Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

Lord of the Flies Unit, Lesson 8

In the End

Margaret Salesky, Lindsey Link | Published: August 12th, 2022 by K20 Center

  • Grade Level Grade Level 9th
  • Subject Subject English/Language Arts
  • Course Course British Literature, Composition

Summary

In this culminating lesson of the "Lord of the Flies" unit, students revisit the Microcosms they designed in Lesson 1 and re-evaluate their emergency items, as they think critically about what William Golding intended to say in the story and how the story influenced them as a whole.

Essential Question(s)

How does the author use symbolism to develop characterization and theme?

Snapshot

Engage

Students participate in a Gallery Walk on the Microcosms, leaving feedback in the form of Two Stars and a Wish.

Explore

Students participate in a Honeycomb Harvest to examine symbols in the text.

Explain

Students create an Anchor Chart showing how a character represents an idea.

Extend

Students re-watch a video clip of William Golding and write two paragraphs in response.

Evaluate

Students reflect on their emergency items from Lesson 1 and answer the question: How has the story influenced you?

Materials

  • Lesson Slides (attached)

  • Honeycomb Harvest (attached; one per group)

  • Student Microcosms from Lesson 1

  • Large poster paper (for Anchor Chart)

  • Crayons/markers/colored pencils

  • Notebook paper/Google docs for paragraph writing

  • Sticky notes

  • Pens/pencils

Engage

20 Minute(s)

Use the attached Lesson Slides to introduce this final lesson of the Lord of the Flies unit. Display slide 2, followed by slide 3. Remind students of the essential question they have examined throughout the entire unit. Display slide 4. Review the lesson’s learning objectives with the class.

Display slide 5. Share the Two Stars and a Wish strategy with students. Instruct them to re-examine their classmates’ Microcosms through a Gallery Walk. Ask students to leave feedback on sticky notes on the various projects.

Display slide 6. Have students review the feedback left by their peers. Use the following questions to guide a discussion:

  • Do you agree or disagree with the feedback?

  • What revisions would you like to make to your Microcosm?

  • Why?

Explore

20 Minute(s)

Display slide 7. Share the Honeycomb Harvest strategy with students. Group students together with a partner or small groups of 3 to 4 to complete the activity. Pass out a set of the Honeycomb Harvest cards to each of the groups.

As the students sort their hexagons, monitor and ask probing questions about why they chose these connections. Ask students to share out with the whole group. Encourage questions and discussion.

Explain

30 Minute(s)

Display slide 8. Introduce students to the next activity. Inform them that they will create their own Anchor Chart based on one of the characters from the book and a symbol that best represents them.

Display slide 9. Explain in detail how to create their Anchor Charts.

  • Distribute large poster paper and drawing/writing materials for students to create their Anchor Charts.

  • After charts have been created, ask students to share out and field questions and constructive comments about their creations.

Extend

30 Minute(s)

Display slide 10. Share the They Say, I Say Writing strategy with students. Instruct them to listen carefully to the William Golding video for the following information:

  • The general topic of the speech

  • Main point

  • Examples/quotes that support the main argument

Use slide 11 as a transition to the next activity. Explain to students that they will be writing two paragraphs:

  • The first paragraph summarizes the information about the novel and its characters that the students gathered from the video and the novel itself;

  • The second paragraph summarizes student’s views on the topic.

Slides 12-13 provide sentence frames for students to help structure their paragraphs.

Evaluate

20 Minute(s)

Display slide 14 and ask students to think back to Lesson 1 in the unit:

  • What were your three emergency items?

  • Do you think you would change anything about the items you chose?

  • What would you change?

  • Why?

Display slide 15 and have students reflect on the question: How has this story impacted you?

Resources