LEARNER. TEACHER. WRITER.
english 12: British Literature
Zoe L./The Hobbit
Michaela B. and Kaylan B./ Frankenstein
The images above are final projects by former seniors.
English 12: British Literature covers literature from Beowulf to contemporary stories. Students study Beowulf, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. In addition, students write a research paper using any literary text(s) they're interested in, from the portrayal of insanity in Edgar Allan Poe's short stories to stereotypes and popularity in the popular TV show Riverdale. Overall, allowing the students to choose their topics has been a success because, as they say, if they have to write a research paper, at least it's about something they like.
I believe in bringing creativity and movement into the classroom, so my students are always drawing and acting out scenes. Of course, we pause and have in-depth discussions about the texts. Sometimes we even have reading days where students can bring blankets and pillows, and I provide hot chocolate, tea, and the sound of a crackling fire from YouTube. My hope is that we can create an open, comfortable environment for the students to share their ideas and focus on the text at hand.
At the end of each year, both my English 11 and English 12 students work on creative projects for their final. This means that they must reinterpret any of the texts we've studied throughout the year in a creative way. In addition, they must write a short reflective paper discussing how their project reflects the text and present their project to the class. I based this project on assignments by Dr. Anna Riehl Bertolet, an Associate Professor of English at Auburn University. You can learn more about Dr. Bertolet and her projects on her website and in her essay collection Creating the Pre-Modern in the Post-Modern Classroom, which is co-edited by Dr. Carole Levin. The students and I have loved ending the year with creative projects because it shows what they've learned, because they can utilize and enjoy their talents, and because it feels like a celebration. You can view some of their visual projects in the photo gallery above and listen to a song by Jalen T., Jeremiah C., and Collin M. called "Gold Bags," which is based on They Hobbit and was created for their final project, here: https://soundcloud.com/user-9615655/gold-bags.
*Art used with permission from students