UNIT PLAN -
by C. Frost
“No Man Is An
Island”
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Prefatory Statement:
This four-week unit has been designed at the request of the cooperating teacher at Denfeld High School to satisfy the requirements for my student teaching assignment. I will be teaching Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
The Unit will be taught to two 10th grade classes. The major theme of
this unit will be that human beings can only “survival” in cohesive, cooperating groups. They will explore the meaning of survival as Golding has designed in his novel – democracy vs. anarchy, civility vs. barbarism. Keeping with the theme, students will do this unit in assigned small groups in order to experience how individual cooperation benefits the communal group. These groups will work together for the four weeks; they are intended to be motivational. Each student is expected to help the others in their group by keeping discussions on task, finishing reading assignments, working with the literary vocabulary, and mentoring writing assignments. In these small groups, students will discuss their reading of the novel. They will look for religious, political, social, and moral allegory. They will identify literary elements of the novel. And they will look at author’s intent based on his life and background. The Minnesota Grad Standard addressed in this unit is: Student demonstrates the ability to interpret and evaluate complex literature. The sub-category of that standard will be a major component: describing how particular effects are produced by the artist’s use of elements of literature; and communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary of literature. Students will use language as expression, with particular emphasis on literary terminology, to analyze and interpret this novel. This will be accomplished by introducing the students to elements of literature and by modeling analysis and interpretation. Reader Response methodology is appropriate for 10th grade. Vocabulary lists will be provided for each chapter to assist in reading. Learning Area Three: Literature and The Arts is the
graduation standard being addressed. The sub-categories of that standard that will be the major components : describing how particular effects are produced by the artist’s use of elements of literature; and, communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary of literature.
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Class
Specification:
This unit is designed for 10th grade students. It bridges socio-economic class as well as other diversity issues. Most students at this grade level have the cognizant ability to understand literary concepts like theme, allegory, and
symbolism. And the reader-response critical approach is the method most of them have used.
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Assumptions:
This is a novel that suits the sophistication level of sophomores and is a good
springboard into more profound literature. It is easy to identify with the characters of the novel who are all young. It is a good vehicle for exploring allegory, symbolism and theme. These sophomores are prompted to think about barbarism vs. the civilizing influence of reason. As a generality, my experience with this age group is that they have the cognizant ability to explore themes. My expectation is that they will not all be familiar with Reader Response methodology and that this will need to be modeled in the classroom. These students have two more years of high school before going into the community as productive, young adults. The theme in this particular novel helps them reflect on the characteristics of being a civilized, participating individual in society
ª Desired Outcomes
By the end of the unit, students will have learned to:
· Identify allegory in the novel
· Find symbolism in the novel
· Write convincing essays on character analysis/theme
· Work cohesively in their literary group
· Relate their own values to events in the novel
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Grad Standard: (9-12)
Learning Area
Three: Literature and The Arts
Literature and arts analysis and interpretation
A student shall demonstrate the ability to interpret and evaluate complex works of music, dance, theater, visual arts, literature, or media arts by:
A. describing the elements and structure of the art form; the artistic intent; and the historical, cultural, and social background of the selected art works;
B.
applying
specific critical criteria to interpret and analyze the selected art works;
C. describing how particular effects are produced by the artist’s use of the elements of the art form; and
D. communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary of the art form.
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Small-Group
Activities:
Clans collaborate frequently to complete worksheets, mentor on writing essays, study for tests.
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Large-Group
Activities:
Discussions in large group will usually follow small-group discussions and entail analyzing author’s intent, discussing symbolism, interpreting theme, and reporting clan progress
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Student
Resources:
“Lord of the Flies” literature, clan folders, worksheets, vocabulary lists
art supplies
Week One:
Monday - (Set Induction)
First 10 min. of the film, Lord of the Flies will be shown to stimulate student
interest. Then students will work in small groups. They will be given a worksheet called “Abandoned” which is a scenario of being on a plane that has been hijacked. An ensuing battle leaves the cockpit crew dead and the plane ditches in the Pacific near an island. They are given a brief description of the island. Then they will work in groups to try to answer questions on survival, personality clashes, the purpose of cohesive work, and the meaning of civilization. The small groups will reconvene in a large group and talk about their ideas.
(assignment - write a paper on the strengths and weaknesses they would personally bring to the desert island)
Lesson
Plan for Mon. Week One:
Monday
- (Set Induction)
Anticipatory Set: This lesson plan is designed to be a “hook” to spur interest in
the
literature to be studied.
Lesson Topic: lead-in to “Lord of the Flies” - William Golding
2. Goals and Objectives
Instructional Goals:
This
instruction is meant to capture students’ interest in reading the novel. It is designed
to
instill “habit” of constructive discussions and “habit” of working cohesively in
groups.
