Unit Plan: Minnesota Writers
By: Steve Crump

Prefatory Statement: Often in American literature class students learn about the "great" authors
from around the country. They learn about differences in geographical regions, historical
development, and culture of the United States. They learn about Thoreau's Concord and Poe's
New England in the late 1800's or Carl Sandburg's Chicago in the 1920's or William Faulkner's
deep south. As a student, I often wondered about our state and our region: is Minnesota a
veritable literary wasteland? The only highly canonized name I could think of was F. Scott
Fitzgerald. Of course, there are many other talented, but lesser known, Minnesota writers, and I
thought that it would be important for Minnesota students to discover them. By discovering those
talented writers in their home state, students will develop pride in their state, and it will show them
that writers can be from anywhere, one does not have to grow up on either coast. Perhaps, this will
inspire them to write. The major focus of this unit will be on Tim O' Brien's In the Lake of the
Woods, but the novel will be supplemented with a variety of short stories by other native
Minnesotans and will feature writing from women and native American writers. As a culminating
project, students will have the opportunity include themselves among the "canon" of Minnesota
writers.

Class Specification: I intended this lesson to be used with 11th or 12th graders as some of the
content in In the Lake of the Woods may be inappropriate for younger students. The diversity of
literature that I have chosen for this unit will, hopefully, replicate to the diversity within the state.

Desired Outcomes/Standards/Objectives to be Met : In general, I want students to learn that
writers come from everywhere and that they too can achieve the status of writer from wherever
they hail. Additionally, I want to show them that Minnesota has some good published writers. This
unit is also designed to meet a Minnesota graduation standard. Specifically, this unit will meet part
of the Literature and Arts Analysis and Interpretation of Literature standard in the Literature and
the Arts learning area. It will ask students to meet the following standard specifications:
A) describe the elements and structure of literature; the artistic intent; and the historical, cultural,
and social background of the selected literature;
B) apply specific critical criteria to interpret and analyze the selected literature;
C) describe how particular effects are produced by the artist's use of the elements of literature;
D) communicate an informed interpretation using the vocabulary of literature.
Possible Whole Class Activities:

Read and discuss a variety of texts by Minnesota writers

Short Mock hearing / trial for Lt. Calley (see week 3 lesson plan below).

Possible Small-group Activities:

Short Internet research project for O'Brien and In the Lake of the Woods (description below).

Create personal collages from magazine clippings to represent who we are (in conjunction with the
story "Off the Deep End," see below)

Possible Individual activities:

MN Author biography (see work sheet and sample below), reading guide to In the Lake of the
Woods in conjunction with journal to be kept during entire unit (sample reading guide below),
piece of writing (short story, poem, essay) to be submitted as part of our class Minnesota Writers
Anthology (description of that project below).

On-going activities:

Journal, to record daily writings which will contain possibilities to be developed for inclusion to our
class "anthology." Reading of In the Lake of the Woods should take about two weeks.

Student Resources:

The following books provide a good selection of works by Minnesota writers:

DeGrazia, Monica and Emilio Degrazia, eds. Twenty-Six Minnesota Writers. Minneapolis:
Nodin Press, 1995. (Selections from this text are used with this unit. Complete list of
individual works to follow.)

Henricksson, John, ed. North Writers: A Strong Woods Collection. Minneapolis: University
of Minnesota, 1991. (Selections from this text are used with this unit. Complete list of
individual works to follow.)

O' Brien, Tim. In the Lake of the Woods. New York: Penguin, 1994.

A haunting made-for-television movie version of In the Lake of the Woods supplements the
book well and appears as part of this unit plan. The film attempts (and succeeds, I think) to
imitate the disjointed narrative of the novel, complete with testimonials, interviews, and
hypothesized explanations for Kathy Wade's disappearance.

Handouts for the author biography and the In the Lake of the Woods group research
project.

Reading guide for In the Lake of the Woods with daily journal entry.

Organization of the Unit:

Week One: In the initial week I plan to "launch" the unit, introducing it to students (see detailed
lesson plan week one, day one below). I also plan to introduce the "Meet Your Minnesota Author"
biography assignment this week as well (see sample handout below in the "supporting materials"
section, fig. 1). Using the sample sheet, I will model to students how to write the "biography." I will
model this using Tim O'Brien as my author, and the websites: Http:
www.penguinputnam.com/clubppi/reading/obrien/index.htm and Http: www.wgtn.net/index.shtml
as my sources. This will probably occur on day two. Days three, four, and five we'll look at
narrative essays from North Writers. We discuss, among other traits of narrative essays, similarities
and differences between the narrative essay and the short story. Essays I plan to use are "The
Season of Stillness" by Denny Olson (pp. 3-6) , "Quetico-Superior" by William O. Douglas, "The
Dream Net" by Sigurd Olson (pp. 173-179), and "Goin' to the Dogs" by Judith Niemi (pp.
253-261). These essays reflect many themes found in narrative essays by Minnesota writers:
winter, nature / wilderness, Native American culture, and sled dog races. At some point this week,
the "anthology" project will be described: simply that, one writing from the student's journal (essay,
short story, or poem) will by selected by the student to be revised and submitted for a grade and
for placement in a collection of class writings.

