I get to start some great units to begin the new year:
Am. Lit.: Ray Bradbury stories and science fiction
Soph. Honors: The Princess Bride
College in the H.S.: The Red Badge of Courage
Mythology: Norse mythology
It's going to be a fun finish to the semester! Plus, I only have six students (out of over 150) who I worry won't pass. All can, but they need to buckle down and improve in a couple areas. I'm hopeful.
Showing posts with label American Lit.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Lit.. Show all posts
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Tangents
I love tangents in class. Yes, you heard me correctly: I love tangents in class.
Sometimes I learn more about my students in these situations than in any other, and sometimes we all learn a bit more about life than we could have done during the normal lesson.
Today while discussing the scene in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn where some townspeople exhume a body, students began asking unusual questions.
"How bad would the body be when they dig it up?"
"Is it true that the hair and nails grow when you die?" (I enjoy watching the kids' faces when myths are debunked.)
"What is left when a body is cremated?"
"How much is left after cremation?"
"Where did cremation start?"
(Oddly enough and maybe eerily enough, I just watched a program about cremation a few weeks ago on The History Channel, so I could answer many of these questions.)
This led to a discussion about why people choose burial over cremation and vice versa. Also, we discussed how (sub)urban myths begin and what a few are. Finally, we discussed how the exhumation scene could become a part of a CSI episode and how the frauds (the king and duke as the Wilks brothers) could be exposed today and how they could succeed in conning a family. All this in the final 30 minutes of class!
What a great day! The kids were engaged, they asked questions, they bounced ideas back and forth, and we all learned about one another. While we may have strayed from my intended discussion items, the kids thought critically, explored deeply, and decided to research the topic some more.
I wish I had inspired them myself, but I'll take true and honest curiosity any day.
Sometimes I learn more about my students in these situations than in any other, and sometimes we all learn a bit more about life than we could have done during the normal lesson.
Today while discussing the scene in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn where some townspeople exhume a body, students began asking unusual questions.
"How bad would the body be when they dig it up?"
"Is it true that the hair and nails grow when you die?" (I enjoy watching the kids' faces when myths are debunked.)
"What is left when a body is cremated?"
"How much is left after cremation?"
"Where did cremation start?"
(Oddly enough and maybe eerily enough, I just watched a program about cremation a few weeks ago on The History Channel, so I could answer many of these questions.)
This led to a discussion about why people choose burial over cremation and vice versa. Also, we discussed how (sub)urban myths begin and what a few are. Finally, we discussed how the exhumation scene could become a part of a CSI episode and how the frauds (the king and duke as the Wilks brothers) could be exposed today and how they could succeed in conning a family. All this in the final 30 minutes of class!
What a great day! The kids were engaged, they asked questions, they bounced ideas back and forth, and we all learned about one another. While we may have strayed from my intended discussion items, the kids thought critically, explored deeply, and decided to research the topic some more.
I wish I had inspired them myself, but I'll take true and honest curiosity any day.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Loving My Students
My classes were awesome this week!
American Literature: These kids have jumped right into The Crucible and explored the play wholeheartedly. They're asking the right questions and seem genuinely enthused to start each day. I think the groups I created are finally creating the collaboration I wanted to see.
College in the High School: They love The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn! It's the first time they have actively pursued the themes and nuances of the readings this year. One of kids said he really enjoyed the sonnet they wrote as well (from the perspective of a character in The Crucible), which prompted most of the kids to agree. I need to create more of these creative writing literary analysis writings.
Mythology: I have successfully turned them into the "myth geeks" I warned them they would become. At least ten kids in each class have explained how they identified mythological references in TV shows, movies, comics, and so on. I love it!
Sophomore Honors: We just finished a unit on The Chosen and Night, and the students explored both in Socratic circles for three days, and I never had to intervene. They continued the conversation with respect, introspection, curiosity, and thoughtfulness. I am so proud of them!
American Literature: These kids have jumped right into The Crucible and explored the play wholeheartedly. They're asking the right questions and seem genuinely enthused to start each day. I think the groups I created are finally creating the collaboration I wanted to see.
