Thursday, October 25, 2012

Loser

Loser
By Jerry Spinelli
Published by Joanna Cotler Books
Copyright 2002

Zinkoff is a child with great enthusiasm, but his peers seem to find him odd. Zinkoff dreams to be a mailman one day just like his father, he loves school, he enjoys seeing people smile and most of all he loves making people laugh. You travel through Zinkoff's life from first to sixth grade, you see all of his triumphs and failures and how he strives to help others and become a hero. 

Witty, Emotional, Insightful, Realistic, Eye-opening

Reading Level/Lexile
5th - 6th Grade/650L

Suggested Delivery
Read A Loud, Independent, Small Group

Electronic Resources
http://www.cape.k12.mo.us/blanchard/hicks/Loser.htm
This is a website useful for teachers who are reading or teaching the book Loser. It provides print outs, fun sites, discussion questions, and useful information and resources for the teacher. 

http://www.jerryspinelli.com/newbery_001.htm
This is the author, Jerry Spinelli's, website. This website provides students and teachers with multiple links. It has a list of all the books he has written, teacher tools, events that are happening, a biography on Jerry and a question and answer section. This website is useful for students so they are able to explore more about this author and his books. 

Teaching Suggestions
1. This book can be used to discuss first, second and third person.
2. They can use this book to relate text-to-text, text-to-self, text-to-world.
3. This book can be used as a group discussion that focuses on school environment.

Vocabulary
1. Loser
2. atwitter
3. Atrocious
4.  Mediocre
5. Etiquette 
6. Klutz

Before Reading
Before reading the teacher will talk about how the author writes in different perspectives, first, second and third person. They will talk about how these perspectives are written and come up with examples of different books they've seen written in different persons and how it affects the reader.

During Reading
The students will write in their writing journal after each section read that day in class. They will discuss something that happened to Zinkoff and how it made them feel and how it relates to their life, another text, or the world around them. 

After Reading
Students will discuss in small groups how the story would've changed if it was written in another characters perspective. Each group will be assigned a different character to discuss. They will then share with the whole class how they think the book would be written differently in that characters perspective. 

Writing Activity
After students read they will answer a question in their writing journal. "Do you see labels, such as 'loser' in your school? How does it make you feel? How can you relate it to the book." The students will write thoughtful responses that relate to the book and Zinkoff. 

Spinelli, J. (2002). Loser. New York: Joanna Cotler Books.

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