(click on the castle to return to the home page)

Developmental Writing - Lesson Plan 2

Teaching Levels for the Harry Potter Series

Additional Resources

Elementary School

Middle School

High School

College

-Developmental Writing

--Lesson Plan 1

--Lesson Plan 2

--Suggested Quiz Questions

--Final Exam

-Freshman Composition

-Sophomore Literature

-Arthurian Legends

-Mythological Connections

Graduate

This is my original lesson plan as created in the Teaching Literature class. These assignments and activities are arranged to fill a 3 hour per week class for the entire 16 weeks of the semester. In this case, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone would be the primary text used.

 

English 0800 – Developmental Writing – Lesson Plan

 

Required Texts

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.  New York : Scholastic Press, 1997.  (any edition will be accepted, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone).

 

We will be reading and discussing various other resources from the Internet throughout the semester.

 

Other Materials Needed

Copies of articles, fan fiction and essays needed for class

Folder to keep journal entries together

 

Course Description/Objectives

The purpose for this course is to evaluate and improve students’ writing skills in order to ensure that they are prepared for other college courses, specifically Freshman Composition.  Our goal will be to cover enough variety of writing assignments to offer an inclusive overview and develop both mechanical and critical thinking skills in relation to writing.

 

Other Notes (disclaimer)

Students should be aware that the class will focus heavily on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and additional materials may include controversial topics and sexual themes due to the nature of fan fiction.

 

Scheduled Homework Assignments

Students must submit all assignments to receive credit for the course.

 

-         Journal Entries 25% – There will be a minimum of 10 journal entries assigned throughout the semester.  These journals will be a variety of reader response, reflection on class work and discussion, creative writing exercises.  Journal entries will be reviewed as assigned in the hopes that feedback will allow for improvement in basic mechanics of writing.

-         Final Essay with Research 25% - There will be a final essay during the last seven weeks of class.  The coursework on this essay will include a statement of intent, an outline and three drafts.  Each of these five items must be turned in or students will not receive a grade for this essay.  This essay is expected to include sources other than the book, but all research should come from the sources presented in class.  If there are any students who want to use an outside source, they should receive specific permission from the instructor and provide copies of that research.  The stages of development will be weighted as follows: statement of intent – 10pts, outline – 15 pts, first draft – 15 pts, second draft – 20pts, final draft – 40pts.

-         Other Class Assignments 25% - At least four other class assignments will be given, all equally weighted.  These assignments include a critical article with revision, a formal letter with revision, a revising/proofreading exercise and a group work assignment.

-         Final Exam 15% - The final exam will include sentences for correction to test for mechanic skills and short answer requiring a two to three paragraph response to test for content and structure.

-         Class Participation 10% - Due to the building pattern of assignments and frequent writing work and revision, the students’ success will rely on steady attendance and participation.  There will be a number of group discussions and in class assignments.  If students are not present, these things will not be able to be made up.

 

English 0800 Course Objectives Mandated by TBR

  1. Given a broad topic derived from reading or class discussion, students will be able to narrow the topic appropriately for a 5-paragraph paper.

  2. Following instruction in the main or controlling idea, students will be able to construct a thesis statement for a topic around which to develop a 5-paragraph paper.

  3. Following instruction in patterns of ideas and classification of ideas into categories, students will be able to divide a topic into parts appropriate for paragraph development.

  4. Following instruction in organization and methods of development, students will be able to plan and write a coherent 5-paragraph paper with introduction, body and conclusion.

  5. Given a writing assignment, students will be able to vary style for different audiences and purposes.

  6. Given corrected papers, students will be able to revise compositions.

  7. Using advice given early in the semester on corrected papers, students will be able to write using Standard English sentences with corrected sentence structure, verb forms, word choices, punctuation, capitalization, possessives, plural forms, spelling and other matters of mechanics.

  8. Given a research topic, students will practice acceptable research writing.

 

Schedule

 

Week #, Date & Notes

In-Class

Homework & Reading (for next class period)

1

Aug. 30-Sept. 3

9/3 – last day to add a class

1.       Review syllabus, pass out “What is Writing?” from Surviving Freshman Composition and discuss in class.  Explain journaling assignment.

2.       Watch chapters 1 & 2 of Harry Potter DVD.  Discuss journaling assignment and student reactions.  Share journals in small groups and discuss readings.

1.       Read Ch. 1-2 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.  Write a “learning journal” on the reading.

2.       Write two – three paragraphs about your first impressions on the book and about what you plan to get out of this class.

2

Sept. 6-10

9/6 – Labor Day holiday

 

 

 

   

1.       Discuss Harry’s feelings, isolation, etc.  Harry’s POV – who might the letters be from?  Why are there so many?  How does the writer know about his cupboard?  Imagine you’ve just been told something that you never knew about yourself.  Write about how you would feel and what you would do.

2.       Watch Ch. 3-4 of Harry Potter DVD.

3.       Discuss article and modeling assignment.

1.       Read Ch. 3-4 of Harry Potter. 

2.       Read article (insert title here) on Harry Potter

3.       Write a critical article 200-300 words about Harry Potter (use article distributed in class as modeling example) – these will be evaluated for basic grammar, sentence structure, etc.

