Creative Ways to Connect Students to the Past

Creative Ways to Connect Students to the Past

By Jill Jenkins

            Growing up in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, I had a strong sense of history.  My father had served in the Sea Bees during World War II and my mother came from a pioneer family who had settled the western city in which I lived and the family had grown generation after generation.  My father’s passion for history meant our house was filled with books about the war, the ancient Mayan and Aztec Civilization, European History and archeology books.  When I began to teach, I was shocked to discover that most students had little or no sense of history or even life before their 12 to 14 year existence. Over time working with the history department at my school, we created some projects to help students have a wider historic view of the world. Without a sense of history, students will find it difficult to understand most pieces of literature and the world that they live in.

To Whom Are You Related?

            To help students understand that history was not just something you read about in your textbooks, students research one of their ancestors and learn at least three events from that person’s life.  They are asked to interview parents or grandparents to learn their ancestor’s life story. The students should be describing three events or stories from the ancestor’s life, not just facts about the person.  If the student has no family to interview, I suggested they adopt a family by interviewing a neighbor or an elderly person in a retirement home.  They dress as their ancestor to present a mono-act of their ancestor’s story as though they were that person.  Each student has to provide each class member with a handout.  That handout could be a fact sheet, or something more creative.  One of my former students was related to Milton Hershey, so she passed out Hershey’s kisses glued to a piece of paper with details about Milton Hershey’s life. Another one of my students was from Viet Nam and his grandfather had been an officer in the North Vietnamese army.  The story of his grandfather’s life helped students understand the human connections that unite all people making this a great learning experience for everyone.

            My daughter’s teacher assigned a variation of this assignment.  He wanted his students to appreciate a veteran for Veteran’s Day, so he asked student to find a family member or a neighbor who was a veteran and had served during a war and interview him.  My daughter interviewed my father who served in World War II.   Each student presented his/her findings with a picture of the veteran giving the students a face and a story. 

Anne Frank and the Other Victims of the Holocaust

            To teach The Diary of Anne Frank, I use a variety of activities to help the students relate to events that seem very foreign to them.  First, many teachers choose to teach the play instead of the actual diary, but I feel that students need to read a primary historical source, even if it is more difficult to read.  Second, students need to know that Anne Frank’s situation was not unique.  Many people were in hiding during World War II.   One wonderful resource is the United States Holocaust Museum at http://www.ushmm.org/remember. I have my students each select three victims who were about their age.  Each student creates a poster with the names, picture (if available) and story of three victims of the Holocaust.  My former in-laws were both in hiding in Holland during World War II.  Although I was never able to convince them to talk to my classes, I was able to tell their story and show them pictures of them.  My hope is to make history the story of real people to my students, not just a lot of facts, dates and foreign places as it was presented to me in middle school.

            Another great project is to use the sources on The United State Holocaust Museum webpage http://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide and ask students to research another example of genocide.  They need to create a Power Point Presentation about their example of genocide and create a plan for stopping destructive behavior.  Each student presents his/her Power Point to the class, so the students continue to learn from one another.

Connecting the Past with Parents

            Another way to help the students connect with the past and their parents is to give students a list of books on the time period that you are teaching.  Students are given two copies of the book and ask to take one home.  The student reads the book and the parent (grandparent or neighbor) reads the same book.  As they read the book, they discuss it together.  After they finish reading the book, the parent comes to school with his/her son/daughter to discuss the book.  The teacher, of course, has to supply the discussion questions during the reading and after the reading.  Since the other students watch the discussions given by the other parents and students, they are exposed to other books.  Hopefully, this will motivate them to read other books and expand their exposure.

            A few books that could be used in conjunction with The Diary of Anne Frank include:

·         Night by Elie Wiesel

·         The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski

·         Because of Romek  by David Faber

·         The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

·         The Hiding Place  by Corrie Ten Boom

·         The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak

Using Songs

As a teacher, you could introduce one or two songs to you class and then assign each student to find a song that bests reflects the time period.  He or she should present his/her song to the class and justify why he/she selected it.  Another idea is to have your students work in pairs and write their own song for that time period.

