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All audio related to the epic Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf
Beowulf - An Opening Reading Circle
I begin this lesson by recounting a true story about a College Professor who kept, in the middle of the wilderness, a listener totally entraptured for 3 hours while telling the story of Beowulf, from memory, around a campfire. Then we do a modified version of Michael Tolaydo's acting circle - we go through the very first page of Beowulf (which is no longer in their texts so they get a handout (and they haven't read it beforehand). We then circle every word that they don't know -- then go through it again figuring out what happens through only the actual text without bringing in
38:25 minutes (17.59 MB)
Beowulf - A class discussion - Day 2
If the opening discussion was designed to give the students the confidence to believe that they can read this material on their own -- without outside help -- this discussion is to see just how well they understood their reading. We read through the text, stop and I (or they) will ask questions. Their answers, questions, and observations are often brilliant and insightful.
37:45 minutes (17.29 MB)
Beowulf - A class discussion - Day 3 - The challenge of Unferth
We discuss the story Beowulf including the challenge of Unferth - and it takes into account the work that they have done on heroism the day before. We read through the text, I stoop and ask questions and so do they.
37:07 minutes (16.99 MB)
Ghost Stories in the Classroom 2009
Ok - each year on Halloween we sit around, turn off the lights and tell ghost stories. Students each bring in an original (sometimes) story that they have gotten from their families - and I tell some old chestnuts (but true!). It fits in well with our unit on Beowulf - an Anglo Saxon tale that was originally told as an oral story. Ghost Stories are our remaining oral tradition.
42:39 minutes (29.29 MB)
