Focusing the Lens
Mrs. Crabtree and her 8th grade class have just finished reading The Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Throughout the reading of the book they debated about the literal meaning of boys trapped on an island with no adult supervision and what the author is trying to convey about the structures of society. To extend their knowledge of the meanings in the book, she breaks the class into two groups.
Each group is tasked in responding to the text in their own unique way. The first group creates a short news video about the boys' return home. They include interviews with the "boys," their parents, and reactions from friends. Another group creates a "How To Survive on a Deserted Island" book that includes short writings and images. The book describes where to find water, ways to keep yourself occupied until rescue comes, and how to cook fish on a campfire.
In the vignette above, how does Mrs. Crabtree's class respond to the text, The Lord of the Flies? Is it emotional or practical? Did her class respond appropriately to the text? Why or why not? Did Mrs. Crabtree model the respond to text strategy adequately? Which learning styles would benefit most from this lesson plan? How could you rearrange it so that other learning styles are included? Which Intelligent Behaviors were modeled by the teacher? Which by the students? What would you have done differently?