Monster by Walter Dean Myers Myers

In this novel, a 16-year-old African American teenager is on trial for murder. The teenager, Steve Harmon, who was taking a film class in high school before his arrest, decides to make a movie about his experiences in prison and in the courtroom. Monster is his record of the events that occur during his murder trial, written as a movie script. The otherwise impersonal – though riveting – script is interspersed with diary entries from the defendant. The novel unfolds like a courtroom drama; the reader feels like a spectator at a trial. One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is that the reader is in the dark about Steve’s guilt or innocence.

Handouts:

Novel  Introduction: A video interview with Walter Dean Myers: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/myersw   Parent Letter to Introduce Novel: Monster Parent Letter Monster pre-reading activity Anticipation Guide, Monster Monster Vocabulary	Reading Journals for throughout the novel Monster Reading Activity
Lit Circles #1 Students will get into small groups and will answer questions based on each section of the questions Monster Lit Questions July 6 Lit Circles #2 Monster Lit Questions July 7-8	Lit Circles #3 Monster Lit Questions July 9-10 update Lit Circles #4 Monster Lit Questions July 11-13 update Lit Circles #5 Monster Lit Questions July 14-17
Writing Assignments – Write a Closing Argument Monster Writing Assignment	Monster Literary Analysis Literary Analysis for Monster Literary Analysis Rubric Literary Analysis Rubric[1]
Project Ideas and Misc: Novel Unit Project Rubrics Monster Project Ideas monster discussion questions monster and civics monster final project	250 page unit plan on novel: monster

Monster Pacing

Day One – Introduction of the Novel – anticipation guide and pre-reading activity

Day Two – Finish pre-reading activity

Day Three – Read Monster pp. 1-32 – HW: Reading Log

Day Four – Read to pg 44 -Monday July 6 Lit Circles and juror reflection

HW: pp. 45-88 and reading log

Day Five – July 7-8 Lit Circles

Day Six – Read pp. 89-136

HW: Finish reading and reading log question

Day Seven – July 9-10 Lit Circles

Day Eight – Read pp. 137–200 and reading log

HW: Finish reading

Day Nine – Read pp. 201-238 – question/Writing Assignment

Day Ten – Finish Writing Assignment for Monster

Day Eleven – Read pp. 238-281

Day Twelve – July 14-17 Lit Circles

Day Thirteen – Introduce and work on unit project

Day Fouteen – Work on unit project

Day Fifteen – Present unit project