Free Unit for R.J. Palacio's Wonder
- Erica Margaret
- Feb 9
- 8 min read
Updated: Feb 13
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Over the years, I have really struggled to find books to use with my self-contained classes. I don't feel like I should drag my kids through stuff they hate...just so they can hate reading even more, so I do really try to find books they may want to read. To do this, I read the surveys that I make them fill in at the beginning of the year, check their reading levels with whatever reading screener we are using that year, choose a few books based on that information, and then have the kids vote on which one they want to read.
In the fall of 2019, I taught my first English 9 Self-Contained class. They were LESS than pleased to meet me or to be in my English class, and they ESPECIALLY hated reading. This is not one of those stories where the next part is like "AND THEN I CHOSE THE RIGHT BOOK AND THEY BECAME READERS- IT WAS A MIRACLE." My real-life experience with self-contained is simply "try, try, keep trying...one day you will (maybe, might) figure it out." Maybe. Things with this class were especially discouraging. because we worked hard the first part of the year (on the unit below) and then COVID hit. The kids lost everything they had gained and then some, and when I had most of them again junior year, they had an exceedingly hard time getting past the state reading and writing tests. It was (and is) an extremely hard time to be a teacher, especially for those of us that teach reading and writing.
The unit below was from that 2019 freshman class. The class was made up of students who were learning disabled and/or emotionally disabled. Some were also English Language Learners. This unit took me about a semester to get through. I thought the students might have a problem with the age of the protagonist (way younger than them), but for whatever reason, they were fine with it. Please enjoy this free unit for R.J. Palacio's Wonder.
Wonder Unit
Essential Understandings:
Everyone has strengths.
Everyone has problems.
Objectives
Students will be able to write persuasive paragraphs
Students will be able to write reflective journals
Students will be learn and use vocabulary from the text
Students will learn a variety of reading strategies
Students will be able to define “bullying” and identify different types of bullying in the text (and in real life)
Assessments:
Reading quizzes
Journals
5-paragraph essay
Reading guides/questions
Wonder Lexile:
790
Day 1
Before reading Wonder, my coteacher and I laid the tracks for the unit by having kids learn about Tim Bannon, who is a wrestler that has no arms.
We started by showing them this picture & asking them what they noticed:
In groups, we asked them to discuss: What are things that he can do? What are some things that he might not be able to do?
Next, the students completed a journal and then read an article about Tim.
To read the article, I broke the class up into two small groups. I kept one group and my coteacher took the other. Volunteers took turns reading the article aloud. While reading, students answered the questions on the handout and then completed the "After" questions once we finished.
We also watched the video of his viral box jump because how could we not after that article!
Day 2
The format of most class periods is vocabulary, background building, and then reading a section of text with "before," "during," and "after" questions. Some days we also do an "attendance question," which is just a silly way to talk to the kids and get to know things about them. Sometimes I do match the attendance question to the lesson but not always.
After we read about Tim Bannon, I had the students read about Toni Harris, a woman who wants to play in the NFL one day. We learned some of the vocabulary in the text and did a whole "Before," "During," "After" routine.
Attendance Question: What is your favorite sport to watch?
Vocabulary: Give students the vocabulary chart and have them fill in some/all of it (depending on time). Afterwards, ask them to make a prediction about the article they are going to read based on the vocabulary & sentences.
Before Reading
Before reading, we watched a commercial that featured Toni Harris. I asked students to observe what they saw and answer a few questions about the text type (commercial).
Commercial: Watch & Observe
During Reading
Day 3
Attendance Question: When I grow up I want to ___________________________ . (5 minutes)
Vocabulary Review: (10 minutes)
“Find your partner”: Each student is given a piece of paper with either a vocabulary word or a student-friendly definition on it. The students with coordinating vocabulary word and student-friendly definition must find each other. Once everyone has found their partner, mix up the papers and repeat the process several times.
Alternatively, you could have students draw a picture for each vocabulary word.
After Reading (30-40 minutes)
After reading, I had students write a paragraph about whether they felt Harris should play in the NFL or not. For my students, I needed to review the structure of paragraph before they could complete the assignment.
Day 4
After laying thematic foundation for the unit, we could move on to starting the story.
