3.27.2012

Did You Like "The Hunger Games" Movie? Give Your Feedback...



This post is going to have SPOILERS for both the novel and the movie! You have been warned...

 So, I'd like to hear your thoughts about "The Hunger Games" movie. I was disappointed in many scenes, yet I thought overall it was a good movie. If you are looking for a spoiler-free review, I wrote one {HERE}. This post & the comments will have spoilers.

The first of my two biggest complaints was the change in the bread scene. Peeta didn't burn the bread on purpose in order to feed Katniss in the movie. That's a huge difference. Instead, he notices her after he's burned it and struggles on whether to toss it to her or not. Book Peeta would never have hesitated because he knew before he even burned the bread he was going to give it to her.

The second complaint I have was the change in the scene after the second rule change. Katniss doesn't intentionally draw her arrow on Peeta, showing her distrust. Instead, she starts to load her arrow, but her eyes dart about, as if looking for more Capitol mutts. It's not Peeta she distrusts, but the Capitol. This scene was my most anticipated, so I was pretty disappointed when it wasn't portrayed the same.

Overall, though, I liked the additions, especially the scene where Haymitch sees the Capitol children role-playing the Hunger Games. It really hits you how ridiculous and cruel it all is, how lightly the Capitol citizens take it. 


Give your feedback...
Post a comment below with YOUR thoughts on the movie. Did you like it? Were you disappointed?

3.25.2012

Winners in My Hunger Games Giveaway



 Congratulations to all the winners and a huge THANK YOU to everyone who entered! 

I wish I had enough prizes for everyone!
The winners of the prizes from the general giveaway (1154 entries) are:

Jennifer K, #451 (Yes, Star Squad 451 definitely came to mind when that number came up!)

Lisa L, #16
Amy B., #439
I gave TWO of these away. The winners: Jennifer A., #1043 and Sonja R., #1062
The winner of the top set of magnets is Cesilia M, #817; the winner of the bottom set is Melissa M., #583
Vicky S., #807
Jordanne M., #92

Brancey M., #756



Kathie L., #1104

Jaci P., #577







And the winners of the teaching units (of 621 entries):
Stella H., #43


I thought I would give away two of these: Amy G, #211 and Ulrike H., #381
 Thank you all, again, for entering. 
I do plan to list some of my beaded bookmarks, magnets, and charms on etsy this summer. I just haven't found time during the school year. You can keep tabs by checking my store, which has nothing...yet!







 

3.24.2012

Hunt in the Woods of District 12 and Fly Through the Trees Like Rue


Hunger Games Fan Tours Launch in Brevard, NC

"The Hunger Games" movie opened on March 23 and Brevard, NC is excited! A lot of the scenes in the “Games” were shot in DuPont State Recreational Forest. Tammy Hopkins, Film Liaison and TCArts Council Director for Brevard and Transylvania County said, “My phone has been ringing off the hook with folks wanting to go see the film locations. So Leigh Trapp with 'the marketing trapp' and myself have put together Hunger Games Fan Tours which will feature the filming locations used by 'The Hunger Games' movie in DuPont State Recreational Forest.”

Leigh Trapp, who has produced and guided a variety of fan-based experiences based on franchises such as Harry Potter and the Twilight series says, “Fan tours for movies and books have become increasingly popular - as readers and viewers alike want the opportunity to experience the world their characters live in first hand - and share in their adventures. These tours give them a great way to see some of the movie locations - and share in the experience of participating in Hunger Games–themed adventures with other like-minded fans.”

“We just launched our website www.hungergamesfantours.com,” said Hopkins. “On the website you will see that we will offer Day Trips as well as Weekend Adventure Trips. On the Weekend Trips we will be teaming with Earthshine Mountain Lodge to offer an immersive, hands on experience with survival skills classes after the participants have been out to see the film locations. Leigh and I have worked closely with David Brown and Bruce MacDonald at Dupont to study the locations and design a guided tour that will be fun and safe around waterfalls.”

Hunger Games Day Trips: Explore DuPont State Recreational Forest with your Sponsor to discover the locations used in the movie. Master fundamental survival skills like orienteering, camo-face painting, and shelter building needed to excel in the Hunger Games. Lunch will be provided in Hunger Games style. Shuttle service, DuPont State Recreational Forest permit and guides provided.  Pre-registration required. Cost is $79 per person. Hunger Games Day Trips will be offered on the following dates: May 26 & 27, July 14 & 15, and August 11 & 12.

