Treat your middle school students to the best in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with Junior Great Books® Series 6–8. These readings, from a range of cultures and time periods, are unlike any collections you will find anywhere else. The richness of the literature supports deep exploration, collaborative discussion, and extended writing in each unit.

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“We can all come together, discuss a topic, think about other people’s opinions about the book, and have really productive conversations about it.”

—Dimitri
Eighth-Grade Junior Great Books Student

Download Free Sample Lesson Plans

Download your free Junior Great Books Series 6–8 sample lesson plans today to get an inside look at this engaging set of materials! These lesson plans highlight the student and teacher materials, and include:

  • Features and benefits of Junior Great Books Series 6–8
  • The unit overview and full text for two selections:
    • “Friends of the Hide” by Timothy Egan
    • “At work with my father” by Eve L. Ewing

Each Student Book in the series has:

  • Twenty rich, discussable texts, including 10 fiction selections, 8 nonfiction texts, and 2 poems
  • Headnotes that include biographical information on each author, as well as background and contextual information for each text
  • Informational pages with Shared Inquiry™ guidelines
  • An introduction to each genre to familiarize students with what to expect before they read

Teacher’s materials include:

  • Teachers Edition with:
    • Easy-to-follow activity instructions on conducting each activity
    • Unit overviews with planning details
    • Activity sessions planning chart to help you meet curriculum goals
    • Support and Challenge options to help you differentiate instruction
  • Online Resources, including:
    • Discussion planner and question testing chart for teachers
    • Writing materials that include evidence organizers, drafting guides, and peer review checklists for students
    • Related readings for each text
    • A full range of assessment materials

Try the Materials, Then Learn More

We invite you to download the lesson plans, read each selection with your students, and conduct as many of the interpretive activities as you feel comfortable leading. Then, to learn more and find out about implementing Junior Great Books with your students, please get in touch with your Great Books partnership manager. We look forward to speaking with you!