CCrockett

Carrie Crockett EDC 448 Diverse Text

__*Summary:__ The ever-famous short story from 1948 that alters the reader’s view of humanity. A seemingly peaceful and normal town takes has a lottery every year where the stoning of a ‘winner’ takes place showing that violence and blind following can occur in even the most unlikely of places. *__Rational:__ This would be the basis for the lesson. The story starts off as a simple town with a simple way of life, but all throughout the story there are threads of foreshadowing to the grisly end. It shows students that not everything is as it seems on the surface and that following an authority figure or a tradition without question can lead to horrors. __*Use:__ This would be read after the anticipation guide and/ or other front-loading activities. The students would either read on their own or listen to the teacher as it is read aloud. They could write a quick reflection on their initial reaction to how the story ended, because it can be a quite intense experience
 * Grade Area**: 9-10
 * Content Area**: Language Arts
 * Unit of Study:** Blindly Following Tradition/ Authority
 * Print:**
 * 1) Jackson, S. (n.d). //The Lottery//.**

**2) Siminoff, D., & Shmoop Editorial Team. (2011). //The lottery: In a nutshell.//** *__Summary:__ This site gives a brief description on the story, as well as pointing out many of the important themes that arise and why they are important.  *__Rational:__ This is a simple read and could help students gain a better understanding for what the author is trying to say. It encourages readers to question rather than simply follow.  *__Use:__ This could be used towards the middle of the unit, after the previous material has had some chance to sink in. It gives students that are still hazy on the ideas something more concrete to hold onto.

**3) Bressington, B. (July 16, 2010). //Why you are likely being too obedient to authority//.** *__Summary__: This is a personal thread where the author gives his reasoning for why people will often follow an authority figure, even when they are uncomfortable. He states that people are brought up to be obedient to people higher up and that it is important for people to stand up for what is right.  *__Rational:__ This ties into Milgram’s experiments on human obedience as well as seeing why people would follow others (such as in //The Lottery// or in Nazi Germany).  *__Use:__ This should be offered to the students after they have watched the film on Milgram’s experiments and after they have looked at the photograph of the children saluting Hitler. This reading can help students tie the pieces of literature, psychology and history together.

**4) Dougherty, K. (December 29, 2006). //Following blindly for all the wrong reasons.//** *Summary: The writer tells an amusing anecdote about how traditions can be forgotten in a family and how they are still performed anyway without questioning why.  *Rational: This can give an example of how traditions are blindly followed that is more tangible for students. They could see how following a tradition could be something so simple that it could even exist in their own family. The towns people in //The Lottery// can be seen as thinking the same way, that this lottery has existed and will continue to exist, even though they don’t even know why it is done or how it works.  *Use: After students are given a large picture of how people can follow authority, they may think that it would not happen to them because they are too smart for such a thing. Giving this example could show how even with small traditions, they may be following a routine where they can no longer remember how it started.

**5) Morris, M. (n.d). //Do you blindly follow traditions?//** *__Summary:__ This is a site that gives the origins of many major holidays and why certain traditions are done even though people today have forgotten their origin.  *__Rational:__ This is another way of getting students to think about their own traditions, as well as learning the origins of ones they might already celebrate. It shows students that everything has a source and that source can easily be forgotten, but the tradition lingers on.  *__Use:__ This is something that could be introduced to students in the middle or towards the end of the unit. It is yet another way for them to see how they follow traditions without knowing their reason and origin. They it can cause them to question even more traditions than the ones that are given by the website and they could research ones they are curious about.

**Media:** **NBZS99. (September 1, 2010)** //**The lottery: Part 1 of 2.**// *__Summary:__ This is a director’s interpretation of how the short story //The Lottery// could be played out. It was made in 1969. __*Rational:__ Some students may have trouble getting the full emotional impact of the story after only reading or listening to it. This could be especially true with students that do not read often and do not know how to put themselves into a story. By seeing the actors play out this lottery, there may be a stronger impact on them emotionally. *__Use:__ Students could easily watch this during one class session and talk about it for the remainder of class, while it is still fresh in their minds. Because it is online, there is also the possibility that it could be watched at home and the students could add too a journal about their initial reactions to watching the film. There are also other versions of this short story turned into film, including one from 1997 and one from 2007. This could also be a way to introduce how different directors could tell the same story in different ways and how multiple perspectives should be taken into account.
 * 1) NBZS99. (September 1, 2010) //The lottery: Part 1 of 2.//**

**2) 1811210134252. //2/3 “Obedience” (1962) Milgram’s experiment//.** **1811210134252. //3/3 “Obedience” (1962) Milgram’s experiment//.**  *__Summary:__ This goes through Milgram’s 1962 experiments on the idea of obedience and authority. It shows the extreme distress that a person can go though and how they are still willing to commit something bad, even though they do not really want to.  __*Rational:__ This goes along will with the idea of following orders or a tradition and never really knowing why. It gives students a view of how this is relevant in real life, rather than just fiction.  *__Use:__ Students could watch these video clips and get a sense of how even professionals cannot predict human reactions successfully. After watching this, students could write out reasons why they thought people did not stop and what it would might take for them to no longer follow the orders of someone who appears to be in control.

