Connecting Literature to Life: Interdisciplinary Approaches in the English Classroom

1. Connecting Literature to Life: Interdisciplinary Approaches in the English Classroom Kim Kotty Georgia Schulte IATE Fall Conference 2015

2. What is our goal? While schools may still have their curricula neatly stratified into discrete subjects, the world, of course, is not like this. As English teachers we have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the inherently interdisciplinary nature of our field to engage our students in meaningful ways. We seek to authentically make connections between the literature we teach, the historical context from which it is derived, and the modern world in which we all live.

3. Why? It meets common core. Common Core emphasizes the shift towards non-fiction texts: “Students must be immersed in information about the world around them if they are to develop the strong general knowledge and vocabulary they need to become successful readers and be prepared for college, career, and life. Informational texts play an important part in building students’ content knowledge. Further, it is vital for students to have extensive opportunities to build knowledge through texts so they can learn independently.” “Key Shifts in English Language Arts” (2015)

4. It also allows for differentiation

5. Because 21st Century Readers/Writers must be able to... -Build intentional cross-cultural connections and relationships with others so to pose and solve problems collaboratively and strengthen independent thought; -Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes; -Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information; -Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts; -Attend to the ethical responsibilities required by these complex environments (NCTE Framework for 21st Century Curriculum and Assessment, 2013)

6. But how? • Discussions that link English class content with the visual media students encounter daily • Projects that promote knowledge of current events and social justice • Assignments that utilize students love of popular culture and music to access deeper meaning in literature, non-fiction, and art.

7. Example 1: Visual Literacy Free Writes Open up class in the non-fiction unit with an image on the board. Students should spend a few minute free writing what they observe and why they think the image appears as it is. As a class, we will then discuss how the creator wants us to feel, how we are being manipulated, and how we really think. This only takes a few minutes, but connects students non-fiction skills to what they need to process in the real world every day, especially in advertisements and news reports.

8. BP Ad. Why are they doing this? What happened? What’s their goal?

9. How is this misleading? What is the purpose of this deception?

10. Respond to “normal” New Orleans

11. This year’s cover. What is this saying? What do you think? Why?

12. Farm-friendly TV ad

13. Example 2: Victorian Underbelly Project During a study of Dickens’ Great Expectations, students choose a relevant topic (“fallen women”, child labor, crime + punishment, diseases, etc.) and collect research to make an artifact that mirrors a “real world” product. Students get an enriched view of the novel through historical context, but also make a connection to how these social justice issues are relevant in today’s world. Students have fun with this, but are also building research/writing skills while engaging/creating nonfiction pieces of their own. They are also encountering social justice issues, often for the first time.

14. Artifact Choices:Newspaper similar to a Chicago Tribune or CNN website (resources: poster board, GoogleDrive template, PhotoShop, InDesign) or a video similar to either a documentary or 60 Minutes (resources: Wevideo, iPad/phone) Other Requirements: 2+ historical database articles, 3+ other resources, and an annotated bibliography. At least 1 “modern day” connection. Students do a “gallery walk” to review each other’s work at the end of the unit.

15. Example 3: “Jigsaw” Method • Students are given a choice of articles all on the same general topic. You can also assign students a particular article based on their reading level or interest (QUIET DIFFERENTIATION!). • Students are given a few minutes to read the article and fill out the Jigsaw sheet. • Students are then grouped so that each student has read a different article. They come together to discuss what they have read and form a general thesis about the topic.

16. The Jigsaw Method gives students access to a variety of sophisticated texts that they encounter in the real world (Time, The Atlantic, Newsweek) and shows them how what we discuss in class (fiction) has an inherent connection to modern life and social discourse. The students engage with this because they become “masters” of their article and have freedom in choosing a particular piece.

17. For a discussion on gender:

18. Example 4: The Scarlet Letter Use images from social media to introduce the concept of the effects of shame and public humiliation before reading The Scarlet Letter.

19. Is your reaction to these sets of images the same? Why?

20. Is This Effective?

21. What is the relationship between an individual and Society? What are the effects of hidden and revealed “Sin”?

22. Example 5: Civil Rights Era What caused the Civil Rights Movement? What were the results of the Civil Rights Movement?

23. 1997 1957

24. “Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation Always” “1963 Inaugural Address” and responses to it.

25. “Sweet Home Alabama” Lynyrd Skynyrd Well I heard Mister Young sing about her Well I heard ole Neil put her down Well, I hope Neil Young will remember A southern man don't need him around anyhow... In Birmingham they love the Gov'nor, boo-hoo-hoo Now we all did what we could do Now Watergate does not bother me Does your conscience bother you. Tell the truth. Sweet home Alabama Where the skies are so blue Sweet home Alabama Lord, I'm coming home to you, here I come “Southern Man,” Neil Young I saw cotton And I saw black Tall white mansions And little shacks. Southern man When will you Pay them back? I heard screamin' And bullwhips cracking How long? How long? ...Southern change Gonna come at last Now your crosses Are burning fast Southern man

26. Example : Gatsby Songs Find a quote, song lyric, a song title that you think embodies one of the main relationships or conflicts within The Great Gatsby. Provide an example, AND the source (singer, writer, etc), AND explain how this is significant/reflective of one of the relationships/conflicts, and which one, and why. On Gatsby's 'love' for Daisy On Myrtle Wilson On Daisy On Nick leaving New York On Gatsby’s Party On Gatsby's Guests

27. Example 5: Mythology in the Real World

28. Example 5: Works by Benjamin Franklin Use clips from The Office to underscore Franklin’s biography, his audience, the purpose of his Autobiography, and the use of aphorisms in Poor Richard’s Almanac.

29. Conclusion We know that English class has inherent real world value that informs the way our students think of themselves, of history, of their world. If we illuminate these connections in the classroom, the students will begin to see them on their own outside of the classroom. Kim Kotty (Fenwick H.S.)- kim.kotty@yahoo.com Georgia Schulte (Glenbard D87)- georgia.schulte@gmail.com Find this presentation at: fenwickfriars.com-->teacher pages-->Kim Kotty-->IATE