            To take it a step further, you could have student write their own song about their lives.   One by Monte Selby has some excellent examples of songs about the lives of students.

The Civil War, songs :

·         “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again”

·         “Dixie”

Music and songs from World War I:
 

	·          “It's a Long Way to Tipperary “ ·           ”Over There “
	·         ”Pack Up Your Troubles in You Old Kit Bag”

The music from The Great Depression:

             I find the songs of Woody Guthrie invaluable. One excellent choice appears on Nanci Griffith’s CD, Other Voices Too, "Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)" which was based on a newspaper article that Woody Guthrie found describing  the plight of a group migrant workers who were killed in an airplane accident when they were being deported.  The story is relevant today.  Another one of Wood Guthrie songs appears on Nanci Griffith’s CD, Other Voices, Other Rooms. Woody Guthrie’s song,   "Do-Re-Mi"  tells the story of the victims the dust bowl arrival in California.  If you were teaching The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, it would be invaluable.  Others include:

	·         Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? ·         Happy Days Are Here Again

 World War II:

·         “This Is the Army, Mr. Jones” ·         “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree”

The Viet Nam War:

·         "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire

·         "Give Peace a Chance" by John Lennon

 

           

Conclusion           

            Since these activities are student-centered project students will be more motivated to do them and more likely to learn from them.  Students who have a sense of history will increase their comprehension of literature and nonfiction reading.  Activating prior knowledge has proven invaluable to increasing reading comprehension; however, when students have limited background knowledge, students have low comprehension levels.  By increasing students connection to history and their basis knowledge on historic events, their reading comprehension grows.

 Note: all of the colored text is linked to the song, books or web-pages that can give you information. 

Eight Tantalizing Recipes for Combining Reading and Writing Skills

Eight Tantalizing Recipes for Combining Reading and Writing Skills

By Jill Jenkins

                            Below you will find eight assignments that combine reading and writing skills making them engaging and entertaining for young learners. Learning to write need to encompass more than preparing students for the end of the year tests.  Please let your students have a little joy in their education.  These are some fun writing assignments that I have used with my students. One of the skills students need to develop to pass the state competency tests is using information from material they read to support an informational or an argument essay.  Most of the assignments to prepare are particularly dull for some students.  The first two assignments can reinforce those skills in an exciting manner.

Assignment #1: Boy by Roald Dahl

            After reading the description of Mrs. Pritchett from the childhood tale of Boy by Roald Dahl, ask students to identify all of the disgusting details that makes Mrs. Pritchett’s candy store so undesirable.  Ask your students to pretend they are the inspector from the health department and they have made a secret inspection of her candy story incognito.  They are each to write a report to file with the department and support their report with details from the story.  They can make any recommendation they wish from close the store, fine the store owner to ignore the reports from patrons about the unhealthy environment.   For more ideas about writing about this wonderful book, go to http://www.roalddahl.com/create-and-learn/write

Assignment #2  The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

 and Grimm’s Fairy Tale’s Version

            After reading both The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sciezka and Grimm’s Fairy Tale’s Version “The Three Little Pigs,” place your students in their pair-share groups. Each student in each pair decides if he is the prosecuting attorney or the defense attorney.  Each writes his/her closing arguments for a court case either prosecuting or defending the wolf in a case of murder and attempted murder.  The next day you allow each pair to read their arguments to the class.  After you have heard from each pair of students, each student pretends he/she is the judge and must decide if the wolf is guilty of first degree murder.  He/she must present his decision in a paper with all of the evidence that led him/her to make that opinion.

    Although the Common Core does not test on narrative writing that does not mean that you shouldn’t include it in your teaching.  One excellent example is written by Sandra Cisneros who also wrote The House on Mango Street and Woman Hollering Creek.  Many of her chapters lend themselves to excellent examples of writing for students to analyze or write about.  Her use of literary devices and her vivid descriptions make them excellent examples that will hold your students’ attention.