**3) Pressmin. (July 26, 2009)** //**A discussion of Shirley Jackson’s the lottery**// __*Summary:__ This is a video clip where a narrator describes not only the basic plot of //The Lottery//, but also its importance and the many themes that are contained within. It uses clips from the 1969 movie and brings up many important details.  *__Rational:__ This could help students that are having trouble grappling with the many themes that are in the short story. It combines images from the movie so that students can see the emotions that are acted out, as well as hearing the narrator bringing out many points that are not openly mentioned in the story. Points that an inexperienced reader might have missed.  *__Use:__ This would have to be watched towards the middle of a unit, after the reading of the short story and the watching of the film. The narrator asks many questions for the viewer to consider, as well as many ideas to contemplate. Students will still need time after watching this to sort out ideas.

**4) Jaeger. H. (June 25, 1938). //Hitler/Jaeger file.// [Photograph]** *__Summary:__ This is a photo of a crowd of children giving a salute to Hitler as he passes by.  *__Rational:__ This shows how people, and especially children are influenced to follow others without questioning why. Students can see how such behaviors have changed the world.  *__Use:__ It might be best to use the photograph as more of a frontloading technique, so students can connect what a strong impact following something without questioning can have. It is very likely that they have had some background on WWII and can bring that previous knowledge into discussion.

**Online interactive:** *__Summary:__ This is a simple quiz which is suppose to determine how a person is likely to lean towards being a follower or a leader or a mixture of both. *__Rational:__ Students love taking these types of quizzes where there is an immediate answer. While there is no scientific basis for this quiz, it could get students to start thinking about their own actions in everyday life. They could self reflect and question why they act certain ways on specific situations. *__Use:__ Students would probably be very willing to do this and it would only take a short amount of time. A teacher could have students share their answers and ask have a discussion on why they cam out the way they did. Giving prompts, a teacher could guide students to delve deeper into their personal actions, so they do not just accept the given answer as total truth. They could even take the quiz as a frontloading assignment and then again afterwards to see if their views had changed or to see if they are more honest about their own behaviors.
 * 1) Portiago, C. (August 15, 2003) //Are you a leader or a follower?//**

**//2) Super teacher tools.// (n.d.). //Free flash jeopardy review generator.//** *__Summary:__ This is a site where a teacher (or students) can make his or her own jeopardy board along with answers. It can be given any topic keeps score for each team.  *__Rational:__ This would encourage students to participate and work together in teams. They could be given questions on the plot of //The Lottery// as well as themes that were previously brought up in class.  *__Use:__ This would probably be best if used towards the end of the unit. It would help students that missed any information when they talked with their groups and heard other peoples’ answers. It is also a good way to refresh items that were brought up towards the start of the unit and bring pieces together.

**3) Breezey. (January 2011). //Do you blindly follow what authority says is good and right?//** __*Summary:__ This is a thread where a person asks the question, if following an authority figure is always a good or bad thing.  *__Rational:__ By looking at this, students can see the viewpoints of many different individuals that have already posted their replies. They can see that there is not a right or wrong answer when it comes to the question, ‘should we follow authority?’ It also allows students to interact because they cannot only read what other people have posted, but add their own thoughts on the matter.  *__Use:__ This would probably be used towards the end of the unit, after students have gained some more experience with what it means to follow something without question. After seeing other peoples’ ideas, they may want to alter their opinion. They could even post their ideas for others to read and contemplate.

**Instructional resource:** **1) Marchand, M. (2009). //Shirley Jackson, the lottery//.** *__Summary:__ This is a lesson plan that brings up important aspects of //The Lottery// as well as other short stories.  *__Rational:__ This lesson plan is rather simplified, making it easier to build up upon. It contains the important aspects of a short story that students need to know to more fully grasp the subtle details, as well as pushing some of the themes/ ideas that are used in the question of following traditions.  *Use: This could make a good basis for a new lesson plan, one that focuses more on the topic of following tradition and authority. It encourages class discussions that can further students’ understanding as well as asking questions, which is the major basis for the choses topic.

**2) Chapman, B. (January 16, 2011) //Bill Chapman’s classroom tools.//** __*Summary:__ This is a site that offers teacher many tools that can be used in class, including lesson ideas, and many different forms of resources.  *__Rational:__ Because students are bombarded with so many forms of media, they need something different from the standard lecture to keep them interesting in the subject matter. This site can help a teacher gather together multiple forms of media including print, audio, visual, programs and the Internet.  *Use: It is a way, not so much for gathering materials, but being able to discover what sites are available. There are many links to outside sources where many subjects are covered. The site also gives advice that can help a teacher keep students’ interests.

