ACPS

P.S. **ACSP will be working with RGPS**.

As Li See has said, the text is rich with figurative language. It would be interesting to explore __how word choice and imagery contribute to the meaning of the text__. What strategy? The Literature Web comes to mind.  This is subject to changes though the focus on figurative language is probably set.
 * 10th March 2009**

**17th March 2009 (St Patrick's Day)**

“He has a magic, the little man.” (303) What indeed is ‘magical’ about Quillow’s character, and the plot? How does the writer use figurative language to help shape Quillow’s character, as well as help the reader anticipate the ‘magical’ turn in the plot?

An introduction to figurative language as a took that an author employs (or uses) to help the reader visualise (or see) what is happening in a story or poem.

We could begin with the concept or big understanding of how observable **patterns** can be used to identify the nature of anything (something). Pupils could be asked to scour through the text and look out for images or symbols which repeatedly surface in the text. For example: the 'ritual' where the councillors turn an imaginary key in Quillow's back; the‘twelve scarlet men who emerge from the dial of the town clock on the stroke of every hour and play a melody on little silver bells with little silver hammers’ at significant moments in the story. From this, pupils will have to make an i__nterpretation__, think about how this adds to the story or the reading experience. Pupils could write a poem based on either of these key images in the story. The poem should show their understanding of how it adds to the story.  Pupils could also annotate a short extract of the text to show understanding of figurative devices. ‘At first there was a restless stir like wind in the grass, but as Quillow explained his plan, even the chattering wives fell silent. Quillow finished speaking as the moon peeped over the hill, and the hundred men and the hundred women and the hundred children straggled away from the carnival grounds.’ (303 - use of simile, personification, imagery, and repetition)

// A Lesson Plan for the P4 HAL Unit 2009 // l have an understanding of the capacity of figurative language to build characterisation, mood and setting – meaning that is not just about the words themselves
 * ** Reading Lesson on Interpreting Figurative Language in Narratives **
 * Approx duration of lesson: 4 periods (2 hours) ** ||
 * ** Goals: ** By the end of the lesson, pupils will

(Assumption: Pupils have been introduced to figurative language, in particular metaphors and similes.) || At the end of the lesson, pupils will understand that l reading is about constructing meaning l there are different layers of meaning in a narrative that can be picked up through re-reading l reading requires making connections to generate meaning l one of the most critical decisions an author makes is in the choice of words – exactly what to call things l the choice of words can shape how a text portrays the world, and so readers must be sensitive to those choices. They must see what words say, do, and mean. || ** Essential Questions ** l How is writing related to reading? l How does a reader gain insights into the character and mood of a story through reading? l How do good readers make conclusions about the character and mood of a story? l How do good readers relate what they read to their own experience? || l that words have meanings and nuances beyond themselves l that figurative language enables writers to indicate layers of meaning l that figurative language ups the reader’s interest and often conveys meaning hard to convey in words <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">l that images convey information and messages to the reader || Pupils will be able to **(Do)** <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">l identify words used by writers to express or describe a particular mood, setting or character, necessary for engaging the reader <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">l appreciate the capacity of words to adjust our perceptions – beyond the ordinary: probably a key understanding in fiction <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">l use figurative language to evoke emotion, create an image; tell a story ||
 * ** Enduring Understandings: **
 * Students will **Know**
 * ** Assessment Evidence ** ||
 * Group-created song lyrics

Other evidence: <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">l Annotation <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">l Literature Web

** References: ** <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">[], [], []
 * Assignment: ** Pupils will perform their lyrics to an audience. ||
 * Resources: ** ‘The Great Quillow’ by James Thurber (extract: p 300 – 303), ‘The River’ by Garth Brooks, recording of ‘The River’ by Garth Brooks, Literature Web template, Rubric for song

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">1. (30 minutes) Tuning-in: Students will listen to the song once. They will given a copy of the song lyrics to refer to in order to discuss the effect of the figurative language used in Garth Brook’s song.

Teacher’s note: One cannot appreciate this song by simply looking at the words and taking them at face value, trying to comprehend its meaning literally, without inferring what it could mean in the context of the poem. This understanding of figurative language can be introduced with this tuning in activity. This also prepares pupils to look out for significant things in the story in terms of ideas, feelings, development of plot (what is going on here) etc. to make //sense// of the story.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">2. ‘As you read the extract given to you, I would like you to annotate it (to think about what you are reading), and in particular identify significant words, images, feelings, ideas which feed into the text you are reading. You may underline or highlight them on your text.’ Individual work: 8 minutes.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">3. A short discussion of the song can follow. The teacher should guide students to realise that the lyrics cannot be understood without thinking about what the figurative language means to them. The similes and metaphors in the song are significant to the meaning of the song. It is possible that understanding the song can come down to the way we’ve chosen to interpret the last lines: ‘Yes, I will sail my vessel/ ‘Til the river runs dry/ ‘Til the river runs dry’. Is this a hopeful or pessimistic view of things? How do we know? Can we know this from the mood conveyed through the music, or perhaps through the way the singer has chosen to sing it?

