This past Sunday, February 12th, students in Project Vine had the opportunity to see the play version of the novel that the Junior class read during the second term,
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon. The story is narrated from the point of view of a 15-year old boy on the autism spectrum, trying to solve the mystery of who murdered his neighbor’s dog.
Students were asked to create their choice of authentic writing about the book, such as arguing for its inclusion in more classrooms, discussing how realistic a portrayal of people with autism it is, and proposing a field trip to see the play version. The following are excerpts from some of the student writing done related to this project:
“An example of how the book accurately portrays autism is how Christopher deals with emotion. A common stereotype that people have built around autism is that autistic people don’t have emotions or that they are “robots.” However, autism specialist Dr. Cheri Florance’s research shows that they do have emotion, but they don’t always know how to express it very well. In the book, Christopher loves his father but he has different ways of showing his affection to his father. Instead of hugging each other or saying “I love you,” he and his dad hold out their hands and spread their fingers out like a fan. This is Christopher’s way of telling his dad that he cares about him, and his dad’s way of expressing his love to him without upsetting Christopher because he does not like to be touched.” –From Nicole Arruda’s “Portrayal of Autism in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime”
“This read was helpful to our English class because you need to realize not everyone thinks the same, and not everyone learns the same, or looks at something the same. Haddon perfectly shows how autism affects your day to day life, and portrays somebody with autism in a thoughtful way.” –From Annie Bettencourt’s “Curious Incident Should Be Read in More English Classes”
“Field trips are very important: when the dust has settled of a very quick high school career, the experiences that mean something are the ones that leave an impression. The best way to retain information is through first-hand experience, and what better way than a live play! Theater is a great education tool. It keeps students’ attention and often deals with real life situations.” –From Walter Greene’s “Curious Incident Field Trip Proposal”
The trip itself was a wonderful opportunity to explore Providence (in the snow), see an awe-inspiring theater (the Providence Performing Arts Center) and witness an amazing stage-adaptation, with some of the most riveting set design, amazing ensemble acting and moments designed to leave the audience feeling the main character’s mindset and seeing his world a little clearer. Project Vine would like to thank Mr. McGrath for joining us, as well. Bravo!
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon. The story is narrated from the point of view of a 15-year old boy on the autism spectrum, trying to solve the mystery of who murdered his neighbor’s dog.
Students were asked to create their choice of authentic writing about the book, such as arguing for its inclusion in more classrooms, discussing how realistic a portrayal of people with autism it is, and proposing a field trip to see the play version. The following are excerpts from some of the student writing done related to this project:
“An example of how the book accurately portrays autism is how Christopher deals with emotion. A common stereotype that people have built around autism is that autistic people don’t have emotions or that they are “robots.” However, autism specialist Dr. Cheri Florance’s research shows that they do have emotion, but they don’t always know how to express it very well. In the book, Christopher loves his father but he has different ways of showing his affection to his father. Instead of hugging each other or saying “I love you,” he and his dad hold out their hands and spread their fingers out like a fan. This is Christopher’s way of telling his dad that he cares about him, and his dad’s way of expressing his love to him without upsetting Christopher because he does not like to be touched.” –From Nicole Arruda’s “Portrayal of Autism in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime”
“This read was helpful to our English class because you need to realize not everyone thinks the same, and not everyone learns the same, or looks at something the same. Haddon perfectly shows how autism affects your day to day life, and portrays somebody with autism in a thoughtful way.” –From Annie Bettencourt’s “Curious Incident Should Be Read in More English Classes”
“Field trips are very important: when the dust has settled of a very quick high school career, the experiences that mean something are the ones that leave an impression. The best way to retain information is through first-hand experience, and what better way than a live play! Theater is a great education tool. It keeps students’ attention and often deals with real life situations.” –From Walter Greene’s “Curious Incident Field Trip Proposal”
The trip itself was a wonderful opportunity to explore Providence (in the snow), see an awe-inspiring theater (the Providence Performing Arts Center) and witness an amazing stage-adaptation, with some of the most riveting set design, amazing ensemble acting and moments designed to leave the audience feeling the main character’s mindset and seeing his world a little clearer. Project Vine would like to thank Mr. McGrath for joining us, as well. Bravo!