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Wonder by RJ Palacio.

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Writing a Personal Narrative

How to format an essay.

An important part of planning a paragraph is knowing your _____________ for writing. An important part of planning a paragraph is knowing your _____________.

Research Introductory Paragraph and Concluding Paragraph Do we know where to begin? How about end?

Title of Book Author Anita Sego. Information About Book When was it written? Who published it? What other books has the author written?

By: Group E Period A Dr. Maan Wonder BY R. J. Palacio.

Slow Way Home: Unit I Lesson 2 Slow Way Home Chapter 2 Brainstorming Memories Milinda Jay, Ph. D.

TKAM Outline Format Likeable/Unlikable Character.

Wonder By R.J Palacio.

Reader’s Notebook GOAL: I WILL USE MY READER’S NOTEBOOK TO HELP FACILITATE MY COMPREHENSION OF MY NOVEL BY COMPLETING ACTIVITIES USING READING SKILLS AND.

Reader’s Notebook Goal: I will use my Reader’s Notebook to help facilitate my comprehension of my novel by completing activities using reading skills and.

Explicit Textual Evidence. When we read, we are often asked to __________ questions or __________ our ideas about the text.

PowerPoint and trailer by Carson, Adam, and Ryan.

Narrative Writing Mrs. Rogers. Purpose of Narrative Writing To tell a story, or part of a story. To re-create an experience. To reveal an insight about.

Comparisons. Can you think of a book with a similar theme? Can you think of a book which starts the same way?

“WONDER” BY R.J PALACIO. INTRO “Wonder” by R.J Palacio is about a 10 year old boy, Auggie, who was born with a extreme facial abnormality. As he starts.

Disablist Bullying. My friends make me give them sweets. They say they won’t be my friends if I don’t. But they never give me anything. Mary I haven’t.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

Cyberlesson by Mrs. Davis for class Integration of Knowledge & Ideas: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar.

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Backseat Book Club

How one unkind moment gave way to 'wonder'.

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In Wonder, R.J. Palacio tells the story of Auggie, a tough, sweet, 10-year-old boy, who was born with distorted facial features — a "craniofacial difference" caused by an anomaly in his DNA.

Palacio tells NPR's Michele Norris that the book was inspired by a real-life encounter with her own kids six years ago. They were at an ice cream store and sat next to a little girl with a severe facial deformity. Palacio's 3-year-old son cried in fear, so the author grabbed her kids and fled. She was trying to protect the girl but also avoid her own discomfort.

"I was really angry at myself afterwards for the way I had responded," she admits. "What I should have done is simply turned to the little girl and started up a conversation and shown my kids that there was nothing to be afraid of. But instead what I ended up doing was leaving the scene so quickly that I missed that opportunity to turn the situation into a great teaching moment for my kids. And that got me thinking a lot about what it must be like to ... have to face a world every day that doesn't know how to face you back."

Palacio started writing the book that night. She says Auggie's character came to her fully formed. The book opens as he enters school and the story unfolds from several points of view — we get the perspective of his sister, his parents, his best friends, the do-gooders and the mean kids. One of Auggie's teacher challenges the kids: "When given the choice between being right, or being kind, choose kind."

And at the center of all these stories is the same challenge Palacio faced back at the ice cream store: how to confront the discomfort around difference; how to "choose kindness."

The book has made an impact. Wonder has been a best-seller, and the book has been embraced by towns, schools and the craniofacial community. The books has inspired readers to write songs, poems, chapters from different points of view; send cards; and even celebrate Auggie's birthday. Palacio is humbled by the reaction.

Interview Highlights

Before she published her first novel, Wonder, R.J. Palacio was a book jacket designer. (She says she didn't design the cover of Wonder but she absolutely loves it.) Russell Gordon/Random House hide caption

Before she published her first novel, Wonder, R.J. Palacio was a book jacket designer. (She says she didn't design the cover of Wonder but she absolutely loves it.)

On how surprised she was by the movement Wonder sparked

Little did I know — I mean the "choose kind" quote was not mine. It's one that I heard a couple years ago, by [author and motivational speaker] Wayne Dyer, and I put it in there because I think it's such a beautiful quote, and it's so true. And it's something that really resonates with kids, because they kind of get it right away. You know, sometimes because especially at that age, you're in an argument with a friend and you know you're right, [but] you need reminding that ultimately the important thing is to choose to be kind, not choose to be right.

On Auggie's friend Summer

Summer is a character who is in the fifth grade and befriends Auggie almost from the instant she meets him. There's no one sitting with him at lunchtime, and she feels sorry for him. So that's why she's motivated to sit down with him, but she soon realizes that he's just a great kid, he's a fun kid, he's really funny. ... So she might've felt sorry for him the first day, but after that she decides to sit down with him at lunchtime — that's their little time together — because she really just likes his company.

Next Month's Book

For October, we'll be reading Plunked by Michael Northrop. It tells the story of sixth-grader Jack Mogens, who must work to overcome his fears after he gets hit by a pitch in a baseball game. Please send us your questions for Northrop. You can also tweet your questions to @nprbackseat .

