Essential Question

How can fictional stories be used as a representation of reality or real life?

Loras College English Methods Class

Mr. Neil Bingham
Mr. Zachary Soer
Mr. Justin Busch
Ms. Nicole Langreck
Ms. Samantha Callender
Ms. Rachael Molidor
Ms. Christina (Rose) Helmold
Ms. Kelly Minear
 Day 1
(Tuesday, Oct 25th)
Class: Literature
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Unit: Riki Tiki Tavi
Teacher: Spec Sec Methods Class
Lesson on: Louis Zamperini and bravery

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the
course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text,
analyzing each mediums portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech
affects the impact of the words).

21st Century Skill(s)

Think Creatively:
o Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order to improve and
maximize creative efforts
Reason Effectively:
o Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the
situation
Make Judgments and Decisions:
o Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis
Communicate Clearly
o Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal
communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts
Collaborate with Others:
o Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual
contributions made by each team member

Essential Question

How can fictional stories be used as a representation of reality or real life?

Learning Target
What are the different ways that bravery can be exemplified in someones life?

Objectives and Assessments

 Students will be able to.
o Verify different characteristics of bravery and courage.
All students accurately participate in small group discussions
Document bravery and courage on their Cornell Notetaking Sheets
o Locate certain themes of bravery and courage in different scenarios of texts and
videos
All students accurately participate in small group discussions
Document bravery and courage on their Cornell Notetaking Sheets

Introduction (Sam and Neil)

THE THREE Rs!

We understand that there are Three Rs that are part of Roosevelt
o What are they?
Respect: What is it?
Responsibility: What is this?
Readiness: What it this?
o Just to let you know this will be carried through our lessons too!

Anticipatory Set (Sam and Neil)

Read the character summaries (without giving he character name)

Tricky Bravery Scenarios (3-5 min)

Katniss Everdeen: She is defiant against the law. She picks and chooses her
friends off of how it would benefit her, but will fight for those she loves. She has
committed crimes for personal gain. Her actions often lead to controversy and
other people suffering.
Voldemort: He fights for what he believes in even when the majority opposes
him. His devastating childhood shaped who he has become, for better or worse.
He is more than willing to sacrifice himself for his cause. His intelligence and
perseverance allow for him to push through obstacles others wouldnt be willing
to take.
Peter Parker/Spiderman: He aided a criminal in his robbery. He lies to his
guardian of his whereabouts. He lies to his girlfriend about who he is and what
hes been doing. The majority of people see what hes doing as negative
Discuss how heroes and villains are complex. Some have the same characteristics.
What does this say about a hero?
What are the ideal characteristics of a hero
Is bravery always shown in a positive way?

Teaching: Activities

Transition from the teaching scenarios to Louis Zamperini

 Power point on Louis life (10 min). (This is an overview; students are not expected to
memorize facts.)
The goal of this is so that students can see how the themes of bravery, courage,
and perseverance are reflected in different ways:
Childhood
Runner
Solider
Forgiver
Survivor
Students will be taking notes interactively, using the Cornell Notetaking Guide

CORNELL NOTES
SHEET Name: ________________________________________
Class: ______________________ Topic: ________________
Date: _______/ _____/ ________
Period ______

QUESTIONS/THEMES NOTES
SUMMARY: Write 4 or more sentences describing specific learning from these notes.
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________
___________________________________________________________________________

Split off into 6 groups of 4 students. (25 min total)

How to split: Playing Cards
 Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Each group will be given one of the following excerpts:
Aces - The Soldier (Rose)

