Wuthering Heights: A new look for a classical tale...
Click here to view student created websites from our book club, 'Wuthering Nights.'
Before there were Edward and Bella, there was Heathcliff and Catherine: Emily Bronte's Classic, Wuthering Heights
As I was contemplating what book to select for our class, I had one objective in mind: to willingly engage students with literature. Stated differently, I want kids to fall in love with reading!
Many books sparked an interest; however, none were compelling enough. I was finding that through my own personal reflection, it was the rich character development that drew me to some of my own treasured books. Most of the characters that I connected with lived in the works of classical literature: Great Expectations, Huck Fin, Romeo and Juliet, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Thus, the hunt began...
Being a huge fan of The Twilight Saga, I knew that Stephanie Meyer drew a lot of her inspiration from the classics. The following classics were weaved into each of the books in her series:
Twilight: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre New Moon: Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespear Eclipse: Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte Breaking Dawn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespear
I knew how much Bella Swan, protagonist in Twilight, referenced Wuthering Heights, and I wanted to learn more about this novel. I soon discovered that Harper Teen, a major publishing company, was planning on reviving this classical work with a new and fresh look. How exciting! Now, I just had to locate enough copies of this novel for us to explore and discuss.
Because this book is out of print, I was left to search the archives of larger publishing companies. My hope began to lessen when Scholastic informed me that they haven't carried this book since 2001. Of course, I knew I could always turn to Amazon. After loading my cart with twenty-four copies, the shipping total grew to over ninety dollars. Opps! Cancle that order, right? What now?
Hero: Nicola's Books (an Indie Book Store located in Ann Arbor) This nice bookstore was very helpful in ordering the full number of books needed (all with the same ISBN) and an audio companion - with no shipping cost!
I hope you all are as excited as I am to dive into this book. I've been warned that once we begin reading, we won't be able to put the book down. I look forward to this journey with each of you.
Materials for class:
Open and awake mind Reader's Notebook 2 sharpened pencils or a pen (blue/black) pack of sticky notes (solid color)
What will we write about in our Reader's Notebook?
Notes on Comprehension Strategies Ideas as to what good reader's do Why readers abandon books How to buzz effectively Ways readers solve difficult words Book Summarys Predictions Shared Connections Sketching imagaes we are visualizing Things that confuse us Questions we have Responses and reflections regarding the author Author's style and language responses Identifying story elements Evaluating the author's craft (leads, figurative language, word choice...)
Book Club Final Projects: click the link below for help. You can go to any website from this file. If you're having trouble, leave a comment on the side bar - comment tab or send me an email or give me a call. Projects Due: 10.26.09 (be ready to film on 10.22.09)