On the difference between Summer and Charlotte, another girl at the school

So, Summer epitomizes that idea of choosing to be kind. Charlotte, on the other hand, is a character who is asked to befriend Auggie and she does, but in a very distant way. She never really goes out of her way to be friends with Auggie. She's friendly enough, but always kind of from a distance. She'll wave at him, she'll say "Hey Auggie," she's not one of the kids that's mean to him, but she never really pushes herself to do anything other than be friendly. So to me she kind of symbolizes the whole notion of ... there's a difference between being nice and choosing kind. ... I wish with all my heart that I could say that I would have been like Summer but, if I'm completely honest, I would say I was probably more like Charlotte when I was that age. I probably would have been nice — I know I was never mean — but I don't think I went out of my way to be as kind as I could have been.

Hear Another Interview With Palacio

Author Interviews

'wonder' what it's like to have kids stare at you.

On an email she got from a 91-year-old woman

She wrote to say that, you know, she's had a wonderful life, but when she read Wonder she was reminded of something that had happened to her in a lunchroom when she was 13 years old, where some girls were somewhat cruel to her. I read it to kids when I speak to them, because it reminds them just how much their actions are remembered by people, and do you want to be remembered eight decades later by someone for an act of unkindness or an act of kindness? Your actions are remembered, and you have the power to not only make someone's day but to change someone's life.

More Great Reads For Backseat Kids

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On how Wonder has unexpectedly made Palacio an advocate for children born with craniofacial differences

In a way it's a beautiful thing for me, because it seems like a chance for me to do over that one unfortunate situation that happened in front of the ice cream store. There's a certain act of atonement here, and the fact that maybe I'm helping this little girl, without her knowing, in some way because of Wonder — really, there's a nice little irony that is pretty special for me.

Special thanks to Mrs. Roth and Mr. Atwell's fifth-grade classes at Hyde-Addison Elementary School in Washington, D.C., for helping us out this month.

By R. J. Palacio

Homeschooled Auggie begins middle school at Beecher Prep and faces bullying and discrimination by his classmates because of his looks.

About the Book

Article written by Ebuka Igbokwe

Bachelor's degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

R. J. Palacio’s ‘ Wonder ’ tells the story of August ‘Auggie’ Pullman, a boy with a craniofacial deformity that kept him from school, getting to attend school for the first time. It deals with issues such as kindness, empathy, self-acceptance, and discrimination against people with disabilities.

Spoiler-Free Summary

August ‘Auggie’ Pullman is a ten-year-old boy born with a congenital disability that caused an abnormal development of his facial features. This has caused him to undergo several surgeries to correct his disability, but he still looks noticeably different from other children his age. Until the events of ‘ Wonder ,’ Auggie had been homeschooled, but his parents decided to start him in Beecher Prep Middle School, and he has to come to terms with a new school life.

Full Summary of Wonder

Warning – This article contains important details and spoilers

‘ Wonder ’ is told from the first-person perspective of several of the book’s characters . It is divided into eight parts, each named after the character from whose viewpoint the section is narrated.

Part One: August

The story opens with the protagonist, August, introducing himself as an ordinary ten-year-old kid others see as extraordinary. He is starting school for the first time and is scared at the prospect. He had never gone to school before and had been homeschooled because he had been in and out of hospitals to get reconstructive surgeries done on his face. He has Treacher-Collins Syndrome, which affected the development of his facial features. His appearance sets people off, which is one reason he is apprehensive about starting school, as he worries his schoolmates will discriminate against him because of his looks.

His parents and Mr. Tushman, the school principal, organized a visit before school started to give August a feel for his new school. Three of his would-be classmates—Jack Will, Charlotte, and Julian—take August on a school tour.

He is jittery on the first day at school but soon settles in. The new classmates avoid sitting close to him, but Jack Will takes the initiative and sits beside him. They introduce themselves, and Julian makes subtle mean remarks about his face in a way that the teacher does not notice, and it is evident to August that he is deliberately unpleasant. In English class, their teacher invites them to think about precepts, which are fundamental general rules about life, and note a precept every month. The first precept is about kindness.

At lunch, everyone avoids his table except a girl named Summer, and they become friends. However, for the rest of September, he has difficulty adjusting to the stares he is getting from his schoolmates and how they are avoiding him. Julian is particularly mean to Auggie and often taunts him. However, Auggie is happy about his friendships with Jack, Will, and Summer.

Wearing a costume on Halloween, he overhears Jack Will telling Julian and a group of boys that he was friends with August only because Mr. Tushman asked him. This hurts August deeply, and he calls in sick at the school clinic, and his mother comes to take him home. He does not return to school for the rest of the week.

Part Two: Via

The story switches to Via’s point of view, and she narrates how August’s special conditions make everyone in their home revolve around him to attend to his needs. Still, she believes the situation is changing slightly.

