"Prodigy" - Legend novel #2

Prodigy is the second novel in the "Legend" series, and does an excellent job continuing the overall arc of June and Day's struggles. We are introduced to some new characters and new challenges as June is put in a very divisive position.

Curriculum packet

"Legend" project idea

June and Day come from such different lives, that I challenged students to really analyze their character, and investigate what would happen if roles were reversed.

What would happen if Day was in June's life? Would his character be different? Is he the product of his circumstances?

Ask the same questions of June - how would she be different if she were poor, struggling, and at the bottom of the social ladder? What elements of her personality and character would remain, and which did she develop simply because of her schooling and position in life? What would she be like if she weren't groomed for greatness?

"Legend"

This story is the first in another dystopian trilogy. I like that this story follows Day, a Robin Hood of sorts, and June, and switching narration back and forth. 

Themes to investigate include classes in society and the morality of robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

Curriculum packet

"Please Ignore Vera Dietz" timeline

My students were really struggling with all of the flashbacks, so they kept track of events on a timeline. In the end, they were able to see the string of events as they happened. This also led to good discussion on A. S. King's stylistic choices, and what the advantages are of this method of storytelling.

Here is the beginning of our completed timeline:

before Vera	Ken’s dad left when he was 3; he started drinking at age 10.
0	Vera is born, Cindy is 17, and Ken is 18.
>5 months – 1 year	Cindy is stripping to pay the rent since Ken spends all of their money on booze.
5 months	Ken goes to AA after he is too drunk to remember to feed Vera.
4	Ken passes his CPA test.
7	Charlie and Vera find the Master Oak, created by the Great Hunter.
11	Charlie tries to get Vera to smoke a cigarette.
11	During the summer, Charlie & Vera meet John the pervert on the trail.
12	Cindy moves to Vegas with Marty, the podiatrist.
12	Vera starts volunteering at Zimmerman’s pet store during the summer.
13	Charlie & Vera kiss on New Year’s Eve for practice.
13	During the summer, Vera volunteers two days a week at Zimmerman’s.
13	Charlie builds the treehouse.
14	Charlie goes to a football game with Ken & Vera, and Ken says to ignore the abuse.
14	Charlie goes to the doctor because his mom thinks he is throwing his underwear away, but he is really selling them to John the pervert.

"Please Ignore Vera Dietz"

Please Ignore Vera Dietz tells the story of two best friends, who end up growing apart and taking different paths in high school.

Issues and themes to discuss: drug addiction, abusive family members, inappropriate relationships with strangers, divorce, grit, determination, and survival.

"Eleanor & Park" '80s research

As an alternate to providing students with lots of information from the '80s is to let them look it up. I assigned one class to research popular culture in the '80s and asked them to make PowerPoints to share their knowledge with the rest of the class. I combined all of their PowerPoints into one, so there was some duplication, but overall students received lots of information.

Here is an example of one slide from one of my students:

"Eleanor & Park" - Preteaching the '80s

Preteach the ‘80s

These are topics specifically mentioned in the book.  I chose to play a song excerpt each day, and post pictures of items around my room.

• Skinny Puppy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDKkRSUrTd8
• The Misfits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5tMKmmSODk
• XTC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo0lHEonFHc
• The Smiths https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR_KCri-xA0
• Joy Division https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVVdEqBbr4k
• U2/Bono https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdm10Ot7yIA
• spiral perms http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/p_worst_hair_trends/p4261/page8
• feathered bangs http://www.liketotally80s.com/2013/05/feathered-bangs-gallery/
• Swatch watches http://mirror80.com/2012/05/friday-video-pick-a-swatch-watch-commercial-from-1988/
• Esprit http://www.liketotally80s.com/2013/11/esprit/
• Mary Lou Retton http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/lists/the-top-10-moments-in-u-s-olympic-history-20120726/mary-lou-retton-earns-all-around-title-los-angeles-1984-19691231
• Wheaties boxes https://www.flickr.com/photos/generalmills/6882162973/
• book covers http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Paper-Bag-Book-Cover

I also showed some clips of TV shows from the ‘80s, such as “Growing Pains,” “The Cosby Show,” and “Family Ties.”

"Eleanor & Park"

Eleanor & Park is a novel about love in the midst of bullying and abusive relationships. 

Curriculum packet

"The Beginning of Everything" project idea

Create a few projects to anonymously leave gifts for teachers - possibly even host a "Floating Movie Theater." Most teachers wouldn't mind a movie screening in the lounge or library in exchange for some dry-erase markers or a little chocolate. Students are surprisingly willing to bring things (even spare change), and showing a film at the right time never hurt anyone.

"The Beginning of Everything"

Ezra Faulkner was once the golden boy of his high school, but a car accident changed everything. Join Ezra as he attempts to re-invent his identity, and discovers who his true friends really are.

Curriculum packet

"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"

"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" is perhaps an even funnier version of the "other" book about a teenager with cancer. This book definitely carries an "R" rating for language. 

Themes to explore would be friendship, legacies, and character change. 

