The Nature of Essential Questions

I figured out the major categories for Active Reading! Compared to other disciplines, there's not as much structure and concrete strategies in English. Well, why should English be any different? There's even a way to make personal connections. I've outlined it here, on a page called Reading Strategies poster, because I plan to post the strategies in a hopefully not too overwhelming poster on my classroom wall.

http://onwardteach.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

What I've also discovered is simple plot recall is the foundation for all the other higher-level English activities. In fact, it is literally the foundation in Anderson and Krathwohl's Taxonomy. There's also an affective reason for making sure kids know the plot of a book closely - their writing/evidence is therefore more specific, confident, and accurate! Factually stating the evidence is the crux of an argument, as much as linguistic flourishes dazzle and ease the reading experience. I must remind myself that transformative education means all students receive appropriate scaffolds. 

I love that I can ask personal questions at any comprehension level since the student just has to draw on his/her life - something they are all experts on! Personal connections enhance memory of plot details and evidence. And lastly, the personal connections provide the centralizing theme for each work. Here are some I've come up with:

R&J - What do you think a healthy romantic relationship is like - how should the lovers, their friends, society, and parents behave? In contrast, how do Romeo & Juliet behave and how do the other characters' advice/speeches influence them? (relationships, Character Chart)

To Kill a Mockingbird - Who/What are the qualities of a "mockingbird" as shown in the novel?(Boo, Tom, Cunningham, Dill, at times Scout and Atticus themselves). What is the appropriate way to respond? (Atticus, Calpurnia, Miss Maudie) What worsens their lives? (Miss Stephanie, Ewells, Miss Caroline, Aunt Alexandra, Mrs. Dubose). Who is a mockingbird in your life and how would you respond now after reading the novel? (Emotional Reaction, Symbols)

--> Supporting questions: What is a mockingbird? How do they become one? What are their personality traits? Who shoots mockingbirds and why and what are their personality traits (bystanders)? What does it mean to shoot?
How does society shape the individual?

Of Mice and Men - What is dark and what is light about the story? How does Steinbeck show but not tell us his opinion and why does he do it? Is the story ultimately optimistic or pessimistic? (Structure, Symbol, Character, Narrator)
--> Supporting questions: what is the mood of something? how do you know? is there ever a flip side to plans going awry? how do you grow through struggle? when are you truly helpless? what is the point of a tragedy? (Death Be Not Proud, Frederick Douglas, R&J)

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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - What is the relationship between language and identity? What do characters' language (the way the talk and what they say and how people respond) tell us about who they are? Are characters who use the n-word racist? (lying = change identity/reality/start to believe it; the way you speak makes you who you are)
What are the effects of words in the novel? How does each character's dialect influence what you think of him/her? Pick moments where what is said has an impact and when it doesn't have an impact. (Huck's lies, Tom's persuasion, Pap Finn, Jim).  What kind of language do you want to use? (Language) When is language used for good and when for evil?

--> Supporting questions: what is identity? how do people change or do they? what is a personality? (psych study about situations, psych study about Drive, moral theory), copy down someone's language in a conversation ONLY dialogue to create a sense of who they are.
Is Huck Finn racist? Track appearances and uses of the N-word. Harold Bloom quote about satire and author knowing more than his characters do.

Writer David Bradley notes that many have criticized the ending of Huck Finn but "none of them has been able to suggest -- much less write -- a better ending. . . . They failed for the same reason that Twain wrote the ending as he did: America has never been able to write a better ending. America has never been able to write any ending at all." What do you think he means? Ask students to imagine they were Mark Twain's editor and to write Twain a letter explaining why and how he should change the ending. (To extend this activity, have students actually rewrite the ending, and compare their versions to the original.)

Have students write a scene or a "treatment" for a new movie or novel, set in contemporary times, in which Huck and Jim meet and become friends. Who would they be today? What would their issues be? Where would their journey take place?

The Great Gatsby - What do you think would make each character happy? In your opinion, why do people want what they want and what (on the individual and societal levels) makes it so hard to attain? (Character)

--> Supporting question: what is happiness (interview)? HAPPINESS PROJECT, interpret symbols to determine levels of happiness. What makes people unhappy? What are obstacles to happiness?
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Discarded Questions:
Try writing the novel from a certain character's POV. (What is each character's dream and why do they go awry?) Now reflect on why Steinbeck writes in a third person omniscient - what are the benefits and costs? Does it help us to understand the characters better or their situations? Try imitating John Steinbeck's writing style to write about someone's broken dreams. 

What kinds of things create a sense of adventure? (river, no schedule, escape, lying, being a hero to the helpless).

or: Most characters in the book are in the same social class: Pap, Huck, Tom, Jim, king/duke. How are they alike and how are they similar? Which qualities do you want in yourself?