Leadership and Power
Prefatory Statement
This unit is designed to get students thinking about two things. The first is to get students to think about who has power over them; what sort of leaders do they have in their lives? And in order to balance that question, the second thing this unit will get students thinking about is how they can have power in their lives. Students will be asked to analyze the qualities that make a leader, both good and bad, using the novel Lord of the Flies and the short story “A Poetics for Bullies” as a basis for discussion.
Students will also be directed through making a newspaper in order to voice their concerns about issues that are important in their lives. In connection with creating their own newspapers, students will also learn about how newspapers have played a part in history in getting peoples voices heard. In creating their newspaper, students will learn about the pros and cons of several different writing styles that will get their voice heard.
Another important reason for doing this lesson is because it touches on the subject of bullies and bullying. Many times violence stems from people feeling that their voice isn't being heard, and they have no other choice; teaching students to write will give them a choice.
Class Specifications
This unit is appropriate for any high school level class. Activities and timelines can be easily adjusted to meet the needs of your particular class. This unit is especially useful for at-risk students because it focuses on self-empowerment.
Significant Assumptions
• People desire power over their own lives.
• Everyone has experienced what it is like to be powerless.
• It is important for students to learn to look at multiple sides of an issue.
• Students will have access to a word processor.
Desired Standards to be Met
Minnesota standards grades 9-12.
* Literature
1. The student will read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical and contemporary works of literary merit from American literature.
11. The student will demonstrate how literary works reflect the historical contexts that shaped them.
* Elements of Composition
1. The student will generate, gather, and organize ideas for writing.
5. The student will revise writing for clarity, coherence, smooth transitions and unity.
6. The student will apply available technology to develop, revise and edit writing.
Possible Whole-Class Activities
• Discussions
• Reading out loud
Possible Small-Group Activities
• Games
• Creating comics
• Discussions
• Peer editing
• Analysis of newspaper ads
Possible Individual Activities
• Creation of newspaper
• Reading LOTF
• Reading “A Poetics for Bullies”
Ongoing Activities
Students will have a ‘journal' that they will utilize throughout the unit to write their initial responses to the discussion questions about the novel. Since it will be kept in the classroom, this is also a good place to put answers to quizzes, as well as other information relating to the novel.
Throughout this unit there will be a ‘word of the day' Monday-Thursday. This requires the teacher to write a word on the board and make a point of using it in context at least 7 times throughout the class period. The students are required to copy the word off the board and turn in the word along with a definition (written in their own words) each Friday.
Student Resources
Individual copies of William Golding's Lord of the Flies
Individual copies of Stanley Elkin's “A Poetics for Bullies”
Access to the internet
Access to word processors and printers
Unit Launch
See lesson plan for day one.
Grades
This unit can be graded on several things:
• Students' individual newspapers.
• Journal responses to quiz questions (5).
• Participation in group discussions.
• In-class assignments.
Grading Checklist
Newspaper pieces (5/6)*:
Satisfactory completion of LOTF quizzes:
Participation in class discussions ( one comment/question per discussion ):
Other assignments:
FYI: If any of these assignments are not done satisfactorily, you will be asked to re-do them. The sixth newspaper piece is an extra credit piece that can be used to replace either one of the quizzes or two of the discussions. The newspapers must be turned in along with a rough draft that has been edited by one of your peers. For each assignment not completed you will be marked down one grade (from an A, to an A-, to a B+, and so on).
1 2 3 4 5
Unit introduction: 1. Break students up into groups of 5 or 6 and have them complete the Winter Survival exercise. 2. Discuss the results of the exercise, and then ask about group dynamics (such as, who became the leader of the group). 3. Define and discuss ‘ leadership ' and ‘ power '. |
Mini-research on leaders: 1. Break students up into groups of three. 2. Give each group several articles on a historically powerful leader. 3. Have students determine how this person played an important part in history. 4. Have the groups present their research to the class. |
Discussion on power: 1. Have students journal about who has power over them, as well as whom they have power over. 2. Break up students into pairs. 3. Have students list examples of different types of power (physical, mental, political, social, media, ect.). 4. Come together as a class to discuss students' answers. |
Introduce Lord of the Flies : See lesson plan. |
Introduction to newspapers: See lesson plan. |
First LOTF discussion (ch 1-2): 1. See discussion questions below.
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Introduce WebQuest task #1 (comics): 1. Break up students into pairs. 2. Ask students to analyze a comic strip in terms of who has the power and what kind of power is being illustrated. 3. In their journals, have students write about at least three different comic strips. 4. Go to computer lab |
Second LOTF discussion (ch3-4): 1. See discussion questions below.
|
Introduce WebQuest task #2 (letter): 1. Have students free write for 5 minutes about the question: What makes you mad? 2. Using their lists, students should be able to come up with a topic for task #2. 3. Go to computer lab. |
Silent reading/work day. |
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Third LOTF discussion (ch 5-6). 1. See discussion questions below.
|
Point of View lesson (introduction of WebQuest task #3 article): See lesson plan. |
Silent reading/work day. |
Fourth LOTF discussion (ch 7-8): 1. See discussion questions below. 2. Mini-lesson on the historical context of the novel. |
Read and discuss chapter 9 in class. |
Introduce WebQuest task #4 (ads): 1. Break students up into pairs. 2. Have students spend a few minutes looking at and discussing ads found in local newspapers. 3. As a class discuss the purpose of some of the ads. 4. Go to computer lab. |
Fifth LOTF discussion (ch 10-11). 1. See discussion questions below.
|
Read and discuss chapter 12 in class. |
“Bullying” : 1. Use this day to transition from LOTF into the short story for tomorrow. 2. Game/Activity 3. Pass out “APFB” for students to read for tomorrow. |
Discussion on “A Poetics for Bullies”: 1. |
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Introduce WebQuest task #5 (vignette): * In computer lab. |
Game day (bully theme). |
In the computer lab. |
Peer editing day: 1. Review procedures for peer editing. 2. Break students into groups of three and have at least two people look at each paper. |
In the computer lab. |
In the computer lab. |
Have students spend the day reading each others newspaper articles.
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Possible movie day (LOTF). |
Possible movie day (LOTF). |
Possible movie day (LOTF). |
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Day #4 Lesson Plan
Anticipatory Set: Watch The Simpson's rendition of Lord of the Flies .
Objectives: This lesson is designed to both provide students with background knowledge on Lord of the Flies , as well as to get students excited about reading it.
Methods:
• After watching the video, ask students to get with a partner and write a plot summary for the video.
• Discuss the general storyline of the video.
• Mini-lecture on the author and background of Lord of the Flies .
• Hand out fact sheet about the novel.
• Announce homework.
Closure: Begin reading the novel out loud. Read until the end of class.
Homework: Read chapters one and two. Students should fill in as many character descriptions as possible into worksheet #1 .
Day #12 Lesson Plan
Objectives: Students will be able to rewrite a story from a different perspective. This lesson should prompt students to start thinking about issues they could write about in their newspapers.
Method:
• Have students journal about a time in which they were really angry at someone.
• Discuss the basic story-line of The Three Little Pigs . 1. Point of view. 2. Characters.
• Read The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs .
• Discuss how stories can change depending upon who is telling it.
• Discuss other familiar stories and fairy tales and how they might change from perspective to perspective.
• Introduce writing assignment: students will rewrite a familiar story or fairy tale from the perspective of a newspaper reporter (1/2 page max).
• Allow students an opportunity to read their article in front of the class.
• Discuss how their stories changed now that they were being told by someone else.
• Have students rewrite their journal entry from the point of view of the person they were angry with.
• Introduce task #3 in the WebQuest.
• Mini-lesson on interviews.
Homework: Students should come to the next class period with three possible topics for their articles and at least one possible interviewee for each topic.
Assessment: You will know if the objectives have been met of students are able to rewrite a story from the perspective of a newspaper reporter.
Day #19 Lesson Plan
Objectives: Students will be able to explain what sometimes happens when a group member isn't contributing as they should.
Method:
• In order to do this lesson you will need to speak to a few students privately outside of class the day before, or the morning of, in order to ask them to be your ‘moles'. The role of the mole is to bring down group morale. They can do this by not trying to help the group, appearing to help but actually sabotaging the group's project, by being extremely negative about the group's progress, or any other creative way they can think of—their goal is to make the group fail.
• At the beginning of class break students up into four groups. Place at least one mole in each group.
