Classic Connections Giveaway
Oct 7th, 2009 | By Plugged-in | Category: Featured, NewsIt’s October, and the school year is finally in full-swing. Now is a perfect time to introduce your students to the classics through high-interest Plugged-in titles that mirror classic works. To start the lessons off right, we’re giving away copies of three Plugged-in to Reading Level 3 titles on CD.
Finn by Matthew Olshan, Dating Hamlet by Lisa Fiedler, and Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper are all great examples of the classic connections built into PITR Level 3. These modern retellings and reimaginings of Huckleberry Finn, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet will introduce students to the classics in a way that is relevant to them and accessible to all students.
We will give one copy of all three titles to one commenter on this post. Leave a comment sharing one of the following to be entered (see below for complete contest rules):
COMPLETE CONTEST RULES:
- Leave a comment below (be sure to enter a valid email address, or we won’t be able to contact you if you win!) sharing one of the above ideas and you’ll be entered to win.
- Tweet (we’re @pluggedintoread) or blog about the contest and you can leave a second comment linking to your tweet or post—you’ll get another contest entry. Spread the word!
- Again, be sure you leave a valid email address with your comment so we can contact you. If you’re picked as a winner and we can’t contact you, the prize will got to the next winner.
- Comments will be assigned a number (first commenter is #1, second is #2, etc). Winners will be picked by random.org according to comment number.
- Drawing will be held on November 2, 2009 at 12:00PM Eastern time. Winners will be contacted by email to get mailing information.
Books that have been made into movies or TV shows often spark interest in the original work.
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is amusing and accessible. It should be taught more in schools.
I really wish that 1984 was taught in more classrooms. Many students are interested in speculative fiction, and they are intrigued when they learn how powerful our government “could be” someday. I remember being horrified/in awe when I read1984 ten years ago in high school. I want my students to experience that same feeling when they read it!
The Red Badge of Courage is a great example of realism in writing. It’s full of very powerful descriptions of war and can be an impetus to great discussions about courage and character. Crane’s combination of imagery, moral ambiguity, and one soldier’s personal journey to define courage is as relevant today as when it was written.
Students get involved in reading when they can make connections to their everyday lives. Instead of using just the classsics to teach themes in literature, using some recently written books, such as Scream, can teach the same theme in a way so that students can relate, get involved and make a connection.
I use big ideas to help students connect to the novels we read. For example, when I taught Romero and Juliet, we explored the big idea of what is love? While teaching, I also try to incorporate all types of media. For example, after we would read Act I of Romero and Juliet, we would watch the modern version and a classic version and then compare and contrast them. Using the media while reading, instead of all at the end, helped get the students in to the book more. (Right after I hit paste, I realized I put in the wrong email – Sorry)
I try to connect students to the classics by describing the story in modern terms then saying what it really is. It help to have the graphic novel copy, the movie, or an “updated” version of the book like Romiette and Julio. My students love Romeo and Juliet. They like to picture themselves as star crossed lovers. I think Othello should be used more which is intriguing in it’s showing that racism has been an issue for centuries and ofcourse it’s added lure of romance and war!