1 Thinking Through Literature Learning HOTS and Enjoying Literature Maida Nechushtan & Judy Henn.

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Thinking Through Thinking Through LiteratureLiterature

Learning HOTSLearning HOTS andand

Enjoying LiteratureEnjoying Literature

Maida Nechushtan & Judy HennMaida Nechushtan & Judy Henn

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At the end of this presentation, At the end of this presentation, you willyou will

11 . .feel excited about teaching feel excited about teaching literature to your pupilsliterature to your pupils..

22 . .agree that literature can be agree that literature can be accessible to your pupilsaccessible to your pupils..

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33 . .see the connection between see the connection between analyzing literature and analyzing literature and

promoting HIGHER ORDERpromoting HIGHER ORDER

THINKING SKILLS – HOTSTHINKING SKILLS – HOTS..

44 . .teach literature more teach literature more effectivelyeffectively

when given suitable materialwhen given suitable material..

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55 . .leave here saying, “I can leave here saying, “I can dodo

thisthis”.”.

66 . .will take steps to includewill take steps to include

literature in your syllabusliterature in your syllabus . .

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Countee Cullen (1903-Countee Cullen (1903-1946) was a leading 1946) was a leading poet in the Harlem poet in the Harlem Renaissance, a Renaissance, a movement of African-movement of African-American writers in the American writers in the 1920s in New York City. 1920s in New York City. A brilliant student, he A brilliant student, he became a high school became a high school English teacherEnglish teacher..

NOTE TO PUPILS: NOTE TO PUPILS: “Nigger” is the most “Nigger” is the most insulting and offensive insulting and offensive word one can call an word one can call an African-American African-American

personperson . .

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IncidentIncident: : BaltimoreBaltimore Countee Countee CullenCullen

Once riding in old BaltimoreOnce riding in old Baltimore,, Heart-filled, head-filled with gleeHeart-filled, head-filled with glee , ,

I saw a BaltimoreanI saw a Baltimorean Keep looking straight at meKeep looking straight at me..

Now I was eight and very smallNow I was eight and very small,, And he was no whit biggerAnd he was no whit bigger , ,

And so I smiled, but he pokedAnd so I smiled, but he poked His tongue, and called me, "NiggerHis tongue, and called me, "Nigger ". ".

I saw the whole of BaltimoreI saw the whole of Baltimore

From May until DecemberFrom May until December;;Of all the things that happened thereOf all the things that happened there

That's all that I rememberThat's all that I remember..

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11 . .Who is the speakerWho is the speaker ? ?

An African An African AmericanAmerican..

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22 . .How old was the How old was the speaker when the speaker when the

'incident' happened'incident' happened ? ?

Eight years oldEight years old..

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33 . .Which words tell us how Which words tell us how the speaker feels at the the speaker feels at the beginning of the bus beginning of the bus

rideride ? ?

""Heart-filled, head-filled Heart-filled, head-filled with gleewith glee ", ",

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44..Three things happen to Three things happen to the speaker on the bus. the speaker on the bus. What are theyWhat are they??

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a. The white boy stares at a. The white boy stares at the speakerthe speaker..

b. The white boy b. The white boy pokes/sticks out his tongue pokes/sticks out his tongue at the speakerat the speaker..

c. The white boy calls the c. The white boy calls the speaker "Niggerspeaker "Nigger."."

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55 . .For how long was the For how long was the speaker in Baltimorespeaker in Baltimore ? ?

From May to December, From May to December, seven monthsseven months

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66 . .What does the speaker What does the speaker remember from the visit to remember from the visit to

BaltimoreBaltimore ? ?

That a white boy on the bus That a white boy on the bus stared at him/her, stuck out stared at him/her, stuck out his tongue and called his tongue and called

him/her "Niggerhim/her "Nigger."."

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By answering these questions, By answering these questions, pupils have shownpupils have shown- -

the ability to retrieve essential the ability to retrieve essential facts about the poemfacts about the poem..

These questions are LOTS:These questions are LOTS:LOWER ORDER THINKING SKILLS, LOWER ORDER THINKING SKILLS,

the essential foundation for HOTSthe essential foundation for HOTS

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11 . .How did the speaker How did the speaker feel after the white boy feel after the white boy stuck his tongue out at stuck his tongue out at

him/herhim/her ? ?

The speaker was shocked The speaker was shocked and insultedand insulted..