Hunger Games Fan Tours Adventure Weekend: Start your Hunger Games Fan Tours’ Adventure Weekend on Friday by gathering at Earthshine Mountain Lodge (http://www.earthshinelodge.com/) for an incredible evening. You’ll be part of the lottery and get separated into your own District. You’ll then join other Tributes for a welcoming banquet – Hunger Games style.

Saturday you’ll tour film locations in DuPont State Recreational Forest that were used in the movie. You’ll then reconvene at Earthshine Mountain Lodge for lunch. The afternoon will be filled with survival classes that you’ll need to participate in the Hunger Games Simulation: archery, sling shot training, fire building, orienteering, shelter building, and camo-face painting. In the evening you’ll have another Hunger Games dinner sponsored by the Capitol – and you’ll night zip-line and see what it’s like to be in the tree tops at night like Katniss and Rue. On Sunday – you’ll convene for your Hunger Games Simulation. See if you and your district have what it takes to win the Hunger Games. Our Hunger Games Simulation will be timed trials of the skills you’ve learned over the weekend.

Your Hunger Games Weekend includes:
three days and two nights stay at Earthshine Mountain Lodge, 6 Hunger Games meals, Hunger Games snacks, guides, all Hunger Games skill training, Night Zip Lining and your Hunger Games Simulation. Shuttle service to and from the Asheville Regional Airport is included. Cost: $389 per person. Note: There is a $2 ticketing process fee from Ticketleap, our ticket service. Hunger Games Fan Tours Adventure Weekend trips will be offered on April 27-29; June 8-10; June 22-24; July 27-29; August 24-26; and Sept. 21-23.

About the creators of Hunger Games Fan Tours:
Leigh Trapp has worked and contributed to a variety of fan-based experiences over the past several years. She is also an award winning festival and event producer in the US. Her fan tour work includes work on Harry Potter Adventures in the United Kingdom and in the US, Twilight fan experiences in the US, and a variety of other experiential events. She consults for a variety of US festivals and events across the US and runs a marketing company that focuses on tourism and tourism related events. She has served as an advocate and marketer for Transylvania County tourism for over a decade.

Tammy Hopkins, executive director of the TC Arts Council, serves as film liaison for Brevard NC and Transylvania County. She’s an actor, producer, and casting agent who also specializes in securing film locations and permits for the area. She served as a ranger at the Cradle of Forestry Historic Site for a number of years and led guided walks and survival study programs for the Orange County Outdoor Science School in the San Bernardino Mountains in CA. Tammy has also served as an advocate, publicist and marketer of the arts and outdoor recreation for over a decade in Transylvania County.

More about Earthshine Mountain Lodge:
Earthshine Mountain Lodge has been a premier destination for 21 years. Situated on 82 acres bordering Pisgah National Forest with about a third of that as open pasture and the rest is deciduous forest. Earthshine is home to the First Zip Line Canopy Tour of any kind built in the US.  www.EarthshineLodge.com
 
To learn more and to register for tours go to www.hungergamesfantours.com.  Need more information email info@hungergamesfantours.com or call Leigh Trapp at 949-610-5570 or Tammy Hopkins at 828-553-7117. To learn more about filming in the Brevard, NC  area go to www.FilmBrevardNC.com.

Note: The characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of the Lionsgate Entertainment; Susan Collins; and her publisher, Scholastic, owning those rights. Hunger Game Tours are not official tours and are not endorsed, sanctioned or in any other way supported by the studios, the authors, their publishers, or any of their representatives. All Rights Reserved


SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE FROM HUNGER GAMES FAN TOURS, TAMMY HOPKINS
  

New Prizes Added to Hunger Games Giveaway!


CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED...
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ENTERING! 
  

THE WINNERS WILL BE DRAWN RANDOMLY THEN CONTACTED IN AN EMAIL TODAY. I WILL THEN ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS IN A NEW POST. MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!

Don't forget that my giveaway is still going on! It ends at noon CST tomorrow (March 25th). Anyone can enter for the Hunger Games prizes, but only educators can enter for the teaching lessons (for obvious reasons!).

