Teaching Ideas
Lesson Plans
Exploring Consumerism Where Ads and Art Intersect
by Peggy Albers
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploring-consumerism-where-intersect-1114.html?tab=1#tabs
This is a fantastic lesson plan for four 60 minute classes that focuses on how ads and art can influence it's audience. This lesson challenges students to explore how aware they are of the effects advertisements have on them. Students create their own art project based on their interpretations of ads and use these to reflect upon the influence consumerism in their lives. This lesson focuses mainly on marketing and encourages students to think and ask questions like a marketer. This is a very well thought out lesson, the only thing I would change is to adapt it for only one or two lessons so that we can use this project as a springboard into Feed by M.T. Anderson.
Book Report Alternative: Characters for Hire! Studying Character in Drama
by Haley Fishburn
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/book-report-alternative-characters-198.html?tab=1#tabs
This lesson plan jumped out at me after searching for lesson plans around the play 'Othello' by William Shakespeare. I had never considered making a resume as a clever, more real-world oriented substitute for a book review. It would provide students with the opportunity to discover exactly what goes into a resume while requiring them to think critically about the character they are writing the resume for. In the end it also gives them practice in searching for jobs online.
Short Story Fair: Responding to Short Stories in Multiple Media and Genres
by Patricia Schulze
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/short-story-fair-responding-418.html
"In this activity, students read short stories from a collection in small groups then prepare responses in multiple media and genres that are shared in a culminating Short Story Fair. Students’ presentations in the fair focus on communicating basic information about the story and encouraging others in the class to consider reading the piece. Students choose from a list of possible projects to demonstrate their knowledge of the story’s literary elements, such as bringing in representative physical artifacts, writing poetry, creating collages, illustrating comic strips, and more. On the days of the fair, the class explores the displays for the short stories, responding to related questions as they move from presentation to presentation. By the end of the activity, students have been exposed to dozens of short stories and their literary elements." (Schulze) This lesson takes place over the course of seven 50-minute sessions. This activity will also help students understand what elements of a story are truly important to share with a potential reader. Discuss how revealing some aspects of the story would encourage students to read the piece while unimaginative descriptions make the story look 'boring'.
Lesson Ideas
Lesson about how to give directions, instruct partner how to draw a picture on a sheet they can't see. Pick a location and practice giving verbal directions to it.
English Journal Articles
Teaching Dystopian Literature to a Consumer Class
by Rachel Wilkinson
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0993-jan2010/EJ0993Teaching.pdf
This article was very well-written and thought out and provides three different texts that are instrumental in teaching the dangers of consumerism, these include; Feed by M.T. Anderson, Brave New World by Aldus Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell. Wilkinson reminds us not to attack consumerism head on and, "...risk nurturing defensiveness. The challenge is to focus on the dangers, demands and opportunities common to the 'consumer class' without alarm-ism...". These books help focus students attention on four important traits of modern consumerism, such as; powerful advertising and industry, mindless consumption based on instant gratification, reliance on technology and the resulting atrophy of language. Before starting the books Wilkinson recommends getting students to think about consumerist culture by asking these questions: "1. Is life easy for us today? Is it too easy? 2. Give examples of how people escape from everyday life. Is it necessary to do so? Why or why not? 3. Is our nation too focused on consumerism? Explain. 4. What have you bought this week? Why? Do you need these things? 5. Do you own any clothes, electronics, etc. that you rarely or never use? Why? 6. Read and respond to Hillary Mayell's 'As Consumerism Spreads, Earth Suffers, Study Says.' What, if anything, surprised you? How might we solve some of these issues? Are you concerned? Why or why not?" To address the advertising trait have students "bring in" or think of an advertisement they can show the class on YouTube and ask questions like what does this message advocate? Who is the targeted audience? What are they really selling? What sort of advertisements are in your own school? Why are they there? Should they be there? To explore mindless consumption based on instant gratification discuss and compare our society to other societies or even to other time periods where material goods are not as readily accessible. Draw a parallel to Siddhartha and how Buddha achieved Nirvana through self-denial and contemplation. "As a result of this instant gratification, people are unable to think for themselves, because there's no time for reflection and nothing but desire." (Wilkinson) Have students explore the benefits both physically and mentally of not being able to get what you want. Technology: Come up with a class list of how we use technology. Does this make us an idle society? What are the dangers of idleness? (May make connections to early American Protestants, 'idle hands make the devil's work' and the Awakening) How often do we use technology? Have students mark down how many times they look at their phone/go online/watch TV. Does having technology and alternate ways of communicating with people make us 'antisocial'? Does it change our way of thinking? How? Atrophy of language have students come up with a class list of slang words, then look up more sophisticated words that have fallen out of use how are they different from the slang? Is the meaning exactly the same, or is it different? How has the meaning changed? Is it deeper? What would society be like if we did not have a variety of words to choose from? How do you think you would feel? Frustrated? Have students try not to use the word 'like'. End with a reflection writing to see if or how students' perception of themselves as consumers has changed.