• Have four bags made up with at least 15 identical objects in each bag. With a fifth set of these objects, arrange them on the top of a desk and cover them.
• Ask students to first pick a leader from each group. Second, have them split their groups in half.
• Have half of each group look at half of the arrangement of items you created for one minute. The leader from each group can look at the entire arrangement for one minute.
• Now ask students to use the materials in their bags and arrange the items to look exactly like your arrangement. Give students however much time you feel is necessary (5-10min).
• When the time is up have students discuss as a class the difficulties they faced while trying to arrange their items. Assuming the moles did their jobs, some of the groups will probably have gotten quite frustrated with at least one of their members.
• When the time is right, expose the moles and have them discuss their role in the project.
• Introduce “A Poetics for Bullies” and begin reading it out loud to the class.
Homework: Finish reading “A Poetics for Bullies”.
Assessment: You will know if the objectives have been met if students are able to explain why the project was difficult (because not everybody had the same goal).
Day #5 Lesson Plan
Objectives: Students will be able to explain the historical significance of newspapers.
Method:
• Break students up into groups of 2 or 3.
• Have students discuss the following quotes by Thomas Jefferson: 1. “Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds, enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.” 2. “ Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” Do they agree or disagree? Why?
• Mini-lecture on the history of newspapers (10-15 min). For info on newspaper history see: http://www.nyu.edu/classes/stephens/Collier's%20page.htm or http://www.historicpages.com/nprhist.htm .
• As a class, discuss the quotes.
Assessment: You will know if the objectives have been met if students are able to explain how newspapers can contribute to our society.
Discussion/Quiz Questions
• Chapter one: Who is the leader in this story, and how was it decided? What sort of a leader is he going to be, and how do you know? If you had been chosen leader, what would have been your number one priority?
• Chapter two: What do you think the “beastie” is? What makes you think so? Make a list of the rules you would have if you were the leader of this group of boys (at least five). Explain how your rules would be enforced and why they are important.
• Chapter three: Why did Simon go into the forest by himself? What was he doing? Do you think Ralf is doing a good job as chief? What should he be doing different (if anything? Why?
• Chapter four: “Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. Roger's arm was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins” (62). What is the significance of this passage? What does it have to do with the overall story? Was Jack justified in letting the fire go out in order to hunt? Which one of the boys has the most power at this point in the novel? Who has the least? Explain why you think so.
• Chapter five: How might life on the island have been different if there had been a grown-up there? What qualities does one need in order to be a leader on this island? What does Piggy think will happen to him if Ralph is no longer chief?
• Chapter six: What is the beast? How did he get on the island? Predict what will happen now that they've discovered a new fort. Which of the characters do you empathize with the most?
• Chapter seven: What happens in this chapter between Jack and Ralph? Have your opinions about any of the characters changed since the beginning of the novel? Explain why or why not.
• Chapter eight: Why does Piggy think Jack is the cause of the tribe breaking up? Do you agree? Who or what is the Lord of the Flies? Who or what does the Lord of the Flies tell Simon the beast is?
• Chapter nine: Why did Simon die? Who is a better leader, Jack or Ralph? Why? Whose tribe would you join? Why?
• Chapter ten: How is fear used in this novel? In the voice of a littlun, describe the night Piggy's glasses were stolen.
• Chapter eleven: What makes a person a savage? How does Jack control the tribe?
• Chapter twelve: What do you think will happen to the boys (Jack, Ralph, Roger) when they return to civilization? In what way is the ending ironic? What did Ralph learn about “the darkness of man's heart” (202)?
Fact Sheet
(from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/flies/facts.html)
Full title - Lord of the Flies Author - William Golding
Time and place written - Salisbury , England , early 1950s Date of first publication - 1954
Narrator - Third-person omniscient Protagonist - Ralph
Antagonist – Jack Setting (Time) - During World War II
Setting (Place) - A deserted tropical island Point of View - Primarily Ralph; also Jack and Simon
Tense – Past Tones - Lush, tragic, pessimistic, dark, unsparing
Themes - The conflict between the instinct of civilization and the instinct of savagery; the loss of innocence; innate human evil; morality as an imposed set of socially conditioned behaviors; the use of superstition and religion as methods of obtaining power over others
Motifs - Natural beauty; the bullying of the weak by the strong; the primal thrill of violence; the outward trappings of savagery (face paint, spears, totems, chants, etc.); parallels with Christian iconography (Simon as a Christ figure, the Lord of the Flies as the devil, etc).
