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Five Reasons to Teach Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

British Literature Five Reasons To Teach Series Teaching Ideas

Five Reasons to Teach Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

 Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift is a classic of British Literature, and in spite of its many sub-par adaptations (I’m looking at you, Jack Black), it remains a timeless tale full of lessons for modern readers. So here are five reasons to teach Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels.  Satire is a tricky art form, and its undisputed master is Jonathan Swift. I mean, he even has an adjective named for him: “swiftian” meaning "darkly humorous." Gulliver’s Travels, written in 1726, lampoons everything from religious infighting to political parties to the monarchy itself. Swift was an ordained Irish priest who did not...

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5 Reasons Jason and the Argonauts are the Original Marvel Avengers

Five Reasons To Teach Series Mythology

5 Reasons Jason and the Argonauts are the Original Marvel Avengers

Although 2012's film The Avengers was a revolutionary movie event, the idea of having your biggest heroes unite to make an even-cooler team isn’t new. It’s actually ancient! This idea got its start in Greek mythology with Jason and the Argonauts.

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5 Reasons to Teach the Salem Witch Trials

American Literature Five Reasons To Teach Series

5 Reasons to Teach the Salem Witch Trials

The weather is cooling down, the leaves are changing colors–it’s the perfect time to harness this Halloween vibe and study one of history’s most haunting episodes:  The Salem Witch Trials. As an English teacher, I combine this with The Crucible for a double dose of toil and trouble for my students. I find the combo of real-life events and the fictional play to be a powerful teaching tool. That being said, here are five reasons to teach the Salem Witch Trials: The Salem Witch Trials are an example of real-life horror. I remember, as a youngster, when I first learned...

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Five Reasons To Teach Frankenstein

British Literature Five Reasons To Teach Series World Literature

Five Reasons To Teach Frankenstein

Even with over two centuries of age on it, Frankenstein still continues to evoke emotion and provoke important conversations. So, without further ado, here are five reasons to teach Frankenstein.

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Five Reasons to Teach "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and Other Short Stories by Washington Irving

American Literature Five Reasons To Teach Series Short Stories

Five Reasons to Teach "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and Other Short Stories by Washington Irving

When the leaves start to change and the weather gets a bit cooler, that means it’s almost time for my go-to Halloween story:  Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” In the lineup of American authors, I feel like Irving gets short shrift. Sure, his stories aren’t super deep, but they’re fun, which should count for something! They are also some of the first works that can be considered distinctly American. Before I get too far ahead of myself, here are five reasons to teach the short stories of Washington Irving. Washington Irving was America’s first celebrity writer. In the...

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