The Courage To Try

This is a short novel written by a teacher from Ontario Shawna Potje Today I introduced the book to my student only showing them the cover. We did a "write, pair, share." I gave them a few minutes to write about their wonderings and predictions then pair and share. This was a perfect opportunity to discuss "Schema" because the students all knew the book was going to have something to do with Terry Fox, having a dream, and not giving up. They used the clues on the cover...e.g. red maple leaves, the word courage in the title...and a little girl holding a sign "Good Luck Terry." We talked about the fact that not all children on earth would be able to make these predictions or inferences from the cover page clues because their background knowledge may be different. Next we set ourselves up for the activity "Novel in An Hour". Small groups of students were assigned to a chapter. After partner reading their assigned chapter students discussed the "who and what" about their chapter. Finally the students chose from a list of ways to present a summary of their chapters. (interview, telephone call, skit, song, rap, story map, news broadcast etc.) I like this as an early in the year read for many reasons: reviewing making connections, the theme

of Courage, and of course the connection to our Terry Fox Walk.