Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU

Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley

Format for Creating Lesson Plans

Title of the Lesson: A Modern Day Pilgrimage

Grade Level: 12
th
Grade: British Literature

Length of Lesson: 3 Classes (90 min each)

Overview of the Lesson: Students will create a detailed Weebly page an assigned pilgrim from The Canterbury
Tales modernizing their particular pilgrim.

Essential Leaning Outcomes Questions: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to navigate and
edit a Weebly page, research pilgrims, translate Old English to modern day English, make connections to real
world people and events, and explore various technical elements.

NC Common Core Standards Being Addressed:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.6 Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires
distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or
understatement)

Students will evaluate Chaucers satirical passage of their assigned pilgrim to determine whether he is mocking
or approving of their character.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats
and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve
problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among
the data.

Students will create a Weebly page to serve as a profile of their pilgrim. Within this page, they will include
either a ToonDoo or GoAnimate illustration, a Animoto video, or a Tagxedo word picture. After the creation of
their page, students will present orally to the class.

Materials Needed: The Canterbury Tales, 15 laptops, Weebly (pre-create pages for students), overhead
projector and screen.

How the Lesson Will Flow:
1. Create a Weebly account with www.weebly.com . Once you have created your account, you must create
a Weebly page and name it (i.e. On the Way to Canterbury). You will need to create a home page and
several tab pages. My tabs are:

Home: This is where I have posted the pre-writing instructions and the Weebly profile instructions.
Character Assignments: I have assigned a pilgrim to every two students and posted them here.
Technological Elements: This is where I have listed the various programs (ToonDoo, Go Animate, Animoto,
and Tagxedo) and links that the students can incorporate into their profile.
Pilgrims: I then created a tab for each pilgrim covered in the prologue.


Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley

2. Assign every two students to a pilgrim. I found that working in partners helped the process to move
along more quickly.
3. Introduce the lesson to the students by showing the Weebly website. Because I didnt pay to upgrade to
the Pro version of Weebly, I created a generic username and password that I shared with the students at
this time.
4. On their laptops, students open the Weebly website I had created. Then they complete the pre-writing
assignment located on the home page (attached at the bottom of this document).
5. After pre-writing, students can begin editing their Weebly tab for their pilgrim. They must include the
following information:
Your weebly page should include:
-physical description of your character
-personality traits of your character
-their social class and job description
-the author's opinion of your character
-a profile picture
-a connection/comparison to a modern day celebrity (or find a person that would play their part in
a movie)
-a technological element (check the technological elements tab)
-translated passage
**Make this page your own! Feel free to add links, youtube videos, pictures, etc.

6. Students have two class periods (90 minutes) to complete their pilgrim page.
7. During the third class period, students share their page while their classmates complete their pilgrim
chart (attached below). This helps to keep students focused during the presentation and serves as a
cheat sheet for background information of the pilgrims throughout the rest of their reading.



Assessment: During their presentation, I will be able to evaluate whether the students were able to successfully
understand their passage through their translation. I will also be able to see if they could make a real world
connection between their pilgrim and a celebrity/movie character, navigate and edit Weebly, and present their
character in a clear and orderly presentation.

Sources for the Lesson:

The idea came from Read.Write.Think. They originally created the pre-writing assignment and had the idea to
implement the information discovered into a Wiki page. From this idea, I decided to create a Weebly. I also
decided the elements that I wanted to be included on each pilgrims page. I added the additional techonological
element for the students to use. You can use a variety, but I chose four that I was familiar with (ToonDoo, Go
Animate, Animoto, and Tagxedo).

The fill-in Prologue chart that I require the students to complete during presentations was created by my
cooperating teacher, Mrs. Catherine White.