Unit Launch: Day one, week one. Introduction to the unit and to narrative essays.

Title: "People are Reading and Writing about Minnesota?!"

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will

be familiar with several Minnesota writers
learn the characteristics of a short narrative
be able to write a short narrative as a journal entry
begin writing a biography of a chosen author

Methods:

A. Tell students that President Clinton (or some other figure) is planning to go on vacation, but he's
not sure whether to come to Minnesota or go elsewhere. Write a brief story about a trip in the
state that you took which might persuade him to come here. Don't address the writing to him, but
simply be descriptive about part of the trip. (10 mins.)

B. Introduce the unit to students, telling them that there are "professional" writers who are doing
just what they did, writing about Minnesota in essays, poems, and short stories. Tell students that
for the next few weeks we'll be looking at these writers, examining their writing, and doing some
writing ourselves in a journal. Everything in the journal should be saved and that it'll be evaluated.
Tell students that they will be writing a biography of an author. (10 min.)

C. Have students with their neighbors try to think of any "professional" writers that they know from
Minnesota. ( 5 min.)

D. Write these on the board. Ask the students who offer names to list a work or two or tell a little
about that person. After ideas are exhausted, name those we will cover and some of those which
will be on the "Meet Your Minnesota Author" list. (5 mins.)

E. Pass out the "Meet Your Minnesota Author" biography sheet (supporting materials, fig. 1.
below). Pass out list of possible authors for the project. Briefly explain each of the sections of the
worksheet. Ask students where they might find information on their author. Explain that the
biography / hometown sections should be written in narrative form. Elicit responses about aspects
of narrative form (10 min).

F. Brainstorm with students about what might go into each section beyond what is on the sheet.
Emphasize that the biography should generate interest. "What would you want to know about this
person?" "What would interest you in his or her books?" (7 min.)

G. Answer final questions and pass around a sign up sheet with the author's names to choose on it.
Students select the author of their choice by writing there name next to the author's name.
Announce that we will set aside class time to go to the computer lab to research the Internet. (3
min.)

Homework: Read "The Season of Stillness" by Denny Olson (pp. 3-6). Journal entry titled: "Myself
as a Writer." The student will reflect about past experiences with writing. The types of writing
he/she does. What s/he writes about. With whom s/he shares it. Etc.

Assessment: I will know the students are learning if

they have written an author biography in narrative form that is interesting and thoughtful
they demonstrate knowledge of characteristics of a short narrative in their journal entries

Week two: The short story. The week we will focus more on the short story. Specifically we will
discuss and analyze the stories using the following terminology:

plot
theme
setting
character: protagonist / antagonist
point of view
symbolism
foreshadowing
imagery
conflict
figurative language
motif

We will also look at Freytag's Triangle model for short fiction. The "conflict-crisis-resolution
model" can be "effective in illuminating movement in a story" and character development
(Leebron 55).

I will use stories from Twenty Six Minnesota Writers this week (included are discussion questions
and possible journal topics):

1."Blaze of Glory" by Will Weaver (pp. 310-323)

Characterize Herb and Delores. Are they "real" people? Do they remind you of anyone you
know? Explain.

In your opinion, why do Herb and Delores join in the festivities of the colony?
Possible journal: Describe a time when you took a risk. What happened? Looking back on
the situation, how do you feel about it now? Would you do the same thing again? Why or
why not?

2."Off the Deep End" by Margi Preus (pp. 352-367) (see lesson plan below)

Week two, day two.

Title: "Self Discovery through 'Clip Art' or, Uncle Don's Collages"

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will

develop a greater insight into the characters and character development

be able to identify a theme in the story
be able to identify symbolism and postulate meanings for it
be able to construct a collage representing something important to them or about
themselves.

Materials: In addition to the materials necessary for the unit, students will need access to the
following items:

Construction paper and / or poster board
Scissors
Glue
Old magazines, photographs, and greeting cards (that can be cut up) \students could be
asked to supply some.

Computer generated picture in which a larger picture is made from a bunch of a smaller
pictures in a collage (can be purchased from most places where posters are sold).

Methods:

A. Hold computer generated picture at a distance, so that only the larger picture is clear. Ask
students "what is the picture on this poster?" Then, let them see it up close, so that they can see that
the larger picture is comprised of smaller individual ones. Say, "sometimes, we need to examine
things up close to get a better sense of the big picture." (3 min.)

B. Begin discussion of "Off the Deep End," asking, "how does that quote (in part A.) apply to this
story? Continue the discussion, guiding when necessary, with these questions: how does Preus use
touches of humor to reveal a more serious message? What are important ideas or messages in the
story (themes), that is what did you learn form the story? Describe the family's life prior to Don's
isolation in the attic? What is revealed? Do you believe that Don has "gone off the deep end"? Why
or Why not? What does he learn by making collages? In your opinion, what does Mel realize or
learn at the end of the story? Who's to say what crazy is? (17 mins.)

C. Lead up to Don's collages. Discuss the significance of them. Explain the meaning of symbolism.
Explain that symbols figuratively represent something else: "the flag or a bald eagle is a symbol for
our county" or "a donkey symbolizes the democratic party." Ask students if they can think of any
symbols that are meaningful in their lives. In the story, perhaps, the collages represent the family's
lives which Don is reexamining and reconstructing. (7 mins.)

