Now that I have your attention... today's Teach Like a Pirate question is "What could I write on my board for this lesson that would spark a conversation or create a buzz even before the bell rings?" Words are powerful tools and I've never actually been a fan of the "now that I have your attention" gambit when the attention-getter has nothing to do with the upcoming discussion. However, if you can create that buzz and have it lead directly into your lesson I am all for it.
Continuing with my lessons on persuasion, propaganda, and fallacious reasoning, I thought about Dave Burgess' prompt to think of something that will create buzz in the classroom before class has begun. Students will be asked to spot fallacies as part of this lesson. I rather expect that projecting the statement that "Women are smarter than men." at the front of my room as students enter will generate a bit of buzz. This buzz can lead us into a discussion. At the appropriate time I will complete the syllogism - Marilyn vos Savant is listed by Guinness as having the highest recorded IQ, therefore it is obvious that women are smarter than men. Students will then find the fallacy in this reasoning. Returning to the important idea of movement, I will then have students in groups of three form "living syllogisms" as we discuss major premises, minor premises, and conclusions. I may also have students create a rhyme to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star that teaches some of the major fallacies.
So other thought-provoking questions that create buzz - which also leads into the topic of the day could be:
Continuing with my lessons on persuasion, propaganda, and fallacious reasoning, I thought about Dave Burgess' prompt to think of something that will create buzz in the classroom before class has begun. Students will be asked to spot fallacies as part of this lesson. I rather expect that projecting the statement that "Women are smarter than men." at the front of my room as students enter will generate a bit of buzz. This buzz can lead us into a discussion. At the appropriate time I will complete the syllogism - Marilyn vos Savant is listed by Guinness as having the highest recorded IQ, therefore it is obvious that women are smarter than men. Students will then find the fallacy in this reasoning. Returning to the important idea of movement, I will then have students in groups of three form "living syllogisms" as we discuss major premises, minor premises, and conclusions. I may also have students create a rhyme to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star that teaches some of the major fallacies.
So other thought-provoking questions that create buzz - which also leads into the topic of the day could be:
- How can you be 3/5th of a person? could lead to a discussion of Jim Crow laws, discrimination, immigration laws, civil rights, etc. when reading or discussing any related literature/poetry/documents
- 2.5 million people die per year - could lead into a discussion of what the personality would be of the person in charge of collecting the souls... personification... narrative voice... The Book Thief.
- The process of learning how to read “literally” alters brain circuitry, the physiology and architecture of the human brain (Brainworld.com). - would be a good lead in for a discussion of - why read?