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Lesson 8

We will analyze the rites and ceremonies in Chapters 10–11 to gain a better understanding of Igbo culture.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I formulate and use questions to establish and deepen my understanding of Things Fall Apart?

  • Can I gather and organize relevant and sufficient evidence to demonstrate an understanding of a topic, support claims, and develop ideas?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, Penguin Random House, 1994
  • Digital Access
    • “Igbo Culture and History,” Don Ohadike, 1994

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss – Write

We will review the words we wrote down for homework in our Vocabulary Journals and cement our understanding of their meanings.

In your group, compare the words you wrote down in your Vocabulary Journals. Select one word from each group and respond to the vocabulary exercises provided by your teacher.

Activity 2: Discuss

We will share our mentor sentence analyses with partners.

Work with a partner to discuss the mentor sentences you identified in your Mentor Sentence Journal during the homework reading. Use the following questions to guide your discussion:

  1. Why did you select this sentence?

  2. What is unique about the word choice in this sentence?

  3. What is unique about the syntax in this sentence?

  4. What mood does the author create in this sentence? How do you know?

  5. What tone is conveyed by the author in this sentence? How do you know?

  6. How does the sentence contribute to your understanding of the ideas in the text?

Activity 3: Read

We will learn about Igbo religions.

Step 1

With a small group, read and annotate the section “Igbo Religions” (xxxii) and the subsection “Igbo Oracles” (xxxviii). As you read, generate a list of questions that come to mind as you read these sections. Choose your top two questions to share with the class.

Share your questions with your class. Keep a list of questions to research.

Step 2

Revisit “Igbo Oracles” (xxxviii) with your small group. Respond to the following question:

  1. Considering what you read in “Igbo Oracles,” explain why Ekwefi visits the Oracle of the Hills and Caves. Cite evidence from both texts to support your answer.

Share your answer with your classmates

Activity 4: Read

We will look closely at the egwugwu ceremony to understand its significance.

Read Chapter 10 and annotate the text. In your Learning Log, write down important ideas or questions you have.

Activity 5: Read

We will use three levels of questions to analyze chapter 10.

Consider what happens in Chapter 10. In a small group, write questions about Chapter 10 as follows:

  • Two literal questions (What happens in the text?)

  • Two interpretative questions (What can we infer about the meaning of the text?)

  • One universal question (What can we learn about life from the text?)

Activity 6: Read – Discuss

We will work in pairs to answer questions about the ceremony in chapter 10.

Partner with a student from a different group.

With your partner, pick three questions total (one literal, one interpretative, and one universal) from the questions you wrote. Work together to answer your questions, and use evidence from the text to support your answers.

Activity 7: Read

We will write about Ezinma’s journey in chapter 11.

In Chapter 11, Chielo, the priestess of Agbala, takes Ezinma on a long journey in the middle of the night. In your Learning Log, write a response to this chapter. What happens, and why do you think Achebe included this chapter in the novel?

Share your ideas with your group and pick one idea to share with the class.

Activity 8: Read

We will read chapters 12–13 for homework.

For homework, read Chapters 12-13 of Things Fall Apart. Respond to the following questions from the Section 1 Question Set in your Learning Log:

Chapter 12:

  1. How does Okonkwo spend the night of Ezinma’s journey? Do his actions fit with what we know about his character? Explain.

  2. As part of the bride ceremony, the in-laws bring 50 pots of wine. What is the purpose of this, and why do Okonkwo and Obierika approve?

  3. What is the mood of this chapter? How does the author use word choice to create the mood?

Chapter 13:

  1. What happens during Ezeudu’s funeral? What do you learn about Okonkwo in this chapter?

  2. What is the mood of this chapter? How does the author use word choice to create the mood?

Write new or interesting words you encounter in Chapters 12-13 in your Vocabulary Journal.