Kurt Vonnegut: Discussion and Teaching Ideas

Submitted by scotese on Mon, 2010-10-04 21:18

 If you have anything that you want to talk about regarding Kurt Vonnegut, his books, or if you have any teaching ideas (or requests) about his works - post them here.

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jpaltzer's picture

Satire and Vonnegut

Submitted by jpaltzer on Mon, 2010-10-04 21:18.

 American Literature

Kurt Vonnegut and Satire Lesson

I've found my students have a hard time pinning down what satire is so in one quick lesson I try to remedy that. 

Materials needed:

Harrison Bergeron- Short Story by Kurt Vonnegut

Paper bags and rubber bands

Lesson:

Before students arrive to class they should have read the story by Vonnegut. As they come in ask them whether they are Left or right handed. After they tell you place the bag over their dominate hand and rubber band it around and make sure they don't take it off.  For the warm up they should simple write their name on an index card. Ask students to compare their names with a partner and have them elect one person to come up to the board to write their name. Choose two of the best and bag their other hand " to make things equal". 

Begin to discuss the story, have students in groups of 3-4 generate ideas on what the story was about and what Vonnegut was suggesting.

Come back as a class and discuss the story. Discuss the "equality" in the classroom and how it relates to what Vonnegut was suggesting. Discuss satire in depth, and Generate ideas of modern satire. Follow up with students creation of own satire, clips from various satires.