Second Lesson

Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to teach any novels, outside of literature circles. I will be teaching Hamlet. Within this play, I am going to have all of my students act it out. I will only have a class of twelve seniors and there are no scenes within this play that are larger than this, to my memory. I will also be using both a movie and a CD set for this play. I am hoping to find more activities. I would like for them to create a project of some aspect within Shakespeare's time, be it his theatre or otherwise. I have not completely planned this out, but these are my general thoughts.

2nd Lesson Plan - In Search of the Novel

This is a lesson plan that I created to use with my Art I students. All students are required to read a novel every nine weeks for their English classes in addition to the ones they read as a class project. I have a mix of grade levels in my art class so there will be a variety of novels represented. I present three projects and give the students a choice of doing two of them. The first is to set up a still life vignette that contains 2-5 objects from the book. They should be important to the plot or characters of the novel. The students create a journal entry about what each thing means & why it's so important. The class then has a choice and they can pick at least 2 vignettes to draw. The second project is to design a book jacket for a regular sized book - not a paperback. They can use paint, pastel, ink, or pencil. Their goal is to create an artwork so compelling that people will want to pick up the book and read it. The picture must obviously relate to the book in some way. They are required to include a short biography of the author with a picture. They must also include a synopsis of the book and a list of other books written by the author if appropriate. I take pictures of the art work to be posted on the school's web site. The last project choice is to make a movie trailer using Windows Movie Maker. They can use almost any media; drawings, pictures, clay, real life student actors, etc. They must design a studio name, logo, and icon for the trailer. Their artit's name must be part of the design. Their goal is to generate a buzz or excitement about the movie that is so intense that the viewer will want to see the movie and will remember the movie when it is released. KH016

Lesson Plan for In Search of a Novel - Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad

This is a history based fictional picture book. I came across the lesson plan in Books, Lessons, Ideas for Teaching the Six Traits. The book Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad is fairly short. It is about a slave in the process of escaping. The book is not told through the slave’s eyes or the pursuers’ eyes but through the eyes of the forest animals. It is a great book to demonstrate the concept of perspective. The lesson that goes along with this book is to have the student think of something simple, such as leaving home for school in the morning. The students then tell or write that story from someone or something else’s perspective, like a dog, a bird, and ant on the countertop, etc. The student tells both the story in simple terms and then from the perspective of someone or something watching what happened. The class can then discuss which version is more interesting and why? I think it is good for them to hear stories from different perspectives. It causes them to see things and think about things in a different way. In many facets of life, we should look at situations, etc. from a different view. It helps us understand others, their ways and reasons for doing specific actions. Hopefully it will help us not to be so self-centered and selfish but aware of others.

Another lesson plan

Friendship and decision making are common themes. On My Honor is an excellent book which shows value, carelessness, friendship, emotion, and decision making. We use this book as a start to the new school year. This book is especially effective because the two main characters are ten years old, which is the age group of my children. Although this book is written at a 3rd grade level, once the students start reading it, they don't want to stop. I introduce the book by talking about friendship, what it means, and what we do for our friends. Usually a great class discussion develops and I learn a lot about my students. During this discussion, I make a character web on chart paper which is hung in the classroom throughout the project. After the first two or three chapters we do a charachter analysis, describing each of the two main characters - comparing and contrasting their personalities. From here we make predictions based on the characters. As we continue reading the students journal their ideas and thoughts about each one and make connections to the characters and setting. As the book progresses the characters are called upon to make decisions, which become life changing. Again, class discussions are important. It always surprises me the connections the students can make, and how they identify with the characters and the problem that has risen. Throughout the book, the different themes are brought up and discussed and predictions are made. This is a great, simple book to use when teaching rising and falling action. At the midpoint I introduce this and we start our plot line, which they also put in their reading journal. This is added to as we continue to read the story. It becomes hard for the students to stop reading, although I ask them not to read ahead. After we have completed the book we revisit our character traits - the students then do a compare/contrast project of the two main characters and the changes they go through in the book. They also finish their plot line. For a final project, I have the students re-write the ending, starting from the point where the two main characters are at the river. Because the book itself is very simple and easy reading, most of the work is done at the end. To re-write the ending the student has to evaluate the situation presented and make decisions, based on their character trait comparison. I usually find the new endings are very reflective the of text-self connections that the student makes. The students love to read their endings to the whole class.

...Another Lesson Idea...To Kill a Mockingbird

Okay folks...just sit right back and I will tell you the tale.
Kids love to hear that. There is something about the word tale. Tale, not story.
I think that students need to feel. Feel anything. In years past I have taken my students out onto the property at Central High School. There are some very large trees that I like to take them to and read under. I really like reading To Kill a Mockingbird out there, especially when it is the fall and the leaves are blowing...just like in the story. Another thing I have done is take the students to the court house. (I know...a large amount of work, but it is very effective.)

Here is the lesson:
You select one of your best readers to read the famous monologue by Atticus Finch. If (where you are located) there is a courthouse with a balcony, I make the other students sit in the "colored balcony" while "Atticus" is reading that monolouge. I have seen tears. I have heard sobs. There is something about the solemnity of a courthouse that really attaches itself to a student.

Then, for the assignment, I have the students write a reaction to what he/she has heard and they must write in the voice of a person of color. I have seen some very powerful results from this lesson, mind-changing and life-changing. A challenging lesson to put together, yet EXTREMELY POWERFUL.

Freak the Mighty. We start this novel by identifying what it means to be a friend. This starts with a class discussion, then the students do a prewrite on a particular friendship they either have or have had in the past. Throughout the novel the students post to their writing journal, different topics each day. Included in these posts are character traits, setting, word choice, imagery and action. The journal becomes a reference for later. As we read the novel, the students make a flip book and develop their own dictionary. The words they put in this dictionary are words currently used in their vocabulary - usually some slang. At the fourth grade level this can get quite interesting. After posting in their journal, every day, I ask for two volunteers to share what they have written, which promts discussion.

After we have read the novel, the students make their own "Freak the Mighty" book. Using their journals as reference, they create the cover, do a character anaylsis of both characters and pick one other character of importance. They have to draw the character and write a paragraph describing him/her. The next section of the book includes two pages of imagery. They are to create two different scenes from the book, drawing and coloring them. In these pictures they also have to use labels to describe their scene. The next secion is two pages of vocabulary from the book. The students choose the words they like and want to showcase, minimum of six words. A definition from the book is used. The next section of their book is a paragraph on friendship, what it is and how it can change and why. This is typed, cut and pasted in the book. They can then decorate the page(s) . Finally they put their own dictionary in the book.

We use a Dina Zyke design for making our books. They are simple and cheap.

Lesson Plan In Search of Novel

Lesson plan for Great Expectations
To set the stage before reading the novel in class. I have the students work in groups to research Dickensian England and prepare a collaborative project to illustrate the setting & the time frame of the story. The students are to create a virtual museum with photos and illustrations using their drawing skills, GIMP, Windows Movie Maker, or PowerPoint. While we read the story in class I have the students keep and empathy journal to help them identify Pip's emotions, experiences, beliefs, etc. that are similar to the experiences and such that they have. We share and discuss teh journal entries in class after we read for the day. After we've completed the novel in class. I have the students create an illustration of one of the main characters. We watch two different versions of Great Expectations usually David Lean's version from 1946 & Julian Jarrold's from 1999. We discuss the variations in the movies & the book; things they like & don't like; things that are missing &/or added; if the actors and directors stayed true to Dickens, etc. As a culminating activity I have the students collaborated on a serial group writing project - a short story with on or more of the themes from Great Expectations. They publish this story in the school newspaper. KH016