Lesson Plan 1
Objective/Standard
1. To scrutinize the types of feelings bullies cause in their victims.
2. To examine and write about their own experiences with bullies/peer pressure.
Materials needed: The teacher will need a marble for each student in class. They should all be the same
color except for one (remember in The Chocolate War, five are white and one is black). These should be
put in a box or other container.
Methods:The teacher will explain that every student needs to take a marble out of the box. If a student
draws one of the black marbles, he or she HAS GOT TO write a three page paper on a topic the class has
had trouble with (comma usage, for example) or will get an F for this lesson. The students who draw a
white marble will get to read a fun book to a small group of elementary school kids (or some other
equally fun activity/assignment). No matter what the turnout is, allow the students will discuss the
assignment. Ask how they feel about it—is it fair? Explain that they will be starting unit on bullies—“Do
I Dare Disturb the Universe?” Just like the assignment, bullies and oppressors are not looking to treat
their victims fairly, either. Have the students free write about their feelings about the marble
“assignment” and their own experience with bullies and peer pressure. If they are comfortable doing
so, they can share it with the class. In small groups, have students come up with a definition of a “bully”
and “peer pressure.” Discuss it as a class. Some possible questions: What is a bully? What is another
word for “bully”(tormenter, persecutor, oppressor, tyrant, tough, intimidator)? Can a bully be a group
or an organization? What/who are some examples? Do you ever feel peer pressure? Is peer pressure a
good or bad thing? What can be done about peer pressure?
Homework: Students will read chapters 1-2. Students will write a letter to their past or present selves
about worries they had/have about an enemy/bully/intimidator at school. What would they have said
or say to themselves? How would they encourage themselves?
Lesson Plan 2
Objectives/Standards
1) To design a courage bulletin board using whatever resource the student chooses.
2) To demonstrate interviewing skills.
Material needed: Each student will be given a poster board. The students can use any type of material
they like to complete the collage.
Method: Students are allowed to use poetry, clippings, stories, etc. to post on their board. The students
will be given class time to print off things in the computer lab. I will give an example of my own courage
bulletin board with quotes and images.
Homework: Students will read chapter 3-4, and read Anne Sexton’s poem “Courage.”
The students will also interview a parent/guardian/family member about the bullying the encountered
or observed in their school years. Notify students that they might be called on to share these
experiences with the class.
Lesson Plan 3
Objective/Standard:
To explain the different types of bullying—not only small children are bullied
To examine why bullies torment others
To describe how bullies choose their victims
Materials needed: An excellent website about bullying is found at
http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/bully.htm.
Methods: Show students short clips of Nelson from The Simpsons.
Explain that Nelson is funny, but that there is a reason he is a bully. Discuss Nelson. Why does he pick
on other kids? What is Nelson’s background? Does anyone know a Nelson? What type of emotion does
Nelson’s disparaging “ha-ha” cause in his victims?
Divide students into groups of three. Hand out sheets to be filled out on bullies.
Example of sheets: 1. Name and describe 5 types of bullying
Explain 5 ways bullies choose their victims
List 5 reasons people bully
Each student is given a section of the bully information to read.
Each student will then report back to the other students in the group about what he/she has learned.
Assessment:By the end of the class period, each student should have information for each of the
objectives: types of bullying, why bullies torment others, and how bullies choose their victims. Each
student should have their bully handout completely filled in. These sheets should be worth a small
amount of points.
Homework: Students will read chapters 5-6. Students will be given a 10 homework question sheet that
needs to be completed by the next class.
Lesson Plan 4
Objective/Standard:
1) To examine a compelling photograph and formulate a response to it in the form of poetry
2) To examine a photograph or piece of artwork of their own choosing and creating a poem in
response to it.
Materials needed: The teacher will need a copy of the famous picture of the little Polish boy with his
hands raised, with a Nazi soldier holding a gun standing behind him, from Warsaw, 1943. The teacher
will also need a copy of the poem by Peter L. Fischl about the picture.
Methods: Show students the picture of the Polish boy.
Discuss the history behind the photograph. Discussion questions (adapted from Gorrell’s article): If you
could speak to the boy, what would you say? If you could speak to someone else in the picture, what
would you say? What do you think any one of the people in the photograph were saying at the time?
Give students time to write a poem about the photograph—either addressed to one of the people in the
picture, or from the viewpoint of someone in the picture. Ask if anyone wants to share their poem.
