“The Namesake”
Unit Plan
Karen H. Saravia-Orellana
Prof. LoMonico
CEE 593
Performance and Technology
in Teaching Literature and Composition
April 26, 2005
COVER PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
UNIT EVALUATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
UNIT CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
DAILY LESSONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-53
This unit plan
will teach 12th -grade English & Language Arts AP students
various aspects of The Namesake. This
novel, published in 2003, tells the story of Gogol, a second-generation
immigrant who does not know where he belongs.
The main reason for Gogol’s suffering and feeling of not belonging is
the fact that his first name is neither American nor Indian; it’s not even a
first name. This novel was written by
the Jhumpa Lahiri, who received a Pulitzer Prize for
her debut Interpreter
of Maladies.
This unit uses scaffolding
in order to increase the students’ knowledge, understanding and use of printed,
visual and audio texts. There is also a great deal of performance involved,
which is directed in helping the students reach a better understanding of the
characters and help them fulfill ALL 4 New York State standards and a number of
the NCTE standards.
This unit assumes that I will have 24 students in a class and in our third school year month. By this time I have had time to read my students’ abilities and adjusted their tasks accordingly. It also assumes that the students can handle a lot of reading, have at-home Internet access and are familiar with e-mail. This unit is scheduled to last four weeks. I have scheduled 20, 40-minute class periods. If the unit is too bulky and the workload is too much, some lessons can be removed or compacted.
For this unit the students will need to have regular access to the Internet.
The students will make 10 entries in Blogs. These will be letters written by characters in the story, therefore allowing students to keep their identity unknown, except from me. If particular students cannot access computers daily, they can keep their Blog offline, and type their responses online in less regular intervals. All students must be able to complete a Web Quest task by its due date. If students do not have home Internet access, I can contact the school staff in charge of computers, as well as staff members at the local and public libraries. This class will also use a DVD player or VHS. We will also place pictures of our in class performances in our class website.
In the long run, students will be able to see the world through eyes that are not their own. They will be able to have a better understanding of the difficulties that come from being not only an immigrant, but also the child of an immigrant. They will learn how to envision characters in their heads and see all texts as an opportunity for performance.
1. Blogs
(10%):
The students will complete 10 Blog entries, each entry is worth 1.25 point, so
students will be able to miss 2 and still receive full credit. Those who do more then the 8 required will
receive extra credit.
2. Class
Participation (15%): Students will participate in class activities every day. Students who
have too many absences or are not completing the reading assignments will have
difficulty completing this part of the requirement.
3. WebQuest
(15%):
The students will complete a WebQuest with a total of 5 tasks, each worth
3%.
4. Formal
Writing (25%): The students will complete four one page journals each worth
2.5%. They will also complete a final
exam, which will be in the form of an essay, it will be worth 15%.
5. Performance
(35%):
The students’ performance through out the unit will be worth 5%. The monologue they will perform for lesson 11
will be worth 10%. The final performance will count for 20%
The Namesake
|
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Day 1 LESSON 1
“Fathers and Sons” Introduction |
Day 2 LESSON 2
“Brave New World” Tableaux Vivants |
Day 3 LESSON 3
“Brave New World” Tableaux Vivants (cont.) & “What’s Next?” |
Day 4 LESSON 4
“Pet Names” Found Poetry |
Day 5 LESSON 5
“What’s in a Name?” Acting Companies |
|
Day 6 LESSON 6
“The Indian American Experience” Character Comparison |
Day 7 LESSON 7 “My Name” Acting Directors |
Day 8 LESSON 8 “Meet the Parents” Cutting scripts & Blocking |
Day 9 LESSON 9 “Boy Meets Girl” Promptbooks |
Day 10 LESSON 10 “Cinematic Encounter” Film Study |
|
Day 11 LESSON 11 “My name is” Monologues |
Day 12 LESSON 11 “My name is” Monologues |
Day 13 LESSON 12 “Who is This?” Character Committees |
Day 14 LESSON 13 “Why Should I?” Final Exam |
Day 15 LESSON 14 “15 Minutes of Fame” Introduction to Final Performance |
|
LESSON 14 Preparation time for
Presentations |
LESSON 14
Presentations |
LESSON 14 Presentations |
What’s on for Today and Why:
Students will read and perform a scene from The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri to gain access to the central character and the father-son relationship; they will also work on their close reading skills, which is very important for writing Regents essays. By having the students act out this scene it will allow them to see Gogol as a real person, as someone they can relate to. The students will also read a poem made out of The Namesake both of these will be done without letting the students know what text it comes from. This first lesson is designed to get students interested in the text through performance, discussion and poetry reading. The students will also receive a handout that will give them the Reading and WebQuest Assignment due dates for this unit. This will allow us to move forward without any confusion and absent students can stay up to speed in the reading assignments. The homework assignments BLOGs will help the students become more acquainted with the characters of Ashima and Ashoke by making them take on these characters as themselves.