D. Inform them that we'll be creating collages that symbolize something or someone important in
our lives, and that we'll be creating them in a method similar to Don's.

Give instructions: students are to form a meaningful shape from the poster board, and then cut
pictures (also meaningful to them from the magazines), gluing them a`la a collage onto the poster
board. Both the pictures used in the collage and the collage itself could reflect something important
about them as a person, and / or as a Minnesotan. Distribute materials: glue, scissors, paper,
poster board, and magazines. (23 mins.)

Homework: besides the assigned reading, "Peggy," students will be asked to make this journal
entry as homework: Describe something about yourself -- maybe a hobby or something you enjoy
-- that many people don't know about you, but that you'd like them to know. They will be given 10
minutes at the beginning of class to work on collages. The final product is due on Friday.

Assessment: I will know the students are learning if

They contributed to the class discussions about characterization, theme, and symbolism
Their explanation is correct when describing how their collage reflects symbolically whatever
it was that they chose it to represent
in future discussions they use the term symbol or symbolism correctly
In future discussions they talk about how an author develops characters

3."Peggy" by Jon Hassler (pp. 200-207)

How would you characterize the relationship between Tillmans and Peggy?
How would you react if you were in Peggy's situation? What would you do or say to
Tillmans?

Possible journal entry: Write about being in love. Or about a past "crush." How did that
feel? What became of it? In retrospect, what are your feelings about the crush? (you do not
have to share these or reveal the name of the "crush." If you choose, you may after showing
me that you have written, remove these pages from your journal.)

4. "All-American Grocery" by Jack El-Hai (pp. 38-49).

How is title significant to the theme of the story?

What are some problems faced by Mei and immigrants in our communities today?
Define "irony." Why is it ironic that Mei is uncertain how to prepare the file fish, a
Vietnamese dish (after all she's taking cooking classes)? What does this situation reflect
about immigrants in America in general?
Journal idea: Write about a time and place where you felt "out of place" or like you didn't "fit
in"? Describe the situation, how you felt (try to show this through actions, rather than saying
"I felt nervous"), and the outcome of the experience. (This journal entry could be used to
introduce the discussion.

El-Hai's story is a good one to "kick off" the novel as its protagonist is a Vietnamese
immigrant living in Minneapolis.

Day five of this week: Computer Lab. At the beginning of day five, divide the class into five groups,
and assign the Viet Nam group project (see fig. 2 below). Assign pp. 1-30 of the novel, and hand
out reading guide (fig. 3 below), telling students that they are to journal about the questions under
day 1 in the reading guide for Monday. Use the rest of class time for students to research their Viet
Nam topic or their author for the "Meet Your Minnesota Author" biography.

Week three: Monday meet in small groups to plan presentations and small groups discuss the
beginning of the novel using their journals and the reading guide questions as a starting point.
Continue reading the novel and journaling. Class discussions will follow the reading guide and use it
as a jumping off point. Group presentations will begin on Wednesday and continue, one a day, as
needed. The group presentations will also be a discussion starter. I plan to have the groups present
in the following order: Wed: "American involvement" Thurs: "My Lai" Fri: "The Viet Cong."
Possible journal and discussion topics could include "What do you know about the Viet Nam
war?" "Why did we send troops to Viet Nam?" "Do you know anyone who was in Viet Nam?"

Week four: Continue reading the novel, discussing it, and journaling about it. We should finish it
by Friday. Viet Nam presentations: Mon: "Lt. Calley" (and accompanying lesson plan) Tue:
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." I plan to show clips of the film version of In the Lake of the
Woods to illustrate how the film attempts to imitate O'Brien's style. There also should be time to
use the computer lab this week to finish "Meet Your Minnesota Author" biographies. Additionally,
there should be time for the instructor to conference with students about a piece for the class
anthology.

Lesson Plan: Week four, day one

Title: "The Court Martial of Lt. Calley"

Objectives: By the end of the lesson students will

have an understanding about Calley's role in the My Lai incident by discribing it reflectively
in their journals
be able to describe the atmosphere and nature of his court martial hearing
be able to discuss the distinctions between war time killing and murder
be able to describe the historic nature of Calley's trial and its importance in American history
be able to analyze critically the outcome of the hearing and the subsequent sentencings
be able to explain the significance of the fictionalized portrayal of the trial and My Lai
incident in the novel

Methods:

A.. "Lt. Calley group" (see the Viet Nam group projects) to give their presentation. (10 mins.)

B. Tell the students that we are going to put Lt. Calley on trial today, and determine his guilt. Fill in
any information that the "Lt. Calley group" may have missed, emphasizing that Calley claims he was
"only following orders," that he was the only member of C Company that was convicted, and that
the life sentence that he received was later thrown out. (5 mins.) Two good websites about Calley
are

dcps.dade.k12.fl.us/edison/calley.htm and www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/mylai1.htm#calley

C. Tell students that we now have to consider some evidence. Ask students to describe passages
from the text and from the "My Lai group's" presentation about the My Lai incident. Discuss: How
would you describe those events? Do they seem like normal wartime occurrences? (10 mins.)