 I've also added some NEW prizes that you will be eligible to win. (No need to re-register if you already have.) These prizes include:

• A second Mockingjay pin

• A Mockingjay charm necklace

• Additional beaded bookmark

The Hunger Games journal from Scholastic Books

See ALL the prizes on my earlier post {HERE}

The Hunger Games journal from Scholastic Book Clubs.




3.23.2012

Flawless Performances Outweigh the Disappointments: My No-Spoiler Review of "The Hunger Games" Movie


Wow.
In a word, that describes my experience after watching the midnight showing (in IMAX) of "The Hunger Games." I do not want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't seen it, so I have to keep this brief. And "wow" really does capture what I felt.

A good wow, of course. Yes, there were disappointments. Events and quotes do not follow the book exactly (which we knew ahead of time from seeing the trailers, right?). But I was disappointed at how many things veered from the original. Some of my favorite details of the book were either absent, condensed, or changed to give the scene a different feel or meaning. I'm not going to be specific, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little miffed by some of the changes.

That said, the performances were STUNNING. I mean, EVERY SINGLE ACTOR was flawless. They were brilliant. They played their parts so perfectly. The stand-outs for me were Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) and Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), of course. But even Liam Hemsworth (Gale) made me rethink his character--I'm not a Gale fan, never have been. But somehow Hemsworth made me like him. Seriously!  Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman) was exhilarating.  Elizabeth Banks was so animated, so perfect as Effie. And Lenny Kravitz (Cinna) was impeccably subtle.

Wes Bentley was a stand-out as Seneca Crane. Really, he was marvelous. His role was a lot bigger in the movie, and I am glad. And Alexander Ludwig (Cato) played his part so well. He made me feel the same way I felt about him in the novel. In every single part, including the end.

I guess I could just list the entire cast here, because, like I said, every actor was perfect. However, Hutcherson was really the one who made the movie for me. Any time his lip quivered, my eyes welled up. Though Lawrence was completely radiant (yes, she was as radiant as the sun) in the movie, it was Hutcherson who got to me. His facial expressions were so incredibly dead-on. But, it makes sense, because it was always Peeta who I empathized with in the novel.

I did not single out Woody Harrelson (Haymitch), though he played the personality of Haymitch quite well. Yet, he also added his own little spin to the character. I can't get past that when it's a novel I love. I don't want the actor to take creative liberties with my beloved literary characters. For those who haven't read the books, he is perfectly contemptuous, sarcastic, and drunk. For me, though, I wanted more from Woody as Haymitch. Like some of my favorite lines delivered. Even though there were still great "Haymitch" moments, they didn't pack the punch that his moments in book do.

Overall, I am pleasantly pleased with the movie. I will see it again. There are so many moments I wish I could have paused and hit the rewind. And without giving too much away, I have to add that Peeta's camouflaging is exemplary. The make-up, costumes, location/setting, music, and cinematography were faultless. Are there some inconsistencies? Yes. Did it ruin it for me? Absolutely not. The added scenes and the impeccable acting made up for the disappointing details.

Did I say this was going to be brief? Sorry!

3.21.2012

Hunger is NOT a Game


  As you are standing in line waiting to see "The Hunger Games" tomorrow night, make sure you tweet #notagame in support of the Harry Potter Alliance's Imagine Better project: Hunger is NOT a Game. And also make sure you sign up for Oxfam's GROW campaign. The goal is to get 1,000 people to sign the pledge. I KNOW we can collect that many!

You can use this downloadable pledge form to collect signatures: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzjIfddEa5q_NzZueW5IQjJSNmkwVFpJNm5CRUlzZw

Classroom Connections
This is a video from Oxfam about their GROW Campaign that helps illustrate some of the campaign's key points: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEncHWEjLTI
-Show your students the video.
-Encourage them to get involved!
-Have your students donate food to a local food pantry or homeless shelter.
-Have them spread the word on their own social networking sites like Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and MySpace
-Collect signatures while waiting in line for the movie.

TOGETHER we can make a difference! We are not Panem. We have enough food for everyone. Let's work together to help one another!

