The View From Saturday

Author:  E.L. Konigsburg                                                                                

About the Author:

E.L. was born in New York City, where she was a good student in school, she was the first to go to college in her family.  She went to college and earned a degree in chemistry.  Soon into her master's degree, she realized she did not have the temperament for chemistry.  She began teaching science in an all girls school, where she realized she was not interested about teaching but what was inside the children.  She began writing and now has 15 books published and some of them have her illustrations.

 

Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: 4-6

Synopsis:

This is a story about sixth grade Academic Bowl contest at a middle school.  It was a surprise that the team had won, and how the teacher selected the team.  The stories of each of the four students the teacher picked are unique. 

Pre Reading Activity:

Questions:
What do you think this book is about?  What is an Academic bowl is? Do we have an Academic bowl in this school?

Activity:
Have the students write 2 sentences about who they think will win the bowl; the sixth grade team or the seventh grade team and why they think they will win.

Post Reading Activity:
Questions:
Who guessed the sixth grade team would beat the seventh grade team?  Why did you think they would win? Would you like to be on an Academic Bowl team?

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students write an essay about one of the students on the team and explain the reason they were picked to be on the team and do they think that is a good reason.

Reflection:

I think this is a great book to read to middle school students.  It teaches them that sometimes you may not have the answers, but you keep going, and you can be successful and gain confidence in anything you do.  I think it is important for educators to teach their students this message.