1
Catcher in the Rye Unit
English 1-2 Curriculum Guide
Version 1.0: September 2009
2
Table of Contents: Catcher in the Rye
Activity
Page #
Introduction to Unit
3
Unit Template with Learning Plan
5
Student Progress Monitoring
8
Academic Vocabulary
10
Pre-assessment
11
Culminating Assessment: Writing an Analytical Essay
14
Differentiation
16
Note that the majority of the lesson plans and activities are found in the original
curriculum packet, which appears at the end of this unit guide. See the Learning Plan for
suggested activities.
3
Introduction
From the original curriculum packet (edited slightly):
Upon learning that The Catcher in the Rye had been selected as a Core Book for the
Ninth Grade, all members of our group struggled to suppress the questions: What? How?
Freshmen? Thus, we chose to come together and find the answers by developing the
curriculum necessary to support this potentially daunting task.
To be clear, all of us believe in rigor and in assisting our students to tap unknown
strengths, but we also recognize the impact that Holden Caulfield has on students who are
his same age.
For freshmen, new to the experience of high school and only just entering adolescent
arrogance, the subtleties of Holden’s struggle may be lost. To make Holden more
accessible, we have chosen to begin this unit by focusing on the collective teen
experience—weighing and discussing societal and parental expectations, peer pressure,
limitations, and privileges. With this base, we then move on to introducing the idea of
point-of-view. Students will transition from personally analyzing Holden’s choices in the
early chapters of the novel to critiquing his behavior in the mindset of a specific role—
parent, doctor, teacher, or peer.
By assuming this role and reading with a purpose, students gain experience with
analyzing text and more subtly, critiquing tone. To ensure comfort and familiarity first,
we wait until the middle of the unit to actually use the term “tone.” This way, students
will have already had multiple opportunities to discuss, write, and even, act “tone” and
will, hopefully, find it to be a less elusive concept. The unit concludes with a common
grade-level writing assignment—which, for ninth grade, is a literary analysis on tone.
As this is a unit for freshmen on The Catcher in the Rye, there is a caveat: As The
Catcher in the Rye is frequently banned, we have included an Opt-Out letter and feel
compelled to remind you of the novel’s potentially offensive language and adult
situations. Considering our freshmen audience, we have chosen to introduce Holden’s
status as patient in a sanatorium from the start of the unit and to focus on Holden’s
mindset and the impact of his choices. It is our hope that, by portraying Holden as a
person in need, we have downplayed the potential for students to glorify his more
rebellious and illegal behavior.
Finally, as teachers who have watched many sixteen-year-olds awaken to the wonder that
literacy can offer as a result of reading Catcher, designing this unit was a curious labor of
love. We continually wrestled with feeling protective of Holden, protective of the
freshmen, and protective of J.D. Salinger. We hope that this result, full of opportunities
to write from a variety of viewpoints, role-play, read critically, act, and draw will not
4
only lead to the enhanced ability to analyze text and craft a coherent essay but also the
maturity needed to reflect on the universality of the teen experience.
Original curriculum packet written and compiled in 2007 by:
Maggie Michaels, Jefferson High School
Keith Higbee, Wilson High School
Amy Botula, Wilson High School
Tammy O’Neill, MLC
A note on the revision:
The materials found here are not expected to replace the novel’s earlier exceptional
materials, but rather to complement them; the page numbers found on the Stage 3
Learning Plan refer to the page numbers of the original materials. The activities
highlighted here are those that most closely relate to the unit’s identified priority
standards and lead most directly to the culminating assessment.
Revised by:
Anne Dierker, Cleveland
Alex Gordin, Cleveland
5
Catcher in the Rye Template
Stage 1: Desired Outcomes
Priority Standards:
9.05. Infer an author’s unstated ideas, analyzing evidence that supports those unstated ideas and
make reasonable generalizations about text.
9.06. Draw conclusions about the author’s purpose.
9.07. Analyze characterization
9.08. Describe the function and effect upon a literary work of common literary devices
9.11. Develop a thesis, providing connections and insights.
9.11. Provide details/examples to support ideas developed into separate paragraphs.
9.13. Support interpretations of literature through the use of textual references
Understandings:
Students will understand that:
novelists often provide insights about
human experience and inner life
through fictional means.
writers use a variety of stylistic
techniques to engage and persuade
their readers.
Holden Caulfield reflects common
adolescent experiences but masks
deep-seated personal problems about
growing up and relating to others.
Essential Questions:
Does Holden represent adolescence?
Is he abnormal, or are all adolescents
“abnormal”?
Who is genuine and who is “phony”?
Why do people act
phony?
How do authors hook and hold
readers? How does J.D. Salinger
engage you?
Students will know:
the key plot elements of the novel.
the ways that Salinger uses language to
create tone and develop
characterization.
Students will be able to:
analyze a novel for characterization and
tone.
support their analyses with relevant
textual examples
write effective topic sentences and
thesis statements.
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Culminating Assessment
(learning task)
Other Evidence
Students will write an essay in which they
analyze the character of Holden, the setting
or theme of the novel, or the tone that
Salinger or Holden uses and for what
effect.
1. Dialogue journals
2. Observation notebook
3. Advice letter for Holden
4. You be the shrink
6
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Please note that many of the activities refer to pages in the original curriculum materials
for Catcher in the Rye found at the end of this guide.
Activity Title
This
Guide
Original
Guide
Pre-Assessment
11
Journals
6
Observation
Notebook
16
The Line Up
22
Variation on
Point of View
27
Dear Abby
28
Tone Analysis
31
7
Activity Title
Priority Standards
This
Guide
Original
Guide
Holden’s Theme
Song
You Be the Shrink
39
Culminating
Assessment:
Writing an
Analytical
Essay
14
8
Student Progress Monitoring: Catcher in the Rye Unit
Student
9.06. Draw
conclusions about the
author’s purpose.
9.07. Analyze
characterization
9.11. Develop a
thesis, providing
connections and
insights.
9.11. Provide
details/examples to
support ideas
developed into
separate paragraphs.
9.13. Support
interpretations of
literature through the
use of textual
references
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
9
Student
9.06. Draw
conclusions about the
author’s purpose.
9.07. Analyze
characterization
9.11. Develop a
thesis, providing
connections and
insights.
9.11. Provide
details/examples to
support ideas
developed into
separate paragraphs.
9.13. Support
interpretations of
literature through the
use of textual
references
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
E
M
D
n/e
10
Academic Vocabulary
The vocabulary used extensively in this unit:
Audience
Characterization
Dialogue
Direct Quotation
Editing
flashback
Narration
Plot
Point of View
Primary research
Revision
Setting
Secondary research
Thesis
Voice
Writing Process
11
Pre-Assessment: Catcher in the Rye
This short pre-assessment is designed to give teachers and students a clear sense of the
rate and level of students’ abilities to analyze literature for theme, characterization, and
tone. Teachers will be able to determine which of these elements they will need to target
more specifically in their instruction.
The assessment could be given as early as just after Holden has left school, but certainly
should be given before students are halfway though the novel.
Time: 50 minutes
Materials: prompts on following page, copies of novel, paper, and scoring guide.
Note: be sure that students have a chance to reflect on their own pre-assessment, both
before submitting and afterward, so that they are aware of their own proficiencies at this
point.
12
Catcher in the Rye: Pre-assessment
1. What do you know about Holden and how the author has developed him as a character.
Write a response (1-2 paragraphs) identifying his key features and explaining why the
author uses these elements to create him. Be sure to use evidence from the novel to
support your response.
2. In a similar manner as above, list the major themes from the novel so far. In other
words, what is the reader expected to learn from the novel? Focus on one theme and
compose a free-write of 2-3 paragraphs in which you explain the theme. Be sure to use
evidence from the novel to support your response.
3. What does “tone” mean? How do authors develop it? What is the tone of this novel so
far? Be sure to use evidence from the novel to support your response.
