In the American Grain | Activities :&: Classroom Projects

Fun Classroom Activities

The 20 enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help your students understand the text in amusing ways. Fun Classroom Activities include group projects, games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching, and more that will allow your students to interact with each other, be creative, and ultimately grasp key concepts from the text by "doing" rather than simply studying.

1. Write a Competing Narrative

Choose one of William Carlos Williams' narratives. Could the events Williams describes have happened any differently? Write a narrative of your own in which you imagine an alternative series of events.

2. The Greenlanders

Read Jane Smiley's book, The Greenlanders. Then, review the book for the class, comparing and contrasting Smiley's view of The Greenlanders with Williams' depiction of them.

3. Letter from a King or Queen

Pretend that you are King Ferdinand or Queen Isabella of Spain...
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