History of Love 10 - The Ark - Class Disc. 134-159
"Don't step there," [Bird] said..."It's too deep."
History of Love Day 10 - Class Discussion (Two Different Methods) - pgs 134-159 : Though I will provide two different ways - I believe the Vertext (set of quotes) is the preferred way to go with this section. There are just so many wonderful connections.
Lesson Overview
You will find my lesson notes below - but I really think a Vertext (see my discussion methods) is the way to go. One of the wonderful things about The History of Love - and I know that I've said this before, are the connections. If you have a class of 20-30 students - you can put that quote up there and someone in the class will spot it. It's so much better to have the class see these things - and some will see it in their reading for sure - than to either have it pointed out or to have it dragged out in a pointed question. In addition to the Vertext (and if you need instructions on how to run one of these go to my page on discussions) and/or RingMaster Teacher - either way you go you can also help the students along with one of the most subtle points in the book.
Two of the characters Alma and Misha are talking when Misha tells her that he likes her - just prior to this Misha's parents have been bitterly fighting and Alma decides that she can't risk having what Misha's parents have or what her own mother, Charlotte (this is throughout the book) went through with love - so she just tells him that there is someone else. To help the students get to that place, I show an excerpt from the show, The Sopranos. Don't worry, nothing inappropriate in the short clip. Anyway, I set up the scene briefly before I show it: Michael and Adrienne are going to turn state witnesses and go into the Witness Protection Program. However, Michael goes out to get cigarettes first. At the gas station - he sees something (watch the clip!) that makes him think twice about giving up his lifestyle. After I show the clip we revisit the scene with Alma and Misha.
Discussion Method #1 - A Vertext
Most Recent Vertext for pages 118-152 (from remote teaching) I wanted to bring in some earlier references to Leo's book being "lost in a flood" as well as some things we skipped over.
Vertext for pages 134-159
Vertext for pages 134-159
T A vertext is simply a presentation of quotes from the assigned reading (given in the order of the reading). You pull out quotes (or sometimes comments on bigger ideas) that will lead to discussion. I start at one end of the room - the student in the first desk, in the first row reads the quote aloud - and then anyone in the class can comment on it or ask a question about it. The student should also read the page number (it's given) so that everyone can turn to that page in their books.
Students also frequently comment on the comment that the first student made - and one quote can lead to an entire discussion. The great thing about this approach is that the teacher is not asking pointed questions (though they are putting up pointed quotes...). The majority of the critical thinking comes from the students.
Sometimes - depending on how a particular class is good or bad at everyone speaking up - I will also ask that the student who reads the quote aloud, also makes the first comment or question on it.
Discussion Method #2 - Ringmaster Teacher
PLEASE NOTE: THESE START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK - you should pick up with them from wherever you last left off. See a previous lesson for instructions - the text with my notes served as a guide for the questions, comments and ideas that I ask - though I was always ready for and often elicited the students ideas, questions, etc. Over the years - as I wrote notes in this text - the previous years' notes and questions become incorporated into the lesson. Again - you will find that these instructions are flexible - and I had to be - they kept changing the amount of time that we had in the classroom.
NOTE: Some of these student comments will make it into a Vertext for a following year.
Audio Visual Content
A scene from The Sopranos that illustrates why Alma turns away from Misha in this section of reading. Two of the characters Alma and Misha are talking when Misha tells her that he likes her - just prior to this Misha's parents have been bitterly fighting and Alma decides that she can't risk having what Misha's parents have or what her own mother, Charlotte (this is throughout the book) went through with love - so she just tells him that there is someone else. To help the students get to that place, I show an excerpt from the show, The Sopranos. Don't worry, nothing inappropriate in the short clip. Anyway, I set up the scene briefly before I show it: Michael and Adrienne are going to turn state witnesses and go into the Witness Protection Program. However, Michael goes out to get cigarettes first. At the gas station - he sees something (watch the clip!) that makes him think twice about giving up his lifestyle. After I show the clip we revisit the scene with Alma and Misha.
Remote Enhancements
Both of these Vertexts work very well for enhancing Remote Learning.
Links
Class Recordings (for registered members)
Audio
Video
The History of Love Day 11 Green Fields & Dirty Dishes - Group Work 154-170. A group work that allows students to pull together what we've just talked about in today's discussion with the reading they did for that day. It also brings in Shakespeare and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Think green!
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Thoughts on the Lesson
Students would always rather have Ringmaster Teacher- but I believe the Vertext in this lesson is so much better and active. It covers the same ground, but gives the students the chance to make the critical thinking leap.