What is Make Dice Lite?
Make Dice Lite in an iPad that allows the user to customize dice and use up to 6 at a time. To roll the dice, students can tap the screen or shake the iPad.
Lit Analysis Set Up
In groups of three to 4, students use 1 iPad to create two dice. The first die is whatever literary elements you want your students to analyze. I use character, conflict, symbol, theme, connect two topics, setting.
The second die is one about thematic topics. Examples from The Outsiders: violence, family, loyalty, redemption, social pressure, equality, etc. (Students can choose their own).
Roll the Die
Students roll the dice and create a question with those two things. Provide question stems or example for the different literary elements. EX:
Theme: What is the lesson we are supposed to learn about ______?
Symbol: What object in the text represents _____?
Setting: How does the setting contribute to the lesson we can learn about ______?
Two topics: How are _____ and _____ related?
For character and conflict, it so much depends on the topic I encourage my students to come up with their own way of asking.
Gamification
Students number off A, B, and C. Students then complete to answer questions. Students take turn answering the question and give text support. For each question, 1 participant answers it and gives support. The other two people then rate the answer with evidence and explanation on a scale of 1-3. The person who answered the question get the combined score. The other group members can each get 1 bonus point for providing approved additional evidence.
EX: How is setting related equality?
Student A: Tulsa is divided east and west in the novel. The rich Socs are on one side and the poor Greasers on the other, which keeps them separated and continues the idea that by being separated, they aren't able to take down the walls that divide them. If they got to know each other more, the inequality may not create hate.
Student B: that was really good, I give a 3 out of 3.
Student C: I'm not clear on the theme you think Hinton has about equality so I say 2.
**Student A gets 5 points**
Student B: another thing that supports what you said as an answer is the setting of the dive-in. At the drive in the Socs get to sit in their cars while the greasers have to be out in the elements of the bleachers.
*** student B gets a point ***
Student C: The school setting also supports that. Remember when Ponyboy talked about how he was in the more advanced classes? He pulled out a knife to dissect a frog and a Soc girl who was his lab partner was horrified. The way there is that divide in the classes at school also makes there be a divide int he social classes.
*** Student C gets a point. It is now student B's turn to answer a question and try to get the three points ***
