Jacqueline Gustafson
Huckleberry Finn : Unit Plan
Prefatory Statement
The story of a young boy, Huckleberry Finn, and his companion,
Jim-an escaped slave on the run, chronicles the journey they take
down the Mississippi River on a plight for freedom. Heralded
as an American classic by many, and yet condemned for its graphic
content and use of language, Huckleberry Finn has been banned
in some schools. The creative ways that Mark Twain handles the
themes and undercurrents throughout this novel make it must read
for all-young and old. Presented in the classroom setting, the
text allows the readers to delve into deeper meanings of the issues
presented-maturity, friendship, legality vs. morality, racism,
freedom, isolation, etc.-irregardless of Twain's actual intentions
and purposes for writing the text. In a controlled setting such
as the classroom, I see no reason why there should be any objections
to the use of this text, and I would encourage parents, along
with students, to read the book if they are not familiar with
it.
The unit surrounding Huckleberry Finn will be taught using a
variety of different methods. Students will be required to read
the text both in and outside of class time, both silently and
out loud. Activities for the unit will be varied, consisting
of such things as discussions, debates, presentations, journaling,
essays, character sketches, the reading and writing of critiques
and much more.
The students will benefit from this unit in many ways. To begin
with, they will be reading a classic American piece of literature
that is universally known. There have been over 1,000 different
editions published since the novel first appeared, and the translations
of this text are more than one hundred (Bruce 11), making this
one of the cornerstones of the English/Language Arts classroom.
Through the reading of this text, the students will come to understand
and be able to critically analyze this text, as well as be able
to apply this understanding and knowledge to other texts. Another
way that the students will benefit from this unit is that they
will learn to, and further advance their abilities, in the area
of considering the critical issues being played out throughout
the text. Through this unit, the students will also gain knowledge
in the area of dialects. Learning about different dialects will
benefit the students by being able to see their own dialect, as
well as others, and realize the deviations that these make from
Standard English. Not only will students understand the issues
presented within the text, but they will understand the controversy
surrounding the use of this text in schools of past and present,
and then formulate their own opinions regarding the censorship
of this American classic.
Class Specification
This unit is designed for use in an eleventh grade classroom in northern Minnesota. For the basis of this unit, it is assumed that students have some prior knowledge of the antebellum South, but this knowledge is limited due to location of the teaching. The main text used in the class deals with mature issues that eleventh graders can be able to handle with the guidance of a teacher as a necessity. Throughout the duration of the unit, activities can be modified to fit the needs of particular classes using teacher discretion. I feel that this text can be used and dealt with effectively for all students at this age level, regardless of their academic status (i.e. honors/advanced, regular, remedial and/or special education). For the purpose of this unit, it is assumed that students are used to having homework assigned to them outside of class time on a regular basis.
Desired Outcomes/Standards/Objectives to be Met
Students will be able to demonstrate some of the standard specifications under the Minnesota State High School Standard of Literature and Arts Analysis and Interpretation-Literature. After completion of the assessment tasks, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to interpret and evaluate complex works of literature by:
a.) describing the elements and structure of literature; the
artistic intent; and the historical, cultural and social background
of the selected literature;
b.) applying specific critical criteria to interpret and analyze
the selected literature;
c.) describing how particular effects are produced by the artist's
use of elements of literature; and
d.) communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary
of the literature.
By the end of this unit, students will also have learned:
a.) about Standard English and deviations from this;
b.) how to comprehend one of America's most classic pieces, Huckleberry
Finn; and
c.) how to apply critical thinking skills to the text in question,
as well as to other pieces of literature and issues.
