Phase: | During/Explore/Explain |
Activity: | 1. Review the terms foreshadowing, racial prejudice, and sexism: a. Foreshadowing: a warning or indicator of a future event b. Racial Prejudice: The fourth edition of the American Heritage College Dictionary provides four meanings for the term—from “an adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts” to “irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race or religion.” Both definitions apply to the experiences of ethnic minorities in Western society. Of course, the second definition sounds much more menacing than the first, but prejudice in either capacity has the potential to cause a great deal of damage. c. Sexism: prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, based on sex. 2. Examine the Kate Chopin in the South Web Page and engage students in a brief, whole-group discussion: a. What is one unusual piece of biographical information that intrigues you about this author from this website? 3, Examine the Kate Chopin Biography Web Page and engage students in a brief, whole-group discussion: a. This website features more information about Chopin. Identify one piece of information that helps you understand the author better. b. How could one of the concepts of foreshadowing, racial prejudice, or sexism possibly connect the biographical information about Chopin and her writing? 4. Explain to students that it is important to learn information about an author before you read his or her work and that we will return to the author discussion after reading this short story and completing the graphic organizer. 5. Create small groups of three students; direct student groups to read the story "Desiree’s Baby"(1894) and complete the Foreshadowing in Desiree’s Baby Graphic Organizer as they read. 6. Instruct student groups to discuss their results and compose an “alternate ending” to the short story. (If students need a brief refresher about alternate endings, see this Alternate Ending Prezi.) 7. Each group will present their findings to the class and share their alternate endings. Use the rubric for scoring: Rubric for Alternate Ending Paragraph 8. After all groups have presented their ideas for alternate endings, discuss whether the author’s background information is connected to her writing style or descriptions of settings, characters, or events. Return to the question: a. How could one of the concepts of foreshadowing, racial prejudice, or sexism possibly connect the biographical information about Chopin and her writing? |
Assessment Strategies: | Direct students to submit the graphic organizers, so the teacher may assess, specifically for their understanding of textual evidence citations. Each group will present their findings to the class and share their alternate endings. Use the rubric for scoring: Rubric for Alternate Ending Paragraph |
Advanced Preparation: | The teacher needs to make sure the web page links are available before class and students have access to the materials via Google Classroom. |
Variation Tips (optional): | The lesson could be used in conjunction with any of Kate Chopin's short stories. A variation would be for students to read "The Story of an Hour" by Chopin as an outside activity and compose an essay about how the elements of foreshadowing, racial prejudice, and sexism are featured in the story. |
Notes or Recommendations (optional): | These activities are designed to occur in the middle of a lesson. |
Keywords and Search Tags: | Alternate Endings, Desirees Baby, Foreshadowing, Kate Chopin |