The complex relationship between a teacher and his student takes center stage in an instructional activity that asks readers to pay close attention to how author Ethan Canin introduces his characters and how he develops the character of the narrator of his short story "The Palace Thief."

Concepts

close reading, literary analysis, characterization

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

english language arts

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• Preview the entire unit plan, as well as the complete module, through the links provided in the Include Materials section
• Ask a class member to prepare a masterful reading of the opening pages of "The Palace Thief"

Classroom Considerations

• In addition to the in-class readings, class members are also responsible for an out-of-class Accountable Independent Reading (AIR) assignment
• The first in a 13-lesson unit that uses Ethan Canin's short story "The Palace Thief" as an anchor text
• The unit, the second in a module of three, builds on the protocols and routines established in the first unit

Pros

• The 11-page packet includes the plan, a vocabulary list, discussion questions and sample responses, differentiation considerations, a Quick Write prompt, and a homework assignment

Cons

• Class members may be challenged by the sameness in the format of all the lessons in the three-unit module
• Some readers may need additional support to keep up with their Accountable Independent Reading (AIR) assignment
• No introduction to the new unit is provided

Common Core

RL.9-10.3