Possible Whole-Class Activities
· Reading of the text out loud by both teacher and students
· Listen to parts of the text via audio cassette
· Class discussions about the text
· Reading of related literature (critiques and/or essays
relating to historical aspect of the text)
· Viewing of the film Huckleberry Finn and/or Born to Trouble
· Discussion of the censorship of the text
· Library research
Possible Small-Group Activities
· Small group discussion about the text
· Small group presentations about particular aspects of
the text
· Peer editing of essays
· Small group presentations of critiques that they found
outside of class time or during library research time
· Small group presentations on dialect
Possible Individual Activities
· Student journals about reactions to text and questions
they are left with
· Research for essays
· Presentation of an individual segment from group presentation
· Individual project about the text or surrounding circumstances
· Character sketches
· Write a critique of the text
Ongoing Activities
· Student journals
· Random reading quizzes
· In-class reading time
· Reading of different critiques of the text
Student Resources
· Individual copy of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
· Copies of critiques written by different people
· Notebook and writing utensils
· Access to the Internet and a word processor
· Art supplies: markers, tag board, large sheets of paper,
etc.
· Library access
Organization of the Unit
This unit will be taught over the course of four weeks. By distributing the chapters in the book over the course of this unit would give you approximately two chapters of reading per day. Because this is not realistic, some days students will be assigned more reading than other days, and some days students will have no reading assigned, but will have other projects that they will need to be working on.
Week One
Chapters to be read during week one: 1-15. Students will be introduced to the text, Huckleberry Finn, in a variety of ways. The unit launch will take place on the first day and will deal with issues of dialect (see below). The following day, a discussion must be held pertaining to the use of the word "nigger." It is important to make sure not to rush this topic, since it is one of such importance (this is one of the reasons parents object to the use of this text, so be thorough in your discussion). Discussion should include connotation and denotation of the word, appropriate usage, etc. The remainder of the week will be used to have discussions about the text in small groups and as a whole. Students should be given a mini-lesson about taking notes and asking questions of the text as they go about their reading. This will assist them in the writing of their essay (to be introduced during week two). During each week, students will have signed up as a pair or group of three to present a critique of the text that they have found through research.
Unit Launch/ Set Induction (Week One/Day One)
Rationale:
This lesson is essential for students prior to reading Huckleberry
Finn because it gives them an opportunity to understand difficult
dialects in a safe and fun environment. One of the toughest parts
when beginning to read this text is the dialects used among the
characters, and by having students research this, create and present
skits using different dialects eases them into being able to understand
what is actually being said. I believe that using this activity
will help students go about understanding and getting past the
difficult language used in this text in a much smoother fashion.
It will allow them to be more open minded about it and will prevent
them from getting frustrated and giving up.
Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, the students will have learned:
· about many different dialects and how these dialects
differ from Standard English
· How to incorporate their understanding of a chosen dialect
into the reading of Huckleberry Finn
Methods:
· Introduce the day's activities (by now, it is assumed
that the students already know that they will be reading Huckleberry
Finn)--(1 minute).
· Give task directions (4 minutes).
· Split students into groups (1 minute).
· Go to computers and get to the website http://www.slanguage.com/
(2 minutes).
· Pick a city and research (5 minutes). To save time,
the teacher can pre-select certain cities, print the pages off
and just pass them out. This may be the better route to take
because students can get so distracted on the Internet, or may
just spend a lot of time trying to pick out a city.
· Work as a group to create a short skit depicting the
"slanguage" chosen (5 minutes).
· Presentation of skits (15 minutes).
· Discuss Standard English and how these dialects relate
(5 minutes).
· Conclusion, final questions (Any remaining time-all the
time is not tied up in this lesson to allow for questions or things
not running smoothly, longer skits, etc).
Assessment:
I will know if the students have learned about dialects (the reading and understanding of) through observing the presentations of "slanguage" skits, questions asked throughout the lesson, and once we begin reading the text.
Homework:
Read the teacher supplied copy of chapters 1-3 (which have the word "nigger" removed from each-this is because we have not had the opportunity to address this issue yet, but the students need a chance to experience the dialects used in the text, and also need to begin reading right away). Begin taking notes on the reading.
