I taught this book a few years ago and to get students involved I had them create their own refuge in the mountain. They were going to have to bring some supplies from home that the would need to survive out in the mountains. They set everything up and we would talk about what it would be like if we did this in the real world. Would they be able to survive like our character in the book.
We go on to do research on what plants we can find in the wild that are edible and what else we would need to survive.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Freak and Vocabulary
In the book “Freak the Mighty” by Rodman Philbrick, one of the main characters (Freak) has an impressive vocabulary while the other main character (Max) describes himself as never having a brain. At one point in the story, Freak writes a dictionary and gives it to Max. The end of the book is a copy of this dictionary. It contains real words with humorous definitions and invented words with definitions. I assign my students to create their own dictionary with humorous definitions and invented words, but they only get to create one themselves. They must find friends, family, teachers (anyone else) to write their name down and write a word and definition. It is a great activity to get my 6th grade students talking to their families about what they are doing in school. Most parents take this very seriously and think a long time on their responses. Sharing favorite entries is always good for a laugh.
After the imaginative word dictionary exercise, we go back through the book and inventory the real words that are used. Students make a short list of favorites, quote the passage where the word is used, and define the word. We then choose a class list of ten vocabulary words and the students create a vocabulary test for themselves. We make a game of using the words in conversation and in writing assignments when it is appropriate. I find that the students take much more ownership in their vocabulary and some try to use “good words” they know and acknowledge others for vocabulary.
After the imaginative word dictionary exercise, we go back through the book and inventory the real words that are used. Students make a short list of favorites, quote the passage where the word is used, and define the word. We then choose a class list of ten vocabulary words and the students create a vocabulary test for themselves. We make a game of using the words in conversation and in writing assignments when it is appropriate. I find that the students take much more ownership in their vocabulary and some try to use “good words” they know and acknowledge others for vocabulary.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Be the producer
This lesson came from reading a poem called "The Skater of Ghost Lake" by William Rose Benet, but it could certainly be adapted to a short story or a novel. Although it would be fun to do the actual production, time is always at a premium, and the proper technology is not necessarily available. I have my students do just the planning and storyboarding to create a short film.
The directions -- Using specific references from the poem to explain your choices, describe how you would present the poem as a short film. Would you recommend color or black and white, sound or silent film? Who would be your actor and actresses? How would you accomplish the special effects? What would you choose as music?
The storyboard -- Describe each change in action by saying whether the camera view will be an extreme closeup (XCU), a closeup (CU), a middle shot (MS), a long shot (LS), or an extreme long shot (XLS). How will you create and build the drama? What visual imagery is essential for conveying the various details of the poem? How will you keep the action moving? In what way will you maintain the mystery surrounding the poem?
I don't have the results yet, but one girl believes she can use textual support to have the main characters be field mice pursued by an owl. She intends to use cartoons.
One boy believes the characters to be ghosts. I am uncertain of his plans for the movie, but he is a rock drummer, so I can predict his choice of music.
If this were adapted to a long work, the film could serve as the "trailer" for a longer movie. It would have to hit the highlights and set the tone and introduce the characters without revealing all. I particularly like the fact that the movie won't actually be made.
The directions -- Using specific references from the poem to explain your choices, describe how you would present the poem as a short film. Would you recommend color or black and white, sound or silent film? Who would be your actor and actresses? How would you accomplish the special effects? What would you choose as music?
The storyboard -- Describe each change in action by saying whether the camera view will be an extreme closeup (XCU), a closeup (CU), a middle shot (MS), a long shot (LS), or an extreme long shot (XLS). How will you create and build the drama? What visual imagery is essential for conveying the various details of the poem? How will you keep the action moving? In what way will you maintain the mystery surrounding the poem?
I don't have the results yet, but one girl believes she can use textual support to have the main characters be field mice pursued by an owl. She intends to use cartoons.
One boy believes the characters to be ghosts. I am uncertain of his plans for the movie, but he is a rock drummer, so I can predict his choice of music.
If this were adapted to a long work, the film could serve as the "trailer" for a longer movie. It would have to hit the highlights and set the tone and introduce the characters without revealing all. I particularly like the fact that the movie won't actually be made.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Act I
After we have read a novel and had the lit circle dicussing connections, themes, dialogue, irony, etc., as an ending or assessing activity I have the students break into small groups. The are instructed to choose a part of the book that they liked. Then they are to put on a production of the part. This includes characters, dialogue, creating the setting, and learning their parts. When they do their parts they are to not just say the words, but put the feelings behind the words or body language. The students really seem to enjoy this, but at the same time they must really understand the character and what is happening in this part of the story. I have many students who are very artistic and this draws them into the project. They feel success in being a part of the production.
I use a rubric to grade the students, one that they get at the beginning of the project. The see what they must do to obtain the grade they desire. It is amazing to see the productions they can come up with and really get a grasp on the situation at hand. I have in the past video taped the productions. On another day we get popcorn and a drink and watch the production. The kids get to critique themselves. It has in the past been a favorable experience.
I use a rubric to grade the students, one that they get at the beginning of the project. The see what they must do to obtain the grade they desire. It is amazing to see the productions they can come up with and really get a grasp on the situation at hand. I have in the past video taped the productions. On another day we get popcorn and a drink and watch the production. The kids get to critique themselves. It has in the past been a favorable experience.
