"What good are the words?" A Close
Reading of an excerpt from The Book Thief
Resource ID#: 62955
Primary Type: Lesson Plan
This document was generated on CPALMS - www.cpalms.org
This close reading lesson focuses on an excerpt from Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief.
Students will close read the text multiple times to discover Zusak's powerful writing style, as
well as the power of words through the eyes of Liesel, the novel's protagonist. As students
consider Zusak's style, they will build their comprehension of the text and write an analytical
essay to demonstrate final interpretations and understandings.
Subject(s): English Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 9, 10
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector
Instructional Time: 5 Hour(s)
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Book Thief, syntax, repetition, figurative language, style, Holocaust, imagery, tone,
metaphor, simile, Zusak, close reading, text dependent questions
Instructional Component Type(s): Lesson Plan , Worksheet, Assessment , Text
Resource, Formative Assessment
Instructional Design Framework(s): Direct Instruction , Writing to Learn
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
ATTACHMENTS
Text Marking What good are the wordsAn Excerpt from The Book Thief.docx
What good are the wordsAn Excerpt from The Book Thief.docx
Independent Practice Questions An Excerpt from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.docx
KEY Independent Practice Questions An Excerpt from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.docx
LESSON CONTENT


Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of
this lesson?
Students will be able to:

1. correctly identify examples of figurative language used in the excerpt from The
Book Thief.
2. interpret the meanings of selected figures of speech.
3. analyze nuances in the meaning of words and their impact on the meaning of the
excerpt from The Book Thief.
4. cite strong and specific textual evidence from the excerpt on The Book Thief to
support analysis and inferences when responding to text-dependent questions.
5. write an informative essay to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and
information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization,
and analysis of content.
6. draw appropriate and specific evidence from The Book Thief to support their
points in their informative essay.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
As students work through Reading Task #1:
o What types of syntax does Zusak use in this text?
o What effects does Zusak's syntax have on the text's meaning? For example, does
the syntax develop the imagery of Liesel's actions in our minds? Why or why not?
o How would the meaning of the text differ if Zusak's style did not include the
syntax evident in this excerpt?
As students work through Reading Task #2:
o
o
How does repetition in the text reinforce Liesel's emotions?
How does repetition in the text communicate the narrator's tone?
As students work through Reading Task #3:
o
o
o

How does the author's choice of figurative language affect meaning in the text?
Which figurative language stands out most, and why?
How do the images in the text reflect Liesel's emotions?
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
It's important for students to understand that:
o
o
o
o
The Book Thief is set in Germany during World War II and the Holocaust
the Führer refers to Adolf Hitler
Liesel, the novel's protagonist, is a young German girl who has been displaced
from her family
books were hard to come by during this time because they were often burned or
banned
In addition, students should be familiar with the definition and interpretation of the
following rhetorical/literary terms. If they are not, a mini-lesson, including the words'
definitions and examples, should be provided prior to the lesson:
o
o
o
o
Author's Style: the choices an author makes to express ideas in writing
Syntax: sentence structure, including, but not limited to:
 Fragments used for effect in writing
 Simple sentence structure
 Complex sentence structure
Repetition: repeated words, phrases, and images in a text, including, but not
limited to:
 Anaphora: the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of
successive clauses
 Asyndeton: the omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a
sentence
 Polysyndeton: the opposite of asyndeton, this device uses several
coordinating conjunctions for effect
Figurative Language: non-literal words, or groups of words, that use figures of
speech and descriptions to depict ideas, including, but not limited to:
 Metaphors: direct comparisons
 Similes: comparisons using "like" or "as"
 Personification: metaphors that attach human qualities to inanimate
objects
 Imagery: Language that appeals to the five senses
Please Note: Due to the fact that this excerpt from The Book Thief comes from near the
end of the novel, the lesson is written with only brief Guided Practice on the
interpretation of its figurative language. The lesson format assumes that students have
had numerous encounters with the figurative language in the novel (as they've been
reading it) and have practiced interpreting metaphors, similes, and personification so that
they can easily transition into this lesson's Independent Practice and Summative
Assessment. In the event that the teacher decides to use this lesson as a stand alone close
reading, extended Guided Practice with interpretation of these figurative language
elements may be necessary.

Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
Engagement:
To initiate student thinking about the power of words, display this image and quote, along
with the following prompt:
Many people have said that "words are power." Think about a time when
words, whether spoken or written, had an impact on you. Write a few
sentences about those words, who spoke or wrote them, and how those
words affected you.
o
o
o
The "Think Write Pair Share" strategy works well with this activity. The teacher
should give about 10 minutes for students to write their responses and take the
time to write along with them.
Students may then share in partners or whole group as the teacher gathers ideas
about the power of words on the board.
The teacher should then explain that the excerpt from The Book Thief comments
on the power of words, in this case referring to their power in the time of World
War II in Germany. Liesel, our main character, is the Book Thief, and in this
excerpt she visits the place from which she most often steals books. However, as
she visits the library in Ilsa Hermann's home this time, Liesel considers the power
of words and their role in the many tragedies she has encountered in her young
life.
Explicit Instruction:
o

Prior to providing a modeled read aloud of the excerpt, the teacher will need to
review the literary devices students should be aware of in the text: syntax,
repetition, and figurative language. (See Prior Knowledge for more information.
The teacher should expect students to seek the specific types of syntax, repetition,
and figurative language as they mark the text. In addition to highlighting and
underlining, teachers may also decide to have students note specific types of
syntax and figurative language in the margins of the text.)
o The teacher should introduce the text by briefly reviewing its context (see Prior
Knowledge).
o The teacher should then read the text aloud the first time, providing opportunities
for students to ask questions about any unknown vocabulary words or confusion
in the text.
o Finally, the teacher will divide students into pairs or groups of three and model
the first reading task. The teacher may decide to model the second and third
reading tasks as well as the lesson moves forward.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher
guidance?
Materials: Student Copy of the Excerpt and Teacher Copy with Text Marking
Students will work in their assigned groups of two to three to complete the following text
marking tasks, reading the text a total of three times with their groups. After each
reading, students should chart the words and phrases they marked onto chart paper for
syntax, repetition, and figurative language.
Note: The teacher will provide verbal feedback for students as they work through each
reading task and chart with their small groups and written feedback on students' text
marking pages each day.
Reading Task #1: Underline any instances that the author uses syntax for effect in this
text. Look for stylistic uses of syntax including fragments, simple sentence structure, and
complex sentence structure. After reading and marking the text, record your findings on
your chart paper under "Syntax."
Reading Task #2: Using one color, highlight any instances when the author uses
repetition in this text. Look for repeated words, phrases, or ideas, including uses of
anaphora, asyndeton, and polysyndeton. After reading and marking the text, record your
findings on your chart paper under "Repetition."
Reading Task #3: Using a second color, highlight any instances when the author uses
figurative language, looking especially for similes, metaphors, personification, and
imagery. After reading and marking the text, record your findings on your chart paper
under "Figurative Language."
Finally, have each group share their charts with the class. As groups share aloud, the
other groups should take note of any instances of syntax, repetition, or figurative
language they may not have marked.
Once groups have completed these three reading tasks, have each of them record their
charted notes onto notebook paper for use with the independent practice and the
summative assessment. In preparation for the independent practice, have groups work
together to interpret the meanings of a minimum of three examples of figurative language
from the text, using the following sentence stems to guide them (these should be copied
by students from an overhead onto their charts):
The metaphor ________________________ is a direct comparison of
________________________ and ________________________. This
comparison implies
_________________________________________________.
Zusak personifies ________________________ in the text. This
personification reveals/implies ________________________.
________________________ is a simile comparing
________________________ to ______________________________.
This comparison implies
_________________________________________________.
Finally, have each group share charts and figurative language interpretations with the
class. As groups share aloud, the other groups should take note of any instances of
syntax, repetition, or figurative language they may not have marked.

Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to
reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the lesson?
Materials: Independent Practice Questions, Possible Answer Key for Independent
Practice Questions
For the independent practice, students will complete the short answer responses in
complete sentences, using evidence from the text for each answer. These questions will
guide their thinking in preparation for the Summative Assessment.
The teacher will collect students' work and provide corrective written feedback before
students move on to the Summative Assessment task.
Finally, to direct student thinking back to the power of words, the teacher should then
return to the image and quote from the engagement piece at the beginning of the lesson.
Have students think about the image and quote again, now that they have read the excerpt
from The Book Thief, and add to their initial written responses with a response to the
following prompt:
Now that you have read the excerpt closely, how have your thoughts about
the power of words changed? Refer to specific examples in the excerpt
that had an impact on your thinking.
The teacher should give students a few minutes to note their responses, followed by a
brief class discussion of the topic as they transition into the Summative Assessment task.

Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in
the lesson?
Following the Summative Assessment, the teacher will bring the lesson to a close by
sharing the thesis statements students used in their written responses. These thesis
statements can be displayed in the classroom for future reference, possibly as a part of a
word wall that includes the literary terms studied in this lesson.
The teacher will then direct students to refer back to the Engagement Activity and add to
their responses by answering the following question, possibly referring to the Zusak text:
"In what ways do words have power in this world?"
ASSESSMENT

Formative Assessment:
o


The engagement activity provides an opportunity for the teacher to become
familiar with students' understandings of what it means for words to have
"power."
o The teacher should circulate as students work in small groups to gauge
understandings of syntax, repetition, and figurative language, stopping the class in
between each reading to address misunderstandings.
o Students will complete each text marking task on their own copies of the excerpt,
turning these in each day of the lesson so that the teacher can formatively assess
student understanding of the tasks and address any misconceptions as they work
through the close reading process.
o As groups share their findings on chart paper, the teacher will also be able to
assess any whole-class misunderstandings or oversights as they read.
o Finally, the independent practice will provide the opportunity for the teacher to
formatively assess individual student comprehension and their ability to
communicate their ideas regarding syntax, repetition, and figurative language in
sentence form.
Feedback to Students:
o The teacher will provide verbal feedback for students as they work through each
reading task and the figurative language identifications chart within their small
groups.
o The teacher will provide written feedback on students' text marking pages each
day.
o The teacher will provide more extensive written feedback on students'
independent practice.
o Written feedback that aligns with the rubric on the summative assessment is the
final form of feedback students will receive; time permitting, an opportunity for
individual student writing conferences and revisions of their responses is advised.
Summative Assessment:
Students will complete an essay for the following prompt:
After reading this excerpt from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, write an
essay in which you analyze how Zusak uses syntax, repetition, and
figurative language to communicate the power of words, providing textual
examples to clarify your analysis.
This prompt is based on the Literacy Design Collaborative's Template, Task 21, Page 9.
The rubric can be found in the same document on page 10.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Accommodations: To differentiate instruction, the teacher may decide to group students
according to ability, balancing the groups with stronger and weaker students.
To accommodate some students, the teacher may provide a partially marked text with
modeled examples of what students should be looking for in each reading task.
The teacher may also provide sentence starters for the Independent Practice questions
(use the Possible Answer Key for assistance).

Extensions: Many would argue that Zusak's language in The Book Thief is very poetic.
An extension of this close reading lesson would be to have students create a Found Poem
from the text, organizing Zusak's words and phrases into a different form. Instructions for
creating a Found Poem can be found at ReadWriteThink.org.

Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet
Connection, LCD Projector

Special Materials Needed:
o Chart paper
o Markers
o Highlighters
o The teacher may decide to use a document camera and LCD projector to model
text marking for students. The computer, Internet connection, and LCD projector
will be needed for the Engagement and Closure only.

Further Recommendations: It may be necessary to warn students about the use of the
word bastard toward the end of the text.
A brief discussion of the Holocaust and Liesel's perspective as a German girl during
WWII may be beneficial as well, particularly for students who do not express much
familiarity with the subject (and if this lesson is being done as a stand alone lesson and
not part of an overall study of the entire novel).
PUBLIC REMARKS
By Author/Submitter
The ATOS level for this excerpt is 4.7, however, the qualitative value of the tasks students will
perform in their reading and writing responses make it appropriate for the 9-10 grade band.
Note: The Book Thief is featured as a grades 9-10 text exemplar in Appendix B of the standards.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Name of Author/Source: April Fleetwood
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported
Related Standards
Name
LAFS.910.RL.1.1:
LAFS.910.RL.2.4:
LAFS.910.W.1.2:
Description
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
the text.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in
the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze
the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and
tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place;
how it sets a formal or informal tone).
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey
complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately
through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of
content.
a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and
information to make important connections and
distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and
sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples
appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the
relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to
manage the complexity of the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone
while attending to the norms and conventions of the
discipline in which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the information or explanation
presented (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
LAFS.910.W.3.9:
a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g.,
“Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source
material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats
a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later
author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”).
b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary
nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious
reasoning”).
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
LAFS.910.L.3.5:
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron)
in context and analyze their role in the text.
b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar
denotations.
Resources in the CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
Lesson Plan
Name
An Introduction with Death:
A Close Reading of the
Prologue from The Book
Thief by Markus Zusak:
Description
In this lesson, students will conduct several close readings of an
excerpt from the prologue of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
For the first close reading, students will focus on identifying the
narrator and select academic vocabulary. In the second reading,
students will analyze different examples of figurative language
within the prologue. They will focus on how the word choices
impact the tone of the novel and what effect it has on the reader.
During the final close reading, students will explore the persona
of the narrator. The summative assessment is a two-paragraph
writing assignment which will require students to discuss how
Zusak's use of figurative language enhances the story. Students
will also examine how the structure of the text sets the tone for
the rest of the novel.