Increasing reading comprehension by using the hero’s journey.

Increasing reading comprehension by using the hero’s journey. By Angie McCall Helping students take ownership for their own comprehension.

Problems It is so hard trying to connect student’s to the “classics.” I hate when we are finished studying a novel, and students can’t remember what happened in the beginning. I want to increase student learning and comprehension, while making them responsible.

Diagnostic Assessment Show The Simpson’s, Bart Sells his Soul. Discuss it using the concept of the hero’s journey. (Hand each student a copy of the following slide.) Use print screen to zero in on key stages. Have students identify the stage of the hero’s journey Bart is in. Student’s jigsaw out and work on one assigned concept of the Hero’s Journey. They will explain what phase Bart is in, and how they know that. They will carry this further as the unit goes on and discuss the internal struggle Bart/any character may have. Closing activity: A summarization strategy WHO WANTED TO BUT SO WHO WANTED TO BUT SO

Key comprehension strategies Students will watch The Simpson’s, which will enable them to become engaged, and trigger their prior knowledge. (I will hand out a copy of the following wheel.) Students will be able to visualize the Hero’s journey by seeing what Bart goes through. (mental images) Student’s will be able to determine what is important in Bart’s journey. Students will be able to then apply those mental images to other works and synthesize/compare information and works.

Continued- According to Do I Really Have To Teach Reading, a good teacher should bring in a variety of materials to create interest and to fit student’s learning level. Bringing in novels, short stories, half-hour short shows and movies, will fit that criteria. Student’s will be engaged in The Simpson’s clip, and it will trigger their background knowledge. As a teacher, I feel it is so important to bring in these different materials, and rely on the textbook as just another resource, and not a bible.

Return with the elixir reward ORDINARY WORLD ordeal THRESHOLD CALL & Refusal of the call Innermost cave Tests and trials mentor Allies enemies Students will use this to analyze stories and movies, to create their hero’s wheel.

From pg 21 of Field-I would use this when we first start discussing novels. Beginning: Act: 1 End: Act: 3 Middle: Act: 2 Pages 1-30 Pages 30-90 Pages 90-120

Stage 1a-Ordinary World Bang Bang, You’re Dead Trevor lives with his caring but bungling parents. He attends school, where he deals with non-stop bullying. The ordinary world is described in a way so that it contrasts greatly with the exciting world that will make up the adventures in the book.

Stage 1b: Ordinary World:Of Mice and Men • In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George have always traveled together. They stop to work at a farm, and Lennie deals with bullying, George defends him, as usual.

Stage 2a: The Call to Adventure: Of Mice and Men George is always Lennie’s protector. When the owner of the ranch picks on Lennie, Lennie breaks the owner’s hand. George defends Lennie once again, and tells him to “keep a low profile.” This begins the adventure…George trying to keep Lennie out of trouble, and Lennie attempting to do as he is told. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor is attempting to stay out of trouble during the new school year, but is constantly picked on by his peers. A group of “outcasts” invite him to join them, where he begins shooting guns and drinking.

Stage 3a: The Refusal of the Call Of Mice and Men George begins an internal struggle over defending Lennie, and feeling responsible to him, and also wanting his own life, without the burden of Lennie. Lennie begins his internal struggle with staying out of trouble and trying to act “normal” and acting on his impulses. Both refuse the call of what is in their heart and minds. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor is torn between hanging out with Jenny, and hanging out with the Trogs. He turns down several invitations to hang out with the Trogs, and plot revenge on the bullies.

Stage 4a: Meeting the Mentor Of Mice and Men George meets Curly, and begins to see how his life could be. George begins to question what he is doing, and examining his goals and his current situation. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Mr. Duncan casts Trevor as the role of the killer in the school play. This forces Trevor to examine his life, his motives, his goals and himself. Mr. Duncan forces Trevor to step back and look at himself.

