Name:BrianK.

Cochran
Topic:LessonPlan,TheNecklace
GradeLevel:8thGradeEnglishClass
Agenda:
JournalQuestion5Minutes
PopcornStoryReading5Minutes
AnswerShortQuestions5Minutes
GroupsCondenseAnswers5Minutes
CreateNecklace10Minutes
DecorateNecklace10Minutes
CleanUp5Minutes
ClosingDiscusion5Minutes
Objectives:

Studentswillidentifycharactertraitsfromvariouspointsinthestory.
Studentswilldeducecharactertraitsfromthestory.
Studentswillsynthesizetraitsintoonewordstatements.
Studentswillchartcharactertraitsthroughoutthestory.
StudentswillexamineMathildeshiddennature.
Studentswilldecodethemeofstory.

CaliforniaAcademicContentStandards:
3.3Analyzeinteractionsbetweenmainandsubordinatecharactersinaliterary
text(e.g.,internalandexternalconflicts,motivations,relationships,influences)
andexplainthewaythoseinteractionsaffecttheplot.

3.4Determinecharacters'traitsbywhatthecharacterssayaboutthemselvesin
narration,dialogue,dramaticmonologue,andsoliloquy.

3.12Analyzethewayinwhichaworkofliteratureisrelatedtothethemesand
issuesofitshistoricalperiod.(Historicalapproach)

2.2A.Writeresponsestoliteratureanddemonstrateacomprehensivegraspofthe
significantideasofliteraryworks.

b.Materials:
Scissors
8squareofgreyconstructionpaper
PhotocopyofNecklaceTemplate(Handout#1)

Bluecoloredpencil
SilverElmersGlitterGlue(oneforeachLearningTeam)
GoldElmersGlitterGlue(oneforeachLearningTeam)
Greycoloredpencil
Blackinkpen
OneinchofclearScotchTape
Oneblackmarker
PhotocopyofShortAnswerQuestions(Handout#2)
PhotocopyofFinalQuestionSheet(Handout#3)
20ofyarn
PhotocopyofNecklaceTemplateOneWordAnswerPlacementGuide(Handout
#4)
PhotocopyofstudentSelfAssessmentRubric(Handout#5)
RegularwhiteElmersGlue
Oneregularyellowleadpencil.

Activities:
A. Into

DiscussJournalTopic:GuydeMaupassantiswellknownfor
usingsimplesituationstoilluminatethehiddensideofpeoples
natureorpersonality.Tellmeaboutanotherstorythatrevealed
somethingabouthumannaturetoyou.
Reviewpreviouslessonwhichwasawebsearchactivityonthe
followingtopics:lifeinthe1800s,theIndustrialRevolution,
childlabor,womensrolesandpoverty.
Discusspreviousvocabularylessonwerestudentsworkedwithwords
fromthestory.

B. Through
StudentRowMonitorspassoutHandout#2.
StudentsbreakupintoLearningTeams(5studentsperteam).
LearningTeamsanswershortanswerquestions.
Classdiscussesanswerstoquestionsasawholegroup.
LearningTeamsbegincondensinganswersintoonewordstatements
thatdescribedifferentaspectsofMathildespersonalityatdifferent
pointsinthestorystimeline.
TeamleadersgetProjectBins(Tupperwarebinswithsupplies)
locatedinwiredrawersatthebackoftheclassbytheteachersdesk.
Teamleaderspassoutsupplies.
StudentRowMonitorspassouttherestofthehandouts.

StudentswillhavetoshareGlitterGlueandcoloredpencils.
StudentscutoutNecklaceTemplate(Handout#1).
StudentstakeblackballpointpenandNecklaceTemplateOneWord
AnswerPlacementGuide(Handout#4)andbeginwritingoneword
answersintothepanelsoftheNecklaceTemplate(Handout#1).
Studentstake8squareofgreyconstructionpaperandcutoffthe
cornerstoformaoctagonlargerthanthefoldedupNecklace
Template(Handout#1).
Thisbecomesthenecklacemount.
StudentswriteFrontandBackonthe8squareofgreyconstruction
paper.
StudentsdabregularwhiteElmersglueandmountNecklace
Template(Handout#1)onthefrontofthenecklacemount(8grey
constructionpaperoctagon).
StudentsanswerfinalquestiononFinalQuestionSheet(Handout
#3).
StudentscutoutfinalQuestionTemplateoffFinalQuestionSheet
andmountitonthebackofthenecklacemount(8greyconstruction
paperoctagon).NOTE:TheNecklaceTemplateisontheotherside
oftheconstructionpaper.
StudentsmakeamarkabovetheFinalQuestionSheetatthetopof
thebackofthenecklacemountusingtheyellowleadpencil.
Studentsfindthecenterofthe20pieceofyarn.
StudentsdababitofElmerswhiteglueatthespottheymadethe
markat.
Studentsgluecenterof20yarnonthemark.
Studentstakeendsofyarnandtieitintoaknotandthisbecomesthe
claspofthenecklace.
PupilstakeoneinchofScotchTapeandturnitintoacirclewiththe
stickysidefacingout.
Studentsplacetapeovertheanswertoquestion#9.
Nowthestudentsclosetheflapandsecurethebottomofthetapeto
theanswerofquestion#10.
Pupilshavenowformedthejewelofthenecklace.
Studentsmaylightlycolortheoutsidepanelsofthejewelusingthe
greyandbluecoloredpenciltomimicthecolorationsofagem.
Studentsmaydecoratethefrontmountareaaroundthejewelwiththe
silverandgoldElmersGlitterGlue.
ClasscleansupandTeamLeadersandRowMonitorsputaway
supplies.
Classengagesindiscussionofhowthejewelednecklacerepresentsthe
themeofthestory.

