To Kill a Mockingjay (When Two Worlds Collide)

My students recently finished reading Harper Lee's classic (and my all-time favorite) novel To Kill a Mockingbird. We happened to finish the novel the day "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" movie was released. Perhaps it was in the spirit of excitement to see Suzanne Collins' novel Catching Fire played out on screen that I created this typo on my students' To Kill a Mockingbird short answer test.

Free Activity Download

http://thepottergames.com

I guess it was only a matter of time before my love for The Hunger Games collided with my love for To Kill a Mockingbird. But mashing up literary works can actually be quite fun...when it's done on purpose, of course. One of the greatest experiences I've had since reading The Hunger Games trilogy was being one of the writers and editors of The Potter Games, a fun choose-your-adventure mash-up of the Harry Potter series and The Hunger Games trilogy. Students, fans, and bibliophiles can still visit the site today and play the original game or try any of the newer spin-offs. It's a great exercise for your students because it involves reading and critical thinking skills to actually become a victor of the Games.

I have a FREE download to accompany the website. It includes directions for your students to create their own literary mash-ups. Try this activity out when you have a few minutes left in class or want a fun pre-holiday interactive and technology-driven activity your students will love.

Common Core Skill: Literary Allusions
Of course, literary allusions are nothing new. In addition to creating their own mash-ups, students can try to identify examples of literary allusions in any piece of fiction or nonfiction. Identifying and explaining allusions is a Common Core skill your students should be practicing while reading (in grades 8-12).

For instance, To Kill a Mockingbird is chock full of literary allusions. The first chapter makes reference to the novel The Gray Ghost by Seckatary Hawkins and the Tom Swift books by Victor Appleton. Some allusions are used to enhance and clarify the time period, while others play a greater role. Stoner's Boy in The Gray Ghost becomes an important thematic link between the characters and the two main plots of the novel.

If you are looking for a resource to use while teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, The Hunger Games, or other novels, you can find materials in my TeachersPayTeachers online store.

Coping with Tragedy

On my Hunger Games Lessons blog, I've written about my free Mockingjay Acts of Goodness download, which has students recording random acts of kindness they see around them each day. It seemed appropriate in light of the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary.

For older students, we've discussed gun control and teen violence many times at school. In fact, we have a Friends of Rachel club and I have shown the movie "Bowling for Columbine" to my upperclassmen. Michael Moore is encouraging people to watch it–free–through his link via Twitter here: Bowling For Columbine

Several years ago I created a "Bowling for Columbine" handout for my classroom. I uploaded it to TpT and promptly forgot about it. Yesterday I downloaded it and was a little embarrassed at the quality; it was an older version and I had since updated my personal file. I added my improvements and then additional information about donating to Sandy Hook School Support Fund. I decided to donate 100% of all proceeds toward the Sandy Hook Fund.

Day 4 of The Twelve Days of Gift-mas for Teachers

Welcome to The Twelve Days of Gift-mas blog hop for secondary teachers! Each day you'll find a fantastic freebie that can be used in a middle or high school classroom. Thanks for coming by to Mrs. Orman's Classroom and Hunger Games Lessons for Day 4 (I run both blogs, so decided to post both places.)

"Four Calling Birds" is appropriate for my free gifts to you because I have FOUR priced items to fit that theme that will be FREE for 24 hours only, beginning at 6 a.m. (CST) today (Tuesday, Dec. 4th) until 6 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5th.

I teach English/Language Arts, so my special gifts are the following (click on the images of the products to get the free download):

To Kill a Mockingbird Introduction KWL Activity

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Introduction-Guided-KWL-Activity

To Kill a Mockingbird Trial Organizer and Inferencing Activity for Chapters 17-19

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Trial-Organizer-Activity-Ch-17-19

One mockingbird + three mockingjays = four calling birds!

Another "bird" related activity is my review activities for The Hunger Games characters, setting, and events in preparation of Catching Fire (you can also use it as an alternative final assessment of The Hunger Games, though it is just a simple review of characters and plot): 

The Hunger Games Review Activities

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hunger-Games-Review-Lessons-Characters-Setting

And...

The Hunger Games Meaning of Panem Activity

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hunger-Games-Trilogy-Meaning-of-Panem-Lesson

A fifth calling bird?? What?

Finally, here's a BONUS freebie that can be used with any book or story (fiction or non-fiction), any time! It's my Twitter Tweet Chapter or Lesson Review Activity. Use it with any content area to review a reading passage or lesson for the day!

Twitter Tweet Summary or Review Activity

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Twitter-Tweet-Story-or-Chapter-Summary

Tomorrow you'll be heading to Liz's Lessons for the 5th day of Gift-mas! You can check out all the pages in the link-up (below).

Happy Holidays and THANK YOU for all you do each and every day. You are appreciated! :)

Special thanks to Michelle Lundy from Making It as a Middle School Teacher for organizing and facilitating this blog hop!

Mmmmm....Cake!

Last week I felt a little like Homer Simpson every time a student brought in their creative project to wrap up our Hunger Games unit. I couldn't help drooling a little, and uttering, "Mmmmm...more cake!"

Yes, cake can be educational. Just like replicating the arena or a scene from the novel in a diorama, recreating it on a cake takes thought and creativity. Students have to brainstorm what edible objects they'll use to represent the scenery. I witnessed students rereading scenes to make sure they got the details exact. I overheard an argument about Peeta being hidden near the stream by Rue's body (which was further in the woods), and one student replied, "It's symbolic!" I love it.

Yes. Frosting. The final defense of English teachers everywhere...