"Flying Solo" 5th grade novel

[TRaisAngels]

Hoping someone will be able to give me some insight. I m going to be starting a new novel with my 5th graders, Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher. I wondered if anyone has worked with this particular novel and could give me some activities, ideas, or themes to tie into the book. I have searched all over the internet and have had no luck! I would appreciate any thoughts,
THNX!:confused:Student Teacher in Need!

[TeacherRW]

Sorry... I am just getting to this post and am afraid that I will not be able to offer any help. I have never read the book you mentioned... and haven't seen any of my students reading it either.

Hope that you were able to find something "pre-done" for you. If not, read the book and look for connections that you can make.

Good luck...

[juniperlake]

Hoping someone will be able to give me some insight. I m going to be starting a new novel with my 5th graders, Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher. I wondered if anyone has worked with this particular novel and could give me some activities, ideas, or themes to tie into the book. I have searched all over the internet and have had no luck! I would appreciate any thoughts,
THNX!:confused:Student Teacher in Need!

:) I have read and discussed this book with fifth graders for several years. It is a nice link to a thematic study of government. We talk about the way the book is set up and makepredictions about how the format will continue. I don't let on how the note"blown off the secretary's desk" will factor into the plot, but later I do ask if there was anything to hint that the sub wouldn't be coming in. We talk about how people make rules. There are born leaders. Mr. Fabiano is clearly a good teacher and his values are present even when he isn't present. This is the one book we write a formal essay for. Mostly we write about particular reading strategies as they relate to a given book we are discussing in small book clubs. But this I real aloud to them. There are several reference copies in the class. I suggest possible topics. "______is the most important character in the book and here's why I think so." "The importance of absent characters in Flying Solo" This topic often creates a great paper. Kids have discussed Tommy Feathers, Mr. Fabiano, Rachel's father, and Rachel herself,who is absent in a way. What kind of learning does Ralph Fletcher seem to be advocating? Do you get the sense that he thinks Mr. Fabiano is a good teacher? why?" "What is the significance of the rock ritual?" "Did the kids make the right decision when they chose to run the class themselves?" "How does the theme 'Flying Solo' play itself out---there are four or five levels of meaning for it that we've discussed and kids have written about.

I've sometimes arranged with the principal that I am going to leave the class to take a phone call and then left the room for a half hour. When I return we talk about what happened in my absence and often kids will bring up the ways in which it was like or different from the experience of the kids in Flying Solo.

I really like the book because it is written as a multiple perspective book and the language is fairly simple while the topics raised are not. The mother of a child in my class is a psychologist who works with selective mutes. One of my students told us,after I read the first chapter that he had stopped talking for three years when he moved to Pennsylvania from Connecticut.

I'm not big on book related "activities" that teachers suggest. I like to read, talk, have kids sketch and write in service of making meaning of books or poems or essays. I have had kids ask to have a rock or shell ritual at the end of the year. I've also had kids suggest we listen to music while we write. There are great connections to government, but I let them emerge as we study government, kids' rights and why we have laws or rules and who gets to decide. I hope this helps. Maybe next year,since it's pretty late. I just found this site. JuniperLake

[Kathy Martin]

I would like to share with you an opportunity to "chat" with Ralph Fletcher.

Our company is hosting a free online author dicussion with Ralph Fletcher September 24-27.

I would be happy to supply sign up information to anyone interested.