives, problem-solving, and personal experiences.
• independently read three selected young adult novels.
• answer online discussion questions.
• reflect upon other participants discussion question answers.
• complete online assessments at various points in the course.

TEXT:

Young adult novels available at schools, public libraries, book stores, and Amazon.

• Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (ISBN: 978-0142400760) Amazon Link

Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old-boy.  Until the morning he wakes up and can't see himself in the mirror.  Not blind, not dreaming-Bobby is just plain invisible.  There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby's new condition; even his dad the physicist can't figure it out.  For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life.  He's a missing person.  Then he meets Alicia.  She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her.  But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is.  Bobby knows that his invisibility could have dangerous consequences for his family and that time is running out.  He has to find out how to be seen again-before it's too late.

• Getting Air by Dan Gutman (ISBN: 978-0689876813) Amazon Link

They can rule the half-pipe, but can they survive this? Jimmy, David, and Henry are psyched. It's summer, school's out, and they are on their way to California, where they will be able to do some major skating. But on the plane, the unthinkable happens: They are hijacked by terrorists. As frightened as they may be, they take action and they succeed. Sort of. They may have beaten the terrorists, but now their plane has crashed in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden, their summer vacation is about finding food, shelter, and a rescue.

• Hidden Talents by David Lubar (ISBN: 978-0765379146) Amazon Link

Hidden Talents is the first novel in a hit supernatural duology for young readers by award-winning author David Lubar. This hilarious coming-of-age-with-powers story starring the misfits at Edgeview Alternative School was shortlisted for the Printz Award. When thirteen-year-old Martin Anderson arrives at the Edgeview Alternative School, it's the end of the road. Literally. He's been expelled from every other school. Edgeview is the last stop. A warehouse for the system's rejects. Martin fits right in. Everyone has given up on Martin. Even Martin. But at Edgeview Martin falls in with a group of five outsiders who make the other Edgeview rejects appear gifted by comparison. He makes a remarkable discovery: each of his friends possesses a remarkable talent. One is telekinetic. Another is empathic. Others have psychic abilities. Martin thinks these talents make them special. They think it makes them freaks. Martin has one shot to convince them otherwise.

"I LOVED THAT THESE WERE BOOKS I COULD ACTUALLY USE WITH MY STUDENTS (5TH GRADE). THERE WAS A VARIETY IN THE GENRES AND A WIDE INTEREST RANGE IN TERMS OF WHAT STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO READ. I LOVED THIS COURSE AND WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE MORE COURSES LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE IF AVAILABLE."

"I ENJOYED THE CONSTANT FEEDBACK, BOTH FROM THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE OTHER STUDENTS. THE NOVELS THAT WERE CHOSEN ARE APPEALING TO MANY TASTES AND THE ASSIGNMENTS WERE THOUGHT PROVOKING."

"A VARIETY OF READING MATERIAL THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE SELECTED ON MY OWN MADE THIS A HELPFUL COURSE. I ALSO FELT MORE CONNECTED TO COLLEAGUES FROM OTHER DISTRICTS AND GRADE LEVELS AND ENJOYED READING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES."

"THE COURSE WAS VERY WELL ORGANIZED."

"I LOVE READING NEW BOOKS...I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT READING TEACHES EMPATHY AND HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFERENT SITUATIONS IN THE REAL WORLD. THESE ARE TOOLS OUR STUDENTS NEED."

"GREAT COURSE WITH CLEAR EXPECTATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS."