Nectar in a Sieve Unit Plan - Recently Updated Pages

Themes and Connections

laura.gattshall — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 11:57:03 CDT

Here you may find lessons that make connections with other themes in the text as well as connections with secondary sources.

Jeffrey Proctor Lesson plan: “Eu sou favela” by Seu Jorge, an introduction towards viewing the film “City of God”

Materials: Recording of “Eu sou favela,” means to play song, copies of lyrics (http://lusolife.blogspot.com/2006/09/eu-so-favela-seu-jorge-from-cru-i-am.html)

This lesson will fulfill Michigan English Language Arts Content Standards 2.1, 3.1, 3.3, and 3.4

Objectives: Students will be able to name social problems that confront everyone.

Introduction: Brazil is an ex-colony, just like India. Rio de Janeiro is one of the largest cities in the world with a population of six million, and one of the few places I know of where your commute across town is by helicopter.

With a population of six million, there’s bound to be problems. This song is called “Eu sou favela,” which means, “I am shantytown.” Let’s listen to it and check out the lyrics. (5 minutes)

Procedures/Activities

1. What is the song about? (Voice for the marginalized? The ghetto is a social problem? Social justice issues? Individual rights? A call to rise up?) (10 minutes)

2. Kenny in the book often berates the Indians because they never ask for help. What are our thoughts? Is silent suffering a matter of pride, or something else? (15-20 minutes)

3. We’ve experienced the problems that Rukmani have, we hear about how all the poor in the favelas of Rio get is a “salary of hunger.” Are these problems that we have in our own country? Does the song offer any answers? Is there anything we can do about it? (Now’s a nice time to introduce some organizations to help people out.) (15-20 minutes)

Closure: (Verbal assessment to make list of social problems.) In the next few days, we’re going to watch a movie that takes place in the favelas of Rio that we’ve heard about in the song. It’s got some powerful images, though we’ll only experience two hours of it, the people there live it every day. That’s something to think on for awhile.

Katie Beagle, Gandhi, Grades 8-11, 60 Minutes
Objectives: When reading a novel, students should have a thorough understanding of the issues that affect the characters. Students will be able to look at the film Gandhi and draw a connection with Nectar in a Sieve. Both works are concerned with work in India and students will be able to critically compare the two works.

Michigan Standards: 3.4, 3.5

Goals: The goal of this unit is for students to get a look at what work in Third World India looks like. Students will also be able to draw connections between the film and the novel Nectar in a Sieve.

Assessment: Collect notes from film for participation points.

Procedures: 5 Minutes: Introduction to the film Gandhi. Ask students to take notes about commonalities that they see between Nectar in a Sieve and Gandhi. Then explain where in the film class is going to start. The part of the film that we are going to watch is where it shows the Indian workers. What they have to go through and the kinds of jobs that they take.
55 Minutes: Watch the film.
5 Minutes: Ask students if they have any questions and collect the notes from the movie.

Literature and the Third World Mandi Becktel Time: 50 minutes Rationale and objectives: Students will gain valuable background knowledge that will enhance their reading of the common text, Nectar in a Sieve. They will also gain a solid understanding of the “third world,” (i.e. what countries are still developing, characteristics of developing countries, etc.) allowing them to make more informed decisions about the third world (and America’s interaction there with) and participate in dialog (both political and conversational) about developing countries. MI ELA Content Expectations: 2.1.10: Listen to and view multimedia works and identify and respond to key ideas Materials: Computers with internet access, clothing worksheet, powerpoint presentation on the characteristics of developing countries

Time	Activity
10 min.	Freewrite: What do you know about third world countries? What does it mean to be a third world country? What is life like there?
5 min.	Discuss the freewrite activity as a large group
10 min.	Powerpoint presentation: Characteristics of Third World countries. This will address what classifies a country as “developing” as well as common themes that occur in developing countries (poverty, industrialization, etc).
20 min.	Clothing activity: We learned in the powerpoint how companies can exploit workers in third world countries to make goods at lower prices. Students look at the labels on the clothes they are wearing. In many cases, they will have been made in a third world country. Students will get on the computers and research the country that their shirt / other article was made in. They will have a worksheet to fill out with both factual questions (GDP, etc) and higher order thinking questions (does this country fit the third world profile? How so? How do you think life there would be different than life in the United States?)
5 min.	Exit slip freewrite: What did you learn? What, if anything, surprised you? What would you like to learn more about?

Assessment: Formative assessment will be recorded as the instructor monitors the large group discussion and the internet activity. Summative assessment will be given in the form of 15 points for the internet activity worksheet and 5 points of credit for the exit slip at the end of class.

Emma Farr

ENGL 4800

Lesson Plan #2

Level: 9th grade

Length: 50 minutes

Lesson Goals: The goal of this lesson is to connect the themes of love and family to both Nectar in a Sieve and Under the Persimmon Tree. Students will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge of both of these novels and be able to discuss their differences and similarities in length. Students will then be able to connect both of these novels and themes to their own lives, creating relevance.

Rationale: Comparing and contrasting two or more subjects/objects is important in other classes and in everyday life, when making decisions or being able to discuss similarities and differences between important things. It is also important to be able to draw connections and conclusions from two different texts, and be able to determine and discuss themes at length.

Michigan State Standards and Benchmarks:

Standard 4. Language – All students will use the English language effectively

Standard 6. Voice – All students will learn to communicate information accurately and effectively and demonstrate their expressive abilities by creating oral, written, and visual texts that enlighten and engage an audience

Standard 1, Benchmark 5 – All students will respond personally, analytically, and critically to a variety of oral, visual, written, and electronic texts, providing examples of how texts influence their lives and their role in society.

Student Outcomes:v Given Nectar in a Sieve and Under the Persimmon Tree, students will be able to discuss the themes of family and love in relation to the two novels and their own lives with clarity and understanding.v Given Nectar in a Sieve and Under the Persimmon Tree, students will be able to discuss the similarities and differences between the two novels with the class as a whole, coming to a greater understanding of the interconnectedness of literature.