Week Two
Chapters to be read for week two: 16- 30. Throughout this week, students will be reading from the text both silently and out loud, as well as listening to an audiocassette of it. The bulk of the reading will take place outside of class, while class time will mainly be spent discussing the major themes and conflicts of the story. This week, the assessment task "Analysis of a Literary Work" will be introduced and students will be given time to work on this in class. Each day of this week, a mini-lesson will be presented about the specific parts of the written presentation that will be turned in at the end of the unit. Group presentations of literary critique.
Lesson Plan: Analysis of a Literary Work Assignment Assessment Task, Week Two
Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is not only to meet the Minnesota State High School Standard for Literature and Arts Analysis and Interpretation-Literature, but to help students gain insight into the text, develop their skills as thinkers and writers, and to help them learn to formulate their thoughts and ideas into clear format.
Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will have learned:
· what is expected from them for this particular assignment
Standards:
Students will be able to demonstrate some of the standard specifications under the Minnesota State High School Standard of Literature and Arts Analysis and Interpretation-Literature. After completion of the assessment tasks, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to interpret and evaluate complex works of literature by:
a.) describing the elements and structure of literature; the
artistic intent; and the historical, cultural and social background
of the selected literature;
b.) applying specific critical criteria to interpret and analyze
the selected literature;
c.) describing how particular effects are produced by the artist's
use of elements of literature; and
d.) communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary
of the literature.
Methods:
· Brief overview of expectations for the class period
(2 minutes).
· Begin introducing the paper to be assigned and pass out
handouts (15 minutes).
· Question and answer session (5+ minutes-whatever is necessary
to make sure that students understand what is being asked of them).
· Work time for students to begin their papers or continue
reading and taking notes. It is strongly suggested that they
start writing ideas down about their papers and questions they
have though, since this is an opportunity for them to ask as many
questions as they have. During this time, the teacher will be
floating around the classroom, answering questions and having
mini-conferences with students about the assignment.
Assessment:
I will know that the students have met the above objectives by the questions that they ask throughout class, by observing their work time to see that they understand, and by watching out for future questions. If many students are having the same problems/questions, then I need to go over again what is in question in a clearer manner.
Homework:
Continue reading and taking notes on the text. Look over the assignment sheet and bring either comments about it to class the following day, or at least two questions that you still have about the assignment. If you to chose to take the route of commenting on the assignment, this must be ½ a page in length.
Handouts:
Task Description: Includes clear, step-by-step, instructions.
Using the text, Huckleberry Finn, which you have studied in depth,
formulate a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the work
that you may present in a written presentation. Your presentation
must include the following components: 1. Your general reaction
to, impressions of and questions about the work. 2. A plot diagram
or other analytic strategy that illustrates the structure of the
work. 3. Identification of three themes of the work. Choose one
of the themes to explore fully using references to specific details
from the work. 4. A description of the writer's use of the formal
elements of fiction. Among the elements you may consider are the
uses of symbolism, figurative language, allusion, setting, characterization,
dialogue, narrative structure and repeated elements. Provide detail
and examples from the text to support your analysis. 5. Biographical
notes about the author including specific details that shed light
on the work or raise questions about the work. 6. Notes about
the social, political, cultural events or circumstances of the
time period in which the work was written. Describe how these
factors influenced the development of the work or are reflected
in the work. 7. Summary of a critical essay on the work. Take
a position in agreement with or questioning the point of view
of the critique. Use specific references from the essay and from
the literary work to explain and support your position.
Other Guidelines for the Analysis (this sheet is to be filled out by the student and stapled to the final draft upon completion):
Task ChecklistY = YesN = No Evidence Shown
Student Type of Evidence Teacher
Analysis of a Literary Work
The analysis is a thorough examination of the literary work thatconnects
elements and structure with effect and artistic intent,connects
background and context with meaning and point of view and incorporates
vocabulary of the literary form
Interpretation of the work is consistent with the analysis
Conclusions are supported and explained with specific examples
from the work
Week Three
Chapters to be read for week three: 31- 43. Students continue to read and take notes about the text, discussions held in large and small groups, and the students spend time during class working on a portion of the Minnesota State High School Standard for Literature and Arts Analysis and Interpretation-Literature, under the assessment task of Structural Analyses: Plot diagram, Storyboard, and Analytic Essay. Group presentations of literary critique.
