assessment of need
There may be concern that Paper Towns is not considered a “classic.” This may be true, but it is important to remember that at one point the “classics” were not classic. This did not diminish their literary qualities. Like them, Paper Towns has many aspects that make it worthy appropriate to teach in a junior level English class. While reading Paper Towns, students can learn about character development, plot development, identifying themes, learn how to distinguish the author’s ideas from those of characters, learn about how structure impacts the novel, and many more important literary topics. Students at the junior level are usually in Piaget’s formal operational stage of development. Paper Towns is appropriate and relevant to them because they can take the themes presented and apply them to themselves and those they come in contact with. While Paper Towns takes place in the large tourist city of Orlando, Florida, it could easily take place in a small town in East Tennessee (with certain plot points tweaked). Students will be able to identify with different cliques presented in the novel and the characters that make up those cliques. They will identify with the need for some of the characters to escape the place they grew up and the need for others to stay in touch with the place.
As a result of reading Paper Towns, students will be able to see that people have more than just one “layer.” As a result, they will see how flawed the concept of seeing people as anything other than human is. They will have more respect for themselves and others. They will be able to see how difficult the choice is between living a life of adventure and living a simple life and what those two choices really means. The students having respect for themselves and others and seeing how others view them and how they view others makes interacting with them much easier and much more pleasant.
Works Cited
As a result of reading Paper Towns, students will be able to see that people have more than just one “layer.” As a result, they will see how flawed the concept of seeing people as anything other than human is. They will have more respect for themselves and others. They will be able to see how difficult the choice is between living a life of adventure and living a simple life and what those two choices really means. The students having respect for themselves and others and seeing how others view them and how they view others makes interacting with them much easier and much more pleasant.
Works Cited