C. Beyond
Homework:Havestudentswritetwoparagraphsaboutwhatthey
wouldhavedoneinthesamesituation.
AdditionalActivityorFollowUpActivity:Havestudentswritea
journalentryandwriteanadditionalendingtothestory.What
happenedafterMathilderevealsthedeceptiontoMadameForestier?
AdditionalActivityorFollowUpActivity:Havestudentswritetheir
ownstorywhereasimplesituationrevealsthehiddenselfofthe
maincharacter.
Secondlanguagelearnerscouldgetavocabularylistandacopyofthe
instructions.AnySpecialEducationT.A.scouldalsoassistthem.
LowEnglishskilllevelsecondlanguagelearnerscouldbeprovided
withHandouts2,3andthestorybeforehandsotheycanreaditthe
nightbeforeashomework.
Hearingimpairedstudentswouldalsogetacopyoftheinstructions
andsowouldtheirT.A.Translators.
KidsonIEPscouldbeprovidedwithbonuspointsasanincentiveto
followdirectionsandworkhard.SpecialEducationaidescouldalso
assistthem.

Evaluation:

Theprojectwillbegradedaccordingtotherubricprovidedtostudents(see
attachedrubric).
Theassignmentisworth30pointsoutofapossible350pointsfortheentire
semester.Thisconstitutes%12ofthegrade.
TheJournalEntryisworth5pointsandrepresents.02%ofthefinalgrade.
TheHomeworkisworth15pointsor.15%ofthefinalgrade.
Studentsalsoreceive1participationpointand1attendancepointfortheperiod
andthisis.01%ofthetotalavailablepointsforthesemester.

SelfEvaluation:

I think that the strength of this assignment is that it shows students how to
charactertraitsandthethemesofstoriesinterrelate.Whenstudentsunfoldthejewel,they
haveunfoldedthehiddenmeaningofthestory.This willallow themtouncoverthe
hiddenthemeandmeaningsinotherstories.Studentswillalsoseehowobjects,likethe
necklace itself, are symbolic representations of the writers point. Students can then
expandthisunderstandingtoseehowsettingsandotherelementsofastoryreflectthe
themeandpointofastory.Theywillbeabletoseehowthethemeisexpressedinthe
verycharacterstrengthsandweaknessoftheprotagonist.Thelessontakesthemfrom
simply answering questions to seeing how different story elements interrelate. The
assignmentalsoexerciseseyehandcoordinationandgroupworkskills.

Thelessonalsoaddressesdifferentkindsoflearnersasitunfolds.Sociallearners
willgetalotoutofworkingwiththeirgroupsandinteractingintheclassdiscussions.
Kinestheticlearnerswillenjoybuildingtheirnecklaceandusingthesupplies.Auditory
learners willreacttothediscussionsandoraldirections givenbytheteacher. Visual
learnerswilltapintothelessonbyplacingtheiranswersintotheanswerchart.

Asanassignmentitisnotreallyagreatactivitytodorightafteryouhavereadthe
story. Iwould place this assignment as a cumulative exercise. As the lessonplan is
written,itcontainsalotofvirtualtime.Ithinkthatthisassignmentwouldrealistically
takeatleasttwoperiods.ThewayIwouldhandlethiswouldbetohavethestudentsput
theunfinishedworkintheirclassroomstudentfolders.Ibelievearealworldversionof

thisactivitywouldrequiresomemorewarmupactivitiesbeforejumpingstraightintothe
assignment. Students who have trouble following directions would require some
preparationtimeandperhapssometimetogoovertheinstructionsmorethanonce.