Churchill High School
Eugene, Oregon
Reads WHALE TALK, 2005
These Cutter High yearbook projects included a kind of character analysis for each of the main characters, based on traditional yearbook themes...like "Most likely to..." and nicknames. Really wonderful projects.
The letters were about student reactions to reading WHALE TALK. Also very thoughtful and appreciated.
Many thanks to teacher Leah Dunbar who encouraged her kids to read Crutcher's story and to work so hard to express themselves. Thanks too to media specialist Sam Arnold-Boyd for helping us find Leah Dunbar.
Why did Ms. Dunbar decide to teach with WHALE TALK? She explains here in her own words:
"I chose WHALE TALK because I'm multiracial (black, white, NA) and experienced a huge culture shock when I moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest. Aside from the novel being written in a way that I believed teenagers could relate to, I related to TJ's experience, and felt that this connection could make my instruction more effective and passionate. The beautiful part was that my students have a strong sense of justice, and could see themselves in TJ as well. We had great discussions around all the issues raised in the book, and I have rarely taught a novel that engaged so many students at once. We loved the swim team."
~~Leah Dunbar |
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