Via describes August’s deformity and the difficulties they cause him and the family. Because of his health, he needs much attention from his parents and Via. Because of this, her parents often ignore Via, but she understands and tries not to make an issue out of it.

As August is beginning middle school, Via is starting at a new high school, and she is glad at the opportunity to create a new life as Olivia and not Via, Auggie’s brother. She meets Ella and Miranda, her close friends from middle school who had also known Auggie, and thinks they have become cool towards her. She decides to separate herself from her old friends.

While Via is going through her changes at school, she is somewhat miffed that her mother, occupied with Auggie’s problems, has no time for her, but she holds her peace as she is wont to. Meanwhile, Miranda and Ella make new friends in school, and Via goes on to make her own friends.

Via notices that Auggie does not go trick-or-treating that Halloween, and when she prods him, he tells her about Jack Will’s betrayal. Via sympathizes with him but assures him that he cannot feign sickness forever and will have to return to school sometime. She convinces August to return to school but ignores Jack Will.

Part Three: Summer

This part features the narrative picked up from Summer’s viewpoint. Her classmates wonder why she is friends with August, who they think of as a freak. Summer believes she initially approaches him out of pity but likes him. She is angry at her classmates for avoiding August.

She is invited to a Halloween party by the popular kids. Savanna, the host, suggests that Julian wants to be friends with her, and the cool kids would like her to join their group, but on the condition that she stop hanging out with August, who they call Zombie Kid. Summer is offended by this suggestion and makes an excuse to leave the party early.

Summer approaches August at school to discuss working with him on a class project, but she finds August withdrawn and rude. August wonders aloud whether she is his friend because Principal Tushman asked her, just like he requested Jack Will. August’s accusation offends Summer, and he apologizes for suspecting her motives. He then reveals to her what Jack Will said on Halloween.

Summer and August collaborate on their class project and get to know each other better. At the presentation of the projects at school, Jack meets Summer and asks her why August no longer speaks with him. Because August swore her to secrecy, she cannot tell him directly, so she gives him a hint.

Part Four: Jack

When the story switches to Jack, we return to the events before August begins school at Beecher Prep.

Jack Will’s mother receives a call from Principal Tushman asking that Jack Will be part of a student welcoming committee for a deformed new student, and Jack Will initially refuses. He has seen August before and wants to avoid him. He finally changes his mind and agrees because he feels sympathetic to August and knows how mean people can be, so he decides to be kind to him instead.

He finds August exciting and fun, and they become genuine friends. So, when August suddenly stops talking to him, he is surprised.

He initially does not understand Summer’s hint and thinks she is toying with him. The class is assigned a science fair project, and Jack Will wishes he was still friends with August, who is very good at science. He suddenly understands Summer’s clue and realizes that August overheard him talking badly about him to Julian and his friends.

At the moment of realization, Jack is abjectly sorry he said such mean things about August and feels terrible about his actions. At the same time, the science teacher, Ms. Rubin, groups the class into pairs for the project and couples Jack Will and August. Julian approaches and asks Jack Will to dump August, whom he calls ‘freak’, and become partners with him instead. This makes Jack Will so furious that he punches Julian.

Jack Will gets detention and is threatened with expulsion. He only gets suspended and has to write Julian an apology. Jack Will also writes August, asking for forgiveness, and they mend their friendship in an exchange of emails.

However, back at school, Jack Will finds he has become a pariah. Former friends will not talk to him. He discovers from Charlotte that Julian has turned the whole class against him for befriending August. They would not even sit with him at the lunch table. Sides are drawn, and only a few classmates take August’s side, while some are neutral, and others side with Julian.

Part Five: Justin

Justin describes meeting Auggie and Jack Will and hiding his shock at Auggie’s appearance. They are interested in him and his musical instrument, a zydeco. When he is alone with Via, she asks him whether he is freaked out, and he denies it. Eventually, he meets Via’s parents and is warmed by their interest in him and his music, an attention different from what he gets from his divorced parents. They return to the Pullman’s and find the family dog, Daisy, is very sick.

Justin and Via are preparing for a school play. Justin and Miranda have the lead roles, and Via is only an understudy for Miranda. Via helps Justin prepare for his role at her home. On his way home, he notices Julian and his friends being mean to Jack Will and scares them off.

Part Six: August

August and Jack still face discrimination in school, and they receive mean notes in their lockers from Julian’s group. However, the antagonism they receive is gradually reducing, and his classmates have started becoming friendly with him. August gets a hearing aid that improves his hearing.

When August’s mother finds out about Via’s school play, which she had kept secret, she is angry. August believes Via is trying to keep him a secret from her new school life, and they have a row over this. Via reprimands August for trying to make everything about him. That day, Daisy becomes so sick that she has to be euthanized, and the family reconciles over the tragedy.

Via brings tickets to the play, and August and his parents attend, hoping to see Miranda and Justin. However, Miranda called in sick at the last moment, and Justin and Via played the lead roles. Miranda meets August, and they are happy to see each other again.

