Course Description:
    This 6-week unit is designed for an 11th grade American literature class that has been reading and writing about a wide variety of American literature during the year.  The goals of this unit are centered around improving the students' comprehension and writing abilities.  Through many different types of writing, the students will be able to explore and better understand the Nathaniel Hawthorne classic, The Scarlet Letter.  For teachers seeking resources for teaching The Scarlet Letter, the Teacher's Guide is a great place to start.  Several of the main goals of this unit for the students are as follows:  1.) to improve their reading comprehension through a variety of group and  individual activities;  2.)  to have the opportunity to work with the Internet and feel confident about researching and learning with the Web;  3.)  to gain a better understanding of the writing process through journal writing, group work, drafts, and peer editing; 4.)  to be able to work through the steps necessary to write a well-developed literary analysis.
 

Goals and Purposes:
    For the next six weeks, we will be reading one of the greatest American novels, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  One of the main goals of this unit is to learn to feel comfortable writing about literature.  We will be doing various assignments intended to improve your comprehension, research, and writing skills.  Some of the assignments are designed to be done with the use of the Internet.  Another important goal of this course outline is to enable you to become familiar with using the Internet and the vast amount of knowledge available to you via the Web.
    Because of the level and nature of this style of writing, it is important that we examine, read, and write individually as well as in groups.  The Scarlet Letter is difficult reading, and being able to understand and interpret what the author is trying to express is absolutely necessary to be able to write coherent essays about it.  It is for this reason that the unit is sprinkled with an array of group activities and individual  assignments.  When you do not understand something, either in the reading or with an assignment, chances are you are not the only one.  The group setting allows you all to participate and equally contribute to the whole class without feeling like your question might not be worth asking.  Use your time in groups to better your understanding of the novel and its themes.  I expect everyone to participate fully in group discussions; I also expect your individual work to reflect quality thought and time put into studying and understanding as you read.
    Toward the end of this unit, we will be preparing a major paper that should bring together this six-week study of The Scarlet Letter.  You will develop this final paper (a 5-7 page thematic analysis) through a series of steps, as the writing process is always a process that grows and changes as it matures.  Try to imagine your writing as a garden.  You start with many different small seeds of ideas and then water them all to see which ones will grow.  As some seem to be more promising than others, you can select which ideas you will want to pursue and nurture.  The first harvest from the garden is like your first draft of a paper.  After the harvest, it is necessary to weed out the unnecessary ideas and focus the paper so that you have only what you want in it.  The final drafts and proofreading are similar to when you wash off the vegetables from the garden and arrange them on a plate to eat.  One of the goals of this unit is that we will all be pleased with the harvest we reap in our writing.
 
 

 
Individual Comprehension:
 

•  Reading Journals:  As you read, write down questions/comments in your journal about things you don't understand or that interest you.  Your journal should be used to help you keep track of your ideas and questions so you can bring them up during class discussions.

           Journal assignment 2:  (In class) Spend 15 minutes re-reading the scaffold scene from the chapter entitled "The Recognition" (Ch. 3). After 15 minutes are up, take a moment to brainstorm on paper the impact and importance placed on this form of punishment in Massachusetts in the mid-1800s. How was the scaffold/humiliation used as punishment during this time period? Do we have any comparable types of punishment today? Remember that the usual punishment for adultery in Puritan New England was death. Do you think Hester Prynne’s "sentence" is fair?  Does she deserve it?  Thinking about what you have just read in chapter 3 of The Scarlet Letter, write a paragraph about your opinion of Hester’s punishment and whether or not it fits the crime.  We will discuss your paragraphs in class next time.

           Journal assignment 3:  Persona: Write a letter from Hester to her husband describing your feelings on the night you were taken back to jail after your "scaffold punishment".

           Journal assignment 4:  Write a descriptive journal entry giving a portrait of one of the main characters in the novel.

           Journal assignment 5:  Persona: Write a letter from Rev. Dimmesdale confessing your internal struggle to your Doctor (Hester’s husband).

Research & Web Discovery:
 Note:  If you are new to using the Internet, you may want to start by looking at Information about Internet Research.
 

• Vocabulary Lists:  I have divided up the text and each of you has been assigned certain pages from the novel to make a vocabulary list from. Read your assigned pages carefully and make a list of difficult vocabulary words (12-15). Then look up their definitions using an online dictionary, and give the sentences/page numbers where they appear in the book. These vocabulary lists will be copied for everyone, so write neatly.