Procedure:v Have students complete handout with the following questions (30 minutes):§ Are there any similarities you see between Nectar in a Sieve and Under the Persimmon tree? What are they? How are the novels different?§ What about the theme of family in relation to both of these novels? Does family bring these characters together or tear them apart? Does the structure of the family help them or hurt them?§ What about the theme of love? Does love really conquer all? How does love present itself in each of these novels? Romantically? Family type love?§ Can you see any similarities to the love or family in your own life to the ones in these novels? How is it different?v

Have students discuss their answers as a class. (20 minutes)

Assessment: Students will be expected to participate in all class discussions and complete the handout with the questions based on both novels. It is credit or no credit, so if any questions are not completed or they are not participating in class discussion they will not get credit for the assignment.

An Electronic Reader-Response Project By: Laura Gattshall/ ReadWriteThink: Literary Scrapbooks

Rationale

This lesson leads students to reflect on and respond to literature by creating an online scrapbook. Using Web resources, students capture “scraps” of information about a piece of literature. Students then create a scrapbook using PowerPoint or another presentation software and share their online scrapbook with the class. During their presentation, students defend their choice of scrapbook entries: why is the entry important to the understanding of the topic?

Student Objectives

Students will

critically read a piece of literature.
select a topic or theme from the piece of literature and construct their own definition or meaning of it, informed by research on the Internet.
select from online sources what they feel is important to the understanding of concepts presented in the novel.
create a electronic scrapbook using PowerPoint to present their relevant information about a given topic.
develop oral presentation skills through practice and oral delivery of the online scrapbook to class members.
document Web sources accurately.
assess their own working using a checklist.

Preparation

Students should have finished reading Nectar in a Sieve, or the selected piece of literature.
Choose the software that students will use to publish their scrapbooks. This lesson assumes that students are using PowerPoint; however, you can adapt the lesson to use other presentation software or Web publishing software.
Students should have a working knowledge of PowerPoint and its capabilities. Consult the PowerPoint Design Tips Handout if needed.
If your students need extra practice or a more structured introduction to finding and evaluating Web sites, complete the Inquiry on the Internet: Evaluating Web Pages for a Class Collection lesson before beginning this project.
If desired, arrange for additional sites for students to explore. Try to limit the time that students spend freely “surfing the Web” to ensure the best use of class time.
Test the Interactive Web Site Evaluation Form on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Procedure

Begin this session by asking students to gather their ideas in their journals on two questions: What are the preliminary ideas for your scrapbook? and Visually, what do you want your presentation to look like?
Once students have had a few minutes to gather their thoughts, ask them to review the information and sketch out a plan for their scrapbooks. Ask them to focus on how to present their gathered information.

For example:
If students choose to research Kamala Markandaya’s life, they may want to think about the following questions as they organize their research plans:

What can I do to make my scrapbook avoid sounding like an encyclopedia article?
Do I want to include some pictures of Kamala Markandaya?
What one or two lines of information can I find about Kamala Markandaya that I think are really amazing?
Do I want to mention other novels that she wrote?

Once students have their research strategies planned, ask them to begin finding information on the Internet and assembling their scrapbooks.
Emphasize the fact that first drafts of the scrapbooks can include lots of information. Explain that there will be time in the process to narrow the focus and select the best or favorite resources for their projects.
Remind students of the importance of tracking their sources for copyright and documentation.

Assessment Formal/ students will be assessed by their presentation of the scrapbook. The presentation will follow a rubric given to students ahead of the plan time to present.

Ira's Son and the Hospital

laura.gattshall — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 11:29:49 CDT

These lessons will discuss the themes around Ira’s son. You may find answers here to the following questions: Why is it significant that Ira’s son is albino? What hope does the hospital bring to the village? What conversations do Rukmani and Kenny have about the hospital and people’s willingness to help them build it?

Learning for Life By: Laura Gattshall

Objective: This lesson is designed to help students understand hope and how people, because of their differences, hope for different things. After completing this assignment, students will have sensitivity and be able to relate their lives including their hope, dreams, and fears to the lives of the characters in the text.

Rationale: Students will examine their own lives in relation to the lives of one or more of the characters in the novel. Students will examine the challenges of being different and/or having a disability. Students will also examine what role Kenny played in the text, and determine if he offered hope to the villagers or fear.

MI Standards: 2.1, 3.2

Introduction: At least two characters in the novel are restricted in their daily activities because of certain physical conditions. Puli has leprosy and limited use of his hands and fingers, and Sacrabani cannot stay in the sun for any length of time. However, both have friends and relatives who seek to include them in all their activities. How accessible is your community to those who are physically challenged? Prepare a checklist of items for rating different institutions in your community on how accessible they are to all people, including those with disabilities. Rate several different buildings, activities, or institutions. Use the data you collect to make a list of suggestions on how accessibility might be improved. ***You may just have students look at the assessability of the school itself. Have students walk around and make notes to how the school can improve.

Procedure: After the list of suggestions to improve your communities’ ways to help the physically disabled is completed introduce this quote: “It is not enough to cry out, not sufficient to lay bare your woes and catalogue your needs; people have only to close their eyes and their ears, you cannot force them to see and to hear—or to answer your cries if they cannot and will not.” -Rukmani Chapter 21 Have your students discuss what they think Rukmani is saying here. Hope is only delivered through a two-way communication: the people in need have to express their needs, but also the people who can help have to find an answer to fulfill these needs. The suffering will continue to suffer if we do not answer their cries for help. Have students write in their journal about what it is they value most in life? Friends? Family? Personal possessions? Something else? Discuss the journal entries. How do values vary based on cultural differences? Compare how the values of your students to the values of Rukmani and her family in the text Nectar in a Sieve.

Assessment: informal Students will be assessed on their participation in the activities and their journal entries.

The Rice Fields Flood, Ira's Return

emmagfunk03 — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:08:29 CDT

These lessons will cover the time in the novel when life really begins to get hard for Rukmani and her family. Here you may find lessons discussing themes revolving around why Ira has returned home. You also may find lessons that seek to address the following questions: What role does the tannery play in Rukmani’s new found poverty? How does her family handle the hardships? What role does prostitution play here?