3

Sept. 13-17

9/12-14 – last day to drop w/o record

1.       Review articles from last week in peer groups.  Offer constructive criticism on mechanics and structure.

2.       Watch Ch. 5-8 of Harry Potter DVD.

3.       Discuss Harry’s reactions to Diagon Alley.

1.       Read Ch. 5 of Harry Potter.

2.       Edit critical article based on peer suggestions and turn in.

3.       Create a world that would be as alien to you as Diagon Alley was to Harry.  Write a thorough description of one aspect of that world (1-2 pages).

4

Sept. 20-24

1.       Discussion of the book to date, check that everyone understands, etc.

2.       Watch Ch. 9-13 of Harry Potter DVD.

3.       Discussion of ch. 6-7, Harry’s fears, new friends, etc. and relate to college experience (Customs, Greek Rush Week, new environment, etc.)

1.       Read Ch. 6-7 of Harry Potter.

2.       Directed journal – free writing assignment based on class discussion and comparison of Harry’s new world to entering world of college.

3.       Introduce fan fiction, distribute badly written story to be proofread for spelling, mis-used words, poor punctuation, grammar, sentence structure

5

Sept. 27-Oct. 1

1.       Discuss new chapters, Snape, McGonagall, Malfoy, flying, forbidden third floor

2.       Watch Ch. 14-16 of Harry Potter DVD.

3.       Explain and discuss fan fiction, what it is, where to find it, who writes it, etc.

4.       Write a formal letter to Headmaster Dumbledore from Minerva McGonagall.  She must get permission to allow Harry to be on the Quidditch team and to have his own broom.

1.       Read Ch. 8-9 of Harry Potter.

2.       Read “The Lecture” fanfic

3.       Write personal response to “The Lecture” fanfic, address the following: Does the style match? Does Snape seem to be in-character?  What is your personal reaction to this?

 

6

Oct. 4-8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

1.       Watch Ch. 17-20 (to beginning of snow) of Harry Potter DVD.

2.       Separate into groups and discuss the chapters.

3.       As a group, write a list of technical instructions (for a game, a process, a physical exercise, etc.)

4.       Swap instructions among groups and try to follow another group’s work.  Are the instructions clear and concise?  Are all the necessary steps included? Are they easy to follow and understand?

5.       Discuss book to this point, check for understanding.

1.       Read Ch. 10-11 of Harry Potter.

2.       Read segments from Quidditch Through the Ages.

3.       Write a paragraph or two on your reaction to the group work.  What did you like about it? Dislike about it? What would you like to do differently next time?

4.       Revise letters from last week as needed.

7

Oct. 11-15

10/11 – last day to drop with a “W”

10/15 – mid-term

1.       Watch Ch. 20-24 of Harry Potter DVD.

2.       Discuss the Mirror of Erised and the implications of Harry’s, Ron’s and Dumbledore’s visions there.

3.       Discuss Knight to King.

4.       Begin small group discussions on final paper ideas.

1.       Read Ch. 12-14 of Harry Potter.

2.       Write about your own deepest desire.  Give a detailed description of what you would find if you were to look into the Mirror of Erised.

3.       Read Knight to King essay, prepare to offer opinions of this theory in class.

8

Oct. 18-22

10/18-19 – Fall Break, no class

1.       Watch Ch. 25-26 of Harry Potter DVD.

2.       Revise Erised papers as necessary to improve writing skills.

3.       Discuss Draco Dormiens fic, how Slytherin Harry would change the course of events, what other Alternate History premises can you think of?

1.       Read Ch. 15 of Harry Potter.

2.       Read Draco Dormiens Chapter 1

3.       Write 1-2 paragraphs about what might happen in Draco Dormiens or any Alternate Universe fic in which Harry is placed in Slytherin.

4.       Write a brief statement of intent for your final essay on Harry Potter.

9

Oct. 25-29

 

1.       Watch Ch. 27-29 of Harry Potter DVD.

2.       Logic puzzles, trivia games, etc. set up as obstacle course like Harry went through.

1.       Read Ch. 16 of Harry Potter.

2.       Write about your experience in the trivia games and logic puzzles.

3.       Bring in an outline for final essay.

10

Nov. 1-5

1.       Watch Ch. 30-35 of Harry Potter DVD. (includes credits)

2.       Final discussion on total book

3.       Group discussions for essay; suggestions, peer critique, mechanic and content assistance from peers, etc.

1.       Read Ch. 17 of Harry Potter.

2.       Bring rough draft for peer critique.

11

Nov. 8-12

11/11 – Veteran’s Day, no class

1.       Group discussions for essay, suggestions, peer assistance, etc.

1.       Revise essay after peer critique

2.       Turn in complete first draft with peer notes and

12

Nov. 15-19

1.       Turn in full rough draft of essay

2.       TBA

1.       Begin essay re-writes according to teacher and peer notes.

13

Nov. 22-26

1.       TBA

1.       TBA

14

Nov. 29-Dec. 3

1.       TBA

1.       Final copy of essay due

15

Dec. 6-10

12/8 – last day of classes

1.       Review for exams as needed, question and answer session

16

Dec. 13-16

Final Exams (12/10-16)

1.       Final Exam

 

 

 

Contact me here

Don't worry - these lesson plans will not turn you into Severus Snape.