Lesson Plan

Little Women

by Louisa May Alcott

I. Objectives

By reading and updating Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, students will demonstrate their ability to understand the daily life in the mid to late 1800s. By completing updated and adapted skit versions of a scene from the novel, students will also demonstrate their ability to connect life in the 1800s to life in the twenty first century.

1. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.


2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.


3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).


4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.


5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.


6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.


7. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.


8. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
   
9. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information.

II. Before Reading Activities

Prior to reading Alcott’s Little Women, students should understand the historical context it takes place in. For instance, students will need to understand that in New England in the 1860s, people didn’t have television, video games, or radio, and they didn’t drive cars or use cell phones to communicate with others. Students should also be briefed on Alcott’s background, so they can compare aspects from her life with aspects from the story (as there are strikingly similar events and characters that mirror her real life).

There are many ways for the teacher to grab students’ attention and provide a context for daily life in Little Women. One activity might include having students make a two column list, one involving everything they did that weekend that involved technology and one that lists the activities that didn’t involve technology. Be sure to remind students that technology involves anything that requires an electric pulse, from a water heater for the shower to an alarm clock. After they make their lists, ask students how much of their day they could have accomplished without technology. Students will realize quite quickly just how much we, as a society, rely on technology. The teacher should use the discussion as a springboard to the context for the story—no phones, no television, no microwaves, etc. They had to find other ways to amuse themselves. Regardless of the times, though, they’ll also see that these teenagers, other human beings, still experience the same kinds of emotions you all do. This activity allows the teacher to set up the context for the story and introduce the theme—coming of age.

III. During Reading Activities

Although there are many activities the teacher can implement during this book, as it touches on so many issues young people can relate to, the teacher should consider using the second chapter as a springboard for a hands-on activity. Just as the March girls wrote and produced plays for their friends and family, groups of students (3-4) should write and act out their own 5-10 minute skit dealing with some issue from the play. They should rewrite the scene as if it were happening today. However, like the March girls, they should use their imagination and be creative—no purchasing props or costumes. While they are reading the book, students should be responsible for keeping a log about at least 7-10 issues or situations the characters face that students today could relate to and that could be turned into a skit.

IV. After Reading Activities

The teacher should assign the skit after the students read the second chapter. However, students should perform the skits after they finish reading the book in order to receive more comprehensive coverage of the issues within the book. Periodically throughout the book and after the book, the teacher should allow groups of students to meet and discuss ideas for the book.

V. Assessment

Throughout reading the novel, the teacher should give reading quizzes to make sure students keep up with what will probably be an intense reading schedule. The teacher should also monitor students’ books and their logs to make sure they are actively reading and applying the issues in the book to a contemporary context. Finally, the teacher should assess the student’s understanding of the scene/situation from the novel based on their performances. Were they prepared? Does their scene accurately represent an issue from the novel? Can they explain (in a written statement) why their skit is an accurate adaptation of the novel?