📚 Book Circle – Read, Think, and Talk

This book circle will last for five lessons and will finish on the 2nd of May (Friday). 

Every lesson Sara will have book talks with certain students. I will pick 2-3 students who will explain the quotes they have chosen and explain why. We will also discuss the questions below "Discussion questions". 

So two things to keep track of: 

* make sure you write "text and thoughts" in your notebook every lesson 

* be prepared to talk about your quotes. 

How to Choose a Book or Extract

1. Choose from two options:

   • Read a whole book (if you enjoy reading full stories and can finish a whole book before the 2nd of May)

   • Read an exciting extract (if you want to focus on a short, interesting part).

2. Browse these free books online and pick one: (or choose one of Sara's or bring your own)

• 📖 Free online books

• Ask yourself:

• Does the book sound interesting? 

• Is the language level okay for me?

• Can I understand the first page? 

3. Let Sara know which one you choose. 

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Option 1: Read a Whole Book

🎯 Assignment while reading.

Use your notebook: 

• Write down 5-10  new words per lesson. Look them up so you know the meaning. 

• When you have read 10 pages: Find a quote you like and explain why. Write about it in your notebook. Continue using the same method every tenth page: 

• Here's an example from The Hunger Games:

  📖 Quote:
  "May the odds be ever in your favour."

  💭 Thought:
  This sentence is supposed to sound encouraging, but it actually feels cold and unfair. The Games are dangerous, and luck should not decide who survives. It makes me think about power and control in the story.

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Option 2: Read an Exciting Extract

📖 What is an extract?
An extract is a short, exciting part of a book. You can read:

1. The beginning (to see if you want to continue reading).

2. A dramatic moment (a fight, discovery, or emotional scene).

3. A mystery or cliffhanger (to make you curious).

🔹 Examples of Exciting Extracts (Modern & Classic, Free & Online)

Book Title	Scene	Genre
The Hunger Games	The Reaping Scene	Dystopian / Action
The Hate U Give	The police shooting scene	YA / Social Issues
Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief	Percy discovers he’s not normal	YA / Fantasy
The Call of the Wild	Buck’s first fight for survival	Adventure / Classic
The War of the Worlds	The aliens arrive	Sci-Fi
Frankenstein	The monster comes to life	Horror / Classic

• 🎯 Assignment while reading.

  Use your notebook: 

  • Write down 5-10  new words per lesson. Look them up so you know the meaning. 

  • When you have read 10 pages: Find a quote you like and explain why. Write about it in your notebook. Continue using the same method every tenth page: 

  • Here's an example from The Hunger Games:

    📖 Quote:
    "May the odds be ever in your favour."

    💭 Thought:
    This sentence is supposed to sound encouraging, but it actually feels cold and unfair. The Games are dangerous, and luck should not decide who survives. It makes me think about power and control in the story.

Discussion Questions 

💬 Four Key Questions for Any Book or Extract:

1. What did you like and why? (A scene, a character, a sentence?)

2. What did you dislike and why? (Something boring, confusing, or strange?)

3. What was surprising? (A twist, a secret, an unexpected event?)

4. What questions do you have? (About the story, the characters, or the author?)

📢 Extra Questions:

• If you could change something in the story, what would it be?

• If this book became a movie, who would play the characters and why? 

• If you met the main character, what would you ask them?

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Final Thoughts

This book circle helps you:
✔ Read in English and understand the story.
✔ Think critically about books.
✔ Learn new words.
✔ Share your thoughts with others.

👉 Now, go choose your book or extract – and start reading! 📚😊

Superheroes and Superpowers

 Superheroes and Superpowers

          (If you are a teacher and find this theme you need to know that I plan about 5 weeks for it. In the blog, you find the whole theme. During class I take parts of it and give instructions in Google Classroom.) 

You don’t need a cape, a mask, or disguise,

The power you seek is right there inside.

Courage and kindness are your greatest tools,

In a world full of chaos, compassion rules.

Be the hero you dream of; start here, start now,

With love in your heart, take your hero’s vow.

- Do you know the superheroes? 

First of all, I would like to know if you know the Swedish meaning of the words we will work with. 

Paper and pencils! Which alternative is correct? A, B or C? 

Superpowers- förförståelse på svenska

Before we move on we will look at some words and play Quizlet live. 

