Kerlan Collection

Overview:

The Walter Dean Myers Monster Portfolio is multi-media learning tool that uses the Printz Award winning book, Monster, to teach students about choosing and rsearching ideas and about using non-narrative formats in fiction. The portfolio is appropriate for grades 6 through 12 and teachers can adjust the content accordingly for their grade level.

Teachers can download some of the supplementary material in PDF format from this web site. You can print it out or use a projector to present this material to your class. You may want to provide the book, Monster , or you can request to borrow the book from the Kerlan Collection.

Note about referenced articles: Due to copyright concerns, we are unable to provide live links to most of the journal and newspaper articles listed in the Censorship Portfolio. We are attempting to get copyright clearance whenever possible. Many schools and libraries should have electronic access to the referenced articles.

Teaching Ideas :

Click on a concept below to be directed to the downloads for that idea.

1. Walter Dean Myers got the idea for Monster while he watched the trial of a 17 year old accused of armed robbery and murder. Have your students write a piece of fiction based on an idea they get from a newspaper article, current event or personal experience. Have students include a preface with information about that event or article and why they chose that idea.

2. Walter Dean Myers did a lot of research before he wrote Monster.  Even though Monster is fiction, the author included a lot of “factual” material in it.  For example, he researched prison life in order to make his scenes more believable.  Have students choose a piece of their fiction writing and reread it, thinking about any factual material they might add to make their story more vivid, then research it and add factual details to the story.

3. Have students select a piece of their writing or a piece of published writing by another author and rewrite it using a non-traditional format, like the screenplay format or in a journal format.

4. To show how a book is revised and formatted for publication, follow the progression of sections of Monster from original typescript through dummy book and then have students read the published version of the book.