English Literature:
An Overview

Download a .pdf file of this lesson plan | Download the Plan’s Powerpoint Presentations
Back to Lesson Plans

Author: Charles Clouse

School: Dos Pueblos High School

(3.7b) Relate literary works and authors to the major themes and issues of their eras.

(3.7c) Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social influences of the historical period that shaped the characters, plots, and settings.

1. Students will be able to identify and use the commonly applied term(s) of reference for the nine literary periods in English literary history.
2. Students will be able to explain why these terms are used by scholars.
3. Students will be able to identify the most significant writers of the era they have studied.
4. Students will be able to name the most important works of poetry, drama, long fiction, and non-fiction of the era they have studied.
5. Students will be able to identify and explain the historical, social, and/or scientific events of the era they have studied.
6. Students will be able to read aloud with expression and understanding an important sample of a short literary piece from the era they studied.
7. Students will be able to recall examples of authors, works, and events from eras other than what they researched themselves.

Technology Objectives:

1. Students will be able to carry out Internet searches and access electronic resources such as Encarta to gather pertinent information to their assigned literary period.
2. Students will be able to give a PowerPoint presentation that encapsulates and effectively summarizes information about their assigned literary period for the class.

1. Students' initial research is pooled with that of others in their group, so that extent and accuracy of research can be compared and critiqued, both by teacher and fellow students.

   • Students must answer questions about authors and works before making slides.

   • Students must answer questions about historical events or trends before making slides.

2. Power Point presentations are evaluated by teacher numerically (25 pts. for information and content; 25 pts. for quality of presentation--both oral and visual components.)
3. One component of "quality of presentation" is oral skills when reading sample of period's writing.
4. After presentations, students are quizzed orally as to how much they remember of other groups' presentations. Students earn release from those being questioned by providing a correct answer.

1. Since prior reading, discussion, and writing in the course have been thematically selected across any and all literary periods, let students know that from now on literature selections will follow chronological periods and require basic knowledge of eras, authors, and historical contexts.
2. Pass out main assignment sheet. The first step is to assign each student to a group of either 3 or 4 persons. This can be done either randomly, by teacher selection, or by student choice.
3. Once students have been divided into groups, they must be randomly assigned to a specific literary era (as listed on assignment sheet). It is important to do this by luck of the draw, not by student choice.
4. Show the "Sample Student Presentation" as an example of what a Powerpoint presentation might look like.
5. Have each group create a sign on folded card stock to serve as quick identification of what era that group is working on. This makes it quicker and faster for teacher to help.

(Days 2—5)

1. Give students about 3 school days and, if possible, a weekend to do individual research on the Internet and through other electronic resources in search of information asked for on the assignment sheet. (* A list of launching point Web site URLs appears below at end of Instructional Procedures) Students should pare down findings as much as possible, looking for basic, introductory material. Each student picks one possible work for their group's main sample to be recited aloud.
2. Results should be printed out and main points highlighted so as to facilitate comparison and sharing with other members on the day research is due.

(Day 5—10)

1. With identification signs showing on desks or at mini-lab computer, groups meet in class and pool information, looking for common discoveries, names, ideas, and events. Equally important are contradictions, divergences, and unique discoveries.
2. Teacher gets around and guide students toward most important names and concepts, and let them know when they are pursuing or including writers and events that are minor or obscure.
3. As groups sort out information and verify accuracy, they are likely to find the need for further research. Teacher is bound to point out gaps, raise questions, mention writers that a group does not have sufficient information on. Students use classroom computers or computer lab (I used both to spread students out as much as possible) to finish research.
4. Even as some members of a group pursue further research questions and hunt for graphics, others can begin making slides.
5. Students should save their Power Point files to one member's electronic folder, but when finished all students in the group should make a copy for their own electronic portfolios.
6. Some students will already have knowledge of the Power Point application, but it will require a basic introductory lesson in how to create Power Point slides. This is best handled first by showing a demonstration of a Power Point show that covers material comparable to this project. (I made a mock show using a mock era, mock writers, etc. for this purpose, but now I have authentic student projects as models. Showing a real finished show, however, may give too much away to one group, so I am likely to continue using my mock show, which also has some humor and satire built in!)
7. Once students come together with individual research to refine the content of presentation and to create it on the computer, they will need 5—6 days of period-length classwork to finish shows. Be prepared for this to stretch or lag. Teacher must continually make rounds and prompt students on content and self-editing. Some make too few slides, some try to cram too much on a slide, and others get into too much detail for an introductory job.
8. Teacher must remind groups to practice reciting the sample of writing to be presented. (Most common flaw was unrehearsed reading.)

(Days 11—13 or until finished)

1. Schedule use of a LCD projector for your classroom or schedule use of the computer lab for finished presentations. Schedule three presentations per day.
2. Remind students that they are doing more than just "running" their slide show. They are making a presentation that requires each member to speak along with the slides. Their oral presentation must be more than simply reading slides as they appear on the screen.
3. Teacher keeps notes while slide show is unfolding, and later turns notes into written critique and makes decision about point scores on the official score sheet.

 

Web sites to initiate research:

My own "Clouse Classroom Home Page" http://www.dphs.org/~cclouse/index.html has 7 major search engines and directories already pre-linked. It also features a Useful Links page with several personally selected sites arranged by works and authors.

"Britancia.com" http://search.britannica.com/search?miid=1148709&query=English+literature

"About Network" http://englishlit.About.com/arts/englishlit/cs/periodsoflit/index.htm

"English Literature on the Web" http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/EngLit.html

Materials and Equipment:

Management and Safety Issues

Samples of Student Work: