Lesson Plan Template
SUBJECT/Grade: Gr 10 English Suggested Time: 70-75 minutes
COURSE/Type/Code: ENG1D – Grade 10 Academic
TITLE: The Hero with 1000 Faces: Are Frodo and Alice (From Wonderland) the Same Hero?
Connection to CULMINATING ACTIVITY: By completing these activities surrounding the heroic myth cycle, students will exercise their comparative reading skills, which will be a crucial part of their culminating activity: a comparison of two works of literature or media. Practicing this important skill will allow students to see the framework and tradition of literature, examine recurrent powerful themes and symbols, actively produce their own examples that adhere to the monomyth theory, and explore the concept of similar narratives across time, race and religion.
Planning Information:Curriculum Connections
Overall Expectation(s):
Reading for Understanding
· Understanding Form and Style: recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning
Writing
· Developing and Organizing Content: generate, gather and organize ideas and information to write
for an intended purpose and audience
Media Studies
· Understanding Media Forms, Conventions and Techniques: identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning
Specific Expectation(s):
· 1.1. Reading for Meaning: read student- and teacher-selected texts from diverse cultures and
historical periods, identifying specific purposes for reading
· 1.6. Reading for Meaning: analyse texts in terms of the information, ideas, issues or themes they
explore, examining how various aspects of the texts contribute to the presentation or development
of these elements
· 2.3. Reading for Meaning: identify several different elements of style in texts and explain how they
help communicate meaning and enchance the effectiveness of the text
· 1.8. Critical Literacy: identify the perspectives and/or biases evident in both simple and complex
texts and comment on any questions they may raise about beliefs, values, identity and power
· 2.5. Critical Literacy: explain how their own beliefs, values, and experiences are revealed in their
writing
Learning Goal(s) or Enduring Understandings:
· At the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify the different steps of a simplified heroic
myth cycle
· Students will recognise and gain the skills to find and assess other forms of media (movies, tv,
novels, poems) and compare and contrast them critically not only to the heroic myth cycle but to any other
work. This knowledge will form the foundation for comparative literature studies in the future
· Students will be made aware of this lesson’s relation to the culminating activity, in which students
will be asked to compare two works of literature/media.
Essential Questions:
· How do we assess whether or not two works of literature are similar? What are the most important
points of comparison?
· Discuss why the monomyth creates such compelling stories. Argue for or against the monomyth as
the best method of storytelling.
· Can we (and should we) create a connecting line throughout literature and narratives spanning
history and the world? Is that a valuable exercise?
Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment/Success Criteria
Knowledge and Understanding:
Demonstrates an understanding of the concept of the monomyth and the theme of interconnectedness of narratives
Thinking
Able to use critical literacy and analysis skills to interpret the important aspects of the monomyth and extract those aspects from unfamiliar texts
Communication
Expresses and organises the concept and information of the monomyth in logical, appealing and creative ways
Application
Applies the knowledge and skills learned about the monomyth and heroic cycle in familiar contexts, like in relation to other works of literature / Assessment Tools
Diagnostic assessment, mind map, discussion,
anecdotal comments, peer assessment, group
discussion, choice board, rubric
Prior Knowledge Required (the knowledge/concepts and skills students must possess to be successful in this lesson)
- working knowledge of various literary terms such as symbols, images, characters, plot, theme, myth, etc.
- some knowledge of Western mythological figures (Greek, Biblical, Western film and literature figures)
Differentiated Instruction Details
w How will you differentiate your lesson? Provide details
Knowledge of Students
Differentiation based on student:
x Readiness x Interests x Learner Profile:
x Styles x Intelligences r Other
Need to Know
· Students’ interest in activities in terms of multiple intelligences and style preferences
· Students’ prior knowledge of not only Western mythology but also any mythology from their home cultures, which can be used in activities to personalise the lesson
How To Find Out
· Observe students while they interact during the critical thinking challenge and paired discussions
· Provide opportunity for students to ask questions during introduction of lesson
· Brainstorm and mind maps to mine students for their prior knowledge
Differentiated Instruction Response
x Learning materials (content) x Ways of learning (process) x Ways of demonstrating learning (product) x Learning environment
Resources (for items in appendix, indicate with asterisk)
- Laptop, speakers
- Computer lab
- Chart paper/markers
- Projector
Appendix A: Simplified Heroic Cycle – 1 per student
Appendix B: Glossary of Terms – 1, posted
Appendix C: Synopsis graphic organisers – 1 per pair
Appendix D: Choice Board – 1 per student
Appendix E: Choice Board Assignment Rubric – 1 per student
Videos:
The Call to Adventure (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny68V2PgULw&feature
=related)
Internet Resources:
Edsitement. A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes A Poem An
Epic? (http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/story-epic-proportions-what-makes-poem-epic#sect-thelesson). Accessed Oct 21, 2011.
Marcopia Centre for Learning and Instruction. Hero’s Journey.
(http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html). Accessed Oct 21, 2011. / Agenda (to be listed on blackboard, in student language)
1. Administrative Stuff (5 minutes)
2. Minds On! Video Assessment
3. Story Search: Potter and The One Ring
4. Mind Mapping/Story Analysis
5. Presentations
6. Choice Board/Homework: Okay,
Your Turn!
Minds On (Hook) w Establishing a positive learning environment
w Connecting to prior learning and/or experiences
w Setting the context for learning / Connections
L: Literacy
AfL, AoL, AaL: Assessment for/of/as Learning
Small Groups à Video Activity (10 minutes)
The class should take place in a computer lab because of the need for student research during part of this lesson.
