Tweens today have many social pressures that are intensified with the use of technology. While teaching narrative, I have decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to help them problem-solve some of these issues as well as help others. Using a problem-based learning model, students will research social issues affecting tweens today by reading non-fiction articles and news videos.
The final step of the students' research will come in the form of reading children's stories by talented authors and taking notes to aid them in the creation of their own narratives that will then be read to the neighboring elementary school. These stories will be focused on helping students younger than themselves navigate the pressures of bullying, cyberbullying, and anxiety, just to name a few. Students may choose to read Bully by Patricia Polacco or My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig to inspire writing a new narrative to help young students will bullies. If students choose to focus on the use of Social media and bullying, they may choose to read The Berenstain Bears' Computer Trouble by Jan Berenstain or The Technology Tail: A Digital Footprint Story (Communicate with Confidence) by Julia Cook.
Each student has a unique background that will help him or her decide which social issue to select to research and then help others with narrative story writing. This unit is relevant to what struggles students today face and serves as a way to give power to student voice through stories filled with solutions. Knowledge coupled with kindness is power.
About my class
Tweens today have many social pressures that are intensified with the use of technology. While teaching narrative, I have decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to help them problem-solve some of these issues as well as help others. Using a problem-based learning model, students will research social issues affecting tweens today by reading non-fiction articles and news videos.
The final step of the students' research will come in the form of reading children's stories by talented authors and taking notes to aid them in the creation of their own narratives that will then be read to the neighboring elementary school. These stories will be focused on helping students younger than themselves navigate the pressures of bullying, cyberbullying, and anxiety, just to name a few. Students may choose to read Bully by Patricia Polacco or My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig to inspire writing a new narrative to help young students will bullies. If students choose to focus on the use of Social media and bullying, they may choose to read The Berenstain Bears' Computer Trouble by Jan Berenstain or The Technology Tail: A Digital Footprint Story (Communicate with Confidence) by Julia Cook.
Each student has a unique background that will help him or her decide which social issue to select to research and then help others with narrative story writing. This unit is relevant to what struggles students today face and serves as a way to give power to student voice through stories filled with solutions. Knowledge coupled with kindness is power.