My page from Fall 2013:
http://downtocanterbury.weebly.com/



Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley

The following assignment came from readwritethink:
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploring-prologue-canterbury-tales-
30508.html
Canterbury Tales Wiki Worksheet
Complete this sheet on your assigned character prior to starting your Weebly.
Canterbury Character:
Group Members:

Part One
The Middle Ages is one of the most interesting and colorful time periods in history. The research questions in part
one of this activity will give you only a brief glimpse into the people of the time and how they lived. It will also
demonstrate how Chaucer creates characters that help us understand the complexities of the historical time period.
Be sure to create a link to each site that provides an answer for each of the research questions. You may have more
than one site for any one question. Research questions:
What specific occupation does your character practice?
What does the need for this occupation tell us about the time period?
What was his or her social standing?
What might your characters day to day life be like?
What details about this character does Chaucer not include?
What modern day occupation might correspond to your medieval character and why?

Part Two
Examining the language of a specific text can be very complicated. For the purpose of
this activity, we will be looking for word choices that give us clues about the authors
tone and attitude about his characters. We will also examine how specific words have
evolved from medieval times to today.
Examination of text:
Paraphrase each line of the prologue describing your character.
Which lines in the prologue best describe your characters physical appearance?
Which lines describe his/her personality?
Which specific words add to your understanding of the characters personality?
List at least 5 examples of spelling variations from middle to modern English

Part Three
Once you have researched the background of your character and examined the text in
which your character is developed, you can analyze the language better.
Analysis of the passage
(Be sure to answer in complete sentences and include these responses in your wiki page.Dont limit yourself,
however; include any additional information that would help a
reader understand the text better.)
What is Chaucers opinion toward this character?
What specific lines or words tell you this?
What word choices require an understanding of vocabulary from the time period?

This example comes from the opening lines of the prologue. Your analysis will include specific lines and images
from your passage. By choosing Spring as the time frame for his prologue, Chaucer opens with a hopeful attitude.
Spring is a time of new beginnings and the pilgrims are embarking on their own new journey. Zephyr brings new life
with his sweet breath. (Notice the link defining the word zephyr. Be sure to include any links you think would
help your reader understand your meaning.)

Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley



White 2007-2008

Character Analysis of the Pilgrims in Chaucers Canterbury Tales

Reading the General Prologue, you learned a great deal about medieval England, and it is my hope you were
reminded of the William Blake quotation, Names alter, things never alter. Yes, our pilgrims are like people
everywhere.

While Chaucer effectively employs verse and rhyme schemes, his greatest skill is painting vivid pictures of his
characters; characterization is the creation of imaginary persons so that they seem lifelike.

Direct Characterization: The author or narrator directly states a characters traits.

Indirect Characterization: The author or narrator tells what a character looks like, thinks, says, or does
and how other characters react to him or her. Then, it is up to the reader to draw conclusions about the
character.


Examine Chaucers description of each of the following characters and show how he reveals them. What does
he say directly, and what does he imply? What are qualities condemned in some and praised in others? Be sure
to cite as many specifics as possible to support your arguments.


Pilgrim Social Class Physical Personality Hosts Approval

KNIGHT
Approves of




Mocks





SQUIRE
Approves of




Mocks




Approves of

Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley

YEOMAN



Mocks






NUN
Approves of




Mocks






MONK
Approves of




Mocks






FRIAR
Approves of




Mocks






MERCHANT
Approves of




Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley


Mocks






OXFORD
CLERIC
Approves of




Mocks





SERGEANT AT
LAW
Approves of




Mocks






FRANKLIN
Approves of




Mocks






HABERDASHER,
DYER,
CARPENTER,
WEAVER, AND
CARPET-
MAKER
Approves of




Mocks



Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley





COOK
Approves of




Mocks






SKIPPER


Approves of




Mocks





DOCTOR
Approves of




Mocks





WIFE OF BATH
Approves of




Mocks






PARSON
Approves of


Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley




Mocks






PLOWMAN
Approves of




Mocks






MILLER
Approves of




Mocks






MANCIPLE
Approves of



Mocks




REEVE
Approves of



Mocks




Writing & Technology Ruie Pritchard NCSU
Lesson Created By: Rachel Bentley



SUMMONER
Approves of



Mocks





PARDONER
Approves of



Mocks





CHAUCER
Approves of



Mocks





HOST
Approves of



Mocks