So ... choice can allow students to choose what they want to do which generally leads to them being more engaged and interested in what we are doing in class. Of course it can backfire too so you have to be reasonably prepared to either change the votes slightly or only offer what you are happy to teach.
I decided this term that I wanted to do a compare and contrast with a novel and a movie.
I asked the students to suggest books that had movie adaptations which we would vote from. I added in some suggestions as well.
The students came up with some fantastic choices including:
- The lion, the witch and the wardrobe
- Owls of Ga'Hoole
- Bridge to Terabithia
- Coraline
- His Dark Materials
- Eragon
- Harry Potter
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Charlottes Web
- The Polar Express
- James and the Giant Peach
- Ratatouille
- The Witches
- Gulliver's Travels
The students then voted. It came down to a close call between Coraline and Percy Jackson - with Percy Jackson winning by 2. Of course we did full preferential voting.
So currently I am creating an amazing unit as I teach it for this book and movie.
Labels: choice, English, Percy Jackson, Reading
