Oral Bridges! Post by 4.18.08
Please post a write-up of your oral bridge by Friday, April 18. A paragraph should cover it. Mention the text you used first, the text you bridged into, the grade level you taught, and the major ideas and themes you explored. Here's an example baed on my oral bridge:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas to "Ethan Brand": Following a brief introduction to the Great Chain of Being and the idea of knowing one's place/connectivity to humanity, I read from the Dr. Suess book, focusing on the parts where there is a clear "chain" of happily connected Hoos. I did some DRTA questioning before prompting you all to consider the theme in the Hawthorne story, from which I also read, completing the bridge.
posted by Bucky C. @ 10:53 AM
15 comments
15 Comments:
Mary Gruenberg
A Bridge between
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett
And
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
What does it mean to be a friend? Furthermore, what does it mean to give everything you have? Has there ever been a time in your life where you have gone out of your way to give, even when you may or may not have gotten thanks? Being a friend means something, and is a two way relationship. It may seem one sided in the end, but if both parties are happy, then it isn’t truly a loss.
Maurice is a cat, but through gaining the ability to think, has formed a partnership with a group of rats called the Clan. It started out as just a partnership, but in the end, Maurice was willing to sacrifice himself to save the rat Dangerous Beans, fighting off death himself. He gave it his all, and came out victorious.
It is much the same with The Giving Tree, although events happen in reverse. The tree and the boy are best friends in childhood, but as the boy grows older he has less and less interest in the tree, but that doesn’t stop the tree from giving everything she has to make him happy. Even when she is just a stump, she is able to provide an old man with a place to sit.
- Readings from Maurice p. 194 - 197
- readings from The Giving Tree 1 - 24 and the last bit with the old man.
What are your thoughts on this? How do these two correlate together? Was one more giving than the other, or had they both made equal sacrifices? What was lost? What was gained? What motives, if any did there seem to be behind each one’s sacrifice?
Brittney Penton Penton 1
14 April 2008
English 418
Dr. Carter
Oral Bridge between: Speak and bridging into In the Middle of the Night
Grade Level: High School Seniors
-This week and next week we will be discussing the thematic unit of “Loss”
-We have all at some point in our lives experienced a loss, whether it is a loss of
-Life
-Love
-Friendship
-Innocence or even money, we have all at some point experienced a feeling of loss.
-We will discover through literature how loss is dealt with, how it comes about and the reasons why. We will research and read books that deal with death, rape and friendship and the loss of all three. We will closely analyze the characters who are dealing with the loss of something.
-We will relate our own lives to these situations and reflect upon them in our journals, which can be private or public, meaning me the teacher will read.
Pages to read from: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Melinda experiences a loss of innocence and friendship, also her voice
Read from pg 105 and 135
In the Middle of the Night by Robert Cormier
Character experiences a loss of innocence, loss of life, loss of identity, loss of innocence.
Read from pg 61
Pg 68
During this bridge I read excerpts from both novels, passionately. I moved around the room and delivered my bridge in an effective manner. However, I did lose my train of thought and almost lost it in the end. I had difficulty wrapping it up.
Trista Haynes
A bridge between Leonardo the Terrible Monster and Jacob Have I Loved
How many people compare themselves to other people. Why? People compare different things about themselves such as, clothes, profession, cars, houses, and lives in general. It is sometimes done without realizing it is being done.
I chose to bridge these two books together because their themes were very similar. The two characters both felt they had to compare themselves to people around them in order to define who they were. It was not until the end of both books did the characters realize they had to live their own lives and not in others shadows. It was not until they were older and had experienced heart ache, that they realized they wanted something different for themselves.
I read the entire book of Leonardo the Terrible Monster because it was a short book but read a few passages from Jacob Have I Loved to show their comparisons. After reading each book I elaborated on the text and showed the similarities between the two books.
My strengths were the questions I asked before beginning and how strong my reading was. My weakness was I asked the class a question after I had given them the answer instead of letting them give me the answer.
Amy Barnes
April 7, 2008
Dr. Carter
YA Literature
Oral Bridge
For my oral bridge assignment, I chose to bridge the young adult novel Inexcusable by Chris Lynch to the canonical work The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Both Kier and Arthur must face the consequences of their actions and undergo a transformation as a result of their secret guilt. I read the beginning pages of Inexcusable and then the final pages to show how Kier’s attitude toward himself had changed because of his guilt. In both stories, there is a large discrepancy between the actual morality of the character’s actions and the perceived morality of the character. I read a passage from The Scarlet Letter in which Arthur is struggling with the fact that his congregation’s perception of him differs from his actions. I asked my student to think about how Arthur deals with this hypocrisy, and how his actions are similar to those of Kier. I also asked my students to analyze the symbolism of the main character’s heart in each novel and look at how they related to one another. I asked my students to consider Kier’s transformation and compare it to Arthur’s as they read further into The Scarlet Letter.