The Ebay-ification of Education: Critical Literacy in a Consumerocracy
by Lil Brannon, Cynthia Urbanski, Lacy Manship, Lucy Arnold, and Tony Iannone
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0993-jan2010/EJ0993Focus.pdf
This article challenges the presence of consumerist ideas in schools. "...literacy is commodified as a 'thing' to be 'gotten' through the course of one's education and tested...Individual children are sorted, schools are sorted, and teachers are held accountable for either giving or not giving students what they need to be successful. There must always be a winner and a loser. This article points out that the knowledge minority populations bring to the classroom go unrecognized because it is not sanctioned in the schools. The article encourages teachers to use students background knowledge as a springboard for literacy and to keep in mind that literacy is a complex concept with many areas. Some students may be good in one area, while others may need improvement.
Reading Poetry for Critical Reflection on Consumer Behavior
by Anthony J. Scimone
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0993-jan2010/EJ0993Reading.pdf
This article was especially helpful for me because I hadn't really considered even looking for themes of consumerism in poetry. I enjoy how Scimone starts the discussion of consumerism by admitting he is part of it, as are we all. I also liked how Scimone found two different poems; Barby and the Consumption of Beauty by Marge Piercy and Playboy by Richard Wilbur so that both male and female students have something to relate to. The use of Life Cycle of Common Man by Howard Nemerov is a good way to tie them together and help students make meaningful discoveries of self. Have students question the nature of 'brands' what exactly is a 'brand'. After reading 'Barbie', have them address questions like, "How vulnerable are we to the suggestions of others? To what degree are we unwitting conspirators with the brand makers? What slogans, jingles, and logos are at work in your consciousness? Is our standard of how we want to look our own conception or someone else's? How do we willingly comply with marketers' intentions?" After reading Playboy have students analyze the photograph in the poem. What does her position/stance remind you of? How has the objectification of women changed with the use of the Internet?
Unit Plan: 'Much Ado About Shakespeare' by Sara Sulecki
Lesson Plans
Exploring Consumerism Where Ads and Art Intersect
by Peggy Albers
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploring-consumerism-where-intersect-1114.html?tab=1#tabs
This is a fantastic lesson plan for four 60 minute classes that focuses on how ads and art can influence it's audience. This lesson challenges students to explore how aware they are of the effects advertisements have on them. Students create their own art project based on their interpretations of ads and use these to reflect upon the influence consumerism in their lives. This lesson focuses mainly on marketing and encourages students to think and ask questions like a marketer. This is a very well thought out lesson, the only thing I would change is to adapt it for only one or two lessons so that we can use this project as a springboard into Feed by M.T. Anderson.
Book Report Alternative: Characters for Hire! Studying Character in Drama
by Haley Fishburn
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/book-report-alternative-characters-198.html?tab=1#tabs
This lesson plan jumped out at me after searching for lesson plans around the play 'Othello' by William Shakespeare. I had never considered making a resume as a clever, more real-world oriented substitute for a book review. It would provide students with the opportunity to discover exactly what goes into a resume while requiring them to think critically about the character they are writing the resume for. In the end it also gives them practice in searching for jobs online.
Short Story Fair: Responding to Short Stories in Multiple Media and Genres
by Patricia Schulze
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/short-story-fair-responding-418.html
"In this activity, students read short stories from a collection in small groups then prepare responses in multiple media and genres that are shared in a culminating Short Story Fair. Students’ presentations in the fair focus on communicating basic information about the story and encouraging others in the class to consider reading the piece. Students choose from a list of possible projects to demonstrate their knowledge of the story’s literary elements, such as bringing in representative physical artifacts, writing poetry, creating collages, illustrating comic strips, and more. On the days of the fair, the class explores the displays for the short stories, responding to related questions as they move from presentation to presentation. By the end of the activity, students have been exposed to dozens of short stories and their literary elements." (Schulze) This lesson takes place over the course of seven 50-minute sessions. This activity will also help students understand what elements of a story are truly important to share with a potential reader. Discuss how revealing some aspects of the story would encourage students to read the piece while unimaginative descriptions make the story look 'boring'.
Lesson Ideas
Lesson about how to give directions, instruct partner how to draw a picture on a sheet they can't see. Pick a location and practice giving verbal directions to it.