What to do:
1) Read Around: The students will arrange their desks in a circle as the teacher distributes a sheet with the dialogue (Handout #1) of the interaction between Gogol and his father after Gogol’s 14th birthday party. DO NOT tell the students the source of the dialogue. Each student and teacher will read a line until they finish the scene. Then the teacher will ask pointed questions about the interaction, such as who are the two characters? Where are they? What are they discussing? How long have they known each other? What do they look like? How old are they? What is important about their interaction? Which character is more important to the story? Students will support their answers with specific textual references (10 minutes).
2) Actor’s Circle: After they answer those questions, two volunteers will act out the scene. Students will move the chairs to half a circle so the scene can be viewed better. Each student offers a direction to the actors and must support that instruction with specific textual references. The actors will be encouraged to question the decisions of the directors so the class can arrive at an agreement of what the scene is trying to portray (10 minutes).
3) Reader Response: Students will think about the scene they just read, performed or directed. They will then write a scene (Journal #1) from their own personal experience with a parent, guardian or older family member in which this kind of dynamic took place (10 minutes). If they run out time it must be finished for homework and handed in the next day.
4) Prose into Poetry: Have the students stay in a circle as they spirit read the poem “The End” (handout #2). DO NOT tell the students the poem was taken out of The Namesake. (5 minutes).
5) Books in their Hands: Distribute The Namesake. Have students turn to page 74-78 and discover what they just acted out is actually part of a novel. They will also turn to p.286 & 287 and discover that those two pages have the poem they read, in prose (5 minutes). Handout # 3 will also be handed out which contains all of their reading assignments and WebQuest due dates for this unit.
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.1-21.
b) Complete Journal #1.
c) Create a web log account at www.blogger.com in the character of Ashima Ganguli or Ashoke Ganguli. For this reading assignment you must write as a letter to India as if you were that character. As you do this think about the character: is s/he very open or private? Would s/he share his problems and concerns with his/her family back home? or would they only share good news? (Blog#1)
d) Give: URL for the WebQuest (http://geocities.com/ksowebquest3), which they will begin today and finish on the 15th day of the unit.
How Did It Go?
For the read around, did the students answer questions by quoting direct lines of the dialogue? In the actor’s circle, were the students able explain why they made specific directorial or acting choices? For the reader response, were the students eager to share their own personal experiences on paper? For the poem, were the students able to see that text is flexible, and that prose can be converted into poetry? If the answers to all these questions are yes, then this lesson was successful in getting the students interested in the text.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #1
1: Come in!
2: (Long pause) I ordered it from the bookstore, just for you. (Voice raised) It’s difficult to find in hardcover these days. It’s a British publication, a very small press. It took four months to arrive. I hope you like it.
1: Thanks, Baba. (Flips through the book) Thanks again. (Puts book down)
2: I took the liberty of reading it first. It has been many years since I have read these stories. I hope you don’t mind.
1: No problem.
2: I feel a special kinship with Gogol, more than with any other writer. Do you know why?
1: You like his stories.
2: Apart from that. He spent most of his adult life outside his homeland. Like me.
1: Right.
2: And there is another reason. (Silence)
1: What’s that? (Impatiently)
2: No other reason. Good night. (Pause) So you what Dostoyevsky once said?
1: (Shakes head no)
2: “We all came out of Gogol’s overcoat.”
1: What’s that supposed to mean?
2: It will make sense to you one day. May happy returns of the day.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #2
In
so many ways,
His
family’s life feels like a string of accidents,
Unforeseen,
unintended,
One
incident begetting another.
It
had started with his father’s train wreck,
Paralyzing
him at first,
Later
inspiring him
to
move as far a possible,
To
make a new life
on the
other side of the world.
And
yet these events have formed Him,
Shaped
him,
Determined
who he is.
