The book Sentenced to Prism by Alan Dean Foster is one of the few classics in my book-world. This is pure Science Fiction, and it is the cream of the crop.
Evan Orgell is the main character who lives like all future modern humans, in an all-serving and servicing suit. When his not-very-likable character is sent to mine a planet made of crystal, he is stranded. Not just that, but the harsh world slowly ruins his suit, and he is force to leave it. Never having been out of his suit, he is exposed to some serious truths about the human body in that harsh world. Not only that, but he finds local life forms that are willing to befriend him (but he despises them). It takes so many twists and turns for him to begin changing, but ultimately he becomes a good man, and learns all kinds of lessons from his new life.
The end of the story leaves the reader in a semi-state of shock, as his newly appreciated humanity is taken from him. After finishing the novel, the reader will be more open to appreciating others' not like them and will appreciate their humanity more. Not just the morals to be learned, but the animals and scenery are marvelous and jaw-dropping. Think Pandora from Avatar, but the world is made of prisms. Beautiful.
This book is so very suitable for Middle Schoolers for these reasons:
Cool animals
Cool scenery
Gory details
Lots of action
Moral teaching is present, but not overt
I hope you find it and enjoy it!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Slaves and Students Passive Rebellion Comparison
I had the joy of teaching how slaves passively rebelled against their owners. How did they do it? They purposefully lost or broke tools, worked slowly, pretended to be sick, and other annoying ways. I thought, "Man, that sounds like what my 6th graders do!!"
I thought about how my students complained they didn't have pencils, but one magically appears when I offer a golf pencil to them, how they say they need to go to the nurse all the time, and how they take FOREVER to copy anything. They sounded just like the slaves we were studying about.
I drew up a couple of graphic organizers on the board, and we studied how the slaves rebelled. I then pretended to have an insight, and I began comparing how the students are so much like slaves: we tell them when to start working and when to stop, we tell them when they can speak and when they can't, they are forced to come to school and have no choice, they are punished if they do not do what we say. You should have heard them getting worked up! I turned the tables on them, at that point.
I pointed out how the slaves rebelling against forced work hurt the owners, and they eventually got what they wanted- Freedom!
I then pointed out how students rebelling against their own education hurts only themselves, and they will get what they fight for in the end- Ignorance!
You should have heard their silence. After a few seconds, one good-natured, trouble-making boy said, "Mr. Carroll, you're making me think things that I don't want to think. I don't like this lesson!" Needless to say, some students actually took this to heart and changed their classroom behavior, including the good-natured, trouble-making boy.
I teach for moments like that.
I thought about how my students complained they didn't have pencils, but one magically appears when I offer a golf pencil to them, how they say they need to go to the nurse all the time, and how they take FOREVER to copy anything. They sounded just like the slaves we were studying about.
I drew up a couple of graphic organizers on the board, and we studied how the slaves rebelled. I then pretended to have an insight, and I began comparing how the students are so much like slaves: we tell them when to start working and when to stop, we tell them when they can speak and when they can't, they are forced to come to school and have no choice, they are punished if they do not do what we say. You should have heard them getting worked up! I turned the tables on them, at that point.
I pointed out how the slaves rebelling against forced work hurt the owners, and they eventually got what they wanted- Freedom!
I then pointed out how students rebelling against their own education hurts only themselves, and they will get what they fight for in the end- Ignorance!
You should have heard their silence. After a few seconds, one good-natured, trouble-making boy said, "Mr. Carroll, you're making me think things that I don't want to think. I don't like this lesson!" Needless to say, some students actually took this to heart and changed their classroom behavior, including the good-natured, trouble-making boy.
I teach for moments like that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)