The Bird called for the work party to line up before him and ordered the thieves to stand
before the group. He then walked down the line, pulling out Wade, Tinker, Louie, and two other
officers and making them stand with the thieves. He announced that these officers were
responsible for the behavior of the thieves. His punishment: Each listed man would punch each
officer and thief in the face, as hard as possible.
The chosen men looked at the line of enlisted men in terror: there were some one hundred of
them. Any man who refused to carry out the order, the Bird said, would meet the same fate as the
officers and thieves. He told the guards to club any men who didnt strike the chosen men with
maximum force.
The enlisted men had no choice. At first, they tried to hit softly, but the Bird studied each
blow. When a man didnt punch hard enough, the Bird would begin shrieking and clubbing him,
joined by the guards. Then the errant man would be forced to hit the victim repeatedly until the
Bird was satisfied. Louie began whispering to each man to get it over with, and hit hard. Some of
the British men whispered, Sorry, sir, before punching Wade.
For the first few punches, Louie stayed on his feet. But his legs soon began to waver, and he
collapsed. He pulled himself upright, but fell again with the next punch, and then the next.
Eventually, he blacked out. When he came to, the Bird forced men to resume punching him,
screaming, Next! Next! Next! In Louies whirling mind, the voice began to sound like the
tramping of feet.
The sun sank. The beating went on for some two hours, the Bird watching with fierce
pleasure. When every enlisted man had done his punching, the Bid ordered the guards to club
each one twice in the head with a kendo stick.
The victims had to be carried to the barracks. Louies face was so swollen that for several days
he could barely open his mouth. By Wades estimate, each man had been punched in the face
some 220 times.

Characters and vocabulary from this section

Louie The main character of the story, an athlete and veteran.
Wade The British soldier that Louie became friends with in the Omori Prison.
The Bird The prisoner of war camp guard that hated Louie and singled him out.

Twos - The Soldier (Rachael)

Context of chapter: The Bird ordered Louie to take care of an already sick goat and said Goat
die, You die so Loui ties up the goat but one night someone (The bird) untied the goat and it
gorged itself until it died. This is Louies punishment.
The Bird marched Louie away from the doctors shack, passing Tinker and Wade,
whod been ordered to work outside. Out in the compound,, the Bird halted. Lying on the ground
before them was a thick, heavy wooden beam, some six feet long. Pick it up, the Bird said. With
some effort, Louie hoisted it up, and the Bird ordered him to lift it high and hold it directly over
his head. Louie heaved the beam up. The Bird called a guard over. If the prisoner lowers his
arms, the Bird told him, hit him with your gun. The Bird walked to a nearby shack, climbed on
the roof, and settled in to watch.
Louie stood in the sin, holding up the beam. The Bird stretched over the roof like contented
cat, calling to the Japanese who walked by, pointing to Louie and laughing. Louie locked his
eyes on the Birds face, radiating hatred.
Several minutes passed. Louie stood, eyes on the Bird. The beam felt heavier and heavier, the
pain more intense. The Bird watch Louie, amused by his suffering, mocking him. Wade and
Tinker went on with their work, stealing anxious glances at the scene across the compound. Was
has looked at the camp clock when Louie had first lifted the beam. He became more and more
conscious of how much time was passing.
Five more minutes passed, then ten. Louies arms began to waver and go numb. His body
shook. The beam tipped. The guard jabbed Louie with his gun, and Louie straightened up. Less
and less blood was reaching his head, and he began to feel confused, his thoughts gauzy, the
camp swimming around him. He felts his consciousness slipping, his mind loosing adhesion,
until all he knew was a single though: He cannot break me. Across the compound the Bird had
stopped laughing.
Time ticked on, and still Louie remained in the same position, conscious and yet not, the beam
over his head, his eyes on the birds face, enduring long past when his strength should have
given out. Something went on inside of me, he said later. I dont know what is was.
There was a flurry of motion ahead of him, the Bird leaping down from the roof was charging
towards him, enraged. Wantabes fist rammed onto Louies stomach, and Louie folded over in
agony. The beam dropped, striking Louies head. He flopped to the ground.
When he woke, he didnt know where he was or what had happened. He saw Wade and some
other POWs, along with a few guards, crouched around him. The Bird was gone. Louie had no
memory of the last several minutes, and has no idea how long hed stood there. But Wade had
looked at the clock when Louie had fallen.
Louie had held the beam for thirty-seven minutes.

Characters and vocabulary from this section

Louie: The main character of the story, an athlete and veteran.
The Bird (Wantanabe) The prisoner of war camp guard that hated Louie and singled
him out.
Wade The British soldier that Louie became friends with in the Omori Prison.