Part Seven: Miranda

Miranda takes up the story from her days at camp before high school. Following her parent’s divorce, her father moves in with another woman, and her mother becomes distant. When she goes away to camp, she hates it but passes her time by making things up to tell her campmates, including having a deformed brother.

When she returns to school, she is disappointed that Via never asks her about her parents’ divorce, and she grows closer to Ella and separates from Via.

Through the beginning of high school, she notices Via and her new boyfriend, Justin. Miranda even signs up for a play because she sees Via is participating, and she gets a lead role with Justin.

She misses the Pullmans because she had always found them a welcoming and loving family, and she pays a visit, meeting August.

She gives up acting in the play because she has no family to watch her and feels Via deserves to play the lead. After the show, Miranda meets up with the Pullmans and Justin, and they invite her to have dinner with them.

Part Eight: August

Beecher Prep fifth graders go for an annual camping event for three days, and August is excited but a little awed because he’s never been to camp or even a sleepover. They had many fun activities in the camp. They are watching an outdoor movie one night, and Jack feels pressed, and August escorts him to the toilet. They meet a long line, and Jack relieves himself in the woods. On their return, they meet a group of middle schoolers from another school who make fun of August. Jack and August defend themselves, and other Beecher Prep boys join in and rescue August. Even though he loses his hearing aid in the melee, August wins the respect of his classmates when they hear how he handled himself in the fight. His mother comes to take him home early.

The story of the fight is embellished and spread across the school. The incident’s aftermath is that he is accepted by his classmates and other Beecher Prep schoolmates. Everyone in his class, except Julian, starts to treat him better.

August receives the Henry Beecher Award for being a notable or exemplary student at prom.

About Ebuka Igbokwe

Ebuka Igbokwe is the founder and former leader of a book club, the Liber Book Club, in 2016 and managed it for four years. Ebuka has also authored several children's books. He shares philosophical insights on his newsletter, Carefree Sketches and has published several short stories on a few literary blogs online.

Cite This Page

Igbokwe, Ebuka " Wonder Summary 📖 " Book Analysis , https://bookanalysis.com/r-j-palacio/wonder/summary/ . Accessed 12 April 2024.

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Wonder by r.j Palacio

Aug 14, 2014

760 likes | 2.91k Views

PowerPoint and trailer by Carson, Adam, and Ryan. Wonder by r.j Palacio. Summary.

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Presentation Transcript

PowerPoint and trailer by Carson, Adam, and Ryan Wonderby r.j Palacio

Summary • Born with several genetic abnormalities, 10-year-old August Pullman, called Auggie, dreams of being “ordinary.” Inside, he knows he’s like every other kid, but even after 27 surgeries, the central character of “Wonder” bears facial disfigurations so pronounced that people who see him for the first time do “that look-away thing” — if they manage to hide their shock and horror. • “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse,” he says of his face as the book begins. He’s used to the stares and mean comments, but he’s still terrified to learn that his parents have gotten him into middle school at Beecher Prep and want him to go there rather than be home-schooled. But they persuade him to give it a try — and by the time this rich and memorable first novel by R. J. Palacio is over, it’s not just Auggie but everyone around him who has changed.

Characters • August Pullman (Played By Adam B) • Via Pullman • Jack Will ( Played By Carson P) • Julian Jones (Played By Ryan T) • Summer Day • Charlotte Smith • Mr. Tushman • Mrs. Garcia • Mrs. Petosa • Miranda Kearney • Ella Friedman • Justin Mahoney

Rising Action • We as a group think that the rising action is this book is highlighted when August keeps getting bullied every day. We think he gets heated up from all the bullying and gets angry, and that’s when he decides to take a stand

Climax • The climax in this story was when August had his own side in the battle against Julian by getting all the neutrals on his team. Once he got enough he defeated the evil Julian and everyone decided to deal with him and get used to his face.

Falling Action • We think that the falling action is this story was when everyone decided to live with the fact that August’s face was deformed and different from theirs. They all had to learn how to cope with what was happening and I was glad they did.

Characters Cont. • August Pullman: A deformed child with a couple of only select friends • Via Pullman: August’s older sister with a big personality • Jack Will: A best friend of August’s who helps him throughout the story. • Julian Jones: The school’s biggest bully that causes trouble for August. • Summer Day: A girl who decides to sit with August at lunch

More Characters • Charlotte Smith: A girl who takes August on a tour of the school. • Mr. Tushman: The school principal. • Mrs. Garcia: The school office manager • Mrs. Petosa: August’s teacher • Miranda Kearny: Via’s best friend • Ella Friedman: Via’s second best friend • Justin Mahoney: Via’s boyfriend

THE END. • Next we have a video trailer for the book, “Wonder” featuring Ryan, Adam, Carson, and maybe even some special guests!

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WONDER. Vocabulary: Set A: p. 1 – 40. petrified. Verb Extremely frightened; terrified; “frozen” in fear “I am pretty much totally and completely petrified.” (p.4) . Cleft palate. Noun Birth defect that results in an opening in the roof of the mouth and a deformity of the lips

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Wonder. By R. J. Palacio. Book Trailer. http://www.schooltube.com/video/cf0b63f7860f4477a542/. Natalie Merchant’s “Wonder”. Ever hear stories about a genie in a magic lamp? This is what a magic lamp might look like.

