Keys to Teaching a Difficult (Boring, Confusing, Wordy) Subject Using Co-Teaching: Teaching Frankenstein Using Science and Literature

Alabama Educators Technology Conference, June 16, 2005

Brandi Caldwell ( caldwellteach@charter.net & http://www.TeachActLearn.com )

Julie Talton ( jttalton@alltel.net & http://jbtalton.tripod.com/anatomy )

The Hook	Hit the students with what they now right now and use that knowledge to peak their interest. Disease Lottery http://www.microsoft.com/Education/Diseases.aspx Make it interactive and encourage all opinions. Have students find facts to construct knowledge that is a mix of the facts and their previous knowledge Share
Get Hands-On	Introduce intricate facts and information through the co-teacher by using hands-on activities Marshmallow Meiosis http://www.iloveteaching.com/writesci/Rebops/
Introduce Background	Highlight background of subject, author, events surrounding the topic
Appeal to the Visual Learner	Find current and past videos that you can show excerpts of to support your subject http://www.hotad.com/monstermania/2002/FRANKENSTEIN/
Analyze the Subject	Explain difficult vocabulary Highlight quotes and develop all important information
Use Emotional Appeal	Choose something that gets them “fired up” about the subject Encourage discussion Science and Ethics http://www.chem.vt.edu/chem-ed/ethics/
Put Them in Groups	Assign an in-class assignment that requires groups Force them to take their opinions and the facts along with other students’ opinions to come to an agreement Bioethics Committee
Use Creative Final Assessments	Use higher order thinking skills for assessment Require application knowledge rather than regurgitation knowledge Essay on Frankenstein themes Soundtrack
Websites Researched	Ethics- http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/thismonth/june03/index1.shtm Links- http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/linkssh.htm#WollstonecraftShelley Scientists- http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/SHE6.htm Notes on text- http://www.virtualsalt.com/lit/franken.htm Shelley’s Science- http://www.rsm.ac.uk/new/pdfs/j05-02frank.pdf Frankie links- http://www.albertson.edu/library/frankenstein.htm Library exhibit- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/frankenstein/frankhome.html Movie info- http://www.rc.umd.edu/reference/misc/ficrep/frankenstein.html