Donna Gilmore – Lesson Plan
The Pardoner’s Tale
Geoffrey Chaucer
Text – The Language of Literature , McDougal Littell Pages 142-151
Standards – LS1, RS3, RL2, RI3, RI2, WS5
Journal Writing (composition books)
Topic – What is greed? Describe a time when you have been greedy.
We have all heard, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Is this true? Explain your answer.
Review – Question/Answer review. Who is Geoffrey Chaucer? When did he write the Canterbury
Tales? Why were the Canterbury Tales written? Review other facts about Chaucer and The Canterbury
Tales. It is essential that the students have some knowledge of Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales before
this lesson.
Silent Reading – The Pardoner’s Prologue
Silently read The Pardoner’s Prologue on page 142-143. While reading, students will use “sticky notes” to
write down questions they have about the passage. Questions should be related to the author, the text,
or the Pardoner himself. Discuss these questions after the first read.
Read the Pardoner’s Prologue again. This time, read aloud pausing to explain details and answer
questions. Pause and reflect on lines 56-57. Point out that the Pardoner’s tale is a moral tale. Explain
moral tales during the Middle Ages. Discuss allegorical figures, such as vice, mercy, Death, and Good
Deeds. During reading, students should complete a Defining in Context (circle map) for the Pardoner. A
document camera will be used for sharing a few of the maps after the reading.
Reading – The Pardoner’s Tale
Read aloud The Pardoner’s Tale on pages 144-151. As they are reading, students will create Trouble
Strips (Deeper Reading page 69). RS3
Discuss, review, analyze the reading by using the Trouble Strips as conversation starters.
Where is the story set? How are the characters introduced and developed?
For a second read, the students can follow along as they listen to “The Pardoner’s Tale” on CD. During
this read, students should make notes concerning personification, lines 72-80. They should focus on
foreshadowing, particularly lines 79-81. A strategy such as double –entry journal can be used. This
strategy is in the Deeper Reading book, page 117.
Cooperative Learning Activity
Appointment Clock (Deeper Reading page 108)
Students will create and appointment clock in order to complete the following assignments. Four
appointments will be used. RL1, RL2, RI3
1 – Create a 10 box flow map (sequencing) for The Pardoner’s Tale (complete sentences must be used)
2 – Create a tree map (classifying) - plot, characters, setting
3 – Cause and Effect Chart - The death of the rioters
4 – Describing Chart (Bubble Map) – Death
Culminating Activities
Students will complete the writing assignment found on page 153, Ye Olde News. RI2, WS5
Create Chaucer’s Wallet – Deeper Reading page 137.
Students will complete a group writing project for The Canterbury Tales. In groups of 4, students will
write a one page prologue for their Canterbury Tale. Then, they will write a 3-4 page tale for the class.
Students will create a poster illustrating the Canterbury Tale. A rubric will be given for the assignment.
Have the class help you in creating the rubric for this project. Students can make up a place instead of
Canterbury for added excitement! This can be turned into a writing competition with a winner and a
reward for each class. I have always had help from other teachers to choose the winners.