A Howling Good Time!

Funded May 6, 2022

We used Howl's Moving Castle as an introductory unit to help students establish analytical skills. Students started the year with a brief unit on archetypes, and are using what they learned to deeply analyze the novel. Students are completing analysis activities that require them to critically analyze their reaction to the novel's events, explore informational texts related to the novel, and poetry that is presented in the story. This wide variety of supplemental materials allow for a diverse critique as well as practicing standards that are necessary for students to master during their sophomore year of high school

For this unit, students are reading along to the novel using an audiobook in class, while reflecting on events and their reaction to chapters in their notebooks. Because there is a class-set of novels, students are reading and working on activities during class time which allows them to effectively work with the novel and stay on track.

Students are really enjoying reading a new and exciting text. Many of our students are familiar with the movie rendering of Howl's Moving Castle, so they were excited to see where the story originated. Many students have noticed differences from the novel to the on-screen adaptation, and are excited to be able to discuss these disparities and why they occur when we finish the novel and watch the movie.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Stanley