13
Pre-Assessment Scoring Guide: Catcher in the Rye
Priority
Standard
6-5
Exceeds
4-3
Meets
2-1
Does not yet meet
9.06. Draw
conclusions
about the
author’s purpose.
The writer makes an
insightful inference
of the author’s
purpose based on a
detailed analysis of
the evidence from
the story.
The writer makes
reasonable inference
of the author’s
purpose based on a
some analysis of the
evidence from the
story.
At this point, the
writer does not make
an inference about
the author’s purpose
or the inference
cannot be supported
with the evidence.
9.07. Analyze
characterization
Through analysis and
evidence, the writer
demonstrates a
sophisticated
knowledge of the
elements of
characterization.
Writer demonstrates
an awareness that
authors develop
characters through
various devices,
though the analysis
and evidence at this
point may be
somewhat limited.
While the writer may
be able to describe
the main character, at
this point, he or she
has not demonstrated
an awareness of the
craft that authors use
to develop
characters.
9.13. Support
interpretations of
literature through
the use of textual
references
Even in this short
response there are
several effective
examples offered to
support the
interpretation. The
examples are fully
explained.
The response
includes appropriate,
if somewhat limited,
examples from the
text. The examples
may not be fully
explained at this
point.
At this point, the
response does not
include any specific
examples from the
text to support the
interpretation.
9.08. Describe
the function and
effect upon a
literary work of
common literary
devices
Background
knowledge
about tone.
Response
demonstrates a
sophisticated and
insightful awareness
of how tone is
created through
specific language
choices.
Response
demonstrates an
awareness of how
tone is created
through specific
language choices.
At this time, the
response demonstrate
little background
knowledge of how
tone is created
through language
choices.
14
Culminating Assessment: Catcher in the Rye Analysis Essay
Assignment: Your assignment is to write an essay in which you explain the theme, tone,
or characterization in Catcher in the Rye by focusing on the specific choices that author
J.D. Salinger makers. Your essay will follow the specified essay format with an
introduction, thesis, topic sentences, and a conclusion paragraph. You will also want to
be sure that you have provided your readers with enough context about the novel so they
can understand your essay. Do not assume that the reader has read the novel, but do not
feel that you need to summarize the story in its entirety.
Steps in the Assignment:
1. Look back through your notes and journal entries that you wrote during the unit
and brainstorm for ideas of interest to you. Develop your thesis statement in
which you make a specific claim about the novel. Be sure that a peer and/or small
group reviews your thesis.
2. Create a specific outline for your essay that follows this format:
a. Introduction:
i. Hook
ii. Narrowing
iii. Thesis
b. Context for reader
c. Body paragraphs that support the thesis
d. Conclusion
i. Brief summary
ii. Clincher
3. Write your introduction and conclusion. Have a draft ready to be read by a peer.
Be sure that you have enough, but not too much context of the novel.
4. Prepare the final copy of your essay.
15
Scoring Guide: Culminating Assessment
Priority
Standard
6-5
4
3
2-1
9.08. Describe
the function
and effect upon
a literary work
of common
literary devices
Draws an
exceptionally clear
and original
connection
between the
choices the author
makes and the
intended effect
toward theme,
characterization,
tone or other
literary element.
Clearly describes
the function and
effect of the
author’s choices
Identifies that the
author is making
specific choices for
particular effects,
but the connection
is not fully clear.
The response is
mainly a summary
of the action or the
plot of the novel.
There is not a
connection yet
between the
choices the author
makes and the
intended effect.
9.11. Develop
a thesis,
providing
connections and
insights.
The thesis and
topic sentences are
clear and draws an
insightful
connection
between the
choices and the
effects. Thesis
relates directly to
the response that
follows.
The thesis
statement and topic
sentences are clear
and relevant to the
essay.
There is a clear
understanding of
the purpose of a
topic sentences and
thesis statements,
even if the
execution of the
sentence is not
fully successful
because of a lack of
connection or a
lack of clarity.
Either there are no
thesis statements or
topic sentence or
they do not make a
provable statement.
9.13. Support
interpretations
of literature
through the use
of textual
references
There are several
effective examples
offered to support
the topic sentences
and thesis. The
examples are fully
explained and fully
convincing and
relevant.
The supporting
examples are
relevant and
generally well
explained to
support the
interpretation.
The response
includes
appropriate, if
somewhat limited,
examples from the
film. The examples
may not be fully
explained at this
point and is not
fully convincing.
The response does
not include many
specific examples
from the film to
support the topic
sentence. Overall,
this is not a
convincing essay.
16
Differentiation
While the language of this novel is not at a particularly challenging reading level, it is a
surprisingly difficult novel for some students to read. Perhaps this is because there is little
plot or dramatic conflicts, and much of the characterization and thematic elements are
implied rather than directly stated. Therefore, a good deal of the differentiation will take
place through the dialogue journals that students complete during the reading; a teacher
can specify the purpose for reading a particular section of the novel depending on the
students’ success with the novel.
The pre-assessment is key for this unit because the culminating assessment can take on a
variety of topics, each of which can be more or less challenging. For ninth graders, “tone”
is a more difficult concept than, say, characterization, so the flexible grouping planning
can lead students to the topic most appropriate for their rate and level. This could also be
an effective place for a literature circle, in which a group is made up of students all
examining the novel for its different literary elements.
1
The Catcher in the Rye
Maggie Michaels, Benson High School
Keith Higbee, Wilson High School
Amy Botula, Wilson High School
Tammy Lite-O’Neill, Wilson High School
2007
DRAFT
PPS Funding
2
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Calendar 3
Criteria and Standards Table 4
Parent Opt-Out Letter 5
Journals 6
Pre-Reading: Teens Reflecting on the Teen Experience 9
Teens Overhead 10
Setting the Stage: Viewing “Dead Poet’s Society” 11
Anthropological Wheel, Student Handout 12
Post-Viewing Discussion Questions, Student Handout 13
Imaginative Writing: Four Days in Holden’s Shoes 14
Four Days of Freedom Journal, Student Handout 15
Observation Notebook 16
Observation Notebook, Student Handout Cover 17
Observation Notebook, Point of View Chart 18
Possible Template to Support Narrative Notes, Student Handout 19
Chapter 5: The Sibling Connection 20
Chapter 5/The Sibling Connection, Transparency 21
The Line Up 22
The Line Up, Student Handout 23
Craft Lesson: Point of View Simulation 24
Rewriting the Truth 25
Rewriting the Truth, Student Handout 26
Observation Notebook, Variation of Point of View 27
Dear Abby: An Advice Letter for Holden 28
Advice for Holden, Student Handout 29
Craft Lesson: It’s Time to Rant 30
Craft Lesson: Tone Analysis 31
Craft Lesson: Title It! Creating Effective Titles 32
Title It! Transparency 33
Title Me, Baby! Student Handout 34
3
Tone in a Tune: Holden’s Theme Song 35
Tone in a Tune: Holden’s Theme Song Student Handout 36
Analyzing Art: Approaching Tone Visually 38
Craft Lesson: You Be the ___________ or You Be the Shrink 39
You Be the ______________ Student Handout 41
You Be the Shrink-CITR Final Rubric 46
Revision Support 47
Editing Support 48
4
Introduction
Upon learning that The Catcher in the Rye had been selected as a Core Book for the
Ninth Grade, all members of our group struggled to suppress the questions: What?
How? Freshmen? Thus, we chose to come together and find the answers by
developing the curriculum necessary to support this potentially daunting task.
To be clear, all of us believe in rigor and in assisting our students to tap unknown
strengths, but we also recognize the impact that Holden Caulfield has on students
who are his same age.
