A Christmas Carol Dynamic Characters



A Christmas Carol Dynamic CharactersTeacher:Mara TruslowClass:7th Grade Language Arts, 5th PeriodCourse Unit:Drama and PoetryLesson Title:A Christmas Carol Close ReadingLESSON OVERVIEWSummary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community linkDuring this lesson, we will read Scene 5 of A Christmas Carol, which in the climax of the play. Class will begin with a Bellringer to review the use of evidence in wrriten responses. Thus far this academic year, students have struggled with formatting quotes effecitvely when answering text-dependent questions and citing dialogue from a text. This is an important warm-up as the in-class work and homework relies on effectively utilizing evidence. Then, we will move on to defining and understanding what a dynamic character is. First, the teacher will hook students in by examining the similarities between the word dynamic and dynamite. This activity will help students understand the meaning of dynamic by examining the word parts using morphemes and words we already know; the study of Greek morphemes is how we study vocabulary in 7th grade language arts. After digging into the meaning of a dynamic character, we will take brief notes on the defining characteristics of a dynamic character. We will review what we already know about Scrooge using evidence from the text to help us begin understanding to what extent Scrooge is a dynamic character. Then, we will read Scene 5 of A Christmas Carol using our understanding of dynamic characters to assess to what extent Scrooge is a dynamic character and fits with our defining characteristics of a dynamic character. STANDARDSIdentify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.RL1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. (Common Core Reading Literature Standard, also SPI 0701.5.8)RL3: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how character change over time in relation to the settting, etc.). (Common Core Reading Literature Standard, SPI Literature, Craft and Structure, Standard 6)OBJECTIVEClear, Specific, and Measurable – NOT ACTIVITIESStudent-friendlySWBAT use quotation marks and sentences starters to effectively introduce and cite evidence. SWBAT define and name of the characteristics of a dynamic character.SWBAT analyze dynamic characters in the last two scenes of A Christmas Carol.ASSESSMENT / EVALUATIONStudents show evidence of proficiency through a variety of assessments. Aligned with the Lesson ObjectiveFormative / SummativePerformance-Based / RubricFormal / InformalThe bellringer, which is a review of using quotation marks correctly around dialogue and evidence, is an informal assessment for students to track their learning. They will tabulate their correct score on the bellringer, which helps them to monitor their learning and assess what they are continuing to work on. The teacher will circulate during the Bellringer to informally assess student mastery and will note students who are struggling with this skill.The in-class work, which relies heavily on the use of a graphic organizer, is a formative assessment to track how students progress in analyzing dynamic characters throughout the course of the class period. In the first graphic organizer, students will work in shoulder partners. The teacher will circulate to monitor student mastery and will make note of students who are struggling/excelling with this activity. The formal assessment, which will be completed at home as homework, is to assess to what extent Scrooge is a dynamic character based on our assessment of the text in class. This question requires students to invoke their own critical thinking skills based on the information that was compiled both as a class and independently. This will be taken for a grade and will provide the teacher with important data about how students are performing in determining how different elements of a story or a drama interact.Students will also be assessed on this standard on the 9-Weeks Test, the TCAP Language Arts assessment in April, and the TCAP Writing Assessment in February. MATERIALSAligned with the Lesson ObjectiveRigorous & RelevantMaterials Needed:12.3 Class Materials PPTThis PPT includes directions for students when they enter the classroom, directives for each part of the lesson, and key questions we will examine together as a class.Student Materials Packet (to be distributed at the beginning of class)The student materials include the Bellringer activity, the notes for Dynamic Characters, the graphic organizers we will use in class to analyze dynamic characters, and the homework activity, which is an extension of dynamic characters. Teacher Copy of Student MaterialsThis packet includes the same students materials with annotations indicating times for each acitivity in addition to answers for each of the questions posed to students. Holt McDougal Literature Textbook (A Christmas Carol) is included from Page 400-424. The language arts textbook includes an abridged version of A Christmas Carol play from page 400-424 that students will read from. ACTIVATING STRATEGYMotivator / HookAn Essential Question