The lesson described in this paper is based on the book The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. The lesson is intended for a year 10 class in a grammar school, the recipients of the lesson will therefore be 14 to 17 year old pupils. The fantasy novel The Hobbit was chosen for several reasons. The book was originally written for children which means that it contains relatively easy vocabulary and is fun to read at the same time. Pupils are likely to enjoy this book as it is set in a fictional world that is lovingly described and is packed with action as the protagonists have to survive many exciting adventures. Furthermore, J.R.R. Tolkien is listed in the syllabus for Realschulen as an author that could be discussed in year 10. As the pupils at grammar school are the same age, should have similar competences and most likely have similar interests as pupils in a Realschule, the book should be appropriate for grammar school pupils too.
The lesson described in this paper would be the first of about eight lessons on the book and would be 45 minutes long. The main focus of the lesson is set on reading comprehension and so the overall goal of the lesson is for the pupils to be capable of summarising the first two chapters of “The Hobbit” in their own words as well as being able to reflect on the novel. This goal is based on the syllabus for English in grammar schools in year 10. The aims of reading comprehension that should be attained by the end of year 10 are described here. Among other things, Pupils should be able to read long and complicated literary texts and understand them on their own. This is expected of the pupils in the lesson on The Hobbit, as the homework due for the lesson is to read the first two chapters of The Hobbit on their own. In the section on understanding texts, there is a passage stating that pupils in year 10 should read either a novel or a drama of the twentieth or twenty-first century and understand, interpret and give their own opinion on the text (ISB 2004). The novel The Hobbit fits into the category of novels from the twentieth century as it was published in 1937 (Tolkien 1997) and in the course of the lesson will be understanding, interpreting and giving their own opinion on the text.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Lesson plan
2.1 Structure of the lesson
2.2 Warm-up
2.3 Lead-in
2.4 Reading comprehension
2.5 Post-reading
2.6 Homework
2.7 Subsequent lessons
3 Evaluation
4 Appendix
4.1 Lesson grid
4.2 Worksheet
5 Bibliography
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This paper outlines a 45-minute English lesson for 14- to 17-year-old grammar school students centered on the first two chapters of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit. The primary objective is to improve students' reading comprehension and critical reflection skills, while also fostering oral and written production through creative tasks.
- Application of the pre-while-post-reading methodology.
- Development of character analysis and empathy through creative role-playing.
- Enhancement of communicative and collaborative skills via partner work.
- Exploration of perspective-taking in literary texts.
- Encouragement of creative writing through alternative viewpoints.
Excerpt from the Book
2.4 Reading comprehension
The next phase of the lesson is concerned with reading comprehension. The teacher will hand out sheets with questions on the first two chapters of The Hobbit. Each sheet is divided into two parts. The first part consists of comprehension questions, whereas the second part contains questions for the pupils to reflect on. The teacher will first tell the class to answer the comprehension questions individually. The time frame for this individual work is six minutes. The idea of the questions is to ensure that the pupils have understood the important plot points. After answering the comprehension questions, the pupils should be able to summarise the first two chapters of The Hobbit. This is important for the further lessons on The Hobbit, as the rest of the plot will build on the first two chapters of the novel. It is also an opportunity for the pupils to practise finding information in a text and reproducing the important aspects in their own words. This should already have been practised in earlier years, but it is important to repeatedly give the pupils reading comprehensions in order to refresh this skill. The last task in part one of the worksheet is to create a character profile of Bilbo Baggins. Here the pupils can comment on his appearance and his character. This character profile can be added to during the course of the remaining lessons on The Hobbit.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the educational context, target audience, and justification for using The Hobbit as a teaching medium for secondary students.
2 Lesson plan: This section details the pedagogical structure based on the pre-while-post-reading model, including specific phases like warm-up, lead-in, and creative exercises.
3 Evaluation: This chapter provides a self-reflection on the lesson's success in meeting its learning objectives and addresses potential criticisms regarding timing and task maturity.
4 Appendix: This section provides practical teaching aids, specifically the lesson grid and the student worksheet used during the lesson.
5 Bibliography: This section lists the academic sources, curricula, and media used to develop the lesson plan.
Keywords
The Hobbit, Reading Comprehension, Lesson Plan, Grammar School, J.R.R. Tolkien, Pre-While-Post-Model, Creative Writing, Character Profile, Literary Analysis, Role Play, English Syllabus, Secondary Education, Teaching Methodology, Student Motivation, Perspective-taking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this document?
The document presents a comprehensive lesson plan designed for a 10th-grade English class, focusing on the first two chapters of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.
What are the primary themes addressed in this lesson?
The themes include literary comprehension, the practice of creative writing, character development, and the ability to view narrative events from different perspectives.
What is the main goal for the students?
Students should be able to summarize the first two chapters of the novel, reflect on the protagonist's journey, and apply creative writing skills through role-playing.
Which teaching methodology is employed?
The lesson follows the structured pre-while-post-reading model, which is highly recommended for effectively guiding students through literary texts.
What happens during the main body of the lesson?
The main body consists of individual comprehension tasks, pair work involving reflective questions, and a creative group task based on a short clip from the film adaptation.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include The Hobbit, Reading Comprehension, Lesson Plan, Creative Writing, and Literary Analysis.
Why was The Hobbit selected for this age group?
The book was chosen because it features accessible vocabulary for 14- to 17-year-olds, an engaging fictional world, and aligns with syllabus requirements for 10th-grade English.
How does the teacher handle the "childishness" of the role-play task?
The author acknowledges that while students might initially find acting out trolls "silly," it serves as a valuable tool for kinetic learning and encourages creative engagement with the text.
- Quote paper
- Teresa Schenk (Author), 2017, Understanding and Interpreting Texts. "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien (Englisch 10. Klasse Realschule), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/367658