D. Compile some testimony found in In the Lake of the Woods. Role play a mock hearing: one
student (the "examiner") reads the questions and others (the soldiers) read the answers. Example:

Narrator: This is how the hearing took place. The men all testified against Calley.

Examiner: How do you evacuate someone with a hand grenade?

Calley: I don't have any idea, sir.

E: Why did you make that statement?

C: It was a figure of speech.

E: What did you do?

Meadlo: I held my M-16 on them.

E: Why?

M: Because they might attack.

E: They were children and babies?

M: Yes.

E: And the babies moved to attack?

M: I expected at any moment they were about to make a counterbalance.

E: Could you give us an estimate as to how many people were in the ditch?

C: No, sir.

E: What happened then?

M: Lieutenant Calley started shoving them off and shooting them in the ravine.

E: How many times did he shoot?

M: I can't remember.

E: Did you see any dead Vietnamese in the village?

Oliver: Yes, sir.

E: How many?

O: Most of them. All over.

E: How did you know they were dead?

Hall: They weren't moving. . .Blood was coming from everywhere. Everything was all blood.

E: Did you see any bodies shot?

Gonzalez: right, sir.

E: Women and children?

G: Right, sir, women and children, about twenty-five of them in the northeastern part of My Lai.

E: Did you obey your orders?

LaMartina: Yes, sir.

E: What were your orders?

La: Kill anything that breathed.

E: What were they firing at?

C: At the enemy, sir.

E: Did you see women?

C: I don't know, sir.

E: What do you mean. . .?

C: I didn't discriminate between individuals in the village, sir. They were all the enemy, they were all
to be destroyed, sir (O'Brien 135-142). (10 mins.)

E. Lead the discussion with the following questions or ideas:

The popular wartime quote "Kill one man and you're a murderer; kill many and you're a
conqueror."
Is there a difference between killing during war time and during times of peace?

If so, what is permissible in war? What is unacceptable?
The concept of who is the "enemy." Just their soldiers? Or everyone who believes in their
doctrines? Can a child or a baby believe in these doctrines?
Discuss the idea of "just following orders." What are the consequences of not following
orders? What would you have done in this situation? (12 mins.)

F. Wrap up and give assignment. (3 mins.)

Homework: Continued reading of novel and reading guide journaling.

Assessment: I will know if the students are learning

by their informed participation in discussions about the Calley trial, the My Lai incident, and
about war and killing
if their journal entries insightfully and reflectively discuss the topic

Week five: This week we'll discover Minnesota poets. Students, over the course of the week, will
have to be "reaquainted" with poetry terms in discussing the poems: free verse, enjambment,
persona, etc. Meter and rhyme scheme will be get less emphasis in this unit as all the poems I have
chosen are contemporary free verse. Also, the "Meet Your Minnesota Writers" biographies are
due on Monday. Students should have a piece selected for the class anthology, and meet with the
instructor about that piece. Each student should also get at least two peer responses to that piece
as well. I plan on using the following poems for this unit (I've included possible discussion questions
and journal entries along with the titles):

"North Shore Symphony" by Michael Dennis Browne (pp. xv-xvi)

"Why I Live in These Hills" by Joanne Hart (pp. xvii-xviii)

These first two poems from North Writers could be used as an introduction as they are
short and less substantial, but evoke some solid imagery of the North Woods. Possible
journal idea: Write a poem about a favorite place, person, or activity. Write it in the style of
Browne, using repeated phrases to emphasize key phrases or ideas.
"Men's Work" by Robert Bly ("Man poem")

Men's Work

This morning I've been thinking

How much I love the way some men

Keep working with their bills. You've been

Alone in the woods, heard that knocking sound

Far off. It's one of them.

If you're going to follow your beak

Back to childhood, then the food you're looking for

Will be far beneath the bark. The beak is so

Close to the brain that some men will want to

Call the whole thing off.

Men who work like this sometimes live in acres

Of scrub trees. I like that cheerful sound.

"Not many people here." "Woodpecker

Friend, call me or I'll call you. How's

That wood?" "Hard but wormy."

Written for John Lee

"D.L. Pavilion" by CarolAnn Russell (Woman poem) This poem can be found in

Russell, CarolAnn. Silver Dollar. Albuquerque, NM: West End, 1995.

What does Bly say about being a man in his poem? Russell about being a woman in hers? What
can both sexes relate to in either poem? Possible journal entry: Write your own "man" or "woman"
poem.

"pining" and ''English Teacher and Sophomore Motorhead" by Mark Christensen. These
poems can be found in Christensen, Mark. Faith in Ice Time. Bemidji, MN: Loonfeather,
1997.

What do you notice about Christensen's style compared to the other poems we have read? (It's
very minimalist with many sensory images.) Possible journal entry: Pick a subject (a person, place,
object, or action) and try to capture the essense of the subject imitating Christensen's style.

A poem by Kathleen Norris ( to be defined)

Week six, day one: Last day of the unit. Unit wrap up. Unit journals are due as well as a
re-worked, revised, typed essay, poem, or story for inclusion in a collection of works from our
class to possibly be printed as a new "Anthology of Minnesota Writers."

