The Ballad of the Sad Café

Students view the film "Nell" and analyze it for presentation of language pathologies and dialects. They consider the definition of dialect, research phonetic representation of dialects and observe their own communities for speech patterns.

Students watch and analyze a film of an Appalachian folktale. They define trickster and anti-hero, view and discuss the film, complete a handout, compose an original film review, and debate each character's behavior.

Students read Sharyn McCrumb's and Maggie Greenwald's versions of "Songcatcher" and use them as a springboard to explore the heritage and traditions of Appalachian folk music. They review Internet sources, conduct research and write...