Monday, May 27, 2013

Ender's Game - Perfect Timing

 Ender's Game the movie is coming out this November. This is a book I teach in my Humanities class because it draws in the male readers, and it's a big hit with science fiction and fantasy fans, and also those who don't normally appreciate this genre (including me!).

The characters and themes in Ender's Game are classic and compelling, making this novel a good choice any year, but since the movie will generate excitement, using it this fall in the classroom makes sense. You could also assign it or suggest it for summer reading.

A movie/book comparison is perfect for the common core standards that ask for comparisons between books and other mediums. (CCS RL; R17)

 My current class is about 1/3 of the way through the novel. I showed them the trailer for the movie, and the discussion afterward was amazing. I can't wait until they've read the whole book, then watched the movie. Here is the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP0cUBi4hwE

I have heard that the reason is took so long for Ender's Game to be made into a movie was because Orson Scott Card didn't want to give up creative control, and he wanted the integrity of his story and characters to stand. Let's hope he got what he wanted with this film. So often a movie is far removed from its roots, and usually not for the better. I have high hopes for this one.

If you choose to teach Ender's Game, I've put together a packet you might be interested in. It's got quizzes, discussion questions, graphic organizers, etc....everything I use in my classroom. Click on the image to get to the packet.  It will save you a lot of preparation time!

7 comments:

  1. This book is a hit with my high school age stepdaughter and her friends. What a timely idea.

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    Jessica
    English With Mrs. L.

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  4. Hi!

    I'm considering Ender's Game for my Humanities courses this term, precisely for the reasons you cite. Despite the fact that these are Good Books classes, I have lots of students who don't read unless forced to (go figure!) and thought this might catch their interest. Woud you mind sharing how long you spend on it? Thanks!

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  5. We spend about eight weeks on Ender's Game. I've had many reluctant readers tell me how much they enjoy this book. Good luck!

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  6. Thank you, Laura! Are the things in your packet suitable for a problem based learning college classroom?

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  7. If you click on the link to the product, you can see the preview which I think shows a good representative sample of what is in the packet. The quizzes are simply reading comprehension/retention, but there are discussion questions, essay questions and graphic organizers for theme and character, and also vocabulary. I hope you find it helpful.

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