Quizlet - superpowers!

1. Courageous - Modig
2. Strong - Stark
3. Fast - Snabb
4. Intelligent - Intelligent
5. Quick-thinking - Snabb i tanken
6. Empathetic - Empatisk, förstå andra människors känslor
7. Just - Rättvis
8. Enduring - Uthållig
9. Self-controlled - Självkontrollerad
10. Determined - Beslutsam
11. Brave - Hjältemodig
12. Loyal - Lojal, man är pålitlig, "bror"
13. Honest - Ärlig
14. Resourceful - Påhittig, uppfinningsrik 
15. Compassionate - Medkännande, man vill hjälpa andra som har det svårt
16. Optimistic - Optimistisk, tror att framtiden blir bra. Det ordnar sig!
17. Patient - Tålmodig, kunna hantera svåra situationer utan att bli irriterad
18. Creative - Kreativ, komma på nya ideér 
19. Independent - Självständig
20. Hardworking - Arbetsam
21. Reliable - Pålitlig
22. Disciplined - Disciplinerad
23. Humble - Ödmjuk, inte överdriva sina förmågor, visa respekt för andra
24. Fair - Rättvis
25. Generous - Generös, delar gärna med sig tex av tid, pengar, känslor. Vill hjälpa andra

What makes a superhero powerful? 

* Discuss in pairs and decide which traits (egenskaper) are important for a superhero. 

Idiomatic expressions 

An idiomatic expression is a phrase whose meaning differs from the literal interpretation of the individual words. It often has a cultural or figurative meaning that native speakers understand but can be confusing for non-native speakers.

For example, "kick the bucket" means "to die," not literally kicking a bucket.

When it comes to superheroes, idiomatic expressions can be used to describe their actions or characteristics in a creative, figurative way. For example:

• "Save the day" means solving a problem or fixing a situation, similar to what superheroes do when they defeat villains and protect the world.
• "Bite the bullet" means to endure a difficult situation, like a superhero facing a tough challenge to save others.

Below there are idiomatic expressions that I would like you to learn: 

Save the day – Rädda situationen
The superhero arrived just in time to save the day. (Manage to make it successful.)
(Superhjälten kom precis i tid för att rädda situationen.)


Take a leap of faith – Våga lita på 
He had to take a leap of faith and trust his new superpower.
(Han var tvungen att våga lita på sin nya superkraft.)


Face the music – Ta konsekvenserna
After failing his mission, he had to face the music.
(Efter att ha misslyckats med sitt uppdrag var han tvungen att ta konsekvenserna.)


Rise to the occasion – Klara av utmaningen
When the city was in danger, the hero rose to the occasion.
(När staden var i fara klarade hjälten av utmaningen.)


Bite the bullet – Bita ihop, kämpa
The hero had to bite the bullet and enter the villain’s lair.
(Hjälten var tvungen att bita ihop och gå in i skurkens gömställe.)


Go the extra mile – Göra det lilla extra
She always goes the extra mile to help those in need.
(Hon gör alltid det lilla extra för att hjälpa de som behöver det.)


Throw in the towel – Kasta in handduken, ge upp
Even when things got tough, the hero refused to throw in the towel.
(Även när det blev tufft vägrade hjälten att kasta in handduken. (Ge upp)


Keep your chin up – Håll huvudet högt, vara stolt 
He told her to keep her chin up after their first defeat.
(Han sa åt henne att hålla huvudet högt efter deras första nederlag.)


Break the ice – Bryta isen, lätta upp stämningen
The hero broke the ice by cracking a joke before the battle.
(Hjälten bröt isen genom att dra ett skämt före striden.)


Burn the midnight oil – Jobba sent på natten
The scientist burned the midnight oil to create the hero’s new suit.
(Forskaren jobbade sent på natten för att skapa hjältens nya dräkt.)


Have a heart of gold – Ha ett hjärta av guld, vara snäll och omtänksam 
The superhero may be tough, but he has a heart of gold.
(Superhjälten kanske är tuff, men han har ett hjärta av guld.)


Hold the fort – Hålla ställningarna, ansvara för
The sidekick held the fort while the hero went on a mission.
(Medhjälparen höll ställningarna medan hjälten var ute på uppdrag.)