For freshmen, new to the experience of high school and only just entering adolescent
arrogance, the subtleties of Holden’s struggle may be lost. To make Holden more
accessible, we have chosen to begin this unit by focusing on the collective teen
experience—weighing and discussing societal and parental expectations, peer
pressure, limitations, and privileges. With this base, we then move on to
introducing the idea of point-of-view. Students will transition from personally
analyzing Holden’s choices in the early chapters of the novel to critiquing his
behavior in the mindset of a specific role—parent, doctor, teacher, or peer. By
assuming this role and reading with a purpose, students gain experience with
analyzing text and more subtly, critiquing tone. To ensure comfort and familiarity
first, we wait until the middle of the unit to actually use the term “tone.” This way,
students will have already had multiple opportunities to discuss, write, and even,
act “tone” and will, hopefully, find it to be a less elusive concept. The unit concludes
with two culminating activities: 1) a performance-based task that furthers students’
assigned roles and leads to an expository essay and 2) a common grade-level writing
assignment—which, for ninth grade, is a literary analysis on tone.
As this is a unit for freshmen on The Catcher in the Rye, there are a number of
caveats:
1) Please, please do not begin the year with this novel. No matter how capable
your students are, all freshmen need to get acquainted with the hypocrisy of
high school’s cliques and culture before they can truly be open to Holden’s
voice.
2) As one of the culminating activities is a common grade-level writing
assignment tied to the ninth grade prompt for 2007-2008, it is tempting to
choose this unit as your means to an end and meet the anticipated December
14 due date. Please, please use your professional discretion. As we all know,
literary analysis itself is a challenge for freshmen; critiquing tone raises the
bar even higher. True, a wealth of support exists in the pages that follow,
but it may not be enough during first semester. Preview this unit first and
then make the decision that is best for your students and for you.
3) As The Catcher in the Rye is frequently banned, we have included an Opt-
Out letter and feel compelled to remind you of the novel’s potentially
offensive language and adult situations. Considering our freshmen
audience, we have chosen to introduce Holden’s status as patient in a
sanatorium from the start of the unit and to focus on Holden’s mindset and
the impact of his choices. It is our hope that, by portraying Holden as a
5
person in need, we have downplayed the potential for students to glorify his
more rebellious and illegal behavior.
Our emphasis on Holden Caulfield as a representative of the adolescent experience
leads to the following Desired Results:
-Students will understand that novelists often provide insights
about
human experience and inner life through fictional means.
-Students will understand that writers use a variety of stylistic
techniques
to engage and persuade their readers.
-Students will understand that Holden Caulfield reflects common
adolescent experiences but masks deep-seated personal problems
about
growing up and relating to others.
These examples of Enduring Understanding will be framed and guided by the
following Essential Questions:
-Does Holden represent adolescence? Is he abnormal, or are all
adolescents
“abnormal”? Who is genuine and who is “phony”? Why do people
act
phony?
-How do authors hook and hold readers? How does J.D. Salinger
engage
you?
Finally, as teachers who have watched many sixteen-year-olds awaken to the
wonder that literacy can offer as a result of reading Catcher, designing this unit was
a curious labor of love. We continually wrestled with feeling protective of Holden,
protective of the freshmen, and protective of J.D. Salinger. We hope that this result,
full of opportunities to write from a variety of viewpoints, role-play, read critically,
act, and draw will not only lead to the enhanced ability to analyze text and craft a
coherent essay but also the maturity needed to reflect on the universality of the teen
experience.
Essential Questions and Enduring Understanding from
Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook
2004
6
Calendar for The Catcher in the Rye
Day 1: Freewrite:
Teens
-Begin Dead
Poets Society
Day 2: Dead
Poets Society:
Note-taking,
note-making
and discussion
Day 3
Imaginative
writing: Being in
Holden’s shoes.
Day 4
-Introduce
Observation
Notebook:
Intro and
practice using
Attitude Chart
with
imaginative
piece from day
3
Day 5
-Read out loud
chaps. 1 & 2.
-POV Chart 1
Day 6
-Chapters 3 &4
and
-POV Chart 2
Day 7
-Chapter 5
“The Sibling
Connection”
Day 8
-The Line Up
(character
illustration)
Day 9
-Share
illustrations
-Craft Lesson:
Point of View
HMWK: Chap.
6& 7
Day 10
-Chapter 8
-Rewriting the
truth
Day11
-Share-out
Rewrites
-Assign clinical
roles
-Read Chap. 9 in
like clinical
groups
Day 12
-Role groups
complete
master POV
Chart 3 and
present to
class
Day 13
-Students
assigned
heterogeneous
clinical groups.
-Chap. 11
Day 14-----------
----&
-In clinical
groups: Read
Chap’s 12 -14
Day 15---------------
-
-Discussion of
reading POV
Chart 4
Day 16
-Dear Abby: An
advice letter for
Holden.
Day 17----------
-------&
-In clinical
groups 15-16
Day 18----------------
---
-Discussion of
reading, POV
Chart 5
Day 19
-Read aloud
Chap 17
Tone: It’s
Time to Rant!
Day 20---------------
-&
-Chaps 18-20
Day 21--------------
----
-Discussion of
reading, POV
Chart 6
Day 22----------
-------&
New Yorker
“Slight
Rebellion on
Madison”
Day 23----------------
--
Continued from
Day 22
Day 24-----------
-------&
Chaps 21-23
Day 25---------------
----
-Discussion of
reading, POV
Chart 6
Day 26
-Title Me Baby!
Day 27----------
---------&
-Read 24 & 25
Day 28----------------
----
-Chap. 26 aloud
-Discussion of
reading, POV
Chart 7
Day 29
-Creative Tone
Project:
Theme song or
Art Analysis
Day 30
-Project
continued
Day 31
-Craft Lesson
“You be
the_____”
Day 32
-Final
reflection on
tone
-Craft Lesson:
Thesis
(Holden’s
essay page 11,
Day 33
-Drafting essay
Write Source pp.
268-284
Day 34
-Continued
drafting &
Revision
Write Source
p.595-597
Day 35
-Peer editing
-Typing and
Revising
-Final Draft due
Day
7
Write Source)
8
Criteria and Standards for
Catcher in the Rye
Criteria
Teaching
Outline/
Strategies
Writing Craft
Lessons
Literacy Standards
Reading
Analysis
Journal Prompts
Character
Illustration
Note taking
Analysis Journal
Class/Group
Discussion
Creative
Analysis
Simulation
Quotation
Analysis
Role Playing
Point of View
9.7.4 Writing strategies & elements of
author’s craft
9.8.1 ID sequence of events, main ideas,
details
9.9.2 Make assertions with evidence
9.9.3 Draw inferences & generalizations,
supporting with textual evidence
9.9.5 Qualities of characters
9.9.6 Characterization
9.9.9 Characters actions & motives, plot
and theme
9.10.5 Voice & narrators affect on
characters, tone, plot
9.10.8 Literary elements: mood, place,
time period, cultures
9.10.9 Author’s attitude: tone
9.12.4 Word Choice
Imaginative
Writing
Journaling
9.13.6 Narrative Writing
Literary
Analysis
Note taking
Discussion
Pre-writing
Reading
Synthesis
Drafting
Text Analysis
Art Analysis
Revising
Peer Editing
Titles
Essay
Organization
Thesis Statmnt
Tone
9.10.5 Voice & narrators affect on
characters, tone, plot
9.9.2 Make assertions with evidence
9.9.3 Draw inferences & generalizations,
supporting with textual evidence
9.10.9 Author’s attitude: tone
9.13.5 Exp writing: response to literature
9.12.1 Ideas & Content
9.12.2 Organization
9.12.3 Voice
9.12.4 Word Choice
9.12.5 Sentence Fluency
9.12.6 Conventions
9
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Over the next several weeks, our Language Arts class will read and explore themes within
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye is a hallmark of
contemporary American literature that gives a timeless voice to the often turbulent
adolescent experience. The novel’s main character, Holden Caulfield, provides readers
with an exemplar opportunity to study characterization, and analyze the power of tone in a
novel.
