Tuesday. Eleventh grade English, eighth period.
(I was kind of loath to reuse this title. But when I went looking for the last time I used it, I found that I had used "Zilch" twice and "Zizi Rho Designs" three times. And Z. So, I'm going to go with it.)
We got back from spring break on Monday. Tuesday we started state testing. While most of the high school doesn't have to participate, the eleventh graders do.
They set up a special schedule for testing. Testing started at the usual start of the school day. Those not testing (the ninth, tenth, and twelfth graders) didn't have to even come to school until after the testing block. The testing block was two hours.
The lesson plan for the day? We finally got to start reading The Great Gatsby. (For the two weeks before spring break we did lots of anticipatory activities.)
Have you ever read The Great Gatsby? Do me a favor and read the first page. Real quick. I'll wait...
Um, yeah. It's a little dense, especially for eleventh graders.
So, I took my time, stopping a lot and explaining what was going on. (We would have easily finished chapter one if I didn't stop as much as I did.)
And the class? Eighth period? Yeah, they were zonked.
I saw heads on desks. I wasn't getting much in the way of feedback when I invited comments.
Not shocked. And okay with it, really. Considering everything. The book takes a couple chapters to really get going, and they'll be more into it then.
I hope.
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter
Jamie here:
ReplyDeleteI am still surprised that I was never forced to read The Great Gatsby in school and I have not attempted to read it myself.
I can't believe the challenge is over! Zonks! And congrats on making it to the end.
It is actually worth the read. It makes more sense once you're over 30. Before then, you really don't have the life experience to *get it*.
DeleteI haven't read it - but still I think it's great you paused to teach as you were getting through the dense first part. I remember teachers doing that, and it definitely drew me in.
ReplyDeleteHopefully it helps. Some of them, anyway.
DeleteCongratulations for getting all the way from A to Z! I haven't read it, took a look a the first few sentences, stopped reading!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a lot at the beginning. It gets better though, I promise.
DeleteDuring testing wasn't maybe the best moment to start that one. It always zonked me, too. @samanthabwriter from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
Alas, it wasn't my choice. I'm just going off the plans left by the full time teacher. As she wanted to finish the book up by the end of the school year, that's how it had to go.
DeleteZonked is a great Z word. And I'm guessing many of us are feeling that way at the end of April's challenge. Congrat's on making it through.
ReplyDeleteIt works so well with how I'm feeling, too.
DeleteZonked was a good title, and there's no A to Z rule saying you can't reuse titles. This being towards the end of the day, I got through perhaps the first three paragraphs. But the weird thing is this - I hated that book in high school. Hated. I feel for your students (and you). But if life in the U.S. hadn't turned into what it has turned into, I may have decided to try the book again. I won't, though, with my zonked mind. Too heavy a mental lift.
ReplyDeleteAnd, congratulations on completing A to Z
DeleteUnderstandable. I hated the book in high school, too. I appreciate it more now (but I still don't like the characters).
DeleteZonked is the perfect word to end the challenge *and to explain how I'm feeling this week...simply wiped out! Congratulations on making your way through the challenge! I loved all your posts and their corresponding knits :-) So happy to have "met" you!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'll still be around in May, just without the knitted letters.
DeleteZonked? I can definitely relate.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was that kind of day. Today, too.
DeleteCongratulations on finishing the A to Z!!! It's not easy, and it takes a huge commitment. So, again, kudos to you, Liz! - I totally get being zonked, as a kid and an adult. I read the Great Gatsby in high school and then, of course, saw the movie with Robert Redford. I think there's a new one tho. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI will say your post has made me want to read it again. I liked the book and F. Scott Fitzgerald is a favorite author in my family. My daughter even has a Great Gatsby quote tat.
It's pretty cool. :)
2013. Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby. Toby Maguire as Nick. It has more frenetic energy than the 1974 version which works.
DeleteThe book is now in the public domain, so if you have an e-reader, go to Project Gutenberg for a digital copy.
I really felt this. Coming back from spring break straight into state testing sounds brutal—no wonder your eighth period was completely zonked. Starting The Great Gatsby under those circumstances is definitely a challenge, but I love that you took your time with it. That opening chapter is no joke, even for adults. It’s great that you’re setting the stage now; once they get to the drama and Gatsby’s big entrance, I bet they’ll perk up.
ReplyDeleteGatsby's entrance was yesterday and Tuesday (the joys of a block schedule), and... Well, they're still state testing, so they're still zonked. Although, they did perk up when I showed them a clip from the movie.
DeleteZonked, well, a new word to me! Congratulations on completing the A2Z challenge ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's more slang, so not surprised you might not have come across it before.
DeleteI never read that book, esp not the first page. Will look it up and do that.
ReplyDeleteThe link's above. I didn't expect anyone to go out and look for it when I said read it real quick ;)
Deletehahaha I like the word zonked!
ReplyDeleteI do too. Although, my favorite Z post is Zoinks! It... was warranted...
Delete