Objectives:
Cognitive:
(a)
Through
collaborative discussion, students will define the meaning of
“civilization.”
They will explore how working as a group might be
instrumental in survival.
(b) Students will expand on the
meaning of “civilization” by vocalizing what attributes
they have as individuals that mark them
as civilized.
Psychomotor:
(a)
Students
will vocalize their group’s interpretation of civilization to the class.
(b) Students will arrive at a
consensus regarding the significance of “civilization” to society as a whole.
3. Rationale
(a)
Young
students need to be eased into profound concepts like innate barbarism and the
civilizing influence of reason.
(b) These sophomores don’t
easily launch into reading of novels; I use a medium they like,
movie version of the novel, to prompt
interest.
(c) It’s necessary to start the unit with the
behaviors I want to become habits:
reading/writing groups, small group
discussions, and work handed in on time.
4. Procedures (40 min.)
Activity
1 (beginning of film, Lord of the Flies) (10 min.)
The
class will watch the first 10 minutes of the film as a large group.
Activity
2 (worksheet) (15 min.)
The
class will be placed in small groups of about seven students and work together
on
a worksheet which will be provided.
Activity
3 (discussion) (15 min.)
Small
groups will reconvene into large group and discuss ideas brought up in the
small
groups
regarding the worksheet. (see attached)
Materials and Equipment
needed
·
.
film: Lord of the Flies
·
.
worksheet - “Abandoned”
6. Assessment, Reflection, and Revision
The
assessment for this set induction is
based solely on motivating students to
read
and explore survival tactics. The set
induction is a success if they are creative
in
their response to the worksheet, “Abandoned.”
Assignment: write a paper on the strengths and weaknesses they
would personally
bring
to the desert island -- the purpose of
this paper is to determine their writing ability so individuals can be placed in
peer writing groups that will enhance writing ability.
Abandoned
You and your classmates are going to Florida at spring-break time. The plane is hijacked. Without allowing the pilot to radio for instructions, the hijackers direct the plane to Australia. At the first refueling stop, the hijackers release everyone over thirty which leaves only you and your friends. During the flight over the Pacific, the crew attempts to subdue the hijackers. In the ensuing battle, all are killed but the pilot, who has been mortally wounded, and the passengers who were on the floor of the plane during the gunfight. Holding the plane on course as long as he can, the pilot crashes just off the shore of an island. When the plane cracks open on a coral reef, you and your friends successfully swim to shore. As all of you stand ashore watching the plane sink, you realize that no one knows where you are, that you have nothing with you, and that you might be on the island for quite some time, perhaps forever. The climate is tropical; the island is covered with fruit trees and is apparently uninhabited except by the twelve of you.
Answer the following questions based on this simulation:
1. List the things in your present life that you will miss the most.
2. Try to decide whether the possession of some of these things would mark
you as a civilized person.
3. What are some of the long-range plans that you would have to implement
to create a new life for yourself on the island?
4. How would your group handle the inevitable personality clashes that
would occur?
5. What would be the biggest problem you would face?
6. In a short statement, try to define the term civilized.
Tues.
Papers will be handed back. Small groups (clans) will be determined by and the classroom teacher based on those papers and class dynamics. Groups will be designed to have at least one strong writer and a couple middling writers and one challenged writer. Students will work in these groups for the duration of the unit. With the help of a student, I will role model “destructive criticism” vs. “constructive criticism.” After that, we all come up with salient attributes outlined on the board for “constructive criticism,” and someone from each clan takes notes and includes the list in their permanent group folder. They will be given an essay I’ve written for analysis, and their groups will be asked to correct and improve upon the writing. (no assignment)
Lesson Plan for Tues.
Week One:
Lesson Topic: creation of reading groups - “Lord of the Flies” - William Golding
2. Goals and Objectives
Instructional Goals:
This
instruction is meant to bring small groups together in constructive units that
will
enable
their learning in methods of interpreting literature, in strengthening writing
ability,
and in developing skills for working in
cooperative social units that develop good habits for learning in this class
and in other classes.
Objectives:
Cognitive:
(a)
Through
cooperative group action students will use “constructive criticism” to
correct an essay.
Affective:
(a)
Students
will willingly cooperate with others in their “clan” to illustrate the concept
of
“constructive criticism” in correcting an essay.
Psychomotor:
(a)
Students
will vocalize their group’s “constructive criticism” of the essay they are
analyzing.
3. Rationale
(a)
Young
students need to be introduced to the concept of “constructive criticism”
through role modeling and practice.
(b) These sophomores can benefit
from peer support in reader response to literature.
(c)
Students can also benefit from peer support
in writing essays.
4. Procedures (40 min.)
Activity
1 (5 min.) Hand back papers and allow students time to read comments
Activity
2 (5 min.) Based on assessment of
writing ability from the papers, assign students to “clans” with whom they will
work for the entirety of the unit.
