A Tale of Two Books
A sequence of lessons on literature that will induce deeper understanding of two particular works of literature.
{grade level} {Arkansas Frameworks}{materials}{procedures}{reflection} {sources}
{table of contents} {lesson plans}
7th-9th Grade
R1.1= Read individually.
R1.8= Employ background knowledge to aid.
R1.11= Apply literal and inferential comprehension strategies to analyze a variety of genres from diverse cultures and time periods.
R1.15= Employ comprehension strategies such as prediction, skimming, and sequencing.
R1.16= Evaluate and react critically to what has been read.
R2.1= Read a variety of materials for a variety of purposes.
R2.2=Self-select reading materials from libraries and other sources.
R2.4= Choose reading as an information-gathering tool to develop informed opinions and make decisions.
Catherine Called Birdie and The Midwife's Apprentice, by Karen Cushman
13th Century research (see timeline)
Video Camara (optional)
This sequence will span several days in order to allow ample time for pre-reading, reading, reflective writing, and post-reading activities. Most likely, the teacher will have to format the lesson to comply with his/her yearly lesson plans. The following is an example of how this sequence can be arranged.
Week 1
Day 1- Introduction
Days 2 and 3- Research
Days 4 and 5- Presentations
- Before any activities are done, the teacher should give a quick introduction. Students should know that the goal of the next few weeks is to learn different methods of studying literature through reading and responding to two books. The books, both written by Karen Cushman, are Catherine Called Birdie and The Midwife's Apprentice. Both books are about adolescent girls around the age of 12, living in the 1200's. It would be beneficial for the teacher to give some background knowledge of the 13th century to the students. Teachers should attempt to explain the family life, social affairs, roles of men and women, living conditions, or anything else that may seem relevant to the books. Here is a timeline of the 13th century (1200's) to look at and get some ideas about what to say.
- After the introduction, the students should be asked to do a pre-reading assignment, composed of two parts. First, students should write a short journal entry, explaining how they may have handled life in the 13th century. Have them to think about t.v. shows or movies that may fit that time period, and place themselves in those living conditions. This will give them a good idea of the life of the books' characters. Second, have them research one topic concerning this time period, and prepare a short presentation for the class. The presentation may cover a person or event listed on the timeline, or any other topic that the student finds interesting. This activity will help add to the background knowledge for the students, as well as provide a higher learning activity. These reports should be only 1-2 pages. Do not allow students to create a fifty-thousand word thesis. Here are some example topics that students may find interesting.
- The pre-writing activities should be graded on completeness and content. This is not a grammar assignment. Though grammar should be corrected, it should not be counted off for, unless specified otherwise.
Weeks 2, 3, and 4
- The next three weeks should be devoted entirely to reading and responding to the two books. Personally, I would start with Catherine Called Birdie. It is the longer of the two, and would be best to get out of the way. I estimate that it will take a week and a half (8 school days) to completely read and discuss the book. I will not give all of the teaching specifics to this one, but I will to The Midwife's Apprentice. Though this book should only take about 7 school days to complete, the same format can be followed with both books.
Day 1
-The book must be introduced. The best thing to do first would be to explain the meanings of "midwife" and "apprentice." Go into detail about how midwives were used then, and how there is a trend to use them today. For the apprentice explanation, you may want to discuss newspaper apprentices, and list famous authors who once fell into this category. Based on the discussion, have the students do a pre-writing activity, discussing what they believe a midwife's apprentice should learn. Assign chapters 1 and 2 for the following day. Have the sudents keep a reading journal to respond to their reading. Instead of writing, encourage them to draw pictures of what they feel to be the most important themes of the chapter. Many times, pictures can illustrate what a person wants to say better than he/she can write it. Due to the possible graphic nature of the midwife profession, it will be important to warn students not to be risky with their drawings. Creativity is hoped for, but not in an inappropriate way.
Day 2
-Discuss chapters 1 and 2 of the book, being sure to attend to any and all questions concerning them. Have students share their perception of things. Have them discuss what they believe will happen next. Take all journals and assign chapters 3 and 4, as well as another journal.
