I'm making good progress with the grade six core class. I started a novel study. I'm doing the first book in
A Series of Unfortunate Events. My goal with this book was to introduce them to literary concepts (such as main problem, climax, setting etc...), new vocabulary, reading and writing curricular goals and enjoyment of reading.
To make the literary concepts and curricular goals more fun I decided my assignments would immerse the students in the author's, Lemony Snicket's, world. When the orphans in the story had to make dinner for the antagonist, I made the students create their own recipe for the antagonist too. When Violet makes an invention to save her baby sister, I will have the students create their own invention too. I already did the recipe (an example of procedural writing) assignment, but added a twist by telling the students they could make it a revenge recipe. Of course there is always that student who takes it too seriously and wanted to put in diarrhea and sperm.
Vocabulary is a particularly mundane activity for the students so I decided to call them "Excuse Me" words, instead of "Vocabulary. Every chapter I read, I have five vocab words that I want the students to look up and record in their language arts notebook before I read the chapter. As I'm reading the story the students have to listen to me carefully (this worked so well! they were actually quiet) for the
Excuse Me words. Let's say one of the five words is
Troupe. If and when I say the word, the students would chorally say
"Excuse me Mr. V, may we please interrupt your story for one brief moment?"
"What manners! Of course you may (I pause and look to see who's attentive) Dilara."
Dilara stands up and says "By troupe do you mean a company or group, especially of touring actors, singers, or dancers?"
"Yes indeed. Thank-you very much Dilara."
As for the enjoyment of reading, I wanted to show the students that reading could be fun, so of course I had to reach deep down back to my
I only have three voices skills and do character voices. I was embarrassed as hell doing the female voices, but everyone had a good time including the teacher watching me and myself.
One time, I fumbled by doing a girl's voice for the boy's and on-the-fly I smoothly switched the "he said" to "she said" to cover my mistake but then I laughed my head off and no one knew why.
