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Leo Borlock’s world is turned upside down when a mysterious new student, Stargirl, enrolls at his high school and challenges everyone’s idea of “normal.”
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Support Struggling Readers with CommonLit's ELA Curriculum30+ Engaging, Diverse Fiction Stories | Only on CommonLitIntroducing: CommonLit OriginalsFor this book, we offer a mix of literary and informational texts to support your upcoming novel unit. These lessons are designed to build students’ reading comprehension and engagement.
7th GradeInterview740LMiddle SchoolIra Glass2011Passage Summary: In "Middle School," Ira Glass interviews real-life middle school students about the realities of their emotions, thoughts, and struggles.When and How to Pair: Introduce this transcript before students begin reading Stargirl to provide insight into the middle and high school experience. Have students read the transcript and ask them to consider the perspectives offered by the students being interviewed. How is the middle and high school experience described by the interviewees? Are the majority of their experiences positive or negative? According to the transcript, what daily challenges do middle schoolers face? Are these challenges likely universal, existing regardless of where adolescents live and the schools they attend? Why, or why not? As you read Stargirl, consider how the description of adolescence in the transcript likely informs the experiences of the characters in the novel.
9th GradeShort Story860LCheboygan DayBrittany Allen2021Passage Summary: In "Cheboygan Day," two siblings are treated very differently by their peers when they arrive as new students in a small coastal town.When and How to Pair: Introduce this short story after students have read chapter 4 of Stargirl, to further illustrate the potential challenges of moving to a small town. After reading, ask students to consider the experiences of Adele Cheboygan from “Cheboygan Day” and Stargirl from the novel. How are their experiences as new students similar? How are they different? How is Owen’s reaction to Adele’s arrival in Kookaburra similar to Leo’s reaction to the arrival of Stargirl to Mica Area High School? How might the setting of each story impact how the new students are received? Do you think the arrival of Adele Cheboygan or Stargirl would have been as impactful if they had started a new school in larger towns? Why or why not? Explain your answers using supporting details from both texts.
8th GradePoemWhat Teachers MakeTaylor Mali2002Passage Summary: Taylor Mali's poem "What Teachers Make" explores the criticism teachers receive and pushes back against it.When and How to Pair: Introduce this poem after students have read chapter 8 of Stargirl, to provide further insight into the importance of teachers in the lives of their students. After reading, ask students to discuss how Taylor Mali dispels the stereotype that teaching is a “less than” important profession. How is Mali’s message that teachers “make a difference” supported by Leo and Kevin’s relationship with Archie in Stargirl? In the poem Mali states that teachers make students “wonder,” “question,” and “criticize” (Lines 38-40). How is this evident in the way Archie interacts with Leo and Kevin? How might Archie have responded if he were at the dinner party attended by Taylor Mali in “What Teachers Make”? Ask students if they have ever had a teacher like the ones described in the poem? What were they like? How did they impact you?
9th GradePsychology1030LWhy Do People Follow The Crowd?ABC News2006Passage Summary: Dr. Gregory Burns, a professor of behavioral science, conducted several experiments to study why humans readily conform. ABC's Primetime recreated these experiments using several unsuspecting people.When and How to Pair: Introduce this article after students have read chapter 14 of Stargirl. Ask students to discuss what the experiments on conformity reveal, and how the results connect with the other characters’ treatment of Stargirl. Why do participants change their responses in the “visual perception” experiment highlighted in the article? How is the behavior of the restaurant-goers impacted by the actions of Colin Cowie and Donna D’Cruz? How do these studies relate to the behavior of the students who attend Mica Area High School in Stargirl? How does the way the other characters treat Stargirl change over time? What effect does Stargirl’s lack of conformity have on the student body? How are the “dangerous consequences” of conformity that are discussed in the article evident at Mica High School? Can you think of any other examples of conformity and “following the crowd” from current events or pop culture? Explain your answers using supporting details from both texts.
8th GradePoemTodayMary Oliver2012Passage Summary: In "Today," a speaker takes a day away from the hustle of the world to simply be still.When and How to Pair: Introduce this poem after students have read chapter 17 of Stargirl to generate discussion about meditation and the effect it has on Stargirl and Leo. After reading, have students compare the point of view of the speaker in the poem to Stargirl’s point of view. How do they feel about sitting in stillness and silence? How is the “temple” from the poem similar to what Stargirl describes as becoming “nothing”? Why is it so difficult for Leo to “disappear” during the meditation experience? What impact does the experience have on him? Choose quotes from Stargirl, Leo and the poem that illustrate the feeling of being in a meditative state.
8th GradeInformational Text1150LThe Nature vs. Nurture DebateCommonLit Staff2015Passage Summary: What makes a person who they are? Is it their genes, or because of how they were brought up?If two people are brought up in the same home environment, will they be the same? For years, scientists have been debating the answer to thesequestions. This article explores the concept of nature vs. nurture and the debate surrounding the two sides.When and How to Pair: Introduce this article after students read chapter 22 of Stargirl, and ask them to compare both sides of the nature versus nurture debate. What ideas are championed by the “nature” side of the debate? How do those ideas differ from the ones supported by the “nurture” side? What does Leo find surprising about his interaction with Stargirl’s parents? Does his experience with Stargirl and her family support either side of the nature versus nurture debate? Consider this question from the article: “Do you think twins raised in different homes will grow up to have the same personalities?” Do you think Stargirl’s personality traits and ideology would be different if she had been raised in a different home by different people? Support your thinking using evidence from both texts.
7th GradeFiction - General670LThe Fan ClubRona MaynardPassage Summary: In Rona Maynard's short story "The Fan Club," a girl witnesses her classmate being bullied and must decide how to respond.When and How to Pair: Introduce this short story after students read chapter 25 of Stargirl. After reading, ask students to discuss the character development of Laura throughout the story. Ask students to analyze Laura’s thoughts and ideals, and then compare them to her behavior at the end of the short story. How is Laura’s reaction to Rachel being bullied similar to Leo’s reaction to Stargirl’s unpopularity at school? How do both Leo’s and Laura’s behavior highlight their desire to fit in with the majority? What do you think drives these characters’ need to fit in? Support your thinking using evidence from both texts.
6th GradePoemLittle SisterTasha Spillett (Cree)2017Passage Summary: In "Little Sister," the speaker tells a little sister that she is accepted and encourages her to be herself.When and How to Pair: Introduce this poem after students have finished reading chapter 33 of Stargirl. After reading, ask students to analyze how the theme of the poem relates to the theme of Stargirl. Ask students to analyze each stanza of the poem, and how the ideas in each stanza are reflected in Stargirl’s development throughout the story. How are the speaker’s hopes for their little sister connected to Stargirl’s time at Mica Area High School? What theme statement could be used for both the poem and the story? Explain your answers using supporting details from both texts.
9th GradeInformational Text990LHow You See YourselfSet to Go2019Passage Summary: In the informational text, "How You See Yourself," the author describes the importance of developing and maintaining a stable self-image.When and How to Pair: Have students read this text after they finish reading the epilogue. After reading, have students discuss the connection between self-image, decision-making skills, and relationships. What ten adjectives do you think Leo would use to describe himself at the beginning of Stargirl? Do you think those adjectives would change after his experiences in the book? What adjectives do you think Stargirl would use to describe herself? Do you think they would be different from the adjectives her peers or Leo used to describe her? Consider the main characters in Stargirl and the information presented in the article. Which characters do you think have a “stable and consistent core”? Which characters are continuing to “develop a consistent image”? What advice would you give to those who are still seeking to develop a consistent image of themselves? Support your thinking using evidence from both texts.
