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Student Journal

Things Fall Apart

by Chinua Achebe

Reading
Schedule

Things Fall Apart Student Journal Due Date Discussion Date

Introduction Pages 2–6

Chapters 1–5 Pages 7–8

Chapters 6–9 Pages 9–10

Chapters 10–13 Pages 11–12

Chapters 14–19 Pages 13–14

Chapters 20–25 Pages 15–16

Vocabulary +sources Pages 17–19

The Exchange

How do new
ideas affect a
person’s loyalty
to traditions?
 Things Fall Apart

Getting Started

What If?
A big corporation has just purchased your high school. Little by little
you notice changes. They have built a new sports center and hired new
coaches. They have put an addition onto the library and the science lab
and filled them with new books and equipment. The cafeteria now has
gourmet chefs and even waiters!

But along with these changes, there are changes in the rules. There are
now eight years of high school instead of six. The school day ends at
six o’clock. And each day before being dismissed there is an hour-long
assembly and a quiz.

Make notes about how this would affect you.

• How would your daily life change?
• What would be good about this new system?
• What would be bad?

Connect to The Exchange Question Discuss how this situation

could relate to The Exchange Question: How do new ideas affect a
person’s loyalty to traditions? Summarize your discussion.

Student Journal page 2 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Introduction
Answer these questions after listening to the general introduction. Try to
make notes during the Powerpoint, to make sure you understand it all.

1. What were tribal communities in West Africa like in the late 1800s?

2. What effect did colonialism have on West Africa in the late 1800s?

3. Why did Chinua Achebe write Things Fall Apart?

Student Journal page 3 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Introduction: Key Concepts

Word Web
Study the Word Web for tribal. What words does tribal make you Key Concepts
think of? Write a sentence using the word tribal. manhood
_______________________________________________________________ society
_______________________________________________________________ tradition
tragedy
tribal
Word Web

customs Africa

Key Concept
tribal

groups
laws of people

On the following pages, create a similar Word Web for each of the Key Concept
words. Write a sentence for each one.

Student Journal page 4 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Write a sentence using your key concept:

Write a sentence using your key concept:

page 5 of 19
 Write a sentence using your key concept:

Write a sentence using your key concept:

page 6 of 19
 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 1–5

1. Personal Response Okonkwo is known as a strong man and hard
worker. He also is known for being strict and having little patience.
What qualities are you known for?

2. Character What is Okonkwo’s biggest fear? How does this fear shape
what Okonkwo thinks about manhood? Use the word manhood in
your answer.

3. Compare and Contrast Traditionally, sons in the Ibo tribe inherit their
fathers’ wealth. How is Okonkwo’s experience different? How does this
difference affect how he acts as a father?

4. Generate Questions Write a question about this section for someone

else reading this book. Exchange questions with them. Do you agree
with their answer?

Student Journal page 7 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 1–5, continued

5. Summarize In Chapters 1–5, you learn a lot about the villagers
personal gods and the Oracle. Fill in the effects of the power of the
gods and the Oracle. Use the Cause and Effect Chart to answer
the question.

Cause and Effect Chart

Causes Effects

Umuofia never goes to war

unless it is approved by the
Oracle.

The villagers feel that the Oracle

is all-knowing and powerful.

The Oracle warns Obiako that

he will be killed.

Okonkwo beats his wife during

the Week of Peace.

How does having personal gods and an Oracle affect how the villagers
make decisions and establish rules?

Student Journal page 8 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 6–9

1. Personal Response Nwoye listens to Okonkwo’s stories to please his
father. Describe something you do just to please your family.

2. Setting Reread pages Chapter 6. How is the village transformed during

the wrestling contest? Why is the wrestling contest important to
Okonkwo? Use the word tradition in your response.

3. Cause and Effect What causes Okonkwo to view himself as weak

and womanly?

4. Generate Questions Write a question about this section for someone

else reading this book. Exchange questions with them. Do you agree
with their answer?

