Exploring Monster Introduction

Grade Level

9th Grade

Duration

30 minutes

Unit

Exploring Identity in Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Lesson 1 of 10

---

Common Core State Standards Alignment

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1
  Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
  Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
  Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6
  Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1
  Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues.

---

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this 30-minute session, students will be able to:

• Summarize key biographical details about Walter Dean Myers to set context for the novel.
• Identify initial themes and central ideas in Monster through discussion and prediction.
• Analyze the importance of the novel’s premise and characters based on introductory information.
• Collaboratively share their impressions and questions to build engagement for close reading in future lessons.

---

Materials Needed

• Copies of Monster by Walter Dean Myers (excerpts or prologue pages, if available)
• Whiteboard or large paper for mind mapping
• Markers or chalk
• Student notebooks or journals
• Author bio handout (short, focused on Myers’s background and writing focus on identity and justice)

---

Lesson Procedures

1. Opening (5 minutes): Setting the Stage

• Begin with a quickwrite prompt displayed on the board:
  “What words or ideas come to mind when you hear the word ‘identity’?”
• Students write silently for two minutes, then share one or two responses aloud.
• Connect the concept of identity to the unit theme and the novel upcoming study.

2. Introducing Walter Dean Myers (5 minutes): Author Context

• Provide a brief, engaging oral presentation of Walter Dean Myers’s biography, emphasizing his background, focus on youth identity, and why his writing matters culturally and historically.
• Distribute the author bio handout for students to follow along and annotate.
• Highlight how Myers’s own experiences relate to the themes in Monster (identity, justice, struggle).

3. Exploring Monster (10 minutes): Themes & Characters Introduction

• Share the title and cover image of the novel (projected or physical).
• Ask students to predict what the novel might be about based on the title, artwork, and what they now know about the author. Record predictions on the whiteboard.
• Read aloud (or have students read) a selected opening excerpt or the book’s prologue just enough to introduce the protagonist and setting without revealing plot twists.
• Discuss as a group: Who might the “monster” be? What themes do you think will arise? What questions do you have so far?

4. Collaborative Mind Map (7 minutes): Initial Impressions

• On the whiteboard or chart paper, create a mind map titled “Monster - Identity and Themes”
• Have each student contribute at least two ideas or questions drawn from the author context and excerpt read. For example: identity, justice, courtroom drama, youth struggles, perception vs. reality.
• Encourage students to think creatively—how might this story challenge or reshape their ideas about identity?

5. Closing & Exit Ticket (3 minutes): Reflection and Quick Assessment

• Each student writes a quick exit ticket answering:
  “What is one theme or question from today’s lesson you want to explore more in Monster?”
• Collect exit tickets to gauge engagement and understanding, and tailor future lessons accordingly.

---

Differentiation & Engagement Tips

• For varied reading abilities, provide audio support of the excerpt or read aloud to ensure comprehension.
• Allow alternative responses for the quickwrite and exit ticket (drawing or bullet points).
• Encourage speaking and listening by having students respectfully build on each other’s ideas during discussions.

---

Assessment

• Formative assessment through observed participation in discussion and mind mapping activity.
• Review of exit tickets to verify grasp of central themes and student engagement with the material.
• Use observations to inform pacing and focus areas for the next lessons in the unit.

---

Teacher Reflection (Post-Lesson Notes)

• Note how students responded to the author background—did it increase personal connection to the novel?
• Adjust the choice of excerpts or focus question prompts as needed to deepen curiosity and critical thinking.
• Plan for upcoming lessons to include direct text analysis per CCSS RL.9-10.1 and RL.9-10.3.

---

This structured yet interactive 30-minute session ignites curiosity about Monster and situates the text within a larger dialogue about identity, all firmly grounded in the Common Core ELA standards for grade 9.