encourages students to put forth more effort when faced with complex, open-ended, challenging, meaningful and authentic questions.After the bellringer, which is a quick review of using quotation marks correctly to cite evidence, we will use an inquiry-based approach to better understand the defining characteristics of a dynamic character. This activity will help us address the essential questions: how do assess whether a character is dynamic, what are our criteria for making that assessment, and ultimately, how to dynamic characters contribute to the plot of a story (which we will discuss in greater detail after finishing the play). In 7th grade language arts, we learn vocabulary through the study of Greek morphemes, or the meanings of the smallest word parts. In this study, we begin by examining words that include the word part in an effort to make deductions about the word meaning. In the same vein, we will think about other words we know that have similar morphemes to the word “dynamic.”The first question in the lesson requires students to brainstorm a word similar to dynamic. As a whole class, we will work to brainstorm dynamite. This word is composed of similar morphemes, and is a familiar, exciting word for most middle school students. Immediately after deducing “dynamite,” we break into shoulder partners to answer four questions about dynamite that ultimately relate back to dynamic characters and A Christmas Carol.The first three questions are simply about the use of dynamite and help students activate prior knowledge. Using factual recall, students need to explain the use of dynamite. While this is a simple question, students may struggle to articulate the effect of dynamite on specific structures and mateirals. Then, students have to use cause and effect relationships analyzing the effect of an explosion. Ultimately, they should explain that dynamite causes a change to a surrounding, which is also at the core of a dynamic character. This idea closely ties to the third question (what is the result of using dynamite?). Finally, students have to synthesize the relationship between dynamite and dynamic. Using their knowledge of Greek morphemes, they may be able to determine that dynamic is an abstract noun because of its –ic ending, which means that it is an idea noun. Then, students have to forge their own connections to A Christmas Carol. Here, they first need to think about the different characters in the story. Students will need to predict that the protagonist, Scrooge, is likely to be a dynamic character because of his prominence in the book and characterization in the first half of the novel that makes him prone to a more positive change. This activity, desined to take approximately 5 minutes, allows students to activate prior knowledge, engage with a familiar concept, evaluate Greek Morphemes, and begin making connections to the text even before taking notes and learning the key characteristics of a dynamic character.3276600-1935480“Hook” Slide from 12.3 PPT that will be projected for students.00“Hook” Slide from 12.3 PPT that will be projected for students.INSTRUCTIONStep-By-Step Procedures – SequenceDiscover / Explain – Direct InstructionModeling Expectations – “I Do”Questioning / Encourages Higher Order ThinkingGrouping StrategiesDifferentiated Instructional Strategies to Provide Intervention & ExtensionIntroduction: (1 Minute)After students are seated and their desks are ready for class:Cold call a student to read the SWBAT statements on the front board.Tell students: Today, we are going to start with a quick bellringer to review how to cite evidence and how to correctly use quotes. This was something we all struggled with on our Poetry Analysis Papers, so we are going to work on it today. Then, we will learn and discuss what a dynamic character is, we’ll read from A Christmas Carol, and then we will analyze dynamic characters in the story and how they contribute to the plot. Bellringer: (10 Minutes)Direct students to look at the Bellringer on the front of the packet in front of them:Remind students that we will continue working on citing evidence and using quotes correctly. Read the directions carefully and annotate all questions using arrows.Ask: Where do the arrows go when annotating a question? (Next to my final 2 remaining answer choices).Ask: Why do I use the arrows? (To find the better/best answer and help me check my work). After the timer goes off, pull students back together and tell them to track the front screen where we will review selected questions from the Bellringer.The teacher will determine which questions to review after circulating around the classroom during the Bellringer to determine which questions students struggled with most frequently.During the circulation time, check in with Adam, Matt, Austin, and Peyton.Introduction to Dynamic Characters and Note Taking: (10 Minutes)Direct students to look at the front screen at the “Dynamic” Slide (#3) in the 12.3 PPT Deck.Ask the whole group for a word that has similar morphemes to dynamic. Take hands until a student states “dynamite.”Ask students what makes the two words similar? Use the