Unit Title: 6^th Grade – “Going High Tech - Padlet Activity”

Part II:  Lesson Focus— GRAFFITI WALL

Overview:  

Students will read The Pearl and complete two of the four activities on Padlet as a focus on literary terms.  This will give a graffiti wall effect as the images, responses, quotes and ideas are integrated on one visual platform.  

How to access Padlet:  

1. Type in the Padlet link
2. Click on the key symbol on the right side of the page to sign up for a free Padlet account
3.  Double click anywhere on the board to add your work.  

These are the activities you can CHOOSE from (select two):

1.            Find something visual that can represent the setting of The Pearl.  You may look for a picture, an artifact or a work of art that shows what you visualize when you think of the setting of The Pearl. Post the picture on Padlet.  Write a caption of at least three sentences which explains the connection between the visual element and the book’s setting.

Example: 

This was the largest pearl that Kino found amongst the oyster shells.  He saw not only a vision of beauty, but of riches he could not imagine for which would provide clothing, protection and education for Kino's family.  Yet, this oyster held a song of good and evil.

2.            Find an internal or external conflict within The Pearl that you can connect to

personally.  Type the passage from the book (include the chapter and page number).  In one paragraph, explain the importance the character’s conflict and explain how this reminds you of a similar conflict you have experienced.

Example: "It is not good to want a thing too much. It sometimes drives the luck                           away." (Chapter 2, p. 25).  

The importance of the character's conflict in finding this Pearl of

the World due to the massive size and the beauty it held.  It would mean riches 

beyond belief for Kino, his wife Juana and infant son Coyotito.  However, it created                problems not only for Kino's family, but for others who were desparate to and went to            any extreme to acquire the pearl Kino held tightly to.  This reminds me of a similar                conflict that I had witnessed with regards to a woman who sold her car to an older                  man who lived on a trust fund.  Trust funds were  used to provide the man with a roof            over his head and payment of his utilities.  But the woman knew she could acquire                money out of the man's trust fund, so she sold her car to the man who was in need of            transportation to the woman even though it was going against the trust fund use.                    Much to the man's dismay, the car need many repairs which the man was heart                    broken thinking this woman was looking out for his best interest, but she was only                   looking out for hers.

3.            Find a theme in your book.  Choose a poem or a set of song lyrics that is

connected to the theme of The Pearl that you’ve identified.  On Padlet, write the theme as a complete sentence.  Post the poem or the song lyrics (give credit to the author or artist).  In one paragraph, explain the connection between the poem or song and the theme that you’ve found in the book.  

Example:  My song would be Not Afraid by Eminem. I'm usually not afraid to say what I think, or how I feel where I release my emotions. If I think something is wrong, I'm usually one to speak my mind. If I see someone hurt or crying, I usually try to help them even if I don't know them personally. When I see a fight, I will try to stop it.

4.            Find A Golden Line:  Type the golden line from the book (include the chapter, page number and the character who made the statement).  In one paragraph, explain the importance of the golden line as it relates to the characters, plot or theme.

Example:  "For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more." (Chapter 3, p. 31)

            This relates to the theme of the story where money drives people to want more than that they may already have.  Money can provide hopes and dreams of the future. Money can also be the root of many evils whereas having attachment to materialistic items could become a downfall in life.  In this instance, Kino lost his son during his travels to the big city to attempt and sell the Pearl of the World in order to provide a better life for his family. 

References

Eminem Vevo (2010, June 4). Eminem-Not Afraid (Video file). Retrieved April 21, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s. 

Padlet (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2017, from https://padlet.com/.

Steinbeck, J. (1994). The Pearl. New York, NY: Penguin. (Original Work published 1947)