• Hawthorne Biographical Research:  In order to better understand this novel, it is important for us to know about the author and his life.  What kind of man was Nathaniel Hawthorne?   Where did he live?  Was he married?  What were the most significant events of his life and writing career?  What else has he written?  Use these questions to get you started and do some individual research on the Internet to find background information about Nathaniel Hawthorne.  You may want to start by using some Search Engines.  I have also provided some Hawthorne Web Page Links to help you.

• Researching the History of the Period:  Search for historical information about the time period/setting of The Scarlet Letter and make a list of web sites/URLs that have information pertaining to the book.

Here are some questions to get you thinking: 
--What social rules or standards were there in Puritan New England during this time period?  How do these differ from today's social standards?
--Was this sort of punishment (scaffold humiliation and shunning because of adultery) common in Puritan New England during this time period?
--Are the social roles of pastors, women, mayors, etc. as they are portrayed in The Scarlet Letter accurate for this time period? 

• Web Discussion Groups: One advantage of the Internet is that it enables us to communicate and connect with people from all over the world.  One way of doing so is by using "discussion groups".  These forums are like a bulletin-board space for the exchange of messages.  We will be participating in a discussion group about Hawthorne.  Each week you should post a response or question to the Hawthorne Discussion Forum.  This discussion list can be helpful in giving you a place to express your ideas, ask questions, and talk with other students who are reading The Scarlet Letter.  You can turn in a hard copy of your postings any time during the week, but I will only accept them until the Monday of the following week.   At the end of the unit, I should have at least four postings from you, but you can turn in a maximum of 2 extra postings for extra credit.

Group Activities:
 

• Hawthorne Interview:  Find a partner in the class and imagine that one of you is Hawthorne and the other is a late-nite comedy host like Letterman.  Using the biographical information about Hawthorne you found researching on the Internet, write out a script of a question/response interview with Nathaniel Hawthorne and be prepared to "act it out" in class.  Here is an example of how your interview might begin:

      Host:  "So, Mr. Hawthorne, tell us a little about your childhood.  Where were you born?"
      Hawthorne:  "Well, it all started one 4th of July back in 1804 when I was born in Salem, Massachusetts...(etc.)"
 

• Group Brainstorming:  Get in your groups and spend 10 minutes brainstorming on paper about the importance of guilt and how it affects different characters in The Scarlet Letter.  Discuss the power and importance of guilt and confession and how Hawthorne develops/uses these themes in the novel. What might Hawthorne be saying about guilt and how it influences the human experience? Write a thesis statement based on the related themes of guilt and confession. (Hint: Think about the power to control/torture and to liberate/free that guilt and confession have).

• Group Drama/Theme Scenes:  Choose a theme from the novel your group would like to teach the rest of the class about. Then as a group, decide on an important scene from the novel that you would like to act out in your groups that shows how Hawthorne expresses your theme. Here are some examples of scenes you might choose (but feel free to pick others not listed here):

                                        The jail scene when Hester’s husband comes to see her

                                        The scene when Hester’s daughter meets Dimmesdale

             Some of the major themes you may want to consider are:  alienation, appearance vs. reality, breaking social codes, and the power of guilt and confession on the human condition.
 

• Group Thesis Writing:  Symbolism plays a large role in The Scarlet Letter.  Spend 15 minutes brainstorming on your own and make a list of all the important symbols you can think of and their significations.  Here are some examples:  Hester's "A", Pearl's clothing, the meteor, black/red color symbols, the forest, etc.  Then get in your groups and discuss your individual lists of symbols. As a group, create a list of at least 5 possible thesis statements based on the symbolisms you have found.  Each group should turn in its list at the end of class.

Developing Our Writing:

• Planning an Outline:  In your groups, think about what we've discussed concerning the themes, characters, setting, symbols of The Scarlet Letter and brainstorm ideas about how these might be organized to write a persuasive essay.  Discuss how your ideas could fit into an outline with a thesis statement and internal body paragraphs that have strong topic sentences and supporting details from the novel which support and relate back to the main point or thesis.  Be sure each person gets a chance to share and get feedback on his or her ideas.  For homework, decide what theme or symbol you will want to write about and make an outline for your paper.  These outlines will be due tomorrow, as you will have individual conferences with me to discuss your plan for your paper.

• Individual Writing Conferences:  While we are having our "outline conferences", those of you waiting to see me should work on  a design for a cover sheet/title page for your paper.  These cover sheets should contain your name, the title and author, and the date.  Other than that, you are free to be creative with it. :)  After you have met with me, you should begin working on your rough draft of the paper.

