Lesson+Plan-+Joe

-student journals -pens/pencils -paper -classroom board -copies of the article "The Plot Thins, or Are No Stories New?" found online at http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20050415friday.html (one per student) -various sections of The New York Times (one section per group; to order The New York Times for your classroom, [|click here]) -resources about plots (literature textbooks, encyclopedias, computers with Internet access; optional) 1. WARM-UP/DO NOW: In their journals, students respond to the following question (written on the board prior to class): "Make a list of at least three novels, plays and/or movies that seem like they have the same story line. Briefly describe how they seem the same." After a few minutes, allow students time to share their lists. If necessary, remind students that a story line, or plot, is "the plan or main story of a novel" ([|http://www.m-w.com]). 2. As a class, read and discuss the article "The Plot Thins, or Are No Stories New?" (http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20050415friday.html), focusing on the following questions: a. What is Michiko Kakutani asking in the first four paragraphs of the article? b. Where might the answers to these questions be found, according to the author? c. Where can the Overcoming the Monster plot be found? d. What happens at the end of this plot line? e. According to Mr. Booker, what happens to the hero of a Rags to Riches story line? f. What is a characteristic of Quest tales? 3. On the board, create a chart with descriptions of three plot archetypes (using information from the article): Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, and The Quest. Divide the class into five groups according to the larger sections of the paper, such as National, International, Business, Sports, and Arts. Smaller groups and additional sections may be added, as necessary and applicable (such as the Metro section). Explain that each group will be examining the section to find two articles that use one of the three plots described in "The Plot Thins, or Are No Stories New?" For example, the Boston Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series reflects several plots, such as Rags to Riches, and Overcoming the Monster. Once the articles with easily identifiable plots have been located, group members then examine the story line of each article and list the reasons this piece fits under a particular story line category. To guide their analysis of each news piece, students should consider the following questions (written on the board prior to class): -What is the basic plot of this article? -Who or what is the "hero" or "heroine"? The "villain" or "bad guy"? The "ally"? -What is the main challenge to the article's main character? -How does this story line exemplify one of the plots described by Christopher Booker? As a group, they then choose the article that best fits one of the three archetypes. Leave time at the end of class for all groups to share their article with the rest of the class and briefly explain why and how it fits into one of Mr. Booker's basic plot descriptions. 4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Individually, students write essays showing similarities between the plots of the group's chosen article and novels, plays and movies with which they are familiar. Characters, obstacles or challenges, lessons learned and other aspects of the plot should be analyzed. For example, the Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series can be compared to the movies "Miracle" (2004), "Rocky" (1976), etc. Comparisons can be shared in a future class. -What makes a good story? -What is your favorite type of story? (If possible, choose from Mr. Booker's seven descriptions.) Why? -What is the value of labeling stories according to common threads such as plot? -What is the purpose of creating labels for common story lines? -Can a story with a similar plot to an already existing story be considered "original"? Why or why not? References
 * Overview of Lesson Plan:** In this lesson, students learn about seven basic story lines and apply these story lines to news articles in The New York Times. They then write reports comparing the plot of a particular news article to novels, plays and movies with which they are familiar.
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Friday, April 15, 2005

//**Exploring Plot Similarities in Fiction and Nonfiction Stories**//
 * 'Retale' Value**

[|Michelle Sale, The New York Times Learning Network] [|Chin|Tanya Yasmin Chin, The Bank Street College of Education in New York City] Available online http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20050415friday.html Back to Home
 * Author(s)**