Reading Lesson: Wonder Part 1 - Ordinary (August's Beginning)

Middle School A2-B1 guided reading lesson about starting school, difference, and courage. From R. J. Palacio's Wonder.

Reading Lesson: Wonder Part 1 - Ordinary (August's Beginning)
Listen & Learn: English Reading Coach Part 1 audio lesson
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Wonder Cover

Wonder Part 1 - Ordinary (August’s Beginning)

이 레슨은 원문 전체를 대신하지 않습니다. 학생이 영어 원서를 직접 읽을 수 있도록 배경지식, 핵심 구절, 어휘, 해설, 토론 질문, 쓰기 활동을 제공합니다.

Lesson Goal

Today, we will understand how it feels to be different and why courage and kindness matter when meeting new people.

1. Before Reading

  • Have you ever felt nervous about a new school or a new place?
  • What does “ordinary” mean to you?
  • Why might people stare at someone who looks different?

2. Key Quote or Passage

“I know I’m not an ordinary ten-year-old kid. I mean, sure, I do ordinary things. I eat ice cream. I ride my bike. I play ball. I have an XBox. Stuff like that makes me ordinary. I guess. And I feel ordinary. Inside. But I know ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds.”

(Short excerpt for study only. Read the full book for the complete story.)

3. Feynman Explanation

Auggie feels ordinary inside, but his face makes other kids run away. He wishes for a “normal face” so people would not notice him. This shows that what is inside (feelings, thoughts) is the real person, but the outside can change how others treat you. Like a book with a strange cover — the story inside may be wonderful.

4. Vocabulary Lab

Word / Phrase Korean Hint Student-Friendly Meaning Example Sentence
ordinary 평범한 normal, like everyone else I just want an ordinary day without problems.
stare 빤히 보다 to look at for a long time, often rudely It is not polite to stare at people.
petrified 겁에 질린 very scared, frozen with fear I was petrified before my first day of school.
cleft palate 구개열 a medical condition affecting the roof of the mouth Auggie had surgeries for his cleft palate.
homeschooled 홈스쿨링 taught at home by parents instead of school Auggie was homeschooled for many years.

5. Story Summary (Spoiler-Safe)

Auggie Pullman is a 10-year-old boy with a facial difference. He has had many surgeries. He has been homeschooled by his mother. Now he is starting fifth grade at a real school, Beecher Prep. He is very scared. His parents talk to the principal, Mr. Tushman. Three students — Jack, Julian, and Charlotte — give him a tour. Auggie feels nervous and notices people looking at him. He meets nice Mrs. Garcia in the office. At home, he talks with his family and his dog Daisy.

6. Why It Matters

This part teaches us about first impressions and empathy. Auggie wants to be seen as “just another kid.” The story asks: How do we treat people who look different? Kindness and courage are needed from both sides — the new student and the classmates.

7. Listen & Shadow

English audio summary idea (for TTS): “Auggie is not ordinary on the outside, but he feels ordinary inside. He is starting a new school and feels very scared. He meets three students who show him around. Some people stare, but he tries to be brave.”

Shadowing sentences:

  1. I know I am not an ordinary kid.
  2. Ordinary kids do not make other kids run away.
  3. I felt petrified on the first day.
  4. I want to be seen as just another student.
  5. It takes courage to walk into a new school.

8. Discuss

  • Why does Auggie say he feels ordinary “inside”?
  • How did the students on the tour behave? Who was kind and who was not?
  • What would you do if a new student with a visible difference joined your class?

9. Open Questions

  • Is it possible to change how people see you by being kind?
  • What does “ordinary” really mean?
  • Official site: https://rjpalacio.com/ (check for author resources)
  • Publisher page for Wonder (safe links only)

11. Worksheet

  • Vocabulary matching (ordinary, stare, petrified, etc.)
  • Emotion chart: How does Auggie feel in each scene?
  • Short writing: “If I were Auggie’s classmate on the first day, I would…”
  • Discussion cards for group talk
Next

Create Part 2 (Via’s perspective) and continue the series to Part 8.