In the novel, Charlie undergoes a series of tests to assess his intelligence and establish a baseline before his surgery. Introduce your students to the Rorschach ink blot test with samples from books or the Internet. Students will follow up by creating their own ink blot tests with paper and black pens and markers. Collect the ink blots and show each to the class, asking students to write down their impressions for each. Discuss the results and what kinds of things the results might reveal about a person.
At one point in the novel, Charlie must compete against a mouse named Algernon in a maze contest. Pair students and ask them to sketch a maze. Allow them class time to build their mazes using cardboard, glue and other materials. In a high school setting, make this an interdisciplinary project by teaming your students with students in a woodworking class. The woodworking students can help your students refine their sketches and build their mazes.
Charlie tells his story through his "progris riports," which constitute a journal of his throughts, feelings and activities. Help students set up a notebook to use for their work with the novel, and ask them to write each entry as a progress report. Responses to the reading, vocabulary work and notes about class activities can be kept in the notebook. Using the label "progress report" will help students connect to the novel.
Assign progress reports beyond reading responses and notes. Charlie takes a lot of tests, and your gifted students will identify with that. Ask them to write a progress report about a time they were challenged by a test. Encourage them to write about feelings of anxiety they may have had or how they felt while taking the test. In another writing activity, let students practice editing skills by revising one or more of Charlie's "progris reports." Finally, ask students whether they think it's a good idea to make everyone smart. Instruct them to defend their positions.
Team up with your technology, library and media staffers to guide students through a research project that culminates in a PowerPoint presentation to the class. Divide students into groups and assign each group one type of intelligence: mathematical/logical, linguistic, kinesthetic, spatial/visual, interpersonal, intrapersonal or musical/rhythmic.
The PowerPoint presentation should address the characteristics of each type of intelligence and identify jobs in which people who posses each type would excel. Students should also find three famous people who possess the assigned intelligence type and identify the characteristics that reveal the famous person's intelligence type
Introduce your students to persuasive advertising techniques including using testimonials and famous people, bandwagon, loaded language and catchy slogans. Divide students into teams and have them create an advertisement that promotes a surgery that improves intelligence. Students should create a story board for their ad that details each scene and write a script for the advertising spot.
Team up with your media or audiovisual staff to help each group video their ad. Watch the ads in class and discuss the persuasive power of each one.