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A high school ELA teacher friend reached out for some ideas of projects during this time of "distance learning." Here's what I came up with based on my own HS teaching and things that I find interesting:
1. Create your own class:
What class should be taught in high school? Give an overview of the class, essential questions that class would address, texts (broadly defined) used and why, and create a presentation of the class you'd give to admin.
What class should be taught in high school? Give an overview of the class, essential questions that class would address, texts (broadly defined) used and why, and create a presentation of the class you'd give to admin.
2. Make public history:
Create an Insta class account or hashtag and document findings from the area to record how people made sense and lived during this time; follow FERPA, obvs.
Related: https://twitter.com/CodyMillerELA/status/1242865908529410048?s=20
Create an Insta class account or hashtag and document findings from the area to record how people made sense and lived during this time; follow FERPA, obvs.
Related: https://twitter.com/CodyMillerELA/status/1242865908529410048?s=20
3. Theme conversation:
Pick a theme you addressed this year & have students analyze how other texts (broadly defined) address that same theme, write across the texts to think about how the same theme gets treated differently.
Based off this book: https://www.crcpress.com/Identity-Focused-ELA-Teaching-A-Curriculum-Framework-for-Diverse-Learners/Beach-Johnston-Thein/p/book/9781138812031
Pick a theme you addressed this year & have students analyze how other texts (broadly defined) address that same theme, write across the texts to think about how the same theme gets treated differently.
Based off this book: https://www.crcpress.com/Identity-Focused-ELA-Teaching-A-Curriculum-Framework-for-Diverse-Learners/Beach-Johnston-Thein/p/book/9781138812031
4. Curate artifacts:
What texts (broadly defined, including tweets and TikToks) best capture and explain the current moment? Curate those texts and write mini-museum entries in a digital space, thus creating a digital museum.
What texts (broadly defined, including tweets and TikToks) best capture and explain the current moment? Curate those texts and write mini-museum entries in a digital space, thus creating a digital museum.
5. Genre sets:
Select a genre and curate a set of texts (broadly defined) that fit into that genre: How does the text fit into the genre? How does it challenge the genre conventions? How has the genre evolved over time? Whose stories get told/marginalized in the genre?
Select a genre and curate a set of texts (broadly defined) that fit into that genre: How does the text fit into the genre? How does it challenge the genre conventions? How has the genre evolved over time? Whose stories get told/marginalized in the genre?
For number 4, I'm thinking about @SaraKAhmed's writing on "when the world hands us a curriculum": https://www.heinemann.com/products/e09970.aspx
6. Gen Z canon:
What is defining Gen Z? What texts, events, political movements, etc. help tell the stories of your generation? What stories are dominant and what stories are missing? How does Gen Z compare to past gens? Why might that be?
Related: https://ncte.org/blog/2018/06/reimagining-the-canon-to-study-youth-culture/
What is defining Gen Z? What texts, events, political movements, etc. help tell the stories of your generation? What stories are dominant and what stories are missing? How does Gen Z compare to past gens? Why might that be?
Related: https://ncte.org/blog/2018/06/reimagining-the-canon-to-study-youth-culture/
7. Textual adaptations:
Pick a book you read before the pandemic, create some form of adaptation for it using whatever media you'd like --- applications, music, art, etc. Recontextualize and recreate the text, think about how these changes shift the narrative.
Pick a book you read before the pandemic, create some form of adaptation for it using whatever media you'd like --- applications, music, art, etc. Recontextualize and recreate the text, think about how these changes shift the narrative.
That's it. I want to add a few things:
A. Whatever you do, please don't practice shitty punitive and harsh grading policies. We're going through a pandemic. Mental and physical health must be the focus, everything else is supplementary.
A. Whatever you do, please don't practice shitty punitive and harsh grading policies. We're going through a pandemic. Mental and physical health must be the focus, everything else is supplementary.
B. I'm throwing out ideas for projects. I don't have handouts or documents or anything else really. These are conceptual outlines. Y'all are smart and know your students best, you can fill in the blanks and content.
C. Don't ask for free labor from educators, especially BIPOC, LGBTQ educators. Don't get upset when people rightfully criticize packets. Instead, critically reflect, be smart, and make positive changes to your plans!
Finally, if you can donate then consider donating to one of these organizations. Trans kids are under attack by the federal and some state governments right now. Love and support trans kids, educators, and communities! https://www.bustle.com/p/15-trans-rights-organizations-to-donate-to-right-now-40031
BONUS: Go let Carly Rae Jepsen's "Run Away With Me" --- which has perhaps the BEST bridge in all of white girl pop history --- get you through this afternoon!