Extension projects could be students creating their own films, like Greg and Earl, visiting cancer patients in a local hospital, and practicing telling those around them what they appreciate (rather than having to wait for a eulogy). Students can also create their own movie trailer for the book.

Curriculum packet

"Golden Son" ("Red Rising" #2)

The second book in the Red Rising trilogy is significantly longer than the first, and would take a good deal longer to teach. It is a solid read, however, and continues to follow Darrow as he attempts to overthrow the Gold regime.

Character charts are a must, and a timeline wouldn't hurt, either.

This novel is prime for a character analysis of Darrow, especially tracing his continued change from the first book.

Curriculum packet

"Red Rising"

Red Rising is the latest dystopian futuristic novel by Pierce Brown. All of my high school students loved this novel - I do not recommend it for younger students due to some mature content. 

Themes: class struggles, bias/prejudice/stereotype, and revolution.

Curriculum packet

"The Other Wes Moore"

This novel traces the stories of two boys, roughly the,same age, who grew up in the same area, and yet have completely different adult lives.

Teaching techniques: 

*TIMELINE! Students created a parallel timeline of the two Wes Moores. Each chapter highlights events in the years of their life, and we attempted to show the timeline of each life.

*  Character change assignments. With each challenge each Wes faced, we looked at alternate choices, both positive and negative. It's impossible, of course, to say that one change would entirely alter a life, but I used this to help students practice looking at choices and options.

*Friends, family, and those who influence you. We were able to do several writing and sharing activities about those who influence our lives, and how we let them. We studied grit, determination, and motivation, and the roles each of these play in our lives.

Curriculum packet

"Miss Peregrine" trilogy - figurative language assignment

All three Miss Peregrine books (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Hollow City, and Library of Souls) are wonderful for teaching figurative language, especially similes and metaphors.

Ransom Riggs creates many things in his novels that do not exist in real life (wights, loops, Devil’s Acre in the third book).  I ask my students how they would describe something that is not real, and only exists in their imagination.  Ransom Riggs uses several metaphors and similes—he compares his imaginary items to things that we are familiar with.  I challenge students to keep track of examples as they read.

Examples from Hollow City:

Metaphor example, pg. 14: “A sea of shattered glass…”

Simile example, pg. 15, “..it was like trying to catch fish with bare hands.”

"Library of Souls"

The conclusion of the "Miss Peregrine" novel is fantastic, and well worth the read!

Curriculum packet

"Hollow City"

The second novel in the "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is just as strong as the first.  I found that creating a timeline to keep track of the story and various loops was very helpful for my students. We started working on it together, and they finished it on their own. 

A character chart also helped students keep track of who was where, when, and what peculiarities each character possessed. 

Curriculum packet

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" - creative writing assignment

This novel provides one of the best writing platforms out there! After reading the novel, I assigned students to do exactly what Ransom Riggs did - find some old photos, and work them into a story.  I gave students the choice to either begin with a story, and find pictures to fit, or find pictures first and write a story around them.

I was astounded by so many things - first, at the pictures they found, and second, at their creativity! My students loved the freedom of choice that this assignment provided. Some students stayed fairly realistic, while others delved into science fiction, fantasy, and more. I think this was hands-down the most writing my students have generated thus far!

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"

This book was a definite page-turner, and now it's a movie! I'll be posting ways I used this novel to teach creative writing over the next few days.

Curriculum packet

"Every Day" unit

"Every Day" is about "A," who wakes up in a different body each morning. "A" can be a boy or a girl, but is always someone who is his/her age. This book explores gender roles and expectations, as well as moral rights and wrongs, albeit in a fictional situation. 

Curriculum packet

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"

Written in play form, this book is a delightful continuation of the Harry Potter series. This story finds our favorite students grown, with families of their own. Topics for discussion include expectations, personalities, and strengths & weaknesses. 

Curriculum packet

"We Were Liars"

We Were Liars is a twisting novel with an unexpected ending. The novel follows some trust-fund grandchildren, their mothers, and their grandparents as they summer annually on their private island. This novel is a tool for teaching family dynamics, responsibility, expectations, and consequences. 

We Were Liars curriculum packet

"All the Bright Places" project idea

I didn't want to let students cut up tons of perfectly good books, but I liked Decca's idea of removing negativity. I liked expanding that idea to stimuli the students would see daily, so I had them choose something they looked at often. Some students brought in magazines, others printed off pages of their Facebook feed, while others drew from websites. I think it was powerful for them to see the negativity that surrounds them.

"All the Bright Places" project idea

My class made a wall of post-it notes. I left it up to them, but asked that they keep it positive and inspiring. They wrote quotes, song lyrics, phrases; some drew pictures. Some were anonymous, other students volunteered their names with their contribution. 

I also gave students the option of creating their own personal "wall" of post-its on a sheet of blank paper. 

"All The Bright Places"

I just finished the novel, and I'm looking forward to the movie! It is expected to be released sometime in 2018, and at this time is reported to star Elle Fanning.

My curriculum packet

Be prepared to discuss mental illness, true friendship, and telling the truth, among other things. This book invites good conversations about divorce, parents, when to speak up, and when to listen.