The teacher will do a brief overview of Joseph Campbell’s theory of the monomyth as well as asking the whole group general questions about mythology to assess prior knowledge.
Next, the teacher will post a simplified diagram of Campbell’s Heroic Myth Cycle (APPENDIX A), detailing only the larger categories: The Call to Adventure, The Road of Trials, Ultimate Boon, Near Defeat and Resurrection. A glossary of terms (APPENDIX B) should be projected so that students unfamiliar with certain words can participate in the activity uninterrupted.
Students will be shown a video that exemplifies the first step in the Heroic Cycle, Call to Adventure (without knowing which step it is). In their groups of 4-5, the teacher will ask them to assess by discussing what step they think it is and, more importantly, what specific criteria led them to that conclusion. Teacher should circulate during discussion time to get a sense of students’ general knowledge of mythology and after an appropriate amount of time, the teacher should take-up the activity as a whole group. The teacher should try to obtain specific criteria from each movie referenced in the clip.
(Answer: students should conclude that it is the Call to Adventure)
Explain that this lesson is about making the students aware of the “monomyth” and how it can be found throughout dozens of works of literature as well as much of pop culture. It should be communicated that the key importance of this lesson will be twofold: to be able to identify different aspects of the monomyth and to use that comparatively in literature. / AfL, AaL: Diagnostic assessment, anecdotal comments
Action
w Introducing new learning or extending/reinforcing prior learning
w Providing opportunities for practice and application of learning (guided > independent)
Pairs à Story Analysis/Peer Assessment (10 minutes)
Students will be split into pairs and given access to the computers to examine a synopsis of a popular story that is generally well-known (a choice of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings) and they will be expected to fill out a graphic organiser (APPENDIX C) identifying different aspects of the monomyth from those stories. This exercise is for the lower-levels of Bloom: learning new facts as well as reinforcing prior knowledge. However, and more importantly, this will allow students to unconsciously create new connections that they may or may not have made before. Partners will then pass their organiser to another pair and students will peer-assess each other’s work in order to provide feedback and engage in peer learning/teaching.
Small groups à Choice-Based/Mind Map Activity (20 minutes)
Next, students will move from simple identification to a synthesis of their learning.
They will be split into groups of 5-6 and be asked to pick a story of their choice from a suggested list that will be projected on the board:
- Adam and Eve
- Alice in Wonderland
- Avatar
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- King Arthur
- Batman/Spiderman/Batman
- Buddha
- Jesus
- Krishna
- The Matrix
- The Odyssey
- Percy Jackson
- Wall-E/UP/Aladdin/The Little Mermaid, etc
Each group will be given a piece of chart paper and will be asked to make three mind maps. The most important of the following should be identified from their chosen story: 1) characters 2) objects 3) actions. The teacher should model the organisation of these on the blackboard.
Whole Class à Presentations (10 minutes)
Each group will be asked to stand up and present their story and mind maps to the class while the teacher collects common elements in student answers on aggregate mind maps on the blackboard. The teacher should include some form of tally of occurrences so that students will eventually see these common elements between all their stories.
As a class, the teacher will debrief by leading a discussion asking the students why they believe these common elements are recurrent and thus important and based on what criteria.
(Approximate answer: students should conclude that many of these common archetypes and elements have been identified in Campbell’s monomyth theory and will again glimpse the overarching cohesion in much of the Western tradition of literature. The reasons and concepts behind comparative literature will again be implicitly reinforced.) / AaL: peer assessment
L: Literacy
AaL: Mind Map
AaL: Group summarising, anecdotal comments
Consolidation and Connection
w Helping students demonstrate what they have learned
w Providing opportunities for consolidation and reflection
Small Groups à Choice Board (10 minutes)
Students will be shown a choice board (APPENDIX D) and asked to choose whatever format they wish to create their own short monomyth.
For bonus marks, students who wish to extend their learning will be given the option of including a 1 paragraph comparative write-up to show how their monomyth relates to a popular example.
Not all of the steps of the cycle need to be accounted for, but at least 5 key steps should be included.
A rubric (APPENDIX E) will be included so that students are well aware of expectations and learning goals for the assignment.
The assignment will be collected in a week’s time, assessed, graded and returned with detailed and constructive criticism. / AfL,AoL: Choice board/rubric
Accommodations/Special Needs: (this may have been identified above in DI section) How will you accommodate for students with IEPs, ELLs etc.?
Resources would be provided for ELL students who cannot make sense of the readings in English, such as instructions given in different languages, offering extra help in L1 for those who are interested, grouping of students based on language needs, and classroom resources such as L1 dictionaries. These accommodations will all be based on knowledge of the classroom demographic and student need from previous diagnostic assessments.
Content: a variety of resources such as text and images will be provided. Any handouts or overheads will be specifically designed from a rich design perspective as to appeal to students with a visual learning style. At all times, any displayed or distributed material will be made with the utmost care for visual appeal.
Process: Oral and visual instruction will be provided as much as possible. Whatever instructions are spoken by the teacher or group discussion results will either be provided on the projector or on a handout. All attempts will be made to set aside for students who require more time to process instructions, vary pace and break the lesson into “chunks” for students.
Product: The teacher will accept a variety of formats for assignments including drama, written, oral and illustrative works. Choice of larger AoL tasks will always be provided.