Supporting Materials for Teachers

Fig. 1.

Meet Your Minnesota Author

Author Biography

Sample Layout Sheet

Name:_______________________

Author:______________________

Short Biography (30 pts) (You may use books, the Internet, and, if possible, write or e-mail the
author him/herself.

* Write about the author's life experiences: about his/her childhood years and growing up. What
lead him/her to write.

* Write about his/her background: what is his/her family like? Where does he/she live? Work? Etc.
Anything interesting that you find.

*Write about the author's works. What make them "Minnesotan"? What general themes or ideas
does the author write about? How has growing up here influenced his/her writing? If possible, read
a work by the author to help in this area)

Sketch of author's hometown (25 pts.)

*Write a short description of the author's MN hometown, or if he/she is a MN transplant write a
description of the town in which they now live. Please be detailed using concrete descriptions, but
it only needs to be a sketch.

Major Works (5 pts.)

*List some of the author's major published works. So that interested classmates may seek them
out.

*What awards or prizes has the author won, if any?

Sources (20 pts.)

Provided an anotated list of websites/sources about the author and/or his hometown. Provide a
short anotation (description) following each source so that the reader will know what to expect
from that source. You should have at least 2-3 in total.

Fig. 1.B.

Partial Author List for "Meet Your Minnesota Author Project"

Bly, Carol

Bly, Robert

Hassler, John

Weaver, Will

Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Olson, Sigurd

Manfred, Frederick

Hampl, Patricia

Cook, Sam

Sutter, Barton

Maiolo, Joesph

Basham, Kate

Blacklock, Les

Chosa, Heart Warrior

Kerfoot, Justine

Niemi, Judith

Northrup, Jim

Norris, Kathleen

Erdritch, Louise

Vizenor, Gerald

Olson, Denny

Wood, Douglas

Leschak, Peter M.

Link, Mike

Stenlund, Milt

Douglas, William O.

Anderson, Tom

Vickery, Jim dale

Rogers, Lynn

Hawkins, Ellen

Henrickson, John

Jaques, Florence Page

Coffey, Richard

Hoover, Helen

Sakry, Mark

Beston, Henry

Nute, Grace Lee

Rutstrum. Calvin

Cary, E.F. (Pipesmoke)

Furtman, Michael

Kerfoot, Justine

Gawboy, Carl

Treuer, Robert

Laitala, Lynn Maria

Niemi, Judith

Hall, Ted

Miltich, Matthew

Ervin, Jean

El-Hai, Jack

Mische, Elizabeth

Richards, Melanie

Truesdale, C.W.

Peck, Marcia

Baepler, Paul Michel

Toren, John

Luban, Marianne

Hawley, Ellen

Corey, Chet

Lettman, Vickey

Rabasa, George

Moore, Kathleen

Bengston, David

van Breemen Downes, Claire

Husby, Jean V.

Huntsperger, Dan

Dorner, Marjorie

Broderick, Richard

Meissner, Bill

Preus, Margi

(some names may be added or deleted, based on availability of information)

+ Plus student additions/suggestions

Fig. 2.

Mini-Project Assignment for In the Lake of the Woods

The novel you are about to read, In the Lake of the Woods, written by Tim O'Brien, takes place in
Northern Minnesota, but the Viet Nam War plays a very important role in the novel. Your goal is
to teach your classmates and me about a person or place that was important in the Viet Nam War
and is important in the novel as well.

Assignment: You and your group mates will be assigned a topic which you will be given class time
to look up on the Internet and in the library.

Journal entry: All group members must write reflectively in their journal about what they have
discovered. The entry may contain some of the factual information that you have found, but also
your thoughts, feelings, and reactions about it.

Written report: You must present one written report, signed by all group members providing the
factual information on your topic. It should be written in your own words (not a mere copy of the
source). You must also give credit to the source(s) from which you obtained the information.

Presentation: In class, please make a short 5-10 min. report of your group's finding about the topic.
This may be a dramatic presentation, a reading, or an enactment. The presentation should educate
us about your topic.

Poster: A poster should accompany your presentation. The poster should some how illustrate your
presentation; it may be a map, an illustration, a diagram, a chart, a drawing, etc.

Topics:

My Lai / Thuan Yen

Lt. Calley

Viet Cong ("Victor Charlie" or the "VC")

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

American involvement (why we went there)

Fig. 3.

Reading Guide and Daily Journal Writing for

In the Lake of the Woods

Answer the following questions in your journal, and if requested write a reflective, substantial
journal entry for each of the journal entry requests labeled in bold.

Day 1: Chapters 1-6 (pp. 1-30)

1.What do you suppose were O'Brien's reasons for the chapters called "Evidence" in which he
prints lists of items and quotes from characters and books? How are these lists and quotes
useful in telling or understanding the story?
2.Think about the "Hypothesis" section. A hypothesis is a theory or something that is not
proven, a speculation. What does the narrator's hypothesis add to (or subtract from) the
telling of the story? Is this one believable from what we've read so far?