Day 3
-Discuss chapters 3 and 4 of the book, being sure to attend to any and all questions concerning them. Have students share their perception of things. Have them discuss what they believe will happen next. Take all journals and assign chapters 5 and 6, as well as another journal.
Day 4
-Discuss chapters 5 and 6 of the book, being sure to attend to any and all questions concerning them. Have students share their perception of things. Have them discuss what they believe will happen next. Take all journals and assign chapters 7 and 8, as well as another journal.
Day 5
-Discuss chapters 7 and 8 of the book, being sure to attend to any and all questions concerning them. Have students share their perception of things. Have them discuss what they believe will happen next. Take all journals and assign chapter 9, as well as another journal.
Day 6
-Discuss chapter 9 of the book, being sure to attend to any and all questions concerning them. Have students share their perception of things. Ask the students if they were happy or disappointed with the outcome of the book. Take up journals.
Day 7
-Do a post-writing assignment. Topics can range from placing oneself in the spot of a character in the book, to rewriting a scene that did not turn out as it should have. They are open to all sorts of subjects, but they must show that the student has thought about the book on a higher level. It cannot be a summary or "I liked this book because. . ." journal.
-Journals should be taken daily and graded on their relevance to the book. If, by looking at the picture, the teacher can tell that the student did the assigned reading, then he/she should recieve full credit for the journal. Students should also be given points for participation in class discussion.
Week 5 (the final one)
Day 1- Split into groups
Days 2 and 3- Rewrite scenes
Days 4 and 5- Present and discuss skits
-Week 5 consists of group activity. After having read and discussesd both books, students should have a good grasp on the scenes and characters of each one. With this in mind, the teacher will select heterogeneous blends (based on ability and work ethic) of students to do a group project. The project is called a narrative drama. Students will select a scene from one book and rewrite it using a character from the other book. One student from the group will be the narrator. As the narrator reads the scene, the others will act it out. For a written example of a narrative drama, click the following link. Narrative Drama Example
-This activity does a good job of promoting student creativity. It also shows that the students understand the works well enough to intermix them. After each performance, the teacher should discuss the skit with the class. Ask the students if they gained any more insight into the novels because of the skit. you may want to film these.
-Students will be graded individually on their participation in the project. There should not be a final, written exam.
-This project is probably my most imaginative. There is a lot of extra study used to get the students involved with more than just reading words. The pre-reading is designed to encourage students to develop premonitions about the books. The journals are used to develop a better understanding of what has happened throughout the book, as well as to promote artistic creativity. The post-reading is a constructivist-type activity used for application and higher thinking about the two books.
-All deadlines are clearly stated by week and day number. This can be presented in a syllabus that will be distributed to each student.
-I understand that there may be time constraints, and that some students may not be able to read much outside of the classroom. That is why every chapter is discussed in detail. It may also be a good idea to have a few of the students share their drawings with the rest of the class. This could provide some needed help for students that may not have been able to finish the reading.
-Other things to consider are students with special needs. The first part of the pre-reading would be easy. It is only a free-writing activity. The drawings are awesome for learning disabled children, especially those with reading problems. Visuals are usually always good. The narrative drama is also compliant with special needs. If a student cannot perform physically, then he/she could be the narrator. Also, who says that each actor has to have speaking lines? During the Renaissance, many acting companies used human props for their productions. This is a possibility for students with problems.
-I believe that the instructions are clear enough. The only real challenge may come in explaining about the narrative dialogue. It is best to present a sample for them to model after. One has been provided here.
-These assignments are graded primarily on the completion of projects and participation in discussions. The purpose of reading is not to memorize facts and events out of the book, but rather to comprehend all parts of it, physical and mental. Yes, many of the activities are based on reading knowledge, but the discussion should focus on comprehension.
-The pre-reading exercises and the narrative drama were my own creations.
-The picture journals came from Dr. Elizabeth Davis, Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, AR.