Through the character of Holden, Saligner poignantly captures the roller coaster that
accompanies self-discovery. As a result, the work’s language and content is, at times, brash:
including the use of profanity, allusions to sex, and the occurrence of suicide.
Objectionable as these elements are, they are skillfully utilized by Salinger to develop
Holden’s character and ultimately, provide the reader a literary experience that is dually
humorous and thought provoking. Moreover, the novel allows multiple teaching
opportunities and class discussions on topics such as the power and symbolism of language,
the struggle for self-definition, and the impact of social pressure on the individual.
I invite you to read The Catcher in the Rye for yourself, to ask your student about the
material presented in class, and to engage in your student’s critical thinking about the
themes and subjects within the novel. I would be happy to discuss this novel and my lesson
plans with you in greater detail if you desire. Feedback is always welcome; simply use the
contact information below.
If you prefer that your student receive an alternate assignment, please indicate so at the
bottom portion of this form. Thank you for your time and response.
Best Regards,
____Please call me to further discuss this novel and/or an alternate novel
____At this time, I request my student ____________________, be provided with an
alternative novel.
_____________________________ ______________________
Signature of Parent/Guardian Phone contact
10
Journals
Standard: 9.8.1 ID sequence of events, main ideas, details
9.9.5 Qualities of characters
9.9.9 Characters actions and motifs: Plot and theme
9.13.5 Expository Writing: Response to literature
Objective: Students will demonstrate a general understanding of the text
Students will interpret characters’ qualities by reading inferentially
Students will critique characters’ motives and actions
Materials: Observation Notebooks
Journal Writing Prompts
Time: Throughout unit as teacher chooses
Activity: The provided journal topics are intended for use at the teacher’s discretion
throughout the unit. Some journals fit perfectly as class openers, while others work more
specifically with the text. Peruse and use as necessitated by the needs of your students.
11
Chapter
Journal Prompt
Close of 1 & 2
First Impressions:
1. Describe Holden’s personality to
someone who knows nothing about the
novel. Use a simile as part of your
description
2. Do you like Holden? Why? Why not?
3/4
Without giving their name, describe
some qualities of one of your good
friends. Include some of their most
memorable physical and personality-
based traits.
Now provide the same description for
someone you don’t get along with so well.
Which was easier to write and why?
6 &7
1. Holden says he is a “pacifist.” What
does that mean, and do you agree that he
is/is not? Are you a pacifist?
2. What is Holden’s final goodbye to
Pency Prep?
3. Why do you think Holden was crying
when he left?
8
Lying: Is it ever okay to lie? Why/why
not? If so, give an example.
After 11
Why do you think Holden liked Jane?
What qualities do you look for in
someone you would like to date?
12 & 13
(Before reading) 1. Define hypocritical
(Before reading) 2. Give an example from
your life when you have done or said
something hypocritical. (No judgment,
we’re all guilty!)
(After reading) Provide two examples
from Chapters 12 & 13 when Holden
does or says something hypocritical.
Explain exactly how Holden is
contradicting himself.
12
16-17
1. Why do you think Holden is confessing
all of this to Sally? (Pg. 130)
2. Is your idea of the perfect future
and/or “the one” closer to Holden’s or
Sally’s? Explain what you want.
After 16
Changes: On page 121, Holden talks
about how he went back to the Museum
of Natural History, and he was the only
thing different. Write abut a place that
hasn’t changed, but seems different
because you have changed.
18 & 19
1. Why does Holden call Carl Luce?
2. Carl pretends to very mature. In your
opinion, is he? Do you think Holden is
mature or immature?
20
1. After reading the chapter’s first line,
pause and have students make
predictions for what will happen in the
remainder of the chapter.
2. What information does Holden finally
tell us about Allie’s funeral?
3. After he leaves the park, where does
Holden go?
1. On page 150, Holden says he is,
“concealing that I was a wounded
sonuvabitch.” What wounds does he
have? How is he trying to cover his
wounds?
2. Why is alcohol a false escape for
Holden, and others?
22-23
Prompt: Would you rather die for a cause
and be remembered forever? Or live
your life for a cause in obscurity?
13
Pre-Reading: Teens Reflecting on the Teen Experience
Standard: 9.13.5 Expository Writing: Response to Literature
Objectives: Students will reflect on their own experience
Students will consider the effects of societal norms
Materials: “Teens” transparency
Time: 10-20 minutes
Activity:
1. Students respond to overhead on notebook paper/journal
2. Put transparency on overhead
3. Students respond to questions. Discussing each question as teacher selects.
14
Transparency
Teens
1. How do you think society perceives
teenagers today?
2. What is the stereotype for a teen? Consider
specifics for males and females.
3. What is difficult about being a teen?
4. What are the advantages of being a teen?
15
Setting the Stage for The Catcher in the Rye: Viewing “Dead Poet’s
Society”
Standard: 9.7.4 Writing strategies & elements of author’s craft
9.8.1 Identify sequence of events, main ideas, details
Objective: Students will create contexts for CITR’s setting—specifically the
cultural
values and societal expectations of the upper middle class in the 1950s.
Students will strengthen understanding of rebellion and conformity
within
the novel’s time period.
Materials: Copy of Dead Poets Society VHS/DVD
Student set of note-taking handouts that follow (Anthropological
Wheel,
Post-Viewing Discussion Questions)
Time: 1-2 class periods (You will not need to watch the entire movie).
Activity:
1. Hand out copies of note-taking sheets.
2. Students should fill in the Anthropological Wheel while watching the film,
seeking multiple examples of each trait. Clarify any unfamiliar terms
and give contemporary examples.
3. Offer an overview of the film’s plot.
4. View film through scene where John Keating (Robin Williams’ character)
tears the Introduction from the poetry anthology. If you have time, you
may want to continue through the scene when Keating has the students
stand on the desk and he forces Todd (Ethan Hawke) to speak.
5. Stop film. Allow time to add final thoughts to the Wheel. Then, divide
class into groups of three to four to share responses and complete
Discussion Questions sheet together.
6. Approximately 20 minutes later (depending on need and investment),
bring the class together to debrief groups’ responses and general
observations.
7. Close by posing this question: Based on what you have seen, what
conclusions can we make about upper middle class society in the 1950s?
16
Student Handout
17
Student Handout
Name:
Date:
Period:
Dead Poet’s Society Post-Viewing Discussion Questions
1. What are the four principles of Welton Academy?
2. How are these principles reflected in the school setting? Consider location,
surroundings, items in background, and behavior and dress of students.
3. Describe Neil. What are three words that best fit his personality?
4. How does Neil’s father treat him?
5. How are Neil’s expectations of himself and his father’s expectations different?
6. Describe Todd. Why is he so shy?
7. What examples of peer pressure do you see?
8. What are the school’s expectations of its teachers?
9. What kind of teacher is John Keating?
10. How does John Keating demonstrate the school’s four principles?
18
Imaginative Writing: Four Days in Holden’s Shoes
Standard: 9.9.9 Character’s actions and motives – plot and theme
9.10.5 Voice and narrator’s affect on character, tone and plot
9.10.9 Author’s attitude – tone
9.13.6 Narrative Writing (includes imaginary)
9.12.3 Voice
Objective: Students will consider how they might react if placed in a similar
situation as
Holden.
Students will explore first-person narrative voice.
Students will generate a piece of writing with which they can explore
tone.
Materials: Copies of “Four Days of Freedom Journal” handout
Time: 1 class period
Activity:
1. Hand out copies of the “Four Days of Freedom Journal” assignment to the
class.
2. Read over the assignment with the class, clearing up any areas of confusion
and establishing your criteria for a well-developed journal entry.
3. Give students the rest of the period to write, circulating about the room
offering assistance where needed. Emphasize that these entries need to be
completed as homework if necessary, since they will be used in the next day’s
assignment.
19
Student Handout
Four Days of Freedom Journal
Christmas vacation is a few days away. Instead of leaving your private boarding
school for the standard two-week vacation, you will be leaving for good because you
are failing every subject except English, and have been kicked out. It’s Saturday,
and you have four days before you are expected home, at which time your parents
will have received the news about your permanent expulsion.