3.In the footnote on p.30, the narrator tells us that "Kathy Wade is forever missing, and if you
require solutions, you will have to look beyond these pages." Why do you think O'Brien
would tell us this so early? Does it make you want to keep reading? Why or Why not?

Day 2: Chapters 7-9 (pp. 31-58)

1.Journal Entry: Label a section in your journal: "Profile of John Wade." Under the heading
make sections for John as a child, John as "Sorcerer" (in the military), John as Politician, and
John as husband. Under each category describe what you learn about John in all of these
roles. (Come back to this and fill it in as you read the novel.) When you have finished the
novel, write a paragraph about John Wade. It should be a character description that
encompasses and sums up the complex character of John Wade.

2.Explain the scene of "that" night on pages pp. 49-52. What is John's state of mind? Why
does he boil the plants? There appear to be "blanks" in the description. Can you explain
these?

Day 3: Chapters 10-11 (pp. 59-94)

1.Magic is a motif that reoccurs throughout the text. From what you've read so far, how is
magic important to John?

2.The snakes devouring each other is a symbol as is Sorcerer's equation 1+1 = 0. What do
you predict that they symbolize?
3.

Journal entry: In the novel, John's favorite hobby is magic, something that he devotes much time
and energy perfecting. Write about a favorite hobby you had as a kid or currently have. Why do
we fill our time with hobbies? Why is having a hobby important? Relate this to your life, people in
general, In the Lake of the Woods, and "Off the Deep End." In the story and the novel, how are
the hobbies important to them? Do they have hobbies for the same reasons? Different reasons?
Explain. Why are hobbies important? Why is magic important to John?

Day 4: Chapters 12- 14 (pp. 95-117)

1.Why do you suppose that O'Brien uses quotes from books (both real and invented) in the
evidence section (pp. 94-101), especially from The Magician's Handbook, Houdini: A
Mind in Chains, and Recovering from the War?

2. Reflect on the scene of the men in Thuan Yen (Chapter 13). Why did the men siege the village?
How is it justified? How do you feel about the scene?

Day 5: Chapters 15-16 (pp. 118-146)

1.Compare / Contrast Vinny Pearson and Sheriff Lux. How do they differ in their questioning
methods and their law enforcement practices?

2.What does their questioning reveal about Kathy's disappearance?

3.Expand on your response number two from day 4. Were there VC in the village? Why did
the American soldiers do what they did?

Day 6: Chapters 17-19 (pp. 147-189)

1.John was fairly successful in his early political career. How does Kathy feel about it?

2.Chapter 18 is the most detailed "Hypothesis" yet (it's continued in chapter 22). How
believable is this one to you? Why or why doesn't it seem plausible to you?

Journal: Write this after class discussion today. Based on our discussion and what you've
read, why or why not should Lt. Calley be convicted and held responsible for the My Lai /
Thuan Yen incident? Justify your answer. What might you have done in Calley's position?

Day 7: Chapters 20-21 (pp.190-216)

Journal: Based on the small group research that your group did or on what you've read so far,
write a small quote that could be added to Ch. 20's "Evidence" section.

1.Further revise your journal entry about why the men destroyed Thuan Yen and how they felt
about it, based on pp. 203-208 & 210-216.

Day 8: Chapters 22-23 (pp. 217-249)

1. After reading Ch. 22, does the "Hypothesis" begun in Ch. 18 still seem plausible? Did you
change your mind? Why or Why not?

Day 9: Chapters 24-27 (pp. 250-275)

1. Look back to your writings for day three about the role of magic, the two snakes devouring
each other, and Sorcerer's equation (1+1=0). Have your ideas about their significance changed?

Journal Entry: What do you believe happened to Kathy Wade? Do you believe one of the
narrator's hypotheses is true? Write a hypothesis of your own (write it as a narrative like those in
the novel). Title it "Hypothesis". Try to base your hypothesis on evidence in the text as well as on
your beliefs and imagination of what "happened."

Day 10: Chapters 28-30 (pp. 276-303)

1.Why do you suppose John removes the radio from the boat and drops it in the lake? What
do you think happens to him?

Journal Entry: In chapter 29 ("Nature of the Angle"), the narrator describes the area surrounding
Angle Inlet and Lake of the Woods in great descriptive detail. Summarily, describe a place you
know well in equally descriptive detail. Make the place come "alive" for the reader. Remember
your five senses in your descriptions. How does the place smell, sound, feel, taste, look?

Supporting Resources for Teachers:

Print Sources:

Christensen, Mark. Faith in Ice Time. Bemidji, MN: Loonfeather, 1997.

Degrazia, Monica and Emilio DeGrazia. Twenty-Six Minnesota Writers. Minneapolis: Nodin,
1995.

Gere, Anne Ruggles, et. al. Language and Reflection. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall,
1992.

Henrickson, John. North Writers: A Strong Woods Collection. Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota, 1991.

Leebron, Fred and Andrew Levy. Creating Fiction: A Writer's Companion. Fort Worth: Harcourt
Brace, 1995.

O'Brien, Tim. In the Lake of the Woods. New York: Penguin, 1995

Romano, Tom. Writing with Passion. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook, 1995.

Russell, CarolAnn. Silver Dollar. Albuquerque, NM: West End, 1995.