Jeffrey Proctor LESSON: Symbolism of the weather

Materials needed: overhead projector/chalk/whiteboard, markers/chalk

This lesson will fulfill Michigan English Language Arts Content Standards 2.2.3 and 3.1.1.

Objectives: Students will be able to define the weather in terms of moods by the end of the lesson. Students will be able to set an emotional tune of a story by the end of the lesson.

Introduction: Not before in the story is weather an issue – everything is fine and the family has food. However, we can see how the weather influences emotions. What does the introduction “It was a dark and stormy night” make you feel? (Show on overhead a comic of Snoopy writing his famous lines, “It was a dark and stormy night.”) (5 minutes)

Procedures/Activities:
1. Right now, I’d like you to write five sentences to introduce five different stories using the same style. (10 minutes)

2. Let’s read some introductions and get some feedback on what emotions are in the sentences. (create list on board of type of weather and emotional response). (10 minutes)

3. Life in developing nations is dependent upon the weather. If there’s too much water, then the crop dies; if there’s not enough water, then the crop dies. Kenny often berates Rukmani because it is the custom to collect dung for use in the house instead of letting the nutrients go back into the earth. Can anyone think of topics in American history in which fields were overworked? (Dust bowl!) How dependent are we on the weather? (15-20 minutes) (Topics to address: forest fires in California, floods through Louisiana, hurricanes through South Carolina)

Closure: So now, we can check out the weather and figure out what’s going on, at least for the majority of the people. So what are people feeling if… it’s 110 degrees and dry out? It’s 72 and sunny? It’s negative 40 and windy? It’s raining nonstop for four days? It’s gray for three weeks straight? (10 minutes)

Katie Beagle, Struggles in the Work Force, Grades 8-11, 60 Minutes

Objectives: This lesson is designed to inform students about the issues that poverty creates. Students should have an understanding the problems that people living in Third World countries face. One of the most important factors that effect people in poverty is the type of work that they take on. Students will examine and be able to critically analyze the importance of the jobs that the characters in Nectar in a Sieve, by Kamala Markandaya, take.

Michigan Standards: 2.1, 3.2

Goals: The goal of this lesson is for students to gain an understanding of the types of jobs that people in Third World countries are faced with and why they have to take this low paying, terrible jobs.

Procedures: 10 Minutes: Introduce students to the activity. Each student lives in India. This can be modern times. They will each be given a profile. In this profile will include their martial status, possible family, age, religion, and most importantly occupation. Each student will randomly be given one of these cards. Have them study it, then divide them up in the classroom based on their occupation. For example, in one corner of the room is the stone quarry, so everyone who works at the stone quarry goes to this corner. The same thing with a tannery, prostitution, farmers and have one or two landowners.
20 Minutes: Each group (each occupation) will come up with a written description of what their lives are like. They will describe their work, how much money that they have, and how difficult (or not difficult) it is for them to get by on their salary.
15 Minutes: Groups will then share with the class what they have come up with.
15 Minutes: For the last few minutes of class we will discuss what we have learned through the activity. Students should see how difficult living in poverty is and why these low paying jobs exist.

Assessment: Students will be assessed on participation and on the group writing that they will turn in at the end of class.

Emma Farr

ENGL 4800

Lesson Plan

The Rice Fields Flood and Ira’s return

Level: 9th grade

Length: 50 minutes

Lesson Goals: The goal of this lesson is to show students what it would be like to lose a lot of money and get them to examine how much they would be willing to do in order to support their families. By connecting a film clip of Hurricane Katrina to the section of Nectar in a Sieve they will be able to relate to the notion of losing everything you’ve ever had to the circumstances in the novel.

Rationale: The ability to empathize with others is extremely important in everyday life. A lot of students may not know what it is like to lose everything they have, or be able to relate to the circumstances in Nectar in a Sieve. Showing a film clip of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina will not only help students see circumstances close to their own homes, but will show a more visual picture of what devastation looks like.

Michigan State Standards and Benchmarks:

Standard 4. Language – All students will use the English language effectively

Student Outcomes:v Given a video clip to watch on Hurricane Katrina, the student will be able to discuss with the class their thoughts on devastation and what they would do if their families lost everything.v Students will be able to discuss the previous film clip in conjunction with Nectar in a Sieve, and discuss what they would be willing to do to allow for their families to survive.

Procedure:v Tell students to quietly watching film clip on Hurricane Katrina, try and think of what they would do in a similar situation. (15 minutes)v

Have students write a journal, answering the following questions (15 minutes):§ How does this relate to the section in Nectar in a Sieve?§ What would you do in a situation like this?§ What would you be willing to do to keep a family member alive?§ Would you be willing to resort to something illegal (like stealing) or morally unethical (like prostitution) to save your family and keep them alive?v

Have students discuss their answers in a class discussion (20 minutes)

Assessment: Students will be expected to participate in all class discussions and complete the journal entry with the questions based on the film clip and the book. It is credit or no credit, so if any questions are not completed they will not get credit for the assignment. I will also be monitoring them to make sure they’re paying attention to the film clip and not doing other work, sleeping, or being disruptive.

Rukmani's Journey Begins

a2pesesk — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:17:50 CDT

These lessons will cover the beginning of the novel. Some major things that happen here is Nathan and Rukmani's marriage, Rukmani’s adjustment in a new town/way of life and the birth of her daughter. You may find lesson here that seek to address the following questions: What themes emerged here? What would help your students comprehend the beginning of the novel? How would you keep them reading?

____________________________________________________________

LOVE AND MARRIAGE
By Marcia Anderson

RATIONALE:
Students will examine the marriage traditions of Indian culture.

CENTRAL ELEMENTS:

· Multicultural understanding

· Exploring tradition

· bringing the past to the present

STUDENT OUTCOMES:

Students will:

· Examine the values of Indian culture and traditions.

· Discuss the repercussions of these values.

· Compare and contrast the ways different cultures address an issue such as finding a marriage partner.

· Consider the rational basis for the tradition in each culture.

BACKGROUND NOTES/HISTORICAL CONTEXT:

In India, the caste system has been outlawed in the sense that no one may be discriminated against in terms of caste. There is in place an affirmative action type program in which spaces are reserved for lower caste people in colleges and government jobs. There is a movement to make such reservations required even for private business. Theoretically, society should be blind to caste but to understand how deeply rooted in Indian society are the castes you do not need to look further than the advertisements for suitable mates.
These advertisements are put in the paper by a girl's/boy's parents or guardian. The ones you see in the newspaper tend to be looking for mates for people 20 and over. Marriages for younger couples is usually arranged within the circle of family and friends. The replies are expected to come from the parents of the prospective bride or groom not from the prospective bride or groom herself/himself.
Included a representative sample of ads. These have been taken verbatum from actual newspapers in India. Some of the words will need decoding. Students will enjoy doing this. We have provided a key to help you help them.

KEY:

· Brahmin - highest caste

· Fair - Indians are quite color-conscious. Light skin is preferred to dark skin. Young men and women are very careful about not getting too much sun so as not to be too dark.

· Homely - This refers to a girl's homemaking skills.

· 25/189/8,000 - age/height in centimeters/salary in Rupees-per-month
A government teacher in a New Delhi primary school might make 7-10,000 Rs per month depending on experience. The exchange rate at this writing is 42 Rupees to the dollar so the salary would be $166-$238 per month. Teachers also get a housing allowance and a small medical allowance. Secondary teachers make more but government teachers in smaller cities and in rural areas are not as well compensated. A person just out of college with not specific skills will make about 3-5,000 Rs per month. Computer programers and engineers make considerably more.

· Decent marriage - arranged marriage

· Convented - educated in a private school, preferably a religious school.

· Eng med - English medium - wants person who has gone to a school in which English was the languaged used as a teaching medium. It indicates a certain class of school--upper/middle.

· Initials: B.E. [Bachelor of Engineering]. B.Ed [Business Education], Mech [Mechanical Engineering], MBA [Masters of Business Administration], MA Econ [Masters in Economics], DME [Degree in Mechanical Engineering], DBM [Degree in Business Management], MNC [Multinational Corporation], MSc [Master of Science]

· No bar at all - caste not a consideration

· Hostel - a boarding house for students or working people - segregated by sex.

· Listings: These ads are listed under many categories--the advertisers choice. Many of the labels denote castes--Jati, Khatri, Kshatriya, Yadav, etc.; while others indicate language/state--Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Keralite, Rajput, etc. Some of the labels indicate the desired profession, religion, or professional degree of the bride/groom.

NUMBER OF CLASS PERIODS:
One 40 minute period

STRATEGIES/ACTIVITIES:
Whole class: Discuss how people in the US choose a mate. Determine prior knowledge of actual wedding ceremony in the United States by brainstorming components of a typical wedding. Read through the wedding page.

Discuss:

· The concept of Arranged Marriage.

· Advantages and disadvantages of marriage for love and marriage by arrangment.

· Assumptions made in each case.

Assign one of the following:

· Write your own marriage ad.

· Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT:

Essays should be evaluated for examination of underlying cultural assumptions, thoughtful discussion, parallel structure, and mechanics.

Wedding Advertisements

These are quoted verbatum from the Calcutta
Telegraph

July 1998

Grooms Wanted:

Daughter of high ranking central government officer. 25+/158, fair, slim pretty, Kayastha, M.A.Econ, B.Ed (own house/car) suitable groom wanted.

Match invited from professor/Dr/Engr. Highly placed well employed groom for Brahmin Shandilya Debagn, 27/160 M.Sc Physics., doing PhD, good-looking, well built, fair bride.

An industrialist, Hindu, upper caste, Bengal family of Calcutta, is looking for suitable groom for their daughter. Honors graduate, although convent educated, age 23+/5'3", very beautiful, well settled in her own industry. Groom must be from a respectable family, professionally qualified, preferably B.E. (mech) with MBA, settled in business or holding senior position in reputed company.

Well established groom wanted for East Bengali Kayastha, 30/166, doctorate, computer programmer, issueless divorcee, greencard holder, will be visiting in December 98.

Alliance invited from affluent families for Engr. girl DME, DBM 23/160 fair, charming, engaged in family business. Parents having own factory in Bombay & well settled profitable business. Boy must be professionally qualified & preferable willing to allow the girl to pursue her own career in business. Reply with bio-data, horoscope & photo [Ret.]

Brides Wanted:

Baidya groom, September '69, handsome, 35/180 groom B.E.(Mech), pursuing PhD. Groom Company Secretary, Cum legal manager, joint venture MNC, annual salary 4 lakhs. Wanted post graduate (Eng medium) at least 160 cm tall, really beautiful, fair, homely, below 25, Baidya/Brahmin/Kulin Kayastha Bride. Correspond with biodata: time, month year and place of birth. No demand.

Beautiful match for established businessman, 41/172. High Caste divorcee with two kids in hostel. No bar at all.

Free from religious orthodoxy, 31/170, own house, graduate, handsome, government employee, 8,000/-. Educated, pretty girl desired.

A very handsome, tall, 5'11", very fair, slim, 29 years, highly educated, a successful industrialist having high seven figure income and owning posh apartments and prime properties, teetotaller, non-smoker, world traveled, and coming from a rich, respectable, high educated and cultured south Bombay-based Hindu family. The girl should be extremely beautiful and very fair, slim, tall, educated, sweet-natured and from a cultured family. Beauty Queens, models and Girls from the World of Glamour are also welcome. Proposals welcome from India and world over including Foreigners. Photograph is a must.
North Indian Protest Doctor parents invite proposals from status families for their well settled son 30/167/PGDBA, fair, adventurous, fond of books and music. Looking for an educated, God-Fearing, homely, Protestant Christian girl. Please write with details and enclose a recent picture. Categories under which these ads are placed: Agarwal, Architect, Bengali, Business, Christian, Cosmopolitan, Dawoodi Bohra, Doctors, Engineers, Government/Defense, Gujarati, Hindu, Himachali, Hotel/Shipping/Airline, Maheshwari, Jat, Kannadiga, Khatri, Kayastha, Keralite, Kamauni, Kurmi, Malayali, MBA/C.A., Mangalik, Marathi/Konkani, Muslim, Marwaris, NRI/greencard, Other Professionals, Oriya, Parsi, Punjabi, Rajput, Scheduled Caste/Scheduled tribe, Sindhi, Sikh, Second Marriage, Swarnkar, Tamil, Telugu, Vaish/Jain, U.P.Yadav.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The God of Small Things and Monsoon Wedding

By Marcia Anderson

Rationale:

Students will examine and compare Indian culture by reading the novel The God of Small Things by Arundhati Royand then watching the movie Monsoon Wedding.