College in the High School: They love The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn! It's the first time they have actively pursued the themes and nuances of the readings this year. One of kids said he really enjoyed the sonnet they wrote as well (from the perspective of a character in The Crucible), which prompted most of the kids to agree. I need to create more of these creative writing literary analysis writings.
Mythology: I have successfully turned them into the "myth geeks" I warned them they would become. At least ten kids in each class have explained how they identified mythological references in TV shows, movies, comics, and so on. I love it!
Sophomore Honors: We just finished a unit on The Chosen and Night, and the students explored both in Socratic circles for three days, and I never had to intervene. They continued the conversation with respect, introspection, curiosity, and thoughtfulness. I am so proud of them!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
What to do?
I have a frustration this week; it's rare that students truly frustrate me, but this week they have accomplished the feat.
Three weeks ago I assigned a required assignment for my American Literature class, a class with quite a broad range of skill levels. The assignment was quite simple: each student chose a chapter of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to summarize using at least eight events and/or quotations.
I gave the students one week to accomplish this small task, one I assumed would be quick, painless, and easy for the students. However, when I received the writings the students had not even come to close to meeting a minimum standard on the assignment. I received thematic analyses, editorials, and character analyses.
Next, I created a check list for the students, so they could rewrite the summaries. Last Friday the students turned in the summaries. They were better. However, they did not use the check lists. Of the ten items on the check list, only one student completed eight of the check list items.
Today I returned the summaries for a final time and walked the students through the checklist with their summaries item by item. They have until Friday to make the corrections.
I'm not entering a score until this third due date. I want them to do it correctly rather than worry about points. My concern, though, is that laziness and not inability is the culprit. When capitalization and indentation is an issue for 11th graders, I become quickly concerned. Granted, this is not the most exciting assignment, but I am required to have the students complete it at standard.
I guess I'll find out if the third time really is the charm.
Three weeks ago I assigned a required assignment for my American Literature class, a class with quite a broad range of skill levels. The assignment was quite simple: each student chose a chapter of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to summarize using at least eight events and/or quotations.
I gave the students one week to accomplish this small task, one I assumed would be quick, painless, and easy for the students. However, when I received the writings the students had not even come to close to meeting a minimum standard on the assignment. I received thematic analyses, editorials, and character analyses.
Next, I created a check list for the students, so they could rewrite the summaries. Last Friday the students turned in the summaries. They were better. However, they did not use the check lists. Of the ten items on the check list, only one student completed eight of the check list items.
Today I returned the summaries for a final time and walked the students through the checklist with their summaries item by item. They have until Friday to make the corrections.
I'm not entering a score until this third due date. I want them to do it correctly rather than worry about points. My concern, though, is that laziness and not inability is the culprit. When capitalization and indentation is an issue for 11th graders, I become quickly concerned. Granted, this is not the most exciting assignment, but I am required to have the students complete it at standard.
I guess I'll find out if the third time really is the charm.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
What We're Reading Now
American Literature: Puritan and Colonial literature such as Bradford, Bradstreet, Equiano, and de Vaca.
College in the High School (C.H.S.): Finishing Miller's The Crucible and beginning Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mythology: Finishing "Pegasus and Bellerophon" and starting "Jason and the Argonauts"
Sophomore Honors: Just finished Night by Elie Wiesel and starting The Chosen by Chaim Potok tomorrow
By the way, the students finished their projects in Mythology, C.H.S., and Honors, and they were awesome!
College in the High School (C.H.S.): Finishing Miller's The Crucible and beginning Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mythology: Finishing "Pegasus and Bellerophon" and starting "Jason and the Argonauts"
Sophomore Honors: Just finished Night by Elie Wiesel and starting The Chosen by Chaim Potok tomorrow
By the way, the students finished their projects in Mythology, C.H.S., and Honors, and they were awesome!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
I Goofed
I had three tests and two projects due this past Friday. Grrr!
Now the grading begins.
On the bright side, I get to start The Crucible with my College in the High School class. It's one of my favorites!
Now the grading begins.
On the bright side, I get to start The Crucible with my College in the High School class. It's one of my favorites!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Final Projects
I finally decided to give my final projects to my students in my Sophomore Honors class. They are going to choose three of the following four options for their A Tale of Two Cities project:
1. The students must choose a moving or critical quotation or passage and create a visual representation based on it. Paintings, drawings, and the like are acceptable, and the selected quotation or passage must be a part of the representation. In addition, the students must compose a short explanation about color choice, images, and so on.
