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Adolescent Literature
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A place to discuss Adolescent Literature. From teaching ideas to current readings
Members: 516
Latest Activity: 13 hours ago
Discussion Forum
Reading Reflection 4 Replies
Started by Beth Lyons. Last reply by Beth Lyons 13 hours ago.
Books to Read After Reading Twilight 32 Replies
Started by Maggie Wilson. Last reply by Elizabeth Nebeker Dec. 31, 2009.
HELP! I need an alternate book... 4 Replies
Started by JLCouch. Last reply by Barry Wilson Dec. 22, 2009.
Comment Wall
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Comment by Tara Pelosi on December 8, 2009 at 7:57am - I use the Townsend Press version of Bram Stoker's Dracula with my 7th grade class. I have been using it for 6 years now and have had tremendous success. This version is written for the middle school student...it takes out the adult content without taking away from the story. Best of all - the books are only $1 so each student can have their own to keep.
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Comment by Courtney Machelle Krieger on November 29, 2009 at 9:12pm - I really want to pair Adoration of Jenna Fox with Frankenstein and let the students compare the idea of playing God as well as the rights of the creation. Who is the real "monster"? It always seems so cut-and-dry for them when reading Frankenstein, but Adoration adds a twist that might make them stop and think.
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Comment by Natalee Stotz on November 29, 2009 at 12:39pm - I teach Lord of the Flies to my 8th graders and have considered pairing Nation with, but as I haven't read Nation yet, I wasn't sure if I should and exactly how to do it. I'd be interested in what you did, Kim.
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Comment by Kim McCollum-Clark on November 23, 2009 at 10:42am -
Let me give another enthusiastic shout-out for Pratchett's Nation, now in paperback. It is wonderfully humane and positive-minded look at human nature. I paired it with Lord of the Flies in my Teaching Reading and Literature class (for pre-service teachers) and I'm using it again this spring b/c we just scratched the surface of it!
Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books beginning with A Hatful of Sky are also good, but not as "literary" as Nation.
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Comment by Victoria Merriman on November 23, 2009 at 9:44am - I highly recommend The Nation in which "characters on a desert island recreate civilization. As his characters grapple with questions of leadership, humanity, and survival, Pratchett explores fundamental ideas about religion and culture. This might all sound rather heavy, but there is plenty of originality and humor—and cannibals, spirits, and secret treasures—to go around. In the end, Pratchett offers a vision of a deeply humane world." (Bookmarks review). I haven't had a chance to explore his other YA books.
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Comment by Jennifer Sekella on November 23, 2009 at 3:52am - I haven't read any of Terry Pratchett's YA books - are they good? Am in the process of reading Fire by the author of Graceling.
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Comment by Victoria Merriman on November 20, 2009 at 9:47am
- The Nation by Terry Prachett.
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Comment by Mallory Whitney on November 19, 2009 at 4:04pm -
For my masters' level methods in English course I need to plan a unit. I choose the Giver 8th grade. I need to think of suplimentary sources that are not white men or woman perspective. I need a variety of social postions and perspectives. Can anyone help think of a perspective that would work for The Giver and/ or Utopian. If you have ideas that would be awesome.
Mallory
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Comment by Lauren Gallucci on November 8, 2009 at 1:21pm - Thank you to those who have provided suggestions thus far, very helpful.
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Comment by Paul W. Hankins on November 8, 2009 at 1:01pm - Lauren: check out Maggie Steifvater's page maggiesteifvater.com. It is pretty interesting and Maggie's latest book, Shiver (Scholastic Press), is a kind of diversion from Twilight (although many have yet to discover Shiver). Maggie does her own book trailers and is pretty creative. Her sequel to Shiver, Linger is due out next year though Maggie has leaked the cover on her site. If you want to see other author's sites that we have featured go to rawinck.ning.com, click on Groups, click on Destinations Booksellers. Each of the reviews should have a link to the YA author we are reviewing. . .
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Yay Doug! He was one of my teachers in pre-teaching grad school (itp.nyu.edu), and I'm a huge fan of his work. Thanks for posting this, Frank. I'm really excited to see what these guys have come up with this time.
I am looking for opportunities for high school students to publish their writing. I am in VT. We are part of the NWP and can certainly offer that to our students. I know about the Mountain Review, but I would really appreciate other venues where stu…
Oh, a marvelous poem, Carol -- by one of my favorite poets. In graduate school far back in the 60's, I took a creative writing class from Bly at the University of Kansas, and have never forgotten it. Thanks for the connection.
I actually do have a plan (I also have a yearly book filled with objectives). I just can't say I have a detailed plan. I found it easier to plan for 90 minute block lessons than the 45 minutes we have at this school which makes me feel like I am in…
Oh I do! I just had a tutorial with a final year student, who thank me for introducing her to philosophy. It's just that the rest of it sucks up so much time.
Andy,
The fact that you have not heard of it doesn't mean the theory has not had a wide influence. Nearly every school of education in America now promotes "constructivist" ideas, and it is why many of our student teachers are not receiving some of…
How about this for a poetic connection to your posting, Hamilton?
Gratitude to Old Teachers by Robert Bly
When we stride or stroll across the frozen lake,
We place our feet where they have never been.
We walk upon the unwalked. But we are uneasy.…
I really think that PDFs kick SOOO much butt compared to .mobi Kindle Books or any other text with DRMs.
... and xboxes can make lovely computers if you know how to hack them. But that's also illegal. ;)
My husband has a bebook, which will read PDFs and some other formats... I don't know if it does text files or not.
And yet many teachers would grade "gentle seductions" harshly and comment that they "take too long to get to the point" or "meander." It just goes to show the huge chasm that exists between persuasive essays taught in the "Cookie-Cutter School of Es…
While it may be true that in reality there are not that many people reading student work on the Web (who but an English teacher could love a character analysis of Scout Finch??), I wonder if that really matters.
I suspect it does matter. I think it…
"the thesis came too soon"
You are really onto something here, Maja. Why would an authentic audience read on if a writer gave away the point in the first sentence. Most writing, particularly persuasive writing, is a gentle seduction. Follow my thin…
I did an exercise in which my students had to write the same story four times, each time with a different point of view. You could tell which students understood the concept and which didn't pretty easily.
Thanks for this activity, it supplements m…
I do agree that most "great" works of literature tend to be more serious than funny. Even though it's about the bombing of Dresden, Slaughterhouse-Five is pretty funny at times. Catcher in the Rye is hilarious, as is Cuckoo's Nest and Huck Finn (our…
This doesn't help, but it might make you feel better. Many of my college students still don't get it. They have to do a research paper for their first-year comp class, and even with easybib, citationmachine, and all the other aids -- not to mention…
I liked your idea of going backwards chronologically so have tried it this year. So far, the kids are really enjoying it. One big advantage that I see is that Beowolf and Canterbury Tales, the texts from the earliest periods which are challenging be…
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