English Journal Articles
Teaching Dystopian Literature to a Consumer Class
by Rachel Wilkinson
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0993-jan2010/EJ0993Teaching.pdf
This article was very well-written and thought out and provides three different texts that are instrumental in teaching the dangers of consumerism, these include; Feed by M.T. Anderson, Brave New World by Aldus Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell. Wilkinson reminds us not to attack consumerism head on and, "...risk nurturing defensiveness. The challenge is to focus on the dangers, demands and opportunities common to the 'consumer class' without alarm-ism...". These books help focus students attention on four important traits of modern consumerism, such as; powerful advertising and industry, mindless consumption based on instant gratification, reliance on technology and the resulting atrophy of language. Before starting the books Wilkinson recommends getting students to think about consumerist culture by asking these questions: "1. Is life easy for us today? Is it too easy? 2. Give examples of how people escape from everyday life. Is it necessary to do so? Why or why not? 3. Is our nation too focused on consumerism? Explain. 4. What have you bought this week? Why? Do you need these things? 5. Do you own any clothes, electronics, etc. that you rarely or never use? Why? 6. Read and respond to Hillary Mayell's 'As Consumerism Spreads, Earth Suffers, Study Says.' What, if anything, surprised you? How might we solve some of these issues? Are you concerned? Why or why not?" To address the advertising trait have students "bring in" or think of an advertisement they can show the class on YouTube and ask questions like what does this message advocate? Who is the targeted audience? What are they really selling? What sort of advertisements are in your own school? Why are they there? Should they be there? To explore mindless consumption based on instant gratification discuss and compare our society to other societies or even to other time periods where material goods are not as readily accessible. Draw a parallel to Siddhartha and how Buddha achieved Nirvana through self-denial and contemplation. "As a result of this instant gratification, people are unable to think for themselves, because there's no time for reflection and nothing but desire." (Wilkinson) Have students explore the benefits both physically and mentally of not being able to get what you want. Technology: Come up with a class list of how we use technology. Does this make us an idle society? What are the dangers of idleness? (May make connections to early American Protestants, 'idle hands make the devil's work' and the Awakening) How often do we use technology? Have students mark down how many times they look at their phone/go online/watch TV. Does having technology and alternate ways of communicating with people make us 'antisocial'? Does it change our way of thinking? How? Atrophy of language have students come up with a class list of slang words, then look up more sophisticated words that have fallen out of use how are they different from the slang? Is the meaning exactly the same, or is it different? How has the meaning changed? Is it deeper? What would society be like if we did not have a variety of words to choose from? How do you think you would feel? Frustrated? Have students try not to use the word 'like'. End with a reflection writing to see if or how students' perception of themselves as consumers has changed.
The Ebay-ification of Education: Critical Literacy in a Consumerocracy
by Lil Brannon, Cynthia Urbanski, Lacy Manship, Lucy Arnold, and Tony Iannone
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0993-jan2010/EJ0993Focus.pdf
This article challenges the presence of consumerist ideas in schools. "...literacy is commodified as a 'thing' to be 'gotten' through the course of one's education and tested...Individual children are sorted, schools are sorted, and teachers are held accountable for either giving or not giving students what they need to be successful. There must always be a winner and a loser. This article points out that the knowledge minority populations bring to the classroom go unrecognized because it is not sanctioned in the schools. The article encourages teachers to use students background knowledge as a springboard for literacy and to keep in mind that literacy is a complex concept with many areas. Some students may be good in one area, while others may need improvement.
Reading Poetry for Critical Reflection on Consumer Behavior
by Anthony J. Scimone
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0993-jan2010/EJ0993Reading.pdf
This article was especially helpful for me because I hadn't really considered even looking for themes of consumerism in poetry. I enjoy how Scimone starts the discussion of consumerism by admitting he is part of it, as are we all. I also liked how Scimone found two different poems; Barby and the Consumption of Beauty by Marge Piercy and Playboy by Richard Wilbur so that both male and female students have something to relate to. The use of Life Cycle of Common Man by Howard Nemerov is a good way to tie them together and help students make meaningful discoveries of self. Have students question the nature of 'brands' what exactly is a 'brand'. After reading 'Barbie', have them address questions like, "How vulnerable are we to the suggestions of others? To what degree are we unwitting conspirators with the brand makers? What slogans, jingles, and logos are at work in your consciousness? Is our standard of how we want to look our own conception or someone else's? How do we willingly comply with marketers' intentions?" After reading Playboy have students analyze the photograph in the poem. What does her position/stance remind you of? How has the objectification of women changed with the use of the Internet?
Unit Plan: 'Much Ado About Shakespeare' by Sara Sulecki
much_ado_unit.docx | |
File Size: | 42 kb |
File Type: | docx |
much_ado_doc_a.docx | |
File Size: | 11 kb |
File Type: | docx |
much_ado_doc_f.docx | |
File Size: | 12 kb |
File Type: | docx |
much_ado_rubric.docx | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Unit Plan: 'Cultural Studies Unit - The Role of Women In the Middle East' by Sara Sulecki
cultural_studies_units.docx | |
File Size: | 21 kb |
File Type: | docx |