“THE HUNGER GAMES” IS FANDANGO’S TOP-SELLING FRANCHISE OPENER OF ALL TIME



Read the latest press release from Fandango regarding ticket sales for "The Hunger Games" movie. Don't forget you can purchase your tickets RIGHT HERE by clicking on the icon on the right! -->

“THE HUNGER GAMES” IS FANDANGO’S TOP-SELLING FRANCHISE OPENER OF ALL TIME, WITH NEARLY 2,000 SHOWTIMES ALREADY SOLD OUT, BEFORE ITS DEBUT AT THE BOX OFFICE

Thriller Trending To Be One of Top 5 Advance Ticket-Sellers in Fandango History

(Los Angeles, March 20, 2012) With a little more than two days left before its March 23 release date, "The Hunger Games” is already the top-selling franchise opener and non-sequel in Fandango’s nearly 12-year history. This hotly-anticipated film is also on track to become one of Fandango’s top-selling movies of all time.

“Hunger” has already hit the following Fandango milestones:

•           92% of daily ticket sales;
•           Nearly 2,000 showtimes sold-out in advance on Fandango;
•           The top ticket-seller of the year to date;
•           The top-selling March release in company history;
•           More mobile ticket sales than any other film this year;
•           More advance tickets sold on Fandango than the first “Twilight” movie during its entire advance ticketing run.

“’The Hunger Games’ continues to amaze us with its astonishing pace,” says Fandango Executive Vice President and General Manager Rick Butler. “‘The extraordinarily strong advance ticket sales speak to the ease and convenience of Fandango, both on the Web and through our mobile apps, which guarantees fans seats for the films they want to see.”

While thousands of “Hunger” showtimes are already sold out across the country, theater owners in all fifty states are posting additional showtimes to meet the growing fan demand. IMAX theaters represent Fandango’s top-selling showtimes, with the movie playing in the IMAX format for one week only.

The new thriller is on track to soon land a coveted place on Fandango’s top 5 advance ticket-sellers list, right behind some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters of all time.

The current top 5 advance ticket-sellers on Fandango (as of Tuesday, March 20, 2012) are:
1. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (2009)
2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (2011)
3. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1” (2011)
4. "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (2010)
5. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” (2010)


Fandango is currently featuring a wealth of editorial content on “The Hunger Games,” from exclusive video interviews with the stars, exclusive premiere videos and photos, prize pack giveaways, and commentary by Fandango Film Mom Tara McNamara. To check out Fandango’s robust “Hunger Games” content, see http://www.fandango.com/thehungergames/movieguide.

The year 2012 has already been a momentous one for Fandango, which has reported record-breaking January and February sales, and is on track for a record-breaking March as well. Yesterday, Fandango announced a new deal with Yahoo!, enabling Yahoo! Movies fans to get Fandango showtimes and tickets on Yahoo! sites and across mobile devices and on tablets.  The Yahoo! deal follows on the heels of new ticketing agreements with Regency Theatres and with AMC Theatres, which added a combined 3,200 screens to Fandango’s extensive network of movie theaters across the country, now numbering a total of nearly 20,000 screens.


About Fandango
Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, sells tickets to nearly 20,000 screens nationwide. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary, celebrity interviews and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. At many theaters, fans can print their tickets at home or receive them as a paperless Mobile Ticket on their smartphones.

Fandango is available online at www.fandango.com, via smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, and at 1-800-FANDANGO.  Fandango is enjoyed by more than 30 million online and mobile visitors per month.  Fandango's top-ranking movie ticketing apps, with over 22 million downloads, are available on the iPhone and iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and many other platforms. Film fans find Fandango on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fandango and on Twitter @Fandango.  

3.19.2012

Latest Hunger Games News This Week



So...in case you've been living under a rock this week, I thought I'd let you know that the premiere for "The Hunger Games" movie will debut at midnight Thursday (or early Friday).

I can't possibly keep up with the fan sites with posting new articles and links, so I'm not even going to try! But I thought I would post some that you might be interested in or wanted to share with your students. These are just the links, but getting it directly from the source is always the best, right!?

Calendar of "The Hunger Games" star appearances and other noteworthy events from Hunger Games Down With the Capitol.

The Harry Potter Alliance's Imagine Better "Hunger is NOT a Game" New York Times piece!

Hunger Games Fans: Take a Tour of The Capitol from CeleBuzz.com

The Katniss Chronicles: The Final Episode "Aftermath" (Can't wait for them to make Catching Fire!)

