Flowers for Algernon

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Home : 2001 : September : 4

Flowers for Algernon
By Kathy T.

I taught the condensed "textbook" version to my 8th grade Language Arts classes and the full novel to my Honors class. I found a "multiple intelligences" quiz online which my students enjoyed. We talked a lot about the
attitude toward intelligence in the fifties and the experimentation that went on. My Honors' class enjoyed looking at the meanings of the characters' names ...Mr. Donner (compare to Donner in French= to give...he gave Charlie a job, opportunity, etc...)Norma (she is the only "normal" child), Rose ( appearances are important to her, the thorns make it hard for those near her to get too close)

and Matt ( as a father, Rose walks all over him, others,too.) ...these are only a few of the character studies we did. The Honors' classes really got into this. I had a large character web on butcher paper on the board with all the attributes and roles from the novel. I really like teaching this novel...and my students really liked it also.