Character Analysis via Literature Circles

Class: Honors English 9 Unit Title: Interactive Learning in Enders Game Lesson: Character Analysis via Literature Circles Date: 11/15/13 Time: 85 minutes (full block class) Learning Objectives SWBAT: [Students will be able to:] Cognitive (Know/Understand): Unit objective: Students will understand that effective writing skills should be transferred and used in all types of writing. o Todays objective #1: Students will understand that they should transfer the chunk formula (assertion, example, explanation) into their journal response connecting theme to characters. Unit objective: Students will know how to make predictions, inferences, draw conclusions, and connect prior knowledge to support reading comprehension. o Todays objective #2: Students will know how to make inferences concerning characters in Enders Game, the Odyssey, and other texts. Affective (Feel/Value): Unit objective: Students will value the connection between different literary elements. o Todays objective #3: Students will value the connection between theme and characters in Enders Game. Performance (Do): Unit objective: Students will be able to analyze and explain the relationships between and among elements of literature: characters, plot, setting, tone, point of view, and theme. o Todays objective #4: Students will be able to analyze and explain the relationships between theme, characters, setting, tone, and point of view. SOLs: 9.4.e. Students will explain the relationships between and among elements of literature: characters, plot, setting, tone, point of view, and theme (emphasis added). Necessary Materials Mug Shot sheet Elmo Enders Game The Island of the Skog, Steven Kellogg

Thunder Cake, Patricia Polacco The Lorax, Dr. Seuss The Wump World, Bill Peet The Great Kapok Tree, Lynne Cherry Laptop with internet connection Dongle Projector Graphic organizer Word Power Book

Instructional Methods and Procedures Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics. Step 1 [5 mins.] Do Now: Mug Shot and Announcements Good morning everyone! Its time to settle down and listen to the announcements while simultaneously copying down your Mug Shot. Though this is tough, you guys are old hat at it, but you need to be quiet in order to focus. I will project the two grammar Mug Shots for today during announcements. Shortly after Ill call on students using popsicle sticks to share their corrections. Step 2 [5 mins.] Bridge: Weve been learning about a variety of literary elements so far, so I think its time for a refresher. Who can tell me elements weve gone over so far?...Lets do some more reflection and enjoy this sort of cheesy video. You all will probably laugh, but its actually helpful. Ill project the Youtube video and play it. What did you guys think? Was it helpful? Was it too childish? Did it summarize and group the literary elements together well? Step 3 [15 mins.]: Journal Prompt While were connecting prior knowledge, lets respond to this journal prompt. So, please get out a scratch piece of paper that youre willing to write on. Ill project the prompt and have a student read it aloud for me. How can the theme of a story connect to its characters? Last class we brainstormed themes of movies, books, and songs. An example was how Harry Potter represents good vs. evil. Think of examples of stories including Enders Game, but challenge yourself to translate these ideas to other works. They might include movies, TV shows, cartoons, video games, etc. Be prepared to share out. Use the chunk format in that you have an assertion, example, and an explanation. You guys have five minutes to write down your ideas. Then youll have three minutes to share with your group. After that, we will share out, so be prepared to answer for your group. Step 4 [15 mins.]: Character mini-lesson Those were intriguing connections! Lets explore the literary element of character a little further, shall we? Why dont we begin by brainstorming character traits? Ill pull up a Google doc and type up their ideas as they share them. I will share with you all this Google Doc, but you should take your own notes now for your benefit as youll need them later in class. How would you all define static?...How would you define dynamic? What images can you think of that would define these two adjectives?...Take a minute to brainstorm and well share outStudents will share out their image ideas before we connect them to a short resource. Ok, lets look at this resource on static and dynamic characters. Ill project and read this resource for students. Who can we

