Focus: This Novel Study Guide contains nearly everything needed to facilitate a novel study—the only thing you will supply is the trade book. (The Science of Breakable, Things, by Tae Keller; Random House; (304p) ISBN 978-1-5247-1566-3.)
The Science of Breakable Things is a remarkable middle-grade novel about a seventh grader, Natalie, and her attempts to “grow a miracle”: to win an egg drop contest (and its prize money) and buy her mother—a botanist struggling with depression—a rare Cobalt Blue Orchid. Simultaneously, Natalie navigates the challenges of adolescent friendships, learning that sometimes what she thinks about others is not always accurate.
Additional Search Terms: botany • physics • health • social-emotional learning
Number of Lessons and Lesson Time: The Science of Breakable Things is not divided into chapters but is instead grouped by steps and assignments. Students will read “assignments” rather than “chapters,” and the detailed guide uses these labels for consistency’s sake. For each reading selection, this guide contains a Blackline Master of activities, divided into five categories. Teachers should review the guide to assess how much time they wish to dedicate to each area of learning.