5a: Crossing the Threshold Of Mice and Men Lennie is alone in the barn with the owners wife. He touches her shirt. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor goes off into the woods with the Trogs. He then begins wearing black trench coats and being more and more of an “outcast.”

6a: Allies and Enemies Of Mice and Men Lennie and George have many allies. All of the ranch hands are their friends, and try to work with them, and help them. The enemy is the ranch owner, but Lennie is also an enemy to himself. He can’t control his urges and does things on impulse that get him and George into trouble. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor’s allies are Jenny, Mr. Duncan, the Trogs. His enemies are the jocks, who constantly bully him, the Trogs are also enemies in some ways, they convince Trevor to shoot guns, drink, help in their plot for revenge. Trevor is his own enemy. He doesn’t talk about his pain, he makes bad decisions and he constantly chooses to be with the Trogs.

7a: Approach to the inmost cave Of Mice and Men George realizes Lennie has gotten in trouble again. He realizes he must find Lennie before the other men do, and he knows he must somehow end Lennie’s suffering. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor videotapes intense bullying in the school. He is getting caught up in his own depression, and attempts suicide.

8a: The Ordeal Of Mice and Men George finds Lennie after Lennie has accidentally killed the owner’s wife. George realizes Lennie will never have a good life. Though he is torn, he hugs Lennie, and they discuss their dream of having their own ranch. In the middle of the comforting story, George shoots Lennie. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor is so beaten down by the constant bullying, that he plans revenge with the Trogs. They plan to blow up the school, and shoot everyone they see. They smuggle the guns in. Trevor sees Mr. Duncan, and realizes he has to choose a different path. He warns the teacher, and saves everyone.

9a: The Reward Of Mice and Men Lennie is now out of his misery. He was never going to have a normal life. George is free to pursue his own dreams, and he saved Lennie from a much worse death by the other men. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor performs in the play to raves. He has shown the reality of bullying and created a path for change in himself and his school.

10a: The Road Home Of Mice and Men In George’s mind he stayed true to his promise to always be there for Lenny. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor shows that he can accomplish something by performing in the play. He has kept a tragedy from happening, and he has created dialogue between himself and his parents.

11a: Return with the Elixir Of Mice and Men George saved Lenny from a worse fate, and he is now free to pursue the life he wants. Bang, Bang You’re Dead Trevor has highlighted the bullying in his school, and helped to create a safer place. He has also learned valuable self awareness and self esteem.

TESTS, TRIALS CONSPIRACY: SUPPORTING CHRACTERS DEMONSTRATE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES EXTERNAL INTERNAL THE CALL & REFUSAL: EXTERNAL FEARS AND DOUBTS OF ABILITY FIRE SHOOTING LEAVING HOME BRYNN’S WALK HOME FROM SCHOOL TO PARENTS’ STUDIO MENTOR, ALLIES & ENEMIES: EXTERNALSSTATUS W/IN SETTING TESTS, TRIALS CONSPIRACY: STRESSORS EITHER STRENGTHEN TRUST OR SUSPICIONS THE CALL & REFUSAL: JUST WANTING TO FIT IN . CAN’T GET INVOLVED. DOUBT & DISBELIEF LEAVING FRIENDS BRYNN’S FPERSONALITY, STENGTHS, AND ANGST MENTOR, ALLIES & ENEMIES: TRUST & SUSPICIONS BUILDING I plan to use this as my formative assessment. As a whole group, we will talk about the external, and I will have students decide what the internal is.

Summative Assessment I will discuss the hero’s wheel throughout the unit. At the end students will have a part for a movie filled in, and a part for Of Mice and Men, I will then have them create another part for a movie of their choice, explaining how it fits into the hero’s journey. Student’s will then present the final part of their wheel.

Resources • http://www.doe.in.gov/TitleI/pdf/7_Keys_Zimmerman.pdf • Canada, Rob • Tovani, Cris. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse, 2004. Print

Increasing reading comprehension by using the hero’s journey.