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Wonder. By R.J Palacio. Summary.

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Wonder . by R.J. Palacio. Pre-reading Activity 1. If you had to choose ONE adjective to describe yourself, what would it be and why? (5 - 7 sentences, using FRIES as support) Read the first page of Wonder . How does August describe himself and what support does he use for this adjective?.

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Stevie wonder by brendon bruyere

Stevie wonder by brendon bruyere. 1950 - He is the best singer in my opinion. Awards. Stevie wonder was only twelve when he won his first 15 Grammy awards. Stevie wonder won the presidential award for Kennedy service. I think he’s really gifted because IVE HEARD H.IS MUSIC.

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by R.J. Palacio

Wonder study guide.

Wonder, a story about a ten-year-old boy who lives in Manhattan and who has a rare physical deformity, was published in February of 2012 and was author R.J. Palacio 's first novel.

Palacio was inspired to write Wonder after taking her son to buy ice cream one day and witnessing him cry when a girl with facial birth defects sat next to him. She tried to move her son away so as not to upset the girl and her family, but an ice cream spill occurred and the situation only got worse. Later, while listening to Natalie Merchant's song "Wonder," Palacio reflected on the situation and began writing the novel, hoping that a tense scene from her own life could turn into a valuable lesson.

The novel is told from the points of view of multiple characters: primarily the deformed Auggie himself, but also his sister, his friends, and his supposed enemies. Such an array of perspectives allows readers to understand how Auggie's entire community struggles to learn compassion and empathy. While interacting with someone who looks different from them on the outside, these other characters discover that Auggie has so much to offer on the inside.

Wonder reached the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list in 2012, as well as a high ranking on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list. The novel has won numerous other forms of recognition, including the ALA Notable Children's Book award, an Amazon Best of the Year award, a Barnes & Noble Best of the Year award, the Christopher Award, and the National Parenting Publications Gold Award.

In October 2014, it was announced that Wonder had been picked up for a movie adaptation, with John Krokidas signed on to direct.

Wonder Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Wonder is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Effect: Jack feels like he’s the kid in Home Alone with his mouth open and his hands on the side of his face. Cause???

Jack feels caught without support. When he was with Auggie, science class was much easier. Auggie let Jack copy his perfect notes. Now Jack feels alone without Auggie and unable to cope with Ms. Rubin's constant stream of work and notes.

why did jack punch julian? how did it change his life

Jack was angry because Julian called August a "freak" Whose life do you mean changed: Jack or Julian?

From chapter " Understudy" to " After the show", this section of the book (p.228-248) is about forgiveness, reconciliation and growth. Do you agree?

There is a motif of kindness and forgiveness in these chapters. Auggie apologizes for calling his mom a liar before, Miranda matures and becomes friends with Via again. Via is good at forgiveness.

Study Guide for Wonder

Wonder study guide contains a biography of R.J. Palacio, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Wonder
• Wonder Summary
• Wonder Video
• Character List

Lesson Plan for Wonder

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Wonder
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Wonder Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Wonder

• Introduction
• Film adaptations
• Spinoff/prequel

How to Teach Wonder by R.J. Palacio using Hands-On, Interactive Activities

Novel Studies that Promote Higher-Order Thinking

We all know how important novels are when helping students develop authentic literacy skills. However…we also know that traditional novel studies don’t allow students to implement all of the literacy skills necessary to become a well-rounded reader.

Traditional novel studies usually include a set of comprehension or discussion questions that correlate with each chapter. There also may be a vocabulary element included. These are important components of a novel study, but aren’t a holistic approach to reading.

Today, I am going to talk about a more hands-on approach to studying novels! Read on to find out how to use an interactive workbook to teach the novel,  Wonder!

Teaching Wonder

If you have read the novel, Wonder , by RJ Palacio…

Then, I can only assume that you fell in love with it like I did.

Wonder is the perfect novel to study in your intermediate classroom! This book covers themes of kindness, courage, family, identity and so much more. These thought-provoking ideas are present throughout this entire novel study .

As you read the novel, students will meet a young boy name August (Auggie) Pullman. Auggie just wants to be “normal,” but Auggie isn’t normal. He is extraordinary. Although, not everyone sees it this way.

From the very first page of Wonder , you and your students will be facing topics that are incredibly important to discuss. The Wonder Workbook is the perfect match for this.

A simple way to incorporate these topics is with a daily bell ringer. Each daily prompt has students think and respond about ideals that are woven through the text. This section of the workbook is one of my favorites to use as a class discussion guide, as it will encourage students to look at their stance or position on certain topics.

Digging Deep with the  Wonder Workbook

As I previously mentioned, this workbook includes SO MUCH MORE than comprehension questions and vocabulary. But, it does include that, too! The workbook has been designed to meet each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Students will be able to really dig deep into understanding the novel with activities under each of the following sections: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate and Create. Below are *some* of the ideas to incorporate from each section of the Wonder Workbook !