think of that would fall under the category of static? What about dynamic? Think: Ender, Valentine, Peter, Graff, Odysseus, Telemachus, etc. Well then briefly discuss their thoughts. Ok, wonderful! Now lets take it an even deeper step and think about characterization. Were going to watch a clip on characterization, but be thinking of examples you can relate to Enders Game as youre watching. Jot down at least one example on a scratch piece of paper so that youre prepared to share. Students will then share out their examples. Step 5 [30 mins.]: Childrens books literature circles Ok, now were going to build on our character discussion as well as connect our knowledge of literary elements to childrens books. I know, I know. You guys are way beyond childrens books. Im aware. However, theyre a wonderful tool to work with when thinking about literature as theyre pretty short and simple. So, you guys are going to number off one through five beginning with you Bethany. Students will number off. If youre a one, come sit with Bethany. If youre a two, go sit in the back corner of the room over hereIll assign a location for each group. Instead of just reading these stories, were going to analyze them and explain relationships because you guys are THAT advanced. In order to do this, you guys are going to have one member, the recorder, in your group write down your thoughts. Youll organize your thoughts using the literary elements weve been studying: point of view, setting, tone, and characters. Pay special attention to how the characters in your story affect the point of view, setting, and tone. The characters in a story play a huge role, so include how they all connect to the other literary elements. I didnt fill in the boxes for you guys so that you could have the freedom to decide which element leads to another in your minds. There will be a few empty boxes, but dont worry about those. Were going to fill them in next class. So have your recorder keep a hold of these! Ill then hand out a different book to each group along with one graphic organizer. Each group needs to read their story, identify the literary elements weve discussed (Ill project these as a reminder), discuss their placement in the graphic organizer, and then were going to present. You guys have 20 minutes to read the book and identify the literary elements. So, dont rush, but be quick and thorough! Its a challenge. Begin! Ill then set the class timer. Students will then present their books literary elements. Step 6 [15 mins.]: Word Power Session 8 Review and Session 9 Now that you all have enjoyed some lunch, lets switch gears and think about vocabulary. Please take out your Word Power books and turn to Session 8. Review with your squad mates for five minutes before we begin session nine. Students will review as I walk around the room listening to their thoughts. Alright, lets go over session nine! Ill proceed to read through the session, stopping to add anecdotes and make connections for students. Closure [5 mins.]: Exit Ticket Weve done quite a bit today! Its certainly been a whirlwind! So, in order to reflect on your learning, pull out a scratch piece of paper. Choose one character in Enders Game, other than Ender, and describe him/her using what you learned about characters today to do so. Ill project the prompt on the board. Place it in the bin on your way out as the bell rings, but please be quiet and respectful to your classmates once you finish. Your homework is on the board, but Ill send out an e-mail reminder since we didnt have a chance to go over it in class. Have a glorious weekend!

Methods of Assessment Todays objectives #1, #2, #3: Students will transfer their chunk formula to their journal response as they connect theme to characters. As students are writing, Ill peer over their shoulders to see if theyre making the connection. Ill also ask students who might be on the shyer side to read what theyve written during group share as another check. Todays objective #2: During the character mini-lesson, students will verbally show their understanding by answering the character connection questions throughout our small discussion. Students will also complete the exit ticket applying what theyve learned about character to describe a character in Enders Game. Todays objective #4: In completing the literary elements graphic organizer specific to their childrens book, students will apply their knowledge of all the literary elements weve learned thus far. Their peers will check them as they all must agree which literary element connects to another in a way that makes sense to them. Their informal sharing will show me if theyve understood (as well as my walking around and listening to groups during this activity). In Retrospect (Post Lesson Reflection) I know that most of my students enjoyed this lesson, and Im so glad they did! Though they found the literary elements clip cheesy, it stuck with them. I heard one student singing it to himself as he walked to lunch. Nonetheless, the following discussion that it initiated was a fine segue into the journal prompt where students needed to connect their prior knowledge of theme to the literary element of the day, characters. My students really enjoy discussing, so this prompt allowed them to voice their thoughts on the significance of characters in a story. As will all good things comes the need for improvement, and I certainly botched part of the character mini-lesson. I knew that I wasnt being clear when one of my struggling students asked multiple clarifying questions when I had hoped to move right along. So, after meeting with my colleagues (my observing supervisor and clinical instructor) during our 25 minute lunch break they suggested that I clear up any confusion on the difference between indirect and direct characterization. I proceeded to apologize to my students and clarify that direct characterization is when an author describes an action of a character, i.e. Abel is a nice boy, and he goes to see his mother twice a week. On the other hand, indirect characterization is when an action is stated without an adjective to describe it, i.e. Abel brings his mother flowers. In that example there isnt an adjective describing Abels action, leaving it to indirectly characterize Abel. After explaining these examples my questioning student understood more, and I know that my other students who didnt speak up also benefited from that clarification. During the next part of class, students liked the literature circles using picture books. In the previous class I read aloud to them Where the Wild Things Are, using it as a tool to determine the literary element of theme, and they liked it. So, I gave them a chance to read aloud to their squad mates during this class, and it was a hit! They needed to organize the literary elements they learned so far into a graphic organizer. In order to do this they needed to discuss within their squads which literary elements better connected to

one another, and listening to their conversations reassured me that theyre understanding the concepts weve been discussing. In the future Ill give students more time to analyze their picture books so that they dont feel rushed to grapple with the literary elements in the graphic organizer. I planned to differentiate and give certain books to certain squads, but I chose to adhere to student requests because I certainly respect those. Next time, though, Im going to stick to my plan so that a weaker group wont feel rushed while a more advanced group finishes before the others. I did have another analysis activity in case the advanced groups finished early, and the challenge suited them well. Materials Appendix Hook: Flocabularys Five Things clip Journal Prompt: How can the theme of a story connect to its characters? Last class we brainstormed themes of movies, books, and songs. An example was how the Harry Potter stories represent the theme of good vs. evil. Think of examples of stories including Enders Game, but challenge yourself to translate these ideas to other works. They might include movies, TV shows, cartoons, video games, etc. Be prepared to share out. Use the chunk format in that you have an assertion, example, and an explanation. Dynamic and Static characters resources Characterization clip Exit ticket: Identify one character (other than Ender) and describe him using your knowledge of character, point of view, setting, tone, and theme.