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">4. (30 minutes) The teacher will give out the extract from ‘The Great Quillow’ as well as introduce the literature web as a tool to identify key ideas/feelings/images in the text. Students will then proceed to identify words/feelings/key ideas used by the writer in the story. An example could be given by the teacher to demonstrate how the literature web can be used.

Teacher’s note: The extract begins on page 300 because an important theme is expressed here – the capacity of words to adjust our perceptions beyond the ordinary. When Quillow narrates his story, he is in a sense attempting to adjust the giant’s perception of reality (‘for the mind is a strange and intricate thing… it is subject to mysterious maladies’), similar to what happens when we read this story and pick up on its magical feeling. Reading a tale involves being aware and conscious of various elements of the narrative (for e.g. the setting, the mood, the characterisation). The extract ends on page 303 with the statement ‘He has a magic, the little man,’ an important statement about the character of the story, which is built up with the use of figurative language through the extract.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">5. (20 minutes) The teacher will note down students’ contributions on a piece of mahjong paper. Students will be asked why and how they (words/ideas/images/feelings) are significant to them. As they do so, this will shape their understanding of the text. (Do all students choose the same words? Why or why not? Do all have a common understanding?) Why does the town crier’s wife say ‘He has a magic, the little man’? Where else do we have an indication of this magical aspect of the story? Students could also consider the effectiveness of images like: ‘The group of children broke like the opening of a rose and the cobbled streets rang with the sound of their running.’ The teacher will encourage students to make connections between the different elements of the literature web, and think about the big idea of magic here, and how the writer seems to be conveying this through his use of figurative language to describe Quillow, as well as the mood and setting of the story.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">6. (10 minutes) Prediction activity: Students will be asked how they think the story will be resolved given the extract they have just read.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">7. (10 minutes) Performance Task (Discussion of the task)

Teacher’s note: The objective of having this writing task is for students to demonstrate their ability to be sensitive to language, and the way the writer shapes a different world through the use of figurative language.

Having made some possible predictions, students will be told they will now need to create their own similes and images to describe the giant this time, in their assigned groups (groups of 3 or 4 is an ideal size).

Task: Imagine you are Quillow, who happens to be also the village songwriter. You are creating song lyrics to relate the story of the giant who failed to destroy the village, to entertain as well as to inform the children in the village about what happened.

Activating prior knowledge: What do you know about song lyrics? (Its form is similar to a poem, there are verses and choruses which are usually repeated; it has to also have a capacity to draw the audience in through the use of strong, effective images)

Suggested length of song: 2 verses and a chorus

The teacher will then share with students the rubric for the group-created song and explain to them how the song will be graded. (See Appendix C).

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; msolist: Ignore;">8. (20 minutes) Students will work in groups to create song lyrics to describe the giant’s downfall.

Assignment: Students will meet up and rehearse their lyrics in order to perform them for an audience (their classmates). Actions accompanying the song are optional but would add to the dramatic aspect of the song. Responses can be elicited from the audience at the end of each performance.

Appendix A – //The River// by Garth Brooks


 * The River **

You know a dream is like a river Ever changing as it flows And a dreamer's just a vessel That must follow where it goes Trying to learn from what's behind you And never knowing what's in store Makes each day a constant battle Just to stay between the shores…

(Chorus) And I will sail my vessel 'Til the river runs dry Like a bird upon the wind These waters are my sky I'll never reach my destination If I never try So I will sail my vessel 'Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside And let the waters slip away 'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow Has now become today So don't you sit upon the shoreline And say you're satisfied Choose to chance the rapids And dare to dance the tide...

Yes I will sail my vessel 'Til the river runs dry Like a bird upon the wind These waters are my sky I'll never reach my destination If I never try So I will sail my vessel 'Til the river runs dry

There's bound to be rough waters And I know I'll take some falls But with the good Lord as my captain I can make it through them all...

Yes I will sail my vessel 'Til the river runs dry Like a bird upon the wind These waters are my sky I'll never reach my destination If I never try So I will sail my vessel 'Til the river runs dry

Yes, I will sail my vessel 'Til the river runs dry 'Til the river runs dry

Appendix B - Literature Web (in the file attached)

Appendix C ** Song Lyrics Rubric ** ** Team  ** The song lyrics are clearly aligned to the story and its plot. They reflect an understanding of the theme of the story. || 5  ||   ||   || The figurative language used conveys the intended tone or mood of the giant’s downfall predicted. || 5  ||   ||   || The figurative language used demonstrates the way a writer might use interesting or creative language to generate interest. || 5  ||   ||   || The song lyrics dramatise the story well and achieve its intended impact on the audience. || 5  ||   ||   || ** Rate each category according to the following scale: 5 = excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = satisfactory, 1 = poor **
 * Based on an extract from ‘The Great Quillow’ by James Thurber **
 * Group Members: ___ **
 * ** Criteria ** || ** Points ** || ** Teacher Assessment **  || ** Ave Score ** ||
 * ** Total Points ** ||  20  ||   ||   ||