Threes - The Helper (Nicole)

Some Japanese, including Hatto, tried to help the POWs behind Wantanabes back. No one
sis more than Private Yukichi Kano, the camps interpreter. When sick men were taken off work
duty, losing half their rations, Kano found them easy jobs to keep them officially at work so
they could at enough to get well. When he saw prisoners violating the rules be eating vegetables
in the garden area, or pocketing mussels at low etude outside the camo, he talked the guards into
looking the other way. In winter, he hung blankets along the infirmary halls and scrounged up
charcoal to heat the rooms. He snuck sick men away from sadistic Japanese doctor and into the
hands of a POW who was a physician. There was a far braver man than I, wrote POW Pappy
Boyington, winner of the Medal of Honor. Kanos heart was being torn out most of the time, a
combination of pity for the ignorance and brutality of some of his own countrymen and a
complete understanding of the suffering of the prisoners.

Characters and vocabulary from this section

POW: prisoner of war

Wantanabe (The Bird): The prisoner of war camp guard that hated Louie and singled
him out.
Yukichi Kano: A Japanese guard who was her interpreter and befriend many POW.

Fours - The Survivor (Kelly)

In the first years after the war, a journey back to Japan had been Louies obsession, the path
to murdering the man who had ruined him. But thoughts of murder no longer had a home in him.
He had come here not to avenge himself but to answer a question.
Louie had been told that all of the men who tormented him had been arrested, convicted, and
imprisoned here in Sugamo. He could speak about and think of his captors, even the Bird,
without bitterness, but a question tapped at the back of his mind. If he should ever see them
again, would the peace that he had found prove resilient? With trepidation, he had resolved to go
on Sugamo to stand before these men.
On the evening before, Louie had written to Cynthia to tell her what he was about to do.
He had asked her to pray for him.
___
The former guards, 850 of them, sat cross-legged on the floor of a large, bare common room.
Standing at the front of the room, Louie looked out over the faces.
At first he recognized none of them. Then, far in the rear, he saw a face he knew, then another
and another: Curley, the Weasel, Kono, Jimmie Sasaki. And there was the Quack, who was
petitioning to have his death penalty commuted. As Louie looked at this last man, he thought of
Bill Harris.
There was one face missing: Louie couldnt find the Bird. When he asked his escort where
Wantanabe was, he was told that he wasnt in Sugamo. Over five years, thousands of policemen
had sourced the land in search of him, but they had never found him.
___
In Sugamo prison, as he was told of Watanabes fate, all Louie saw was a lost person, a life
now beyond redemption. He felt something that he had never felt for his captor before. With a
shiver of amazement, he realized that it was compassion.

Characters and vocabulary from this section

Louie The main character of the story, an athlete and veteran.
The Bird (Wantanabe) The prisoner of war camp guard that hated Louie and singled
him out.
 Curley, the Weasel, Kono, Jimmie Sasaki, the Quack The prisoner of war camp
guards that beat and tortured Louie.

Fives - The Athlete (Justin)

In June 1938, Louie arrived at the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, gunning for four
minutes. Spilling over with eagerness he babbled to other athletes about his new training
regimen, his race strategy, and how fast he might go. Word spread that Louie primed for a
superlative performance. On the night before the race, a coach from Notre Dame knocked on
Louies hotel room door, a grave expression on his face. He told Louie that some of his rival
coaches were ordering their runners to sharpen their spikes and slash him. Louie dismissed the
warning, certain that no one would do such a thing deliberately.
He was wrong. Halfway through the race, just as Louie was about to move for the lead, several
runners shouldered around him, boxing him in. Louie tried repeatedly to break loose, but he
couldnt get around the other men. Suddenly, the man beside him swerved in and stomped on his
foot, impaling Louies toe with his spike. A moment later, the man ahead began kicking
backward, cutting both of Louies shins. A third man elbowed Louies chest so hard that he
cracked Louies rib. The crowd gasped.
Bleeding and in pain, Louie was trapped. For a lap and a half, he ran in the cluster of men,
unable to get free, restraining his stride to avoid running into the man ahead. At last, as he neared
the final turn, he saw a tiny gap open before him. He burst through, blew past the race leader,
and, with his show torn open, shins streaming blood, and chest aching, won easily.
He slowed to a halt, bitter and frustrated. When his coach asked him how he thought he had
gone, Louie replied that he couldnt have beaten 4:20.
The race time was posted on the board. From the stands came a sudden Woooo! Louie had run
the mile in 4:08.3. It was the fastest NCAA mile in history and the fifth fastest outdoor mile ever
run. Louie had missed the world record by 1.9 seconds. His time would stand as the NCAA
record for fifteen years.

