One of the major skills my students need to be prepared for life after high school is the ability to think critically and create real-world solutions and ideas. Reading literature can enhance those skills if it is presented in the right way with the right materials.
My students attend a rural high school where a third of the students qualify for free and reduced lunches.
Tight budgets have led to deep cuts in materials, including books. My students and their families are unable to make up the difference. Web access to the classics has helped, but a large number of students do not have access at home or prefer to read a hard copy.
My Project
One of my favorite books is The Giver by Lois Lowrey. The issues she raises in the book are even more relevant today than when it was written. When I discovered it was no longer being taught in our district, I decided to include it in my unit on utopia and dystopia. Mixed in with Lord of the Flies, 1984, and Brave New World, my juniors and seniors have access to books of various reading levels (as reading is in life) that challenge their thoughts and ideas concerning society and where we might be headed. Weaving in critical thinking, discussion and writing skills, my students are preparing for what they will face after high school either in college or in a career. More importantly, these life skills will help them as they take their place in society and help decide what direction it should go.
The goal of this unit (and the inclusion of this book) is to give my students from a rural school district a fighting chance when they are challenged with new ideas and concepts.
The critical thinking and communication skills they will build in my classroom will help them work through whatever they might face as they add their voices and ideas to the community conversation locally and around the world.
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