We been doin’ The Grapes of Wrath in my AP classes. Man, I shore do love this book. What’s more, the kids, they seem to like it purty well, too. It’s got ever’thing a teacher can hope for. Symbolism, allusion, multiple themes, dialect, political messages, controversy, ever’thing. And I get to let my proper grammar go and really tawk like a Okie durin’ the lessons.
Several of my AP students don’t have the grades they want in my class. I mean, to the point there were tears. So I got to thinking about a suggestion Gayleen Rabakukk made a while back and offered the kids several extra credit options. A lot of them involve researching the Works Progress Administration projects in the Oklahoma City area. Essays, posters, photographs, etc. I look forward to seeing what they come up with. Oh, the one I really want to see is fifth period. They’re mostly choir kids and they’re going to sing one (or more) of Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl songs. That should be interesting.
English IV finished Macbeth and most everyone passed the open book, open note test. This week we read Norse mythology. Next week we’ll read about the formation of Old English and start Beowulf. We already have had heated discussion about the most recent film version of the story. Discussion that didn’t involve Angeline Jolie, even, and that’s saying something with this group.
I wish I had a lot of writing news to share, but I don’t. I did a little on the YA novel early in the week, but nothing since then. I been tired. Actually fell asleep between 9 and 9:30 a couple of nights. With all the essays and contest entries I have to grade, it might be a fair piece before I get to write anything.
Steven E. Wedel 
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