Real Documents Book Club
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.
In this 8–10 week interactive program, we read carefully selected books and extract the documents, real or implied, within the story. Teens then analyze, discuss, and practice using these documents, gaining essential life skills they will need in school, work, and everyday life.
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What To Expect
From contracts and applications to letters and forms, each session combines reading, discussion, and hands-on practice so students learn by doing, build confidence, and see the relevance of what they’re learning. This club turns literature into a practical toolkit for life skills, making reading both fun and meaningful.
For 6–8 weeks, we’ll:
Read our selection aloud as a group
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 1-2x/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.