Amy Dozier
Carter
ENG 418
18 April 2008
Luna to Pygmalion in a 12th grade class: Luna should have already been read seeing as the class is continuing the discussion on the theme of appearance. Questions on the things that make up appearance are asked to the class and then discussed. The questions lead to the discussion of Luna and how simple it is for Liam to transform into Luna simply by changing his clothes, body language, and name. Then there is a brief introduction to the canonical text, Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw. I tell who some of the characters are and how one in particular, Eliza, wants to be a socialite and how, thanks to Mr. Henry Higgins, she becomes one. All she does is change her speech and clothing. Just like in Liam’s case, it is really easy for Eliza to jump back and forth between appearances in the novel, but why would she want to? How does this benefit her? Does it make her happier in life? These are all questions we will answer before we read and then again after we read in order to find out why appearance is so important and what influence it has on a person and society.
Bridge from the Grimm Brothers’ “Hansel and Gretel” to Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray:
After asking the tenth grade students to think about and share a time when they really were interested in something and then lost interest once they got it, I will then guide them into realizing what it was that attracted them. This will lead me into discussing the difference between the outside/visible and the inside/hidden, and more especially, the theme of the witch lurking within the gingerbread house. Together the class will summarize “Hansel and Gretel” and hear a selection that describes the outside of the gingerbread house and the evil witch waiting inside. Next, I will then bridge this same concept to The Picture of Dorian Gray, identifying the titular character as both the gingerbread house and the witch. The selections read from this novel, describing Dorian’s handsome appearance and how the witch inside is being detected, will serve to draw parallels with “Hansel and Gretel.” I will end the bridge by presenting the students with some questions to drive their reading.
Joseph Tenney
Bridge from R.A. Salvatore’s The Legend of Drizzt Books 1 & 3: Homeland & Sojourn into Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior.
Geared to an 11th grade class. During the thematic block of Multicultural Literature and feelings of Ostracization.
I first reminded the class of the theme of the block and spoke a little on ostracization. I then introduced the idea of a matriarchal society versus the traditional patriarchal society. I showed the class some passages from Homeland focusing on the conceived inferiority of males in the Drow society. I followed this up with a passage from The Woman Warrior that gave some insight into Chinese culture and the effects of the patriarchal society on the women. I then spoke briefly on how these parallels could be seen in the modern day and asked my students what they thought about this. I then read from Sojourn on the feelings that Drizzt, the main character, had upon his arrival in the foreign upper world. I compared these with the feelings that the main character had in The Woman Warrior when attempting to adapt to the American culture and lifestyle. I then spoke to my students again on the feelings of ostracization exhibited by both characters and how this affected them. I called for my students to pay close attention to these feelings as we read Kingston’s The Woman Warrior.
For my oral bridge assignment, I decided to bridge "The Little Engine that Could" by Watty Piper to "Where the Red Fern Grows" written by Wilson Rawls. I chose a grade level of 7th graders to teach the novel to. In my bridge, I began by asking leading questions about whether or not anyone in the class has ever wanted anything so much, that they would do anything to get it. Then, I gave a personal example of my own and read aloud from "The Little Engine that Could", emphasizing how the engine struggled with a challenge, and his determination led him to success. I then bridged into "Where the Red Fern Grows", by reading from it also and explaining that Billy too had a struggle. Like the little engine that could, Billy was determined and achieved success in the end. I asked the students to compare the two characters to see how each was similar. I encouraged my students to continue reading the novel to the end, and think about the obstacles that Billy faced in "Where the Red Fern Grows" and also his successes.
Nyka Barganier
Focused towards a 12th grade class
Theme: A Healthy Dose of Independence
In The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstien,
There was a young boy who loved a tree because it was his only friend. For years and years he climbed the tree, swung from its branches, ate its apples, and slept under its shade. The boy from the giving tree was totally dependent upon the tree.
In Don’t you Dare Read this, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix,
There is a young girl named Tish Bonner who is an overwhelmed high school age girl. She lives in a single parent home and has special-needs little brother.
Tish works a full-time job at Burger Boy and attempts to juggle her schoolwork to help her mother pay the bills at home. Tish is over dependent and needs balance in her world.
College is going to be nothing like high school. There going to be parties, no curfew, freedom, and no one to call your parents if you don’t attend class. You have to create a healthy balance between schoolwork, friendships, jobs, and family. You also have to become slowly independent from your parents because although they are here to help you but, they want you to learn to start taking care of yourself.
Bridge from Mary Hoffman "Amazing Grace to Hannah Craft's "The Bondwoman's Narrative"
Geared to an 11th grade class
I started by asking the class the question "have someone ever told you, you could not do something because of your gender, race,culture or etc. I continued by asking the follow-up question "how did that make you feel?
Those questions lead me into some close reading from "Amazing Grace" and "The Bondswoman Narrative"
Then I begin to ask questions about how the two character's race played a major role in their lives. Both characters were defined by their race and soon understood the concept that they could achieve anything in life, and that they were not confined by their race. I ended the bridge by telling the class how both characters are similiar to each other.
Shayla Graves
Eng 418
Oral Bridge from Mommy Doesn't Know My Name to The Hidden Hand by Eden Southworth.