Objective:
Students will:

_ Examine the historical and cultural context of Indian traditions.

_ Discuss the repercussions of these values.

_ Compare and contrast the different cultural issues addressed in the novel and the movie.

Background information:

I chose the novel The God of Small Things because the protagonists are children, which gives students a point of identity with the text. Furthermore, the historical and cultural context is extremely different from our own and offers students a new and engaging area of comparison. The film, Monsoon Wedding, a more positive and hopeful text, will allow students to examine, in this paired study of post-independence India, a continuation in the way the country is adjusting to social, economic and political changes, the impact of globalisation and the ways in which India (albeit, middle class) is becoming more accommodating and tolerant of the caste system. The temporal setting of The God of Small Things extends from 1969 to 1994 exploring the tragic events when the traditional and modern aspects of this transforming society clash. The characters in Monsoon Wedding are young people adapting also to the pressures of life in a rapidly changing India, at the beginning of the new millennium. While theycontinue to value their native cultural traditions they are also modern, global citizens and the text is a celebration of not only the marriages of the characters but the way in which India has maintained its cultural heritage while assimilating with the modern world and its past.

Procedures:

After students have read the novel we will brainstorm as a class:

Arranged marriages
The caste system
Gandhi and independence
His own school history and impressions of growing up in India

While viewing Monsoon Wedding students will individually take notes on:

Plot
Characterisation
Concerns/issues/ideas
Marriage/weddings
Culture
Setting
Film techniques

The class was then divided into groups and each group was assigned one of these aspects. On large sheets of paper they amassed all the ideas on the topic they could glean from their individual notes. Each group then rotated to the next table and added any information they had that had not already been included. This continued in increasingly smaller periods of time until all students had read and contributed to each group’s work. When they eventually returned to their original table they were then responsible for producing a set of notes on their topic to share with the class.

The students were assigned to groups for study of The God of Small Things. They returned to the original list of questions they had asked about the text in the first session and then categorised them into subject areas.

Questions:

What is the meaning of the History House?
What/who is the god of small things?
When was India modernised?
Indian politics – Marxism
Religion – Syrian Christianity
Hinduism – Untouchables
Marriage customs
Caste system
Setting – Community
Kathakali dances
Indian cultural references
Colonisation
Language use
Symbolism
Roy’s view on incest
Twin connection
Timeline of events
Meanings/themes

Categorised into subjects:

Religion – Syrian Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism
Culture – Caste system, customs, mores, Kathakali dancers
Politics – Marxism, current political system
History – British invasion, colonisation, Independence, India in the 1960s, present day India
Meaning/Themes/Concerns/Issues – What is the god of small things? Twin connection
Techniques – Characterisation, structure, setting, language use, timeline, family tree, symbolism.

Each group assigned members to a particular task to research. Their brief and assessed task was to compile a set of notes for their group – a knowledge product. Each group would then lead a whole class discussion on the novel, and their particular task drawing together the subject matter, concerns and deeper meanings.

Groups then worked on a chart to demonstrate the similarities and differences between the two texts. They categorised them into three areas: cultural, historical and concerns/issues. A discussion on the post-colonial theoretical aspects of the texts was also white boarded. This included aspects in both texts about hybridity, feminism, appropriation and colonialism.

Assessment: Essay question:

‘Although Monsoon Wedding and The God of Small Things are both set in post-independence India, they address very different issues and have different outcomes.’ Do you agree with this statement?

Traditions and Hardships

By Alaina Peseski

Length of lesson: 50 minutes
Purpose/Rationale: For students to explore and understand the traditions of Indian culture and the everyday hardships that Indian women encounter.

MI Standards: CE 1.2.2 Write, speak, and visually represent to develop self-awareness and insight. CE 2.1.7 Demonstrate understanding of written information by restating, paraphrasing, summarizing, critiquing, or composing a personal response. CE 2.2.3 Interpret the meaning of written texts by drawing on different cultural, theoretical, and critical perspectives. CE 3.1.7 Analyze and evaluate the portrayal of various groups, societies, and cultures in literature.

Student Outcomes:
-To recognize Indian culture, tradition, and hardships that are revealed in the beginning of the text.
-To differentiate between American culture and Indian culture.
-To compare and contrast their own lives to that of Rukmani’s.
-To be able to identify with Rukmani or another character from the book.
-To construct an understanding of the characters’ lives through utilizing creative writing skills.

Procedures:
-Upon finishing the first two chapters of the book, have a short, open discussion with students. Raise questions such as:
What differences do you see between Indian culture and American culture? What are some traditions of the Indian culture that you see in the reading? How does Rukmani’s lifestyle drastically change over the period between pages 1 and page 18?
-After this discussion, have students, either in pairs or working alone, create a T-chart that compares certain concepts of the book to their own culture/lives. *Concepts may include: land, agriculture, home, wedding (dowry, pre-determined), birth of male vs. female, food, everyday jobs, and the belief in evil/bad spirits(snake).
- Once most students/pairs have a large amount of their T-chart completed, ask students to share with the class what they have come up with.
-Students will then be asked to think about all the hardships that Rukmani has had to face this early on in the book. Inform students that they will need to put themselves in the shoes of an Indian woman for a day, while they create a journal entry entitled, “One Day in the Life of…” They will be asked to write a 1-2 page journal entry from this woman’s perspective that may emphasize her hard work, forced marriage, whatever they choose, so long as it reflects the hardships of being an Indian woman.

