The Real Documents Book Club for Teens
Real Docs book club is a middle and high school book club that not only explores literature but the real documents behind each story.
Real Docs book club uses living books that bring subjects to life, turning learning into an experience rather than rote memorization. For example, a living book might be a firsthand diary, a historical novel, or a well-crafted biography that helps the reader feel what it was like to live in that time.
Sign up today!
Year round sessions| virtual live, in person or self paced
Read, discuss, and do!
For 6–8 weeks, we’ll:
Read books together aloud
Explore real documents behind the story such as budgets, contracts, insurance, and more.
-
Discuss how these documents connect to life skills you can use today.
Students are responsible for completing weekly lessons and meeting 1x a week to read, discuss and reflect.
Each session includes:
• Literature exploration to spark thinking and discussion
• Document study to build real-world literacy
• Life skill activities to practice decision-making
• Creative reflection to connect learning to real life -
The club helps students improve reading comprehension while gaining confidence with the documents and responsibilities they’ll encounter as young adults.
Our First Book Selection: A Raisin in the Sun
We’re starting our club with the powerful play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry.
It’s the story of the Younger family in Chicago during the 1950s. When they get a $10,000 check from life insurance, everyone has a different dream:
Walter wants to start a business
Beneatha wants to pay for medical school
Mama wants to buy a house
But with money comes tough choices and the family also has to face unfair treatment because of their race.
This play is rich with big ideas: family, dreams, money, identity, and courage. As we read, we’ll also look at real-world documents from the story, like budgets, contracts, and even a college application and connect them to skills students can use in their own lives.