Lesson Plan

Subject/course: 10th Grade Lit/Comp Topic: Archetypes in Literature

Teacher: K. Knighton Date:

GPS Addressed: ELA10RL2 The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of
theme in literary works and provides evidence from the works to support
understanding.
e. Compares and contrasts the presentation of a theme or topic across
genres and explains how the selection of genre affects the delivery of
universal ideas about life and society.
i. Archetypal Characters (i.e., hero, good mother, sage, trickster, etc.)
ii. Archetypal Patterns (i.e., journey of initiation, search for the father, etc.)
iii. Archetypal Symbols (i.e., colors, water, light/dark, etc.)
iv. Universal Connections (i.e., making choices, winning/losing,
relationships, self and other, etc.)

Enduring Archetypes survive because they portray characters, conflicts, and events
Understandings: that are timeless.
Archetypes help the reader understand the theme of the work.
Archetypes help the reader make connections among various works of
literature.
Archetypes help the reader become conscious of an author’s style.

Essential Questions: What is an archetype?

What are some common archetypes found throughout literature?
How can characterization affect the plot of a literary work?
How are archetypal characters a reflection of human nature?
Why have archetypal patterns been prevalent in literature throughout
history?

Classroom Design
Materials: Archetypal Bingo form
clips of archetypes found in movies
Archetypes in Literature presentation (taken from
http://www.vschousboe.com/classes/englishIV/pdfs/Archetypes%20in
%20Literature.pdf
Select children’s books or books of fairy tales
the Fairy-Tale Re-do Assignment Sheet
the Fairy Tale Re-do Rubric
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
Supplemental web sites about archetypes (e.g “Archetypes in literature,
films and life” -
http://www.essortment.com/all/archetypesinli_rfnd.htm
“Archetypes and Motifs in Literature and Cinema”
http://www.masconomet.org/teachers/trevenen/litcin.html.

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Activity Period Day 1
1) The teacher will show students several copies of books (books
with vampires as characters). The teacher will ask students what
they think the books have in common. (Any books with the same
central archetype will work here. I chose vampire books mainly
because of the popularity of the Twilight series and because I
happen to own several other vampire books. ) The teacher will
write the word “vampire” on the board and ask the students to
share ideas about characteristics common to vampires in books,
movies, and TV shows. The teacher will create a web of these
ideas and explain that the common elements that recur create an
archetype. The teacher will write on the board all the types of
archetypes listed on the Georgia Performance Standard, and the
teacher will discuss these with the students.
2) Students will then receive the Archetypal Bingo sheet and work
independently to jot down examples in each box as possible
examples of each archetype from literature, children’s books,
movies, TV shows, etc. (about 5 minutes). After writing down as
many examples as possible, students will go around the room and
share/get new examples. When sharing, students must explain their
example and listen to the other student’s explanation, not just write
down the example. They should work together to fill in any blanks
that they may have with examples from each other until each
student has familiar examples for every archetype on the bingo
sheet. Then students will take a few minutes to share the examples
with the entire class.
3) Share archetypes from movies and art.
4) Homework: Begin reading assigned novel (A Tale of Two Cities).

Days 2-20
1) Other lesson plans to teach the assigned novel would be included
here. (For brevity’s sake, they are not listed on this plan.)

Day 21
2) Students will be given the rubric and guidelines for the Fairy-Tale
Re-do project.
3) Prior to this assignment, the class will have already completed the
novel, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
4) Students will be asked to choose a children’s book or fairy tale and
work with a partner to retell that story by inserting archetypal
characters from the Dickens novel into the story to see how the
character change affects the plot of the familiar tale. This activity
could be done with any work of literature that the class has already
completed.
5) The teacher shall review the rubric and the assignment sheet
thoroughly with the class, making sure that expectations are clear.
6) Then the collaborative groups will get together to brainstorm ideas
about characters to move into the children’s stories and to discuss
how the plotlines might be changed by the new character’s
presence in the story.
7) Homework: Review archetypes
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 Day 22
1) Students will work in groups to begin writing drafts of their retold
fairy tales / children’s books.
2) Homework: Review archetypes

Days 23-25
1) Students will work in groups to complete writing drafts of their
retold fairy tales / children’s books.
2) Homework: Review archetypes

Day 26
1) Groups will present their retold tales to the class and turn in their
projects with rubrics attached.