Remember: This is where you will find comprehension questions for each chapter! Students can work through these independently, as partners or groups, or they can be used as a guide for discussion.

Understand: Have students dive into the plot! Use the Extended Plot Structure activity to activate students’ literacy skills!

Apply: Study the characters’ physical, mental and emotional characteristics. Break down Auggie, Via, Jack Will, Summer, Miranda and Julian with the Characterization Flipbook!

Analyze: Use the complexity wheel to drive discussion of the novel. Or have students use their own creativity to complete task cards tied to the story! They could create illustrations, music, comics, poetry, tweets, etc!

Evaluate:  Think like a novelist! Pull back the layers of the story with the literary elements focus lesson or the identifying themes activity.

Create: Start a Kindness Campaign with the extension activity! Or one of my personal favorites: have students create their own Wonder Self-Portraits so that they can practice self-love and reflection!

The activities and lessons that come with this novel study will provide students with an interactive, hands-on approach to reading. They will be reading, writing, illustrating, creating, speaking, researching, discussing and so, so much more!

If you think your students are ready to really study a novel, give Wonder a try! If you’d like to see more from my  Wonder Workbook, click here !

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Welcome! My name is Brittany Jeltema, also known as The SuperHERO Teacher, and I am a curriculum designer and classroom flipper. I have a strong passion for helping teachers reach as many students as possible through creativity, engagement, and empowerment!

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Wonder Introduction Presentation - Discussion, R.J. Palacio Biography, Context

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Wonder introduction presentation includes absolutely everything you need to introduce the novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio to your students. This interactive PowerPoint presentation includes pre-reading discussion questions, an interactive class activity, a biography of Palacio, a fun review quiz, and background information on the novel.

This is included in our best-selling novel unit plan:

>>> Wonder Unit Plan

Included in Wonder Introduction Presentation:

➡️ This 15-slide PowerPoint presentation is the perfect way of introducing Wonder to your students. The slides will provide students with the background information they need before they begin reading. Included in the presentation: 

• Pre-reading group discussion questions to help students make text-to-self connections.
• Agree or Disagree class activity where students stand or sit based on if they agree or disagree with prompts that relate to themes that emerge in Wonder .
• First impressions video activity .
• Novel title and cover analysis
• A detailed biography of R.J. Palacio , author of Wonder .
• Background information on the novel
• Context information to understand why R.J. Palacio wrote the novel.

Using Wonder Introduction Presentation in Your Classroom

Use this presentation as a way of introducing Wonder intentionally to prepare students for reading. Students will be provided opportunities for classroom discussion, forming and justifying an opinion, and understanding important contexts (novel, author).

What Teachers Are Saying About Wonder Introduction Presentation:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great way to introduce the book and give some background knowledge! My students were definitely engaged .

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My students were very engaged when I presented the various lessons in this resource. An excellent way to introduce students to the various themes in this wonderful book ! A perfect way to get the students motivated and ready to read Wonder. Excellent resource!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a great resource to introduce the novel "Wonder" to my students. It got my students thinking about their own lives in relation to the novel.

Take your unit for Wonder to the next level with an escape room!

→ Wonder Escape Room Activity

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Wonder Lessons

10 Lesson Plan Ideas for Wonder 10 Lesson Plan Ideas for Wonder

Below are 10 quick lesson plan ideas for Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Use them to inspire your own lesson planning. If you want detailed lesson plans, fun activities, questions, quizzes, and everything else you need to teach Wonder, check out ...

What Makes Wonder a Great Book to Teach What Makes Wonder a Great Book to Teach

Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a novel that tells the story of a young boy named August who is born with a facial deformity. Despite the challenges he faces, August is determined to attend a mainstream school and make friends. ...

Themes in Wonder Themes in Wonder

R.J. Palacio’s Wonder abounds with important and profound themes for students to identify, reflect on, discuss, and write about. Here are three major themes from Wonder to explore with your class: The Power of Kindness In Wonder, the power of ...

10 Discussion Questions for Wonder 10 Discussion Questions for Wonder

Good discussion is the heart of any English class, and Wonder by R.J. Palacio provides so much rich material for students to reflect on and discuss. The questions below can be used to initiate discussion in small groups, or as ...

Links for Teaching Wonder Links for Teaching Wonder

RJ Palacio’s Wonder is a phenomenal novel to teach, both for the strength of its story, as well as for the importance of the themes and lessons contained within. The articles, websites, and videos listed below will help further your ...

Writing Lesson Plan for Wonder Writing Lesson Plan for Wonder

Lesson Description In this unique writing lesson for Wonder by R.J. Palacio, students learn about eulogies, examine a famous eulogy, and then write their own about Daisy the dog, or a character in Wonder by R.J. Palacio. First, read the ...

