Year 7 English Lesson Plan: Exploring Narrative Techniques (90 Minutes)

Curriculum Context

This lesson plan is designed according to the Australian Curriculum for Year 7 English, focusing on literature and literacy capabilities. The lesson specifically addresses how writers create victim figures and control information in a narrative, aligning with the ACARA English curriculum requirements for creating, analysing, and responding to texts.

Related Content Descriptions:

• Analyse and evaluate how people, cultures, places, events, objects and concepts are represented in texts, including media texts, through language, structural and/or visual choices (ACELT1630).
• Understand how language is used to evaluate texts and how evaluations about a text can be substantiated by reference to the text and other sources (ACELT1622).

Further details on content descriptions can be found at the Australian Curriculum website.

Objectives

• Understand narrative techniques used to develop characters, particularly victim figures.
• Analyse how authors control the flow of information to create suspense and engage the reader.
• Develop critical thinking skills by evaluating the effectiveness of these techniques in selected texts.

Materials

• Copies of a short story featuring a distinct victim figure (suggested: "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, available in public domain).
• Whiteboard and markers.
• Projector for displaying text extracts and discussion points.
• Worksheets for group activity (provided).
• Laptops/tablets for student research (if available).

Lesson Plan

Introduction (10 minutes)

• Teacher Presentation: Briefly introduce the concept of narrative techniques, focusing on character development and information control.
• Engagement Question: Ask students, "Can you think of a book or a movie where you felt really connected to a character who was in a difficult situation?"

Exploration of Narrative Techniques (30 minutes)

1. Reading Activity (10 minutes):

   • Divide the students into small groups.
   • Each group reads assigned segments from "The Lottery" focusing on how the victim figure is portrayed.

2. Group Discussion (20 minutes):

   • In groups, students discuss their segment's portrayal of the victim figure and note how information was controlled to affect their understanding or sympathy.
   • Use guided questions on the worksheet: "How does the writer make you sympathize with the victim? What information is withheld to maintain suspense?"

Group Presentation (20 minutes)

• Present Findings: Each group presents their analysis of the text. Focus on different aspects of the victim figure and information control.
• Class Discussion: After each group presentation, engage the class in a discussion on the effectiveness of the techniques identified.

Application and Evaluation (25 minutes)

1. Writing Exercise (15 minutes):

   • Students write a short paragraph from a narrative they are familiar with (or create their own), focusing on developing a victim figure and controlling information to create interest and suspense.

2. Peer Review (10 minutes):

   • Students swap their work with a peer for feedback based on criteria discussed during the lesson (character empathy, suspense through information control).

Conclusion (5 minutes)

• Recap the main learning points of the lesson.
• Highlight how these techniques are applicable in various forms of writing and the importance of understanding these from a reader’s and writer’s perspective.
• Assign homework: Students are to find an example of a victim figure in a film or book they have recently read or watched and prepare a short presentation on how the author/director developed this character and controlled information.

Assessment

• Participation in group discussions.
• Group presentation content and delivery.
• Quality of the writing exercise and ability to apply learned techniques.

Additional Resources

• Australian Curriculum: English Year 7
• Teaching ACARA: English

This lesson plan assumes access to basic classroom technological resources and can be adapted for greater or fewer resources and varying class sizes.