Twain's Hannibal is an integral part of a larger unit on The Adventures of the Huckleberry Finn taught in our school system. The educational projects listed below are directed at Mark Twain and his writings, but they could easily be adapted to almost any other author and his/her environment. For example, Michigan had a very heavy influence on Ernest Hemingway's writing just as California impacted John Steinbeck and Chicago influenced Gwendolyn Brooks.

One unit taught in our school includes students interviewing and videotaping people who live along or near the Mississippi River to determine the river's impact on employment, social life, economy, transportation, family life, and politics. This activity ties into school to career and strengthens technology and communication skills such as speaking, listening, interviewing, notetaking, telephone use and electronic mail. This activity spans a full school semester and is built upon year after year. Video clips are saved, edited into a final tape and/or burned into a CD.

The following enrichment activities have been incorporated into the unit at one time or another from year to year:

• Students role play Twain and his reaction to today's social issues. For example, how would Twain react to or view civil rights, technology or the media?
• Students compose a song about Huck and Jim's travels.
• Students write an editorial from Twain's perspective dealing with a local issue.
• Students compare travel in Twain's time with that of today.
• Students compare sheet music created during Twain's time to that of today.
• Students locate dialects found in the novel and determine how they are used today.
• Students keep a log or diary from Huck or Jim's perspective as they travel down the river.
• Students pose as a news reporter and write accounts of key events that happened in the novel.
• Students investigate and discuss censorship issues relating to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• Students determine whether the adventures of Huckleberry Finn could happen today. Why or why not? Would the results be the same to such incidents as how the feud was settled between the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons?
• Students compile a list of questions they would ask Mark Twain if he were alive today and predict his responses.
• Students role play scenes from the novel or impersonate a character.
• Students watch a video version of the novel and discuss how Hollywood has interpreted the work.
• Students draw a map tracing Huck and Jim's travel down the Mississippi River.
• Students discuss the law or lack of law in the novel.
• Students interact with an impersonator of Mark Twain.

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jwoody@netins.net
nthiese@aea1.k12.ia.us

May 19, 2000