Differentiated Instructional Support:

Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs to help all learners
either meet the intent of the specified indicator or, if the indicator is already
met, to advance beyond the specified indicator(s).
Flexible grouping allows students to work either individually or in
groups.
Students have choice in choosing children’s books or fairy tales.
Open policy regarding visual aids allows students to focus on their
strengths.
Students who favor technology can create computer graphic presentations
while students who excel in art can create visual aids in a manner that
works for them.

Tutorial Activities: After school help available.

References—Possible vampire books

Cast, P.C. and K. Cast. (2007). Marked. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
Kalogridis, J. (1994). Covenant with the vampire. New York: Delacorte Press.
Meyer, S. (2005). Twilight. New York: Little, Brown.
Rice, A. (1976). Interview with a vampire. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

References—Materials used
Schouboe, V. (n.d.). Archetypes in literature. Retrieved April 10, 2009, from
http://www.vschousboe.com/classes/englishIV/pdfs/Archetypes%20in%20Literature.pdf
Sullo, E. (2002). Archetypes in literature, films and life. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from
http://www.essortment.com/all/archetypesinli_rfnd.htm
Trevenen, T. (2001). Archetypes and motifs in literature and cinema. Retrieved April 10, 2009, from
http://www.masconomet.org/teachers/trevenen/litcin.html

Reference—Novel used in class

Dickens, C. (2007). A tale of two cities. New York: Signet Classics.

References—Possible children’s books and fairy tales

Andersen, H. C. (1968). The Little Match Girl. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

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Andersen, H. C. (1995). The Princess and the Pea. New York: North-South Books.
Andersen, H. C. (1979). The Ugly Duckling. Mahwah, NJ: Troll.
Andreae, G., & Wojlowycz, D. (1998). The lion who wanted to love. Waukesha, WI: Little Tiger Press.
Beneduce, A. K. (1999). Jack and the Beanstalk. New York: Philomel Books.
Brett, J. (1989). Beauty and the Beast. New York: Clarion Books.
Brett, J. (1981). Fritz and the Beautiful Horses. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Carle, E. (1988). Eric Carle's treasury of classic stories for children. New York: Scholastic.
Grimm's complete fariy tales. (n.d.). Garden City, New York: Nelson Doubleday.
Heins, P. (1974). Snow White. Boston, MA: Little Brown.
Kimmel, E. A. (1993). The Gingerbread Man. New York: Holiday House.
Lesser, R. (1984). Hansel and Gretel. New York: Dodd, Mead.
Mayer, M. (1987). East of the Sun and West of the Moon. New York: Aladdin Books.
Meddaugh, S. (1995). Hog-eye. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Numeroff, L. J. (1985). If you give a mouse a cookie. New York: Scholastic.
Perrault, C. (1972). Little Red Riding Hood. New York: H. Z. Walck.
Piper, W. (1945). The Little Engine That Could. New York: Platt & Munk.
The Random House book of bedtime stories. (1994). New York: Random House
Schachner, J. (2003). Skippyjon Jones. New York: Scholastic.
Tarcov, E. H. (1974). The Frog Prince. New York: Scholastic.
Wade, B. (2001). Cinderella. Minneapolis, MN: Picture Window Books.
Zelinsky, P. O. (1997). Rapunzel. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.

References—Possible movie clips

Back to the future. (2009). Retrieved April 17, 2009, from
http://www.vh1.com/movies/movie/2163/trailers.jhtml
Featured movie clips for the wizard of oz. (2009). Retrieved April 17, 2009, from
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=852&contentTypeId=130&category=movie
Jessica Rabbit-cry me a river. (2009, April 3). Retrieved April 17, 2009, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdAc-YjoRgQ
Murray, R. (2009). Enchanted movie trailer and videos. Retrieved April 17, 2009, from
http://movies.about.com/od/enchanted/a/enchanted053007.htm

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