They
were things
Impossible
to prepare
But
which one spent a lifetime
looking
back at,
trying
to accept, interpret,
comprehend. Things
that
should never have happened,
that
seems out of place
and
wrong,
these
were what prevailed,
what
endured,
in
the end.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #3
These are the reading assignments that will be completed for this unit. Please note that it is important to complete assignments by the due date. On some occasions we may not cover the assigned reading from the night before on that specific class date, however we will get to it later on and we will cover all the reading assignment by the end of the unit.
|
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
Day 1 |
Day 2 Due: Read pp. 1-21 Journal #1 Blog #1 |
Day 3 Due: Read The Over coat. TASK 1 |
Day 4 Due: Read pp.22-47 TASK 2 Blog #2 |
Day 5 Due: Read pp.48-71 Blog #3 |
|
Day 6 Due: Read pp.72-124 Blog #4 Journal #2 TASK 3 |
Day 7 Due: Read pp. 125-158 Journal #3 Blog #5 |
Day 8 Due: Read pp. 159-187 Blog #6 |
Day 9 Due: Read pp.188-218 Blog #7 |
Day 10 Due: Read pp.219-245 Blog #8 |
|
Day 11 Due: TASK 4 |
Day 12 Due: Blog #9 |
Day 13 Due: Read pp.246-291 Blog #10 |
Day 14 Due: TASK 5 Journal #4 |
Day 15 Preparation time for Presentations |
|
Day 16
Preparation time for Presentations |
Day 17
Preparation time for
Presentations |
Day 18
Performance |
Day 20 Performance |
Blogs: For the blog assignments you will open a web log account at www.blogger.com in the character of Ashima Ganguli or Ashoke Ganguli. For each reading assignment you must write a letter to India as if you were that character. As you do this think about the character: is s/he very open or private? Would s/he share his problems and concerns with his/her family back home? or would they only share good news? Blog #9 will be a different blog, because you will go out of character in order to write about the performances done for task 4.
Journals: All journal assignments must be handed in a paper copy on the due date or they can be e-mailed to me the night before. (Each journal should be at least one page).
WebQuest: Each of the 5 tasks is due on a specific date; no late work will be accepted. If you need to get a pass to the computer room or library to go during study hall or before or after school let me know. Here is the list of the task that will appear on the WebQuest in printed format. Don’t leave the work until the day before its due because some of these require a couple of days of work.
Task
One: 1. Read http://www.bibliomania.com/0/5/140/355/18278/1/frameset.html (all 16 pages), 2. Write a one-page response
on the reading. Make sure to answer the following questions: Do you think
this story is important for the novel? Is it relevant to The
Namesake? How? Could the author have used any other author to name
Gogol after? 3. E-mail me your response by day 3 of
the unit.
Task
Two: 1. Go to http://www.fidius.org/quiz/pirate/
2.
Go to http://www.chuggnutt.com/matrix_name.php
3. Go
to http://www.thequarter.org/Media/VikingName.php
4.
Go to http://www.behindthename.com/
to find out where your name come from.
Task
Three:1. Watch
the movie trailer http://www.americanchai.com/trailer/american_chai.mov and listen carefully for the cultural ideals
that are held by Sureel's parents. 2. Read the blog http://www.blogthings.com/Indian.html
3. You will now
write one for yourself, don't do one for another nationality or culture, only
write your own. Here's an example from mine: You Know You are Latina when
you have 8 people in a 5 person car and you tell your 4 friends,
"come in, there's still plenty of room." 4. E-mail me you list.
Task
Four: This part
of the task completes your 3% requirement for this task. 1. What do you think
of the article http://uscis.gov/graphics/aboutus/history/articles/NameEssay.html.
Think about your reading and e-mail a one paragraph response or
reaction. 2.Write a list of interview Questions that you would ask a first
generation immigrant. Look at this site http://www.campsilos.org/excursions/grout/one/act10.htm
if you need help to generate some ideas. 3. Find a relative, family
friend or acquaintance that is a first generation immigrant Interview them.
Here is a sample summary of an interview http://www.campsilos.org/excursions/grout/one/act5a.htm
DO NOT change your interview in to a summary keep it in a question answer
format, please. Then E-mail me the questions and answers.
This part of the task is 10% of your unit grade, so do your best. 4. Now you
job is to take the answers you received in your interview and create a monologue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monologue
E-mail me the monologue the night before or
give me a paper copy on presentation day. 5. Monologue presentation: On
day 11 of this unit you will do a presentation your monologue. Here is a sample monologue you can listen to http://dickinsg.intrasun.tcnj.edu/sankofa/end.htm for ideas on voice, tone and emotion.
Keep in mind the emotions of the person you interviewed when you are making
your performance decisions. Try to learn the monologue as much as possible, you
can use index cards as long as you keep a considerable amount of eye contact
with your audience.
Task
Five: Reading
versus Watching: 1. Read interview of Jhumpa Lahiri http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/extra/bl-jhumpainterview.htm
and
watch an interview http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/readers_guides/lahiri_namesake.shtml
(parts
2, 4, 5, 7, and 8) of Jhumpa Lahiri. 2. Compare both experiences and write a
one-page response about reading vs. listening (watching) to an interview and e-mail it to me. What's your
opinion? 3. Read a review of The Namesake. http://www.wnbc.com/bookreview/2514812/detail.html
4. Then write a review of your own, don't be afraid share your thoughts and
opinion whether good of bad. You will be showing your knowledge of the
book in this review, as well as, your ability to try a new writing genre. E-mail me your review.