language of our Greek morphemes in your answer.They both have the root “dynam.”Tell students, you are going to work in shoulder partners to answer more questions to try and figure out how dynamite and dynamic characters are similar. Give students 2 minutes in shoulder partners to discuss the 4 questions. Circulate to monitor conversations and encourage students to expand on their ideas. After the 2 minutes, bring students back together to discuss dynamic characters for 3 minutes. Start by reviewing question 3: What is the result of using dynamite? The result of dynamite is a change in the area, making it easier to build or do something with the area.Then move to question 4: Ic, or the ending of dynamic, makes it an abstract noun, or a type of idea noun that describes a person. We know that dynamite causes an explosion, or a change in the surrounding area. Therefore, a dynamic character is one who changes drastically throughout a story. Ask students: If dynamite changes an area after an explosion, what does a dynamic character do?A dynamic character changes over time.Take notes on dynamic characters in the student materials packet.Fill in the notes about dynamic versus static characters for students using the annotations on the teacher copy of the materials. Give students 2 minutes to complete the Stop and Jot, which asks them to recall the fictional book they read during 1st quarter and assess what changes they went through over the course of the book.Ask 2 students to share out their book, character, and what made them a dynamic character.After, fill in the note that indicates characters fall on a range between dynamic and static. Ask students: what is a range in math?The distance from one number to another.Give students 1 minute with their shoulder partner to plot on the range where their character fell and explain why to their shoulder partner.Finally, read out the 4 characteristics that make a character dynamic. GUIDED & INDEPENDENT PRACTICE“We Do” – “ You Do”Encourage Higher Order Thinking & Problem SolvingRelevanceDifferentiated Strategies for Practice to Provide Intervention & ExtensionAssessing Scrooge’s Changes Thus Far in A Christmas Carol (10 Minutes)Begin by asking students, who is a character you believe is dynamic in A Christmas Carol and what specific characteristics make them dynamic?Most students will likely say Scrooge and justify it by explaining that he is a surly old man and is the focus on the story, both of which are characteristics of a dynamic character. Then, we will spend 1 minute reviewing the directions for the first graphic organizer where students will use the text to select adjectives to describe Scrooge during each part of his life. Then, students will find reasons from the text to support their interpretation of the particular adjective.Students will have 7 minutes to complete this graphic organizer with a shoulder partner, which will help them determine to what extent Scrooge is a dynamic character from what they have already read in A Christmas Carol.During the 7 minutes, the teacher willl circulate to check in with students who may struggle with parts of speech or finding relevant evidence from the text. Students who will need a check in from Period 5 include: Matt White, Adam Foster, Peyton Harris, Noah Jenkins, and Thomas Hunt. While checking in with these students, the focus will be on the definition of an adjective and afterwards helping these studenst find evidence from the text by turning to the specific scene, summarizing what happened, and identifying relevant evidence. After the 7 minutes have passed, the teacher will ask for one student to volunteer their adjective and rationale for the adjective within each category of the graphic organizer.Ask students: why do we need to know about how Scrooge acted in the past to determine if he is a dynamic character?Answer: Dynamic characters change over time, so we have to look at how he acted in the past. Reading Scene 5 of A Christmas Carol (15 Minutes)Flash up the pre-assigned roles from the 12.3 Class Materials PPT on the front screen. Instruct students to flip to page 418 in their textbooks and to place their class materials to the right of their textbook so they are ready to fill in the graphic organizer as we read together. Tell students the teacher will stop them the first time to complete the graphic organizer. Give students a countdown to get their desks ready.Remind students: as we are reading, they need to follow along, even if they are not assigned as a character. Those who are reading, do your best to embody the expressive spirit of the character you are portraying. Begin reading Scene 5. Circulate to ensure students are tracking their books and have their packets turned to the correct graphic organizer. After turning to page 420 after Scrooge speaks, pause the reading of the play and demonstrate how to fill in the graphic organizer for the class using the ELMO. Explain that in the text, we will stop anytime we see Scrooge undergoing a large change. Then, we will summarize the change and determine which of the 4 ways is used to describe the change. The teacher needs to