*Note: students will not be summarizing the 1st two chapters written from Rukmani’s point of view, but rather creatively writing their own journal entries that prove they understand the everyday hardships that these women face.
-Also, challenge students to attempt to include anything joyous or positive about their day in their journal entries. This will not be easy, for as students will notice from the reading, Rukmani doesn’t find all that much to be happy about.
-What students don’t finish in class, they will be asked to complete for homework.

Assessment:
Students will be assessed on:
-whether they participated during the short discussion
-their participation in brainstorming and completing a T-chart
-their creativity used to write “One Day in the Life of…”
-whether their journal entry proves their understanding of Rukmani and other Indian women’s hardships.
Source: Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya

This lesson plan will further help students understand the themes of tradition and hardships that are visible in the 1st two chapters of this novel. The discussion, T-chart, and journal entry that students are asked to complete, all help students comprehend the events that have taken place within their reading up to this point. Furthermore, because students are asked to carefully examine and write from the perspective of an Indian woman, students will be given the opportunity to truly take a walk in Rukmani’s shoes. This activity forces students to feel sympathy for her, become curious as to what will happen to her in the rest of the book; thus students will be dying to read more!

Ending Child Exploitation

By Alaina Peseski

Length: 50 minutes
Purpose/Rationale: For students to learn more about the many different ways children are being exploited in Third World countries, as well as explore the goals of organizations determined to put an end to child exploitation.
MI Standards: CE 1.5.1 Use writing, speaking, and visual expression to develop powerful, creative, and critical messages. CE 2.1.7 Demonstrate understanding of written, spoken, or visual information by composing a personal response. CE 2.1.10 Listen to and view speeches, presentations, and multimedia works to identify and respond thoughtfully. CE 3.4.1 Use methods of close and contextualized reading and viewing to examine, interpret, and evaluate print and visual media and other works.
Student Outcomes: - Students will be able to identify the different types of child exploitation occurring in all parts of the world.
- Explore child labor, where it exists, what they do, and the different types of work.
- Understand human trafficking and the worth of a child.
- Examine sexual exploitation occurring around the world.
- Recognize the many different organizations/programs determined to put an end to child exploitation.
- Reflect on this topic by utilizing creative writing skills to illustrate their knowledge and concern regarding this universal problem. Procedures:
- Begin class by showing the video, “Human Trafficking (Tyrrell),” this video is approximately 8 minutes long. Warn students about the disturbing video they are about to see, and to feel free to exit the room if they feel it necessary. Inform students to write down anything they are feeling or any other thoughts while watching the video.
- At the end of the video, ask those students who would like to share their reaction of the video, to do so at this time.
- After students are finished sharing their thoughts, show them the second video, “Price of a Child,” which is about 3 ½ minutes long.
-Again, welcome any students to share their thoughts/opinions/reactions to what they have just seen.
-Next, hand out the lengthy article, “End Child Exploitation: Faces of Explotation” and direct students to read the article (it’s not as long as it looks).
-When students have finished reading the article, instruct them of their assignment. Students will be numbered and assigned either a 1, 2, or 3.
# 1’s: Students will write a letter to one of the organizations against child exploitation (Justice for Children International, Not for Sale Campaign, World Vision, or UNICEF UK) Students will be asked to include in their letter: their reaction to one of the videos or the article, if and how they themselves would like to become involved in the attempt to end this problem, as well as any suggestions they may have for spreading the word about this issue.
# 2’s: These students will write a letter to a child, boy or girl, that is being exploited. This child can be one that they saw in the films or article, or even one that has never appeared anywhere; you are now their pen pal. Include in this letter: Any positive thoughts/prayers/words of hope, inform this child that you are aware of child exploitation, as well as any plans you have to prevent this problem from continuing to exist.
# 3’s: These students will write a letter to either a child trafficker or a sexual exploiter. Using appropriate language, tell them how you feel about what they are doing, what you intend to do to stop them, and anything else you might want to add about these children’s lives that they are ruining.
-Assuming this will carry into the next day, have a #1, #2, and # 3 get into the same groups and share their letters with each other. This will be a really moving activity to hear students’ letters to the children, the enemies, and the abolitionists all in the same group.

Assessment:
-Students will be assessed on their creativty and completion of their letter within their asssigned group.

Sources:
Video: Human Trafficking (tyrrell) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0NOiJEKgGw
Video: Price of a Child http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__c6IfFw_ZU
Article: UNICEF UK (2003). End Child Exploitation: Faces of Explotation. Hobbs the printers ltd.

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Kyle Krol
Nectar in a Sieve Unit
Topic: Rukmani’s Marriage
Grade: 11-12
Lesson Length: 50 minutes

Lesson Goals/ Rationale:
In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to explore the culture of third world, specifically through arranged marriages. Looking at the characters perceptions of Rukmani’s marriage, students will be able to fashion ideas of what is held as important in the culture and why the different characters felt that way. Students will be expected to make connections to our own culture in the United States. Also, students will have time to investigate what the possible causes are for arranged marriages. Students will be asked make proposed society changes or defend current ones, as well as make an argument for or against Rukmani’s marriage. This will help students understand the underlying themes in third world society so that they may apply them throughout the novel.

Michigan English Language Arts Content Standards 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.5, 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3:
5.1: Select, read, listen to, view, and respond thoughtfully to both classic and contemporary texts recognized for quality and literary merit.
5.2: Describe and discuss archetypal human experiences that appear in literature other texts from around the world.
5.3: Analyze how tensions among characters, communities, themes, and issues in literature and other texts reflect the substance of the human experience.
5.5: Analyze and evaluate the authenticity of the portrayal of various societies and cultures in literature and other texts.
9.1: Analyze and reflect on universal themes and substantive issues from oral, visual and written texts.
9.2: Synthesize from multiple texts representing of varied perspectives, and applying the principles and generalizations needed to investigate and confront complex issues and problems.
9.3: Develop and extend a thesis by analyzing differing perspectives and resolving inconsistencies in logic in order to support a position.