Characters and Vocabulary from this section

Louie The main character of the story, an athlete and veteran.

Sixes - The Child (Zach)

Louie idolized Pete, who watched over him and their younger sister, Sylvia and Virginia,
with paternal protectiveness. But Louie was eclipsed, and he never heard the end of it. Sylvia
would recall her mother tearfully telling Louie how she wished he could be more like Pete. What
made it more galling was that Petes reputation was part myth. Though Pete earned grades little
better than Louies failing ones, his principal assumed that he was a straight-A student. On the
night of Torrances church bell miracle, a well-directed flashlight would have revealed Petes
legs dangling from the tree alongside Louies. And Louie wasnt the only Zamperini boy who
could be seen sprinting down the alley with food that had lately belonged to the neighbors. But it
never occurred anyone to suspect Pete of anything. Pete never got caught, said Sylvia. Louie
always got caught.
Nothing about Louie fit with other kids. He was a puny boy, and in his first years in Torrance,
his lungs were still compromised from the pneumonia that in picnic footraces, every girl in town
could dust him. His featureswere growing at different rates, giving him a curious face.
And then there was his ethnicity. In Torrance in the early 1920s, Italians were held in such a
disdain that when the Zamperinis arrived, the neighbors petitioned the city council to keep them
out. Louie who only knew a smattering of English until he was in grade school, couldnt hide his
heritage. He survived Kindergarten, but after shouting an explicit word in first grade, his teachers
caught on, and held him back a grade.
He was a marked boy. Bullies, drawn by his oddity and hoping to goad him into uttering
Italian curses, pelted him with rocks, taunted him, punched him, and kicked him. He tried buying
their mercy with his lunch, but they pummeled him anyway, leaving him bloody. He could have
ended the beatings by running away or succumbing to tears but he refused to do either. You
could beat him to death, said Sylvia, and he wouldnt say ouch or cry. He just put his hands
in front of his face and took it.
Characters and vocabulary from this section
Louie The main character of the story, an athlete and veteran.
Pete, Sylvia, Virginia Louies siblings. Pete was the perfect brother.

___________________________________________________________________________

These are the directions each group will follow:

They will read the excerpt, highlight where they see this theme of bravery, and
then discuss it as a group. (teacher will have a clear understanding of excerpts so
they can facilitate discussion) (5-8 min)
Where do we see bravery?
How?
What other characteristics are present?
Does this make him a hero?
Can you relate?
Creative Presentation
Students will then come together to form an authentic way that they want to
present their excerpt in a non-hand written format. (15 min)
Each group will use a creative tool (non-note based ex: acting out, using
technology, drawing a picture/pictures, scene board, can uses bubbles) to
portray how Lois shows bravery in their certain excerpt.
Presentations will be done next class and they will be no more than five
minutes.
Exit Slip: Picture and they will write a caption that theyd give to the photograph
 Day 2
(Wednesday, Oct 26th)
Class: Literature
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Unit: Riki Tiki Tavi
Teacher: Mr. Konrardy and Mr. Wolter

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the
course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author
distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text,
analyzing each mediums portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech
affects the impact of the words).

21st Century Skill(s)

Think Creatively:
o Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order to improve and
maximize creative efforts
Reason Effectively:
o Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the
situation
Make Judgments and Decisions:
o Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis
Communicate Clearly
o Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal
communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts
Collaborate with Others:
o Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual
contributions made by each team member

Essential Question

How can fictional stories be used as a representation of reality or real life?

