Learning From ‘The Hunger Games’

After spending five Saturdays reading and analyzing Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games,” about 180 Anaheim Union High School District students watched the film on opening weekend.

As the movie credits rolled at the Century Theater in Orange, the students and the teachers — Dane Fitch, Sara Wood and Mandy Patterson — who led their weekend book club, compared notes. They talked about their favorite scenes, how the film and book differ, how much they liked both, or one better than the other, and the lessons they learned.

“I didn’t appreciate books so much, but I do now,” said Dylan Reeves, a 10th-grader at Loara High School. He and other students added that the book got them thinking about serious issues, such as politics, oppression, humanity, equality and empowerment.

The book club is part of Cal State Fullerton GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program), which aims to increase access to and prepare underrepresented students for higher-education success through partnerships and special programs, including mentoring, support and financial aid.

“What we’re trying to do is develop literacy for the students who may not have these types of experiences at home or at their school site,” said Adriana A. Badillo, GEAR UP director.

“We’re also incorporating Common Core, the new state standards for education, by using ‘The Hunger Games’ as a way to engage the students, tying in universal themes from the book to the world and getting them thinking critically about current events,” she said.

Added Mark Ellis, chair and associate professor of secondary education and a GEAR UP faculty member: “The program succeeded in raising excitement about learning. Now, we’re working on similar ways to get kids excited about math, too.”

March 27, 2012