Paranormal Studies Class

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

K

Kyle L

Member
Aug 22, 2017
16
77
35
Hi! I'm new to the forum, but I'm a long-time Stephen King fan. I'm a middle school Social Studies teacher in Millinocket, ME and this year the school is offering an elective course called Paranormal Studies. As a lover of all things paranormal, I'm ecstatic to be teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th graders about folklore, legends, and monsters every day, especially since we're only about an hour from the home of the most famous Mainer in history. I know he's very busy, but is there any way he could visit my classroom or I could bring my students to meet him somewhere in the Bangor area? This is the first time this class is being offered and I want to make sure that they'll want to offer it to students again next year. Any time between September and next June would be perfectly fine!

And since everyone here is a fan of horror and paranormal, I thought this might be a good opportunity to ask if anyone has any ideas for class lessons. I know a few things I'd like to do, but since this is a brand new class I have a lot of freedom in what I can teach (as long as it's appropriate for the age group!).
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT, no bounce no play, Spideyman and 3 others
K

Kyle L

Member
Aug 22, 2017
16
77
35
danie said:
Hi, and welcome, Kyle! I just retired from being a middle-school science teacher, and I would have loved to have taught this class! You will have so much fun with that subject and kids at this level. Let me think about lessons and get back to you.
Click to expand...
Thank you! It's nice to be among fellow King fans. This is my first year teaching (although I've worked in special education for the past three years) and I'm excited to get started. As far as I know, this is the only Paranormal Studies class for middle school kids in the entire state. I grew up in this area, so I've been an admirer of Stephen for a long time. He and Tabitha have donated to just about every library around here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT, no bounce no play, Spideyman and 4 others
danie

danie

I am whatever you say I am.
Feb 26, 2008
9,760
60,662
60
Kentucky
Kyle L said:
Thank you! It's nice to be among fellow King fans. This is my first year teaching (although I've worked in special education for the past three years) and I'm excited to get started. As far as I know, this is the only Paranormal Studies class for middle school kids in the entire state. I grew up in this area, so I've been an admirer of Stephen for a long time. He and Tabitha have donated to just about every library around here.
Click to expand...
I wish you much luck with your first year. Even though that was over 30 years ago for me, I can remember that first year with such detail. I guess you've searched the Internet for lesson plans? Probably not much out there for a paranormal studies class? I live in rural Kentucky, and the parents around here would probably withdraw their kids from school if they saw that class title! They'd think I was trying to make them worship the devil. I had enough trouble trying to teach (gasp) evolution.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT, no bounce no play, morgan and 6 others
mal

mal

content
Jun 23, 2007
4,714
27,243
61
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Hi Kyle L and Welcome! Sounds like fun. I have no clue but here is my two cents worth. Make distinctions between local legends versus global phenomenon. Religion related versus pagan. Comparative differences and similarities between documented folklore and Harry Potter (or fictional literature in general). Planetary/universal considerations from worshipping the sun to possible alien visitations. Possibly a field trip to a certain storied location where you could go out the day before and place significant signs or objects and see if the students make the connections (of course tell them what you did afterwards unless you want to breed more folklore and legends). Hold a séance or grab a Ouija and try and document paranormal forces answering the questions asked versus groupthink. End with a human sacrifice to Baphomet and Bob's your uncle! (Don't really do that last one though). Have fun with it, good luck, and be sure to report back if inclined!
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT, no bounce no play, morgan and 5 others
K

Kyle L

Member
Aug 22, 2017
16
77
35
danie said:
I wish you much luck with your first year. Even though that was over 30 years ago for me, I can remember that first year with such detail. I guess you've searched the Internet for lesson plans? Probably not much out there for a paranormal studies class? I live in rural Kentucky, and the parents around here would probably withdraw their kids from school if they saw that class title! They'd think I was trying to make them worship the devil. I had enough trouble trying to teach (gasp) evolution.
Click to expand...
I know there are a few parents here who think the same thing, so I'm hoping their kids were smart enough to choose a different elective. I plan to warn them on the first day that I'm not there to change their religious beliefs, but we need to be able to discuss the beliefs of other cultures and why they have/had those beliefs. I have searched for lesson plans but it's such an original class that there isn't a precedent for it. I'll be using the "Lore" podcast quite a bit, I think. I haven't decided which books we'll read as examples of paranormal literature, but there's plenty out there to choose from!
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT, no bounce no play and mal
K

Kyle L

Member
Aug 22, 2017
16
77
35
mal said:
Hi Kyle L and Welcome! Sounds like fun. I have no clue but here is my two cents worth. Make distinctions between local legends versus global phenomenon. Religion related versus pagan. Comparative differences and similarities between documented folklore and Harry Potter (or fictional literature in general). Planetary/universal considerations from worshipping the sun to possible alien visitations. Possibly a field trip to a certain storied location where you could go out the day before and place significant signs or objects and see if the students make the connections (of course tell them what you did afterwards unless you want to breed more folklore and legends). Hold a séance or grab a Ouija and try and document paranormal forces answering the questions asked versus groupthink. End with a human sacrifice to Baphomet and Bob's your uncle! (Don't really do that last one though). Have fun with it, good luck, and be sure to report back if inclined!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestions, Mal! I had similar thoughts on the local legends versus global phenomenon and working in how folklore has evolved to be used in pop culture today. Maine is also home to the International Cryptozoology Museum (although it's 3 hours away), so that could be a good field trip.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT, no bounce no play and mal
Moderator

Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
Jul 10, 2006
52,243
157,324
Maine
Kyle L said:
Hi! I'm new to the forum, but I'm a long-time Stephen King fan. I'm a middle school Social Studies teacher in Millinocket, ME and this year the school is offering an elective course called Paranormal Studies. As a lover of all things paranormal, I'm ecstatic to be teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th graders about folklore, legends, and monsters every day, especially since we're only about an hour from the home of the most famous Mainer in history. I know he's very busy, but is there any way he could visit my classroom or I could bring my students to meet him somewhere in the Bangor area? This is the first time this class is being offered and I want to make sure that they'll want to offer it to students again next year. Any time between September and next June would be perfectly fine!

And since everyone here is a fan of horror and paranormal, I thought this might be a good opportunity to ask if anyone has any ideas for class lessons. I know a few things I'd like to do, but since this is a brand new class I have a lot of freedom in what I can teach (as long as it's appropriate for the age group!).
Click to expand...
I've sent you a private message--check your Inbox. :smile2:
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT, mal, no bounce no play and 3 others
GNTLGNT

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
...something I think would be fun-since there is such a proliferation of shows about the paranormal-assign the kids certain shows and have them rate what they find believable and what comes across as so much BS....and welcome, I'm not a teacher-but my Mom taught 4th grade for over two decades.....
 
  • Like
Reactions: no bounce no play and Kyle L
K

Kyle L

Member
Aug 22, 2017
16
77
35
GNTLGNT said:
...something I think would be fun-since there is such a proliferation of shows about the paranormal-assign the kids certain shows and have them rate what they find believable and what comes across as so much BS....and welcome, I'm not a teacher-but my Mom taught 4th grade for over two decades.....
Click to expand...
I love that idea. The class periods are 70 minutes each, so I could easily show an episode in class and have them take notes. It'll be a lesson in critical thinking!
 
  • Like
Reactions: no bounce no play and GNTLGNT
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom