The Westing Game

I have not wrote much about the school year because I have been trying to leave work at school and not drag it into the house. Not always easy, but a definite improvement since my first year in 6th grade. We have been reading The Westing Game in my Language Arts's classes. I put off reading it in the past because of its complex plot, but since I have the GT cluster this year, I thought I would give it a go. It has been so much fun reading this with the students. I am surprised that I had not read the book when I was in school. I actually don't really remember hearing much about it until a few years ago. We started the book at the beginning of March and usually read two chapters a day. We are five chapters away from the ending, and we are now on spring break. I thought the kids were going to revolt when I told them we would finish it after break. So many of them just want to find out how it ends. A few students, who have checked out their own copies of the book, said they would try their best to not read it while on break...but they could not promise. I have to admit that I stayed a bit later after school yesterday to finish the book. I read it last summer, but it is such a confusing plot that I forgot how it ended. What I have enjoyed the most is hearing the students talk about the book. They have made some really insightful comments about characters, events, and even the author. It is always my goal to have the students really "talk" about what they are reading, at a deeper level. I cannot wait to see what they think when we reach the last page. A few of them have part of the mystery figured out, but they are going to be shocked!

If you have never read this book, I highly recommend it!