Karlene E. McGowen
Published September 2006
I would suggest creating extended literature circles in which the groups read a fantasy novel. I have suggested and referenced many in this unit. I would, however, enforce that a student could not be in a literature circle for a novel he or she has already read. The purpose of the literature circles would be to expose the students to new novels as well as provide practice for them in identifying all the fantasy and literary elements learned in this unit.
Good Information
the information its really valuable for me, helps me to know what to do in some topics.thanks
Fantasy Unit
This was amazing! I am VERY thankful for this information! You have no idea how much this has helped me and therefore, immeasurably beneficial to my children!!! THANK YOU FOR THIS PUBLICATION!!!!!
Incredibly well conceived
I just wanted to thank you for providing such a wonderful unit plan and for your generosity in sharing it. I plan to use it as a guide to the development of a website I am creating for my Grade 7 students next year. Naturally I will put credits in acknowledging you as a source. You have captured the rigour but also the fun. I will be making it a little more inquiry based but cannot thank you enough for sparking my imagination. Thank you again
Thank you
Thank you for this impressive work. We, English Teachers in France, must now prepare out students to discover all kinds of literature and among the genres we must deal with is the imaginary worlds. I don't know about my colleagues but personnally I love Alice which I found immensely talented and mad. But I am not very fond of Narnia which I find unimaginative in Spike if The collection of weird things gathered in the cauldron and though the Hobbit and Potter are acceptable, I am surprised you didn't mention the Baudelaire children
List of fantasy literature deliberately didactic in nature
When I say deliberately didactic, I'm thinking of Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle. I know, no one does it like Le Guin. Still, I read a lot of fantasy and while I find many good stories (and some not so good), I'm almost always left feeling that the books lack real depth, and they are unsatisfying as such. There are exceptions, of course, like Jo Walton's Among Others, and Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Several times now I've looked online for recommendations to fantasy with deeper meaning, and at least two of those led me here to your page. So I thought I'd write. It would be a great service if you and your students could put together such a list. Hopefully you find such an endeavor worthwhile. Consider, if you will that there's a lot of dross to wade through when looking for a good fantasy novel, and that stories that are just stories don't maximize the tool that is the fantasy genre, which, like fairy tales, is didactic in nature. It's as though most fantasy authors just really think elves and swords are cool! Thanks! Ps. in your bibliography you cite Pamela Gates and Susan Steffel. Both of them served on my M.A.'s thesis committee. Pam was a professor of mine. I was lucky to work with them.
Excellent Resource
Based on the interest of my students I decided that I would like to kick off a Fantasy Guided Reading Unit. This resource has been incredible in helping me both understand the elements of Fantasy and in giving me a wealth of text options to use.
Quote you on my essay
Hi there, I would like to quote you on my final essay, do I have you consent? Also, could you tell me when did you write this brilliant post, so that I can directly quote it? Thank you in advance
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