Learning Target
What are the different ways that bravery can be exemplified in someones life? In what ways are
bravery present in my own life?
Objectives and Assessments
Students will be able to.
o Re-create the theme of bravery.
Students demonstrate bravery in their presentation
o Apply these themes to their own life
Students connect bravery to their own lives in their writing

Anticipatory Set
Tweet no more than 25 words of how Louis was brave in his life. (3 min)
Index cards

Teaching: Activities
Students will be presenting their excerpts. (20 min) no more than 5 min presentations
See rubric below

Then they will view a summary video on the movie and Louis life. (13 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HCpElxLeAk
Closure conversation focused on bravery in students lives
Writing activity: Students will respond to the theme of bravery. (rest of time period)
Writing Prompt: Louis has been brave and courageous throughout his period of
life. When have you seen bravery shine through your personal life? This can be an
example of how you have been brave or how you have seen someone exemplify
brave characteristics. Remember, bravery can come in any form or aspect of life!
Be sure to include a direct example.
Materials
Highlighters
Cornell Notes
Computers
Passages
Index cards
 Creative Assessment Rubric
Directions: Each group will use a creative tool to portray how Louis showed bravery in the
excerpt that their group was given. Presentations will be done next class and they will be no
more than five minutes. The format could be a drawing of the scene, the scene acted out, a
creative poem, use of technology, or any other creative option as long as you get it approved.

Grading:

Not Yet Almost There Got It Wow!

Creativity: The format

selected was well
thought out, different
than traditionally done,
and incorporated
creative thinking and
design.
Bravery: The students
accurately identified and
then presented the
aspects of bravery in the
excerpt that was given to
them.
Participation: All
students within the group
participated; either in
contributing the ideas,
acting, drawing, or any
other form of
participation.
 Day 3
(Thursday, Oct 27th )
Class: Literature
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Unit: Riki Tiki Tavi
Teacher: Spec Sec Methods Class
Lesson on: Stations that focus on themes

Iowa Core State Standards (CCSS)

Cite several pieces of textual (visual) evidence (item evidence) to support analysis of
what the text (item) says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text (item).
Determine a theme or central idea of a text (item) and analyze its development over the
course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text (item).
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others questions and comments with
relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their
own view
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text,
analyzing each mediums portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech
affects the impact of the words).
Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or
issue under study.

21st Century Skill(s)

Think Creatively
o Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)
o Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)
o Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order to improve and
maximize creative efforts
Understand both how and why media messages are constructed, and for what purposes.

Evaluate information critically and competently.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

o Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead
to better solutions
Essential Question
How can fictional stories be connected to real life?

Objectives
Students can
o find bravery in action, not just people
o identify how bravery converts to art and imagery
o Understand variations of family
o Identify distinguishing characteristics of heroes and villains.
o Determine what the reasons are that sometimes heroes have to do immoral things.
o Make connections between the heroes that they have seen in movies and books to
the heroes that they have in their own lives.
o Judge what is the best way to respond in a scenario in which revenge can be taken
and can see the pros and cons of both sides.

Learning Target
How can analyzing different themes help prepare us for Rikki-Tikki-Tavi?

Station 1: Bravery

Anticipatory Set
Discussion: Conversation between Heroes and Villains
Not good vs. evil, but specific traits (bravery/courage) that can be seen as heroic
and or honorable.

Teaching: Activities

Background (brief) on Banksy, where hes painted, and why hes doing it (3-5 minutes)
Who he is, what he does, some images of his art
No one has seen his face
Heroic? Cowardly?
Does this make him a hero or a villain? Brave?
Brief video clip from the Banksy in New York HBO Documentary (1-2 minutes)
Discussion (5-7 minutes)
Focus on a few images to prepare them
Individually look at an image (either soldiers painting a peace sign in red or white
washing of history)
How is he brave?
How does each picture show why he is brave?

Closure
Wrap up discussion
Ask the question of how they can show bravery in a unique and passive way.

Materials
Computers

Station 2: Family
Assessment
Anticipation Guide
Demonstrates that students expand their idea of family
Small group discussions
Students will remain on task and conversing about family as related to pictures,
videos presented
Students will brainstorm accurately in small groups
Are listening and responding to other opinions
By the end of the station students will have a deeper understanding of
family
They will go from knowing the facts to understanding the facts
They will go from not knowing facts to understanding them.

All students are participating in the conversations

Anticipatory Set 3 minutes

Show picture and ask questions.

Questions/ Ideas:
Are Marlin and Dory family?
In the movie she says that hes her home
Does this make them a family?
If they say no
Do you think theyre a family at all? Why or why not?

