Aviva Gafford
Title and Unit: “The Boys’ Ambition” from Life on the Mississippi and “The Notorious
Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Mark Twain
Grade Level: 11th
Subject Area: English and Language Arts
Materials Needed: Graphic Organizers, Intelliboard (Smart Board), Pens, Paper, Pencils
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Students will learn to establish voice through diction and tone.
Students will analyze stories thoroughly and learn about humorous writing.
Students will examine tall tales using hyperbole, understatement, and local color.
Students should be able to appreciate Twain’s gift for storytelling.
Students will also explore Mississippi River before the Civil War.
Students will write a tall tale using the criteria provided. (groups of 2 or 3 will be
assigned)
TEKS: 6,1B, 8, 2B, 1E, 14A, 17
Essential Vocabulary (“Mississippi”): Extended metaphor, humorous writing ,Voice, Diction,
Paraphrasing, Understatement, Overstatement, Tone, Dialogue, Dialect, Levee, Prudence,
Yawed, Monotonous, Prodigious, Exaggeration, Embellishment, Unpicturesque, imminent,
figurative language
Date: Monday, March 19, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: AMBITION is an earnest desire for some type of
achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its
attainment. Write five sentences on goals that you have in life. They may be long-term or shortterm goals.
Activities:
1. Define new vocabulary that is found in story.
2. Discuss Mark Twain’s background, voice, and style.
3. Discuss literary terms that students need to be aware of.
Assessment: Participation/vocabulary/graphic organizers
Assignment due: None
Date: Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: Paraphrase activity: A first-year university student, Marie,
doesn't know anyone at her university. Linda, her advisor suggested to her that she join the tennis
club to meet new people. Listen to Marie read from her diary and help her paraphrase what she
has to report to her advisor about her reason for not joining the tennis club.
Dear Diary,
After playing tennis, Bob and I went to a party. At first, everything was wonderful. I was
meeting new people. But everyone was drinking and drinking and drinking. And they kept giving
me drinks. They said I had to drink to have fun. They said that everyone in the tennis club has to
drink. That is the tradition of the tennis club. I don't like to drink. It makes me sick.
During the party, many people got very drunk. They were not fun to be with. I was the first
person to leave the party. Bob looked angry when I left.
I feel alone now. I really want to have friends. I know that I could have many friends with the
tennis club people if I liked to drink. And I like Bob. Maybe he could be my boyfriend! Should I
change? I don't want to be left out. Do I have to drink to have friends? I'm confused.
(Adapted from Impact TOPICS , by Richard R. Day & Junko Yamanaka, Longman, Hong Kong
, 2002, page 17.)
A paraphrase: Dear Linda,
I came to see you but you were not in. I would like to tell you that I tried to join the tennis club
but when …………………………………….
Activities:
1. Finish discussing literary terms.( If not completed)
2. Start reading “The Boys’ Ambition” from Life on the Mississippi
Assessment: Participation in Oral reading
Assignment due: None
Date: Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: D.O.L.
Activities:
1. Finish reading story
2. Start on graphic organizers
Assessment: Participation in graphic organizers
Assignment due: Graphic Organizers
Date: Thursday, March 22, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: Mark Twain uses dialect and humor in his writings. Write
three sentences using informal language such as slang terms, “country” terms, or “southern”
dialect to get your point across.
Activities:
1. Finish reading “Ambition”.
2. Finish graphic organizers.
Assessment: Participation/Graphic organizers
Assignment due: Due Friday: Research more information on Mark Twain for extra credit. Give
brief oral presentation in Twain attire reciting a few lines from his writings …..2 to 3 minute
presentation (Oral presentation and attire is extra credit) If you choose not to do oral
presentation, you must submit a written assignment one page in length.) Students may also talk
about riverboat days and steamboat culture. (They may choose from 4 topics and do a brief oral
presentation.)
Date: Friday, March 23, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: None
Activities:
1. Vocabulary test.
2. Mark Twain presentation
Assessment: Oral Presentation
Assignment due: Written/Oral Presentation DUE
Essential Vocabulary (“Frog”): Tall Tale, Hyperbole, Local color, Context clues, frame,
Garrulous, Conjectured, Infamous, Personage, Exasperating, Dilapidated, tranquil, cavorting,
indifferent, enterprising, coordinating conjunctions, skepticism
Date: Monday, March 26, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: Write a 2-3 sentences featuring outlandish events that are
interesting but “too good to be true”. (Think TALL TALE!)
Activities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Discuss a time where you told a friend a “tall tale”.
Discuss new literary terms found in story.
Discuss new vocabulary in “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”
Start reading “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”
Assessment: Participation
Assignment due: None
Date: Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: D.O.L.
Activities:
1. Finish reading “The Notorious……..”
2. Start analyzing story through graphic organizers.
Assessment: Participation /Graphic Organizers
Assignment due: Graphic Organizers (due after unit is over)
Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus:D.O.L.
Activities:
1. Complete graphic organizers.
2. Start explaining closure “Tall Tale” assignment, if time permits
Assessment: Participation
Assignment due: NONE
Date: Thursday, March 29, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: D.O.L.
Activities:
1. Assign groups.
2. Explain “Tall Tale” Assignment.
3. Begin brainstorming “tall Tale assignment within the assigned groups. Provide examples
if necessary.
Assessment: None
Assignment due: Topic due by the end of class period, (if able).
Date:Friday, March 30, 2012
Enrichment/Instructional Focus: D.O.L.
Activities:
1. Spelling Test
2. “Tall Tale” Assignment
Assessment: None
Assignment due: None
Closure:
“Tall Tale” Assignment
Students will write a tall tale in assigned groups and will be graded on the following criteria.
Students’ tall tale stories have to clearly demonstrate the following elements and examples:
1. Clear Voice through diction and tone.
2. An animal has to be the main character. (Human individuals may also be present.)
3. Understatement and Overstatement examples through paraphrasing so that even the most
‘elementary’ reader can understand what you are conveying.
4. Hyperbole
5. Humor
6. Local color
7. An illustration drawn to sum up your story.
8. Story can be two pages minimum but no more than four pages.
9. Use of descriptive adjectives.
10. Dialect example
11. An evident theme
12. Students may orally present their stories for extra credit.