English IV Honors Lesson Plans
Unit 1: Beowulf
Carey Matthews
Seven 90-minute lessons
NCSCS Goals: 1.01, 1.03, 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 3.01, 3.02, 4.01, 4.02, 5.01, 5.02
Objectives: Students will understand origins & overview of Anglo-Saxon period, recognize Old
English, memorize & recite Caedmon’s hymn in Old English, evaluate translations, identify &
apply kennings, analyze & apply the quest archetype, explicate important quotes, and evaluate
Beowulf via a choice of culminating projects.
Topics: Beowulf, epic poem & hero, Anglo-Saxons, Old English, quote explication, archetypes,
quest
Materials/Resources: Language of Literature, Trevor Eaton CD recording of Beowulf, Moodle,
various websites & handouts as indicated w/in the lessons
Procedures/Activities:
Day 1:
1. syllabus
2. survey
3. issue books
4. GP – overview of 4 components
5. GP – discuss topic selection process & tired topics
6. GP – bucket list
7. handout vocabulary sheet & explain self-evaluation
8. review timeline (16-17) and ask students to identify significant events during this
time period.
Day 2:
9. read background about Anglo-Saxons (18-21) & pay attention to information about
OR assign sections to each student and ask them to do a $2 summary to report to class
a. three Celtic people: Britons, Picts & Gaels. see map (18)
b. where the name Anglo-Saxon comes from: Germanic tribes Angles & Saxon
from Europe moved into Britain
c. where the name England comes from: Angle-land
d. religious transformation: paganism & Christianity
e. the end of the A-S period: Danish invasion over 250+ years eventually brings
William of Normandy in 1066 ending the Anglo-Saxon period
10. introduce Old English & Caedmon’s hymn
a. use laptops & headphones to explore the language of Beowulf – link on
moodle
b. YouTube video &/or Eaton CD
c. introduce & practice C’s hymn, explain memory work & daily warm-up
11. introduce Moodle & participate in discussion: What makes a person a hero? Who is
your hero? Why?
12. create Wordle of responses to see what traits students named most
13. epic poem & hero notes: (28-29)
14. archetypes & quest notes & practice w/ Shrek– powerpoint
Day 3:
15. quotation explications
a. for each night of reading HW, students should select a quote and explicate it
b. as we review each section, invite students to share their quotes/explications
for participation bonus points
c. use Cornell explication notes
16. intro to Beowulf (30-31) use YouTube performance video &/or Eaton CD
17. Beowulf project
Day 4:
18. GP – Topic Exploration
19. GP – Diane Wilson gives overview of resources in library
Day 5:
20. GP – exit ticket: topic idea with 3 sub-topics
Day 6:
21. Vocab connotation scale & new word generation. Categorize vocab based on
connotation scale (neg, neutral, pos) & generate words for the other categories. For
example, one of our words is gorge. Which connotation category would that go into?
What would mean the same thing by in a neutral way? Is there a positive
connotation?
22. Read poem – think aloud
a. Grendel
i. Allusion – Cain/Grendel
ii. Imagery, alliteration, kennings
b. Beowulf
i. Character descriptions, kennings
ii. Summarize events: arrival of Beowulf, loyalty of Beowulf to Hrothgar
iii. Compare/contrast to heroes in pop culture
iv. Create kennings for famous people or pop culture heroes (ex: caped
crusader)
c. Battle w/ Grendel
i. Kennings
ii. Imagery
iii. Contrast behavior of Danes and Beowulf’s band
iv. Illustrating kennings & imagery
v. Share & discuss
Day 7:
d. Grendel’s Mother
e. Battle with Grendel’s Mother
i. Discussion, vocabulary, figurative language
ii. Characteristics of epic poem, comitatus
iii. Setting
Day 8:
f. Beowulf’s Last Battle
i. Foreshadowing
ii. Review his life as a warrior/epic hero – how has Beowulf changed?
iii. Drawing conclusions
g. Death of Beowulf
i. Rhythm – caesura
ii. Beowulf’s speech – values reflected
h. Mourning Beowulf
i. Motives
1. Beowulf
2. His army
ii. Character analysis: Wiglaf – heroic quality vs. warriors – betrayal
iii. Fate/wyrd
iv. Vocabulary
v. Symbolism/themes/quest
vi. Compare/contrast to heroes in pop culture
Day 7:
23. translation study students evaluate the quality of translations based on word choice,
phrasing and imagery
24. unit review Google docs form
Day 9:
25. presentation of project
26. test
Student Outcomes/Products
1. understand origins & overview of Anglo-Saxon period
2. recognition of Old English
3. memorization & recitation of Caedmon’s hymn in Old English
4. evaluation of translations
5. identification & application of kennings
6. analysis & application of the quest archetype
7. explication of important quotes
8. Differentiation: students have a choice of project assignments
Analysis/Revision