Final Reflection:

How did you prepare:
I figured I'd first read the book before I taught a lesson on it, so I went and did that. The lesson plan was made during the lab with my partner (who disappeared when it came to the actual lesson). As for preparing for behaviors, I figured I would just improvise since the behaviors were probably going to be something unpredictable (they were, I had a bomb threat in my class and was absolutely flabbergasted by it).

Explain the objective and assessment measures of your lesson:
Students will be able to answer the questions on the hand out sheet.
Students will become familiar with The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Students will be able to write a one page paper summing up atleast 3 things that struck them as interesting.

The lesson plan: How it went:
It went well enough. I was hoping for my partner to show up and explain the historical impact of the book in further detail but aside from that it went as planned.

What needs to be improved:
I need to make more detailed lesson plans, pay more attention to group pairings to see if anyone is without a partner, and I also need to take death threats more seriously.

Things I learned:
Behaviors influence and feed each other. Disruptions will spread unless stemmed immediately.

Thoughts on other classes:
I really liked the idea of collecting phones at the start of class, it seemed to stem potential phone problems and distractions. What I didn't care much for were the overly long podcasts in some of the classes. They dragged on and despite getting mostly good behavior cards I found it difficult to follow most of the time.

Started the lesson plan( I think I found the appropriate NJCCCS link), added an anticipatory question, and found a video on youtube that featured footage of the working conditions of the time. I think this should go over well.

More

Today we'll probably just review and maybe add more questions for our podcast such as that anticipatory question mentioned before. Perhaps we can get a head start on our lesson plan. Also, I've yet to look into pictures that were taken around the time of the books conception; will amend this.

On a side note: this keyboard hurts my fingers. D:

After thoughts

After numerous recordings we finally posted our podcast. After that, we came up with our questions. Overall, a productive day. All we have left to do is our lesson plan and I think we're done. I hope so anyways.

Our questions:

1. If you were a worker in this time period, based on the description the author provided, what would be your initial reaction to witnessing these job conditions first hand? (1 page reflection piece)
2. What does the title The Jungle symbolize?
3. How does the author's tone make you feel? Use examples to support your position.
4. Describe the connection between workers in The Jungle and the occupational hazards that lower income workers face.
5. After hearing this package, do yo think the government should be more actively involved in the well being of its people. What are some issues you feel the government needs to regulate?

Put in work:

Today my partner and I will podcast our reading The Jungle. We have to make 5 questions that touches upon the taxonomy and the reading. I suppose we'll ask how the passage made the listeners feel and what they would do given the situation. Perhaps test to see if they recall some of the various hazards of their workplace/living situation. Unsure of what else though.

Jungle update

I briefly tried to describe some of the happenings in The Jungle. Emphasis on tried. I kept mumbling and one of my better recordings got interupted mid way through. Although some of my verbal mistakes were amusing. Later I'll try and update the podcast so that it's more to the point.

Progress in The Jungle

I'm about halfway through reading The Jungle. It's pretty good so far. It was decided between my partner and I to pick out the particularly "revealing" parts of its story. We also planned on looking for any noteworthy photos that may have been taken at the time. I'm guessing we will use the students' reaction as a sort of set and explain how these stories and images had provoked a similiar reaction on the people of the time. The reaction was enough to cause a nationwide reform on the meatpacking industry.

Pre/Post pod

It was interesting trying to get used to podcasting; hearing your own voice is always a less than frequent occurance. Since we were inexperienced and had several mishaps we ended up re-recording several times but the end result turned out alright. Also worth noting were the microphones/headphones we used to record. I felt like an air traffic controller. I wonder how many other people shared this sentiment.

In class post

My partner, Diana and I will be doing something on The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. We picked it because it's a historically important novel which works considering how she's a history major and I'm an english major.

Well,

I'm on my way to becoming one anyways.