November 24, 2008

What Would Carlisle Do?

My students are trying having a side conversation about the environment. How this works is that they are reading a series of articles related to the environment in this online reading program we have. It's half homework activity and half sponge activity in the next couple of weeks.

In the back of the classroom we are having a modified Chalk Talk, which is technique to have a silent conversation, usually used as a more immediate activity. (I learned about it through Critical Friends Group training, but check out this link, too.) We're taking this idea to use for a longer period of time, and I don't have an free white board at this time, so unfortunately, we are going a less green route. Oh yes, I've already been called out on it. I've posted a large piece of butcher paper and some sticky notes so students can comment on the following question:

How can we benefit from all the environment has to offer without destroying it in the process?
I put it up on Wednesday before I left, and this morning when I walked into my room, the first thing I noticed was that it was covered in sticky notes! That is so cool! My students dug into it!

But then I started reading it.

It seems that the board was hijacked by some Twilight fanatics. Or the haters. I can't decide which. I heard through the grapevine that one of the fanatics wrote, "Let's go to Forks, Washington to plant trees!" And then the war started.

It wasn't about how Forks, Washington, probably didn't need trees. You know, I hear it used to be nicknamed the Logging Capital of the World, but I seriously doubt it has been overlogged to the point we should be concerned. No, the conversation just turned to completely inane things related to Twilight.

Cripes. Vampire-loving desert rats!

So now the board is hijacked. The serious comments are buried. And I'm outta sticky notes.

I know many might say, "If they love talking about Twilight so much, why not let them talk about books on a Chalk Talk?" I thought about it, but they talk about books all the time--and Twilight is the main topic of debate constantly. I was just looking for a fun way to expand their horizons.

So, we need to regroup.

Oh, and should I also tell them they are sucking up my enjoyment of the Twilight books with their fanatic behaviors?

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