As we read, students are asked to perform a variety of tasks. We are searching for qualities that help make teams work. We are searching for examples of similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and more. We discuss point of view and dynamic characters. We perform close readings. Students imitate Allan Wolf's style. They write responses to open-ended questions using textual support. They discuss. They choose their favorite lines. They compare the team members from the expedition to other teams.
To demonstrate their understanding of Part 2 of the book, students were asked to design a board game. The board game needed to include the following: at least 10 events from the section, 3 examples of figurative language, 3 examples of team work, 3 important lines from the book. I provided them with a board game template but told students that they were free to design their own template from scratch if they wanted. Then, I stepped back and let them get to work. In a matter of minutes, the creativity took over and the conversation began. Students started talking about their reading. The characters. The plot. The conflict. They re-read pages of the text. They chose textual evidence. They demonstrated an understanding of the text. And they were having fun in the process. The three class periods spent designing and playing these games were some of my favorite with this group so far! We laughed and learned a lot!
We are approximately halfway through our journey...more updates to come!
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