blog entry demonstrating understanding of reader response theory :
Being that I’ve been captivated by other historical fiction books written about the Holocaust such as Number the Stars and Night, I must admit I was not overly surprised by how absorbed I became while reading Jerry Spinelli’s Milkweed. I believe that middle school students will receive tremendously benefit from exposure to this novel. In addition to teaching readers about the Holocaust, Milkweed is especially appropriate for a young adult reader because it tells a coming of age story. Misha is a character that both boys and girls can easily relate to. Although Misha’s story is not typical, his journey toward adolescence and establishing an identity is something that all students can understand. Students reading this book will be unaware that while they are enjoying literature they are actually expanding upon their knowledge of history. Spinelli did a superb job creating a character to be used in a novel for young adult literature. Despite his simplistic language, this novel really caused me to experience intense emotions. Misha’s naïve but good-hearted and honest nature cause the reader to feel an instant attraction toward him and genuinely care about his well being. As soon as a reader cares about a character they will be inclined to continue reading to make sure this character “ends up okay”. I would absolutely include this book in my classroom. I think it would be a perfect component to a middle school classroom, especially during the month of April which is Holocaust Remembrance Month.
Question
1. Students need to have at least a basic understanding of the Holocaust and World War II to fully understand this novel. How do you use Milkweed in an English Language Arts classroom without becoming a Social Studies teacher?
2. Should Milkweed be taught specifically as a historical fiction piece or could it be included in a unit about identity?
3. This book is ideal for teaching students about character. What literary techniques would you teach students through this novel?
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