Are You Smarter than an 8th Grader? - SOL20 Day 6


A year ago today, I took this video on my way home. It reminded me of one of my favorite poems by Emily Dickinson.

Where ships of purple -- gently toss --
On Seas of Daffodil --
Fantastic sailors -- mingle --
And then -- the Wharf is still! 

I learned this poem when I was in high school. My AP Lit teacher split us up into groups and gave us a hard copy of the poem. She then challenged us with the question: what was Emily Dickinson describing? It took over 20 minutes before one student finally guessed, "A sunset!"

--

Today, after seeing this video in my memories, I thought I would pull this same challenge on my 8th graders. After all, we are currently reviewing figurative language. For their bell ringer today, they were challenged to decipher the poem. At first I thought, maybe this isn't fair. I was in high school when I had to do this, and I couldn't figure it out. Then, I thought, Let me just see...
I gave them 15 minutes. I told them that for every 5 minutes that passed with no correct guesses, I would give them a hint.
Five minutes in, there were no successful guesses. I wrote on the board, "fantastic - imaginative or fanciful"
Seven minutes in a student called my name from across the room.
"Ms. Atwood, is it a sunrise?"
"No, but you're close."
"A sunset?"
My jaw may have dropped a little. In less than half the time that it took 18-year-old AP Lit students to figure it out, a 13-year-old student in a regulars ELA class put the pieces together.
Today I learned a lesson that I have learned time and time again: never underestimate what a student can do. Keep pushing, keep challenging, and keep being amazed by the results.

Comments

  1. Sometimes when we let them just go with it, they will rise! I like how you gave the clues after a time limit. I might have to try that!

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  2. Thanks for sharing. It is wonderful when our students surprise us!

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  3. I wonder if they could sense your love for the poem and were inspired!

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  4. I love when students surprise you like this! They really are much more focused and deep than people think. Children now have to think critically often in their daily lives. Great job challenging them!

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