How To Write Lesson Plans for a Chapter Book

Recent budget cuts have made it more difficult for teachers to secure enough copies of books for an entire class. However, studies have shown that cooperative learning activities help students grasp material easily; students can study different chapters of a chapter book and help each other learn. By including structured activities for each group in their lesson plans, teachers can effectively guide study of an entire book even though students will not have the opportunity to read the whole text.

1. First, choose a book that you think is appropriate for your students to study. The book should have several chapters with substantial content in each chapter. Make sure the book you choose is at an appropriate skill level for the majority of your students. Keep in mind that you may have to literally destroy the book in order to assign chapters to students, as many schools have reduced photocopying budgets, and there are legal limits to how much of a copyrighted work teachers may copy.
2. If you are permitted to do so, photocopy each chapter of the book; otherwise, take the book apart, separating each chapter. You may need to photocopy the last page or first page of a given chapter if you use this method, as chapters are often printed back-to-back in published books.
3. Read the first chapter as a class. You may be able to put this chapter onto transparencies for the whole class to read; otherwise, read the chapter aloud. After reading the chapter, lead the class in a discussion about aspects of the book such as plot, setting, and characters. Help the class make a chart detailing these literary devices.
4. Next, split the class into groups and assign one chapter to each group. The group should read and discuss the chapter. Walk around the room to monitor discussions and make sure students remain on task.
5. Have students share what they discussed with the entire class. It can be helpful to have students make a chart like the one the class made together. Students should take notes on each other's presentations and ask questions of the presenters. You may want to assign a participation grade to ensure that all students are paying attention and interacting during the presentations.
6. If there are more chapters of the book than can be assigned to students, repeat this lesson plan by reading the next chapter aloud after the group discussion, then assigning another discussion for remaining chapters. If you have to read several chapters aloud, it is best to end with a chapter read by the class as a whole.

This lesson plan can be stretched out over several days if necessary. Make sure to take a few minutes to review what was learned on the previous day before moving into new material.