Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs

I came across a book a while back, and I decided to try it with my eighth graders.  It is called Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen.  When I read it at home one morning after my own children left for school, I was laughing aloud so much the dog got up and joined me.  The illustrations are a wonderful addition to the awesome play on words.

Before reading the book to my students, I had them brainstorm about animals and some common characteristics associated with the animal(s) they selected.  I was hoping this would help them write their own humorous animal epitaph.  The first couple of epitaphs went over like a lead balloon; however, each subsequent reading was met with more and more laughter (and moans).  The students created a sequel to the book.  Many of them were very worthy!  It definately was a light-hearted exercise that I will probably repeat in the future.

J. Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic

The Holocaust novel I read with my seventh graders this year is Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic.  Each grade level reads a book on this topic--to reinforce the social justice teachings at our school.

The students found this very powerful.  Many students had a difficult time trying to wrap their minds around such evil.  My principal popped in for an observation while we talked about the suicide of one of the concentration camp members.  I teach at a Catholic school, so this topic is a little trickier to address.  We basically came up with two conclusions:  God is the one and only judge of who enters the kingdom  &  in the end, it is all about God.

I loved this novel, and wished I could have spent another couple days discussing it with my students.