On Monday November 1, Lindsey did a fabulous lesson on "TONE". She started by having us write a little paragraph about a topic that we really liked. As we were writing, she stipulated that we couldn't say "I really like this because...". We had to convey our feelings about the topic through the implied tone in our writing. She then had us write about the same topic as though we hated it. The same stipulation, (that we couldn't say, "I hate this because") was still in play. This exercise was fabulous and a great way for the teacher to evaluate what the students already knew about the topic of tone. Because we weren't allowed to directly say, "I like/hate this topic because" we had to resort to other words and phrases that conveyed the same meaning.
Lindsey then showed us two "spoof" trailers: one for The Shining and the other for Mary Poppins. These trailers were created using a different tone; let me explain, The Shining is known as a horror film and the original trailer depicts the film as such. The spoof trailer, created using a happy tone, made the film look as though it was a heart-felt family comedy. Mary Poppins is a beloved children's film; however the spoof trailer makes it look like a horror film. Lindsey successfully integrated technology into the classroom and relevantly emphasized the importance of tone through visual media.
Her final activity was a group activity where each group was given a word that describe a certain tone (example: love); she also gave us a topic: taking your dog for a walk through the park. In groups we had to write a paragraph/short story that expressed this tone and the rest of the class had to guess the tone word.
Describing tone and getting students to actually understand the implications and importance of tone can be difficult - it's one of those secondary elements that is usually passed over or simply ignored. From personal experience I find that teachers overlook tone because it's already evident in their students writing. They do not take the time to actually explain it; nor do they take the time to express the importance of tone to their students. Tone is fairly instinctive and natural - if you are angry about something, you will write in an angry tone; if you are happy about something, you will write about it in a happy tone. It's unfortunate that some teachers abuse this unconscious ability to add tone to a piece of writing and skip over the topic.
Other mini lesson's I've missed:
Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird
This lesson introduced the many symbols in the classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The lesson began with the opening scene from the 1962 black and white film To Kill a Mockingbird. As a class we discussed the various symbols and their possible meanings; then in groups, we read a few key passages from the novel and discussed key symbols and their implications.
Introduction to the Persuasive Essay
This lesson was really interesting. It began with the class being divided into half - pro and con. In our groups, depending on what side of the room we were on, we had to debate whether students should be given homework. Individually, we had to come up with reasons that supported our side of the debate. Then as a group come up with our "argument" and present it to the class in a classic debate situation. This was a really great way to have students stick to one point of view. The question was very relevant to students and was one that the students could argue. For "homework," students had to write a persuasive paragraph that argued the opposite side of the argument.
So far the mini lessons have been really great and really informative. With each new lesson, my resource package for teaching various topics in English is growing. I am thankful for my colleagues and their willingness to share their ideas. The class environment we have created is solid and supportive - we are, after all, in this together.
Until next time,
LC
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