A lesson plan Idea
Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech is the novel that I just wrapped up with my 8th graders. The two main characters, twin orphans, travel to several homes of potential adoptive parents. These homes are not fit for man or beast. Through these travels, Dallas and Florida, the twins, learn to never trust anyone but each other. Their orphanage is run by two misfits, the Trepids.
Dallas and Florida meet Tiller and Sairy, a middle-aged couple looking for companions to go on trips. Tiller and Sairy have raised four children of their own.....all in the holler, Ruby Holler......with no electricty or running water, TV, or any other modern conveniences.
As the story progresses, Dallas and Florida learn of Tiller's and Sairy's talent for wood carving. The students are hooked by this point and so I have a great time with the follow lesson.
Dallas and Florida learn through wood carving, that the beauty of something or someone is not always on the outside and visible to our eyes. This story is rich with metaphor and the wood carving sequence is one of my favorites.
I have the students carve soap with plastic utensils as, of course, we cannot bring sharp knives into the school building. They are given a block of soap and we roll it around in our hands, turn it and study it. We revisit the chapter were Florida and Tiller and camping and the speak of knowing what to carve about....."just see what comes out."
The only object that I give the students is that their soap cannot resemble a bar of soap when it is finished. It must be a three dimensional, recognizable object. We have had canoes, hearts, pumkins, stars, anything the kids can think of.
We then revisit the carving project at the end of the book. Open ended questions we discuss are: Do you have to stay where you are in society just because you were born there? Why or why not? What if you cannot move up in society? Are you who you want to be as an adult when you are 13? How would you know? Can you "carve out" your own future? How would accomplish this?
Of course, soap and wood certainly carve differently the the lesson is a wonderful one.
Dallas and Florida meet Tiller and Sairy, a middle-aged couple looking for companions to go on trips. Tiller and Sairy have raised four children of their own.....all in the holler, Ruby Holler......with no electricty or running water, TV, or any other modern conveniences.
As the story progresses, Dallas and Florida learn of Tiller's and Sairy's talent for wood carving. The students are hooked by this point and so I have a great time with the follow lesson.
Dallas and Florida learn through wood carving, that the beauty of something or someone is not always on the outside and visible to our eyes. This story is rich with metaphor and the wood carving sequence is one of my favorites.
I have the students carve soap with plastic utensils as, of course, we cannot bring sharp knives into the school building. They are given a block of soap and we roll it around in our hands, turn it and study it. We revisit the chapter were Florida and Tiller and camping and the speak of knowing what to carve about....."just see what comes out."
The only object that I give the students is that their soap cannot resemble a bar of soap when it is finished. It must be a three dimensional, recognizable object. We have had canoes, hearts, pumkins, stars, anything the kids can think of.
We then revisit the carving project at the end of the book. Open ended questions we discuss are: Do you have to stay where you are in society just because you were born there? Why or why not? What if you cannot move up in society? Are you who you want to be as an adult when you are 13? How would you know? Can you "carve out" your own future? How would accomplish this?
Of course, soap and wood certainly carve differently the the lesson is a wonderful one.
Monday, March 26, 2007
TV Talk Show
After reading the novel Downriver my class created a TV Talk Show that occurred with the characters after the end of the novel. One student took on the role of Host. Several students took on the roles of chracters in the novel. Another group of students produced the commercials and another group of ctudents chose to be the director/cameraman/stage crew.
The students worked with the host to create questions for the interview and then practiced and timed their segmants. An opening number was produced including music. We worked on the project for about one week. The culmination was a 30 minute live performance of the show that was recorded on tape.
The students and I had a memorable experience that the student still talk about.
The downsides of this project are that it does take some time to put together and it can be difficult to keep everyone on task. Under the right circumstances it can be a valuable project.
This project could certainly be adapted to manynovels. This novel worked particulary well for this because it involved several student age characters and it was fairly contemporary. I think it would be fun to do it as a culminating activity at the end of the school year and let the characters be froma variety of literary selections
The students worked with the host to create questions for the interview and then practiced and timed their segmants. An opening number was produced including music. We worked on the project for about one week. The culmination was a 30 minute live performance of the show that was recorded on tape.
The students and I had a memorable experience that the student still talk about.
The downsides of this project are that it does take some time to put together and it can be difficult to keep everyone on task. Under the right circumstances it can be a valuable project.
This project could certainly be adapted to manynovels. This novel worked particulary well for this because it involved several student age characters and it was fairly contemporary. I think it would be fun to do it as a culminating activity at the end of the school year and let the characters be froma variety of literary selections
Sunday, March 25, 2007
A Lesson Before Dying
One other idea that I like to use with novels is that of journaling the thoughts of a character as the novel progresses. In A Lesson Before Dying, this is a great novel to use for the character journals. The thoughts of the teacher talking to the man in prison everyday opens up an incredible discussion through the journals. Each day I give them different prompts to think about in their writing. Often times it is hard for students to talk in a group discussion in front of the class, through the journals, it opens up a discussion without them having to put themselves out there. I also will take quotes out of their journals, with the students' permission, and word process them with no name and put them on desks in a circle. Through open discussion, the quotes can be an easy avenue to start the discussion and no one knows who they came from.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