Lesson Plan: Structural Analyses: Plot Diagram, Storyboard and Analytic Essay, Week Three
Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is not only to meet the Minnesota State High School Standard for Literature and Arts Analysis and Interpretation-Literature, but to help students gain insight into the text, develop their skills as readers and thinkers, and to help them learn how individual elements of a text work together to create a whole, unified story line.
Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, the students will have learned:
· how to analyze narrative structure by using plot diagrams;
and
· how to develop storyboards based on narrative structure.
Standards:
Students will be able to demonstrate some of the standard specifications under the Minnesota State High School Standard of Literature and Arts Analysis and Interpretation-Literature. After completion of the assessment tasks, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to interpret and evaluate complex works of literature by:
a.) describing the elements and structure of literature; the
artistic intent; and the historical, cultural and social background
of the selected literature;
b.) describing how particular effects are produced by the artist's
use of elements of literature; and
c.) communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary
of the literature.
Methods:
· Brief overview of the day's activities and expectations
(2 minutes).
· Discuss assignment expectations and criteria, pass out
handouts (10 minutes).
· Instruct students as to how to go about analyzing narrative
structure and creating a storyboard (25 minutes).
· In-class work time (remainder of the period-whatever
happens to be left after questions are answered).
Assessment:
I will know that students have met the above objectives when all the questions have been answered and students are settled in and have begun to work on this task. Students will be given 5 school days to complete this task, and at the end of the time, I will be able to see the progress they have made and determine if they fully understand the concepts that were taught.
Homework:
Continue reading and taking notes on the text, and keep working on the narrative analysis, as well as the storyboards, which are due five school days from today.
Handouts:
Task Description: Includes clear, step-by-step, instructions.
1. Read the novel Huckleberry Finn. Analyze the narrative structure
by creating a plot diagram that graphically depicts the pattern
of events (dramatic tension and release; conflict and resolution)
in the story. 2. Next, develop a storyboard based on Huckleberry
Finn's narrative structure. The storyboard can show setting, conflicts,
and character relationships in more detail than the plot diagram.
3. In creating the storyboard, portray selected key events. Determine
what criteria you will use to select events. For example, one
way to select key events is to see plot as driven by characters;
the climax, its resolution, and the effects on the characters
become critical features in understanding theme. So one criterion
to use in the selection of key events is that of the illumination
of character.4. Finally, write an essay in which you describe
the structure of the work. You can analyze the sequence of events
and explore how they work together to support the theme and create
an effect or emotion. 5. Analyze the dramatic patterns or rhythms
of the work by examining the pace of the story. How is the reader/audience
brought into the action or situation? How is dramatic tension
or suspense created? Does tension build quickly or slowly? Where
are the turning points? How rapidly do they unfold? What is the
effect of the ending?6. Another analytic strategy you could use
would be to examine the work as a series of stages; stage
represents increased awareness, emotion, or understanding for
the characters and/or reader.
**To completely fulfill this assessment task, another work of literature must be examined and an essay comparing and contrasting the structures of each work must be written. This can be done at a later date in the semester.
Other Guidelines for the Narrative Analysis, Storyboard, and Essay (this sheet is to be filled out by the student and stapled to the final draft upon completion):
Task ChecklistY = YesN = No Evidence Shown
Student Type of Evidence Teacher
Structural Analyses: Plot diagram, Storyboard, Analytic Essay
The analyses accurately depict the functions and relationships
among the elements.
The analyses explain how particular narrative effects are achieved.
The analyses incorporate vocabulary of the literary form.
Week Four
This week will be used to hold writing workshops, peer editing conferences, student/teacher conferences, mini-lessons on any concepts or issues in the novel left unresolved, etc. Basically, this week is used to work on the written portion of the unit. Group presentations of literary critique. If time allows, show the film "Born to Trouble" or some version of "Huckleberry Finn," either in part or in it's entirety.