Your assignment: Write a journal entry for each of the four days (Saturday, Sunday,
Monday, and Tuesday) that you’ll be on your own. These entries should be well-
developed and include your thoughts about your current predicament, fears of what
awaits you at home (especially as you get closer to Wednesday), and descriptions of
how you are spending your four days. Consider where you’ll be spending your days
and nights (your friends will be in school and your friends’ parents probably know
your parents), and what you’ll do with the thousand dollars that you have to blow.
Freedom as you know it will probably be lost as soon as you arrive home, so what
will you do to make the most of these last four days?
20
Observation Notebook
Standard: 9.10.5 Voice & narrators affect on characters, tone, plot
9.10.8 Literary elements: mood, place, time period, cultures
9.10.9 Author’s attitude: tone
Objectives: Students will analyze the tone of the text by examining setting and
characterization.
Students will examine the author’s purpose as illustrated by the
setting,
characterization, and tone of the text.
Materials: Student Notebook packet including 8 POV charts or an overhead of POV
chart template.
Time: Throughout the unit.
Activity: The Observation Notebook, which includes the POV charts, will be
completed using various perspectives throughout the unit. The POV chart has been
created to guide students to an indirect analysis of the tone of Catcher. Teachers
should view the chart as a starting place and a support for students as they begin
the novel. Once their roles have been assigned, teachers should encourage students
to move from the chart and onto composing a more narrative response that still
addresses tone, purpose, setting, and character (see lesson plan). The textbook
definition of tone is the author’s attitude towards a subject. Because teenagers tend
to be well-versed in describing “attitudes”, we chose this specific terminology.
Through his descriptions of setting and characters, Salinger conveys the tone of the
novel using Holden’s voice as the vehicle.
Introducing the Notebook, Day 4 & 5:
Day 4
1. Handout and discuss the requirements of the Student Notebook.
2. Ask students to trade their Day 3 imaginative papers with a partner.
Substituting “Holden” for the writer of the paper, students fill out a POV
chart.
3. Students share the completed chart with their partner and then as a class.
Day 5
1. As a class, read Chapters 1 and 2 out loud.
2. Each student should complete a POV chart for the chapters.
3. Students share their entries in pairs or as a class. Teachers should check for
understanding.
4. Students will read Chapters 3 & 4 and complete the POV chart individually
on Day 6.
21
Student Handout
Observation Notebook
Holden’s Attitude
Supporting the Observation
(Text)
Author’s Importance of Motivation
Consequence
Purpose Setting of
Actions
22
Student Handout
Date:
Chapters:
Point of View:
Summarize: Describe Holden’s Attitude.
Quotations Supporting This Observation (include page numbers):
Analysis of Author’s Purpose: What do you think Salinger is telling the reader
through these passages?
Analysis of Importance of Place: How does where the action take place affect
Holden’s behavior and judgments?
Analysis of Motivation: Why does Holden have this attitude? What is his problem?
What is his goal?
Consequence of this Attitude: How does this attitude impact what happens to
Holden, including the response of others to his actions?
23
Possible Student Handout
Possible Template to Support Narrative Notes
(Once Clinical Roles Have Been Assigned)
Date:
Chapters:
Role:
Quotation(s): [Include page number]
Response:
(Remember to address Author’s Purpose, Importance of Place, Holden’s Motivation,
and the Consequence of Holden’s Attitude)
24
Chapter 5: The Sibling Connection
Standards: 9.9.2 Make assertions with evidence
9.9.3 Draw inference and generalizations supporting with textual
evidence
9.10.5 Voice and narrators affect on characters, tone, and plot
Objectives: Students will utilize information from a clinical perspective to better
understand the effects (both long and short term) of Allie’s death on
Holden.
Students will use their increased understanding of the aforementioned
effects to aide in their developing analysis of point of view and tone.
Students will be exposed to the genre of medical/clinical writing.
Materials: Overhead of Chapter 5/ Sibling Connection (following page)
One copy of “The Sibling Connection: Experiencing the Death of a
Sibling as an Adolescent” (
www.counselingstloius.net) for each student.
Note: Teacher may consider annotating article based upon student
literacy level.
Time: 1 class period
Activity:
1. Read Chapter 5 aloud in class.
2. Students respond to first three questions in their observation notebook (or
notebook paper as per teacher’s organization.)
3. Pass out “The Sibling Connection.”
4. Students move into groups of 3-4
5. Teacher begins reading article aloud.
6. Have groups finish reading article in groups.
7. As students are completing article, expose question three on the overhead.
8. Explain: Draw t-chart on page, complete t-chart using a synthesis of
information from the novel and “The Sibling Connection” article.
25
Chapter 5 / The Sibling Connection
Transparency
1. What are the facts Holden tells us
surrounding Allie’s death? Referring back
to the text, list what you know.
2. What do we know about Allie? How is
he similar/different to Holden? Why did
Holden love him so much?
3. How is Allie’s death influencing
Holden’s behaviors and feelings?
Immediate Impact
of Allie’s Death on
Holden
Long-term impact of
Allie’s death on
Holden (Imagine
Holden in the
future…)
26
The Line Up
Standards: 9.8.1 ID sequence of events, main ideas, details
9.9.5 Qualities of characters
9.9.6 Characterization
Objectives: Students will create visual representations of characters from the
novel.
Students will strengthen their literal and inferential understanding of
the novel.
Time: 1-2 class periods
Materials: “The Line Up” ½ sheet handout (follows)
Teacher’s choice of paper
Activity:
1. Distribute and read through “The Line Up” handout with class
2. Students divide into pairs, delegating responsibilities between themselves.
3. Offer “line up” background paper if teacher has opted to make it. (See below
example, 8 x 14 works best.)
4. Give students art materials and time.
5. Students share drawings and descriptions at the next class meeting
Sample Line Up Page
27
Student Handout
Catcher in the Rye - The Line Up
Holden Caulfield, Robert Ackley, Ward Stradlater, Mr. Spencer
Chose two characters from the above list. Based primarily on information from the
book (you’ll use your smatterings of your imagination for the details) complete a
“line-up” portrait and profile for each character.
Portrait (2)
-Headshot or full body
-Colored
-A visual example of what is described in the text
Profile (2)
-One paragraph for each character. (5-7 sentences)
-Describes the character’s personality, traits, background, feelings, ideas,
likes/dislikes, connections to other characters.
Catcher in the Rye- The Line Up
Holden Caulfield, Robert Ackley, Ward Stradlater, Mr. Spencer
Chose two characters from the above list. Based primarily on information from the
book (you’ll use your smatterings of your imagination for the details) complete a
“line-up” portrait and profile for each character.
Portrait (2)
-Headshot or full body
-Colored
-A visual example of what is described in the text
Profile (2)
-One paragraph for each character. (5-7 sentences)
28
-Describes the character’s personality, traits, background, feelings, ideas,
likes/dislikes, connections to other characters.
Craft Lesson: Point of View Simulation
--Adapted from Bill Bigelow’s Rethinking Columbus Unit
Standards: 9.7.4 Writing strategies & elements of author’s craft
9.10.8 Literary elements: mood, place, time period, cultures
Objective: Students will understand point of view experientially.
Students will practice representing an incident from various points of
view.
Students will evaluate benefits and detractors of various points of view.
Advance Preparation: As you will be taking a student’s backpack or purse and
going through it, you will need to make arrangements ahead of time. For the
simulation to be successful, the student must act as if they were not expecting it.
Materials: Liner paper/notebook for Free-writes
Time: 1 class period
Activity:
1. Either open class with an arbitrary activity and then grab the student’s bag
or take it at the immediate beginning of class.
2. Once you have the bag, amidst the anticipated outcries, start going through
it. Exaggerate your actions. If challenged, you could remind your students of
teachers’ in loco parentis rights. Be careful to avoid any items that
would be incriminating or embarrassing for the student.