What’s on for Today and Why:
The students will cooperatively create living pictures to depict the two main scenes that take place in chapter 1. By becoming live models of what these 2 characters are feeling they will be able to better understand the actions and relationships between characters. The homework assignment will require the student to look at a short story that plays such an important part of the story and create their own hypothesis of why. Post students’ anonymous blog addresses in the class website, so the students can view each other’s letters.
What to do:
Group Performance: The students will be divided into 12 groups of 2 and tell the student which of the 2 scenes they will be performing. Give the students 15 minutes to prepare. Then I will choose six groups to demonstrate their tableaux vivants to the class. Each group will be given 3 minutes to arrange themselves in front of the class and 1 minute to answer questions from the class about their living pictures and why they chose to portray their scene in that manner. Take pictures of the living pictures and post them on the class website. Even though all the groups should be prepared to present today, only 6 will go and the other six will present tomorrow (40 minutes).
Homework:
a. Make sure to complete TASK 1 due tomorrow. Be prepared to share you ideas tomorrow in class. Read The Overcoat (all 16 pages) located in: http://www.bibliomania.com/0/5/140/355/18278/1/frameset.html
How Did It Go?
Did the students create vivid scenes for their classmates that promoted discussion on facial expression, hand gestures, posture, etc? If the answer is positive then it was a good class. Were students able to understand Ashima and Ashoke’s feelings about these two big events of their lives? If yes, then the students are getting to really understand these characters.
What’s on for Today and Why:
The remaining groups will perform their living pictures. The class will assess differences between how reading, writing and performance helped them make meaning about the characters. Students will discuss how acting these scenes helped make meaning of the characters. Students will then share their writings for task 1. The sharing of task 1 with the rest of the class will help students think more critically of the story. Gogol’s “The Overcoat” plays an important role in the novel, which makes it necessary for the students to read it and figure out its connection to The Namesake.
What to do:
1) Tableaux Vivants: The remaining six groups will now demonstrate their tableaux vivants to the class answer questions from the class about their performance. The rest of the class will inquire about choices the group made in its portrayal. Take digital pictures of the Tableaux Vivants and post them to the class Web site (25 minutes).
2) What’s Next?: Students will share their thoughts on Gogol’s “The Overcoat,” its relevance to The Namesake, as well as their hypothesis on what will happen next in the novel. (15 minutes).
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.22-47.
b) Complete TASK 2.
c) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog#2)
How Did It Go?
If the students were better able to explain these two characters and were eager to learn what is coming next in the story, then it was a job well done.
What’s on for Today and Why:
Have students learn their classmate’s new pet names. This activity will help the students better understand the idea of pet names and real names. The students will also create found poetry from the paragraphs of the novel that tells about pet names and real names. The students will use found poetry to gain ownership of the text, something that will be essential for their final performances.
What to do:
1) Learning Pet Names: Hand out a sheet with all the students Pet names in the class and emphasize the importance of learning their classmates’ pet names, because that is what they will be calling them for this unit (Task2) and play a memory game to help them learn all the names (10 minutes).
2) Found poetry: The teacher will read a found poem (Handout 4) generated from p. 22. Students will then pick a paragraph from p.25 and 26 and write their own 12-line poems (10 minutes).
3) Shared Poetry: Volunteers will share their poems with the class. After each volunteer reads, the teacher will ask the class to guess what the reader tried to do with the language, meaning, tone, etc (15 minutes).
4) I learn: Go around the room asking students what they learned from this activity. (5 minutes).
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.48-71.
b) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog#3)
How Did It Go?
If the students seemed to enjoy cutting up the language and re-writing it, sharing their poems with each other, able to see the language an words as an important part of the text, disagreed with each other as to what makes an important sentence and were able to fully understand how important having a pet name and a real name is to the characters, then it was a very good day.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #4
Her
throat is parched,
Her
blood-soaked gown,
She
trembles, unable to speak.
A
boy,
A
creature coated with a thick white paste,
They
carry him away,
Streaks
of blood, her blood.
Her
insides empty,
Removed
all sensation,
A
blistering headache,
With
an acute fever.
The
child wrapped,
Shoulders,
feet and head.
What’s on for Today and Why:
The Namesake is based on the story of an Indian American male named Gogol. By having the students act out the scene where Gogol decides to keep his name, they will have the ability to better understand the consequences it had on Gogol and who he becomes.
What to do:
1) Planning a Performance: Students will be divided into 6 groups of 3. They will use look at handout #5 to look at the scene in which Gogol goes to school for the first time (p.57-59). They will use the classroom furniture for a set; plan how they are going to move and their motivation, voice inflection and mood for their acting. (20 minutes)
2) Performance: Each group will perform the scene, incorporating text and blocking. (15 minutes).
3) Reaction to the performance: students will write a journal entry on their reaction about this scene and it’s significance to the story. (5 minutes).
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.72-124.
b) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog#4)
c) Bring Journal #2 completed if you did not finish it in class.
d) TASK 3 is due TOMORROW. E-mail it to me.
How Did It Go?
If the students actively participated in the scene, acquired, interpreted and communicated the language, then everyone gets an A.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #5
This handout of pages 57-59 in which young Gogol decides to keep his name the first day of kindergarten is included in the print version of this unit plan.
What’s on for Today and Why:
Students will watch specific scenes of the movie American Chai. By viewing the film students will have a better understanding of the frustration that Gogol feels because he is the son of Indian immigrants.
What to do:
Character Comparison: Students will receive Handout #5, which will be their guide on points to think about while viewing the movie. Students will watch the movie American Chai – scenes 1,2,3,7,13,14,16,20 and 21. They will take notes of specific scenes that related to Gogol and what it means to be an American born and raised of Indian ancestors.
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.125-158.
b) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog #5)
c) Journal #3: How are Gogol and Sureel experiences the same? How are they different? Use examples from the movie and text to justify your answers. E-mail me and bring a paper copy of Journal #3 tomorrow.
How Did It Go?
If students’ views the movie with interest and took notes, then it was a job well done.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #6
Who is the main character?
When and where does he live?
What kind of things does he experience?
How is his relationship with his family?
Does it change? How?
What do ethnic and national identity mean to him?
What is the conflict in his life?
How does he resolve it? Or is there no solution?
HOMEWORK:
Journal #3: How are Gogol and Sureel experiences the same? How are they different? Use examples from the movie and text to justify your answers. E-mail me and bring a paper copy of Journal #3 tomorrow.
What’s on for Today and Why:
In this lesson, students will become actors and directors while reading, discussing and dramatizing p.122, when Ashoke tells Gogol why he was given that name. This activity will help them gain dramatic approaches such as voice, tone, etc. Performing this scene will also help them gain a better understanding of Gogol’s character and how this news affects his future.
What to do:
1) Acting: Two students will be assigned the part of Gogol and Ashoke. The rest of the class will direct the characters through the scene. Start asking questions like: where exactly does this scene take place? Where and how would Gogol and Ashoke make their entrance? Who’s the most important person in the scene? What is Gogol feeling or thinking? What is Ashoke feeling or thinking? Do they express it? If yes, how? Etc.
Then let them continue. (30 minutes).
2) I learned/ I wish/: Go around the room asking students what they learned, wished from this activity. (5 minutes).
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.159-187.
b) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog #6)
c) You should be working on Task 4, don’t leave it for the last minute.
How Did It Go?
Did the students actively participate in reading, envisioning and making directing choices of the scene? If they did, then it was not a bad day.
What’s on for Today and Why:
Students will learn first hand that many times directors need to cut the script for a number of different reasons. However, cutting must be done very careful in order to preserve the purity and meaning of the work. They will look closely at the scene where Maxine meets Gogol’s parents and only keep what they consider to be essential to this scene. This activity will help the students do a closer reading of the text and the language. Then with their new and revised script they will prepare stage directions by thinking and writing about the actors movements in the stage will help the students to envision how the lines will be presented in front of an audience.
What to do:
1) Script Cutting: Have the students divide into their acting companies. Explain to them about script cutting, why it is done and instruct them to cut the lines from Handout #7, while maintaining the meaning of the work.
2) Stage Directions: Distribute handout # 8 containing an empty stage with the basic stage directions. Students will write stage directions on the margins of their scripts, where each character will move
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.188-218.
d) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog #7)
e) You should be working on Task 4, don’t leave it for the last minute.
How Did It Go?
For script cutting: Were the students actively engaged in the group work? Did the students cut their scenes in affective and appropriate ways? Did they eagerly discuss the scene cuts? For the stage directions: while creating their promptbooks, did the students see the characters moving in their heads? Did they use specific lines to make decisions on the movements? If all answers are yes, the lesson was a success.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #7
Gogol: Hi Ma, this is Maxine. Max, this is my mother.
Ashima.
Maxine: It’s so nice to finally meet you, Ashima, these are
for you.
Mother: Nikhil’s father is upstairs, with the man from the
alarm company. Sorry, lunch will be ready in a minute. I
was not expecting you to arrive for another half an hour.
Gogol: Why on earth are you getting a security system?
Mother: It was your father’s idea, now that I will be on my own.
Even in good areas like this, these days there are crimes.
