IRVINGTON, N.Y. -- Seventh-graders in Kelly Kozak’s English language arts class at Irvington Middle School began the school year by exploring the concept of personal identity.
The students worked to define the term and explore the factors that impact or influence the development of one’s identity. Middle School Assistant Principal Allyson Daley said the students were asked to think about which parts of an individual’s identity remain the same throughout their life and which change due to outside influences.
Inspired by the work of artist Michael Albert, students used recyclable cartons and boxes to find letters and words that completed two statements: “Today, I am _____, “and “Tomorrow, I want to be_______.” The grammatical focus was on adjectives.
This exercise, which promoted students to consider why one’s thoughts and ideas matter, was the first of several “essential questions” they will be asked throughout the year in their English classes.
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