Children of Blood and Bone Novel Study

This product is a comprehensive set of instructional materials for teaching Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. With over 140+ Common Core aligned materials, students will develop their literacy skills while deeply engaging with the novel. Plus, the literary analysis resources, critical consciousness activities and discussions, fiction close readings, West Africa and Yoruba historical and cultural readings and activities, extension projects, vocabulary, assessments, and essays all provide opportunities for your students to practice and apply their learning. They also provide numerous ways for you to DIFFERENTIATE learning for your students, allowing you to choose the assignments that best support your students’ learning. In total, the suite includes 140+ resources to help you implement an engaging, rigorous ELA unit.

Snapshot of Resources Included in Unit:

• 30 Literary Analysis Assignments
• 30 Close Reading Assignments (literary skills-based)
• 10 Nonfiction Readings & Questions
• 6 Extension Activities (to pair with nonfiction readings)
• Discussion Resources - 6 Activities and various discussion formats
• Vocabulary Resources - 6 Crossword Puzzles, 6 Quizzes, Graphic Organizers
• Assessment Resources - 30 Mini-Quizzes, 4 Novel Quizzes, 2 Final Tests, Essay Choice Board
• 3 Final Projects
• Anticipation Resources - Clan Competition, Hero's Journey Activity, Guide
• Instructional Pacing Guide - Outlines 30 days of learning
• Answer Keys for ALL applicable resources!
• Digital links for student pages!

Digital Compatibility: This resource is also technology friendly! It can be utilized in classrooms where computers or tablets are central to instruction because the resource has been adapted for digital completion. The resources include links for students to complete any work assigned, such as in-class tasks and assessments, online via Google Slides™ and Google Forms™. For instance, students can work with the documents in Google Drive™ or via Google Classroom™. With these links, you can have students complete their activities, assignments, and ALL ASSESSMENTS online. All they will have to do for the student pages is either create a text box or fill out a form! There are links for every student page and assessment, making the format friendly not only for technology but also trees.

Literary Analysis Resources: The 30 literary analysis assignments provide a framework for students to complete a deep analysis of each chapter set for Children of Blood and Bone. Each assignment is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. They are designed not only to have students practice literary skills but also demonstrate their comprehension of the text. The literary analysis resources come in two formats – PDF and Google Slides - and could supply homework, facilitate guided reading groups, or stimulate whole class literacy discussions for each chapter grouping. You can choose the purpose that best suits your students and your classroom.

Fiction Close Reading Resources: The 30 fiction close reading lessons explicitly focus on critical Common Core State Standards to develop students’ literary proficiency. Using the novel as the foundational text for close reading, each lesson focuses on a particular skill and provides students an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their ability to perform that skill. Each assignment also requires students to use textual evidence to support their claims. The fiction close reading resources come in two formats – PDF and Google Slides - and could supply homework, facilitate guided reading groups, or stimulate whole class literacy discussions for each chapter grouping. You can choose the purpose that best suits your students and your classroom.

Discussion Resources (*Bonus Material): The novel Children of Blood and Bone takes on some difficult themes and topics. From racism to classism, to colorism, the characters confront these issues in the fantastical world of Orïsha. But as the author states in the Author’s Note, “Although riding giant lionaires and performing sacred rituals might be in the realm of fantasy, all the pain, fear, sorrow, and loss in this book is real.” (526) The discussion resources will help your students explore these important themes the author does not want forgotten. These resources – a series of structured activities and discussions - offer a thoughtful approach for encountering them and treating them with care.

Nonfiction Readings and Activities: The 10 nonfiction articles will help your students understand the key settings and time periods that shape the novel. Articles on West Africa and Yoruba history and culture will aid students’ comprehension by providing background knowledge about the context that shapes the novel. While building their knowledge with these resources, students will be tasked with synthesizing information across the novel and these texts. In doing so, the 5 extension activities provide additional opportunities for students to develop essential critical thinking skills.

Novel Projects (*Bonus Material): The novel projects provide three different avenues for students to engage at a deeper level with the novel and its content. The projects include an examination of the archetypal hero’s journey, a reflection on the novel’s impact on the students’ own perceptions of themselves and their world, and a structured guide for studying then implementing a plan for making positive change in the world. As they complete these projects, students will develop important academic habits, such as critical thinking, writing for an audience, and time and self-management.

Anticipation Resources (*Bonus Material): The anticipation resources will help generate excitement around a study of Children of Blood and Bone. The hero's journey mini-lesson will aid students’ comprehension by providing information about the structure of the novel’s events and engaging students in activities that will help build background knowledge. The resources also include a maji clan competition! Engage your students in an academic competition to create investment in their learning.

Assessment Resources: After students complete the chapter analyses, close reading assignments, vocabulary assignments, and projects, they will know Children of Blood and Bone inside and out. The Common Core aligned assessments will then help you measure your students’ comprehension of the text and their ability to apply the literary skills taught throughout the unit. The materials include 30 mini-quizzes, 4 comprehension quizzes, 1 final literary assessment, 1 map literary assessment, and essays.

Vocabulary Resources: Teaching vocabulary is an important part of any lesson. The vocabulary resources will help students learn, acquire, and utilize new words in their writing and speaking. The vocabulary resources will assist students in building their own vocabulary and engage them in varied activities to maximize their vocabulary’s expansion. The resources include materials to help teach 30 frequently used words and/or 30 challenging vocabulary words in Children of Blood and Bone and build your students’ vocabulary knowledge. The crossword puzzles, graphic organizers, activities, and quizzes provide opportunities for differentiation to suit the needs of the classroom.

CCSS Alignment and Pacing Guide (*Bonus Material): The alignment guide provides a list of the resources and the standards that are weaved into the fabric of that resource. The pacing guide outlines a suggested schedule of lessons, readings, and activities in order to complete a 6-WEEK study of Children of Blood and Bone. The pacing guide may need to be adjusted to meet the rhythm of your classroom and needs of your students.

PLEASE NOTE: This resource is NOT EDITABLE! It is intended to be comprehensive, but if you have particular needs for your classroom, please contact me! (lauren@lit-lessons.com)