To clarify, I'm creating a project for my summer session (we're a year-round school) that will give students a chance to read either Dracula, Frankenstein, or Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. I'm extremely excited about this idea because I did a similar project last summer on dystopian literature and it went well. This time, I've found all three books available under a single cover (major money saver, especially when kiddos change their minds on selections) AND also found graphic novel versions of each that are designed to aid student through Common Core curriculum. I'll share any / all of this information if anyone is interested. I would like to chunk the work into the following modules: Biography of the author (this will come in handy later) Chapter questions (to me, they are guided notes) Vocabulary (use a minimum of ten words from the novel in original sentences, preferably creatively) Media comparison with a film adaptation (Jekyll & Hyde is the one with the biggest changes, IMHO) Character Map (I have a template for students to complete on a major character's journey through the action of the novel) Oral Book Review (I'd prefer to make this groups discussing their selections as a dialogue) Research Project It's this last one I'm having trouble phrasing properly. Each of the three novels has a distinct true story that inspired the writing, so reasearching that could be a great idea. Finding examples of how the novel has affected culture is another one. Does anyone have any really solid ideas on how to phrase this assignment?
I love your ideas so far! I am just spitballing here, but what about tying in to current events/issues? All of these novels (and sci-fi in general) were written as responses to changing social realities/insecurities of their times -- industrialization, women's rights movements, advancements in medical science, questions about humanity's place in the world/universe...I am thinking of connections to bioethical questions in our current world, from the advancements in AI (self-driving cars, androids, bots), space travel/colonization, environmental destruction of our home planet -- students could research a current issue and make a connection to the text in some way. Maybe even make a trailer for their own "monster" movie in which the "monster" is the issue/fear/insecurity personified...you could really have fun with this!
Holy heck, what a great idea!!! I love the idea of tying it in to current events and having them create their own monster for their own times... provided we can avoid getting horribly partisan in any direction. I'm going to chew on this one.
Wow! What a great project. I may steal this idea, if you don't mind. I also agree with the idea of tying it in with current events. What grade do you teach?
I have tons of stuff on Frankenstein. Another ERWC teacher wrote a whole course module on it that focuses on the topic of ethics. Students wrote essays on Victor’s decisions viewed through that lens.
One of the things I want students to do is look at the real-life inspirations of each novel and see how that might have played out in modern society.
Frankenstein would not have been written if Mount Tambora hadn’t erupted, resulting in the Year Without a Summer! There’s a good selection about that in the documentary Little Ice Age, Big Chill.