model how to fill in the graphic organizer and should say the following as a “Think Aloud” to the class:I notice in this dialogue that Scrooge seems overwhelmed because he is repeating what he is saying, which adds emphasis to his message. Therefore, I think that he is surprised because he hasn’t before thought about what his life would be like after his death. I am going to jot down that I found this information from lines 71-80.I know this was revealed by Scrooge because the dialogue tag indicates he said this. Answers for the first section of the graphic organizer:Quick Summary: Scrooge is surprised to see the charwoman and Sparsit taking his things because he thought they respected him.Line: 71-80Number of How the Dynamic Character is Revealed: Number 4Stop students again at line 140 after Scrooge speaks and realizes Tiny Tim has died. Give students 2 minutes to complete the next box with their shoulder partner as a “we do.” After the time has sounded, ask students what they wrote for their summary and in what way the dynamic character is revealed. After completing this box, tell students they will continue reading and working independently.The teacher will circulate to ensure students are engaged and on-task. The teacher will help students find places in the text where Scrooge is undergoing a change. CLOSUREReflection / Wrap-UpSummarizing, Reminding, Reflecting, Restating, ConnectingReflecting on Scrooge’s CharacterWith 5 minutes of class remaining, pause wherever we are in the text and ask a student, what were the 3 adjectives you chose to describe Scrooge in the first graphic organizer we completed?Based on what we have read so far in Scene 5, what adjective would you use to describe Scrooge?On the board, there is a range line depicting static to dynamic characters. Ask, where would you plot Scrooge on this line and why? Turn and talk with your shoulder partner for 1 minute. Ask for 1 student to share out his/her response to the whole group.Pull students back together after 1 minute and turn their attention to the HW board to complete both graphic organizers after reading Scene 6. Remind students they may have a “Check-Up,” on Scene 6 tomorrow.Ask students to record this information in their agenda or to take a picture on their MLD. Once rows are seated, silent, and packed up, they may be dismissed.Remind students who are with guidance counselors during PUSH to have their agendas signed. CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONSFirst, we have heavily emphasized the connections to Social Studies by exploring the Industrial Revolution, the role of workhouses in English society, the exploitation of child labor during the Industrial Revolution, and the distribution of wealth leaning heavily towards those who were already wealthy. These explorations into thei historical context of A Christmas Carol were conducted through the exploration of primary and secondary sources from the time period and written reflection. In addition, there is an effort to relate content to mathematical, or logical and systematic content to language arts. In this lesson, this is done through the use of a number line and examining the concept of range, or the change over time. This correlations should help students rationalize that a dynamic character is one who changes greatly over time (or the course of the plot) based on 4 critera that we established while taking notes. NOTES:Background on the Content:First, it’s important to note what the students already know about A Christmas Carol and Charles Dickens. The week before reading A Christmas Carol, students learned about the Industrial Revolution time period and Dickens’ life through a stations lesson where they rotated through four groups and loked at relevant primary and secondary sources. Additionally, students compelted a prompt-based writing lesson where they reflected on both child labor during the Industrial Revolution, which greatly affected Dickens, and the importance or necessity of money in a capitalistic society. This context paved the way for a more contextual understanding of A Christmas Carol and helps students understand some of the nuanced characters and scenarios portrayed in the play. Length of Study:Additionally, this lesson focuses on the close reading of a text read over multiple class periods. We are both longitudinally looking at a text and analyzing the characters, plot, and text features that are different than that of a fictional text. During each class period while reading the text, we are focusing on one skill that is independent of the text. This could be characterization, dynamic characters, or the purpose and effect of stage directions in a play. These skills are independent of the text and can be applied to myriad other texts.Grouping: Students in my class are seated with shoulder partners to suit their academic needs. I have intentionally seated students who struggle with comprehension and analysis of texts with students who have both excelled in this area and are able to explain ideas and concepts to students who may struggle. ................
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