Student Journal page 9 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 6–9, continued

5. Analyze Character In Chapters 6–9, you learn more about Okonkwo
through his actions and feelings. Fill in what Okonkwo does and feels
in the Details Web.

Details Web

Okonkwo’s
Actions and
Feelings

What do Okonkwo’s actions and feelings reveal about him?

Student Journal page 10 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 10–13

1. Personal Response Okonkwo is punished for accidentally killing
Ezeudu’s son. Do you think Okonkwo received a fair punishment?
Why or why not?

2. Conclusions Important or controversial matters are decided by the

egwugwu. What does this tell you about this society and its values?
Use the word society in your response.

3. Mood What is the mood in Chapter 11? How did it make you feel?

4. Generate Questions Write a question about this section for someone

else reading this book. Exchange questions with them. Do you agree
with their answer?

Student Journal page 11 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 10–13, continued

5. Parallelism In Chapters 10–13, a court trial, a wedding, and a funeral
take place. Write details about each ceremony.

Cluster

Court Trial Wedding

Ceremonies

Funeral

What are the parallels between the ceremonies? What are the
differences? What do these parallels and differences suggest about
what is important to the people of Umuofia?

Student Journal page 12 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 14–19

1. Personal Response Uchendu says, “I am an old man . . . I know
more about the world than any of you.” What is something important
you know now that you did not know when you were younger?

2. Cause and Effect Okoli is accused of killing the sacred python. What
effect does Okoli’s death have on the tribal clan members’ faith in their
gods? Use the word tribal in your response.

3. Judgments Do you think Okonkwo’s upbringing of his son had an

influence on his son rejecting him for the missionaries?

4. Generate Questions Write a question about this section for

someone else reading this book. Exchange questions with them.
Do you agree with their answer?

Student Journal page 13 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 14–19, continued

5. Conclusions In Chapters 14–19, you are introduced to Mr. Kiaga.
Read the Goal. Write what Mr. Kiaga does to try and achieve his goal
and what the outcome is in the Goal and Outcome Chart.

Goal and Outcome Chart

Goal Events

Mr. Kiaga wants to

convert the people
of Mbanta to
Christianity.

Outcome

Why is Mr. Kiaga able to reach his goal in Mbanta?

Student Journal page 14 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 20–25

1. Personal Response Okonkwo mourns for the changes that have
taken place in Umuofia. If you were Okonkwo how would you feel
about the changes? What would you do?

2. Plot How does Okonkwo overcome the tragedy of losing his first son
to Christianity? Use the word tragedy in your response.

3. Comparisons Okonkwo wishes that Ezinma was a boy. How is

Ezinma like Okonkwo?

What If?
4. Connect Look at your notes on Student Journal, page 2. Think about what might
happen if everything you were familiar with changed. Compare this to Things Fall
Apart. What happened to traditions when new ideas were introduced?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Student Journal page 15 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Things Fall Apart

Respond to Chapters 20–25, continued

5. Genre In Chapters 20–25, you read about the events that lead to
Okonkwo’s downfall. Write the events in the Sequence Chain.

Sequence Chain

What makes this story a tragedy?

Student Journal page 16 of 19 © Hampton-Brown

 Using Sources in Literature
Primary source:__________________________________________________________
Definition:______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

How would you reference this novel in a bibliography:

___________________________________________________________________________
Secondary Sources:
Definition______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Briefly explain why you use secondary sources when reading novels?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
You have been provided with several secondary sources. Give a short summary (+/- 25 words) of
at least two of these sources and how they pertain to the novel.
1. _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Find at least three other text type secondary sources. Define the text type and give a one
sentence summary of the source. Show how you would reference this source in a bibliography.
1.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__

page 17 of 19
THINGS FALL APART WORDLIST (ROUGHLY IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

First write down the meanings/synonyms of the words that you know. Whilst reading the
novel, add any new meanings when you come across these words. By the end of the novel
you should have found all the meanings/synonyms of all the words below.