  Assignment #3 and 4 Sandra Cisneros’ “Eleven”

            Read this beautiful narrative to your students while they follow along.  Put them in their pair-share groups and ask them to explain the following:  Why is she talking about an onion? What literary device is being used in: “like pennies in a tin Band-Aid box?”  What does she mean by that?  Have them each share a time when someone destroyed a special time for them by being insensitive.   After they have shared them with their partner, let any student share one with the class who wishes to.  Finally have them write a narrative of their own experience.  Ask them to add at least one simile or metaphor to their description.  Remind them to add specific details, because the details are what made the example so interesting to read. 

            Another idea for the students who do not wish to share their own stories is to ask them to retell the same incident from the teacher’s perspective.  This offers students a chance to fanaticize and still learn the basic components of a narrative.

Assignment #5 “The Split Cherry Tree” by Jesse Stuart

            After you finish reading the story “The Split Cherry Tree” by Jesse Stuart watch video clip or two:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IvXQBNxnYE  or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddo9iteB01w . Now the class is ready to write about it. They have heard the story from the child’s point of view, but it is important to look at stories from everyone perspective.  Organize your class into trios. One student will retell the story as though they were Professor Herbert writing in his diary at the end of a difficult teaching day.  The second student will pretend he/she is the student’s father, Luster, and describe in a letter to his brother Jed his experience at the school.  The third student will pretend he/she is another student in the class and will write a note to one of his/her friends describing his/her feelings about seeing a parent in a classroom.  At the end of the period, have your students share their creations.  Like Sandra Cisneros’ writing these are excellent examples to use to teach controlling symbols without losing your students’ attention.

Assignment #6

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacob

            This is a frightening story that lends itself to many activities and discussion, but one particularly fun writing assignment that I have found is to stop the story before the husband has found the monkey’s paw and made his final wish.  (Many students may be familiar with the Simpson’s version, but ignore them.)  Ask the student to write a new ending for the story and imagine what the mother sees when she opens the door.  What will her son look like?  Will her son really be there?  They should illustrate their endings and present them to the class as a fun Halloween activity. 

Assignment #7 “The Foul Shot” by Edwin A Hoey

            Writing poetry usually terrifies most adolescent boys, because they imagine that all poetry is the over sentimental drool that teenage girls scribble in notebooks.  This poem is about sports. It is about one moment in time in sports, so you can dissect it looking for literary devices without the boys fading into their desks in boredom.  You can show them how it becomes a litany of actions leading to the successful basket.  As a teacher, you can demonstrate how the poem changes point of view after the ball leaves the players hands.  You can point out the lay-out of the poem matches the movement of the ball while holding the boys attention, because this is about SPORTS. Finally, you can have the students write their own poem about a moment in time: flipping on a skate board, landing a first kiss, flipping a spit wad at a teacher, flying down a snowy mountain on a snow board, spinning on a dance floor or crunching an opponent on a football field.  Ask them to include two literary devices in their creations and let them write.  You will be surprised what they can create.

Assignment # 8 “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell

            This classic adventure story depicts one man’s attempt to rescue himself from the seemingly civilized General Zaroff who traps men on his island, Ship Trap Island, to entertain himself by hunting men. It appeals to the young men in the class and offers wonderful examples of irony.  With this classic story, I love to have the students define what it means to be civilized and using examples from the story write an argument discussing whether General Zaroff is civilized or uncivilized.  This is an assignment that uses literature to teach skills that students may need to pass the writing portion of their Common Core test, but provides an entertaining discussion and examples for adolescent boys.

            I know teachers are preparing students for the end of the year test, but if that is the only kind of writing you do in your class, you will lose your students’ enthusiasm.  Writing should be fun.  Learning should be fun.   If you can combine literature with writing, the reading and the writing will become more meaningful and more productive for students.

