This writing activity is perfect for a middle school/high school classroom. It provides students with an opportunity to use their creativity, while also checking to see if they understand key components of the story. I would start this activity by first discussing main ideas of the story to see if it was understood and to help them generate ideas. Next, I would project the instructions and read them aloud so that they would be clear on the expectations of the assignment. Students would be given around 10-15 minutes to work on the activity, then I would ask the class for volunteers. It would be so interesting to see what they come up with.
This activity demonstrates YA pedagogy because it encourages student motivation while still challenging them with a text at their level. Students reading “All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kelly will be exposed to themes that apply to their own lives, like police brutality, loss, and hard decisions. They will have to navigate both of the narratives of Rashad and Quinn, which will educate them on different styles of writing.
Goodell YAL 