Mother: The Met?
Maxine: the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gogol: You’ve been there, Ma. It’s the big museum on
Fifth Avenue. With all the steps. I took you there to see the
Egyptian temple, remember?
Mother: Yes, I remember. My father was an artist.
Man: Have a nice day.
Gogol: Hi, Baba, I’d like you to meet Maxine.
Father: Hello, that is your car outside?
Maxine: It’s a rental.
Father: Better to put it in the driveway.
Gogol: It doesn’t matter, it’s fine where it is.
Father: But better be careful, the neighborhood children, t
hey are not very careful. One time my car was on the road
and a baseball went through the window. I can park it for y
ou if you like.
Gogol: I’ll do it.
Mother: Go ahead and start.
Mother: Really? I thought no one did that in America.
Father: New York is too much, too many cars, too many
tall buildings.
Mother: It’s a pity you can’t stay for dinner.
Father: Better not drive in the dark.
Maxine: He’ll need that where we’re going, the temperature
can really drop at night.
Gogol: Have a good trip to Cleveland, good luck on the
project.
Father: Okay, remember to check in on your mother now
and again.
Gogol: Don’t worry Baba. I’ll see you at Thanksgiving.
Father: Yes, see you. Drive safely, Gogol.
Maxine: What did your dad just call you?
Gogol: It’s nothing. I’ll explain it later.
Mother: Call to let us know you’ve arrived there safely.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #8
This handout of basic stage directions is included in the print version of this unit plan.
What’s on for Today and Why:
In this lesson students will arrange the entrances, exits, and positioning of characters for the scene of Gogol and Moushumi’s first date. The students again will become directors, but now they have to consider all the aspects of performance: setting, props, movements and vocal interpretation. They will record all their decisions in the Promptbook Questions (handout #8) and share some of their ideas with the rest of the class. This lesson will help them make these decisions as an acting company and prepare them for the final performance.
What to do:
2) Promptbooks: Have students divide into their acting companies. They will open their book to page 193-198 where Gogol and Moushumi’s go on their first date. Distribute Handout # 8, which contains the promptbook questions. Explain that as a director prepares a script for a stage, he or she constructs a promptbook, making notes about the choices for the set, props, movement, the tone or volume or pace or even which lines will be delivered. Tell them to discuss and fill out hand out #8 and hand it in at the end of the class. (30 minutes).
3) Share ideas: each group will get 1 to 2 minutes to share some of their ideas with the rest of the class (10 minutes).
Homework:
a) Read The Namesake p.219-245.
b) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog #8)
c) You should be working on Task 4, don’t leave it for the last minute.
How Did It Go?
If in the promptbooks students show that they can: visualize the set, characters and movement, then it was a great lesson.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #9
As you review p.193-198 answer the following questions:
1. Where does the action take place?
2. Who are the characters speaking?
3. What happens in this scene?
4. Where should the characters be positioned on the stage?
5. Where are the entrances and exits? Why?
6. What props are needed for this scene?
7. What motivates these characters to say what they say?
8. Do the characters objectives change in this scene? If so, when and why?
9. Where do you place vocal pauses?
10. In what tone of voice are the lines spoken? Why?
11. How would the characters move here? What facial expressions might accompany the delivery of the line?
What’s on for Today and Why:
The students will actively watch the movie “Bend it Like Beckham” and study how much goes into making a film. The scenes the students will be watching are scenes 3,5,6,8,13,14,20, and 25-28.
This lesson not only completes a NYS standard, but it will also help them make decision for their final performance.
What to do:
Watch and Learn: Students will divide into their acting companies for the viewing of this film. Each person will receive a viewing Guide (handout #11) as well as a list of film terminology (Handout #12). Each person in the group will be assigned one of the four tasks, every 10 minutes, I will pause the film and make them switch tasks. By the end of the class, everyone in the group will have had a turn to do each task.
Homework:
d) Read The Namesake p.219-245.
e) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog #8)
f) Task 4 due Monday. If you cannot e-mail it to me on Sunday, bring in a paper copy to hand in at the beginning of class.
How Did It Go?
If the students stayed on task, followed the viewing guide and took notes, it was a job well done.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #10
Viewing Guide
Cinematography - responsible for observing camera angles,
camera movement, shot selection, shot composition, editing, etc.
Sound - responsible for listening to the music, f/x,
background sounds, etc.
Set and Costume Design – studies all the details of the settings, props, make up, lighting and costumes.
Acting – notes movement, vocal dynamics, stress, facial expressions, accents, subtext, etc.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #11
Film Terminology
Extreme Close-up: (ECU) A shot in which the subject is much larger than the frame. Provides more detail then the close up.
