Education Technology


NCTE: When an Author "Drops the Ball"

Activity Overview

Students will share the titles of literary works they have read and/or films they have seen that had, in their opinions, disappointing endings. Instructors will further engage titles that seem to be popular choices among students.

Before the Activity

See the attached Activity PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity.

Print the appropriate pages from the Activity for your class.

Install the NoteFolio™ App on the students' graphing calculators following the attached instructions.

Students should have their devices and keyboards ready for typing. Prepare an overhead transparency of the vocabulary words at the end of this activity.

During the Activity

  • Distribute the appropriate pages from the Activity to your class
  • Distribute the NoteFolio file(s) to your class using TI Connect™ and the appropriate TI Connectivity cable
  • Follow the procedures outlined in the Activity


  • Students will:
  • Read and view texts and performances from a wide range of authors, subjects, and genres.
  • Identify significant literary elements (including metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme, meter, irony, climax) and use those elements to interpret the work.
  • Evaluate literary merit based on an understanding of the genre and the literary elements.
  • Read and view texts and performances from a wide range of authors, subjects, and genres.
  • Identify significant literary elements (including metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme, meter, irony, climax) and use those elements to interpret the work.
  • Evaluate literary merit based on an understanding of the genre and the literary elements.
  • After the Activity

    Prepare the students for the next activity by telling them to think about how they would change the endings of the literary or film titles that they named in class.