9th Grade

English Language Arts

Fahrenheit 451  

Title : Fahrenheit 451  

Author : Christine Vaccaro, Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy, NYC

Subject Area/ Grade: 9th Grade

Students will engage in an interactive multi-modal character analysis of Fahrenheit 451.  Students will analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with  other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.  

Goals

An Interactive, Multi-modal Character Analysis of Fahrenheit 451

Content Area and Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Activity

Analysis of the 4 Main Characters of Fahrenheit 451: Montag, Beatty, Mildred and Clarisse
1. Students will be put into one of 4 groups, each group representing a different character.
2. The first activity to “get to know” their character would be to do the One Word Protocol. (https://medium.com/@WickedDecent/what-one-word-can-do-a-pathway-to-critical-creativity-in-any-classroom-a38d8eb326fb)
3. Students will then share with their group, and begin discussing the fundamental elements of each character. As a class, we will view Hector Elizando’s videos, discussing how he embodies the character of Cyrano.
4. They will be asked to create some free-style notes using art, words, doodles etc. as if they were the character journaling.
5. Students will then be mixed into heterogeneous groupings – each group containing one of the 4 characters.
6. Students will be given some guidance on fundamentals of improv, and given a period of time to practice with one another in character. (ttps://www.kqed.org/mindshift/39108/how-improv-can-open-up-the-mind-to-learning-in-the-classroom-and-beyond)
7. For a final assessment, each group will be given a problem to solve (i.e. a brain challenge – something accessible but meaty enough to make them think)
8. They will be asked to solve this together, as a group, but in character. Their actions and words will demonstrate how deeply they were able to analyze this character.

Joy2Learn Artists /Videos that Support Project

Hector Elizando, http://www.joy2learn.org/theater/cyrano-de-bergerac/intro/

Art Forms that May Be Included

Art, Improv, Free Doodling

Connections to Students Passion Areas and Interests

Students for whom art and performance are interests will find opportunities to explore both in this assignment.

Materials Needed

Paper, markers, student notebooks

Assessment

Completed group solution.

Timeline

3-4  class periods