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#1500. Amy Lepore

Literature, level: Senior
Posted Fri Jan 7 19:29:57 PST 2000 by Amy Lepore (amy_lepore@hotmail.com).
Havelock High, USA
Materials Required: Various excerpts and writings from both Native Americans and Colonial authors
Activity Time: 2-3 class periods for reading,comparing,writi
Concepts Taught: Colonial America

For years I have introduced Am. Lit with recordings of
Native American traditional poems and creation myths
as well as the normal Colonial pieces by Smith, Byrd, Bradstreet, Rowlandson, Knight, Columbus, Edwards, etc.
I ask them to compare the tone, purpose, point of view, etc.
of these pieces/people. Then we stage a debate where half the class represents the Native Americans and half represent the settlers. Which group is right in their way of thinking? Whose point of view and way of living is correct? I use a basic debate format and ask members of the gifted Eng. or debate class to come score my students' perfomance. We learn a lot and have great fun in the process!!