Lesson Aims / content: "WHAT?" "Why this?" 1. Introduction to novel: To arouse Ss interest, preparing Ss for novel Procedure/ method: "HOW?" "Why like this?" Show Ss two paintings/title covers of book Frankenstein and one picture of the film Frankenstein Teacher asks Ss to look at covers/picture and brainstorm/describe as to what they see and what they might guess main characters, plot, mood, setting and time of novel are. Notes are collected on blackboard, serve as source of inspiration for Ss and should provide vocabulary Ss in groups have to come up with the main plot of novel and establish main characters Ss are to write a short paragraph on their guessed version of story Each group has to present its version of the story Homework for next lesson: read Letters I-IV; Ss need to fill in worksheet with T/F questions or guided and open questions relating to Walton s character, his enterprise, his encounter with Frankenstein and the creature, the themes developed in the course of the novel. 2. Discussion of letters Warm-up: to refresh memory Teacher asks each Ss to get in groups of two (or asks whole class to summarize) and summarize together what has happened in the letters and who the main characters appearing in it are. Discussion of following questions: What do you think of Walton as a character : Do you like him or not and why? What do you think of his goal to confer on all mankind a passage near the pole (p. 16, Oxford Classics edition). Is it noble or overly ambitious? Compare the two characters Walton and the stranger on his ship. In what way are they similar or different? Why does the stranger tell Walton his entire life story? Ss get in groups of three and discuss the questions handed out to them on the worksheet. They are asked to write down their answers in complete sentences. Together, in class, the Ss discuss the questions. 1
Read Chapters I-III, Ss are asked to take note as to which characters appear in these chapters, give a short description of them and describe the relationship between them. 3. I-III Drawing of character map Exploring the characters and their relationships in detail. Keeping track of narrative, providing overview. Gets Ss speaking making use of all their language resources. Ss discuss question: Is Victor s fascination with creating a human being an admirable one. One that justifies the neglect of his family and friends? Teacher asks each Ss to get in groups of two (or asks whole class to summarize) and summarize together what has happened in the letters and who the main characters appearing in it are. Ss get in groups of three and discuss the questions handed out to them on the worksheet. They are asked to write down their answers in complete sentences. Together, in class, the Ss discuss the questions. Ss read Chapters IV-VI: What are Victor s feelings during the creation of his creature? Why does he ultimately finish his project despite his doubts? How does he react when his creation come to life and why? Describe the monster and its feelings towards Victor. Why doesn t Victor tell his best friend Henry what has happened? 4. I V-VI Ss are to write a newspaper report including headline on the creation of Frankenstein s creature, the circumstances in which it came about and the feelings of the creator towards his creation. Afterward they have to present their articles to the class. Ss get in 3 different groups and discuss questions prepared at home in order to write news report. Each group is asked to write a news report in a different style: - boulevard style: exaggeration, violence, many adjectives - serious news writing: detests sensationalism and reveals underlying issues - concentrates on personal angle of individuals involved in the story. Usually does not examine surrounding issues. 2
Teacher supplements together with class character map and adds the character of the monster. 5. VII- VIII Making speculations Questions: Do you think Victor is right about the monster being the murderer of William? Do you believe in Justine s innocence? If so, why did Justine Caroline Frankenstein s picture in her pocket? In pairs: Discuss and write down a short explanation about what could have happened the night William was murdered. (Explain why Justine had the Caroline Frankenstein s picture in her pocket) Read chapter 9 and 10 (concentrate on words and phrases that convey the melancholic atmosphere of these two chapters) Present stories in class; discuss and compare them; choose the best/ most plausible story (to be referred to in lesson 8 when the monster reveals the story) 6. IX-X Vocabulary and close reading Task 1: Close reading melancholy Question: What words/ phrases are used in order to convey the melancholic condition Frankenstein finds himself in after the deaths of Justine and William? Read Chp.IX (p.101-108) underline words/phrases and write them on the blackboard form four groups (each group analyzes two pages) each student chooses his favorite word/phrase and writes a new sentence with it. (Written on transparency) Task 2: Translation of confrontation 3 Read the conversation between
Frankenstein and his creation when they first meet. Translate this conversation into today s colloquial language. (One half of the class Frankenstein/ other half of the class creature) Two volunteers: present the dialogue in front of the class. / (If there is still time: other students can present their translations as well.) Divide the class into groups of five and allocate one chapter (11 to 15) to each group. At the end of the lesson: teacher collects the translations of the students and corrects them for the next session (grammatical mistakes, vocabulary ) Tell them to read all the chapters but to do a close reading and write a brief summary of the chapter they are assigned to. 7. XI-XV Group puzzle Students get together in groups and come up with a convenient title for their chapter. Also, they agree on one summary they want to present to the other students. One student of each group reads out loud their chosen summary in front of the class. The groups gather again in order to come up with 5 questions about their chapters, inclusive answers. Written on a transparency 4 In a next step, the teacher shows the questions of each group to the whole class and they have to answer them in their groups. The group that answers the
most questions right, wins. (Additional question of the teacher: What is the purpose of the monster telling its story? (cf. story embedded into frame story) If there is still time: talk about the last question given by the teacher. Class discussion Read chapters 16 and 17 Frame story Story of monster Paradise lost Monster Reaction of monster Completion of monster 8. XVI- XVII Solution death William and Justine & Frankenstein s Moral dilemma Read chapters 18 and 19 Task 1: Solution to deaths of William and Justine Solving the question concerning Caroline Frankenstein s picture in Justine Moritz s pocket. Ask the students to look at their speculations again and see whether there are students who guessed it right. Read about the genres Romanticism and Gothic and bring some notes (about half a page) to the next lesson. Task 2: Frankenstein s moral dilemma Chapter 10 shows Frankenstein in a moral dilemma about whether to create a mate for his first creation or not. Make a list with arguments for either decision (pro second creation/ contra second creation). Task 3: Panel discussion Divide the class into two parties and start a panel discussion. Party 1: pro second creation/ Party 2: contra second creation. (Organize discussion by throwing soft ball) 9. XVIII- XIX Romanticism vs Gothic Henry vs Victor Literature vs science 5 Task 1: group work Students split up into four groups and discuss the following questions in the light of their homework reading: 1. group: characterisation of Henry Clerval 2. group: characterisation of Victor Frankenstein 3. group: description of the River Rhine
(p. 154-155) 4. group: description of the Orkneys Islands (p. 162-163) Task 2: group work Group 1 and 3 get together and discuss their findings. Group 2 and 4 get together and discuss their findings. Task 3: presentation of group work Task 4: Victor's fall the forbidden fruit Milton s Paradise Lost Chapter XX-XXI 10. XX-XXI Final meeting of Victor and his hideous progeny Task: class discussion Students recap their discussion on Frankenstein's dilemma (lesson 8) and have a look at and discuss Frankenstein's motives for destroying his monster s mate. Chapter XXII-XXIII 11. XXII- XXIII Victor finally seeks help Task 1: group work Students split up into four groups and devise a dialogue in which Victor reveals his secret to the following interlocutor: 1. group: dialogue with Henry in Ingolstadt (Chapter V) 2. group: dialogue with his brother Ernest and his father on arriving from Ingolstadt (Chapter VII) 3. group: dialogue with his father in Ireland (Chapter XXI) 4. group: dialogue with Elisabeth on the wedding night (Chapter XXIII) 6
Chapter XXIV Task 2: presentation 12. XXIV The end Task 1: class discussion Function of the frame story Open end? Task 2: group work Students split up into four groups and think about ideas for a sequel. Task 3: presentation of group work 7