Lesson Plan: Using Technology to Teach Characterization with Stargirl

Lesson Plan: Using Technology to Teach Characterization with Stargirl
PLANNING

Date: March 1, 2010
Class and Grade Level: 7th Grade
Objective(s): The students should be able to discuss the characterization of the main characters in Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl
State (or District) Core Curriculum Standard(s): Standard 1. Objective 3 b. Describe a character’s traits as revealed by the narrator (thoughts, words, speech patterns, actions)
Concept(s) to Be Taught: characterization
Materials Needed: computers, Stargirl novel
Strategies to Be Used: reading, writing, interviewing, podcasting

PERFORMING

Announcements:
Continuation from Previous Lesson: After the students have read the novel
Lesson Presentation:

A) Getting Started: Organize the students into groups of about 5. Give them the list of characters below. They must each pick one role. The starred (*) roles must be chosen before the other parts. Tell the students they must create a 5-7 minute podcast of an interview. The interviewer will interview all the characters as if they had a reunion twenty years late. The interviewer is primarily responsible for preparing questions and all the other character parts must study their character and prepare answers to the interviewers questions as their character would twenty years later.

*Interviewer
*Leo Borlock
*Stargirl
Archie Brubake
Kevin Quinlan
Hillari
Dori Dilson
Jerry Spinelli

B) Directing the Learning:
Have the students fill out character charts describing the personality of their character.
Have the interviewer pass out his or her questions to the rest of the group.
After each students has prepared answers, they will share them as a group to make sure their answers are accurate.
After a couple of rehearsals, students will create their podcast.

C) Bringing the Lesson to a Conclusion:
The students will then listen to each others’ podcasts (there should only be 4-6 groups, depending on the size of the class) and have a class discussion about the issues that were discussed in each of the podcasts.

Assignment:

Evaluation:

Stargirl Podcast

To help my students develop skills for the 7th Grade State Core standards, we will create a podcast. This will help the students comprehend character development, and it will also help them to connect the text to themselves.

Jerry Spinelli's novel, Stargirl, is about a sophomore who brings a refreshing sense of freedom to her high school when she follows her own heart. She does not seem to care what anyone else thinks.

In one part of the novel, students create a TV show, interviewing different members of the high school. We will follow this pattern, except that students will write scripts analyzing the action of the story.

The technology will help the students become engaged in a meaningful and authentic project.

Great book!

I am reading an amazing book called, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It's a great read and could be used on a variety of levels. Even if you are not an English major, it reads really quickly. Read and enjoy!

Class Website

Here is the link to my class website:

http://sites.google.com/site/emersonsenglish/