Student Objectives:
Given a common text, supplemental readings, time to work in groups, and time to create proposal, students will:

• Identify key themes in the culture pertaining to arranged marriages.
• Apply an understanding of themes to characters.
• Compare and contrast arranged marriages to a similar issue in the United States.
• Create an argument for or against arranged marriage.

Procedure:

Approximate Time

Activity

10 minutes

Think-Pair-Share why a culture would think that arranged marriages are important and if the U.S. has anything comparable.

3 minutes

Assign small groups

28 minutes

Proposal activity: small groups have to take a side (for or against arranged marriages), use information from warm-up activity or text set, create an argument to present to class that demands, or refuses, changes with information to back up decisions.

16 minutes

Present proposals.

3 minutes

Voting slips on what side should have won the activity.

Assessing Student Learning:
To assess student learning, I will use a rather informal method. Instead of asking students to do a formal write-up on what they learned, they will receive participation points for the following:

• Attendance.
• The Think-Pair-Share activity form.
• Active participation in group work.
• Having a role in the class proposal.
• A complete voting slip.

Points will be given on a participation basis, as well as ten points for each of the handouts (Think-Pair-Share and voting slip).
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Kyle Krol
Nectar in a Sieve Unit
Topic: Issues of the Third World
Grade: 11-12
Lesson Length: 50 minutes

Lesson Goals/ Rationale:
After finishing Nectar in a Sieve, it is vital to put students’ knowledge into action. In class we will form into advocacy groups, with a panel of “officials” that, after convincing from the lobbying of the different groups, decide to take action on a particular issue with which third world countries are faced. Students in the advocacy groups will need to not only investigate their chosen subject, but also come up with possible solutions or courses of action. “Officials will have to investigate subjects and entertain the lobbying of advocates. A sort of inquiry based project, students will expand their research abilities, as well as their competitive debate skills, since they are trying to convince officials that their topic is most worthy of addressing. Students will also have the opportunity to familiarize themselves in expert manner on one topic, while still learning about other issues third world countries face.

Michigan English Language Arts Content Standards 5.3, 5.5, 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3:
5.3: Analyze how tensions among characters, communities, themes, and issues in literature and other texts reflect the substance of the human experience.
5.5: Analyze and evaluate the authenticity of the portrayal of various societies and cultures in literature and other texts.
9.1: Analyze and reflect on universal themes and substantive issues from oral, visual and written texts.
9.2: Synthesize from multiple texts representing of varied perspectives, and applying the principles and generalizations needed to investigate and confront complex issues and problems.
9.3: Develop and extend a thesis by analyzing differing perspectives and resolving inconsistencies in logic in order to support a position.

Student Objectives:
Given a text set, guidelines on the project, and small groups, students will be able to:

• Identify various issues within third world countries.
• Incorporate information gathered from Nectar in a Sieve into their debates.
• Expand basic oratory skills.
• Create and develop advanced reasoning for addressing a given issue.
• Reflect on the reaction of “officials” to improve debate.

Procedures:

Approximate Time Activity

7 minutes Discuss past work on project (it will have been going on for a day prior) and reform groups.

17 minutes Give time for students to access text set, using it to gather information on a given topic.

13 minutes First round of lobbyists for advocacy groups. After, advocacy groups reform to discuss effectiveness and strategy while “officials” journal and discuss what they thought about the lobbying in comparison their own information.

8 minutes Students begin to prepare for second of three rounds of lobbying.

5 minutes Questions and comments on the day’s occurrences.

Assessing Student Learning:
This lesson is heavily weighted by participation. Since little, if any, formal writing is done at this point in the activity, points will be given on the following:

• Active participation in group collaboration.
• Ability to persuade”officials”.
• Active excursions into research.
• Reflective approach to changing methods.

Most of this type of participation will be measured with observations, as well as group evaluations that will be turned in at the completion of this activity. Keep in mind that the activity will span several days.

Kenny, Rukmani's Sons, the Tannery

KummerAJ — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:25:56 CDT

This section will cover the time in the novel when change begins again in Rukmani’s life. You may find lessons here that seek to address the following questions: What role does each of these new life forms play in Rukmani’s and the villages life? How would you help students to understand the importance of this new presence? What does this mean to the overall welfare of the rest of the characters?

Mandi Becktel Lesson plan 1: Chapters 3, 4, and 5 of Nectar in a Sieve Time: 50 minutes Rationale and objectives: Students will gain further background knowledge of Third World countries to help them gain a deeper and more complete understanding of Markandala’s novel. They will discuss the readings for the day in small groups to clarify any questions they may have about the content. They will also have the opportunity to speak with a woman from a third world country to gain a more personal understanding about life in the third world and the roles of women in developing countries. MI E.L.A. Content Expectations: CE2.1.4, CE2.2.3 (in summary, students will understand the content of a literary work and interpret its meaning from different cultural perspectives).

Time	Activity
15 min.	Small group discussion about the reading for the day (ch. 3, 4, and 5), monitored and guided by the instructor
7 min.	Freewrite activity: In these chapters we are introduced to the new tannery that is moving into Rukmani’s village. We are also introduced to her sons. Do you think that her sons will eventually work for the factory? Why or why not?
3 min.	Take vote on freewrite responses, explain “foreshadowing” in a sentence or two and add it to the word wall
20 min.	Students field questions to our guest speaker, Jamie Kizy (my roommate in college). Jamie is from Iraq and has had many experiences there as well as many challenges trying to mesh her home culture with American culture. She will focus on telling the students about life in a third world country and also about the roles of women in developing countries. She will also talk about how both items are different in her culture than in ours.
5 min.	Students will do a freewrite (exit slip) about what they learned / were most surprised by from their time with our guest. They will also be required to make one connection between something the speaker said and what they read for today.

Assessment: Formative assessment will be recorded as the instructor monitors the small group discussions of the text. Summative assessment will be given in the form of 5 points of credit for the exit slip at the end of class.

