LodeStar Unit**Character & The Canterbury Tales

This Unit Covers

This 4MAT unit has been selected as a 4MAT LodeStar Unit, 4MAT units we honor and proudly show to the world representing the best from About Learning.

Lodestar: A bright, easily found star that is used to find direction.
Anything that acts as a guide, inspiration or example to follow.
The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales & an overview of the historical context within which it was written (Middle Ages). The focus of this unit is the importance of character description as well as the use of fiction to provide a commentary on society.

Learning Outcomes

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Teacher Notes

Be sure to plan enough time for students to develop their costumes for their final presentations.
Warn students that the shortest Tales are not necessarily the most interesting.

Time Frame

Total time : 0 minutes

Concept :

Characterization: Revealing Descriptions

Content :

Prologue to the Canterbury Tales & Medieval Period

Bridge :

Persona

Essential Question :

What does what we look like say about us?

Outcomes :

Know : societal issues of the Middle Ages Do : identify character traits in written descriptions Be/Become : insightful readers Be/Become : Be/Become :

Which fictional character do you think best represents you?

Discuss and compare selected fictional characters - look for similar themes

Find pictures of people that represent essential facets of society.

The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales and the Middle Ages

Basic character Outlines & Quizzes.

Write a 5-paragraph essay. Select a character to "present" at a Medieval feast.

Peer Review/Edit essays. Practice for presentations.

Medieval Feast & Story-telling competition

Characterization: Revealing Descriptions

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Have students select a picture of a fictional character (book, movie, news clipping) that they think best represents themselves. Have them write a basic paragraph (creative writing) that explains what elements of their chosen image they think represents themselves.  Have the students focus on phyiscal characteristics evident in the picture and not necessarily their additional knowledge of the character depicted (i.e. I would select an image of James Bond as myself because of his rugged good looks and not because I know he is skilled with firearms).

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Have each student present to the class the image they selected and briefly summarize why they chose the character they did.  Keep track on the board what traits students are cueing on - physical appearance, clothes, setting, an action, etc..  Lead students in a discussion about why they think these commonalities occur.  The intent of this discussion is to nonchalantly get the students to realize that although we shouldn't judge people by their appearance, there is in fact a lot that we can learn just by looking at someone.

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Using the individual images of themselves as a springboard activity, allow the students to work in small groups and find pictures of people that they think would make a good "cast" for a chosen scenario (a movie about school, a book that hasn't been made into a movie yet, etc.)  Encourage the groups again to focus on a certain "look" and not outside or previous knowledge of an actor or character.  Allow students to create a poster showing each of their chosen characters and what roles they would be playing.  For fun and if time allows, let the students explain the concept of their "scenario" and how it would play out if they were in charge.

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Students will study the historical setting during which Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales.  Be sure to stress what was happening in the time period that was influencing the day-to-day lives of the people in the Middle Ages.  Provide a background to the setting of the Canterbury Tales.  Begin reading the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales and take time to cover character traits and what they reveal about their characters.  Be sure to stress that every detail can reveal more about the character when carefully analyzed.

See attached PPT for history of Middle Ages overview

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Use required readings from the text to allow students to practice their own key trait identifications as well as for material for basic quizzes.

Additionally, before getting in to the Prologue, quizzes covering the historical material are encouraged.

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

After reading the Prologue, students should begin writing a 5-paragraph essay based on an assigned topic (How basic character descriptions reveal "true" identity, How appearances impact perception, etc.).  In addition to writing an essay, students should begin exploring characters' Tales to select the character and tale they would like to present later during the Medieval Feast.

Explain to students what requirements you will have for the presentation including: topic/tale, costumes, length, props, etc.

Determine order and dates for presentations

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Allow students to utilize peer review sessions to revise and edit their essays.  Additionally have students begin practicing their oral tales for their final presentations.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Collect final drafts of student essays and host a story-telling banquet.  Students should be dressed as chosen characters and tell the selected tale in an engaging-manner.  If time/planning permit, hosting a Medieval feast with all students in costume is ideal.

No file attached with this lesson.

1. Level of Engagement, Fascination :

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2. Seeing the Big Picture :

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3. Success with Acquiring Knowledge :

Character Quizzes

Develop basic overview quizzes for student assessment.
Additionally, it is occassionally good to have the students themselves develop the questions for section quizzes.

4. Success with Acquiring Skills :

Essay Assignment and Rubric

Link to Essay Assignment:

4mationweb/userfiles/Canterbury Tales Paper - 4mat.pdf

5. Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned :

Presentation Rubric

Canterbury Character Tales Presentation Rubric

	5	4	3	2	1
Costume/Prop	Costume and prop demonstrate both creativity and enhance the presentation. Particular attention is paid to details and demonstrates a thorough study of the character as presented in the book.	Costume and props demonstrate some creativity but still enhance the presentation. Some attention is paid to the details of the book.	Costume and props show only a basic level of creativity and attention to detail. The costume does not detract from the presentation, but it doesn’t enhance it either.	Little to no creativity is evidenced in the costume and props or the costume detracts from the presentation itself. Little attention is paid to the details presented in the book	Costume or props do not apply to the presentation or are not as presented in the book.
Preparedness	Student is clearly prepared to present their tale as demonstrated by an understanding of the material without excessive reliance on note cards, etc.	Student demonstrates a reasonable understanding of the material with only occasionally having to refer to specific notes in a manner that does not detract from the tale.	Student demonstrates that more preparation would have been beneficial by either confusing the tale or having to rely on notes to tell the tale	Student demonstrates that little preparation was given to learning the tale by forgetting/omitting crucial elements of the tale	Student demonstrates a lack of preparation by not recalling the tale or not having note cards to assist in the telling of the tale
Tale	Tale is adapted to fit an appropriate time constraint and is an accurate portrayal of the actual tale	The basic elements of the tale are all present and the telling of the tale takes a reasonable amount of time	Some elements of the tale are missing and/or the tale is either too short or too long	Important elements of the tale are not present or confused or the length of the tale is unacceptable	Important elements of the tale are missing and the tale is too short
Delivery	The tale is told in an engaging way including appropriateness for the subject	An attempt is made to deliver the tale in an engaging manner	The tale is told in an active voice but more could be done to match tone of the subject matter	Either the tale is told in a passive voice or in a manner not in alignment with the tone of the subject matter	The tale is told in a monotone passive voice and the tone does not match the tone of the subject matter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Author : Melinda Zanetich