2. This option requires the students to select eight literary devices from the class list and to create a graph/chart. On the chart the students must have a column for the devices, a quotation showing the device's employ, and the effect of its use.
3. Here, the students recreate a key scene from the novel and film it to play in class. Clothing, backgrounds, and dialogue must be authentic, and the students must have excellent film work.
4. This final option allows the students to compose a 300-400 word eulogy for any character from the novel.
My American Survey class will finish Fools Crow this week as well. They will select a 100 word passage and will compose a diction analysis. For now, this is all they will do since they have written three essays on the novel already. Besides this, I'm excited to start The Crucible.
My Mythology students will choose two of the following options (though I stacked the points, so the sonnet is a desirable option):
1. A Shakespearean sonnet where each of the first three quatrains summarize three different myths and the final couplet explains the connection between the three myths.
2. An original myth which must include eight mythological figures. The myth must either explain the creation of something, follow two lovers overcoming obstacles for their love, or teach a moral or lesson. These three types mirror the myths we've covered thus far.
3. A comic book summarizing one of the tales covered in class.
4. A picture book aimed at children teaching kids about mythological figures.
I look forward to these finished projects!
1. The students must choose a moving or critical quotation or passage and create a visual representation based on it. Paintings, drawings, and the like are acceptable, and the selected quotation or passage must be a part of the representation. In addition, the students must compose a short explanation about color choice, images, and so on.
2. This option requires the students to select eight literary devices from the class list and to create a graph/chart. On the chart the students must have a column for the devices, a quotation showing the device's employ, and the effect of its use.
3. Here, the students recreate a key scene from the novel and film it to play in class. Clothing, backgrounds, and dialogue must be authentic, and the students must have excellent film work.
4. This final option allows the students to compose a 300-400 word eulogy for any character from the novel.
My American Survey class will finish Fools Crow this week as well. They will select a 100 word passage and will compose a diction analysis. For now, this is all they will do since they have written three essays on the novel already. Besides this, I'm excited to start The Crucible.
My Mythology students will choose two of the following options (though I stacked the points, so the sonnet is a desirable option):
1. A Shakespearean sonnet where each of the first three quatrains summarize three different myths and the final couplet explains the connection between the three myths.
2. An original myth which must include eight mythological figures. The myth must either explain the creation of something, follow two lovers overcoming obstacles for their love, or teach a moral or lesson. These three types mirror the myths we've covered thus far.
3. A comic book summarizing one of the tales covered in class.
4. A picture book aimed at children teaching kids about mythological figures.
I look forward to these finished projects!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Books Right Now
Here are the books I'm teaching right now:
American Literature: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
American Survey: Fools Crow by James Welch
Mythology: Mythology by Edith Hamilton
Sophomore Honors: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
We finish Twain, Welch, and Dickens this week. I just love when Carton mounts the steps to the guillotine and says, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." It gets me every time, and this line hooks the kids for good. They never forget it. What a finish!
American Literature: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
American Survey: Fools Crow by James Welch
Mythology: Mythology by Edith Hamilton
Sophomore Honors: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
We finish Twain, Welch, and Dickens this week. I just love when Carton mounts the steps to the guillotine and says, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." It gets me every time, and this line hooks the kids for good. They never forget it. What a finish!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Teenage Wasteland
Today in my American Literature class we started reading Anne Tyler's "Teenage Wasteland." It's the story of a teenager who begins to change his appearance, hang out with new friends, and his grades drop. Of course, his parents don't approve. The ending of the story really has no victor, and the kids love to debate who's most at fault.
Tomorrow we'll listen to "Baba O'Reily" by The Who and compare and contrast the song with the story (lyrics and rhythm). It's a great opener for kids who "ain't really into school," as one student told me yesterday.
Tomorrow we'll listen to "Baba O'Reily" by The Who and compare and contrast the song with the story (lyrics and rhythm). It's a great opener for kids who "ain't really into school," as one student told me yesterday.
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