Symbols - Ralph (order and civilization); Piggy (the intellectual and scientific aspects of civilization); Simon (natural goodness, the Christ figure); Jack (the instinct of savagery and the desire for power); Roger (savagery); the littluns (the common people in a political state); the older boys (the leaders in a political state); the boys' group as a whole (human civilization); the conch shell (order and political legitimacy); Piggy's glasses (the power of science and intellectual endeavor in civilization); the signal fire (the boys' connection to civilization); the beast (the primal instincts of savagery and evil that exist within all human beings); the Lord of the Flies (the power of evil, the devil); the war (the conflict between civilization and savagery outside the island)
Worksheet #1 - Character Sheet
Directions: Fill in descriptions of the following characters. Include how they look, how they act, how they relate to others, and any significant roles they play in the novel. Write in the page number of where you found the information about each character.
Ralph
Piggy
Jack
Sam and Eric
Roger
Simon
The Littluns
Winter Survival Exercise
(From Linda Miller-Cleary's file cabinet)
The situation:
You have just crash-landed in the woods of northern Minnesota and southern Manitoba . It is 11:32 A.M. in mid-January. The light plane in which you were traveling crashed on a lake. The pilot and copilot were killed. Shortly after the crash the plane sank completely into the lake with the pilot's and copilot's bodies inside. None of you are seriously injured and you are all dry.
The crash came suddenly, before the pilot had time to radio for help or inform anyone of your position. Since your pilot was trying to avoid a storm, you know the plane was considerably off course. The pilot announced shortly before the crash that you were twenty miles northwest of a small town that is the nearest known by habitation.
You are in a wilderness area made up of thick woods broken by many lakes and streams. The snow depth varies from above the ankles in windswept areas to knee-deep where it has drifted. The last weather report indicated that the temperature would reach minus twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime and minus forty at night. There is plenty of dead wood and twigs in the immediate area. You are dressed in winter clothing appropriate for city wear—suits, pantsuits, street shoes, and overcoats.
While escaping from the plane the several members of your group salvaged twelve items. Your task is to rank these items according to their importance to your survival, starting with 1 for the most important item and ending with 12 from the least important one.
You may assume that the number of passengers is the same as the number of persons in your group, and that the group has agreed to stick together.
Decision form:
Rank the following items according to their importance to your survival, starting with 1 for the most important one and proceeding to 12 for the least important one.
_____ Ball of steel wool
_____ Newspapers (one per person)
_____ Compass
_____ Hand ax
_____ Cigarette lighter (without fluid)
_____ Loaded .45-caliber pistol
_____ Sectional air map made of plastic
_____ Twenty-by-twenty-foot piece of heavy-duty canvas
_____ Extra shirt and pants for each survivor
_____ Can of shortening
_____ Quart of 100-proof whiskey
_____ Family-size chocolate bar (one per person)
Winter Survival Exercise: Key
Ball of steel wool 2
Newspapers 8
Compass 12
Hand ax 6
Cigarette lighter 1
Loaded pistol 9
Air map 11
20x20 ft canvas 5
Extra shirt and pants 3
Can of shortening 4
Whiskey 10
Chocolate bars 7
1 – cigarette lighter (to produce sparks to start a fire)
2 – ball of steel wool (to catch the sparks made by the cigarette lighter)
3 – extra shirt and pants (used for added warmth, shelter, signaling, bedding, bandages, string when unraveled, and tinder to make fires)
4 – can of shortening (use the lid for a mirror-like signaling device, use the shortening to protect exposed areas of the body from cold or to eat, melted shorting can be helpful in starting fires)
5 – canvass (to provide shelter)
6 – hand ax
7 – chocolate bars
8 – newspapers (stuff into clothing for added insulation, use to start fires)
9 – loaded pistol (use as a signaling device)
10 – whiskey (use to aid in starting a fire
11 – air map (dangerous because it may encourage people to seek help)
12 – compass (also dangerous because it may encourage people to seek help, use as a signaling device)