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Lesson 4

As we begin to prepare for the Section Diagnostic, we will engage in close reading activities to solidify our understanding of the text’s big ideas.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I discuss and write about explicit and implicit meanings in Chapters 4–5?

  • Can I analyze how characters’ behaviors and underlying motivations in Chapters 4–5 contribute to moral dilemmas that influence the plot and theme?

  • Can I evaluate how Shelley’s diction and syntax contribute to the effectiveness of the novel?

  • Can I plan to make my Section 1 Diagnostic response appropriate for various purposes and audiences by generating ideas through brainstorming and discussing?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, Signet Classics, 1831

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Discuss – Write

We will work in groups to review our answers to the guiding questions from Chapter 4 of Frankenstein.

Step 1

Join your group to review your homework reading. Use the following questions to guide your discussion and be sure to cite evidence from the text to support your responses:

  1. According to Victor, how do scientific studies differ from other studies?

  2. What does Victor say about a "human being in perfection"? How does this connect to our Central Question: What does it mean to be human?

  3. What ironies do you see developing between Victor’s words and his actions?

As you discuss your answers, consider adding notes to your Frankenstein Big Ideas Note-Taking Tool.

Step 2

Take a few moments to record additional notes in your Frankenstein Big Ideas Note-Taking Tool.

Activity 2: Read – Write

We will read chapter 5 in Frankenstein and answer guiding questions in our Learning Logs.

Step 1

Independently, read Chapter 5 in Frankenstein. Respond to the following questions in your Learning Log:

  1. What is significant about how Victor responds to his creature? Especially consider the language Victor uses to describe the "monster."

  2. How does Victor's reaction further develop his character?

  3. Does the scene present Victor in a sympathetic or unsympathetic light? How so? Cite textual evidence to support your details.

  4. How does this chapter demonstrate a shift in Victor’s beliefs about the pursuit of knowledge? What evidence from the text supports this interpretation?

Record new or interesting words you encounter in your Vocabulary Journal.

Step 2

Take a few moments to record any additional notes in your Frankenstein Big Ideas Note-Taking Tool.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss – Write

We will reread a selected excerpt from one of the texts we have read to analyze the author’s use of language.

Step 1

Reading like a writer involves studying how an author writes and determining why the author makes specific writing choices at the paragraph and sentence level. Understanding what those writing choices mean and deconstructing how the author made those choices can help you emulate those choices in your own writing practice and diversify your range of writing strategies.

As you read the texts in this unit, use your Mentor Sentence Journal to compile sentences that stand out to you. These sentences might be interesting, or they might represent a strong example of a particular language-use concept you have learned. You can use these sentences, as well as those from other units, to build a "writer’s toolbox," wherein you have a number of techniques at your disposal to use when writing.

Follow your teacher’s direction regarding grouping, materials, and which mentor sentence you will analyze. Use the Working with Mentor Sentences Tool to work through the following steps for each mentor sentence:

Step 2

Read the following sentence aloud:

His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion, and straight black lips. (p. 58)

Unpack any unfamiliar vocabulary using your vocabulary strategies. Then, determine what the sentence is saying, and paraphrase the sentence to convey its meaning based on your initial understanding.

Step 3

Deconstruct the whole into parts. Split the sentence into parts as directed by your teacher; sometimes your teacher will give you the parts, and sometimes you will have to split the sentence on your own. Complete the following for each part:

  • Determine the parts of speech and function.

  • Note other observations about the part, such as examples of effective diction or changes in verb tense or point of view.

Step 4

Follow along as your teacher reviews the relevant grammatical terms and concepts of specific phrases and clauses, punctuation, syntax, mood, and tone.

Step 5

Follow your teacher’s directions about choosing one or two mentor sentences to mimic. Use your deconstruction analysis of your chosen sentences to write your own, mimicking what the author does in terms of structure, style, grammar, and punctuation. The specific content of your sentences is your choice. Be prepared to share your sentences with your peers.

Activity 4: Read – Write – Discuss

We will evaluate the evidence we’ve collected on the Frankenstein big ideas Note-Taking Tool related to the Section Diagnostic.

Access your Frankenstein Big Ideas Note-Taking Tool and consider the evidence you have collected related to the pursuit of knowledge.

In pairs, discuss the following question:

  1. What are Victor Frankenstein's beliefs about the pursuit of knowledge, and how have they developed in the novel?

Record important ideas in your Learning Log to prepare for the following lesson’s Section Diagnostic.

Activity 5: Read

For homework, we will identify key words and writing techniques that we plan to use in our responses to the Section Diagnostic.

For homework, review your Vocabulary Journal. Identify a significant word or words that you would like to use in your response to the Section Diagnostic.

Review the notes in your Mentor Sentence Journal and Working with Mentor Sentences Tool and make a plan to use one of the language concepts you studied in this lesson on your response in the Section Diagnostic.