 Growing up in a family of five children, I was always the nerd of the group. I loved books. I could not wait to dive into the next new book I could get my hands on in the school library. Reading to me was an escape. I loved the adventures I went on and the new friends I made as I read about new characters, new world, and innovative technologies. One of the books that really took me to a new level of thinking about the world was A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. This was my first book in the Science Fiction genre. I was hooked by the innovative ideas and the puzzles presented in the story.
Assessing learningThis is a terrific book to use as a whole class shared reading. It could also be taught as a read aloud. I will say that the topic and language can be more complex, so I think shared reading would be proper at grades 5 and higher, while a read aloud would be perfect for fourth graders. I would not recommend this book for lower grade levels.  What do I mean about visual setting? Well, quite simply, it is a visualization strategy that will allow the readers to track how the setting changes throughout the story. As a class shared reading, I would have student create these visuals in their journals, but also as a class visual tracking tool to display as we read.  Across the content Freebie: Focus Questions for A Wrinkle in TimeA quick note about this freebie. First, the questions are taken from various resources I found throughout the years that I taught the book. They are just a start to the wonderful thinking that can happen throughout the book. Since I used these questions from multiple sources, I cannot give proper credit where it is due for all the questions. For this, I apologize. I always like to give credit where it is due. Second, the focus questions are for student discussion, rather than independent work. Students should discuss what they are reading with peers. This discussion challenges the student's thinking and allows them to grow as a deeper reader. 
Links with more resources:A Reading Guide, Available from Scholastic can be found here Readworks - A Wrinkly in Time 6th Grade unit, found here Wrinkle in Time Board game can be found here Notice and Note SignpostsAs you think about incorporating the signposts in your classroom with a Wrinkle in Time, remember, that the best way to get students engaged is to let them find the signposts as they read. Here is a quick chart that will provide one question for each of the fiction signposts. Encourage deep reading for the students; however, we also need to model for them as they read to help develop deeper conversation and comprehension. The signpost for this book were found by me or my former students.  There is so much potential for any good story, but this one is among my favorite. I hope that if you choose to use A Wrinkle in Time, that you enjoy each page of the book with your students.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog this week. Please follow for more great education ideas. I will include book connections, social studies integration, other content connections, and in August many things happening in my own classroom. Please follow and share with others who might be interested.
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AuthorMy life journey is that of a mother, wife, grandmother, weenie dog owner, blogger, conference speaker, mini-farmer, writer and a an occasional mistake maker with over 24 years in education. Follow me on Twitter @JEdgarEdConsult Archives
September 2019
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