12th Grade Students
Thematic Unit: Identity
What is identity?
How do you identify with yourself or someone else?
What things are taken into consideration when trying to identify someone?
These are questions that one may ask in terms of identity.
I read the entire childrens book "Mommy doesn't know my name" so that the students could come to terms with identity and how the main character was or wasnt being affected by issues pertaining to identity. I then read several passages from The Hidden Hand again to show students the issues and different aspects in which the main character is dealing with identity.
At the end of the bridge students were asked to take note of different characteristics that affect one's identity while continuing to read the novel as well as being given specific questions to help guide their reading.
- Eric Foster – Oral Bridge Summary
For this assignment, I chose to bridge the young adult novel, “American Born Chinese,” to Edith Wharton’s “The House of Mirth.” After a short line of questions designed to help the class recognize the overwhelming influence society has on their thoughts and actions, I read the dinner party scene of “American Born Chinese” to introduce the Monkey King and display how the ridicule of the deities altered his thoughts on himself. I then read a later passage from the book to show the Monkey King’s efforts to conform to the society of the heavenly deities. Following a brief discussion on the dangers of conforming entirely to society, I read a passage from “The House of Mirth” to show Lily Bart’s high-society influenced view of the world.
Tiffany Lane
Bridging Are You My Mother by PD Eastman to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
I began by asking the students to think about the person or people in their lives in which they feel most comfortable around. Then I asked students to share some of their answers with the class and I questioned them about why they enjoyed being around these people. Then, I asked the students to imagine that they would never see these people again, and that they would be moving to a place where they knew noone. By using these type of questions, I was attempting to help the students understand what it feels like to be all alone, just like the baby bird in Are You My Mother felt as he woke up without his mother. I read most of this book aloud to the students. After reading aloud, I asked the students how they think the baby bird felt and if they had ever felt that way? I asked them to share that experience.
Then, I introduced the novel Speak by explaining to the students that Melinda goes through the same type of loneliness and isolation as the baby bird. I explain that she has been left out of her group of friends and that she is starting high school. So, I read an excerpt from page 4 of Speak. This excertp focused on Melinda describing the cliques in her school and how alone she felt. After reading this section aloud, I asked the students if they were a part of a clique in school and to explain. Then, I continued to read on page 5as Melinda explains how lonely she feels. I bridged these two texts together because both books deal with the issue of loneliness and not quite knowing where you fit in. These are issues that students in the secondary setting will face all the way up until graduation.
Oral bridge between Does My Head Look Big In This? by Abdel Fattah and American Born Chinese by Gene Luen yang.
Grade level: 8th Grade
Bridge "Identity"
I would start the lesson by asking students do they sometimes wish there were living in someone else’s life? Why? Do you feel if you was in a different religion your whole personal identity would be different than now? I will explain to the students how both of the books are related to "identity." The two characters are both from two different countries and have to adjust to there new schools in America. In Does My Head Look Big In This? is about a girl who is just like any normal girl that likes to shop and have fun but she is Muslim Palestinian and has to wear a head wrap. Well some of the kids at the school doesn't understand her culture and have many questions.
American Born Chinese is very much similar to the story but he is a Chinese boy from China who still heavily influenced by Chinese culture. Jim feels that he will never have any friends and all the kids are assuming that he eats dog like other Chinese people.
I will than start reading some passages out of both books showing how the two characters feels so alone and wanting to go back to there home culture.
Then I will end the lesson by asking the students to write about there religion and culture by reading there writing aloud to the class and posting them up on the bulletin board so other students will be able to see how different everyone is in there own way..
Regina Renot
Eng 418; Oral Bridge
Dr. Buckey
March 26, 2008
(Write ‘Entrapment’ on the board)
Leading Questions:
-How many of you did not want to get out of bed this morning?
(Create a discussion with class; share different reasons why they may not of wanted to get out of bed)
-Okay, has anyone ever felt trapped or stagnate in your life?
(Once more, create a discussion with classroom)
Oral Bridge:
-Well, what if you wanted to get out of bed and couldn’t, or maybe you felt trapped in your life and constantly on the brink of discovery, but you remained in the same spot.
-These next books I am going to introduce to you, is “ I Am the Cheese” by Robert Cormier and “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka.
-I am going to read the first and also the last paragraph of “I Am the Cheese”
(Read both the first and last paragraph)
-Okay, so why do you think the author, Cormier, began and ended with the same paragraph
(Develop a discussion)
-The book is about Adam, who as he is riding along, remembers pieces of his childhood through a conversation with Brint, a psychiatrist. I have a feeling you will all enjoy “I Am the Cheese.”
-I am actually going to read the first paragraph in Metamorphosis to you.
(After reading)
-So Gregor, our protagonist, is a “gigantic insect,” I think that might keep me in bed for a couple of days.
-Gregor and Adam have something in common, the endings of the books are different from one another. As you read along in the next couple of weeks I want you to think about how both Adam and Gregor handle their situation. What do you think is effective, what do you think is holding them back?
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