The Flâneur's Turtle

Below are suggested readings and sample assignments for using The Flaneur’s Turtle in your courses, though feel free to use any post on the Turtle in your classes. You can also share any assignments you’ve developed using the Turtle in the comments section on this page. Check back, as this page will updated with more suggestions and assignments.

Updated: 11-22-13

Suggested Readings (by Topic)

Education/Teaching
“Did You Have a Good Day at School?” by Tricia Lunt
“How to Use Mr. Rogers in a College Classroom” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
“In Defense of Group Work” by Paul Gaszak
“My Student Inspires Me” by Jenny Jocks Stelzer
“Learning Curve” by Tricia Lunt
“Lost in Translation” by James Baltrum
“A Question About Squirrels (or ‘Learn to Learn from Each Other’) by Paul Gaszak
“What I Know About Not Knowing Much” by Paul Gaszak

Historical Perspectives
“Don’t Forget Mr. Winston Churchill” by Peter Stern
“I Can’t Let Hitler Win” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
“Imperial Football” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
“Lunch with a Myth” by Paul Gaszak
“Stories Strangely Untold (through film)” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
“You Can’t Escape It (History that is)” by Michael Stelzer Jocks

Holidays
New Years: “Let the Resolutions Begin” by Paul Gaszak
Valentine’s Day: “Chasing Natalie” by Paul Gaszak
President’s Day: “Parenting on President’s Day” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
Easter: “Easter Treats” by Paul Gaszak
Memorial Day: “The Day after Memorial Day” by Michael Stelzer Jocks; “This Medal Should be Yours” by Paul Gaszak
Bastille Day: “Belated Bastille Day” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
Halloween: “Halloween Treats” by Paul Gaszak
Veteran’s Day: “A Date to Remember” by Michael Stelzer Jocks

Humor
“Bold NFL Predictions” by Paul Gaszak
“Brew that Routine” by Paul Gaszak
“Easter Treats” by Paul Gaszak
“Fresh Nuggets O’ Learnin'” by Paul Gaszak
“Halloween Treats” by Paul Gaszak
“Stay Back from the Edge” by Paul Gaszak
“A Question About Squirrels (or ‘Learn to Learn from Each Other’)” by Paul Gaszak

Memoir
“How I Met My First Canine Love” by Jennifer Muryn
“Mother Nature Loves a Paradox” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
“The Story of Prairie Jane” by Jane Wendorff-Craps
“To Do List” by James Baltrum
“Why I Won’t Board the Train to Fantasyland” by Paul Gaszak

Nature
“Shoreline Muse” by Tricia Lunt
“Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick, Tick, Tick….” by David Pyle
“Stay Back from the Edge” by Paul Gaszak

Social Commentary
“Baggy Pants: A Democratic Outrage” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
“Bards in Front, Shrews in Back.” by Jenny Jocks Stelzer
“Outrageous Outrage” by Michael Stelzer Jocks

Technology
“Cellphones, Texting, Books, and Other Signs of the End of Mankind” by Michael Stelzer Jocks
“Progress is Stuck in Traffic” by Paul Gaszak
“The Technology Trap” by Tricia Lunt

Sample Assignments

Compare/Contrast

Read “My Coffee Evolution” by Michael Stelzer Jocks and “Brew that Routine” by Paul Gaszak

• Prompt: Both authors are discussing the topic of “coffee.” Compare/contrast the two pieces. In what ways are the authors using the same topic to look at different aspects of society and themselves?

Narrative

Read “Dollywood or Bust!” by Tricia Lunt.

• Prompt: Write about a vacation experience of your own. Where did you go? Why did you go there? Did the destination live up to expectations or not? How did the destination differ from where you live?

Read “How Old Were You on 9/11?” by Paul Gaszak.

• Prompt: Select a famous day in history that you were alive during and can remember. Describe where you were and what you were doing on that day. How did the events of that day impact you and your personal world?

Argument/Persuasion

Read “All Stories are Love Stories?” by Paul Gaszak.

• Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with the author’s final assertion that all stories are love stories? Why or why not?