Beginning in early 2008, PBS will broadcast adaptations of the complete collection of all six of Austen’s beloved novels, as well as a new drama based on her life. ASSET has gathered all the resources you need to transform this programming into a valuable learning experience for your students. Click here to visit the program web site.

Free while supplies last…
The Complete Guide to Teaching Jane Austen
from Eight and ASSET


This full color 25 page booklet contains valuable information to support an examination of the timeless works of Jane Austen’s in 21st century classrooms. It also contains suggestions on teaching strategies, background information, exploring the program before and after viewing and more!

To receive your complementary copy, send an email with your name, school, and mailing address to ASSET (asset@asu.edu). Include the words Jane Austen in the subject line of your message.

PBS has secured the rights for PreK-12 teachers to tape or digitally record and use off-air recordings of most of its programming for a period of approximately one year. Click here for more information on Copyright and Fair Use of PBS Content.

Educators may tape or digitally record Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Mansfield Park, and Northanger Abbey and use the programs in the classroom for one year after broadcast. Educators may not tape or digitally record and use the program Pride and Prejudice.

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Some Ideas for Using the Guide

Society and the Self (pg. 14-15)
Use the activities suggested on these pages to examine the differences in behavior and values between Austen’s day and contemporary society. Have students use the Graphic Organizer Tool in Recipes4Success* to develop graphic organizers to compare and contrast life in the Regency period with today.

Language Arts: Writing Grades 9 – 12
  Strand 3: Writing Applications
  - Concept 5: Literary Response - Literary response is the writer’s reaction to a literary selection. The response includes the writer’s interpretation, analysis, opinion, and/or feelings about the piece of literature. (PO 1)

 

Satire and Irony (pg. 18-19)
Help students understand the literary elements of satire and irony as seen through Austen’s work. Students can choose their own scene from one of Austen’s work to satirize in a cartoon or video adaptation. Use the RubricMaker tool in Recipes4Success* to create a rubric to let students know how their work will be evaluated.

Language Arts: Reading Grade 12
  Strand 2: Comprehending Literary Text
  - Concept 1; Elements of Literature - Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structures and elements of literature. (PO 5)

Technology: Grades 9 - 12 Proficiency
  Standard 4: Technology Communications Tools
  - 4T-P2. Manage and communicate personal and professional information utilizing technology tools and resources
  o PO 1. Plan and present a product appropriate to the task

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* Recipes4Success is a resource provided free of charge to all AZ K-12 public and charter school educators under the Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development link in the IDEAL Learning Environment. For information on creating your own IDEAL account and accessing this tool go to https://www.ideal.azed.gov

Printable resources for the classroom from PBS

Why Jane, Why Now? (PDF)
Jane Austen’s Life (PDF)
Raisin Drop Scone Recipe (PDF)
Austen Bookmark (PDF)

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Jane’s MySpace Page

Making Jane engaging for today’s students, Louisiana teacher Kristie Ojeda has created an activity where students select a character from one of Austen’s novels and create a MySpace or Facebook type of page. Students use a template rather than going online to create the page as that character and do the following:

• choose a quotation from the book for the “cool comment”
• select a song that represents the character
• describe interests
• list friends
• add comments

Guidelines and templates can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/ojedaengii/

Language Arts: Writing Grades 9 – 12
  Strand 1: Writing Process
  - Concept 1: Prewriting - Prewriting includes using strategies to generate, plan, and organize ideas for specific purposes. (PO 3)
  - Concept 3: Revising - Revising includes evaluating and refining the rough draft for clarity and effectiveness. (PO 1, 2, 3, 4)
 
Technology: Grades 9 -12 Proficiency
  2T-P3. STANDARD 2: SOCIAL, ETHICAL AND HUMAN ISSUES
  - Demonstrate legal and ethical behaviors among peers, family, and community regarding the use of technology and information
See: Social Studies (2SS-P8, PO2 and PO4-6)
  o PO 3. Explain the impact of unauthorized intrusions (i.e., hacking, spamming, manipulating or deleting data) on society
 
  4T-P1 STANDARD 4: TECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS
  - Routinely and efficiently use online information resources to meet needs for collaboration and communications
See: Language Arts (W-P2-6) and Workplace Skills (1WP-P5)
  o PO 1. Using criteria for research in Standard 5, create an end product (e.g., multimedia presentation, publication, Web page) to disseminate the information

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ASSET Reviewed Sites from Thinkfinity*

Jane Austen: Lesson Plans and Other Teaching Resources
This page from the Web English Teacher site provides annotated links to resources and lesson plans about Jane Austen. Users can find links to biographical and critical information, lesson plans on her works, and other information about Austen. This link is referred from Read, Write, Think on Thinkfinity.

Online Gallery: Turning the Pages
This resource, from the British Library, features their "Turning the Pages" project which allows users to virtually "turn" the pages of precious books and manuscripts. At this site, users can examine 12 manuscripts including Jane Austen’s early work, Leonardo da Vinci's notebook, the Sherborne Missal, and the Diamond Sutra. Click "Display Full Record" and see the Relation field for a link to the EDSITEment lesson in which this resource is referenced.

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* Thinkfinity is a resource provided free of charge to all AZ K-12 public and charter school educators under the Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development link in the IDEAL Learning Environment. For information on creating your own IDEAL account and accessing this tool go to https://www.ideal.azed.gov

Teachers: Have your students enter the Jane Austen Essay Contest!

Enter the JASNA Essay Contest

The Jane Austen Society of North America holds an annual essay contest open to high school students and above. The deadline for entering is May 2008. Information on contest guidelines and prizes is available at the JASNA website.

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