American Literature

I'm looking for an interesting topic to assign my students for their American Lit. research paper next year. Any ideas? This will be their first intense research paper...usually around 5-7 pages.

A quick and easy research paper I've had my Am. Lit kiddos do (they're sophomores) is to research their name. They don't only have to find text and online sources but also interview (which I think is a skill they need to learn).

I wouldn't call it intense, but it's fun for them to see how the melting pot of the United States doesn't end with NYC or Ellis Island, but is in their classrooms, generations and thousands of miles away.

Interesting lesson plan from the New York Times Learning Network:
If Only Literature Could Be a Cellphone-Free Zone
TODAY'S LESSON PLAN:
THE PLOT THICKENS?: Evaluating What is Gained - and Lost –in Literature with the Advent of Technology

Comment by Ryan Goble 4 seconds ago
Delete Comment FYI - Frank Baker wrote a really cool article about the storyboards for the film of To Kill A Mockingbird in the screenwriting group that might interest some of y'all.

See his post here.

RRG:)

Hey Everyone,

As you all know, I've been learning by doing out here on the Ning. To those ends I've been telling the bigger groups that this comment area works best for short thoughts. If you're hunting for or sharing a resource it is always best to put that above in the discussion forum. That allows your topic to be easily archived and searchable when new members join or check out the group. Lots of things get lost in the comment wall... if you don't believe me check out the the Graphic Novel Group's comment wall.

From there, if you want an e-mail update about a topic or resource being discussed in the forum above because you teach that topic or have a special interest in it you have to remember to click the "follow" button at the bottom of the post.

Also, if you know that someone else might like the resource or discussion topic always feel free to click on "share" and the url will be shared with your co-teaching friend.

I say all this because there have been two resource updates to the "Edgar Allan Poe Resources" discussion above. You won't know about these additional resources or discussions unless you have clicked the "follow" button on the discussions that relate to your teaching.

So if you really like a topic - "follow" :)

Hope everyone is groovy out there!!

RRG:)

ahum, I meant "if you don't believe." sorry, you can't edit these posts after a couple minutes lapse...

Hey, those of you who haven't joined the "Gender, Bodies and Sexuality" group might be interestedin the new set of books I talked about in that group today...
Images and Issues of Women in the Twentieth Century