Using the classic American novel The Great Gatsby to explore the themes of disillusionment and the American Dream, I want students to really dig into the characters and their motivations to gain an understanding of the tragedy that is unfolding …
In the midst of the modern civil rights movement, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson is more relevant now than ever before. Diving into the injustices embedded in today’s institutions, Stevenson intertwines stories of unjust treatment and punishment of those who …
“Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes often leaves students perplexed because the main character instantly forgives a young boy who tries to rob her. Before reading the story, I would introduce the theme of forgiveness with the conversation about Mahatma …
Lao Tzo’s quote, “To lead the people, walk behind them,” can ignite conversation on the dichotomies of strength vs. dominance, humility vs. passivity, ends vs. means, and how leaders respond to conflict and influence. This can help students to better …
Early Puritans and Pilgrims learned that the new world required both cooperation and help from unexpected sources. The Erik Erickson conversation plumbs the possibilities and limits of interdependence. Does it promote strength and versatility? Or does it allow vulnerability, compromise, …
Set in a dystopian future, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a wildly popular young adult novel, and one of its biggest themes in teamwork. Throughout a study of the book, I can stop and lead discussions based on …
Henry David Thoreau’s time spent at Walden Pond was not a fluke; it was a carefully planned and executed choice to live deliberately according to Thoreau’s transcendental beliefs. I would use a study of Walden to connect to the Lao …
I’m teaching characterization using Jerry Spinelli’s novel, Maniac Magee. I will focus on the theme of conflict by analyzing the way Maniac interacts with different characters, specifically his “enemies” Mars Bar Thompson and Giant John McNab. At the end of …
I love the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. After reading the book with my 11th graders, I could hold the Seneca conversation on kindness and use the quote – “Wherever there is a human being there is an opportunity for …
Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” is a modern tale seen in classrooms more and more often. This epic story contains a major theme of forgiveness. When teaching this story, I would connect it to the conversation with Mahatma Gandhi on …
The little known Civil War set story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”, pairs perfectly with the conversation on Sacrifice with Mahatma Gandhi. After reading this short story, and discussion the surprise ending, I would lead students in a discussion …
Washington Irving’s short story “The Devil and Tom Walker” is a classic American twist on the age-old theme of selling your soul to the devil. The conversation with Dr. Seuss about Ambition connects perfectly to a pre-reading class discussion of …
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