Blog 5

 I was really excited about my literacy engagement this past week. We started on the To Kill a Mockingbird unit. To start it off, I first asked if anyone was familiar with the novel; not many were. Then I had an anticipation guide, but instead of asking them to answer the questions like a questionnaire, I decided to do a moving activity. I printed out signs, one said agree and the other said disagree. I placed one sign on the front board and the other one in the back of the classroom. I explained that I was going to read various statements. If a student agreed with the statement, they were to walk to the agree sign, and if they disagreed, they need to walk to the disagree side. I gave them the directions before they were allowed to move, and told them that if they wanted to comment, they needed to raise their hands. Once I read the first statement, numerous hands shot up! I was so excited yet astonished how each class differed in their opinions. This activity also gave me the chance to play devil’s advocate. Once I finished the last statement, I asked them to sit down and explained to them that theses statements were the norm in the 1930’s. I hate that I only allotted forty minutes for this activity! It really could have taken the entire class period!! After our introduction to To Kill a Mockingbird was over, I gave students another assignment to teach the class about specific things that was going on in the 1930’s. After they finished their research, I assigned them books. One student actually came up to me and told me they were going to read the book over the weekend! She said that all the background information was so interesting; she could not wait to start reading! I was so delighted that my activity worked!!