Lord of the Flies Survivor
Bob Stelle
12th Grade/Language Arts
Content Area Objectives Addressed:
Students will read Lord of the Flies.
Students will discuss issues and themes of Lord of the Flies.
Students will attempt to be the ultimate group that survives.
Students will connect themes found in Lord of the Flies to their lives
today.
Technology Objectives Addressed:
Students will use email to communicate with their group members in other classes.
Students will learn to create a distribution list in Pegasus.
Students will learn proper netiquette.
Students will use email to conduct effective on-line discussions.
What was the process that your students went through to complete this lesson?
While watching the television show Survivor last summer, I noticed the many themes and similarities between the show and the novel Lord of the Flies. In order to help teach these themes, I placed all of my senior language arts students from three different classes into “survivor” type groups. All of the groups had group members from the different classes.
The groups had to elect a leader and give their group a name. Each group had discussions online about themes/issues from each chapter of Lord of the Flies.
In an attempt to put pressure on the non-readers, each group had their individual quiz scores averaged after each quiz. The group that had the highest average for each quiz received immunity and could not be voted off by the other groups. So after each quiz the groups would confer and the group leaders would send me their selection to be voted off. Once a group was voted off they could no longer vote, but they were still required to have online discussions. Also, out of the groups voted off the one that ended up with the highest overall quiz average would receive extra credit. This kept those kids that were out of the “game” still on track with the reading.
Over the course of several weeks all but three groups had been voted off. Each of those three groups had to speak to their class about why they should win, and then the groups that had been voted off selected the ultimate Lord of the Flies survivor.
Description
of Student Activities:
How did you monitor student progress?
Students had to send copies of various emails to me for credit. I also monitored their test scores. I would also watch them at various times while they were sending email to their other group members. I would also just ask them how it was going. I was able to follow up and solve several problems with this simple question. There were many times when group members had to communicate with each other and I did not see this email communication, but I know it was happening by observing students as they emailed.
Was
there a template or an example that students were expected to follow?
Students were a reading log with some very specific questions to follow. I also set up very specific deadlines for emails to be sent and received. I made sure to keep the project moving along to these deadlines.
I spent about 30-45 minutes at first just reviewing basic email skills. Some kids had them and for email was a brand new thing.
Students had about 30 minutes to share one of the six computers to email their group members each day. We have 90 minute periods that meet every other day.
It took about 5 weeks to get through the reading of Lord of the Files as well as this activity and others.
How
was the final product presented?
Students were required to email me at various times throughout the project.
The final product was to strategize and survive. Three groups did that quite well. I was able to use their strategy in showing how the themes from Lord of the Flies could be applied to today and their lives.
The groups that had been voted off selected the ultimate winner.
Who was the audience for
the final product?
The students were the audience as the three surviving groups pleaded their case to be the ultimate survivor.
Learning
Issues
What prior knowledge was required on the part of the students in order for them to be successful in this project? (include curriculum and technology knowledge)
Students needed to be reading Lord of the Flies in order to be successful.
Students that did not know how to use email had to learn in order to complete the assignments.
I had to show most students proper netiquette.
Most students already knew how login to the network.
What was the student to computer ratio?
20 students to 6 computers per class
How did you schedule your
students’ computer time?
I would usually give the class time to read or do some other activity for the last 30 minutes of class. During this time I would expect all of the computers to be used. As one student finished using the computer I would be sure another student jumped right on it. This seemed to work well. It kept those using a computer on task as they knew others were waiting for their turn.
What was the location of the computers and other technology equipment used by students?
I have six computers on counters at the side of the room
How would you suggest beginning teachers obtain computer resources for their students? (Knowing some of your strategies would be valuable for our pre-service teachers.)
· Grants!
· Participating in projects like this one (we received a laptop in this program).
· Take classes and educate yourself on what’s available
Rate the level of access for students to use computers/other technologies as they needed --high, medium, low
High if teachers structure class time appropriately so every student can use the technology. Plus, they can come in before and after school.
Rate the level of supervision required for students during the project, specifically for computer and other technology use –high, medium, low
High—the teacher’s job is to supervise, ensuring that students are using the equipment appropriately and effectively. It also helped to have others waiting to use a computer. It kept those using on task. There just wasn’t time to do anything other than their assignment. I monitored this.
What hardware was required for your project?
What software was required for your project?
Pegasus Mail
Anything else?
What kind of assessment did you use for this project? (Include a copy if you can.)
The students had to email me their logs at various times. Sometimes this was an individual activity, sometimes it was a group activity.
What did you like best about this
project?
My students were writing and communicating more than ever. They came into my classroom and would check their email right off. I saw several students email more in-depth answers to the questions that I was asking as compared to a traditional reading log.
What did the students like best about this
project?
Rank the level of student involvement in
this project –high, medium, low
High
High
Would you teach this lesson again?
Yes. Some of the things on the board enticed my sophomores and they wanted to participate in the lesson. I told them they would if they had me as a senior teacher.