3. Once you feel impact has been made, you will lead your students through a
series of three quick free-writes. First, ask the students to write a
description of what has just happened. Emphasize that their retelling should
resemble that of a newspaper article or news story.
4. After a suitable length of time, ask students to now write a description of
what happened from the student’s point of view. In other words, they should
retell the incident as if they were the student whose bag was taken.
5. Again, after another suitable length of time, students should write their final
free-write from the teacher’s point of view.
6. Once the final piece is done, students should pair up and share all of their
pieces, listening for differences and similarities.
7. Close by bringing class back together and soliciting volunteers to share. You
will need all perspectives represented. Again, listen for and comment on
similarities and differences. Challenge the students to consider which point
of view was the most accurate and the most effective and then connect to the
impact of Salinger’s decision to use first person point of view with Holden as
the narrator.
29
Rewriting the Truth
Standards: 9.7.4 Writing strategies and elements of author’s craft
9.10.1 Literary devices’ functions
Objectives: Students will retell a story, and thereby consider the effects of telling
the truth/lying as applicable to both the novel and their own lives
Students will examine and model author’s style
Students will practice speaking in front of the class
Time: 1 class period + homework
Activity:
1. Read Chapter 8 aloud with class
2. Distribute ½ sheet “Rewriting the Truth”
3. Read through task with students.
4. Using “the train scene” with Mrs. Morrow as their reference, students
complete task.
5. If opting to have students rewrite the scene in script form, you may want to
provide a model, e.g.
Holden: I can’t begin to put into words what a bastard I think your son
Ernest is.
Mrs. Morrow: Why you little so-and-so! What in heavens did my little Ernie
ever do to you to make you speak so harshly of him?
6. Students may complete their work in either their observation notebook or
paper for more ready collection.
7. When the assignment is due, have students select partners and then swap
rewrites. Between the two, they select one section of one rewrite to be shared
with the class. Pairs decide who will read which role. Allow students some
minutes to practice their selections before they “perform” for the class. Have
their readings begin with pairs clarifying who will be reading Holden/Rudolf,
and who will be Mrs. Morrow.
8. After presentations, discuss responses to “Part I” questions as class.
*As a compendium to the assignment, students may complete the freewrite, “Lying”
(please see Journals page) before or after this assignment.
30
Student Handout
Rewriting the Truth Name_______________
The Catcher in the Rye Chapter 8
Refer back to Chapter 8 to respond to the questions, and complete the activity below
Part I
1. How could the conversation between “Rudolf” and Mrs. Morrow really be about
Holden?
2. In your opinion, is Mrs. Morrow’s concern for her own son and “Rudolf” genuine or
“phony”?
3. What do you think about Holden’s actions and behaviors? Is he a “phony”? Why or
why not?
Part II
Rewrite a portion of the conversation (about one page) between Holden/Rudolf and
Mrs. Morrow. This time though, have Holden tell her the truth about himself, Pency
Prep, and her son, Ernest.
Rewriting the Truth Name_______________
The Catcher in the Rye Chapter 8
Refer back to Chapter 8 to respond to the questions, and complete the activity below
Part I
1. How could the conversation between “Rudolf” and Mrs. Morrow really be about
Holden?
2. In your opinion, is Mrs. Morrow’s concern for her own son and “Rudolf” genuine or
“phony”?
3. What do you think about Holden’s actions and behaviors? Is he a “phony”? Why or
why not?
Part II
Rewrite a portion of the conversation (about one page) between Holden/Rudolf and
Mrs. Morrow. This time though, have Holden tell her the truth about himself, Pency
Prep, and her son, Ernest.
31
Observation Notebook, Variation of Point of View
Standard: 9.9.3 Draw inferences & generalizations, supporting with textual
evidence
9.9.9 Character’s actions & motives, plot and theme
Objective: Students will examine the impact of a person’s frame of reference in
analyzing plot.
Students will reflect upon the text using another perspective.
Students will draw conclusions regarding character motives.
Materials: Observation Notebook
Butcher paper or blank overheads.
Time: 5 class periods
Activity: Students will now be reading the novel using an assigned point of view.
First, students will practice using their new voice to interpret Holden’s actions in
homogeneous groups. After master POV charts are presented to the class, an initial
conversation distinguishing how and why each person’s observations vary should
take place. Finally, students will form heterogeneous groups, composed of one of
four roles, in which they will discuss assigned chapters USING their particular
voice. Holden’s actions will, therefore, be judged not only using their own frame of
reference but also that of a person Holden may have encountered in his life.
1. Divide students into four “clinical” roles: Doctor, Parent, Peer, and Teacher.
2. Revisit Day 9 discussion of point of view and how the four roles would differ
in their observations of Holden’s actions.
3. In homogeneous clinical role groups, students read Chapter 9.
4. In groups, students complete a presentation POV chart (on either an
overhead or butcher paper) using the perspective of their assigned role.
5. Students present their POV chart to the class.
6. Discuss how the point of view affects the observations.
7. Divide students into heterogeneous groups and read Chapters 11-14.
8. Ask each student to complete a POV chart from the perspective of their
assigned role.
9. As a group and in character, students discuss their POV chart entries.
10. As a class, share discussion details, including variations regarding their role’s
judgments of Holden’s behavior.
32
Dear Abby: An Advice Letter for Holden
Standard: 9.9.2 Make assertions with evidence
9.9.9 Characters actions and motives/plot and theme
Objectives: Students will compose a letter from the point of view of an advice-giver
Students will exemplify literal, inferential, and evaluative
comprehension of the novel thus far.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the character’s
motivations and concerns.
Materials: “Advice for Holden” handout
Time: 1 class period
Activity: If students are unaware of the “Dear Abby” column, teacher may want to
pull an example from the newspaper, copy onto an overhead, and share with class as
a start to this activity.
1. Distribute “Advice for Holden” handout
2. Read through directions with students. Have student volunteers read letter
aloud.
3. Students compose letter in Observation Journal or liner paper as per
teacher’s intentions.
33
Student Handout
Advice for Holden
Directions: Read the “Dear Abby” letter Holden has written. As Abby, pen a response
to Holden. You want to be specific, realistic (consider 1950’s time period,) and no-
nonsense. Your reply letter should include:
-An addressee (Dear….)
-The date
-A closing and signature
-Approximately 3-4 paragraphs
Dear Abby,
I can’t seem to do anything right these days. I just got expelled from school--and this
has been the 3
rd
school I’ve been in during my years in high school. I decided to just
leave school right away instead of waiting for winter vacation to officially start, and
I’m currently hiding out for a few days in New York.
While my school problems are certainly bothering me a lot, I also seem to be very
confused where girls are concerned. A girl I had a crush on for years just went out
with my roommate who is a very sexy bastard, and I felt that something may have
happened between them. I just can’t seem to get it together with her.
Then I was in this club with these three girls, and they treated me awful-they were
ignoring everything I said and then let me pick up the check for all three of them!
Girls really drive me crazy. Abby, what can I do to start solving some of my problems
with girls and school?
Signed,
ALL REVVED UP WITH NO PLACE TO GO
34
Craft Lesson: It’s Time to Rant!
Standard: 9.10.5 Voice and narrator’s affect on characters, tone and plot.
Objective: Students will examine how language and structure are used to convey
tone.
Student will demonstrate their understanding by composing their own
tone-rich text.
Materials: Examples of rants
Highlighters.
Time: 1 class period
Activity:
1. Brainstorm the definition and characteristics of tone.
2. Discuss the characteristics of rants and how word choice, details, sentence
and paragraph structure are used to convey the author’s (usually negative)
tone.
3. Read selected examples of rants available on the Internet. Rants from
Dennis Miller, for example, are available for the more advanced classes
(although some editing for language is usually needed). Direct students to
highlight words and phrases illustrating the tone of the piece and then share
these as a class.