• Peer Editing:  In your "writing workshop" groups of 3-4, exchange rough drafts and give written feedback about how they could be improved.  Pass the drafts around until everyone in the group has seen everyone else's.  Each of you should use a different color pen as you make comments on the papers and sign at the end of the drafts as the readers (if you need extra pens, ask me).  Turn in the drafts to me after you all have a chance to read your peers' comments.  I will return your papers tomorrow with my comments and suggestions for improvements.

• Draft Revision:  Rewrite/revise your papers and turn in your second draft and a rough draft design of your cover sheet to me.  This draft should be typed and double spaced.

• Final Revision Due:  Make final corrections to your 2nd draft and finish your cover page to turn in to me.

• I hope all of you enjoyed this writing and learning experience.  For those of you especially motivated by this unit, you can receive extra credit by entering a persuasive essay for submission in the Scarlet Letter Essay Contest.  More information about this special contest will be given at a later date. Good Luck!

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For Teachers:
The following is a sample lesson plan of how this course outline might be organized and executed in a 6-week time frame.  This plan is meant to be flexible for you so you can adjust it as appropriate for your students.  This lesson plan assumes that you will meet once a day five times a week for hour-long classes.  The assignments listed in italics refer to the assignments described in detail above.

Week 1:

Introduction to the novel and overview of the unit:  Explain Web Discussion Groups, Vocabulary list assignments, and Reading Journals (All of these are not to be accomplished in the first week, but they will be a continuous part of the unit during all 5 weeks).  One way of spacing out the Vocabulary list assignments is to have a syllabus of due dates for the students with their assigned pages.  That way, you can get the vocabulary list for the upcoming chapters from the students in advance to make copies for the other students.  I would suggest having the students start reading the novel before the unit begins to give them a head start, since The Scarlet Letter is rather difficult reading.  Class time may also be allotted for Internet work.

Assignments:
Journal Assignment 1
Vocabulary lists due for first 3-5 chapters
1st posting to the Hawthorne Discussion Forum
Hawthorne Biographical Research on the Internet
In Class:  Class discussions about the first few chapters of the book, Hawthorne's style and the writing of the period.
Reading aloud in class to aid in comprehension.
An "Internet exploration day" might be necessary at the beginning if your students are not used to working with the Web.
 

Week 2:

Assignments:
Journal assignment 2
Journal assignment 3
Vocabulary lists due for the next few chapters
2nd posting to the Hawthorne Discussion Forum
Researching the History of the Period
Hawthorne Interviews
In Class:  Class discussions about the progression of the story, character development, and possible foreshadowing.  Discuss Hawthorne's biography (and it's influence on his writing) and the setting of the novel (review the 1st week's assignments).  Give the students time in class to prepare the Hawthorne Interviews.
Discuss the social standards and methods of punishment in Puritan New England during the time period of the book.

Week 3:

Assignments:
Journal assignment 4
Vocabulary lists due for the remaining chapters
Hawthorne Interviews (performed in class)
3rd posting to the Hawthorne Discussion Forum
Group Brainstorming (guilt/confession)
In Class:  Class discussion about the progression in the story, character change, central themes of the novel, and Hawthorne's mastery of writing.  Discuss what makes a good thesis statement and review the important elements of writing a persuasive essay.

Week 4:

Assignments:
Journal assignment 5
4th posting to the Hawthorne Discussion Forum
Group Drama/Theme Scenes (class time for the students to work in their groups)
Group Thesis Writing (Symbolism)
Planning an Outline
In Class:  Discuss the importance of symbolism in the novel.  Class discussion about the book's ending.  Help the students as they choose and plan their dramatic presentations to be presented the following week.
 

Week 5:

Assignments:
Perform Drama Scenes (Homework assignment:  summary)
Individual Writing Conferences
First Draft Writing
In Class:  Watch the Drama Scenes and allow plenty of time for the Individual Writing Conferences.  While the students are waiting to see you, it might be helpful to give the assigned reading for the next unit/novel to keep the students occupied.  This week should be focused on the writing process and how to develop the final paper.
 

Week 6:

Assignments:
Peer Editing
Draft Revision
Final Revision
In Class:  This week can begin a new unit or serve to tie up any loose ends with The Scarlet Letter.  Time in class going over these final revisions after they have been handed in is usually beneficial to the students in helping them improve their writing.
 
 
 
 
 

Nancy Boggess
English 31   Fall 97
Course Outline Assignment