Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Lord of the Fly-bys


I don't know what my deal is. I just haven't felt inspired to blog lately. I'm still mulling over the ideas people sent me when I asked for topics (but, sorry Shawn, I may have to forgo the poem on "flaccid".) In the meantime, here is my lame attempt at a post:

Back when I was an English teacher, my students read Lord of the Flies. I hated that book when I read it at age 16. I actually read it on my own the year I lived in Germany. I was overwhelmed by constantly trying to understand and speak German, and I became hungry for my own language. So I went to the local library and raided the English language section and began reading all the classics I could lay my hands on. Most of them I liked. But I found Lord of the Flies to be morbid and depressing (but not as depressing as Brave New World, which I also read that month. UGH!). Maybe I would have liked it more if I'd had some pedagogical guidance. Then again, maybe not. I didn't like it much better when I had to teach it to my own 7th graders. Anyway, one assignment I did that the kids enjoyed (and I used this to introduce the book) was ask the kids to do an essay on the following topic:

Imagine you crash land on a tropical island. There is enough food and water to keep you alive. You know you will be rescued in 3 months. What three objects would you want to have with you? Write your answer here:

(I think I just set a record for the most paragraphs in one blog post ending in a colon.)

(Also, please feel free to limit your replies to bullet points rather than an essay. However, if you insist on submitting an essay, please don't be surprised if I mark it with red pen and return it with a letter grade. Don't worry, I will allow extra credit if you get a bad grade).

14 comments:

Kristina P. said...

* Cell phone with Internet access (is that cheating?)
* Scriptures
*TV (Hope it gets cable!)

Just SO said...

Sunscreen
scriptures
lip balm

Suzie said...

Oh man, wish I had time to write a 1000 word essay on:

* my OWN pillow
* moisturizer
* my quad of scriptures



or the understated and amazing colon. (the punctuation, not body part)

way to blog...

Tiffany said...

*Notebook/pen combo (See how I snuck in two there?)
*A tent
*Solar-powered iPod

mCat said...

I had to really think about this. Just three things? Really??

crap.

1. Solar powered cell phone
2. Solar powered ipod
3. Solar powered laptop with internet access, I mean, scriptures.

Kenny and Kelli Ray said...

1.) Sunscreen
2.) Bathing suit
3.) Kenny, who brings:

1.) toothbrushes
2.) Tent
3.) Towels

sure glad I brought Kenny...he's a planner!

Sher said...

Hmmm....

1. a stash of chocolate (that I don't have to share)
2. a bed
3. solar powered ipod

Financial Aid for College said...

I'd like to know what it is in the warped psyches of English-Teachers-Past that requires kids to read horrible novels. HATED LORD OF THE FLIES. Kind of liked the Sci Fi in Brave New World, but what a depressing ending! And Great Expectations? Give me a break!

If they now have college courses in Harry Potter, what's wrong with that in 7th grade?

And I have to say, Melissa, that with what you're taking to the desert island, only your body is going to BE on that desert island at all.

Financial Aid for College said...

Can those be 3 sex objects?

Hmmmmm...

George Clooney
Brad Pitt
That Australian guy

rychelle said...

hey, i lived in germany when i was 15 too.

ipod
iphone
ipillow

should i feel guilty for not choosing scriptures?!?

Shawn said...

my hubby
nose spray
makeup bag filled with all my makeup

Oh, crap, I can't do this---I need some sunscreen too and moisturizer.

Ok, I'm too shallow to ever be stuck on a desert island.

But, then again, I would lose weight, right?

Hildie said...

A dictionary (it's good reading!)
a pillow
lip salve

(please let us have a 4th--Mtn Dew, somehow chilled)

Erica said...

ohh, I like this.

*a filled hiking backpack, complete with inflatable house and furniture

*camera

* a handy dandy notebook, complete with the crayon stuck in the wires.

Anonymous said...

- A genie who would allow one of the three wishes to be more wishes

- A good bakery

- My family