Title: Swindle (Korman,
G. (2008). Swindle. New York: Scholastic Press.)
Author: Gordon
Korman
Copyright 2008 Gordon Korman
Published by:
Scholastic Press- New York
Reading level: ages 9-12, Grades 4-7, Lexile level 710L
Suggested Delivery:
Read aloud
Exhilarating,
Entertaining, Delightful, Motivating, Captivating
Summary: Swindle by Gordon Korman is a 4th to 7th
grade fiction novel that captivates its audience with suspense as a group of
elementary students devise a plan to take back what is rightfully theirs- a
rare million dollar baseball card which was they were cheated out of when sold
to a pawn shop owner. The students lead
the reader through their well thought out plan while they try to prove to
adults in Cedarville, NY that kids are just as capable as adults when they work
together and put their minds to it. This
novel is a great entertaining read while the pages keep the reader intrigued by
the students plan to accomplish one of the most challenging burglaries in all
the history of the quaint little town of Cedarville.
Electronic resources to support reading:
a. Here
students can visit this website either before or during their reading
adventures to learn more about the author who wrote Swindle. Gordon Korman has a
biography, guestbook, and reviews for the students to read to engage with the
author. This website will also lead
children to other books in the series and provide them with the titles of book
written by Gordon Korman. It is also a
good idea to teach students to become more familiar with the author, and Korman
is known for his engaging texts, even for students who do not favor reading.
a. This
is a website for students to visit during or after reading Swindle. By navigating through this website, students
are able to read a quick summary of the text, answer questions to deepen engagement
in the text, play games and participate in quizzes related to Swindle, and learn more about the author
himself. This is the most unique and
helpful website I have found to encourage student engagement with technology. Through the use of technology, students are
able to use entertaining ways to further their literacy learning.
Teaching suggestions:
1.
Vocabulary:
a. Illuminated
b. Admonished
c. Tantalizing
d. Dilapidated
e. Cadaverous
f. Beseechingly
g. Rapt
h. Dubiously
i. Flitted
j. Trepidation
k. Converged
l. Malevolent
m. Flanked
2.
Teaching suggestions:
a. Before
reading: The teacher can have students
imagine something that they value greatly in their possession. Then have the students imagine that item was
stolen. The students can write a brief
paragraph reflecting on what it would feel like to have their valuable stolen
from them. The students will be able to
think about what emotions they may feel and what it means to have something
stolen from them. This is a great
pre-reading activity because it encourages students to think about the moral
aspect of stealing and encourages them to relate to the characters and emotions
they may have felt throughout the story as they attempt to steal something that
they feel was mischievously “stolen” from them.
b. During
reading: Engage in oral questions
throughout the text during read aloud.
Encourage all students to participate in these questions by randomly
calling on students. Questions for
engagement:
i. Pg
26: Why would Palomino put the card in
the safe?
ii. Pg
41: What should Griffin have done with
the card? What do you think he will do
now?
iii. Pg
51: Why is Ben declining his
faithfulness to Griffin? What could he
be afraid of?
iv. Pg
73: What made Griffin think Palomino was
a Star Trek fan?
v. Pg
117: What do you think Ben is
thinking? What caught his attention?
vi. Pg
181: Where is Melissa? Why does Logan think she is in the bushes?
vii. Pg
187: What did Ben see?
c. After
reading: Have students participate in a
literature discussion by dividing the students into groups of 4-5 students. Give
them specific questions to discuss, such as: What was the plot of the story? Outline the characters and their job
functions throughout the story? Describe Griffin and Ben’s relationship
throughout the text. Have each group
tape record their discussion and provide a time limit of 20 minutes to discuss
the story. By collaborating with other
peers who have also heard the story in the read aloud, students can deepen
their understanding of the text. One student
should take notes for the group. After
the literature discussion each group will orally share their notes with the
class to conclude with a whole class discussion lead by the teacher.
3.
Writing activity:
a. Students
will write a one page, three paragraph essay about how they might change the
ending of the story. This narrative
writing assignment will provide students the opportunity to broaden their
storytelling creative skills and practice their literary writing skills. The students should provide a well thought
out and thorough conclusion to the original plot of the text.
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