How to Pick Novels for a High School Literature Course

With the wide array of novels that have been published, choosing novels for a high school literature class can seem overwhelming. So many novels are considered classic or important that it would be impossible to cover them all in one course. Picking novels for the class will be easier if you narrow down the field.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Pick a theme for your class to help you narrow down the novel choices. Both English literature and American literature are popular themes, but you could also choose to use novels from particular time periods or based on the subject theme. You'll want to make sure that you're following the instruction guidelines set up for the class before settling on a theme.
2. Ask other literature instructors about the books that they use for their classes. Networking is often a great way to learn about books that you may not have thought of or been exposed to in the past. You may also learn about new assignments or essay topics to add to the class.
3. Consider the age of the students when making your choice. You'll want to be sure that the topics are appropriate for the students that you'll be teaching. Your school may also have restrictions on some books that parents may not feel are appropriate high school material so you'll need to be sure you know what you can include.
4. Consult lists of classic novels. In areas like British and American literature, you can find lists that detail the accepted classics in the area. While you're probably familiar with most of the books, it's helpful to see what others feel are classic and not-to-be missed novels.
5. Include a range of novels in the class. Although you'll want to stick with your theme, including a range of novels can help keep students interested. Think about using books from different perspectives, writing styles, and topics if you can.
6. Give students a chance to pick a book or two during the course either to read together as a class or to read on their own. This gives students the opportunity to choose novels that they are more interested in within the larger theme which will keep them more engaged. Provide a list of books that students can choose from to keep them within the theme that you've chosen.