Read Peter Fischl’s poem out loud. Ask if students have questions. If there is time, discuss Jan Karski, a
part of the Polish underground resistance to the Nazis and what he told Pres. Roosevelt. Explain what
Roosevelt said to him in response.
Homework: Read chapters 7-9. Students will find a photograph/artwork/memorial that strongly affects
them, and write a poem about it, from the point-of-view of a person in the photograph, etc., or to
someone in the artwork. Give students a couple of days to complete this assignment. Give time for
sharing and revision in small groups.
Assessment: For the first objective, all students need to have a poem, even if they do not share it. For
this assignment, the teacher will acknowledge the poems and give them a small amount of points.
The poem they create outside of class has to be accompanied by a copy of the
artwork/photograph/memorial that the student chose. If the student does not have a copy, points
should be deducted.
Lesson Plan 5
Objectives/ Standard:
1) To collaborate with fellow classmates to come up with mottos.
2) To relate T.S Eliot’s poem to the “Chocolate War.”
3) To compare and contrast the two different text.
Method: Break class into four or more groups based on student choice. The students will brainstorm on
motto/saying about bullying and peer pressure—students choose one. They will share their final mission
statement with the class. After that the students will Read “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S.
Eliot in their groups. The students will come up with a list of differences and similarities between the
two different texts. Each group will share their group answers with the class.
Homework: Read chapters 10-12. Students will be given a 10 homework question sheet that needs to be
completed by the next class.
Lesson Plan 6
Objectives/ Standards
1) To understand characters development.
2) To make character connections.
3) To develop the skills of close and contextual literacy reading.
Methods: Students will be placed in groups of 4 and they will be given questions that they have to
discuss amongst each other and find evidence to support their findings. The members in the group will
be assigned a position as a writer, speaker, and seekers. There can be more than one person for each
role. Once the groups are done they will share with the class. Each group will be given 30 minutes to
finish the questions.
Homework: Read chapters 13-14.
Lesson Plan 7
Objectives/ Standards
1) To determine themes.
2) To develop a handbook using research.
Method: Have students create a handbook of guidelines for dealing with peer pressure, including a list
of local resources. Divide students into groups. Have each group discuss what they already know about
peer pressure and then brainstorm about where to find more information. Then have students do
preliminary research using such resources as: health, psychology, and sociology textbooks,
the school, or public library the Internet, the school nurse and guidance counselors, local telephone
directory listings of organizations providing health or mental health counseling, the mayor's office,
public or mental health department, police department, and community organizations such as the
YMCA. Once students have assessed their resources, they should assign specific research tasks. After
completing their research, have group members prepare the written guidelines, which they can post or
distribute to the class.
Homework: Read chapters 15-17 and finish up task for handbook. It is due in the next three days.
Lesson Plan 8
Objectives/Standards
1) To identify key ideas.
2) To recognize plot structure.
Method: In chapter 16 Brother Leon is shown at his worst. He is talking with one of the best, straight-A
students at the school, Caroni. Caroni, for the first time ever, has received an "F" on a test, and wants to
know exactly what he did wrong. Brother Leon leads him in circles for a while, telling him that teachers
sometimes make mistakes, but sometimes on pass/fail tests if a student is not exactly right, he may fail.
Caroni struggles to make sense of the conversation until Brother Leon brings up Jerry, and mentions
what a troubled kid Jerry must be to refuse selling the chocolates. Students will have to rewrite this
chapter as they see it. The students will have class time to do this, and must be finished by next class
time.
Homework: Read chapters 18-20. Finish their Chapter 16 rewrite assignment. Work on handbook.
Lesson Plan 9
Objectives/ Standard
1) To design a poster relating to the text.
Material: Poster board will be given as well as writing utensils to design the posters.
Method: Have students review the description of Jerry's poster. Then have them design a poster for
another character in the book. They should choose a literary quotation or one from the character's own
speech. Students should draw a fitting picture and write the quotation on the poster. Remind them to
attach a label with the character's name to the poster.
Homework: Read chapters 21-23. Work on handbook and poster.
Lesson Plan 10
Objectives/ Standards
1) To share projects with the class.
2) To demonstrate understanding of the text, characters, themes, and plot.
Method: Each student will share their poster boards with the class. After each student shares their
posters each group will share their handbooks with the class. The students will pass out copies of their
handbook to each student.
Homework: Read chapters 24-26.
Assessment: Students will have to answer some short answer question from chapters 1-23. Points will
be given as a test grade.