This is a very long and quite extensive list of possible sources that could be used for students to further their thinking in the idea of following traditions and authority. I would not expect students to read and watch all of the items that are given on this list. There are a few that would be required though, such as //The Lottery//, the photograph and the video of Milgram’s experiments. These items are essential for getting the ideas across that people have followed and will continue to follow authority without question. I would also prefer if the all of the students looked over the website made by Morris, so they have possible examples from their own traditions for how they can easily follow without questioning. Many of the other texts are for those that are having difficulty grappling with the idea of either the problem with always following authority or so how many people people could not question. With these sources, students would be able to see the importance that this one short story can have to everyday life in the ideas it brings up. Students will be able to connect literature to the past, present and maybe even how it can alter their future thinking.

__Content:__ Students will be able to take what they have learned from these many sources and state the problems that can be created though blindly following authority or following traditions. (National Language Arts Standards 1 and 8) 1) Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works. 8) Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
 * Objectives:**

__Reading/ Thinking:__ After being given the set of required sources and selecting a minimum of four other given sources, students will be able to take the ideas from these many sources, determine the problems that can arise with blindly following, reflect on them in writing, and participate in class discussions. (Core standards 1, 4, 11, 16) 1) Determine what the text says explicitly and what can be inferred logically from the text. 4) Delineate the main ideas or themes in the text and the details that elaborate and support them. 11) Synthesize data, diagrams, maps, and other visual elements with words in the text to further comprehension. 16) Draw upon relevant prior knowledge to enhance comprehension, and note when the text expands on or challenges that knowledge.

Bressington, B. (July 16, 2010). //Why you are likely being too obedient to authority//. Retrieved March 8, 2011 from The Sedona method community at http://www.sedonamethodcommunity.com/letting-go-articles/645-why-you-likely-being-too-obedient-authority-figures.html
 * APA Citation**

Breezey. (January 2011). //Do you blindly follow what authority says is good and right?// Received March 8, 2011 from Yahoo answers website at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110110132037AAxcHhx

Chapman, B. (January 16, 2011) //Bill Chapman’s classroom tools.// Retrieved March 6 2011 from www.classroomtools.net

Dougherty, K. (December 29, 2006). //Following blindly for all the wrong reasons.// Retrieved March 8, 2011 from http://psych-net-enjoy.blogspot.com/2006/12/following-blindly-for-all-wrong-reasons.html

Jackson, S. (n.d). //The Lottery//. Retrieved from http://www.101bananas.com/library2/lottery.html

Jaeger. H. (June 25, 1938). //Hitler/Jaeger file.// [Photograph]. Retrieved March 8, 2011 from Google images & the Life website at http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=1f098d4e8e8898dc&q=adolf%20hitler%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dadolf%2Bhitler%2Bsource:life%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1181%26bih%3D604%26tbs%3Disch:10,877

Marchand, M. (2009). //Shirley Jackson, the lottery//. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from hotchalk lessonplanspage website at http://www.lessonplanspage.com/more/LAShortStory4ShirleyJacksonTheLottery1112.htm

Morris, M. (n.d). //Do you blindly follow traditions?// Received March 9, 2011 from http://www.cmorris101.com/index.htm

NBZS99. (September 1, 2010) //The lottery: Part 1 of 2.// [Video file]. Retrieved March 4, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/user/NBZS99#p/u/9/pIm93Xuij7k

NBZS99. (September 1, 2010) //The lottery: Part 1 of 2.// [Video file]. Retrieved March 4, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/user/NBZS99#p/u/8/PMhV3fwx5Sg

Portiago, C. (August 15, 2003) //Are you a leader or a follower?// Retrieved March 8, 2011 from Allthetests website at http://www.allthetests.com/quiz06/dasquiztd.php3?testid=1060074758

Pressmin. (July 26, 2009) //A discussion of Shirley Jackson’s the lottery,// [Video clip]. Retrieved March 9, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/user/pressmin#p/search/0/Oq6hsTK5Jig

Siminoff, D., & Shmoop Editorial Team. (2011). //The lottery: In a nutshell.// Retrieved March 1, 2011, from www.shmoop.com/lottery-shirley-jackson/

//Super teacher tools.// (n.d.). //Free flash jeopardy review generator.// Retrieved February 28, 2011 from Schoolteachertools website at http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/

1811210134252. //2/3 “Obedience” (1962) Milgram’s experiment//. [Video file]. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/user/1811210134252#p/search/0/tzYAdGl_0mA

1811210134252. //2/3 “Obedience” (1962) Milgram’s experiment//. [Video file]. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/user/1811210134252#p/search/2/KSiMM_GIiyA

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