Short Story: “The Cat In The Rain”
Author: E. Hemingway
Lesson plan
Duration of the class: 1 hour
I. Pre-reading:
Activity 1: Sharing opinions.
(Objective: to activate schema and/or create interest in the story.)
Time: 5 minutes
Materials: -
Procedures: Ask Ss to get in pairs and talk about how they think an animal could feel restrained by living a human life as a parent, a spouse, a child, etc.) and how a cat might be related to the main character of the story.
Activity 2: Conversion
(Objective: to provide language and/or grammar activity arising out of the story.)
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: worksheet
Procedures: Ask Ss to rewrite the following sentences using Indirect Speech:
1) "I'm going down and get that kitty," the American wife said.
______
2) “Don't get wet," he said.
______
3) "There was a cat," said the American girl.
______
4) "Did you get in the cat?" he asked.
______
5) "I wanted it so much," she said. "I don't know why I wanted it so much. I wanted that poor kitty. It isn't any fun to be a poor kitty out in in the rain."
______
______
6) "Don't you think it would be a good idea if I let my hair grow out?" she asked.
______
7) She said, "the padrone asked me to bring this for in the Signora."
______
II. While-reading:
Activity 1: Timeline (Objective: to promote general understanding of the story)
Time: 5 minutes
Materials: worksheet
Procedures: After the teacher having read aloud the story, ask Ss to work in pairs and put the following events in the correct order on the time line. The first has been done for you:
a) On her way back, the American girl met the owner again and felt weird (small but important)
b) The American girl met the hotel owner.
c) The maid accompanied the American girl to find the cat
d) The American girl saw the crouched cat
e) The Americans arrived at the hotel.
f) The owner sent a cat to the American girl through the maid.
( e ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
______
Activity 2: Making inferences (Objective: to promote deeper understanding of the story)
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: worksheet
Procedures: Have Ss identify the line or lines in the text that surmise the following:
- George rarely helps or pays attention to his wife. line(s) __
- George´s wife feels restrained and seems to connect with the cat. line(s) __
- George´s feels less restrained after having met the owner. line (s) __
III. Post-reading:
Activity 1: Character description (Objective: to promote understanding of some special element of a short story; plot, character, theme, point of view, setting).
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: notebook, pen
Procedures: in pairs, ask Ss to describe George and his wife. One will talk about George and the other about his wife. Monitor the Ss and provide help if necessary.
Activity 2: (Objective: to personalize the story for the students)
Time: 10 minutes
Materials: notebook, pen
Procedures: Ask Ss to work in pairs and give continuity to the story, but now, being George the main character.
IV. Follow-up: HOMEWORK
Activity (Objective: to allow students the opportunity to be creative. This can be in class, outside of class, or as a homework assignment.)
Time: turn in the next day.
Materials: notebook, pencil
Procedures:Ask Ss to write about a situation in their lives where they somehow felt restrained or limited to do something and how they managed to overcome it.
The short story can be found here: http://www.csua.berkeley.edu/~dxu/poetry/cat.html