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Late Adolescence Approaches to Feasts

Learning experiences should enable students to attain a high level of competence in the use of language for a range of complex and relatively sophisticated purposes.
Students should have the opportunity to show initiative, creativity and problem-solving skills.


Francis Bacon, (1561-1626) politician, lawyer, historian, essayist, philosopher and scientist wrote:
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read but not curiously (thoroughly); and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.


Use the quote from Francis Bacon as the basis of a class discussion, debate or analytical essay to stimulate student thinking about how they approach their reading.

Students could allocate books into Bacon's three categories providing justification for their decisions. Alternatively, they could concentrate on one category, for example debating which contemporary novels deserve to be chewed and digested. Which books will still be read in 50-100 years? Which books are ephemeral?

Students could look at the CBC Short List for 2002 and nominate books to be tasted, swallowed or chewed and digested keeping in mind the intended audience for each award category.


To select books to read, direct students to:
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