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22 . .Why is this incident the Why is this incident the only thing that the only thing that the speaker tells us about speaker tells us about

the visit to Baltimorethe visit to Baltimore ? ?

This incident had such aThis incident had such a

powerful effect on the powerful effect on the speaker that he/she could speaker that he/she could not remember anything not remember anything else from the long visitelse from the long visit..

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33 . .The “incident” referred The “incident” referred to in the title of the to in the title of the poem is made up of two poem is made up of two gestures and one word. gestures and one word.

What are theyWhat are they ? ?

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a. staring "keep looking a. staring "keep looking straight at mestraight at me““

b. poking/sticking out the b. poking/sticking out the tonguetongue

c. calling the speaker "Niggerc. calling the speaker "Nigger““

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44 . .Which kind of behavior do Which kind of behavior do you think had the most you think had the most powerful effect on the powerful effect on the speaker? Justify your speaker? Justify your answeranswer..

The most powerful effect The most powerful effect was hearing the word was hearing the word

"Nigger"Nigger.“.“

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55 . .If, in the future, the If, in the future, the speaker has a similar speaker has a similar experience, how do experience, how do you think he/she can you think he/she can overcome this overcome this obstacleobstacle??

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ConflictsConflicts

CONFLICT – the struggle or CONFLICT – the struggle or fight between opposite fight between opposite forcesforces..

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a. between two peoplea. between two people

b. between a person and b. between a person and societysociety

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c. between a person and the c. between a person and the environment (nature, environment (nature, supernatural powers)supernatural powers)

d. between a person and his d. between a person and his inner feelings – the inability to inner feelings – the inability to decidedecide

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Decide what type of conflict Decide what type of conflict there is in the following there is in the following examplesexamples::

11 . .the speaker of "Incident: the speaker of "Incident: Baltimore" and the white Baltimore" and the white

child on the buschild on the bus______ ______

22 . .the speaker of "Incident: the speaker of "Incident: Baltimore" and the white Baltimore" and the white racist society in the racist society in the

American southAmerican south__________

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RationaleRationale

Literature demands of Literature demands of the reader active the reader active engagement; in order engagement; in order to experience pleasure to experience pleasure and involvement – it and involvement – it needs to be thought needs to be thought through.through.

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throughthrough a study of literature, a study of literature,

readers masterreaders master

HIGHER ORDER THINKING HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLSSKILLS

HOTSHOTS

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A systematic programA systematic program of of learning literature equips learning literature equips pupils with:pupils with:

essential skills in essential skills in cognitive developmentcognitive development

transferable skills to non-transferable skills to non-literary proseliterary prose

ability to carry out tasks ability to carry out tasks appearing on national appearing on national standardized exams standardized exams

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Pupils who study Pupils who study literatureliterature

through LOTS and HOTSthrough LOTS and HOTS

will be able towill be able to::

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a. a. recognizerecognize literary devices literary devices and terms in prose and poetryand terms in prose and poetry..

b. b. compare and contrastcompare and contrast between works which have between works which have similar componentssimilar components..

c. c. organizeorganize understandings into understandings into semantic mapssemantic maps..

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d. relate to the d. relate to the culturalcultural, , historicalhistorical and and sociological sociological backgroundbackground of the authors of the authors and their worksand their works..

e. e. integrateintegrate existing existing knowledge with newly knowledge with newly acquired insightsacquired insights..

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f. make f. make connectionsconnections with with their own livestheir own lives..

g. g. examineexamine their feelings in their feelings in relation to themes and relation to themes and ideas from the worksideas from the works..

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h. h. create works of their owncreate works of their own in the arts, related to in the arts, related to themes found in the themes found in the reading choicesreading choices..

i. i. formulateformulate alternative alternative endings for worksendings for works..

j. j. judgejudge the value of issues the value of issues presented in the workspresented in the works..

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In "Incident: Baltimore" a In "Incident: Baltimore" a young child experiences young child experiences prejudice for the first time prejudice for the first time and it has a powerful effect and it has a powerful effect on him/her. Unfortunately, on him/her. Unfortunately, the world is filled with the world is filled with such situations. Give an such situations. Give an example of an act of example of an act of prejudice in the world prejudice in the world today. What could be done today. What could be done to change the situationto change the situation??

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Write a letter to a friend Write a letter to a friend as if you were the as if you were the speaker in "Incident: speaker in "Incident: Baltimore" and tell what Baltimore" and tell what happened during the bus happened during the bus ride and how you now ride and how you now feelfeel..