Class Activities

Research & Investigation Project (RIP): Cemetery Study

A literature-based inter-disciplinary unit for eighth above grade

Unit Central Question:

How can we use cemetery study to explore the theme of death in literature and other aspects related to cultural, social and historical backgrounds in a certain time period?

Project duration: 4 weeks

Losing important persons or witnessing someone's dying is unavoidable and cruel in life and we even have to face the fact of our own death one day. Instead of shying away from it, exposing students to literature about life and death is wise and necessary, which can evoke students’ direct thinking and discussion about aging, dying and death, and ways to handle it.

Literature focus. Form 4-5 groups to read the following two short stores:

The Moustache by Robert Cormier

From “My Grandma” by Letty Cottin Pogrebin

After reading activity:

1. What's the shared theme in these two stories?

2. Share your experience of witnessing someone’s decaying and deterioration in life and your experience of living with your grandparents.

3. Refer to either of the short stories and what you have discussed. List do's and don'ts while facing aging, dying, death and bereavement and explain why. Get ready to present in the class.

Cemetery Field Trip

Death is not only reflected in literature but can expand to other areas. We'll have a cemetery/graveyard field trip to feel and learn from the past. There are 5 tasks. Each group has to choose one representing your group’s collective interest. Please make great efforts to collect data based on your research plan and finish it on time. With the task in mind, we will set out for our field trip.