Fight fire with fire – Bekämpa eld med eld, slå tillbaka med samma mynt, samma sak
To defeat the villain, he had to fight fire with fire.
(För att besegra skurken var han tvungen att bekämpa eld med eld.)


Out of the blue – Helt oväntat, som en blixt från en klar himmel 
The superhero appeared out of the blue to save them.
(Superhjälten dök upp som en blixt från en klar himmel för att rädda dem.)


The sky’s the limit – Det finns inga gränser
With her new powers, the sky’s the limit for what she can achieve.
(Med sina nya krafter finns det inga gränser för vad hon kan uppnå.)

Here you can find all the words and idiomatic expressions in a Google doc plus Quizlet.   

 

Speaking!

 

Work in pairs

In front of you, you have different dialogues.

Read the dialogues and help each other understand them. 

Continue the conversation with at least 5 more sentences. 

Write your sentences in your notebook.

Show Sara what you have written.

Practice so you know your lines by heart. 

Act it out! 

1. The Missing Homework

Teacher: Why didn’t you do your homework?
Student: My dog ate it.
Teacher: Again? That’s the third time this week!
Student: He really loves learning.
Teacher: (laughs) What do you think your dog will eat next?
Student: Hmm… maybe…

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2. The Talking Parrot

Friend 1: Did you hear about my new parrot?
Friend 2: No, what’s special about it?
Friend 1: It speaks five languages!
Friend 2: Wow! What does it say?
Friend 1: Mostly “I’m hungry!”
Friend 2: What would you teach it to say next?
Friend 1: I think I’d teach it to say...

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3. The Birthday Cake

Customer: Excuse me, I ordered a birthday cake, but it’s wrong.
Baker: What’s wrong?
Customer: It says, “Happy Dirt Day” instead of “Happy Birthday”!
Baker: Oh no! What should we do now?
Customer: Hmm, maybe we can…

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4. The Lost Phone

Friend 1: I lost my phone yesterday.
Friend 2: Oh no! Where did you see it last?
Friend 1: I think I left it in the fridge.
Friend 2: The fridge?! Why?
Friend 1: I was… well… what would you do if you lost your phone?

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5. The Robot Waiter

Customer: Excuse me, my robot waiter just brought me a shoe instead of my dinner.
Waiter (Robot Voice): Error. Shoe equals food.
Customer: No, no, I want pizza!
Waiter: Pizza not available. Would you like…?

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6. The New Neighbour

Person 1: I think my new neighbour is a spy.
Person 2: A spy? Why do you think that?
Person 1: They always wear sunglasses… even at night!
Person 2: That’s strange. What else have you noticed?
Person 1: Well, yesterday I saw…

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7. The Alien at School

Friend 1: Did you see the new student?
Friend 2: Yes, but they’re… different.
Friend 1: I think they might be an alien.
Friend 2: An alien? Why?
Friend 1: They don’t eat food. They just…

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8. The Time Machine

Friend 1: Guess what? I built a time machine!
Friend 2: What? Really? Where will you go first?
Friend 1: I’m going to visit the dinosaurs.
Friend 2: That’s dangerous! What if…?
Friend 1: Hmm, good point. Maybe I should go to…

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9. The Talking Dog

Friend 1: You won’t believe it—I saw a dog talking today!
Friend 2: A talking dog? What did it say?
Friend 1: It said, “Stop staring at me!”
Friend 2: (laughs) That’s crazy! What would you ask it if you could talk to it?
Friend 1: Hmm… I think I’d ask…

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10. The Floating Chair

Person 1: My chair just started floating in the air!
Person 2: Floating? Are you serious?
Person 1: Yes! Look, it’s up by the ceiling now.
Person 2: That’s so weird. What do you think is causing it?
Person 1: Maybe it’s because…

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11. The Invisible Friend

Friend 1: My best friend is invisible.
Friend 2: Invisible? How do you know they’re real?
Friend 1: They help me with my homework!
Friend 2: (laughs) If I had an invisible friend, I’d ask them to…

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12. The Magic Pencil

Friend 1: I found a pencil that writes by itself.
Friend 2: No way! What does it write?
Friend 1: It wrote, “I’m hungry. Feed me.”
Friend 2: (laughs) What do you feed a pencil?
Friend 1: I don’t know! Maybe I’ll try…

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13. The Loud Neighbour

Person 1: My neighbour plays music so loud I can’t sleep.
Person 2: That’s annoying. What kind of music?
Person 1: Heavy metal at midnight!
Person 2: Wow. What would you say to them?
Person 1: I think I’d say…

Matilda!