Supporting Materials for Teachers
· Individual copy of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
· Born to Trouble (film): available through PBS for $70.
This film answers questions pertaining to race, class, censorship
and culture, how to distinguish between a critique of a social
problem and the perpetuation of it, and relevance to toady's student
· Rented video of Huckleberry Finn
· Internet access (go to http://www.slanguage.com/)
Assessment Tasks
Name of Item:Comprehensive Analysis of a Literary Work
Learning Area:Literature and the Arts Content Standard:Literature
and Arts Analysis and Interpretation - Literature Educational
Level:High School Submission Type:Assessment Task
Standard Specification: Those parts of the standard that are
assessed in this task are bolded.
A student shall demonstrate the ability to interpret and evaluate
complex works of literature by: A) describing the elements and
structure of literature; the artistic intent; and the historical,
cultural and social background of the selected literature; B)
applying specific critical criteria to interpret and analyze the
selected literature; C) describing how particular effects are
produced by the artist's use of the elements of literature; and
D) communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary
of literature.
Large Processes and Concepts: The items from the Large Processes
and Concepts for this learning area that are addressed in this
assessment task are bolded in the right hand column.
The following bolded large processes and concepts are covered
in this assessment task.select/describeanalyzeinterpret/translateevaluate
Evidence of Learning: The following product(s) supply evidence
of student learning.
Analysis of a Literary Work
Task Summary: The following is a brief summary of this assessment
task.
Students will select a piece of literature and formulate a comprehensive
analysis and interpretation of the work.
Feedback Checklist: Items in the checklist are aligned with
the standard and describe the quality criteria for each piece
of evidence. Items indicate what is being assessed and how well
it needs to be demonstrated.
Task ChecklistY = YesN = No Evidence Shown
Student Type of Evidence Teacher
Analysis of a Literary Work
The analysis is a thorough examination of the literary work thatconnects
elements and structure with effect and artistic intent,connects
background and context with meaning and point of view and incorporates
vocabulary of the literary form
Interpretation of the work is consistent with the analysis
Conclusions are supported and explained with specific examples
from the work
Task Description: Includes clear, step-by-step, instructions.
Select a piece of literature which you have studied in depth.
Formulate a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the work
that you may present in a written or oral presentation. Your presentation
must include the following components: 1. Your general reaction
to, impressions of and questions about the work. 2. A plot diagram
or other analytic strategy that illustrates the structure of the
work. 3. Identification of three themes of the work. Choose one
of the themes to explore fully using references to specific details
from the work. 4. A description of the writer's use of the formal
elements of fiction. Among the elements you may consider are the
uses of symbolism, figurative language, allusion, setting, characterization,
dialogue, narrative structure and repeated elements. Provide detail
and examples from the text to support your analysis. 5. Biographical
notes about the author including specific details that shed light
on the work or raise questions about the work. 6. Notes about
the social, political, cultural events or circumstances of the
time period in which the work was written. Describe how these
factors influenced the development of the work or are reflected
in the work. 7. Summary of a critical essay on the work. Take
a position in agreement with or questioning the point of view
of the critique. Use specific references from the essay and from
the literary work to explain and support your position.
Name of Item:Analyze Narrative Structure
Learning Area:Literature and the Arts Content Standard:Literature
and Arts Analysis and Interpretation- literature Educational Level:High
School Submission Type:Assessment Task
Standard Specification: Those parts of the standard that are
assessed in this task are bolded.
A student shall demonstrate the ability to interpret and evaluate
complex works of literature by: E) describing the elements and
structure of literature; the artistic intent; and the historical,
cultural and social background of the selected literature; F)
applying specific critical criteria to interpret and analyze the
selected literature; G) describing how particular effects are
produced by the artist's use of the elements of literature; and
H) communicating an informed interpretation using the vocabulary
of literature.
Large Processes and Concepts: The items from the Large Processes
and Concepts for this learning area that are addressed in this
assessment task are bolded in the right hand column.
