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- Teaching the Last Lecture in High School
- How to Teach the Last Lecture Book to High School Students
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The Last Lecture is a great book. (The speech also can be watched.) It teaches so many life lessons. One way to teach the book is to have the students read independently during class for 20 – 30 minutes. Reading is such a personal experience that silent sustained reading could be the most effective method when teaching The Last Lecture.
For the silent sustained reading, the students fill out a journal entry at the end of the reading session.
The dedication can be read as a class. It can be analyzed and discussed.
Dedication “With thanks to my parents (a) who allowed me to dream (b), and with hopes for the dreams my children will have.”
Who is the book dedicated to? My parents (and his children)
What is an important word? Dreams
There are may prompts a teacher could create around this one sentence. As you watch the Last Lecture and read the book, you will see dreams and family are a big focal point. A class discussion could center around student dreams. Another discussion could be how parents, friends, and mentors can support those dreams.
When teaching students to appreciate reading, try to present all aspects of the book. The dedication is a very personal reflection of the authors.
Reading Comprehension Questions:
- Who is the book dedicated to? My parents (and my children)
- What is an important word? Dreams
Assignments:
- Dedication: This is a personal message acknowledging how people have helped you. (1-2 sentences)
- Person / People: We all have people who support us throughout life. Most of us will not publish a book and write a dedication, however today you will compose a dedication to an important person or people in your life.
- Specific Form of Support: Identity a specific form of support that you most appreciate.
- Dreams: It is so important to have dreams! We all have dreams. Dreams evolve over time. Some dreams cease to be important, while other become a bigger part of our lives. List 3 – 5 dreams you currently have. List the dreams in order of importance. Identify people who are assisting you in pursuing your dreams either directly or indirectly.
Dead Poet’s Society: Create a Bucket List This is a great activity that can be used before reading the book.