Point of View in Wonder Point of View in Wonder

Point of view is the perspective a story is written from. In R.J. Palacio’s Wonder, the point of view shifts several times to show you the same events from different perspectives. In Wonder, we hear from August, Via, Jack, Summer, ...

Full Unit Plan for Wonder by R.J. Palacio Full Unit Plan for Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This blog includes several resources to help you get started teaching Wonder by R.J. Palacio, but if you really want to save yourself time and effort, and give your students the best possible experience with this fantastic novel, you need ...

Parts Two and Three Questions for Wonder by R.J. Palacio Parts Two and Three Questions for Wonder by R.J. Palacio

A Tour of the Galaxy What challenges do you think Via might face being Auggie’s sister? METAPHOR – A metaphor occurs when something is described using a direct comparison without using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.  Example: Life is a ...

Part One Vocabulary for Wonder by R.J. Palacio Part One Vocabulary for Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Part One – August Find definitions for these challenging words in Part One of Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Vocabulary Definition anomalies   hysterical   hindsight   incubator   diva   obnoxious   schlep   apprentice   precept   motto   ...

R. J. Palacio

Ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

The Difficulty of Kindness

Wonder tells the story of ten-year-old August Pullman 's first year going to school. Because he was born with a rare craniofacial condition that necessitated multiple major surgeries, his parents felt it was best to homeschool him for much of his childhood—both to help him keep up with his studies, and to protect him from the bullying and stares he attracts that would likely intensify in a school setting. As August embarks on his journey…

Independence and Growing Up

At ten years old, August is on the brink of adolescence. Because he's so young and because he has an usually close relationship with his parents due to his medical condition, he begins the novel relying heavily on his parents for support and guidance. As August matures over the course of the novel and spends more time in the company of other kids his own age, however, he gradually begins to desire more independence. Though…

Status and Bullying

For August and the other kids at Beecher Prep, status and popularity are of the utmost importance. Wonder is peppered with kids' observations about their social structure, how status and hierarchy function in their world at school, and what the consequences of being popular or unpopular are on the student body. In particular, Wonder suggests that as intoxicating as popularity might be for August and his classmates, the social structure that allows some students to…

Wonder explores adolescence as a unique period of time in which teens and tweens have the ability to experiment with their identities with wild abandon. By looking at the ways the adolescent characters attempt to define themselves, either by changing their appearance or by liking certain things, as well as examining the degree to which those characters are defined by others (as when some students are spoken of in terms of one defining characteristic, regardless…

Parenting and Guidance

As August begins school, he comes into contact for the first time with professional teachers and with parents other than his own and those of his long-term childhood friends. Through August's observations of these adults, the novel interrogates both how adolescents view adult presences in their lives, as well as what role adults should play in the lives of their children and students. Ultimately, Wonder proposes that parents and teachers have a great deal of…

Wonder Introduction Presentation - Discussion, R.J. Palacio Biography, Context

• $3 00 $3.00 Unit price /  per 
• Pre-reading group discussion questions to help students make text-to-self connections.
• Agree or Disagree class activity where students stand or sit based on if they agree or disagree with prompts that relate to themes that emerge in Wonder .
• First impressions video activity .
• Novel title and cover analysis
• A detailed biography of R.J. Palacio , author of Wonder .
• Background information on the novel
• Context information to understand why R.J. Palacio wrote the novel.
• choosing a selection results in a full page refresh

Wonder Novel Study: Comprehension & Vocabulary Activities

R.J Palacio's novel Wonder is a favorite in classrooms because the author's message – choosing kindness – is such an important skill for students to learn. This book is perfect for a whole-class novel study or read-aloud for younger learners, or it can be used as a book club or literature circle text for upper elementary and early middle school.

This no-prep novel study for Wonder is a great way to build important reading comprehension skills and vocabulary with this fabulous story.

If you need a copy of the book, you can get Wonder in paperback on Amazon . (This link is an affiliate link. The book won't cost you any more, but I earn a small commission on your purchase that will be used to cover the costs associated with this website.)

Wonder Summary

This is the story of August Pullman, who's been homeschooled his entire life due to some medical issues related to his craniofacial abnormalities. When Auggie turns 10, his family begins to realize that he needs to be able to function in a world where people aren't always kind to those that look different. so they enroll him in school.

There are both ups and downs in this transition. As a fifth-grader at Beecher prep, Auggie finds friendship and faces bullies. His friends are ostracized just for associating with him, which makes things even tougher.

The whole thing comes to a head when the 5th graders head to nature camp. When Auggie and Jack are attacked by some 7th graders looking for trouble, a few boys from their class come to their rescue and a fight ensues. Auggie is hurt and scared in the scuffle, but he's also overwhelmed with emotion because the kids that have ignored him all this time stood up and protected him. The only question is…will these changes be permanent?

What reading level is Wonder ?

This book comes in at a whopping 320 pages. It is a Guided Reading Level V and has a Lexile score of 790L. Appropriate for fourth through sixth graders, the book is considered to be high-interest for students in grades 3-8.

What's included in this novel study unit?