The following bolded large processes and concepts are covered
in this assessment task.select/describeanalyzeinterpret/translateevaluate
Evidence of Learning: The following product(s) supply evidence
of student learning.
Structural Analyses: Plot diagram, Storyboard, Analytic Essay
Task Summary: The following is a brief summary of this assessment
task.
Explore and describe narrative structure.
Feedback Checklist: Items in the checklist are aligned with
the standard and describe the quality criteria for each piece
of evidence. Items indicate what is being assessed and how well
it needs to be demonstrated.
Task ChecklistY = YesN = No Evidence Shown
Student Type of Evidence Teacher
Structural Analyses: Plot diagram, Storyboard, Analytic Essay
The analyses accurately depict the functions and relationships
among the elements.
The analyses explain how particular narrative effects are achieved.
The analyses incorporate vocabulary of the literary form.
Task Description: Includes clear, step-by-step, instructions.
8. Read two works of literature, one of which must be a novel
or a drama. Analyze the narrative structure of each by creating
two plot diagrams that graphically depict the pattern of events
(dramatic tension and release; conflict and resolution) in each
story. 9. Next, develop two storyboards based on each work's narrative
structure. The storyboards can show setting, conflicts, and character
relationships in more detail than the plot diagrams. 10. In creating
the storyboards, portray selected key events. Determine what criteria
you will use to select events. For example, one way to select
key events is to see plot as driven by characters; the climax,
its resolution, and the effects on the characters become critical
features in understanding theme. So one criterion to use in the
selection of key events is that of the illumination of character.11.
Finally, write an essay in which you describe the structure of
each work and compare and contrast the structures. You can analyze
the sequence of events and explore how they work together to support
the theme and create an effect or emotion. 12. Analyze the dramatic
patterns or rhythms of the works by examining the pace of each
story. How is the reader/audience brought into the action or situation?
How is dramatic tension or suspense created? Does tension build
quickly or slowly? Where are the turning points? How rapidly do
they unfold? What is the effect of the ending?13. Another analytic
strategy you could use would be to examine the work as a series
of stages; each stage represents increased awareness, emotion,
or understanding for the characters and/or reader.
Assessment Task Scoring Rubric
Scoring CriteriaArts and LiteratureThe High School LevelScores are ranked 4-0 with 4 being highest score and 0 being lowest.Scores reflect a professional judgment based on multiple evidence of sustained student work over time.Important! All parts of the listed criteria must be met for a specific score to be given. Exemplary- To receive a score of 4, a student:· Demonstrates precise and fluent knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history. · Makes artistic choices that are based on expanding, transforming or combining options to improve or refine the work. · Is creatively expressive through synthesized use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation or performance.Proficient- To receive a score of 3, a student:· Demonstrates accurate and articulate knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history · Makes artistic choices that are based on informed intent to improve or refine the work. · Is creatively expressive through crafted or modified use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation or performance.Novice- To receive a score of 2, a student:· Demonstrates correct knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history. · Makes artistic choices that are based on a considered range of options. · Is creatively expressive through conventional use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation or performance.Emerging- To receive a score of 1, a student:· Demonstrates general and/or commonplace knowledge of the tools, skills, elements, principles and history. · Makes artistic choices that are based on automatic responses to personal likes and dislikes. · Is creatively expressive through mechanical use of elements, principles, skills, techniques and materials in creation or performance.
Unit Assessment/Grading Criteria
100 - 95 = A
94 - 90 = A-
89 - 85 = B+
84 - 82 = B
81 - 79 = B-
78 - 75 = C+
74 - 72 = C
71 - 69 = C-
69 - 65 = D
65 or below = F
Point Distribution:
· Pair or partner presentation of a critique found outside
of class or during library research time: 5 points
· Daily reading journals and questions: 10 points
· Group presentation of "slanguages": 5 points
· Comprehensive Analysis Paper: 15 points
· Plot diagram: 15 points
· Storyboard: 15 points
· One - two page essay describing the structure of Huckleberry
Finn: 15 points
· Reading notes: 5 points
· Class participation during discussions: 15 points