 Matilda - Roald Dahl 

What do you think the book will be about? 

Have you ever heard about Roald Dahl?

Roald Dahl is a very famous author. Perhaps you have watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp?

He is also the author of the book that we are going to read: Matilda.

1. First of all, work on your own and write down 5 words that you think of when you see the cover of the book.
2. Compare your words with your neighbour - which words are the same and which are not?
Be prepared to tell the whole class about your thoughts.

Before we start reading - discuss the questions below with your neighbour. Take notes since I want you to be able to tell the whole class as well. 

1. Do you remember how old you were when you started reading?
2. What was the first book that you read and what was it about?
3. Do you remember your first day at school, when you were 6-7 years old? What happened and how did you feel?
 

Before reading! 

1. Quizlet / Quizlet live. We will take a look at some words that you will find in the text. 

First of all, work individually and if it works... we will try Quizlet live! 

2. I will read the first chapters to you. 

3. You listen and underline words you don't understand. 

4. Together we will collect words and I will help you understand them. 

After reading chapters 1-4 :

Go to Trelson and answer the questions below: 

1. Describe who the person is: 
a  Matilda
b  Mr. Wormwood
c  Mrs. Phelps

2.
a What can Matilda do at the age of one and a half?
b What can Matilda do at the age of three?
c What can Matilda do at the age of four?
d Why does Mrs. Phelps watch Matilda with surprise and excitement?
e Why doesn’t Mr. Wormwood want Matilda to read books?

3.
Do you think Mr. Wormwood is a good father? Why or why not? Write 3-5 sentences and motivate your opinions. 

4. "But that's dishonest, daddy," Matilda said. "It's cheating." 

What does Matilda mean? Why is her dad being dishonest? 

5.  Tell me 2 things that you liked about the chapters? 

2 things that you disliked? 

Do you have any questions? Anything you didn't understand?

Before reading chapters 5-6 

What would you do if someone underestimated or mistreated you because you were young?

What does it mean to be clever in a way that surprises others?

Together we will read chapters 4-6

In pairs answer the questions below: 

Both of you write your answers in Trelson, but you may also talk to and help each other. 

a How old is Matilda when she goes to school for the first time? 

b How many children does Crunchem Hall have? 

c How many other children are in Matilda’s group? 

d How old is Miss Honey?

How many miles are Miss Trunchbull’s car on the clock?

h How old is Hortensia?

i How many times was Hortensia in The Chokey in her first year? 

k Why does Matilda start going to school later than other children?

l Why does Miss Honey try to stay calm when Matilda multiplies twelve sevens? 

m Why does Miss Honey go to see Miss Trunchbull?

n Why does Miss Trunchbull like Mr Wormwood? …

o Why does Miss Trunchbull think Matilda is a bad girl? … 

p Why does Miss Honey go to see Matilda’s parents? … 

q Why doesn’t Mr Wormwood want to see Miss Honey? … 

r Why does Miss Trunchbull put children in The Chokey? …

s Why doesn’t Miss Trunchbull like Amanda’s hair? …

t Why does Miss Trunchbull make Bruce eat the cake? 

Let's finish the book! 

Read chapters 7-9. 

Final assignment

First, plan your essay. Create a mind map. 

Show Sara! 

Then go to Trelson and write your essay. Write at least 150 words, size 12. 

1. Standing Up for What’s Right

Matilda often stands up against unfairness. Write about a moment in the book where she showed bravery. Would you have done the same thing? Why or why not? 

Have you ever stood up for someone or something? What happened? 

2. The Perfect Teacher

Miss Honey is described as kind and caring. What qualities make her a good teacher? Do you think she is the perfect teacher? Why or why not?

What is a perfect teacher for you? Explain, give examples and motivate your opinions. 

3. Your Own Ending
Imagine a different ending for Matilda. What would happen to Matilda, Miss Honey, and miss Trunchbull? Write about your new version of the ending i.e. write a new last chapter!