QUARTER 3
Making Connections
with a Classic:
Canterbury Tales
Quarter Three Overall Objectives
 The students will read classical literature.
 The students will make connections between the literature they read
and the Native American culture.
 The students will demonstrate an understanding of Middle English by
rewriting what they read into a Native American story.
 The students will create artistic objects in order to more fully convey
a story that they wrote.
 The students will use basic speech skills and storytelling skills to tell
their stories.
 The students will understand the history and importance of oral
tradition.
 The students will speak clearly and effectively, correctly pronouncing
all the words.
 The students will understand that speaking publicly is a gift that they
give to their community.
 Students will know that to speak effectively they must develop
excellent listening skills.
Note
This unit is presented on a slight timeline; however, some students may
finish early and some students may require a little more time. If a
student finishes early, make sure to direct them to the next assignment
immediately. Make sure students understand that this assignment will
require out of class work.
Lesson #1: Introduction to Chaucer [3 class hours]
Objectives
1 The students will learn who Geoffrey Chaucer is.
2 The students will learn about Canterbury Tales.
3 The students will use the information learned to make connections to the
Native American culture.
4 The students will create a list of websites they can use to translate the
language.
5 Students will translate Canterbury Tales.
Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Handout and discuss assignment.
Small discussion about Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, and the language.
Discuss the small similarities between Canterbury Tales and the Native
American culture.
Go to the computer lab to locate websites students can use for translating.
As a class work on translating the introduction. After translating a few
pages, rewrite it into a Native American story.
Chaucer Assignment
Main Objective: To be able to read, translate, and understand one of the tales
from The Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer and to make connections
with the Native American culture and to convey the theme of the tale by rewriting
the tale into a Native American story.
Activities: Various classroom activities about reading, understanding, translating,
and rewriting the language; planning a quarter schedule for the final project;
picking a tale; translating and rewriting a tale, and presenting the tale to the class.
Folders: Each student will receive a folder in which they will keep their chosen
tale, all notes taken during class, any handouts they receive in class or as a part of
tale, and all work done during the quarter. This folder will be turned in with your
final project. Should you decide that you want to keep the information received
during this class, you can get the folder back after the project has been graded.
Assignment: Each student is going to choose a tale, read the tale, translate that
tale, and rewrite the tale into a Native American setting with Native language and
aspects.
Art Project: Each student will create art to accompany their tales. This may be
costumes, pictures, paintings, puppets, posters, etc.
Telling of the Stories: AT the end of the quarter, each student must tell their story
to the class.
Additional Information:
1 Attendance does affect this class.
2 If you finish rewriting your tale before the end of the quarter, you may do
another tale for additional credit.
3 No students can do the same tale.
4 Students may work together on tales worth 1 – 1.5 credit. Students who
work together will also fill out a Partner Evaluation. In order to receive
equal credit both students must do equal work.
5 If two students have finished one tale each and want to do an additional tale
as partners, they may pick any tale, no matter the credit value.
Finished Project Early:
If you finish your project before the end of the quarter you may:
1 Do an additional tale.
2 Use this class as study hall (attendance still effects your grade).
3 Help another student. Help does not mean doing their work for them. Also,
helping another student may help you earn additional credit.
4 Receive a pass from another teacher to work in their room this hour in order
to finish your work with them.
If you finish your project before the end of the quarter you may NOT:
1 Goof around; class time needs to be used productively.
2 Sleep, once again, class time needs to be used productively.
3 Disrupt your classmates. Helping is acceptable; keeping them from their
work because you are talking too much is not.
4 Be disrespectful.
Credits: This is a five-day class which means the class is worth .75 credits.
However, students can receive less or more depending on the tale they choose to
read.
Credit Breakdown:
.25 Credit tales are easy because they have the least amount of pages. These
cannot be done with a partner:
1 The Cook’s Tale
2 The Prioress’s Tale
3 Tale of Sir Thopas
.50 credit tales are a little harder. These cannot be done with a partner:
1 The Frair’s Tale
2 The Physician’s Tale
3 The Shipman’s Tale
4 The Manciple’s Tale
.75 credit tales have a few more pages which makes them a little more
challenging. These may or may not be done with a partner (see me if you and a
partner want to do one of these):
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
The Reeve’s Tale
The Summoner’s Tale
The Squire’s Tale
The Franklin’s Tale
The Pardoner’s Tale
The Nun’s Priest’s Tale
The Second Nun’s Tale
The Miller’s Tale
1.00 credit tales are more difficult due to length. These may be done with a
partner:
1 The Monk’s Tale
2 The Cannon Yeoman’s Tale
3 The Clerk’s Tale
4 The Merchant’s Tale
1.25 credit tales are more difficult due to length. These may be done with a
partner:
1 The Man of Law’s Tale
2 The Wife of Bath’s Tale
1.50 credit tale (there is only one) is the most difficult because it is about 30 pages
long. This may be done with a partner:
1 The Knight’s Tale
Lesson #2: Reading and Translating [15 class hours]
Objectives
1 The students will read and understand a Canterbury Tale.
2 The students will translate the tale into the language they use.
3 The students will identify the theme(s) in the tale.
Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
The students choose a tale. They read and translate the tale into their
own language. The teacher should provide a word list that students can
use.
When students run into words they just cannot translate, they should keep
a list. The computer lab should be made available at least twice a week.
The teacher should meet with the students at least twice a week to see
how they are doing. While meeting with the students, the teacher should
discuss themes and how the story can relate to the Native American
culture.
Once the student is done translating they should create an outline of the
story.
Lesson #3: Rewriting [10 class hours]
Objectives
1 The students will rewrite a Canterbury Tale into a Native American tale.
Process
1.
2.
3.
Using the outline, the student will rewrite the tale into a Native American
tale.
While rewriting the tale the student must make sure that the tale
maintains the theme(s) discovered while reading the original story and it
must follow the same basic pattern.
Type the tale. Edit and revise the tale as needed.
Lesson #4: Art Assignment [5 class hours]
Objectives
1 The students will present their tale in an artistic form.
Process
1.
2.
3.
As a class, discuss the different art activities they can do.
The students will create a plan for their art project, including the schedule
and a list of materials needed.
Students work on their art project.
Lesson #5: The Telling of the Stories [11 class hours]
Objectives
2 The students will tell their stories to the class.
3 The students will use their art projects as visual aids for the story.
4 The students will demonstrate an understanding of basic speech skills.
Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Students should decide the fashion in which they would like to share their
stories. Since this class is taking place during quarter 4, the class may
decide to sit outside and tell their stories.
The students should use their art projects as visual aids as they tell their
stories.
Before the first day of storytelling, the class should discuss basic speech
skills that storytellers use.
Students may either read the story as they had typed it, or they may tell
the story from their memory.
At the end of each story, the rest of the class should be given the
opportunity to respond with comments or questions.