A+Project-+How+to+teach+works+from+the+canon

Cristy Bedolla 12/13/11 Dr. Shea The A Project

Inquiry Focus -How can teachers use books from the literary canon in their classrooms? -How can the use of books from the canon help engage students in the classroom? -What are different ways to teach books from the canon? Reflection In class we discussed some of the works that we consider to be in the canon. We agreed that for a book to be considered for the canon it should have a moral or lesson for the reader to find. It should also be a story that can relate to any time period and to the readers. Works that are in the canon must stand the test of time and become part of the Western culture. Works in the canon must have certain aspects for teaching: they must contain a deeper meaning, a lesson, be edgy or controversial, and contain dynamic characters. It must also challenge ones thinking and opens up for discussion. The canon includes works of Shakespeare, Homer, the book //To Kill a Mocking Bird//, //The Scarlett Letter//, and //The Great Gatsby//. Although our class had an enlightening conversation about the literary canon there are still questions that are floating around in my mind. How can we get our students involved in works from the canon? What activities can we do to tie in the works from the canon to the curriculum in class and make it engaging to the students? Essential Question: Why should we teach works from the literary canon in the classroom and how can we teach those works? Research It is important to teach our students works from the canon because these are works that are commonly known. Knowing works from the canon will create a common knowledge that the student can use throughout their high school and college career to reference to. The //Bible// and the //Canterbury Tales// are pieces that have influenced others to create their own works of art and they can also influence students. Although these works have been around for a long time they are still relatable to use and interesting. The canon opens up different genres to use in the classroom, the story the Odyssey can be used while teaching a poetry unit. Works from the canon also pull in different subjects that can create controversy, making students think more critically and apply the knowledge in situations that are going on in the real world. Having students read works of mythology can help them get started in their journey to reading the classics. This topic is something that most teens will be interested in because it is about fantasy and they can tie it to fiction books and movies that are currently out and more contemporary. Writers that are in the canon range from Shakespeare, Chaucer, Milton, Emily Dickinson, to Virginia Woolf. Some works from the canon are //The Odyssey, Dante’s Inferno, To Kill, A Mocking Bird, The Scarlet Letter, The Great Gatsby//. The canon has such a wide rang of works that teachers can use a piece of work from the canon in many different unit lessons. Creating lessons that are fun and engaging to go along with the works will capture the students and keep them focused. Having students act out a part from the book, creating an alternative ending or creating a chapter on the characters called “Where are they now” will all allow the teacher to asses the student in a form that is not boring and stressful for the student. Creating a Facebook profile for the characters or even writing a theme song for the story are all good activities to involve works from the canon. It is important to teach the classics in the classroom because if our students don’t hear them from us then they will not go out of their way to explore them. There are many references in the real world to classic text that our kids should know so they can be successful in furthering their education. Pop culture makes references to classics and their peers will make references to them in college. Classics are really a background that everyone can connect to in one way or another. In class we discussed how a requirements for a book to be in the canon is that you have a need to go back and read it more than once. After that second or third time read you would get some thing different and new out of it.

Yes many people argue that books from the canon are old and boring but how can there be openings for new and modern works if we don’t know our past and history. These books preserve our past to make a new future of creative thinkers. There is so much you can pull out of them; see hoe the language has changed or even relate them to other classes like history.

I remember many girls in my middle school and high school liking to read books about celebrities and watching their movies, the movie that I remember being most popular among the girls was //She’s the Man// staring Amanda Bynes. The film was biased off of Shakespeare’s play // Twelfth Night. // Sources likes these are a good way to help students get interested in the play and it will also help them visualize what they read. This brings me to another point, works from the canon are well known they have parodies, graphic novels, music, and films based on them. This different media is a great way to engage reluctant readers and hook them on the lesson. All the resources that are out there for the works in the canon are useful tools to teach students. The first thing that has to be done is for the teacher to get to know the students and how they learn. Weather they are audio learns, visual, learners or kinesthetic learns. The canon provides works that can be modeled to fit different activities to accommodate those learns. From reading out loud, watching a video, painting a picture, writing a song or dressing up and acting out the parts of a play; these actives will help the students understand the works and build a solid foundation to more contemporary works and for the rest of their learning career.

Why it is important to read the classics? 10 Ways to enhance your mind with the classics 10.Reading the classics will give you incites on timeless ideas. The lessons in these stories are lessons that go beyond their time and can be applied to any time period.
 * 1) Reading the classics lets you to have more tools in your toolbox. Adding to your vocabulary, allowing us to express ourselves with a wider rang of words.
 * 2) Reading classics also help us absorb the author’s grammar and style of writing improving the readers’ writing. Their writing will turn into clear rhythmic sentences.
 * 3) Reading the classics helps with becoming a better thinker, improving speech in the reader.
 * 4) Some of the best ideas are inspired from the classics. You can create something new and original from something old. It enhances your creativity and enables you to create something completely new and original.
 * 5) They give you a historical perspective of the time. It is different then learning history from a textbook.
 * 6) They are fun to read and entertaining. Sometimes turning into films or other types of media.
 * 7) It gives you a hint of sophistication. These books are part of the human history. They are here to stay and will make for good conversation.
 * 8) You will be reading the best of the best. No need to search around for something that is worth your while, just pick a book up!
 * 9) By reading the classics you will be able to develop a distinct voice in your writing.

Activities for Tom Swayer: [] Sources Bloom, Harold. "Book Review: 'The Western Canon: The Books and the School of the Ages' Review | Book Reviews and News | EW.com." //Entertainment Weekly's EW.com | Entertainment News | TV News | TV Shows | Movie, Music and DVD Reviews//. EW.com, 21 Oct. 1994. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. Bowers, John M. "Western Literary Canon in Context." //The Great Courses//. University of Virgina, 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. Lovell, Cindy. "Using Real Life to Create Fiction: Mark Twain Style." Weblog post. //The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum//. Oct. 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. "10 Ways to Improve Your Mind by Reading the Classics | PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement."//PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement//. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.