Maximize Students’ Writing Performance: The Writing Process

Maximize Students’ Writing Performance: The Writing Process

By Jill Jenkins

            In my early career, I gave students a writing assignment with little preparation and spent most of my time grading their creations and writing so many comments on them that they looked like road maps.  When I returned them to the students, they quickly threw them into the garbage or near the garbage as they walked out the door.  I was devastated, because all of my hard work was for nothing.  Students need to be front loaded with instruction before they write, look at models and analyze them, provided with feedback in a peer review situation, allowed to revise their writing, given feedback by the instructor and allowed to revise again, especially if they have not written in a basic acceptable manner.   Below are some ideas I have used to help students improve their writing.

The Prompt

            First, many students never bother to read prompts completely or make any effort to understand what the prompt is asking for.  To alleviate this problem, I give students a worksheet with ten to twenty prompts on it.  Put students into their pair/share groups and discuss each prompt.  Then, I have each group explain what the prompt is asking them to write about.

Circle the important verbs and highlight the important nouns in each of the following prompts.

• ·        Compare and contrast three cartoon characters to determine who is the most human-like.

• ·        Explain the components of an internal combustion engine.

• ·        Evaluate three horror movies to determine which is the most frightening. Justify your answer with details from the movies.

• ·        List the procedures to fill the stapler with staples and staple your paper.

• ·        Define and describe three different types of music.

• ·        Compare and contrast three different energy sources and determine which is the most efficient.

• ·        Analyze the motives of Fagin in Oliver Twist.

• ·        Describe the plot of The Hunger Games.

• ·        Evaluate the plot of The Hunger Games to determine if the plot is appropriate for middle school students to read.

The Planning

            Second, students don’t know how to organize their ideas.  I used to believe that giving students an outline or a cluster would stifle their creativity, but it doesn’t.  Most of the students are not on a level to have any clue how to organize their views, so they just write whatever is in their head.  If they were studying architecture, they would study the works of the masters in every style.  In writing, we need to take the same approach.  First give them an outline and an example of an essay that follows the outline.  Have them highlight each of the elements in a different color.  I call this the rainbow essay.  Then show them essays that have no internal structure and have them do the same thing.  Discuss with them which essay is easier to follow and let them discover for themselves. Here is an example of an outline that I might give my students:

Outline

I.                   Introduction

     A.         Lead

              1.          Quote

              2.          Story

              3.          Startling Fact

   B.         Definition of Honor

   C.         Characteristics of a person with honor 
             1. Characteristic one
             2.  Characteristic two
             3.  Characteristic three
   D.  Three people who are honorable
             1.  John F. Kennedy
              2.  Mahatma Gandhi
              3.  Mother Teresa
     E.  Is honorable behavior inherent or bestowed?

