Should have posted this here! Would you tell me how a typical class period for you is run? I'm trying to figure out how to structure my classes and your input would be very helpful! :thanks:
I'd like to know too. I'd like to know what books you assign them to read, and how much time you spend on poetry and writing and drama.
I already posted in the other section but I will add some of the novels that all my students will be reading this year. The House on Mango Street Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963 A Year Down Yonder Maniac Magee Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village The Outsiders I will also do a few literature circles where students have a choice - Lois Lowry, "growing up", and adventure are the 3 themes for my lit circles. I try to choose 5 books for them to choose from for each lit circle. While I do focus on poetry for 4-5 weeks, I use poetry throughout the year! Poems are easy to use in mini-lessons because they can be read and "picked apart" quickly. I also encourage my students to write poetry in their writer's notebook even though I will not officially begin that unit until later in the year. I like to save it towards the end because I find students will be more open and honest in their writing as they feel more comfortable with me and the class. I write every day...all year long! Either in their writer's notebooks or publishing a piece. In 7th grade, I do not focus on drama. They have an exploratory class that covers it. I do, however, do a number of "dramatic activities" throughout the year, but I do not teach a drama unit. Hope this is helpful...
10 minutes - bell ringer 10-15 minutes- mini lesson +/- 20 minutes work time last 10 minutes share/questions During worktime I conference with students I run reading workshop and writing workshop this way. On Fridays we concentrate on poetry; it's a nice way to end the week. We will read The Giver and Tom Sawyer this year as a whole class. We will do lit. circles based on a yet to be determined genres. Students then pick out the books in that genre.
I posted my schedule on the other thread. Here are the books we read as a class: Bronx Masquerade (Summer Reading Assignment) 145th Street The Last Book in the Universe (Science Fiction) The Outsiders (I'm adding this this year) Night The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian I'm flirting with the idea of adding another novel (I was thinking To Kill A Mockingbird or a non-fiction book with high interest like Nickle and Dimed), but am leaning away from that idea, since I want to do more with writing. I don't do *any* drama and I do very little poetry. I use poetry when I teach figurative language or when it can enhance the novel study (like if it's mentioned in the book or relates to one of the themes we're talking about). I also did a short poetry unit, with a public speaking element during testing this year (it seemed like a good time to do something more fun and a little less intense).
I have been thinking of taking away one of the whole group novels (probably A Year Down Yonder) and adding another literature circle - Banned Books...what do you think?
I love the idea. Several lit. response questions and mini-lessons popped into my head. I would have a hard time doing the banned books because I live in very conservative district...maybe when I get more years under my belt
This is an awesome idea! If you go with this, there is a book of short stories written by banned authors that is edited by Judy Blume (I believe it's called Places I Never Meant to Be). It might be a good place to start (Blume and some of the others have essays about censorship included).
Thanks for the book idea "forchange". I have not heard of it. I will ask my librarian to order it for me tomorrow!
