Teaching Because of Winn-Dixie

A heartwarming book about a dog where the dog…doesn't die at the end? Count us in. Because of Winn-Dixie isn't just awesome because the titular stray makes it out alive, though—it's a rich YA novel about family, isolation, and forgiveness.

But also…doggies.

In this guide, you'll find

• a high-interest text-to-self project about life goals, inspired by the novel's Mistake Tree and Wait-and-See Tree.
• a cause-and-effect presentation about the novel's many connections and relationships.
• a creative writing project, complete with instructions about how to send final drafts to the author.

Don't be turned off by the fact that Dave Matthews was in the movie version. Try out Winn-Dixie, by the awesome Kate DiCamillo, in your classroom today.

What's Inside Shmoop's Literature Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring literature to life.

Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

• 13 – 18 Common Core-aligned activities to complete in class with your students, including detailed instructions for you and your students
• Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students
• Reading quizzes for every chapter, act, or part of the text
• Resources to help make the book feel more relevant to your 21st-century students
• A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the text and how you can overcome the hurdles

Want more help teaching Teaching Because of Winn-Dixie?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.