Internet Resources:

(By subject)

Lieutenant Calley:

dcps.dade.k12.fl.us/edison/calley.htm

www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/2/mylai1.htm#calley

My Lai:

www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/int/980316/vietnam.html

Tim O'Brien:

www.penguinputnam.com/clubppi/reading/obrien/index.htm

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:

www.noah.cuny.edu:8080/illness/mentalhealth/cornell/conditions/postraum.htm

www.ncptsd.org

Tet Offensive:

www.vietquoc.com/tet68rev.htm

www.multied.com/vietnam/tet.html

The Viet Cong

www.geocities.com:0080/TimesSquare/6984/cong.html

www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/shwv/articles/vc-view.htm

Worthington, Minnesota Home page (Tim O'Brien's hometown): www.wgtn.net/index.shtml

Assessments:

The major projects for the unit include:

Journals 50%
Author Biography 15%
Viet Nam Internet/group project 15%
Personal Collage 5%
Final Draft of a piece for class Anthology 15%

Assessments of each project:

Journal entries: (two types of entries: daily and more substantial [those marked in bold on reading
guide].

I agree with Tom Romano in Writing with Passion on his ideas about grading journal entries. He
grades journals entries as exceptional, satisfactory, or perfunctory. A satisfactory response he says,
"deals specifically with the material and searches for understanding. . .makes assertion. . .[shows]
the writer has read and connected" (144). It does what the assignment asks and shows real effort
and critical thinking. He says an exceptional response goes beyond the call of duty, these are
"specific, probing, inventive, risk-taking, surprising, scrappy, or incisive in its thinking" (144). The
assignment could be all those things or just a couple, but still exceptional, Romano says. A
perfunctory response is many things, but is decidedly poor and/or unacceptable. A perfunctory
response is surface level, "demonstrates little engagement, a shying away from thinking," and "offers
little more than generalizations" (145).

Daily journals are checked off on the checklist below and are worth:

Exceptional response: 5

Satisfactory response: 3

Perfunctory response: 1

No response (or not done on time): 0

Week one:

------ "myself as a writer"

------ reflections on the relationship between humans and nature (could be a poem)

------entry for "The Dream Net"

------entry for "Goin' to the Dogs"

Week two:

------"A risk I took" (could be a poem)

------"Something I'd like others to know about me"

------"The 'Crush'" (could be a poem)

------"A time/ place when/where I didn't fit in"

Weeks Three / Four: (daily questions only; those in bold scored separately)

------Journal Entry for Viet Nam research project

------LoW day 1 questions

------ Day 2 questions

------ Day 3 questions

------Day 4 questions

------Day 5 questions

------Day 6 questions

------Day 7 questions

------Day 8 questions

------Day 9 questions

------Day 10 questions

Week five:

------Poem about place, person, or activity; the response for Brownie and Hart poems.

------"Man" or "Woman" poems. Response to Russell and Bly poems

------entry for Christensen poems

------entry for Morris poems

Major journal entries. Since each of these entries generally require more work and more thought,
and some times revision based on future reading, I wanted to award these with more points.

Exceptional response: 9-10

Satisfactory response: 5-8

Perfunctory response: 1-4

No response: 0

Week 3, day 2

------character sketch of John Wade. Should be revised as you read the novel and include facets
of John Wade as

------a child

------"sorcerer" (in the military)

------politician

------husband

Week 3, day 3

------Entry about hobbies.

Week 4, day 1

------Lt. Calley: guilty or not?

------justifies response

------shows evidence of readings and class discussion

------offers suggestions for handling the situation

Week 4, day 2

------Constructed quote to add into "Evidence" section.

------exhibits creativity

------shows an understanding of both historical events and fictional events in the story

Week 4, day 4

------A "Hypothesis" section for the novel. "What happened to Kathy Wade?"

------exhibits creativity

------demonstrates understanding of, and has basis in, the events of the story

------written in narrative form, possibly in the questioning manner O'Brien adopts.

Week 5, day 5

------Narrative description of a favorite place that utilizes sensory images and details.

Grading entire journals: (add the daily entries + major entries)

A=130+

B=115-129

C=105-114

D=90-104

Assessment for Minnesota author biography.

Each section should be developed completely based on the assignment sheet ( fig. 1), and the
criteria developed by the class.

Grade each section based on whether the student did an excellent, satisfactory, or perfunctory job.

Short Biography (30 pts)

Excellent: Very detailed and complete, above and beyond.

Satisfactory: Meets the requirements of the assignment for this section.

Perfunctory: Minimal effort on this section and/or doesn't meet the lesson's requirements

Sketch of author's hometown (25 pts.)

Excellent: Very detailed and complete, above and beyond.

Satisfactory: Meets the requirements of the assignment for this section.

Perfunctory: Minimal effort on this section and/or doesn't meet the lesson's requirements

Major Works (5 pts.)

This will vary on the depending on the author,but it should be as detailed as possible for the
particular author.

Sources (20 pts.)

An excellent sources list will have 2-3 sources in total at least one the author and one for the
hometown and the annotations should tell the read a brief summary of the types of information
found there.

