I posted this on the other side but thought I'd try here as well
Ok, I plan on reading Ender's Game with my 8th grade advanced reading class. Here's my question, or plea for help, If you were teaching this in class, what would you ask? I'm looking for good in depth questions that force students to think morally, tactically, blah, blah, blah. Also just any project suggestions. Basically If you could explore this book with younger readers in what ways would you do it?
I know that I will be comparing the novel to the short story at some point, I'll be looking at character relationships, survival skills, adult manipulation, enders leadership abilities, and a number of other things. I'm just starting to pull my thoughts together on this so any help would be awsome.
Just as a side note, I'll also be reading The Hobbit and Redwall at the same time as a kind of Sci/Fi fantasy unit. Any suggestions on these two books would also be welcome.
thank you!!!!!!
Posted by Grandma Edie (Member # 5771) on :
In my book, I found the most interesting question to explore is this: Is this book a pacifist story or a military-patriotic story? One could make a case either way, since Card has raised both sides of the question to its highest level: That is, the possible destruction of all humanity vs. the virtually certain destruction of another intelligent species who may not even realize what they are doing. In comparing the novel with the novelette, I'd say the biggest diference (other that the obvious one of the ending, with finding the pupa of a hive queen) is the fact that the deadly enemy of humanity is given a name and characteristics. Students could have a lot of fun with discussion how much difference this makes, or doesn't make.
Grandma Edie, also known as Edith S. Tyson, author of Orson Scott Card, Writer of the Terrible Choice Posted by Bean Counter (Member # 6001) on :
What a wonderful request, I cannot understand why more people did not respond. Stage Fright I guess! Or maybe they e-mailed you direct.
Okay here goes. Topics of note in Enders Game.
What do you think the reaction, given the current state of the world, would be if we were attacked by an agressive non human species? Would this be a good thing? (Ronald Reagan mentioned it in passing, also see Harry Turtledove : WorldWar)
Does the End (Victory) Justify the Means(Using Children) mention cases of childrens crusades.
Should brilliant children be sought out by society and sent to special schools to learn faster and more to be given greater responsibilities?
Was Ender a Killer? He killed two boys in self defense and an entire species.
What mistakes did the Bugger's Make (Localizing command, failure to recognize a setient species, making a non decisisive first attack)
How can and how do we recognize intellegence in an alien culture?
If you can use any of these let me know!
On the Hobbit I would stick to the moral themes, and the deep traditional values that it teaches as well as the archtypical story line.
The last I am not familiar with!
BC
Posted by beatnix19 (Member # 5836) on :
thanks for the help. I hope that some more responses willtrickle in but I've recieved some pretty good ideas from people (I got a few more on the other side). I also found a website with some pretty ineresting questions.
One that I like is the idea that a third of the way into the book ender is still only seven years old. Do you find yourself forgetting that these are just children and why do you believe OSC chose to use children as the main characters. In what ways would the story have been different if the characters were adults fighting and training?
I also like to think about the final outcome. Were the adults right to withhold the information from Ender? Could Ender have still won the war if he had known and what other ways could they have delt with this. Do you think this will have a permanent effect on Ender?
But anyways thanks and I hope to hear some more, I mean people here are so passionanete about the these books you would think there would be more discussion. Oh well. Every little bit is a help to me, so I'll take it.
Posted by BattleSchooler06 (Member # 6279) on :
*possible spoiler at ender part*
Redwall....hmmm im guessing you have read that book before or you wouldnt be teaching it to the class....thats what my teachers tell me....but ive read all of the redwall books....and i cant really think of any questions...except one question "how can someone create a fantasy world like redwall" i never really understood the details of the relative size of things....and the way the moles talk and everything...very confusing took me like 5 times to understand one line of the moles talking lol....but more questions about enders game.....did the adults know that the second invasion was a colonial invasion? not an attack? didnt they figure that it might be wrong to ruin the childs life? to send out a fleet and ruin their lives? everybody they loved would be dead by the time they came back (which they didnt) but enders life was RUINED...and they KNEW that and didnt stop it and why? They thought they were saving the human race but did they try to communicate with them (buggers)? did they try to ask them to stop? The buggers tried to talk to ender and tell him....the humans didnt....why? interesting questions more thoughts to dwell on
[ March 05, 2004, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: BattleSchooler06 ]
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
I was just reading AP Prompts for my AP Lit. and Comp. class and it's amazing how many of them work perfectly with Ender's Game. You might want to check some study books out of the library.
The one I liked the most was:
Describe a character who struggles with ambiguity (I'm rephrasing as I go, since I don't have it with me, but y ou get the idea) and how that ambiuity shadows the novel as a whole.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
more thoughts to dwell on