II. John F. Kennedy

        A.         First example of honorable behavior

                 1.      What makes this behavior honorable?

                 2.      What sacrifice did he make?

                 3.      Who did it affect?

                 4.      What it his nature or learned behavior?

                 5.      Quote 1

     B.         Second example of honorable behavior

              1.      What makes this behavior honorable?

              2.      What sacrifice did he make?

              3.      Who did it affect?

              4.      What it his nature or learned behavior?

              5.      Quote 2

    C.         Example number three that he is an honorable man

                        1. What makes behavior honorable?

                        2. What sacrifice did he make?

                        3.  Who did it affect?

                        4. What it his nature or learned behavior?

                        5.  Quote 3

        D. Refutation

III.             Mahatma Gandhi

         A.     First example of honorable behavior

                1.      What makes this behavior honorable?

                2.      What sacrifice did he make?

                3.      Who did it affect?

               4.      What it his nature or learned behavior?

               5.      Quote 4

         B. Second example of honorable behavior

1. What makes this behavior honorable?

2. What sacrifice did he make?

3. Who did it affect?

4. What it his nature or learned behavior?

5. Quote 2

        C. Third example of honorable behavior

                  1. What makes this behavior honorable?

                  2. What sacrifice did he make?

                  3.  Who did it affect?

                  4. What it his nature or learned behavior?

                  5.  Quote 3

       D. Refutation

IV.             Mother Teresa

          A. First example of honorable behavior

                   1.      What makes this behavior honorable?

                   2.  What sacrifice did she make?

3. Who did it affect?

4. What it her nature or learned behavior?

5. Quote 4

         B. Second example of honorable behavior.

                    1.      What makes this behavior honorable?

                    2. What sacrifice did she make?

3. Who did it affect?

4. What it her nature or learned behavior?

5. Quote 2

       C. Third example of honorable behavior

                   1. What makes this  behavior honorable?

                   2. What sacrifice dids he make?

                   3.  Who did it affect?

                   4. What it her nature or learned behavior

                   5.  Quote 3

       D.  Refutation

V.                Conclusion

      A.         What is an honorable person?

      B.         What are the characteristics of a person who is honorable?

      C.         Three examples

               1.          John Kennedy

               2.          Mahatma Gandhi

               3.          Mother Teresa

     D.         Is honor inherent or bestowed?

Or use a cluster. 

The Writing

            Third, now it is time for them to write on the same prompt.  Students are more likely to write about something that they care about. Yes, I know that the state end of the year test will probably not be on a subject that students care about, but when you are trying to catch a fish, use bait that they like to eat.  One of the most successful prompts that I have used is:

 The governor has decided that due to the financial expenses and medical expenses caused by      teenage drivers, the state has decided that only individuals over the age of 21 years old will be eligible for a driver’s license.

  Write a letter to the governor either supporting his idea or refuting it. Make sure you use a voice appropriate for formal audience.  Write a e-mail to one your friends expressing your opinion.  Your voice can be less formal, but remember this is a “G” rated classroom, so watch your word choice.  Please research the subject to support whichever side you support. 

  I teach ninth grade students who are on the edge of earning their driving permit, so this subject is very important to them.  Since they are adolescents and lack emotional restraint, it is important to stress the importance of using the right voice and research when communicating with an authority.  Giving them an opportunity to write in two different voices shows them the difference.  Furthermore, I tell them all swear words can be recorded as “SLKD75531DJ”. 

            To avoid parents’ writing their students’ essay, (which they do) I have them write their rough draft in longhand in class.  They have to give me their first draft at the end of the period.  This gives me a chance to pursue them and add a few comments before they begin again.  Don’t overwhelm them with red ink.  Just make one or two suggestions. I return their rough drafts to them the next day so they can type them into our writing program, My Access. While they write, I circulate the room offering assistant and suggestions.  I find this is a really good time to provide one on one instruction to students.  When the writing assignment becomes their end of the year test, they are on their own, but until then, I am there to offer assistant and instruction.  

The Peer Editing

            Fourth, I print copies of their essays and armed with the rubric you will find at the bottom of the page, I talk each student through the process of evaluating their partner’s paper.  It is important to use a rubric, because students have not internalized what is good writing and what is poor writing.  When they see the mistakes their partner makes, it makes them see those same errors in their own writing.  The form below can be used as it is, or you can just use the section related the the writing trait you are focusing on.  Each student is armed with a telephone made from two PVC Hub Elbows and glued together with a PVC coupler.  I saw these at a workshop to improve students’ reading.  (See the picture below.) They allow the students to read aloud without disturbing the students near them because the sound goes directly from their mouth through the pipe to their ear. I had my husband make them for me and he improved upon them by using heavy and larger PVC pipes.  They work wonderfully well, because the students take the time to read the entire piece instead of scanning it.  They are able to find more errors without feeling embarrassed because they read poorly (or because they believe they read poorly).

The peer editing form that I give my students looks like the one below, but keep in mind I vary mine depending upon what skill I am teaching. It could also be varied depending on the age and level in which your students write.

