Title of Activity
Home and a welcome

 

Description of educational activity
Duration: 4 x 45 minutes

Students age: 16 - 17 (3^rd year of high school)

 

1. class

Introduction of the class: whole class

Student Homework:

• without an introduction, students need to read the given text by themselves from the book collection, only providing the title, no name of the author and name of the book collection it belongs to.
• The first task after the reading: extract and write down three questions that rise up after reading the story. The students write down their questions and after 3-4 minutes they are given task no 2. From the three questions they have written, they need to choose one they need to find the answer to. Write the question on the board. Possible /Expected questions:

What is the setting of the plot – place and time?

Who is the narrator? What kind of books does he/she write?

How can a house be just a hundred and twenty centimeters wide?

Is there another part of the book (extension of the story/plot)?

Is the story part of a book collection?

Who is the author, to what national literature does it belong to?

 

The questions should bring up a discussion. To some questions they should answer themselves if possible, the professor returns back to the text, hints possible answers, or gives answers.

 

Middle part of the class: divide the class into two groups

Assignments for the groups:

• One group reads the first part of the book again (plot mainly happening in Poland), the second group reads the last part again (plot mainly happening in Poland currently, they should recognize and distinguish:

-The first group: a comic element in a serious action, explaining the purpose of such an element and the "serious" and "ironic" relationship in the text

- The second group: the fragment in which the theme of story is about (says: this is the same kind of jam that her mother spread on slices of bread and now this is the second time, and she hopes that no one will ever force you to leave )

- After the work, group representatives formally present jointly formulated responses

 

Last part of class: whole class

Student homework:

I read the final part again (I was still eating when my mom called me on my phone. ˝Where the hell are you? ˝ she asks me with a worried voice which remembered me of my childhood when I was late coming home as I lost track of time playing with my friends. ˝I’m here, in our home in Warsaw˝, I tell her as my throat closes up. ) and explain and argue whether the author is ironic or serious at the end of the story, and can a the narrow home represent the author's home.

 

 

2^nd class

Introductory part of the class: whole class

Student homework:

- What kind of welcome did the neighbor receive from Etgar Keret in his story?

" That same night I was sitting in the kitchen of my narrow house drinking a cup of tea, and eating a piece of bread with jam, whose taste was sweet by the kindness of the quester and sour by the memories it brings.˝

- Discussion about story context

 

The middle part of class: pairs

Student Tasks: outside the context of the story

- comment on the importance of welcome as a way to host the the guest

- comment on personal experiences related to a welcome

- comment on the practices associated with welcoming us in our environment

- Identify some social events / situations / welcome arrivals

- comment on whether we always welcome everyone - explain your views in pairs

- describe personal experiences related to the given tasks

 

Last part of class: whole class

Student Tasks:

- Write a composition of up to ten sentences in which students describe and demonstrate what kind of welcome they would show to the three foreign tourists who would wonder around their home

(situation: August, Saturday night around 21 o'clock, you as a student with your parents are in a family cottage isolated. You are sitting on the terrace and see two young men and one girl with their backpacks approaching).

 

3^rd class

Introductory part of the class: whole class

Student Tasks:

- Several students read their compositions

- discussion the topic of readings

 

The middle part of class: two groups of students

Tasks for groups:

- Two groups will prepare for 10 minutes -  they need to explain their views on global issues related to the theme of "home and welcome" (the only teacher's instructions: Link the theme of Jams’ story with home and welcome motives on the current, global social level.)

- group representatives will be verbally informed about the student's thinking

 

The closing part of the lesson:

In the comments it is expected, among other things, to highlight the current political conflict in the Middle East, between Israel and Palestine. The place of Etagar Kereta in today's world literature is to be placed and the motives which are found in the stories.

 

The following are the tasks for the final, fourth classroom lesson.

