The following are suggestions and strategies from South Dakota English Teachers at a
Roundtable session at SDEA this summer.
Working in pairs, seniors compose a 20-line "Canterbury Tales" for modern times in iambic pentameter.
Each student writes his/her name on the paper before beginning--writes a topic idea then passes it on to next person who writes, signs, and passes it on.
Replace Great Expectations with several novels with a coming-of-age theme. Kids kept journals and worked in groups to prepare a presentation on their group's book. The purpose was to create interest in that book to sell it.
Giving blank outline (for form) and then showing how a speech would fit in that outline.
Small group discussion of Sandra Cisneros' "Barbie-Q," which began with students describing their Barbies and imagining what kind of life Barbie would live.
Utopia project--writing the documents to create a perfect world, then constructing a 3-dimensional model that is conducive to the ideas/ideals of this "world."
Groups--explain to the class what they know about (whatever). Groups teach or act the concept. Example: What's a semicolon? or What's important about Emily Dickinson?
Freshmen autobiographies to go along with Great Expectations. I have specific categories for them to include. They also have to talk to their parents to get some of the information so they learn a little about themselves and their families.
Creating puppet shows in creative writing class and presenting them to elementary students.
I required my ten sophomore speech students to try readers theater this fall. We made two groups of five, cut, scripted, blocked, and presented both at home and at contest.
Write a story ending to "Dandelion Wine," Composition and speaking projects.
Classroom project--writing to pen pals
Local writer who shared and wrote with the students.
Original game using term/words from A Tale of Two Cites/Madame Defarge Day.
Draw/write your own postcards.
Grammar Jammers--select word from dictionary. Have students look up word.
Put word into a sentence.
Allow 2-3 minutes. Write sentences on mini chalkboards. Many variations. Possible
prizes.
Children's story project --co-teach poetry completed from research.
Kids write an essay describing their favorite places.
Short stories--act out short story that has been read in small groups.
Portfolio projects--bumper stickers--announcements--awards.
English Jeopardy--students helped come up with questions.
Decades project--cooperative research; present 20's-30's, 40's-50's, 60's-70's, 80's-90's, as 20th century author background.
Landscapes of my life--watercolors, crayons, pencils--South Monday, House Made of Dawn.
Choose a book by a "modern author." Read and do a book talk. Make us want to read it.
Write a poem which shows the characteristics of the two careers you just researched and which also demonsfrates your suitability for that career.
Odyssey Escapade--Have students plan a trip. Journal about it. Fill out forms that deal with mileage, food, clothes, etc. Give them $300.00 to spend. Have perks and hazards along the way.
Classroom Project--school to work, evaluation, let students express their ideas.