Goals

 

Details

Duration: 90 minutes

Assessments: Student discussions, Student writing

Materials: paper, markers/colored pencils, board to write on.

 

Description

We used this activity to get students to begin thinking about the metaphor of a "door" that they will encounter in the novel.

AN INTRODUCTION TO DOORS (part II)

1. The word DOOR is written on the board. "Door" Brainstorm on the board:

2. What descriptive words (adjectives) do you associate with the word door?"
a. How do doors look? Feel? Sound?: Colors. Inviting, foreboding, scary, sturdy, flimsy, squeaky, sliding...

3. What action words (verbs) do you associate with the word door?
a. What can you do with a door?: Swing, close, shut, open, break in...

4. What are some deeper meanings for doors?
a. What is the purpose of a door?: ie: Closing doors are opportunities lost, Opening doors are opportunities.

5. How can a door be a symbol? What does it symbolize?
a. Closed door, b. Slightly open door, c. Open door

6. What stories can you think of that involved doors?
a. Alice in Wonderland -- "Through the Looking Glass", b. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – Chronicles of Narnia

7. Imagine a door. Draw it. Use a whole sheet of paper. Use a marker. Color it. Think about the describing words we used for doors. What does your door look like?

8. Now, "walk" through your door and explore.
Ask yourself, "What is behind your door?" The place or places behind the door can be inviting, scary, mystical, magical, real, unreal, whatever....
a. Where does it lead?
b. Where would you like it to lead?
c. Where would you NOT like the door to lead?
d. Are you the same when you walk through it?
e. Who or what is on the other side?

9. Share your writing and your art.



HOMEWORK DUE NEXT CLASS:
As we've seen today, doors can lead to many places, down many paths. Consider this quote:

Stories are like paths, or Ways. Whenever we hear a Story, it is as if we were physically walking down a particular path that it has created for us. Everything we perceive upon this path or around it becomes part of our experience, both individually and collectively. [Each] particular story has within it many Mirrors which Reflect certain realities that exist in all of us. Each one of these little Mirrors, when we look into as a whole thing...can be a Teacher for us."
--Hyemeyohsts Storm

What does your story teach you about yourself? What do you see when you look into it? What can someone else see? What kind of a Teacher is your story? Put yourself in the shoes of someone reading your story for the first time....

WRITE A ONE PAGE (MINIMUM) JOURNAL ENTRY ABOUT WHAT THE READER CAN LEARN ABOUT HIM/HERSELF AND WHAT THE READER CAN LEARN ABOUT YOU.

Plan to turn your story, drawing and journal entry in at the beginning of our next class.

Author Reflections

Getting students to engage and create meaning around 'doors' before the novel began allowed us to launch more quickly into metaphor early on, because students had already spent time with the notion. The "doors" they created were amazing, and having them share their image and story for the class was a great followup activitiy.

Also, the quote provided in the Homework assignment found its way into thier work throughout the project, and helped students to think more broadly about path, journeys and experiences people have in life.