Teaching the Hero's Journey: Studying The Hobbit for Middle School ELA [S7 EP. 257]

the-hobbit-for-middle-school

Listen to the full episode below:

Let’s be real - did you actually finish The Hobbit when you were a middle schooler? We sure didn’t (granted, the movies weren’t out yet, and that changed everything)! But in this episode, we’re flipping the script on one of the most notoriously dense fantasy novels taught in middle school.

We’re diving into how to make The Hobbit more than just a required read—and instead, turn it into a transformative exploration of the hero’s journey. From using essential, debatable questions to rethinking reading expectations, we’re sharing the exact strategies we use to keep students engaged, thoughtful, and even excited to dig into Bilbo’s adventure.

You’ll hear how we’ve shifted the focus from chapter checklists to skill-building, how our favorite evidence tracker changes everything about character analysis, and how to pair The Hobbit with modern stories that resonate.

If The Hobbit has ever felt like a drag in your classroom, this episode will help you reimagine it as a launchpad for meaningful, skills-based learning. Curious yet? Give this conversation a listen and then come back next week, when we’ll take a look at a ninth grade unit with The Odyssey.

topics discussed:

  • Why reading The Hobbit can sometimes fall flat

  • How the hero’s journey framework can change the whole reading game

  • Our FAVORITE essential question for this unit: Are heroes born or made?

  • Tools and strategies to track Bilbo’s transformation and help students analyze character development in a meaningful way

  • Real talk: It’s okay if your kids don’t read every page—here’s how to focus on skills, not just content!

  • Supplemental texts you can pair with The Hobbit

resources:

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More about Brave New Teaching:

Join hosts Amanda Cardenas (Mud & Ink Teaching) and Marie Morris (The Caffeinated Classroom) in discussions about being brave, trying new things, and all things teaching! As seasoned classroom teachers, Amanda and Marie bring their experience, insight, energy, and oh, so many opinions and ideas... It's time for all teachers to take their classroom and teaching practice into their own hands!

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