Unit Plan Basics

Standards Addressed: MCPS 8th Grade ELA Honors Inclusion

The terminus project for The Hobbit unit will be a Cultural Fair artifact presentation on Day 14 of the Unit, and the Challenge for Gold on Day 15 of the Unit. The seven-person groups in contention include the Hobbits, the Dwarfs, the Elves, and the Men of Esgaroth. The leaders of each group will be the following:

• • Thain of the Shire- Fortinbras II Took, “The Took”, Leader of the Hobbits, Bilbo’s cousin.

  • Dain-New King of the Dwarfs (upon death of Thorin Oakenshield)

  • The Elvenking Thranduil

  • Bard the Bowman- The Human Slayer of Smaug

Each group is comprised of two categories of positions: the Scholars will be comprised of the Leader/ Spokesperson, Historian, and Ethnographer. The Artisans include the students’ choice of: the Cartographer, Tailor, Armorer, Herald, Bard, Minstrel and Linguist. Each Clan must include a thorough understanding of the themes and content of The Hobbit as it applies to that Culture’s case (Dwarf, Elf, Hobbit, Men) for the presentation at the Cultural Fair and for the Challenge to the Gold. Each Clan presentation will be shared with the class as a PowerPoint presentation, along with other visual media of the group’s choosing and incumbent upon selected group roles (e.g. maps for those groups with a cartographer, a coat of arms and banner for groups with a herald).

The Artisans will present their cultural artifacts, and each submit a 250-word justification of their role’s artifact in the family/ Clan, while the Scholars will participate in the Challenge for the Gold, and present a 5-6 page paper (one page and a timeline for the Historian, 2-3 pages for the Ethnographer, and 2-3 pages for the Leader, who researches the Clan’s claim to the gold) and the appropriate technological presentation accompaniment. All proceedings will be video recorded (based upon permission slips signed by the parents at the beginning of the school year). The trial performance and content criteria will be assessed based on a Rubric. The whole class votes to decide which family/ Clan has the rightful claim to the gold as reclaimed by Smaug, the Dragon.

Cognitive Objectives

• • The students will analyze and apply themes of a work of the canonical literature.

  • The students will synthesize and evaluate passages of a work of canonical literature towards a common group goal.

  • Students will document their work.

  • Students will prepare for and complete and oral performance based on the student’s research and written paper, OR based on the student’s research and artistic creation.

Affective Objectives

• • The students will understand and appreciate a work of canonical literature.

  • The students will analyze themes as related to motivations of the human condition via studying evidences of greed, obsession, and sacrifice.

  • Students will engage creatively with a work of literature.