How 'Hunger Games' star Elizabeth Banks brought Effie Trinket to life (Katharine Hepburn helped) - from Entertainment Weekly (EW.com)

Latest "Buzz" on Pop Sugar's The Hunger Games District Sugar

Novel Novice's Countdown to The Hunger Games

If you are going to the midnight premiere, take your camera & email your photos to Sara from The Hunger Games Examiner so she can share them: sarag.examiner@gmail.com

FOR TEACHERS
The Odds Ever in Your Favor: Ideas and Resources for Teaching The Hunger Games - from The New York Times The Learning Network (By KATHERINE SCHULTEN and LILY ALTAVENA)

The Top 7 Tips for Teaching The Hunger Games - from Novel Novice

Charity Kinneer writes about teaching The Hunger Games and how to introduce it to your students on "Passion for Learning" - GPB Blogs.

How far into the future is "The Hunger Games"? Use this as a writing prompt or debate in your classes.

3.17.2012

It's a Hunger Games Movie Giveaway!

Hunger Games Giveaway - Pin Me on Pinterest!



With less than a week to go for the premiere of "The Hunger Games" movie, I thought it was time to have a big giveaway to celebrate!

I'm giving away some awesome prizes: 
The Hunger Games Trilogy set of paperback books (Scholastic Books)
The Hunger Games Tribute Guide (Scholastic Books)
• Hunger Games trilogy-inspired beaded bracelet
• Mockingjay pin (Scholastic)
• Hunger Games-inspired beaded book thong bookmark
• Hunger Games-themed magnets
• Set of five Tribute pencils
I added additional prizes. See them {HERE}!

And for teachers/educators only:
The Hunger Games Teaching Unit on CD
The Hunger Games Teaching Unit--digital download

Enter the giveaway by filling out the form below. It is open to all U.S. residents; however, only teachers are eligible to win the Hunger Games teaching units. There is no purchase necessary. If you'd like to follow me on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, TeachersPayTeachers, Pinterest (and pin any images on this page), you can earn extra entries. Rules are stated at the bottom of the page.

Contest ENDS Sunday, March 25th, at noon, CST.

Would you like to win any of these fabulous prizes? Enter below!
Mockingjay pin - Scholastic Book Clubs
Books by Scholastic Book Clubs.
Beaded bracelet - Hunger Games trilogy


"Flowers for Rue" beaded book thong - bookmark may vary slightly.
The Hunger Games trilogy-themed magnets.

Set of five District Tribute pencils.

AND FOR TEACHERS:


CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED...
THANK YOU ALL FOR ENTERING! I WILL BE DOING A RANDOM DRAW AND CONTACTING THE WINNERS VIA EMAIL TODAY. THEN I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS ON A NEW POST. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT & HOPE THE ODDS ARE IN YOUR FAVOR (WISH I HAD ENOUGH PRIZES SO EVERYONE COULD WIN!).
Eligibility and Rules
• Residents of the United States can enter. • You must fill out the form to be eligible. • Sweepstakes ENDS Sunday, March 25th, at 12 noon, CST. • Multiple entries will result in all entries being invalidated. • Limit one (1) prize per person. • Winners are chosen at random using an online generator.  • The winner for each prize will be notified via email on Sunday, March 25th, 2012, and posted on www.hungergameslessons.com Sunday afternoon.
• Winners will have 48 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. • "Hunger Games Lessons" is not affiliated with Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games trilogy, Scholastic Books, or Lionsgate Movies.

3.15.2012

The Hunger Games Movie Advance Ticket Sales Overtakes Twilight

We knew this would happen, right!?

Newest Press Release from Fandango:


“HUNGER GAMES” SELLS OUT 1,000 SHOWTIMES ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE OF MARCH 23 RELEASE DATE, OVERTAKING “TWILIGHT” IN FANDANGO’S ADVANCE TICKET SALES

Los Angeles – (March 15, 2012) One week from tonight, millions of moviegoers across the country will be entering the arena of “The Hunger Games” as the movie debuts in theaters at 12:01 a.m. on March 23.

More than a thousand showtimes are already sold out across the country, from New York to San Francisco, from Maine to Hawaii. Theater owners are adding additional showtimes -- some as late as 3:00 a.m. on Friday morning -- to meet the demand for tickets, available at http://www.fandango.com/thehungergames/movieguide.  The film’s advance ticket sales have already surpassed those of the first “Twilight” movie at the same point in that film’s sales cycle.

