relating adolescence to metamorphosis

That was the author's suggestion. I can see where there are a lot of similarities. The authors used this as a "hook" to encourage students to develop questions and then research the answers ... See More

That was the author's suggestion. I can see where there are a lot of similarities. The authors used this as a "hook" to encourage students to develop questions and then research the answers as they did an observational unit on the life cycles of moths and butterflies. The authors describe this as an opening unit for the year with high student interest. My students hatched a butterfly a few years ago and enjoyed it very much with lots of questions so I can see there would be interest.

Make It Real!

To hook students in middle school to reading you must find a topic that interests them. Everyone who has taught middle school pretty much knows that. Basing a unit on a living thing that w... See More

To hook students in middle school to reading you must find a topic that interests them. Everyone who has taught middle school pretty much knows that. Basing a unit on a living thing that will go through the process of metamorphosis in the classroom so that students can make observations and generate questions might be a good way to motivate students. Recording observations on one side of a T chart and having students write questions about what they see on the left column starts the process of students learning by answering their own questions. This is not a unique approach but a good one for reluctant readers.