Long
Shot: (LS)
Extreme
Long Shot:
(ELS or Established Shot)
What’s on for Today and Why:
In this lessons the students will perform a monologue that they created based on an immigrant person, whom they interviewed. This task will help them practice being in front of an audience for their final presentation. It will also allow them to learn about the experience immigrants go through when they come to this country. This knowledge will allow them to have a better understanding of the text and of society.
What to do: (DAY 1 and DAY 2)
Monologues: the students will hand in a copy of their interview as well as their monologue, if they did not e-mail it last night. One half of the class will perform their monologue the first day and the second half will go the second day. (40 minutes, each day)
Homework:
a) Write a blog (#9) sharing how this task had an affect on you. What were you thoughts and reactions to some of the other monologues? How did learning about immigrants help you understand The Namesake better? Did you find any relation or share experience between the characters in the novel and the people who were presented in the monologues?
b) Read The Namesake p.246-291.
c) Write a letter to India in your Blog. (Blog #10)
How Did It Go?
The class was a success if the students sat quietly and attentively as their classmates performed their monologues and connected the experiences of these life stories to the text.
What’s on for Today and Why:
Students will be able to create an accurate character analysis of one of the main characters in the novel, using specific quotes and images from the novel. They will use their understanding of this character to create a formal character report. There are many complex and interesting characters in the novel that each group will only focus on one. Students will be given a simple framework to use when they start. This framework will guide them in looking for 3 to 5 different character traits (they can be physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and philosophical) and objectives. Students will use quotes from the text to support each of their findings. This requires a close reading of the novel. Ultimately, students will ponder, “What can we learn from this character about how to live in the world?” This lesson will give students the opportunity to reflect on the characters they met in this book and how their lives intertwined. Photocopies of the reports will be made and handed out to every student in the next class.
What to do:
1) Character Committees: Students will be divided into 8groups of 3, each group will be assigned to study a particular character: Gogol, Ashima, Ashoke, Maxine, Moushumi and Sonia. Two groups will do Gogol and two will do Ashoke. Handout #12 will be distributed o each group and students will begin a very close reading in order to see if they were able to truly understand the characters (30 minutes).
2) Character Discussion: Each group will share their report with the class (10 minutes).
Homework:
a) Write Journal #4
In the last few pages of The Namesake, Gogol begins to read "The Overcoat" for the first time. What do you think will happen to Gogol after this?
b) TASK 5 is due tomorrow.
For 3% Extra Credit: Students may complete ONE of the following options:
1) Design an alternate cover and back cover to market the book specifically for students your age. Include both visual and textual elements. Include a blurb for the book as well as your own one line review, like Time, People and USA Today.
2) Write a proposal to a Broadway playing production company. Tell them you want to write a script for The Namesake, list what scene you will include and why they are so important to the story. In your proposal make suggestions for cast members, set, music and costumes.
How Did It Go?
To what extent did the students understanding of the characters increase? How successful were the students in finding texts to support their ideas? If the answer to both is abundant, then the purpose of this lesson was accomplished.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #12
Character Report
Page 1
Character Traits:
1.___________________
Quote:
2.___________________
Quote:
3.___________________
Quote:
4.___________________
Quote:
5.___________________
Quote:
Character Report
Page 2
Character Objectives:
1.___________________
Quote:
2.___________________
Quote:
Describe how the Character talks:
Verse pattern, style, give sample sentence.
What’s on for Today and Why:
Even though these students are in 12th grade and have already taken the regents, they still have many essay writing exams ahead of them (AP exam, college entrance exam, etc.). In this lesson students will take a written essay exam. The test is designed in the format of most academic exams. The students will not be asked insignificant questions about the text instead they will use this essay to show the knowledge they acquired from it.
What to do:
Taking a Test: students will remove everything from their desks except for pens or pencils. Distribute the test (handout #13). Remind students that there will be no talking during the test. If students finish the test early they may work silently on other activities.
Homework:
NONE
How Did It Go?
After looking over the exams I will be more knowledgeable on what the students learned from this unit. Find out if there were any weaknesses in the unit that need to be improved and enjoy having finished the book.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #13
Final Exam
Imagine you are Jhumpa Lahiri’s agent and The Namesake has not been published yet. It is your job to write a proposal to send out with the manuscript to all the publishing companies. You need to write a persuasive letter to the publishers on why they should take on The Namesake as their new project. You can not depend solely on the fact that she won a Pulitzer Prize for her previous work, so it is necessary for you to bring up the quality and uniqueness of language, voice, plot, characters, etc. that are found in the novel. Make sure to use the appropriate language to communicate with what may be your clients future publishing company.