Teaching: Activities 6 minutes

 2 minutes: Ask them to think and write down their opinions of family through pop culture
(movies, books, tv shows, music, etc)
Brainstorm with a partner
2 minutes: Ask about their brainstorms
What did they come up with in their paired discussions
2 minutes Tell them our ideas
Toy story
Only Andys mother is every shown
As far as we know their family is just Andys Mom, Andy, and Andys
little sister.
The Toys are also a family
They have a lot of different personalities and they all come from
different places
Buzz is new
Jessie and Bullseye come from a different place
Regardless of their diversity, all the toys come together and are a family.
It shows through the toys that that family can never be too big.
It shows through Andys human family that family can never be too small.

Closure: 4 minutes
1 minute: Modern Family: Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAr2qCF5spY
Reflect on it
What thoughts from this clip relate to what weve talked about so far?
3 minutes: Second Column of anticipatory set
Collect this

Materials
Paper
Copies of anticipatory set
Computer
Something to write with

Station 3: Good vs. Evil

Station Activities
Have the students place the pictures of the heroes and villains into the corresponding
circles.
List of Heroes include: Aladdin, Hercules, Wreck-it-Ralph, Buzz Lightyear,
Woody, Mulan, Elsa, Luke Skywalker, Katniss Everdeen, Rey (Star Wars),
Emmet, Wyldstyle, James Bond, Storm, Batman, Superman, Black Widow,
Wonder Woman, Captain America, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Gandalf
List of Villains include: Medusa, Cheetah, Bellatrix Lestrange, The Joker, Poison
Ivy, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (James Bond), President Business, Maleficent, Queen
Grimhilde (Snow White), Lotso the bear, Jafar, King Candy
 Ask the students to discuss the following questions:
What are qualities/characteristics of a hero? (How did they know who was a
villain and who was a hero just by looking at them?)
What are qualities/characteristics of a villain?
What are some other examples of heroes in stories that you read, movies that
youve seen, etc.?
Does our world need villains to have heroes? Bad to have good?
Show the video clip from Batman: Under the Red Hood.
ONLY SHOW FIRST HALF (second half is too violent and not age appropriate)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kscfb9XzPs
Have a discussion about the video. Key points to address are that Batman is actually
breaking the law every time he goes out to fight crime and the Joker has killed hundreds
of people for no real reason other than he enjoys it, and if they havent already found out
by now, tell them the main distinguishing factor of heroes and villains is morality.
Ask the following question:
Do you agree or disagree with him that killing the Joker is wrong even though the
Joker has killed hundreds of people?

Conclusion

Have the students journal addressing the following questions:

Who are some heroes in your own life?
What makes them heroes to you?
How are they similar to the heroes you mentioned above?
How are they different?

Station 4: Revenge

Anticipatory Set

Have the students write down what they think revenge is. What are some examples? ( 3
mins.)

Teaching: Activities

Show the start of the Harry Potter movie clip and then pause in the middle. (1 mins)
Discuss what could happen.
Questions to ask:
o What are Hermiones options in this situation?
o What are the advantages/disadvantages of each outcome?
Time: 3 mins.
Show the rest of the clip.
o Questions to ask:
Why do you think Hermione chose to act that way?
Do you think it was the right decision? Why/Why not?
 Do you think Hermione got the revenge she wanted?
Time: 3 mins.
Show the Olympic clip and pause it at the middle.
Time: 2 mins.
Discuss what could happen
o Questions to ask:
What are the Abbey options in this situation?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of each outcome?
Time: 2 mins.
Show the rest of the clip and discuss what happened.
o Questions to ask:
Why do you think Nikki chose to act that way?
Do you think it was the right decision? Why/Why not?
Do you think Nikki and Abbey with not taking revenge?
Time: 2 mins.

Closure

Have the students write down something that they learned or found interesting about the
different approaches to revenge.
Time: 1 mins.

Day 4
(Friday, Oct 28)
Class: Literature
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Unit: Riki Tiki Tavi
Teacher: Mr. Konrardy and Mr. Wolter
Lesson on: Pre-reading of Rikki Tikki Tavi

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and
findings and emphasize salient points.
Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and
generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.