This month-long Wonder novel study unit breaks this fabulous book into 20 sections. Each day's work includes both comprehension activities and vocabulary. There are four weeks worth of daily lesson objectives and paper-saving printables included in this resource.

Here's more about what you'll find inside this Wonder Novel Study:

• Instructional guide with daily comprehension skill, objective, and key Tier 2 & text-based vocabulary
• Comprehension trifolds (provided in color and black & white)
• Reader's notebook comprehension prompts (matching trifolds)
• Word of the Day text-based vocabulary flipbooks
• Vocabulary word wall cards
• Trifold answer keys for easy grading
• Enrichment Mini-Book with engaging projects & activities related to the text

Reading comprehension skills targeted

These novel study resources were purposefully selected to align with the details and plotline of Wonder . The materials were written to focus on reading comprehension skills that are often more difficult for struggling readers.

Some of the comprehension skills addressed in this novel study include:

• Making inferences
• Drawing conclusions
• Describing character change
• Analyzing characters & setting
• Identifying the main idea
• Point of view
• Context clues and vocabulary
• Using descriptive language
• Summarizing
• Utilizing text evidence

The daily lessons target one comprehension skill. This lets students focus on quality rather than quantity when it comes to responding to literature. Unlike many novel studies with lists of questions that require students to regurgitate the text, this format makes sure your students understand and can apply their knowledge to Wonder and other texts they read.

The novel study format

Comprehension prompts are provided in two formats, selected to reduce copies while still offering materials for student use.

Here's an overview of each of the comprehension response formats:

The trifold format was the original design for this novel study.

Each foldable was designed to cover a week worth of comprehension using only one piece of paper.

Students respond to a targeted question each day that focuses the day's reading on the comprehension skill.

From the student's perspective, the benefit of the trifold is that it is extremely approachable. Each day's work only takes up a third of the page, and this keeps reluctant writers from shutting down.

From the teacher's perspective, it easy to collect and grade. Many students use the trifold as a bookmark, helping prevent missing papers.

Learn more about the trifold format .

The Reader's Notebook prompts are perfect for advanced students, who provide a more in-depth analysis, and struggling writers, who may need more space to write their response.

For advanced readers, the notebook prompts can be used to generate a longer, more detailed response to the daily prompt. This pushes the students to analyze and defend their answers.

However, the notebook prompts are also great for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and fine motor issues because they can be glued onto specialized paper or within a notebook to give students with large handwriting more room to respond.

Regardless of the format selected, the prompt is the same so you can easily have some students working on the trifolds while others use the notebook prompts.

What academic vocabulary is included in this novel study?

There are over 50 academic vocabulary words included in the instructional guide for this novel. These include general academic vocabulary and skill-specific vocabulary.

It is crucial to teach academic vocabulary explicitly and within context. Struggling learners often lack the vocabulary essential to perform well in school and on standardized assessments, so this is an easy way to incorporate this into your regular instructional practices. Learn more about why academic vocabulary is important.

Here is a small sample of the academic vocabulary you'll find included in this novel study:

General vocabulary:

Skill-focused vocabulary:.

• point of view

Text-based vocabulary in Wonder

In addition to the Tier 2 vocabulary, each day's lesson includes a text-based vocabulary word that can be found within the day's reading. Some of the vocabulary words included in this literature guide are:

• attribution

These words can be taught using the included flipbook format. Designed with conserving copies in mind, the flipbooks require only a half-piece of paper per week.

The Word of the Day Flip Book is designed for use in interactive reading journals.

To use the flipbooks, cut around the outer edge, cut the tabs, and glue it into their notebook. Have students leave the flaps unglued so they can be lifted. This allows students to write under them.

Depending on your students, you can have them generate a definition of the day's word or generate a list of synonyms and antonyms. You can even have students draw a picture of the meaning.

How to purchase this Wonder Novel Study

This Wonder novel study unit can be purchased directly or from my Teachers Pay Teachers.

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Wonder - Part 1

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Unit of work

Last updated

6 July 2023

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‘Wonder – Unit of Work Part One’ explores the first eleven chapters of the novel ‘Wonder’ by R J Palacio. The unit begins with an introduction to the book and author before focusing on understanding the novel’s plot, characters, themes and use of language. The resource contains ten lessons (made up of an 85-slide PowerPoint presentation and 23 worksheets) which explore the book from Chapter One, ‘August’ to Chapter Eleven, ‘The Performance Space’.

The unit contains a range of teaching and learning activities including:

Developing reading and vocabulary skills

Differentiated tasks (Gold, Silver and Bronze) to provide appropriate learning for all pupils

Reading and comprehension tasks

Grammar, punctuation and spelling activities that cover contractions, time adverbials, pronouns, homophones, synonyms and word classes

Language study – comparing American and British English

Discussing key themes

Character analysis

Formal and informal writing

Drama activities and freeze framing

And much more!

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Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 43%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

Wonder - Unit of Work Bundle

This bundle is made up of four units of work for the book Wonder - Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four. Click on the images below to find out more about each individual unit.

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