Unit+of+Instruction



**Title of Unit: Lord of the Flies: Comparing Literary Themes and Ideas to Modern Day. Author: Christy Potter Course: Variety of Literature Grade Level: 9/10**

This unit will focus on the comprehension and understanding of the novel as it relates to the students real life. The novel is rich in real social aspects such as good vs evil, basic elements of society including political and social situations, and choices between right and wrong. From a literary stand point it also introduces ideas such as symbolism and metaphors. When the students are able to understand this perspective of society, they will be able to compare it with current real world situations.
 * Introduction:**

Time Required: 2 weeks
 * Unit Objectives:**
 * Student will understand literature as a view of our past, present and future based on context and common human experiences.
 * Student will be able to interpret, analyze, and evaluate ideas presented by the novel.
 * Students will be able to recognize symbolism and metaphors and use that as a tool for a deeper understanding of the text.
 * Students will be able to identify writing techniques used by the author, and how they can be used to interpret and appreciate the author's work.

Title of lesson: Introducing LOTF

I will introduce the novel to the students. It is important to read chapter one together so students can become familiar with the language and writing. I will also provide the students information on the author as well as the time the novel was written. It is important for the students to understand the world in which the novel and its characters take place. We will also create a class wiki that will be used for the duration of the unit.



To deliver background information, the students will take the Google Earth Tour to view events that shaped the larger themes from the book. On the tour they will see five events from WWII that may have shaped William Golding as he wrote the novel.

Assignment: Read chapters two and three.

Resources/materials needed: Each student will need a copy of the book. Either notebook journals, or access to blogs for the duration of the unit.

Title of lesson: Mapping Activity

Based on the details given in the book, the students will create their versions of the island, which is the main setting for the novel. This will demonstrate the students comprehension of the writing. Once everyone is finished, we will compare all of the islands and discuss how and why they are different from each other, thus demonstrating interpretations.

Assignment: Read chapters four and five for homework. In class we are doing the island mapping and discussion.

Resources/materials needed: Books, map making materials.

Title of lesson: What makes a good leader?

media type="custom" key="3463448" This short video uses images of great leaders throughout history. Students will watch video and discuss which leaders they knew, which ones they don't, and what they were all known for. From here students will be able to compare/contrast traits of these leaders, and those in the book.

Assignment: In class we will introduce the Research project due by lesson 7. Go [|here] for project requirements. There are also some helpful books [|here] at my Shelfari. For homework students will need to read chapter six.

Resources/materials needed: Computer and internet, books.

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These YouTube videos all relate to the book in some fashion. Two of them discuss some of the symbolism in the book, which is a good introduction to this lesson. I picked the first one because the images are very compelling, and are taken from the movie(s) based on the book. The last one is an example of how the book continues to be percieved in todays culture.

Title of lesson: Symbolism Students will be divided into small groups and assigned a symbol. They will look through the book and find the literal and metaphorical meaning of the symbol. They will find a quote in the novel involving the symbol. These will be added to the class wiki, along with an image of their symbol. Groups will edit other student's symbols as they see fit.

Assignment: Study for quiz on first half of the book.

Resources/materials needed: Books, computer and internet.


 * Lesson 5**

Title of lesson: Quiz and discussion

Students will be quizzed on the first half of the book to ensure they are reading it. After the quiz we will have a group discussion of what has happened to the story so far, and what do we think will happen in the second half?

Assignment (in class): In their journals, students will write about what they have learned so far from the book, and what they think will happen to the characters by the end of the story. For homework assign chapters seven and eight.

After the student has thought about what they think might happen in the rest of the book, they can put these thoughts into a visual comic or book on toondoos.com. Here the students can creatively put together a picture (or pictures) of what they think will happen in the story. By using this creative venue students will be able to think about the story, characters and set on their own terms. This is helpful to students at it puts the story in their hands, and with the fun website they can really explore these thoughts. What would work out with the characters? What could never happen at this point in the story? Click [|here] for an example. Resources/materials needed: Journals, computers and internet.


 * Lesson 6**

Title of lesson: Descriptive Writing

William Golding uses a lot of descriptive writing skills in his book. Students will find different words that represent Sounds, Sights, Smells, Tastes, and Feelings (touch). How do these words effect the way the reader interprets the story? How does it effect the story?

Assignment: For homework students need to read chapter nine.

Resources/materials needed: Books


 * Lesson 7**

Title of lesson: Found Poetry Podcasts Students will find 12-15 words from chapter 9, and create a poem that will relate to the novel in some way. These will then be recorded as podcasts, and added to the class wiki. Here is an example:

media type="custom" key="3404158" Assignment: Read chapter ten for homework

Resources/materials needed: Books, computers and internet, as well as recording microphones.


 * Lesson 8**

Title of lesson: Anarchy vs Civilization

Students will define anarchy and civilization and will find examples of both in the book. What would school be like without rules? What if there weren't any adults? I will use the Simpson's Episode //Das Bus// as a fun way to relate it to the class perspective of the story. Assignment: Finish reading the book

Resources/materials needed:


 * Lesson 9**

Title of lesson: Preparing for LOTF Court trial

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Students will be divided into three groups; Jack, Ralph, and jury. The groups of Jack and Ralph will see everything through their perspective. Things they will need to think about are; 1. What happened? 2. What events does each boy have firsthand knowledge of? 3. What events did each boy only hear about? 4. Which actions will each boy defend the most emphatically? 5. What will each boy say about the others?

The third group will be the adult perspective (ie parents, police, and authority figures) and pass judgment on the boys' action. Assignment: In class students will begin preparing for the trial. Extra time may be needed at home to complete their portion of the assignment.

Resources/materials needed: Students will use bubbl.us to brainstorm for their group. This website helps students brainstorm and organize their thoughts so that they can prepare as best as they can for such a test. The website helps student organize their thoughts as well as break down larger thoughts, into smaller ideals. I feel that this is helpful for the students as it is more engaging and interactive for them, which we all know will encourage learning. When students are excited to do something, they will put more effort into it, and this is one website that encourages such behavior.

Title of lesson: LOTF Trial

This is the final assessment for the book. Ideally the trial will be recorded and added as a YouTube video to the class wiki. Students will be graded based on their use of examples from the book, their contribution to the trial, and their understanding of the material. This should be a fun final assignment for the students as they demonstrate their knowledge of the novel.