21st Century Skill(s)

Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal
communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts.
Access information efficiently (time) and effectively (sources).
Evaluate information critically and competently.
Objectives
Students will be able to gather background information about the animals in Rikki Tikki
Tavi.
Students will be able to make predictions before and after looking at images from the
movie.

Learning Target
How can I research and present information to gain background knowledge for Rikki Tikki
Tavi?

Anticipatory Set
Post pictures of Rikki Tikki Tavi on the wall.
Based on the pictures, have students write on a yellow post-it note what they think Rikki
Tikki Tavi is like, (characteristics, etc) or what they think will happen in the story based
on the pictures (make sure they write their name on the back of the sticky note.
Students will place post-its around the picture and the class will have a short
discussion/reading of the predictions.
(5 minutes)

Teaching: Activities
The teacher will briefly state what animals will be in the story (Tailorbird Darazee,
Muskrat Chuchundra, Cobra Nag/Nagiana, Mongoose Rikki Tikki Tavi)
The students will be divided into four groups. Each group will research information about
their specific animal.
Each group will have a large chart paper with a general outline of their animal drawn
already.
Students will record information about their animal on the chart paper, making the outline
look like the physical characteristics of their animal (color, eye color, tail?)
Students can add what the animal eats to its stomach, how it thinks/behaviors to its head,
speech bubbles with any sounds it makes, draw its habitat around the outside, etc)
Students will use a note-taking guide to keep their findings organized.
This guide will include specific directions about what to research and a rubric for
the poster.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/
http://www.kicauburung.com/2008/08/common-tailorbird-orthotomus-sutorius/
Once students complete their picture filled with information, they will walk around to
other groups and add the information to their guide.
(25 minutes)

Teacher will give a short presentation with background information on the setting of the
story.
Information will address questions such as: What is a bungalow? Why were mongooses
helpful in these houses? What was the landscape like in India during this time?
 Pictures of the landscape will be shown.
(10 minutes)

If there is time at the end of class, students will read their SSR book

Assessment

Students will be informally assessed on the information they gathered about the
background material (chart paper with animal drawing, accuracy of information) and by
having the teacher walk around to see what they wrote on their research guides.

Materials
Computers
Post it notes (two colors)
Pictures of Rikki Tikki Tavi
Video clips
Worksheets for students
Chart paper
Markers
Painters tape

Day 5
(Monday, October 31st)
Class: Literature
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Unit: Riki Tiki Tavi
Teacher: Mr. Konrardy and Mr. Wolter
Lesson on: Pre-reading of Rikki Tikki Tavi

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

21st Century Skill(s)

Think Creatively Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)

Objectives
By the end of class today:
Students will be able to increase their knowledge of the vocabulary works in
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Learning Target
How can completing a modified analysis and synthesis wheel help me gain understanding of new
vocabulary?

Anticipatory Set
Students will return to their work from Friday. Teachers will remind them of what they
learned from the animal pre-reading activity and PP about the setting. Students will
receive sticky notes (not yellow). They will write their name on back of sticky note. After
thinking back to the activities from Friday, they will adjust their prediction for the story,
as appropriate.
(5 min)

Teaching: Activities

Instruct the students to access the vocabulary analysis and synthesis wheel and begin to
work on it. They should fill out a sheet for each word. (They can get the definitions from
the sidebars of the story.) Note: This will be provided to Mr. Konrardy and Wolter so
they can provide it to the students electronically or in hard-copy.
o Vocabulary Terms:
Revive
Cower
Fledgling
Gait
Singe
Valiant
Consolation
Cunningly
 If the students complete the modified analysis and synthesis wheel early, they can either
begin reading Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (suggested through p. 79) or read their SSR book.

Time: 20 mins.

Even if students have not finished their vocabulary sheet, they need to begin to silently
read Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, paying special attention to words or phrases that are new and
unfamiliar to them. It is suggested that students read through p. 79.

Time: 15 mins.

Closure

Have the students chose one of their vocabulary words and then turn to a partner/s and act
out the vocabulary word that they have chosen.

Time: 5 mins.

Independent Practice

Finish the vocabulary sheets that they did not finish.

Have the students read up to the page break 79 for next class period.

Materials
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Laptops
Synthesis and Analysis Chart

Assessment
Vocab Sheets
Observing the Final Activity