Goals of education

1. Self-knowledge

2. To teach students a culture that is new to every student - that of the classroom culture

The Power of True Cliches

I'm sorry I underestimated Nick Sparks. Why do people rebuff the cliche - as M said, there's still truth in them sometimes and isn't that powerful? Sparks uses a metaphor in Best of Me, of an otter trapped in a cage. A socialite's daughter feels trapped by the life forced on her in a way. Trapped in a cage is old and tired language. Yet it aptly describes so much such as:

- doctors stuck in the requirements of rigorous training structures

- administrators, teachers, and students trapped in education's disorganized traditions 

- anyone who is victims of inequality and discrimination

- everyone who inherits the ways of doing and thinking that don't work anymore 

We want control but sometimes the invisible cages confine our autonomy. Thinking outside the box is a rarity that must be fought hard for. It may be cliche but we're all in this together.

For now, though, here is a cold hard truth as tragic as the majority of the English curriculum texts: I live in a cage. You live in a cage. 

*another realization: the best writing and most motivated reading comes from real experience. I want to finish Best of Me to know how/if she gets out of her cage because I want to escape mine. I should ask the students what books or stories do you connect with and why? Ex: I connected with Henrietta Lacks because I have also felt afraid of things I don't understand. And frustrated when others won't tell me the answers. Or I can ask, what makes you interested in reading something? What are some of your favorite books and stories?

PBL

RnJ - healthy relationships; how is it a tragedy and a comedy?/debate love or lust - what's his political message?/prequel/hell

OMM - what's light and what's dark?/would you shoot Lennie?/why is George friends w Lennie?/who are the outsiders in our society?

Switch perspective to first person 

TKAM - what's mockingbird?/ Jem quote about people having things in common w each other or too many differences/New South vs traditional
Compare and contrast Harper Lee's time with your own (after watching the video)

Make newspaper 

Redo the trial so Tom has more dimension and wins

Sequel

Odyssey - who controls our destiny? / how does O and T gain independence? And how are gods responsible? fate or man debate?

Map

Death of a Salesman - what's the Am Dream?/why does Willy cheat?/ do you like Willy?

Act out a scene

Gatsby (w OMM) - what's Fitzgerald saying about the American dream and carelessness? / is the dream over? / do you like Gatsby? / what's happiness?

Gatsby newspaper 

Huck (w TKAM) - how does dialogue create identity? / when is it ok to lie?

River Journal 

Modern day huck

Jim pov

Crucible

Introduction Structure

TKAM

Day 1:
-Unit Plan: read components, answer questions, and answer why Harper Lee wrote the book
(read for homework)

Day 2: The 1930s
-Question: Look at Pinterest pics - What do you think the book will be about, based on the pictures?
-Watch TKAM historical context video & Scotsboro, Great Depression(John Green)
-Read about the author
Product:  Compare and contrast Harper Lee's time with our own: Great Depression, Class/Segregation, Scotsboro, Predicted Themes, Harper Lee
 Day 3: Community I
Present ProductsDo Now: How would you describe our town? What history do you know of it?
Who are the outsiders of our community? What kind of class system exists?

Homework: Would you want to live in Maycomb? 

Begin novel

The Great Gatsby

Day 1: The 1920s
-Look at Pinterest pics -  What do you think the book will be about, based on the pictures?
-Watch Introduction to the 1920s
-Read about the author, look at Powerpoints
Product: Create a mindmap or a mural of the book's historical context and purpose. Must have these labels: Prohibition, Automobiles, WWI, Fitzgerald, Predicted Themes, Economy, Women, Immigration

Day 2: Old money
Present products
Question:
Begin novel
Homework: Who is old and who is new money?

Romeo and Juliet

Day 1: The Bard
-Look at Pinterest -  What do you think the book will be about, based on the pictures?
-Watch Intro to Shakespeare (iambic), Shakespeare in Pop Culture, William Shakespeare.ppt Bio
Product: Create a mindmap or a mural of the book's historical context and purpose. Must have these labels: Shakespeare's schooling, Shakespeare's language/style, Shakespeare's influence, Predicted Themes

Day 2:
Question:
Begin play

Death of a Salesman

Day 1: Dreams
-Look at collected images - What do you think the book will be about, based on the pictures?
-Watch Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller and the American Dream
-Author Bio
Product: Create a mindmap or a mural of the book's historical context and purpose. Must have these labels: American Dream, Tragic Hero, Predicted Themes, Arthur Miller

Day 2:
Question:
Begin play

Of Mice and Men

Day 1: Dreams
-Look at collected images -  What do you think the book will be about, based on the pictures?
-Watch Of Mice and Men Context, Salinas Valley, John Steinbeck (Short Biography), Controversy, Introduction - OMM Background Information
Product: Create a mindmap or a mural of the book's historical context and purpose. Must have these labels: Great Depression/Black Tuesday, John Steinbeck,  Migrant Workers, Title, Predicted Themes, Social Divides

Day 2: Solitude/Setting
Question:
Begin novel


Huck Finn

Day 1: Breaking the Mold/N Word
-Look at Pinterest -  What do you think the book will be about, based on the pictures?
-Read Bloom intro, The River, Fishkin the N word, Dialect
-Watch Huckleberry Finn "The N Word", Mark Twain's Story of Huck Finn, Huck Finn-context & background
Must have these labels: River, Predicted Themes, Controversy, Mark Twain, Slavery, Dialect

Day 2:
Question:
Begin novel


Odyssey

Day 1: The Bard
-Look at Pinterest -  What do you think the book will be about, based on the pictures?
-Watch
Product: Create a mindmap or a mural of the book's historical context and purpose. Must have these labels:

Day 2:
Question:
Begin novel

Why do we read and write

Why do we read and write? John Green, bestselling teen fiction author, states that reading develops empathy for others' experiences. And the act of writing communicates those experiences and historical moments vividly. Therefore all activities in English need to facilitate these outcomes: remembering, connecting, deciphering meaning.

**students also need to be able to respond to literary criticism: no point in developing empathy if we don't fully know what we understand - reading others' interpretations and comparing to our own will help us know ourselves better and fully get the most out of our reading**

This is where to begin lesson plans and the first day of school - establish purpose and importance. So other subject at area teachers ought to discuss and align plans to:

1.) Why learn science? Teaches us to ask questions and detect patterns in life's organization. Understanding past research allows us to discover more mysteries. 

2.) Why learn math? Teaches us to 

3.) Why learn history?

4.) Why learn music? 

5.) Why learn art?

The child is father to the man.

Like doctors secondary teachers care for others long after prevention of the ailment is possible.

By ailment I mean non-ideal parts of their childhoods. 

I should have students speculate as much as possible about book characters' upbringing. Science agrees these are formative years, fears and insecurities are cemented like the woman who discovered infant-mom bonding.

And realize their own upbringings.