4. Reread Holden’s rant from Chapter 17 in which he argues that going away
after college would be “different”—requiring adherence to adult
responsibilities. Again analyze how the author’s word choice, details, and
sentence structure exhibit tone.
5. As a class, brainstorm possible subjects of rants, focusing on complaints
worthy enough to write about.
6. Direct students to select a topic and write a short (500 word) rant.
7. Ask for volunteers to share finished work. Discuss the specific language the
author used to convey tone.
35
Craft Lesson: The Catcher in the Rye Tone Analysis
Standard: 9.13.5 Expository Writing: Response to Literature
9.12.1 Ideas and Content
9.12.2 Organization
9.10.9 Author’s attitude – tone
9.9.2 Make assertions w/ evidence
9.10.5 Voice and narrator’s affect on character, tone and plot
Objective: Students will compare first and third person narrative voices
Students will consider how the author’s use of tone affects the story
Students will craft a well structured paragraph on how Holden’s
narrative
voice affects the tone of the story.
Materials: Copies of Catcher in the Rye
Copies of “Slight Rebellion Off Madison” available at
http://www.freeweb.hu/tchl/salinger/madison.html
Highlighters
Butcher paper / Markers
Write Source (classroom set or copies)
Time: 2 class periods
Activity: While there are a variety of definitions for tone out there, the one that
works best for this activity is the following: The apparent emotional state, or
“attitude,” of the speaker/narrator/narrative voice, as conveyed through the
language of the piece. Tone refers only to the narrative voice; not to the author or
characters.
1. Explain to class that in 1945, Salinger had a short story published in The
New Yorker involving Holden Caulfield. This story, titled “Slight Rebellion
Off Madison,” would eventually be developed into The Catcher in the Rye
published in 1951.
2. As a class, read the short story, paying particular attention to the mood of the
piece.
3. Highlight aspects of the story that stand out as being notably different from
The Catcher in the Rye.
4. Once finished, read pages 150 (beginning with “But when I got inside this
phone booth”) through 153 (ending with “But I didn’t feel like getting on a
damn bus”).
5. Break students up into groups of 3’s or 4’s and give them a piece of butcher
paper and markers. Inform students that they will be creating a Venn
diagram comparing and contrasting the two stories. Students should focus
on similarities in plot, character and setting, and differences in mood or tone.
6. Once finished, create a Venn diagram on the board and fill it out according to
students’ group observations. As you are doing this, focus on how there is a
distinct shift in the story’s tone with Holden as narrator.
36
7. Using the information gained, students will now write a well-crafted (8-10
sentence minimum) paragraph on how Salinger’s decision to use Holden as a
narrator changes the tone of this portion of the story. Before doing so,
quickly review the parts of a paragraph on pages 562-563 of Write Source.
8. Give students the remainder of the period to complete this assignment.
Title It!: Creating Effective Titles
Standards: 9.12.2 Organization
9.9.2 Make assertions with evidence
Objective: Students will understand the purpose and power of a title
Students will craft titles that work to lure a reader’s attention
Students will demonstrate comprehension of assigned reading
Rationale: This lesson aims to move students beyond giving superficial, lackluster titles
to their writing. Accordingly, this lesson can be modified to work with prose or poetry. A
portion of this lesson (steps three and on,) can be used as a comprehension “test,” and the
teacher can opt to have students work silently on an individual level. Conversely, the
same assignment could be done in small groups.
Materials: Copy of title minilesson
Copy of “Title me, baby!” handout for each students
Copy of the novel
Activity:
1. Instructor gives minilessons on titles; students take notes in their log/journal
(See following page for minilesson)
2. Explain, “As you may have noticed, the chapters in The Catcher in the Rye
are not titled. Looking back through chapters 21-23, decide on a title for each
chapter.
3. Distribute handout, read through directions
4. Students complete handout in class/for homework. Start the next class
meeting having each student share their favorite title and an explanation for
naming it as such.
37
TITLE IT!: CREATING EFFECTIVE TITLES Craft
Lesson
Transparency
A title serves two main purposes:
1. To inform the reader of what the
selection will be about
2. To pique the reader’ s interest in the
selection
TITLES THAT DON’T WORK (and why):
-Friendship (Too broad and fails to grab the
reader’s attention)
-Romeo and Juliet (Do NOT use the title of the
work you are writing about)
-Character and Setting Essay (The title of your
essay is not the title of the assignment)
REVISED, TITLES THAT WORK!
-A Long-Term Adventure (Narrative on friendship)
-For the Love of Your Life or the Love of Your
Family (Persuasive essay, Romeo and Juliet)
-Barren Lands, Barren Hearts (Literary analysis,
Of Mice and Men)
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Student Handout
Title me, baby!
Name
_________________
Give each chapter listed below a title. Consider what happens in the chapter as
well as what we learned about the purpose of titles in the title. Below the title,
explain how your title fits/relates to the chapter (2-4 sentences.) Feel free to be
metaphoric, analytical, serious, or comedic.
Chapter 21/ Your Title ______________
Explain:
Chapter 22/ Your Title _______________
Explain:
Chapter 23/ Your Title _____________
Explain:
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Tone in a Tune: Holden’s Theme Song
Standards: 9.9.3 Draw inferences and generalizations supporting with textual
evidence
9.10.9 Author’s attitude: tone
Objectives: Students will reinforce their current understanding of tone by applying
it to their selection of a theme song for Holden.
Students will identify tone in both their chosen song and the novel
Materials: Copy of “Tone in a Tune” handout for each student
Access to Internet and printer
Time: 1-2 class periods
Activity:
1. Distribute student handout “Tone in a Tune.” Read directions.
2. Open with Part I—as a class/in pairs.
3. Students complete part II—share out to class some examples
4. Parts III and IV—have students brainstorm on the back of handout, and pair
share ideas. You may choose to use the computer lab for lyric research at this
time.
5. Students’ complete handout, stapling lyrics to handout. Share with class
before collecting.
Optional Extension: A class CD or podcast.
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Student Handout
Name_______________
Tone in a Tune: Holden’s Theme Song
Directions: After reviewing the definition and purpose of tone, you will be selecting a song that you think reflects the
tone of Holden’s narrative voice. For whatever song you choose, you will need to:
a) Produce a copy of the song’s lyrics
b) Offer three pieces of evidence from the novel and song, that support your
interpretation of the tone
I. Review Tone (definition, how does an author express it?)
II. In my opinion, the tone of Holden’s narrative voice is____________. I think
this because____________________________________________________________.
III. The Cut
Title of song:
Title of recording song is from:
Artist:
IV. The Explanation
Explain why the song you selected reflects Holden’s narrative voice. Remember, the
song you chose should reflect what Holden says, and how he says it, NOT simply
what he does. You will need to provide three examples from the song and the novel
supporting your selection. **Attach lyrics of song to this sheet **
Example 1
Passage/incident from The Catcher in the Rye (include page number):
Lyrics from song:
Explain relationship/connection (3-4 full sentences)
Example 2
Passage/incident from The Catcher in the Rye (include page number):
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Lyrics from song:
Explain relationship/connection (3-4 full sentences)
Example 3
Passage/incident from The Catcher in the Rye (include page number):
Lyrics from song:
Explain relationship/connection (3-4 full sentences)
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Analyzing Art: Approaching Tone Visually
Standard: 9.7.4 Writing strategies & elements of author’s craft
Objective: Students will reinforce current understanding of tone by applying it to
how
they view selected art pieces.
Students will visually represent a scene from the novel and convey tone.
Materials: Liner paper/notebooks for note-taking (optional as experience can also
be
discussed).
Slides/reproductions of Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (1888) and The
Starry Night (1889)—must be in color.
Art materials / butcher paper.
Time: 2 class periods
Activity:
1. Open class with a review of what students already know about tone—what it
is, how authors express it and so on.