What’s on for Today and Why:
Instead of having a BIG test or paper as a final grade the students will use performance in order to conclude this unit. Throughout this unit the students have taken an active part in learning the different areas of performance. For this final presentation the students will put together all they have learn about acting, directing and character development. The students will have time to make planning decisions like set, costumes and line delivery, as well as, rehearsal time. Three-class days will be dedicated for preparation and rehearsal and three for the performances.
What to do:
(Day 15 of the Unit)
1) Introduction to final performance: Students will be informed that each acting company must present a 7 to 10 minute scene. Handouts #14 & 15 containing the instructions and suggested scenes will be distributed. We will go over both handouts together and I will answer any questions they have about the project. As soon as all the students have received the assignment that can only come with acting, they will choose the scene they are going to do, run it by me and begin to plan.
(Days 16 and 17 of the Unit)
2) Planning and Rehearsing: Each group will have 2 days to make all the decisions needed to make a good performance and keeping in mind what they will be evaluated on. And most importantly practice, practice, practice!
(Days 18-20 of the Unit)
3) The Basket Roulette: Each group will be assigned a number and pieces of paper containing their numbers will be placed in a basket. The numbers will be pulled out of a basket and those three groups will be the first to perform on that day. The remaining groups will perform their scenes over the next two days. This way everyone is prepared to go on the first day and no one has the advantage of extra time.
4) 15 Minutes of Fame: The first three groups will perform their scenes. On Day 2, the next three groups will perform their scenes. On Day 3, the remaining groups will perform.
Homework:
None
How Did It Go?
Were the students involved in the character they portrayed? Were presentations creative? Did they display knowledge of the text? The audience may have laughed when it wasn’t supposed to, or some of the actors forgot their lines or stage directions. Having the students perform and become actively involved with the text will make this book as well as this activity unforgettable.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #14
For this entire unit you have learned how about acting, directing and character development. In this final performance you will have the opportunity to share with the class all you have learned. This is your time to shine and have your 15 minutes of fame.
Here is a list of the tasks that you will need to complete:
Numbers 1-6 should be completed today.
1. Form your own acting group made up of 2 to 4 people.
2. I must approve all acting groups.
3. Choose a scene you will perform (it must be 7 to 10 minutes in length)
4. No two acting groups will perform the same scene.
5. I must approve scenes and it will be done on a first-come, first-serve basis.
6. If your group wishes to pick a scene that is not on the suggested list, I must approve it. Scenes we have already performed (in any way) in class will not be approved unless the acting group can make a valid argument for why its interpretation will be unique enough to suspend this rule.
7. Acting groups may cut or add lines, cut minor characters or even give lines from one character to another, but YOU MUST GIVE A REASON FOR MAKING THOSE CHANGES. If you don’t have enough time repeating lines and adding dialogue is alright as long as it is in the CHARACTER’ S VOICE. Be consistent and be careful when adding dialogue, because it can completely change the scene.
8. All the actors must be on stage at least some of the time, and every actor must say at least one line. Doubling up (playing 2 roles) is fine.
9. Actors should memorize their lines but can use index cards once in a while.
10. All the acting groups should supply themselves with the basic props, but if you need some help acquiring certain props let me know at least 2 days in advance so I can contact someone in the drama department and make arrangements.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #15
Suggested Scenes
Ch 1. Ashima and Ashoke’s experience at the hospital when they were waiting for the baby to be born.
Ch. 1. Ashoke in the train going to his grandfather’s house.
Ch. 2 When Ashoke and Ashima had to choose the baby’s name.
Ch. 4 When Gogol learns from Mr. Lawson about Gogol, the writer.
Ch. 6. When Gogol meets Maxine’s parents
Ch. 8 the second half of Moushumi and Gogol’s first date.
Ch. 8 Moushumi and Gogol’s second date.
Ch. 9 When Moushumi and Gogol have dinner at Astrid and Donald’s place.
Ch. 10 Moushumi and Gogol, going out on their first anniversary.
Ms. Saravia-Orellana’s – 12th Grade Handout #16
Presentation
Evaluation Sheet
(From Shakespeare Set Free)
Scene performed: _________________
Character: Played by: Comments
1. ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
2. ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
3. ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
4. ____________________ ____________________ ____________________
Comments about the performance:
Possible Points
|
Points Earned
|
Category |
|
20 |
|
Demonstrated
preparation (Careful
reading and rehearsal) |
|
15 |
|
Understanding of characters |
|
15 |
|
Understanding of plot |
|
15 |
|
Ability to use language to portray Characters |
|
15 |
|
Well-considered movement of actors |
|
15 |
|
Well-considered props and costumes |
|
5 |
|
Music or Sound effects |
|
10 (BONUS) |
|
Creativity |
|
100 (+ BONUS) |
|
TOTAL |
|
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