“It's our fastest-selling franchise-opener since ‘Twilight’," says Rick Butler, general manager and executive vice president of Fandango. "The brisk advance ticket sales are a testament to the strength of the incredible marketing campaign which has clearly resonated with fans and even those unfamiliar with the books."

"Hunger Games" currently represents 71% of today’s ticket sales on Fandango. Here are a few more statistics from an online survey of several thousand “Hunger Games” moviegoers conducted on Fandango:
• 72% say the intriguing premise and action is what attracts them most to  "Hunger Games”; only 18% picked the love story as the main attraction;
• 57% are planning to see the movie with a group of friends;
• 46% of respondents are 25 or older; 54% are younger than 25.

Fandango Five – Top Daily Ticket Sellers (as of 3/15/12  2:00 p.m. PT)


Movie                                         Fandango User Rating                % Fandango Sales                                        
The Hunger Games                        “I’m In”                                              71%
21 Jump Street                                “I’m In”                                             11%
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax                       “Go”                                                   9%
Project X                                         “Go”                                                   3%
John Carter                                      “Go”                                                   3%

About Fandango
Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, sells tickets to nearly 20,000 screens nationwide. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary, celebrity interviews and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. At many theaters, fans can print their tickets at home or receive them as a paperless Mobile Ticket on their smartphones.

Fandango is available online at www.fandango.com, via smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, and at 1-800-FANDANGO. Fandango's top-ranking movie ticketing apps, with over 22 million downloads, are available on the iPhone and iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and many other platforms. Fandango is enjoyed by more than 30 million online and mobile visitors per month. Film fans find Fandango on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fandango and on Twitter @Fandango.

3.11.2012

Going Green on The Lesson Cloud

www.thelessoncloud.com




This week The Lesson Cloud - a collaborative group of K-12 teachers who post lessons to share with others - is "going green" in appreciation of all things associated with the color: St. Patrick's Day, Earth Day (yes, we know this is in April, but it's never too soon to plan), Spring (and/or spring break!), you name it....

So head on over to the 'Cloud to find links to great lessons to help you plan your spring curriculum. And thanks for supporting your fellow teachers.


3.09.2012

Hunger Games Fans are also ‘Teaming Up Against Hunger’




This month, as we prepare for the release of "The Hunger Games" movie, Hunger Games fans are taking action to help fight hunger in the real world. We’re teaming up around the world to help The Harry Potter Alliance’s Imagine Better Project with their campaign, Hunger is NOT a Game.

Just like in District 12, there are lots of people around the world who don’t have enough to eat every day and who struggle to get by because of forces they can’t control – war, famine, and unjust laws. But we can do something about it! Just like Katniss, we won’t just sit by and watch it happen. We will take our fight directly to the Capitol itself to try to change our world’s perspective on hunger and eradicate it for good!

For the next month our friends at the Harry Potter Alliance are running the Hunger is Not a Game campaign so that we can all help with this issue – whether it be running a food drive at your local movie theater for the midnight release, signing Oxfam’s GROW pledge, or spreading the word about this important issue. You can join the campaign by visiting the HPA’s website: http://thehpalliance.org/imagine-better/hunger-is-not-a-game/. Together, we can stand up against the Capitol and get rid of hunger for good!


Classroom Connections
Teachers: Here are some tips/ideas to help with this project.


1. Host a food drive at your school. Have each grade level compete to see who can donate the most food items. Give them to a local food pantry or homeless shelter.


2. Coordinate your class mock "Games" event with food or monetary donations. The tribute(s) who raise the most money or food items for charity are crowned Victor(s). OR...use them as "sponsor" payments. If someone wants to "bet" on a certain Tribute to win, the more food they donate, the more "bets" they can place. What do they get if their Tribute wins the "Games"? Bragging rights, of course!

3. Require a donation for the field trip to the movie. Ask for each student to bring an extra $1 on your field trip and donate those funds to the Hunger is Not a Game campaign.

4. Have your students research one of the five points addressed by Oxfam America. They can write a research paper, create a visual presentation (online using Prezi, Glogster, or traditionally using PowerPoint or Keynote), or record a podcast that can be shared with other students or even the entire school.

