Re: [LM_NET] multigenre unit

[Alyson Grossman <alysonmgrossman@YAHOO.COM>]

Thank you to all who responded to my question.  Here are the responses that I 
received.  I have to meet with the English teacher again and clarify what exactly 
she wants to do with multigenre units since there are a number of ideas I received. 

 

It is my first year in a middle school library and I recently met with an English 
teacher.  She is interested in creating a multigenre unit and wants me to create a 
list of titles and authors for her to use.  It is for seventh and eight graders 
class and I have begun researching what a multigenre unit is composed of but I am 
not exactly sure what books to use.

 

 

-I know that The Pot That Juan Built is a multi-genre book. It is written in a 
potetic manner, it has great illustrations and it gives information. Take a look at 
this book. Although it is a picture book it is a great one to start with.-

 

-Try Tom Romano's books on it.

 

-Go to http://readwritethink.org/ from NCTE and read their take on 

multigenre units.  We use one at our school (4th/5th graders) and I have a 

good deal of contact for the research piece.

 

-find out what genres  are being studied to prompt the request.

 

-Could she be thinking of cross-genre books?  Cross-genre books have 

Elements of more than one genre.  The book Holes, by Louis Sachar is an 

example—some fantasy, some reality, a pseudo-folktale also.  

 

-You might want to sit down with the teacher and make sure of exactly 

What she wants.  She may just want you to introduce various genre to the

students.  

 

 

-It seems like you could use just about anything, as long as you include a variety. 
 I looked at your New  York state standards, and I didn't see anything that 
specifically entailed "multigenre".  Can the teacher give you a bit more in the way 
of specifics?

-I did find some lessons/websites that might have something you could use.
www.learner.org/channel/workshops/www.learner.org/channel/workshops/
faculty.gvsu.edu/patterna/aceonline/hogue/process.htm
www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=418   (uses short stories)

-When I went to this link, the text was not available on ERIC, but I liked the 
abstract
"Outlines a method of teaching "To Kill a Mockingbird" along with the study of 
poetry. Notes that this method allows students to consider the themes of courage 
and developing compassion. Concludes that teaching such a multigenre unit allows 
students to look for connections among fact and fiction, the past and present, 
their own lives and literature, and among genres. (PM)"

-I thought it was interesting that when I put "multigenre unit" into google, only 
25 hits resulted.



Alyson Grossman
Library Media Specialist
Riverhead Middle School
Riverhead, NY 11901
alysonmgrossman@yahoo.com
                
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