Let's just start by stating the obvious - Slaughterhouse-Five is no easy task. It's probably one of the most difficult books that I've taught solely due to the pace and timeline. Now, as teachers we know that Vonnegut's life and experiences have greatly impacted the novel's content. He wants readers to understand the chaos that is caused by war. Specifically, he is speaking about PTSD and the effects it has on people. So since the point of the book is that there is no point to war and it's messy and confusing -- that tends to lead students to be ultra confused!
First Tip: Keep a running timeline visible for the students.
This is important because it is impossible to keep the events straight in your mind unless you have a very photographic memory. Each time that Billy becomes unstuck, meets someone, or has a flashback - put it on the timeline. I'd do a timeline in order of the book, not chronological - that will make it even more confusing!
Second Tip: Focus on the figurative language.
Of course, we all know the line "So it goes" but Vonnegut includes many other important motifs. Click here for a motif freebie! This resource will help your students keep track of all the moments where the motifs occur, so they can analyze them near the end of the novel. These motifs can lead you to a lot of theme analysis and deep discussion of the text.
Third Tip: Have a solid, unifying subject to focus on.
For me, I wanted my students to focus on PTSD and other psychological effects of war. In order to do this, I had them analyze a case file and write a research paper about their findings. If you're interested in this resource, check it out here. The resource will provide you with casefiles, research essay requirements, and a rubric. It's a perfect addition to an established Slaughterhouse-Five unit when you want to beef up the research elements.
Overall, the best approach to Slaughterhouse-Five is to talk about everything with your students. Unless they are advanced level seniors, I believe that students will need to talk our their comprehension of the book in order to establish what's correct or misunderstood. Don't leave them on their own to analyze any part of this novel.
If you are just starting this unit and you are looking for resources, check out the links below.
Happy teaching!