5. Tie your final Hunger Games project to a service project. Have students do something for your local community; it could be volunteer at a homeless shelter, collect donations in their neighborhood, educate younger students on the issues of world hunger, etc..

3.08.2012

Celebrate Your Favorite Female Characters from Literature Writing Prompt

Celebrate Your Favorite Female Heroines in Literature


To help celebrate women this month, have your students write about their favorite female characters from literature. You can require a lengthy response, or have them jot quick lists of their top picks and why.

Read my students' responses on our class blog {HERE}. We didn't have much time, so I chose a shorter prompt for them:

(From our class blog)

"Who Are Your Top 5 Female Characters from Literature?

Today's prompt is to list your top 5 female characters from literature and a brief explanation why. Make sure to name the character AND the book/story in which she appears."

I also wrote about two of my favorite female characters for The Harry Potter Alliance's Imagine Better project. You might be surprised who I wrote about. Read my post {HERE}.

Photo credit: ©Lionsgate Movies, alterations by T. Orman

Imagine Better Celebrates Katniss Everdeen for International Women’s Day

Katniss Everdeen by Danny Mask, 2012.



Katniss. Prim. Rue. Annie. Johanna. What do all these awesome characters have in common? They are all incredibly strong women, of course!

Today we are celebrating our favorite female characters for International Women’s Day with our friends over at The HPA's Imagine Better project. Think of today as a day to reflect on how authors like Suzanne Collins portray women in a positive light by making them strong, thoughtful, smart, and rebellious.

What do YOU think makes your favorite female characters great?
You can get involved today by telling everyone who your favorite women in literature, TV, and movies are and what makes them so special. Check out everyone else’s stories too – let’s make it a great day to celebrate women!


Classroom Connections
Teachers: This is a great writing prompt for your students. They can write a rough draft (if you wish) to turn in for you, then submit their responses online {HERE}.

3.05.2012

It's a Hunger Games Blog Party!






Head over to Raegun Ramblings to see all the great Hunger Games links. 
I think I could spend hours going through them all.
Just click on the button above and have fun!

3.04.2012

Don't Miss the Final Episodes of The Katniss Chronicles

A signed poster from The Katniss Chronicles to our class! WOW!


Last week we received a very special gift at school. The cast of "The Katniss Chronicles" sent my class an autographed poster. Needless to say, we were thrilled!

We've been listening to "The Katniss Chronicles" in my seventh period class because I had a new student join us after we had finished reading The Hunger Games. Plus, we wanted to refresh ourselves before we see the movie since it's been a year since my students read it (I had this same group last year when they were freshmen and again this year as sophomores). 

Using "The Katniss Chronicles" episodes has been very effective. My students will pick up on things that they forgot from the book and comment on the different accents, sound effects, etc.. For my student who hasn't read The Hunger Games, we'll pause the podcast when he has questions or comments. My other students are quick to answer, though they have a hard time restraining themselves from spoiling certain events.
Thumbs up for The Katniss Chronicles!

As the movie premiere for "The Hunger Games" nears, so does the end of "The Katniss Chronicles." The cast releases a new episode each week (usually on Tuesdays), with its final performance coinciding with the movie premiere, the week of March 19th.

We hope they will continue their amazing performances for Catching Fire and Mockingjay. I can't even imagine the amount of work that it takes to create each episode (I know from helping with students projects that creating even a short 3-minute podcast takes a lot of time and energy), so I do hope they can continue. I would be willing to pay a subscription if it helped.

So if you haven't listened to "The Katniss Chronicles" yet, don't hesitate. You can begin with Episode 1: The Reaping, or skip to your favorite parts in the novel. The latest episode released was Episode 14: Feast and Famine, with Episode 15: Victory in Sight debuting this week. Each week they also release bonus material--including announcements of their latest fan giveaways!

You can also chat with the cast by following them on...
Twitter: @KatnissChron
Facebook: The Katniss Chronicles
Tumblr: T.K.C.
and subscribe on iTunes

My class would like to send our sincerest thanks to the cast & crew for sending us this great *signed* poster AND for creating this magnificent ear candy each week. It truly is a treat to listen to it, so I hope you'll check them out if you haven't already.

3.01.2012

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!



In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday today, here's a writing prompt for your students related to The Hunger Games. Might make an interesting debate...


So what do you think? Post a comment below with your pick & why that character would win.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...