Lecture & Notes (15-20 minutes) I started by lecturing about Treacher Collins and had students take a few notes.
Vocabulary (15-20 minutes)
To introduce the vocabulary for Wonder, I gave kids a handout with the vocabulary words and definitions. They had to cut out the definitions and match them to the vocabulary words & we went over them.
Journal: What would you change about yourself? (100 words)
The opening of Wonder is Auggie (the main character) wishing that things were different, so this prompt is a simple way to get kids to connect to the text.
My students need very specific directions, and I have found the word count to be a more effective way of getting them to develop their ideas. Inevitably, they will type 18 words and then look around and say "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET 100 WORDS?" To which I say "tell me a story about how you know what you know." This usually gets them to 50 words and then we repeat the process. The more reticent my students are about writing, the smaller I keep the word count and then build it up over time.
Reading Time (15-20 minutes)
Because Wonder was well above the independent reading level of my students, we listened to the audiobook and worked on comprehension skills that way. Sometimes I would have them reread small passages on their own and work through them.
When I taught this book originally, I don't think the Audible audiobook had been published yet, and we listened to a terrible narration YouTube. The YouTube videos I used are no longer available (phew) but the Audible is AWESOME. I hate spending my own money for school supplies but having a good narration of a book saves me so much grief that I usually spring for it.
This chart has the audiobook times matched up to some pages of Wonder so that it's easier to navigate if you forget where you left off one class.
I always try and give my students something to do while they are reading/listening.
Today we talked read the 1st page and did a lot of prep work beforehand. I asked the kids to define the word "ordinary" and then we developed that idea. We then read/listened to the first page of the story & talked about how Auggie was ordinary.
Days 5 & 6
Before Reading
Vocabulary: Have students draw a visual for each vocabulary word.
During Reading
Once we discussed the first page, we listened to a bigger chunk of the opening. I assigned each student one character and had them take notes on that one character.
Reading Directions
Answer the question: What is the conflict?
Listen to 15 more minutes. While listening to today's audiobook excerpt (~15 minutes), students should still be taking notes on their assigned character.
After Reading
After reading, each student should share out the notes they took for their character.
The students who are listening should fill in the character chart.
Day 7
Vocabulary
Finish vocabulary pictures or try and use each word in a sentence.
Before Reading
Before: Recap reading from last class & new characters.
Jack
Will
Charlotte
Every once in a while, I would photocopy the book pages so that kids could write on them. I usually put questions in the margin, as well. I did that for this section and had kids box words they did not know, as well as put a question mark near confusing sections.
During Reading (Listen to audiobook for about 15 minutes.)
Directions:
1. While you are reading, put a box around words you do not know.
2. Put a question mark near sentences that you do not understand.
3. Answer the questions throughout the packet in full sentences
After Reading
Share out answers to questions in the packet.
Day 8
Vocabulary
Have students use Google to find an example sentence for each word.
Before Reading
Review the characters that students met in the reading from last class.
Jack
Will
Charlotte
In this section of the book, Auggie's parents convince Auggie to visit his new school before it officially starts. He meets some of his classmates and the interactions are mixed. I asked students to track Auggie's interactions with his classmates and whether they were positive or negative.
During Reading
Listen to audiobook for 15 minutes, starting around minute 33.
While reading, fill in this handout to track his interactions with others.
Nice Things & Not Nice Things Handout (pages 15-30)
After
After the reading (this is on the above handout), I asked kids to complete a journal where they reflect on how they are similar or different to one of the characters we've met so far.
Day 9
Vocabulary: Say the words out loud and have students repeat. If students are up for the challenge, have them write a story using the words. I usually have trouble getting kids to do this activity since struggling readers are often also struggling writers, but the other day I gave them story cubes to use and they went nuts. I thought they would hate being required to use the story cubes on top of having to use the vocabulary words, but for some reason they were into this version of the activity.
These are the story cubes I have (and used):
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Journal: Write about your first day of high school. If you can’t remember, write about your first day of 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. (200 words)
Reading Time
For pages 30-44, I printed a packet , put summary questions in the margin, and asked kids to do the following:
1. While you are reading, put a box around words you do not know.
2. Put a question mark near sentences that you do not understand.
3. Answer the questions throughout the packet in full sentences.
After
Go over questions & annotations.