We will begin the actual book focus of the unit by discussing one of Dr. Seuss’s classic and simple books,
Green Eggs and Ham
, as a class. This will allow me to introduce the students to the small group activities that they will be responsible for and to introduce the multiple themes and interpretations one can find in even the most elementary Dr. Seuss book. After reading all about Sam’s repetitive requests (“Will you eat them in a…?) and his friend’s constant refusal to eat the detested “green eggs and ham”, we will answer a series of CMT-focused questions about main idea, theme, and author’s purpose. Then we will begin to discuss possible themes relating to the story. These themes can cover family issues such as proper parenting skills or a child’s predisposition to exert authority over his or her food. Is this how one should deal with a stubborn child? Is it normal for children to refuse to eat something “green”? We can also expand our interpretations to include specific 7th grade curricular ideas. Does Sam use appropriate techniques to
persuade
his young audience? Could he have used one or two of the appeals we learn about in class (appeal to reason, emotion, character)? Are there any life lessons to be learned about trying new things? The point that the students must realize is that, although the book was written using only 50 different vocabulary words, the plot lends itself to many thought-provoking themes.
Green Eggs and Ham
is more than a story about a kid who won’t eat something “gross”.
After this whole-class introductory example, students will be placed into five literature circles. Each literature circle will be given a different Dr. Seuss book to read and discuss as a group.
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The Sneetches
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The Lorax
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The Butter Battle Book
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Horton Hears A Who
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The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
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After reading the book aloud (round robin style), each group will follow the modeled format by first discussing questions with a CMT critical stance focus (main idea, theme, and author’s purpose) and then responding to these questions in writing. Possible CMT questions include the following:
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- What does the author want you to know about human nature?
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- According to the story, what human characteristics seem to be highly valued by the
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author?
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- Do any of the characters learn a lesson? Explain.
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- Would this lesson help you in your life? Why or why not?
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- The author’s purpose is to… I know this because…
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- You can tell from the story that the author thinks…
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- What does the author mean when he says…?
Of course, these questions will form an initial foundation for follow-up discussions where the small groups can begin to bring up the anomalies of each particular book, employing the six strategies of active readers which we practice all year long: predicting, connecting, questioning, visualizing, evaluating, and clarifying. This will allow the deeper questions of what doesn’t make sense to surface, and invite the students to experiment with their own interpretive skills. Instead of reverting back to their earlier strategy of ignoring the anomalies or giving up and assuming that “It’s too hard,” or “I just can’t get it!” the students will learn that it’s okay to question the author / plot / characters. Finally, by offering up their own questions within a small literature circle, the students will see that multiple interpretations are possible and that successful interpretation comes from digging below the surface of the story.
Once the students have spent some time answering the prescribed questions and discussing their own questions, each group will then generate a list of possible themes for their particular book using a t-chart to differentiate between explicit and implicit themes. This will allow for even more debate and discussion as the members of each group determine which themes are explicit, which are implicit, and why they belong under each heading. Following this categorization, the groups will write a summary of the book to share with the other groups, making sure to include only the important aspects of the story, saving their personal interpretations for the next set of group activities.
The next day the groups will reform; each member from the initial groups will come together to form five unique groups. Within these new groups, each representative will be considered the expert on his or her particular group’s book (requiring each student to be a prepared, active, knowledgeable participator.) The reformed groups will begin a new week with each representative sharing the summary of his or her book. Students will then begin a discussion of the themes found in the different books, comparing and contrasting these themes in the form of a graphic organizer.
The culmination of the unit will consist of each collaborative group choosing one theme-related activity to cooperatively develop and present together.
Possible activities could include:
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- writing and presenting an imaginary interview with Dr. Seuss
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- developing and teaching part of a thematic lesson plan for
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pre-school students
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- creating an inner monologue of Dr. Seuss to be read in tandem with one of his books
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- imagining a dialogue between two of his characters talking about a thematic issue
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concerning them both