A= 72-80

B= 64-71

C= 56-63

D= 48-55

Assessment for the Viet Nam Internet / Group Project (fig 2.)

The individual parts of the project of graded separately, but are added together for a summative
grade for the entire project.

Journal entry: This part is assessed as part of the journal.

Written report: (25) Graded as a whole.

must be a collaborative effort by all group members (students could be allowed to assess the
contributions of others in their group.)
should be at least a page
must give credit to all sources used (Internet or other)
must be paraphrased in own words

Presentation: (25) Graded individually and as a whole.

should involve all members of the group
demonstrate creativity \ not a monotone reading or lecture
should educate its viewers about the topic
should be no longer than 10 mins.

Poster: (10)

should be done collaboratively
should help accentuate the presentation or clarify it
should be creative

Grades for this project are as follows

A= 54-60

B= 48-53

C= 42-47

D= 36-41

Personal Collage for "Off the Deep End"

Grading for this project is largely subjective. If students utilized the given class time, created
symbolic projects that they explained to the class, and "submit" a finished product, they will receive
an "A" for this project (10 pts.), late projects receive a "C" (7pts.), and non-participation receive
"F" (0 pts.)

Assessment for Anthology Piece Criteria for grading:

This piece must have come from one of the journal writings or been inspired by the content of this
unit. The piece may by an essay, short story, or poem, but must meet the following criteria:

Student must conference with the teacher about the piece when it's in the drafting stages.
Rough draft should be submitted with final draft.
Student must get two written responses of about a half a page from classmates about a draft
of the piece.

Student must write two, half page critiques of classmate's drafts.

The piece must somehow illustrate or describe at least two literary elements that we discuss
in the second and fifth week of the unit. That is, if the essay is about a work that we've read
in class you should describe how the author uses that literary element with effect in the text.
For example, if you write about In the Lake of the Woods, you might talk about how
O'Brien uses the two snakes devouring each other as a symbol that nature is out of balance.
If you choose to write a narrative essay, a short story, or poem, you should attempt to
incorporate two elements( a symbol, metaphor, irony, etc.) into your work. Attach a brief
note describing the elements you used and what you hoped to achieve in doing so.

Student must present a clean, typed final draft on due date to be included in the anthology.

Check list for Anthology Piece with point value:

------Conference with teacher (5)

------Obtain two written responses to attach to final copy (5)

------Attach rough draft to final copy (10)

------Write two responses to other's work to attach to their essays (20)

------Incorporate two literary elements into your work (20)

------Attach a note describing your use of literary elements in your work, if you choose to
write an original piece

------Typed final draft, submitted on due date. Grammar, punctuation and spelling is important
(40)

Grades for Anthology piece:

90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C

60-69 D

Learning Area: Literature and the Arts

Level: High School

Content Standard: Literature and arts analysis and interpretation\literature

Task one: Comprehensive analysis of a Literary Work

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

Evidence of Learning:

--A comprehensive journal

Task Summary: Using the reading guide, the students will do a comprehensive study of In the
Lake of the Woods.

Task Description: As you read In the Lake of the Woods, you be asked to complete a reading
guide by making journal entries. These entries require that you really consider the events in the
novel (analyze them), and apply what you have already learned about literature to interpret what
you have read. Based on your interpretation, you journal entry should by a substantial and
thoughtful evaluation of how you see what is happening in the novel. After you read each day, you
will be expected to do that day's journal entries, and come to class prepared to discuss it.

Task Checklist:

The purpose of the checklist is to provide feedback to the student about his/her work relative to
the content standard. Have the standard available for reference.

y=yes
n=needs improvement

Student Type of Evidence Teacher

--------- Uses literary terms in ----------

journal entries

--------- Considers historical/ social ---------

backgrounds in responses

--------- demonstrates ability to ---------

recognize and interpret plot

devices

--------- demonstrates ability to apply---------

critical criteria to the novel

in analyzing it

Learning Area: Literature and the Arts

Level: High School

Content Standard: Literature and arts analysis and interpretation\literature

Task Two: Comprehensive analysis of a Literary Work

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

Evidence of Learning:

Short author biography

Task Summary: Students will research an author from the state and determine the influence of
culture and geographical location on his/her works.

Task Description:

Select an author of your choice from the list or one of your one. Search the Internet, books, and/or
contact the author to discover information about that author, his/her works, and his/her home town
(often cities have web pages). As you complete the author biography sheet, keep in mind that you
are attempting to discover the Minnesota influence on this author's works. From the information
that you discover, interpret how Minnesota culture and regionalism effect the author's writing.
Evaluate the ways an author's regional background influences his or her writing.

Task Checklist:

The purpose of the checklist is to provide feedback to the student about his/her work relative to
the content standard. Have the standard available for reference.

y=yes
n=needs improvement

Student Type of Evidence Teacher

-------- apples cultural/ --------

historical back-

grounds to

interpretations

-------- illustrates clearly the --------

the influence of culture and

region of author's

backgrounds on their

works.

Scoring Criteria

Arts and Literature

The High School Level

Scores are ranked 4-1 with 4 being highest score and 1 being lowest. Scores reflect a professional
judgment based on multiple evidence of sustained student work over time.

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,

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.

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

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.