Grafiti Walls

When I begin a new novel with my classes, I always give them specific things to highlight as they read. For example, I might ask them to highlight any important information about characters in pink or the setting on green. If it’s a novel I know we will be writing a literary analysis paper on I go ahead and tell them 4-5 themes to be looking for. I do this is several ways. I give them a bookmark to use that lists these themes. I assign them a certain color of highlighter for each theme. That is listed on the bookmark, plus in their homework assignment they are told each week to be highlighting the themes and in what color. Additionally, I give them a theme sheet with boxes where they can jot down notes, thoughts, questions, and page numbers of quotes they want to use in their paper. Obviously, the purpose of all of this is threefold.

First, this is a way of teaching them to annotate as they read and interact with the text. Hopefully, it will encourage them to be looking for powerful quotes as they read.

Secondly, this helps them prepare for classroom discussions. Each week we discuss what they read for homework. Sometimes we do this as a whole class, sometimes with their tablemates, sometimes in small groups, and eventually in a formal Socratic Circle discussion. By highlighting for homework they are prepared during discussions because they can easily flip through to find evidence to support their point or arguments.

Thirdly, this helps them write more powerful papers. When we write papers that revolve around analyzing the themes I always require them to use direct quotes as proof. Hopefully, by asking them to highlight good quotes for week they’ve not only thought about the theme often but also have quality quotes ready to use. Rather than doing a random frantic search for quotes while writing their paper, they can flip through the book and find the best quotes to illustrate their point. This should make for more powerful arguments in their papers.

The class meeting after we finish this book we typically do graffiti walls. To do this I take a poster or colored paper and write each theme on a different one. Then I divide the class into small groups. I try to do this strategically making sure each group has strong leaders who will have lots of quotes and thoughts and keep the group on task. Each group rotates to different tables or posters where the themes are. They spend about 5 minutes discussing their thoughts and evidence supporting those thoughts on each theme. Then each group member chooses at least 1 thing to add to the graffiti wall. It’s called a graffiti wall because they will write their contributions anywhere on the board in any direction which allows all group members to write at the same time. Or they can write their thoughts on sticky notes and stick that to the poster if it’s easier. After they’ve written at least one thought, fact, or quote they can then draw something relating to the theme to the poster.

They will rotate around to each theme with their group. At each poster they will first read what the previous groups recorded and discuss before adding their own contributions. Their last stop will be back at the one they started at to see what the other groups added. While they rotate they carry their theme sheets so they can add anything specific they want to remember when they write their papers that week. At the end I encourage them to take pictures of all the graffiti walls to refer to if they need help when writing their papers.

This all may seem like a lot, but over the course of the average of 6 weeks we spend on a novel it works out. Giving them the themes to focus on has been a wonderful way to focus their reading, enrich their discussions, and deepen their literary analysis papers.

I will say, I don’t always provide specific themes for them in every novel we read. I want them to learn to search out themes present in novels on their own as well. I’ve found if I start out providing them and focusing their attention early on in the year, it can lead them to being better prepared to analyze recurring themes on their own later.