The+Secret+Life+of+Bees

Novel Study by: Marina Ferrara

**The Secret Life of Bees ** **Quick facts about the novel ** __Title: __ The Secret Life of Bees __Author __: Sue Monk Kidd __Brief synopsis __ Set in early 1960s South Carolina. The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily’s fierce hearted black “stand in mother,” Rosaleen, insults three of the racists in town, lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina – a town that holds the secret of her mother’s past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black, beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna. Maternal loss and betrayal, guilt and forgiveness are intertwined in a story of Lily's discovery of the thing her heart longs for most. -courtesy of Penguin Books

//a) In what grade level / course would you teach this text? Are there other courses for which it might also be appropriate? // -English, Grade nine, Academic. -English, Grade Ten, Applied. -English, Grade Ten, Academic Both the academic and applied level classes would be able to cover this novel. For the applied level classes it would depend on the reading level of the students. I would read the majority of the novel in class with the students and assign only a small portion of the novel as homework. For academic students, this novel is at the perfect reading level. Students would be able to read the novel for homework with little assistance. For Grade Nine students the darker themes in the novel may prove a little challenging. However, “The secret life of Bees” does not aim to shock it readers, rather readers are eased into heavier issues like suicide. If anything, this darker content can provide an opening for discussion with the students. -English, Grade Eight. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This depends on the reading level and the maturity of the students. I believe that students will do well with the concepts in the novel. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-American History, Grade 11, University Preparation <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This is the perfect novel to cover the courses overall expectations. Specifically, Change and Continuity: analyze the historical process of chance in the context of events that have transformed the United States. And Citizenship and Heritage: explaining how American social and political identity has changed over time. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-Religion, Grade Ten, Open <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A major theme of the novel is moral development through spirituality this aligns with the idea of Christian moral development.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">b)What are the main ideas/ issues/ teaching points which you would emphasize when teaching the text? (Consider the knowledge possibilities: Social, topic, cultural, textual.) // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">There are a multitude of themes and issues that I can focus on when teaching this novel, some key concepts include: the search for identity and the quest for self knowledge, female solidarity, spirituality, dealing with grief, the ability of characters to move beyond racial identifiers, and the ability of individuals with special needs to integrate and function in society. This is only a small selection of possibilities and many of the topics relate to current issues in our society. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">More specifically in these areas: ** Textual: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-This is a first person narrative told through the perspective of Lily a fourteen year old girl from small town South Carolina. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- The novel is divided into chapters. The beginning of each chapter has small description of bee life, which relates to the events of that chapter in some way. This is a great teaching tool to get the students thinking about what happens next in the novel and also about the emotional state of the characters. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-student will have an advantage with this novel as the intended audiences are North American youths. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- The language used is not particularly challenging academic classes should have no problem understanding the language; applied level classes may require more assistance. However, the novel does use period slang that the students may not always understand. The word “negro” is used in the novel but in its historical context. ** Cultural: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-The text challenges our perceptions of equality; it asks readers to re-evaluate the way our society deals with race and ability. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-Students are exposed to historical context. What was happening in the United States during the 1960’s and how it affected the lives of the characters? Students can ask the question have things really changed? ** Social: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> A large part of this novel deals with the characters search for identity and the quest for self knowledge. As adolescents, students are also finding way to identify themselves. The novel attempts to narrate the quest of one girl’s search to find herself. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-the ability of characters to move beyond racial identifiers ** Topical: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- the idea of spirituality through other means other than religious institutions, the sisters are avid worshipers of the Black Madonna and live using the Bee keeping philosophy. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-the text explains in detail bee keeping and the honey making process. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-Many of the characters also grieve in their own unique way during the narrative. The novel attempts to introduce the concept of grief as a very individual process that takes time.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">c) What are the issues/ challenges you might encounter in teaching the text? //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- The novel is predominantly composed of strong female characters and is told in the first person perspective of a young teenage girl. Though it may be beneficial for adolescent boys to read about strong female characters, it may prove difficult to grab their attention at the beginning of the novel. Boys may find the portions of the novel tedious as action scenes are broken up by explorations of the protagonist’s feelings and attitudes towards her surroundings and the novel conflicts. It is not until almost mid way through the novel is the first supporting male character introduced. The best way I would overcome these lulls, are to focus on the historical conflict of the period and to get students to relate to the characters on a personal level.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-The issue of race. The idea is to promote discussion in an accepting and tolerant environment, but my approach to race would depend on the ethic make up of my class. For example, at my current placement the majority of my students would be considered visible minorities.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- The issue of period language that is considered offensive in our society, namely the use of “Negro.” The issues of this word must be addressed to the students and discussed within the context of the novel.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">This text assumes that readers have a firm understanding of American history, custom and culture. This could prove difficult for readers new to North American culture. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Also because the novel is set in the United States in the 1960’s and makes many cultural and period references that even students native to North America may not understand. Students will need to be guided through pop culture references and explained the significance of these references throughout the novel.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-Emotional venerability of the students- there are several hot topic issues that students may feel uncomfortable with, including: accidental death, child abuse, suicide, violence against women, and racial motivated hate crimes. Any of these issues could strike a chord with any of the students, especially the issue of child abuse. The issues need to be treated with sensitivity and discussed with the students comfort level in mind.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">-Spirituality- I must not assume that everyone in my class is religious or even Christian. Like the historical references, the book makes assumptions about the reader’s knowledge of Christianity. Not everyone in my class will be Christian or have knowledge about Christianity. This can be true in both public and catholic schools.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">d) Describe one possible assignment / activity which you could use when teaching the text. How does it connect to the curriculum expectations of the course you are teaching? //

