Integrating Technology: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Introduction Lesson Plan

Danielle Luongo

8^th Grade English

Lesson Plan

Adapted from the Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Signet Classics teacher’s edition (translated by Burton Raffel).

“Big Idea”: Understanding the historical context of literature and the role history plays in epic poems of different cultures. In this case, students will focus specifically on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Exploring Historical Context: Introduction to Culture in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Common Core Standards:

•      CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.6: Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and idea efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
•      CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.5: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

NETS Standards:

•     1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

                 b. Create original works as a means of . . . group expression

•     2. Communication and collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

a.  Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a

variety of digital environments and media

b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats

                          d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works

Lesson Objectives:

   Students will be able to:

• Recall prior knowledge of the Middle Ages & Arthurian Legend
• Locate information regarding an assigned Medieval cultural element through online research
• Create a Digital Story that demonstrates new knowledge of the Middle Ages
• Connect & apply new knowledge to Part I of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Materials:

• Deck of cards, split so the class ends up in at least 6 groups of 2-3
• Copies of KWL Chart - enough for each student to have one
• Copies of Assignment Sheet and Rubric - copy together (assignment sheet on the front, rubric on the back); enough for each student to have one
• Copies of Notes Sheet - double sided; enough for each student to have one
• Laptops enabled with internet access - enough for each group to have at least one
• Projector or Smartboard
• Student access to reliable primary and secondary sources (for example, create a teacher compiled PortaPortal for this purpose. Here is mine!)
• Students must have prior knowledge on how to avoid plagiarism and cite sources, as well as conduct an advanced Google image search for images that are free to use, share, and modify.
• Copies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated by Burton Raffel

Anticipatory Set: 10-15 Minutes

Upon entering the room, students will be given a card from a deck of cards. This is how they will find their group (2-3 in each group, at least 6 groups total): by matching card number/face. For example, all students who end up with a Jack will be in a group together. Once settled into groups, each student will receive a KWL chart. As a group, they will discuss what they already know about the Middle Ages and what they want to know about the Middle Ages, filling out their chart as they go.

After 3-5 minutes, focus students’ attention back to the front of the classroom. Create a GoogleDoc spreadsheet, and as students call out answers, type them into the spreadsheet. Accept everything, even repetitions. After collecting the responses, paste the contents of the spreadsheet into a word cloud program such as Wordle. This will allow students to see the words/ideas that repeated the most, as well as connect to the closing activity.

Here is an example of a Wordle that I created, which is what you might be able to expect from students.

Procedure: This activity should span the course of 3 class periods, with presentations on the last day.

After reviewing the Wordle, show students an example Animoto, then pass out the assignment sheet. Review each component of the assignment sheet, then ask if students have any questions. Students should already have familiarity with the Animoto interface.

Once all questions have been answered, assign each group a different cultural element of the following six:

1. The Code of Chivalry
2. Knights
3. Religion
4. Hunting
5. Food
6. Feudalism

If there are more than six groups, it's fine to repeat topics.

Pass out at least one laptop to each group. Students should begin by gathering research based on the links on Ms. Luongo's PortaPortal, as well as conducting their own supplementary research. Circulate the room frequently, offering help to groups and making sure they stay on task. Give them time warnings based on how much time is left in class. By the end of class, each group should have most, if not all, of their research completed. Remind them of this at least once.

Day 2

Students should begin working immediately. They should use the entire class period to work on finishing their research and creating their Animoto digital story. Once 10 minutes have elapsed in the period, make sure all groups have moved on to the digital story aspect of the project. As with the previous day, circulate the room frequently, offer help where needed, and give an occasional time warning.

At the end of class, assess whether or not more class time will be needed to finish digital stories. If so, adjust Day 3 to allow for more time.

Day 3

At the beginning of class, have students all save the link to their Animoto digital story to a shared GoogleDoc. After every group has done so, collect the laptops and pass out the notes sheet and go over expectations for the presentations. Students who are not presenting are required to take notes based on the presentation. These will be their notes on Medieval culture for the unit. Answer any student questions at this time.

Begin presentations. After each digital story is shown, students can ask the group questions or give positive comments. This should take about 5 minutes per group. While groups are presenting, fill out the rubric for each group. If anything is missed, go back to the GoogleDoc and re-review the digital stories after class.

Once all presentations are completed, go back and address any other questions students might have. This is also a great place to clear up any misinformation from presenters, and check to make sure students were taking notes. Any students who failed to take notes during the presentations should be penalized independently of their group.

Closure:

To reflect, students will fill out the final column on the KWL sheet, “What I have learned”, independently. Once students have silently reflected, repeat the same Wordle activity from the anticipatory set, but with the “L” column, and compare the two. This will show students how their perceptions have changed since the beginning of the unit.

For homework, assign Part I of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Remind students to connect the readings to the cultural aspects they studied through this activity.

Assessments:

Students will be assessed as a group on their Animoto digital stories, based on the rubric.

In future classes, students will also be assessed on their ability to connect the cultural elements they learned through this assessment to the readings. These assessments will range from graded in-text annotations, class discussions, quizzes, and tests.

Below, see a "student" example of the digital story assignment that I created:




Modifications/Accommodations:

Specific modifications and accommodations will vary based on student IEPs / 504s.