impending abomination

prophesy abominable

skirting deftly

uncanny poignant

ultimate dynamic

capricious arduous

anxiety clambered

malevolent resilient

malicious improvident

meager incipient

sympathized incredulous

sediment infuriating

stolid person interim

superfluous mirthless

trepidation revelled

valise frenetic

voluble taut

benevolent feign

brusqueness emissary

atone wily

malevolence espied

page 18 of 19
copiously tumult

rebuke ominous

audacity acquiesce

inquire captivated

requisite rollicking

yield persevered

manifest impudent

prevail ostracize

communal sufficient

guttural abundantly

pandemonium amends

submission reminiscences

approbation indignity

trifle unaccountably

notorious idolatrous

forsook plaguing

impenetrable astray

implacable desecrated

eloquent buoyant

excrement pacified

anemic expedient

orator gravely

vigor callow

lamentation coiffure

page 19 of 19
Reading Journal Assessment Things Fall Apart – tV4 2018/2019.

1-2 points 3-4 points 5-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points
Criterion A: Contents Little awareness Superficial awareness Adequate Good understanding Thorough
understanding understanding
- To what extent has
the student - Answers are - Some answers are - Answers are generally - Answers are mostly - Answers are relevant
understood the frequently relevant. adequate and focused. relevant and focused. and focused.
assignments? irrelevant or
- How relevant and repetitive. - There is some analysis - There is evidence of - A good degree of - A high degree of
focused are the in the answers. critical thinking. critical thinking is critical thinking is
answers to the - There is little shown. shown.
questions? analysis and too - Answers are - Answers are generally
- Is there evidence much summary. occasionally supported supported by - Answers are mostly - Answers are fully
of critical thinking? by examples. examples. supported by well- supported by well-
- Are answers, - Answers are not chosen examples. chosen examples.
where appropriate, supported by
supported by well- examples.
chosen examples
/illustrations from
the book?

Criterion B: Presentation Little organisation Some organisation Answers are organised Well-organised Well-organised and
comprehensive
- How thoroughly - Many answers are - Answers are generally - The answers are - All answers are
has the journal brief, incomplete appropriate in length mostly structured and complete and - All answers are
been maintained? or lacking. and content. coherent. coherent. complete, coherent
- How neatly has the and effective.
journal been - The booklet has - Some pages have - The booklet is - The overall
completed? been hastily filled been carefully generally neat. impression of the - The booklet has been
- How complete are in and is difficult to completed. booklet is neat and consistently and neatly
the answers? read. readable. maintained.
Reading Journal Assessment Things Fall Apart – tV4 2018/2019.

Criterion C: Language Lacking Sometimes lacking Mostly fluent and Fluent and appropriate Fluent and entirely
appropriate appropriate

- How fluent, varied - There are many - Grammar, spelling - There is an adequate - There is a good - There is a high degree
and accurate is the basic errors in and sentence degree of accuracy in degree of accuracy in of accuracy in
language used by grammar, spelling construction are grammar, spelling and grammar, spelling and grammar, spelling and
the candidate? and sentence sometimes accurate, sentence construction, sentence construction, sentence construction,
- How appropriate construction. although errors and although some minor although the answers although the answers
to the journal is inconsistencies are errors and are not necessarily free are not necessarily free
the candidate’s - There is little apparent. inconsistencies are from error. from error.
choice of register sense of register apparent.
and style? and style. - The register and style - The register and style - The register and style
are to some extent - The register and style are effective and are consistently
- There is little appropriate to the are mostly appropriate appropriate to the effective and
variety in tasks. to the tasks. tasks. appropriate to the
vocabulary and tasks.
idiom. - The range of - Vocabulary and idiom - Vocabulary and idiom
vocabulary and idiom is are mostly varied and are varied and - Vocabulary and idiom
fairly limited. appropriate to the appropriate to the are varied and highly
tasks. tasks. appropriate to the
tasks.

Other remarks:
Points: _________ / 30