This week we will use our 15 iPads quite a bit. Students will be finishing up their anticipatory novel research projects early in the week. Small groups selected topics I chose that are related to important aspects of the novels they are about to analyze.
My English I classes will begin independently reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The topics upon which they are to find information as to how they relate to the novel include: dystopia, fascism, hero/heroine archetype, the monomyth, Battle Royale, and violence in reality television. Most students have already read the book or have seen the movie, so I am hoping to be able to lead them to a more thematic analysis of the themes.
The English II pre-AP class will be reading The Hobbit. The topics they were able to select include: J.R. Tolkien, philology, Scandinavian mythology, Anglo-Saxon mythology, hero/heroine archetype, the monomyth, and Middle Earth. I am hoping all the hype surrounding the first movie will help reinforce their engagement.
After teaching students the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary sources, we looked at the reliability of their most commonly used online research sources, especially Wikipedia. I showed them how Wikipedia entries use footnotes and resources and explained to them that they may use it as a "springboard", leading them to more reliable sources of information. The AML Gale Database app was loaded onto all the iPads and students were able to access these reliable databases.
Once students complete their investigation, they will share what they have learned in order to build interest and lay the groundwork for analysis.
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