Student Tasks:

- Read the two stories from the same collection: What does that man say? and Salama (These are short stories, students can read stories in a very short time if their texts are available)

https://fraktura.hr/blog/sto-kaze-taj-covjek.html

 

4^th class

The introduction of the class: the class is divided into two groups (groups divided according to the criterion "which is the most preferred story")ž

 

Student Tasks:

- Explain the themes of the story

- compare them

- Link them to the Jam story

- Conclude what is common between them

- describe Keret's literary style

 

Central part of the class: five groups (four students)

Tasks for groups:

- to distinguish two of the most important Keret features as an authors

- evaluate the stories

- Survey of whether the collection of seven good years is acceptable as a lecture title for the next educational period (ex. quarterly)

 

Final part of the class - end of the teaching unit:

The teacher asks if anyone has independently investigated / learned / read something about the life and work of writer Etagaro Kereta.

 

*

 

Support materials: printed story Jam, Salama, What does this man say?

Or:

• https://fraktura.hr/blog/pekmez-etgar-keret-sedam-dobrih-godina-uskoro.html
• https://fraktura.hr/blog/sto-kaze-taj-covjek.html
• https://issuu.com/fraktura/docs/sedam_dobrih_godina_knjigica

 

Evaluation and Assessment Method:

Evaluation of the teaching process will be apparent from the survey results conducted on the 4^th class (Survey of whether the collection of Seven good years is acceptable as a lecture title for the next educational period (eg quarterly).

 

Activity Impact on RSP Reading or Reading Motivation:

The chosen stories invite students to understand their personal and family problems. Stories encourage tolerance towards differences and understanding of historical circumstances. Speaking of everyday, most readers with well-known motives, the author reaches the attention of the most demanding readers.

 

Connection to curriculum

Gymnasium curriculum, 3rd grade:

Croatian language:

language - written and spoken expression, analysis and review

literature - world romance and the Croatian National Revival, the motive of patriotism in romance

Sociology: everyday life in a cultural and historical perspective

History: Second World War and Holocaust

 

Knowledge, Skills and Competences:

a)    Critical reflection of their actions and actions by other people,

b)    interdependence of people of different nationalities and religious beliefs, acceptance of diversity

c)    collection, selection and evaluation of information; reading, interpreting and evaluating literary texts; showing empathy; debate

d)    communication competences; ability to work in the team, accepting something different and different

 

Bibliographic reference to be used during the activity

Author: Etgar Keret

Country: Israel

Language: English

Type: short story

Publisher: Fraktura

Year: 2018.

Type of issue: hard cover

ISBN  978-953-266-927-5

Page no.:     Story Jam – 4 pg., whole collection 176 pg.

 

Short description of digital sources  (applications, games, webpages, FB pages etc.)

Since the collection of stories is new. In Croatian language published recently, teachers and students can use the story of

 https://fraktura.hr/blog/pekmez-etgar-keret-sedam-dobrih-godina-uskoro.html

 

To get more familiar with the author, an interview is suggested:

https://www.jutarnji.hr/kultura/knjizevnost/etgar-keret-moj-sin-ne-zeli-da-ovu-knjigu-citaju-njegovi-prijatelji-i-njihovi-roditelji/7026096/

 

Results

Students will be able to:

• Identify historical facts in current contemporary literary texts
• Critically address intolerance towards others 
• Precise articulation of personal attitudes and evaluate the readings
• Understand literary practices and humor in a serious subject

 

Recommendations

Each war raises similar horrors in people's lives. In the story of Jam, Etgar Kereta, it is known that the little girl survived the Holocaust, actually the author's mother, whose father gave her a serious task - survive the war and make sure our name does not die. The story reveals a way to survive in the toughest conditions when you feel responsible towards the ones you love. The award for perseverance is not absent. In this story, it is a jar of jam which is given by the new polish neighbor as a welcome gift - the Israeli’s in Warsaw.

Students sympathize with a girl due to family tragedy, crimes, but also recognize new opportunities for coexistence.