How Students Can Get Creative with Literacy

James Zlatanov can't seem to post on the blog, so he asked me to put this entry up for him:

This blog entry is regarding a project I did for Literacy. This literacy exercise I believe is interactive and engaging and also fun. The exercise starts with a word sort, followed by a story chain from the word sort followed by a comparison of the original source. Now it is really important for students to understand that it is not important to re-create the original source but to develop a strong story chain that re-creates the theme, setting and characters of the original source. This is an example of just that. The original source was a letter from the trenches this is a skit written with dialogue.

On April 9, 1917 a great battle took place at Vimy Ridge between the
Canadians and the Germans. It was Easter Monday and the Canadian
battalion was ready for what would be one of the decisive battles of the Great War. Two infantry men Jack and Leo waited in the trenches for the battle to begin. Leo was in charge of one of the machine guns and Jack was his aid. The two men smoked cigarettes and drank rum as they loaded the machine gun with ammunition.

Jack: Are you nervous Leo.
Leo: What the hell do you think Jack? Pass me some more rum.
Jack: The gun is loaded. Lets each put two rounds across each shoulder.
Leo: OK, I am ready. Are you ready? I am not cold any more. My clothes are drenched and layered with mud but I don’t feel the cold. I am sick of this tunnel, this trench, this hell hole! I ask you again are you ready good friend?
Jack: I have never been more ready in my whole life. Let’s go!
Leo: Hold on one second. Jack it has been a pleasure serving with you.
You are a great man!
Jack: I could not have asked for a better friend, Leo! Let’s show these bastards what us Canadians are all about!
Battalion Leader: Ready Men! Let’s Go!

The soldiers jumped up out of the trenches firing at the enemy. They were treading through no-man’s-land as casualties on both the German and
Canadian side were falling from gun shots and exploding mines. Some of the Canadian soldiers were reaching the frontlines of The Huns. German soldiers were becoming victims of gun fire and stab wounds from the Canadian soldiers’ bayonets. After an initial success on the frontline the Canadian soldiers ran into the barrage of the second line of the Germans. The Canadians were being showered by the heavy German artillery.

Leo: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I’m hit Jack. I am hit!
Jack: Leo nooooooo!
Leo: Jack don’t stop. Go! Take the gun. Go get those German bastards!

Jack took the gun and continued towards the enemy line, firing rounds and screaming.

Jack and the rest of the Canadian soldiers continued to advance chasing the enemy back to their dugouts. Jack was running over the see of shells with his finger on the trigger. All of the sudden he stopped and dropped.

Jack: Oh no!

Jack felt weak as he dropped to his knees. Then everything went black!

Shortly after, the battle was over. The Canadian soldiers were victorious at Vimy Ridge. Jack and the other hurt Canadian soldiers were tended to and rushed to London Hospital. The Germans that were still alive were taken as prisoners. The Canadian victory was decisive but the casualties were many.

Nurse: Hi Jack how are you feeling.
Jack: How is Leo? Where is he? Where is Leo?
Nurse: He was killed in the battle Jack. Please try not move. You were hit by a snippier. The loose shrapnel penetrated your arm, we had to amputate. I am sorry about your friend.

Jack looked at the nurse as tears flowed from his eyes.

Jack: Did we win!

We recorded this skit as a pod cast and had lots of fun with it.
Moreover, this technique was great because it can easily be transformed for any history or social studies class all you need is an original source and the vocabulary that you choose to pluck out of it. For the purpose of our Unit Plan Cam and I changed it to fit for SS9’s unit on the industrial revolution. I can send the lesson plan if anyone wants it just hit me up on this blog.
cheers