Lesson 8
We will continue analyzing “The Second Coming” and then write a paragraph examining Chinua Achebe’s choice of title for Things Fall Apart.
Lesson Goals
Can I develop and clearly communicate meaningful and defensible claims that represent valid, evidence-based analysis?
Can I recognize and interpret important relationships among key details and ideas (characters, setting, tone, point of view, structure, development, etc.) in “The Second Coming” and Things Fall Apart?
Texts
Core
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- Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, Penguin Random House, 1994
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- “The Second Coming,” William Butler Yeats, Public Domain, 1919
Materials
Tools
Editable Google Docs
Activity 1: Read
We will determine the meaning of Unknown words and phrases in “The Second Coming” using the Vocabulary in Context Tool and then summarize the poem.
Reread "The Second Coming." Underline or highlight any words or phrases you do not know or understand. Annotate the text with questions about the meaning of specific lines or words.
In your group, pick four words or phrases that you do not know and use the Vocabulary in Context Tool to assist you in determining their meanings.
Once you understand the vocabulary, read the poem again. In your group, answer any questions you still have about the meaning of words or phrases.
In your Learning Log, summarize the main idea of the poem. Share your summaries with your group and then discuss as a class. Make sure to add to or modify your summary as you deepen your understanding of the poem.
Activity 2: Discuss
We will continue to analyze “The Second Coming.”
Step 1
Work with a partner to respond to the following questions about “The Second Coming”:
What kind of event is the speaker describing?
How do you know? To what source or event does Yeats allude in the poem?
To whom is the source or event important? Why is it important?
Step 2
Discuss the following questions as a class:
How does Yeats draw on the meaning of his source while also changing it?
How does this contribute to the mood and meaning of the poem?