2. Show Sunflowers. Solicit immediate reactions from students. Then, segue to
a directed discussion on tone by asking questions about the purpose of color,
line, shape, and composition and their impact on the viewer.
3. Switch to The Starry Night. Again, solicit reactions and discuss. Compare
purpose and impact. Emphasize differences.
4. Move on to main task—design a poster that portrays a specific scene from the
novel and conveys tone.
5. Explain expectations: Work in groups; select a significant scene from the
novel; design a poster that uses basic art elements (color, line, shape,
composition); and be prepared to present poster to class justifying choices for
scene and design. As you and the class have completed the novel at this
point, emphasize the importance of considering the entire novel and
of doing their best work.
6. Divide class into groups of four to five and go!
7. When all groups have finished, begin presentations. During the
presentations, students should track patterns in representations of tone.
8. Close with posing the following two-part question: What is the overall tone of
the novel and how does Salinger convey it?
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Craft Lesson: You Be the ________________ or You Be the Shrink
Standards: 9.8.1 ID sequence of events, main ideas, details
9.9.2 Predict future outcomes
9.9.3 Draw inference and generalizations supporting with textual
evidence
9.9.5 Qualities of characters
9.13.5 Expository writing: Response to literature
Objectives: Students will process observation journal notes and compile findings.
Students will analyze a character from a point of view other than their
own.
Students will present their findings in written and oral forms.
Materials: Copy of “You Be the ________” for each student
Observation Notebooks from unit
Copy of the novel
Library Research & Internet Access
Time: 2-3 class meetings
Activity 1: The Road to the Common Assignment Tone Essay
On this track, you will be using the “You Be the ________” handout. This handout
functions as the outlining/information gathering portion of students writing. A
completed “You Be the ______” packet will prepare students to compose their thesis,
and move on to drafting.
1. Pass out copy of “You Be the ________” to each student.
2. Students fill in blank with the role (doctor, teacher, etc,) they have taken on
throughout the unit
3. Allow students to peruse the packet, and note where they have questions.
Discuss questions as a class.
4. Students will use their observation notebooks as one source of evidence and
begin additional research (1-2 days in library/lab). During this time,
students search basic psychological disorders. Considering the symptoms
they see in Holden, they will, essentially, determine an appropriate
diagnosis. Students will complete remainder of packet.
5. Combining work from observation journals and research, students compose
thesis, and then begin drafting essay in response to the Common Assignment
prompt:
What is the tone of The Catcher in the Rye, how is this tone achieved,
and what is the impact of the reader? Use one to four literary
elements/ devices, and specifics from the text to support your thesis.
Activity 2: The Road to an Alternative Culminating Project
This path could lead to any number of culminating options, here are two:
a.) Impromptu CIM Speech: Students present a summary of their analysis of Holden
(white lab coat strongly suggested).
b) Expository Essay: A letter, from the POV of an analyst to Holden’s parents explaining what is wrong with
44
him (textual evidence required).
1. Distribute copy of “You Be the Shrink” to each student.
2. Explain that they will be analyzing Holden, as if they were the “one
psychoanalyst guy” who is working with Holden.
3. Allow students to peruse the packet, and note where they have questions.
Discuss questions as a class.
4. Begin research (1-2 days in library/lab). During this time, students will
search basic psychological disorders. Considering the symptoms they see in
Holden, they will, essentially, determine an appropriate diagnosis. From this
point, students complete the remainder of the packet.
45
Student Handout
Activity 1
You Be the __________
Patient Data
Name of client ______________________
Date of birth ____________________ Age ________
Nationality ____________________ Place of Residence ________________
Family Members/Siblings ________________________
Hair color _________________ Eye color ____________
Height ________ Weight _________
Marital Status __________ Occupation __________________
Physical Symptoms Mental/Emotional Symptoms
Recent Trauma
Recent Trauma
Diagnosis (conflict) Holden is suffering from
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Explanation of Diagnosis
Specific examples of symptoms: physical, mental/emotional and results.
1. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
2. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
3. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
4. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
5. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
47
Student Handout
Activity 2
You Be the Shrink
Patient Data
Name of client ______________________
Date of birth ____________________ Age ________
Nationality ____________________ Place of Residence ________________
Family Members/Siblings ________________________
Hair color _________________ Eye color ____________
Height ________ Weight _________
Marital Status __________ Occupation __________________
Physical Symptoms Mental/Emotional Symptoms
Recent Trauma
Recent Trauma
Diagnosis (conflict) Holden is suffering from
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Treatment Plan
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Release Patient When:
After-Care Requirements
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Explanation of Diagnosis
Specific examples of symptoms: physical, mental/emotional and results.
1. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
2. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
3. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
4. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
5. Symptom:
Example (including textual citation):
Outcome/result
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You Be the Shrink - CITR Final Rubric
Part One/Patient Data
Detailed information is based upon text of CITR, and when necessary,
imagined information demonstrates understanding and application of 1950’s
culture covered at the start of unit.
Symptoms are logically connected to CITR, and evidence knowledge of the
events.
Recent Trauma is explained succinctly, in full sentences, and connected to
text.
Diagnosis complete based upon student opinion and research.
20 15 10 5
Part Two/ Explanation of Diagnosis
Must include textual reference, clear and thoughtful explanation, outcome
should reflect how symptom shapes the novel.
Symptom 1 10 7 3
Symptom 2 10 7 3
Symptom 3 10 7 3
Symptom 4 10 7 3
Symptom 5 10 7 3
Part Three/Treatment Plan & Etc.
Nine steps for plan completed. Four after-care requirements fulfilled; both
afore mentioned done so using logic and researched information.
Release for patient illustrates awareness of Holden’s life and others in the
novel.
Complete sentences and spelling corrected.
30 25 20 15 10 5
TOTAL________/100
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Revision Support
Standards: 9.12.1 Ideas and Content
9.12.2 Organization
9.12.3 Voice
9.12.4 Word Choice
9.12.5 Sentence Fluency
Objective: Students will understand the difference between drafting and revising
piece of writing.
Students will evaluate the effectiveness of their ideas, organization,
word choice, voice, and sentence fluency.
Students will alter original draft so that it reflects a stronger
understanding of effective writing.
Materials: Student set of Write Source
Teacher Edition of Write Source
Students’ Literary Analysis drafts
Time: 1-2 class periods
Overview: Pages 273 through 284 in Write Source discuss, model, and offer
activities for revising a literary analysis essay. Note, however, that the sample
essay is specific to analyzing a theme, and anticipate making slight adjustments.
The Teacher Edition offers suggestions for process and provides support for ELL and
reluctant writers as well. For directed lessons on Transitions, Thesis Statements,
Writing Beginnings, Developing Endings, and Integrating Quotations, also see pp.
592-597.
Also consider consulting the 2007 High School Summer Curriculum
Institute’s Freshman Focus on Literary Analysis Packet that specifically
addresses writing an analysis on tone.
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Editing Support
Standards: 9.12.1 Ideas & content
9.12.2 Organization
9.12.4 Word Choice
9.12.6 Conventions
Objective: Students will proofread their writing to locate conventions errors.
Students will make all necessary changes so that their writing reflects
final copy quality.
Materials: Student set of Write Source
Teacher Edition of Write Source
Students’ Literary Analysis revised drafts
Markers/color pencils/crayons for proofreading
Time: 1-2 class periods
Overview: Pages 285 through 288 in Write Source discuss, model, and offer
activities for proofreading and editing a literary analysis essay. Note, however, that
the sample essay is specific to analyzing a theme and anticipate making slight
adjustments. The Teacher Edition offers suggestions for process and provides
support for ELL and reluctant writers as well. It is recommended that in addition to
students checking their own writing, you allow them to work in pairs and/or small
groups so that students receive objective feedback and support.
Also consider consulting the 2007 High School Summer Curriculum
Institute’s Freshman Focus on Literary Analysis Packet that specifically
addresses writing an analysis on tone.
53