I had to devise group work that was geared to all levels of students. Literature seemed the logical choice. Yet the literature we used had to accommodate all levels and work for students who missed a day or didn't attend on a regular basis. I called the Ohio Literacy Resource Center. Always eager to help, the OLRC sent a book titled Choices by George Ella Lyon and lesson plans to use at my discretion.
Choices is a book of short stories written by characters who live in a small mountain community.
It's a book about the choices they made in their lives. They are very easy to understand, yet rich in meaning. And if a student misses a day, there is a fresh story tomorrow. It turned out to be an excellent choice. Choices created many discussions and a few heated debates.