__<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">New Paper Assignment: Grade Nine Academic __

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Students are responsible for forming groups of three or four. Each group will be responsible for creating an original name for their newspaper that relates to the novel. Each individual student must pick and complete one activity from the list below. No two students in the same group may complete the same activity. Once the activities are complete, students must collaborate and submit their work in a newspaper format. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Activity Choices ** __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">News article __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- Students can write a news paper article detailing the arrest of Rosaleen and Lily or Zach and his friends. The article must include the views of two at least apposing characters regarding their feeling and attitudes toward the arrests. __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Photos __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- Using four to five photographic images students can re-create a scene from the novel. The images must reflect what the character feels, his/her attitude towards the situation, and how that character will react to the event. All images must be original and include a descriptive caption at the bottom. __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Letter to the editor __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- Students can write a letter to the editor, from the perspective of one of the characters in the novel. The letter must address one prevalent issue that is featured in the novel (racism, suicide, police brutality, equal rights, child abuse etc...) and describe that character’s feeling and attitude towards the issue. __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Comic strip __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- students must pick one major event in the novel and create a comic strip describing the event with an alternate ending. A significant portion of the comic must include dialogue, and the alternate ending must be feasible. (Ie. No aliens) The comic must reflect the feelings, experiences, motivations, and attitudes of the character(s). __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Interview __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">- Students can create an interview for Lily, Zach, or Becca describing their feelings, experiences, motivations, and attitudes towards attending an intergraded high school for the first time.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This is a great summative assignment for students to demonstrate their understanding of the novel, while exploring attitudes from the time period. Because it is a newspaper, students have several choices from the list provided by the teacher. This way, students are able to pick activities that reflect their strengths, while also forcing students to work collectively to form a newspaper. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Creating a newspaper is the perfect assignment to adapt to social studies classes. For example: When teaching Grade 11 American History, students can focus on the historical events of the period, rather than the events of the novel. For example students can create a timeline of world events that occur during the course of the novel. This will give students the opportunity to research the period and potentially work with primary source documents. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The nature of the assignment also allows for flexibility. Teachers can easily modify the assignment to fit the needs of students; allowing for specific criteria to be tailored for students with special needs on both ends of the spectrum. __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Curriculum expectations __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">WRITING __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Developing and Organizing Content __ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Identifying Topic,Purpose, and Audience <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1.1 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">identify the topic, purpose, and audience for several different types of writing tasks ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Organizing Ideas <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1.4 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">identify, sort, and order main ideas and supporting details for writing tasks, using several different strategies and organizational patterns suited to the content and purpose for writing ** __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Using Knowledge of Form and Style __ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Form <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">2.1 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">write for different purposes and audiences using several different literary, informational, and graphic forms ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Critical Literacy <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">2.5 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">explain how their own beliefs, values, and experiences are revealed in their writing ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">MEDIA STUDIES __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Understanding Media Forms, Conventions, and Techniques __ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Form <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">2.1 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">identify general characteristics of several different media forms and explain how they shape content and create meaning ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Conventions and Techniques <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">2.2 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">identify several different conventions and/or techniques used in familiar media forms and explain how they convey meaning and influence their audience ** __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Creating Media Texts __ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Purpose and Audience <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">3.1 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">describe the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they plan to create ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Form <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">3.2 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">select a media fom to suit the topic, purpose, and audience for a media text they plan to create, and explain why it is an appropriate choice ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Conventions and Techniques <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">3.3 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">identify several different conventions and/or techniques appropriate to a media form they plan to use, and explain how these will help them communicate meaning ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Producing Media Texts <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">3.4 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">produce media texts for several different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Metacognition <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">4.1 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">describe several different strategies they used in interpreting and creating media texts, explain which ones they found most helpful, and identify several specific steps they can take to improve as media interpreters and producers ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Interconnected Skills <span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">4.2 **<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">explain how their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing help them interpret and produce media texts **After the newspapers are competed groups will orally present their newspapers to the class and explain their reasoning behind their completed activates.**