Introduce your class to the characters from My Antonia by Willa Cather in a unique way. Given a hypothetical situation about an atomic bomb shelter and a list of character descriptions, pupils must decide which characters get to stay in the shelter. The exercise involves independent work, but mostly hinges around small group discussion.

Concepts

my antonia, willa cather, diverse perspectives, problem solving strategies, making decisions, discussion skills, group discussions, characters

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Classroom Considerations

• This activity should be done before learners have started to read the book and form opinions about the characters
• This is part of a unit that has several options for introductory activities

Pros

• Includes the scenario, a list of characters paired with brief descriptions, a worksheet for brainstorming and reflection, and a graphic organizer

Cons

• Watch out for some minor typos and usage errors