Lesson for Super Subs

Possible Lesson Plan Overview for Super Subs

By Donna Hayatt (PNN Director of Education)

<u>Introduction to Elements of a "Good" Story</u>

• Brief introduction of who you are, why you are interested in stories
• Pair/Share discussion - Think about a favorite story (can be a short story, book, movie, story from family member, etc.). What makes it such a "good" story? What do you think are elements of a good story?
• Pair/Share format - You pose the questions to students and they share with the person sitting next to them. I would recommend that they write out a list. Give them about three minutes or so, then bring them all back together as a class and ask each group to share one or two of their responses.

<u>Video Clips</u>

• If you have the time and the technology, students can view one video clip from the following PBS website:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2002/borders/stories/index.html

Here is the PBS lesson for the video clips. All of them are about "border" kids - their realities of living near the border and their hopes for their futures/college.

Reflect upon what was viewed; summarize web cast.

In Gilbert's story what do you see as context? What's the environment that surrounds him? Are there images, symbols, or landscapes that may help you understand Gilbert's story? Gilbert explores issues of self-identity. Do you think about your own identity? Do you talk about this issue with your friends, parents, or others?

In Cecilia's story, what economic, social, or cultural issues help explain her life? Why is Cecilia's mother organizing a benefit carne guisada plate sale, for what purpose?

In Kate's story, how do you see her story as a person taking shape? Like Gilbert and Cecilia, Kate is also from the border. But she also has a much different story to tell about the path her life has taken to get to the border. How do you see her story as similar? How do you see her story as different from the others?

What do you see as the beginning to Kate's, Gilbert's and Cecilia's story? What do you see as the climax of each story? Or, can you anticipate or predict what the climax may be? What do you see as an ending to each of the stories, if an ending can be predicted?

<u>Poetry as Story</u>

• Video is one storytelling format - poetry can be another. I have taught this poem a number of times, and it is a good example of a very short story.
• Have a student read this poem aloud. Brainstorm with students what they think the story being told is. You can do a Pair/Share activity or have a whole class discussion.
• How is this story different than the video clip? Is it possible to tell a story using so few words?

We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks

We real cool. We

Left school. We

Lurk late. We

Strike straight. We

Sing sin. We

Thin gin. We

Jazz June. We

Die soon.

<u>Transition to Own Story</u>

• What is your story? If you had to tell your own story in four small poetic stanzas, as above, what would you say?
• Students can brainstorm possible story ideas - what makes them who they are, what story about their lives or experiences they would want to share with the world. I would give them about 10 minutes to write out some rough ideas. After 10 minutes or so, they could try writing their own story using the same format as Gwendolyn Brooks' poem.
• Ask for volunteers to share their work with the class.

<u>6 Word Narrative</u>

• Introduce the idea of an even shorter story - the six word narrative.
• Hemingway's story - For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
• What is the story being told here?
• Have students review their brainstorms/drafts and see if they can narrow their pieces down to six words (or have them write a new story or stories). What would they want to say in six words? You might want to share Haiku with them or talk about the significance of each word - that each one must reveal a part of the story.

Contest challenge: In addition to posting their stories on PNN, students should consider entering the Six Word Story contest. Not Quite What I Was Planning is a collection of six-word memoirs (see description below). They are accepting submissions for their next publication. Perhaps students could vote on their favorite two or three stories after they write and post them to PNN.

Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure collects almost 1,000 six-word memoirs, including additions from many celebrities including Stephen Colbert, Jane Goodall, Dave Eggers, and more.

Surprisingly addictive, Not Quite is both a moving peek at the minutia of humanity and the most literary toilet reading you'll ever find.

• http://www.smithmag.net/sixwords/

<u>Closure</u>