1. The Experimental Nature of YA Literature

"Did you know that you are a poem?" ~ Ashlee Haze

The Lesson

Poetry is an experiment. It's an experiment of words, of sounds, of images. It captures stories in ways that prose cannot, providing snapshots that when compiled into an album shout about the importance of the events captured within its pages. It has the ability to humor us, move us, surprise us, and even shock us. And many of our young adult authors understand this, capturing the stories they want to share with adolescents in verse so that they may humor, move, surprise, and shock our young readers. So it seems fitting that we begin our exploration of YA literature by exploring these verses. How can we, through these lyrical stories, disrupt our students' thinking about reading, about life?

For this lesson, you are to read one of the following novels in verse (click on the picture for more information about the book):

The Challenge

Middle school is a time when students are trying to figure out their place in the world. They are beginning to separate themselves from their parents and are trying on their own identities. Part of this journey means they are exploring new ideas. For this reason, we will spend the semester looking at different ways the books we read with our students help disrupt their thinking. This doesn't mean we are approaching the books with agendas in mind. Rather, as one of my favorite scholars David Kirkland says, "I’m not interested in ‘changing’ people’s minds. The very act feels oppressive and manipulative. I’m interested in presenting evidence-based perspectives that render to people facts upon which they can make up their own minds." Books can provide these perspectives.

So, for this challenge, we are going to begin the disruption and our exploration of experimentation in YA literature by playing with words and images that capture ideas that might cause our students to pause and think. Once you have finished reading your novel, spend some time jotting down events and themes in the book that might cause students to question their previous thinking. Select one disruptive idea to focus on.

Then, you will create a video that combines words, images, and sounds to relay the disruptive idea presented in the book. While there are many options for creating this video, the easiest one to use is Lumen 5. It should include the following:

The title and author of the book

A statement that tells the audience the idea the book asks readers to stop and question. For example, "In the novel Internment by Samira Ahmed, readers are asked to consider what happens when fear about others' beliefs creates policies that dehumanize others."

Words and phrases taken directly from the novel to convey your interpretation of the message the author is trying to present. They should support your stance about the novel's disruptive message. The bulk of the words in your project should be these direct quotes pulled from the novel. Other than the previously outline statements, all other words should be single words or phrases found in the novel. For example, in Internment, you might select words like "assuming" or "scared" or you might select phrases such as "shot trying to climb the border wall" or "searching for some air to breathe."

Visual images that help convey the message. These can be still or moving; black and white or color; found or created.

Audio that helps to support the tone of the message

Post your video to your portfolio by 4:00pm on Jan. 16th. Be sure to create a tab specifically for TCH 236.