As the seventh-grade class wraps up their first novel of the year, Touching Spirit Bear, they have moved on from drafting literary analysis of the protagonist to creating projects that reflect the themes (lessons) or significant events in the story. It's important to note: the students elected to complete this creative work as a wrap-up. By varying assignments, and allowing different learners to find success in an area of comfort, most students end a unit with a positive experience. Learning the form for the literary analysis, and tackling it with a concerted effort, was difficult. Many of the students found joy in creating (playing) with symbols, language, and illustration (as well as sculpting) a way to more deeply connect with the text. I firmly believe that middle school students still need to embrace those playful moments whenever they can use them as a way to solidify understanding. While it is key that they leave eighth-grade with a strong writing foundation, it is equally important that they finish out middle/elementary with a sustaining joy for text. My hope is that activities like this allow them to do so."
Check out the photos and take a peek at the assignment.