Evaluation of Writing

Content and Organization:

1. Does each paragraph contain 7-10 sentences
2. Is there an introductory paragraph containing
1. A lead (a series of questions, a thought provoking quote, a story, or a startling fact)
2. Three sub-points (reasons)
3. A thesis statement
4. A conclusion?
3. Is there a second paragraph containing:
1. A topic sentence containing sub-point one
2. Three examples or supporting facts
3. Commentary on each example or fact
4. A concluding sentence?
4. Is there a third paragraph containing:
1. A topic sentence containing sub-point two
2. Three examples or supporting facts
3. Commentary on each example or fact
4. A concluding sentence?
5. Is there a fourth paragraph containing:
1. A topic sentence containing sub-point three
2. Three examples or supporting facts
3. Commentary on each example or fact
4. A concluding sentence?
6. Is there a fifth paragraph containing:
1. A refutation
2. Supporting evidence and analysis
7. Is there a sixth paragraph containing:
1. A summary of all three sub-points
2. A restatement of the thesis
3. A strongly worded conclusion
8. Is there transition words or phrases like:
1. First,
2. Second
3. Third
4. For example
5. In another instance
6. In conclusion,
9. Score the paper
1. 5 points Practically Perfect, a Mary Poppins’ paper
2. 4 points Almost there . . .maybe just missing transition words
3. 3 points So-So Its okay, but it could be better
4. 2 points Not even close
5. 1 point Not even in the ballpark

Voice and Word Choice

1. Does the paper use any of the following words: I, Me, We, My or You?
2. Does the paper use any informal language like: kids, mom, dad?
3. Find ten words that are weak words highlight them and offer another choice.
4. Find a passive voice sentence highlight it and revise it to be an active voice sentence.
5. Grade this section:
1. 5 points Practically Perfect, a Mary Poppins’ paper
2. 4 points Almost there . . .
3. 3 points So-So Its okay, but it could be better
4. 2 points Not even close
5. 1 points Not even in the ballpark

Sentence Fluency:

1. Write down the first five words of the first ten sentences:
1. _______________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________________
7. ________________________________________________________________________________
8. ________________________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________________
10. ________________________________________________________________________________
2. Revise these sentences so they all begin with a different pattern
1. _______________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________________
7. ________________________________________________________________________________
8. ________________________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________________
10. ________________________________________________________________________________
3. Count the words in each of these sentences. If they are all the same or similar in length, there is a problem.
1. _______________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________________
7. ________________________________________________________________________________
8. ________________________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________________
10. ________________________________________________________________________________
4. Find examples of a simple sentence._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Find examples of a compound sentence._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Find examples of a complex sentence._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Find examples of a compound-complex sentence sentence._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Evaluate their Sentence Fluency
1. 5 points Practically Perfect, a Mary Poppins’ paper
2. 4 points Almost there . . .
3. 3 points So-So Its okay, but it could be better
4. 2 points Not even close
5. 1 point Not even in the ballpark

Conventions

1. Proof-read the paper for spelling, grammar, and usage mistakes
2. Grade this section
1. 5 points Practically Perfect, a Mary Poppins’ paper 1-2 errors
2. 4 points Almost there . . . 3-5 errors
3. 3 points So-So Its okay, but it could be better 5-7 errors
4. 2 points Not even close 7-10 errors
5. 1 point Not even in the ballpark more than 10 errors.

Comments

 After our peer editing, I give my students another week to complete their papers. I have debated the time.  If you give them too much time, they simply forget to do it; however, if you get them too few days, their parents will be in the office complaining that you’re putting too much pressure on their students. 

Final Versions

            After the students turn in their final versions and you correct them, you need to set a minimum standard of excellence they have to achieve to receive any credit.  Allow any student an opportunity to revise his/her paper if he/she is unhappy with his/her grade, but those who have not achieved the minimum requirements, must revise and resubmit.  It also means that as a teacher you need to make yourself available before or after school to tutor those students.  Most schools have an end of the year test that requires students demonstrate competency in writing.  Some students find writing difficult and painful, so they just don’t try.  Once they learn they can achieve the minimum requirement, they will do it without being forced.  They just must learn to believe in themselves.  Please do not return their papers looking like a road map with every error circle, highlighted and commented on.  The students will throw them in the garbage.  Instead of over-whelming them, it is better to select one or two items that you are focusing on and only comment on them.  My theory is to give them two complements to every suggestion.  Remember as Walter Westley Smith says, “Writing is easy. Just open a vein and bleed.” Imagine how painful it is for an insecure adolescent.