Lesson Summary:In the Pre-Assessment, the teacher will project the Rising Action/Falling Action graphic on the board. Students will review favorite stories and note points of development. Students will read a selection from “Evil Robot Theory” and review characters. They will develop a skit that speculates on the Sugarbaker family’s previous relationship with Mrs. Gretsky to get at central conflict in the story. Students will brainstorm words and phrases that show the effect of this conflict on Lautrec, the central character. The teacher will return to note Skyler’s offer as a resolution and note how it changes Lautrec’s thinking. The teacher will emphasize that sometimes a plot changes based upon how a central character thinks in a new way.
Lesson Objectives:
The students will know…
- the role of Exposition, Conflict, Climax, and Resolution in the development of plot.
- the role of perception in the Resolution of plot.
- identify the points of development of a plot.
- recognize the role of a central character’s perception in the resolution of conflict.
Learning Styles Targeted:
x / Visual / x / Auditory / x / Kinesthetic/Tactile
Pre-Assessment: Project Rising Action/Falling Action graphic*, noting Exposition, Conflict, Climax, and Resolution. Remind students that Exposition is the opening of the story where we learn about key characters and learn something about the conflict. Have students review recent stories that they have read and mark the points of development for each.
Whole-Class Instruction
Materials Needed: 1 Copy of Selection “Evil Robot Theory”* per student; notebooks; pens and pencils.
Procedure:
1)Have students read the passage silently.
2)When they are finished, ask for general reaction to the story. Ask if students found the story realistic. Ask if the characters seemed like people that they know.
3)Ask what we know about the characters:
Lautrec: creative, seems to be popular and leader of the band
Urbana: the bass player
Indio: spirited, calls Lautrec “Big L”
Skyler: we know very little, only speaks when she has to
4)Point out that a key element of the plot is the conflict between Lautrec’s family and Mrs. Gretsky, a character we never see, yet one who remains a powerful presence in the scene. Break students into groups and challenge them to brainstorm ideas about an additional scene that happened prior to the scene they just read involving Mrs. Gretsky. Scenes might include:
Mrs. Gretsky calling the police
Mrs. Gretsky arguing with the Sugarbakers
Mrs. Gretsky writing to or calling an imaginary relative to complain about the Sugarbakers
5)Challenge students to assign roles and then improvise the scene they have brainstormed. Ask for reactions about which portrayal of Mrs. Gretsky seemed the most realistic.
6)Ask how Mrs. Gretsky has influenced Lautrec in particular. Ask for words and phrases that sum up how Mrs. Gretsky influences his actions after the police arrive to interrupt the rehearsal. Write those words and phrases on the board. Words and phrases might include: “makes him angry,” “makes him bitter,” makes him want to give up the band,” and ”makes him feel trapped.”
7)Challenge students to point to passages in the story that support their views. Students might point to Lautrec’s response that “She never answers her door” when it’s suggested he approach Mrs. Gretsky, or his “bitter smile” when he suggests that his group perform The Sound of Music at the school talent show.
8)Return to the Rising Action/Falling Action graphic and guide students to indicate where on the slopes key moments in the scene might fall. Place events up to the arrival of the police under Exposition, the dialogue up to Lautrec’s “bitter smile” as Conflict, and note the “bitter smile” as the Climax. Indicate Skyler’s offer to move rehearsals to her house as the Resolution.
9)Draw a circle around Skyler’s offer and ask why it is particularly significant. Elicit that it solves the problem of where to have rehearsals and saves the band. Ask what effect it has on Lautrec in particular.
10)Return to the words and phrases that students proposed earlier. Point out phrases such as “feels bitter,” and “feels trapped.” Ask if Skyler’s offer might make Lautrec thinkdifferently.
11)Elicit that Lautrec probably never imagined the possibility that Skyler could help, that life sometimes has surprises, and that people really can surprise you.
12)Point out that Resolutions sometimes occur when a character perceives or understands something in a new way.
Advanced Learner
Materials Needed: notebooks; pens and pencils.
Procedure:
1) Ask students to review stories they heave read in the past where the plot turned on a moment of perception. Ask each to choose a favorite story and write a paragraph that briefly summarizes the plot and then explains the significance of the moment of resolution.
Struggling Learner
Materials Needed: 1 Copy of Selection “Evil Robot Theory”* per student; notebooks; pens and pencils.
Procedure:
1) Ask students to choose a favorite character from the story and list reasons that explain his or her significance to the plot of the story.
*see supplemental resources
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