This is a unit plan I created for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. The plan is aimed for high school students, specifically 9th grade, but can be adapted for any secondary level. The Unit Plan includes a background/introduction to the topic and three main themes:
Alienation- Appearance vs. Reality
- Breaking Society’s Rules
To see the lesson plans, click on the blue-text links.
Unit 1 Idea:
High School, Ninth Grade
The Scarlet Letter
Anticipatory Set: July 4 (Independence Day, Hawthorne’s birthday)
Instruction: PowerPoint:
Background of The Scarlet Letter
- background of Nathaniel Hawthorne
- background of time period in which book was written
- Romantic Period
- Puritans
- Activity: Hawthorne/Puritan WebQuest
Questions:
- Why is it important that we study the context of The Scarlet Letter?
- Why is it important that we understand the Puritan religion and culture?
- What makes the Puritan beliefs so different than present-day beliefs?
- Why do we study literature from other time periods?
- Why do we study different religions?
Lesson 2: Pre-Reading/Introduction
Anticipatory Set: Free-Write
- What have you heard about The Scarlet Letter?
- What does the word ‘scarlet’ bring to mind?
- What is adultery?
- Small Group (3-4 members): Share answers with peers
- Whole Group: Discuss answers as a class
Questions:
- How would Hester be treated in today’s society?
- How does that differ from how she was treated in the novel?
Lesson 3: Introduction to the Themes of The Scarlet Letter
Instruction: Chalkboard/Whiteboard/Smartboard
The Themes of The Scarlet Letter
- Alienation
- Activity: “Ostracized” vs. “Community Member” labels
- Class Discussion: What happened in the game? How did certain students feel? What does it mean to be alienated?
- Independent Practice: Journal about a time when you were left out.
Questions:
- What labels still exist in more recent history, in present day?
- How does Hester Prynne’s life compare to a minority group?
Anticipatory Set: Free-Write
- Write about a time when someone was different than how she/he seemed
Instruction: Theme – Appearance vs. Reality
- Small Group (3-4 members)
- discuss characters that weren’t how they seemed
- textual examples of characters
- present information to class
- Whole Group: Discuss evidence as a class
Questions:
- What does it mean to ‘not judge a book by it’s cover’?
- How does this relate to The Scarlet Letter?
Lesson 5: Theme – Breaking Society’s Rules
- good vs. bad
- historical examples: Boston Tea Party, Rosa Parks
Questions:
- Is breaking the rules always a bad thing?
- What are some historical examples of breaking the rules?
- Do you believe that it is okay to break the rules sometimes? Why or why not?
The following are future lessons that I plan to use in this unit:
Lesson 6: Language
- vocabulary list
- Puritan speech
Lesson 7: Characters
- character journals
- quotes in character’s perspective
- character dress-up day; speak quotes of dialogue
Lesson 8: Mood
Lesson 9: Symbolism
Lesson 10: Irony