These clans will be designed to have at least one strong writer and a
couple middling writers and one or two challenged writers. Each clan will be given a folder that holds their
work and doesn’t leave the classroom.
Activity
3 (20 min.) Students will use their
existing writing skills and work in their clan to improve a poorly written
paper. The object is to practice
“constructive criticism.”
.Activity
4 (discussion) (10 min.)
Small
groups will reconvene into large group and analyze the paper on an overhead. We
will
discuss their ideas and how they demonstrated “constructive criticism.”
Materials and Equipment
needed
·
.poorly
written essay
6. Assessment, Reflection,
and Revision
Reflection
on “constructive criticism” is the basis for this lesson plan.
(no
assignment)
Correct and improve this essay:
And my cat is called Oreo and she is a female and doesn’t like the cold and si a good huntress. We watch tv an night whn I need to hang out when its’ been a long, day.
And a commercial came on for cat food I like to by. It was good.
cute kittens dancin to music and singing meow-yum, meow-yum. And
it was good. laughed out loud.
During same Oreo hissed. She arched his back and is angry.
Arched back screamed.
Guess what. She started talking. said the comercial was stupid!
said dogs need to eat that stuff! She told me never to by it again.
I always thot she liked that stuff.
Guess what? She didn’t talk again after that. I stopped buying
that brand & no what else? I don’t like her attitute and her hissing and now I have a limit on her television time.
Wed.
Students will be given their books - Lord of the Flies and we will read the first chapter together as a large group. Students will be provided with a
vocabulary list for Chap. 1.
(assignment - read Chap. 2)
Chap. 1
Clamber - to climb awkwardly (over rocks, high grass, etc.)
lagoon - shallow pond
vainly - with pride; or, with futility
quiver - tremble
decorous - beauty and good taste
interpose - to put (oneself) between
strident - harsh noise
scupper - an opening through which water pours
speculate - to wonder about
clamor - loud noise
pallor - pale (without much color)
indignation - anger brought about by something unfair
jumble - confused and disordered
grating - irritation; or, harsh voice
devour - consume
Thursday
Students will be shown an artist’s rendition of the island
in Lord of the Flies;
this will be passed around then displayed in the classroom for the duration
of the unit. There will be a mini-lesson on literary elements of the novel. We will have a brief large group discussion on whether we see any of these elements unfolding in the first two chapters of the novel. As we discuss these elements in class, someone from each group will take notes and include in the group folders. A picture of the island can be found at: http://gerenser.com
(assignment - read Chap. 3)
The Novel
Literary Terms
plot: A plot is the “story.” It is the sequence of events that unfold for the
reader.
fiction: The literature read is “invented” by the author.
non-fiction: Written literature based on “fact” and not “invented” by the
author.
narrative: The “speaking” of a story that one person tells another.
stream of consciousness: The thoughts and feelings going on in the mind.
point of view: Events in a story that are presented from one character’s
point of view.
characters: The individuals actively participating in the “story.”
setting: The place/places the story takes place.
theme: The main idea/ideas that develop from literature’s interpretation.
tone: The mood or atmosphere of the “story.”
irony - perceived themes or circumstances in literature that differ from
reality
allegory - a literary term for the continuous parallel between two (or more)
levels of meaning in a story, so that its persons and events
correspond to their equivalents in a system of ideas or a chain of
events external to the story itself.
Friday
Students will break into clans at beginning of class. They will be given a few minutes to come up with a name for their “clan” and decorate the front of their folders. Each group will explain to the class how they came up with the name. Each group will be given a “Lord of the Flies Crossword Puzzle” to keep in their folder and begin working on. The rest of the hour they will work in their groups answering worksheet questions (chap 1 - 3) Hand in worksheets and folders.
(assignment - write an essay on what character in the novel they identify with and why - due Monday - incorporate literary devices we discussed)
Chap. 2
warp - a twist or curve out of something that was originally straight
conch - a large shell fish (mussel) from the ocean
scornfully - with dislike and disrespect
officious - volunteering out of a feeling of duty
indignant - angry
tumult - disorderly crowd loud and in confusion
irresistible - impossible to resist
nimble - quick, light movement
Chap. 3
festoon shape like a chain
tendril - something that curls (ringlet of hair is an example)
oppressive - depressing and burdensome to a person
inscrutable - mysterious; not easily understood
barb - sharp object that bends back on itself (fish hook)
bewilder - cause confusion
flaunt - show off
furtive - action done quietly, in secret
glimmer - indirect shining; also, a vague idea
Lord of The Flies
Chapter 1 - 3
1. Describe the setting of the story.
2. What events led to the boys’ arrival on the island?
3. Considering what you presently know about Ralph, Jack, and Piggy,
what characteristics do you have that are similar to one or all of these