Amanda Harju

Nectar in a Sieve: The Sons and the TanneryTIME: 60 minObjectives and Rationale: In this lesson, students analyze the salvation and suffering from the Tannery placed in novel’s village. Students will read articles and respond to the effects of businesses on the local economy and relate it to Rukmani’s family, and then will form a position on the Tannery and use it in mini-debates. The purpose for this lesson is to connect the issues in the novel on labor work to modern day issues in the world, specifically the Third World. Content Standards: CE 2.1.11, CE 2.2.2, CE 3.1.9, CE 3.2.5; This lesson will assist in attentive listening and respectful expression of opinion, associating prior knowledge and issues in the text to human experience in various ways. TIMEACTIVITY10 min Free-write response to the question posed on the board: How has the tannery changed the lives of Rukmani’s family and neighbors? Students share their responses and discuss the events of the novel to date. 15 min Students break into groups of three and brainstorm businesses that have entered their community/society within their lifetime (Walmart, Lowe’s, chain restaurants). The groups then will share with the class their brainstorming and together discuss the connections in our lives to the lives in the novel. 10 min Then students will respond in their journals how these businesses in their community/society have affected their lives, and make comparisons to the novel through their analysis.20 min Students will be divided into groups of four to take part in a debate; two people to each side of the argument. One side will take the perspective of the laborers and workers of the tannery, or any business recently established in the area, and the other side will take the perspective of the business owners and bosses. Students will work with their partner to form an argument and then hold a debate with the other half of the group. 5 min The floor will open up and the major points discussed in the mini-debates will be written on the board. Students will be asked to write those down before leaving the class. Assessment: Students will be assessed based on their participation and involvement in discussion, debates and journal entries; formative. Points are given for participation, and credit given for the journal entries.

Andrew Kummer
Nectar In A Sieve: The Tannery and the effects of industrialization.
Time: 50 min.
Rationale and Objectives:Students will examine explore themes of industrialization and modernization inside the novel. They will discuss the potential problems that the tannery presents and compare these to the problems discussed in a supplementary article about Mexican farmers and the NAFTA agreement. Students will draw connections between Indian farmers and Mexican farmers to see that the problems faced in the novel are still relevant and universal.
MI E.L.A. Content Expectations: CE 2.1.4, CE2.1.6, CE2.1.7, CE2.2.1, CE2.2.2, CE2.2.3, CE2.3.4, CE
Schedule:

Time Activity
15 min Small group discussion of assigned reading. Instructor guides discussion towards the problems created by the tannery.

5 min Classroom discussion about the problems that face Indian farmers and other people who live on the edge of poverty.

12 min Class reads In Corn's Cradle, U.S. Imports Bury Family Farmers.

10 min Individual free-write. Students will write what they learned about issues between the US and Mexico and how they relate to Rukmani and her family in India.

8 min Group discussion. Students share responses and findings.

Assessment: Students will be graded based on classroom participation and their free write. The free write serves as an exit slip.

Ways We Can Make a Difference!

JCProctor — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:37:06 CDT

TrueMajority.org - American organization that helps inform members of domestic and international crisis. Great tool for contacting your senators and representatives.

Compassion International - Compassion International allows people to sponsor children. It helps feed and medicate children in 3rd world countries.

Democracy Now! - News source that provides unique perspectives. It's a grassroots organization that serves as an alternative to corporate-owned American news sources.

Oxfam America is committed to creating lasting solutions to global poverty, hunger, and social injustice.

Heifer International is an organization that provides animals to help develop local economies.

The Dulaan Project is an organization in which knitters from around the globe make warm clothes for people in Mongolia.

World Vision This is an organization that allows you to adopt a child. With your funding that child will receive money and a wonderful education.

Yéle Haiti is an organization to bring hope back to Haiti.

Secondary Sources

k3grunow — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:45:26 CDT

The following is a list of secondary sources that you may find helpful when teaching a unit on third world countries, the novel Nectar in a Sieve, or common themes found within the novel.

Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World
By: Bill Bigelow Bob Peterson

Things Fall Apart
By: Chinua Achebe

Tsotsi
By: Athol Fugard

So Long a Letter
By: Mariama Ba

Petals of Blood
By: Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Moses Isegawa

Desert Flower: The Extrordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad
By: Waris Dirie and Cathleen Miller

The Dark Child
By: Camara Laye

Under the Persimmon Tree
By: Suzanne Fisher Staples

I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala
By: Rigoberta Menchu

Cry the Beloved Country
By: Alan Paton

Land Repossession, the Quarry

k3grunow — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 06:50:01 CDT

These lessons will cover the end of the novel. You may find lessons here that seek to address the following questions: Why do Nathan and Rukmani lose their land? When they lose their land why are their options so scarce? What role does the tannery play in the fact that their land is taken? How is life for Rukmani and Nathan in the Quarry? What role does the young man that they meet play in novel? How does the end of the novel work? What lesson does the novel try to teach?

Home

allenwebb — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:31:38 CDT

This wiki supports teaching Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya and addressing the range of issues the novel raises.

The site is divided into five significant sections and each section contains several lesson plans to utilize in your classroom. Use the lessons provided and contribute your own!

Created as a resource by aspiring secondary English teachers at in English 4800 Western Michigan University, as a model for cultural studies teaching.

Approximate Time	Activity
10 minutes	Think-Pair-Share why a culture would think that arranged marriages are important and if the U.S. has anything comparable.
3 minutes	Assign small groups
28 minutes	Proposal activity: small groups have to take a side (for or against arranged marriages), use information from warm-up activity or text set, create an argument to present to class that demands, or refuses, changes with information to back up decisions.
16 minutes	Present proposals.
3 minutes	Voting slips on what side should have won the activity.

Approximate Time	Activity
7 minutes	Discuss past work on project (it will have been going on for a day prior) and reform groups.
17 minutes	Give time for students to access text set, using it to gather information on a given topic.
13 minutes	First round of lobbyists for advocacy groups. After, advocacy groups reform to discuss effectiveness and strategy while “officials” journal and discuss what they thought about the lobbying in comparison their own information.
8 minutes	Students begin to prepare for second of three rounds of lobbying.
5 minutes	Questions and comments on the day’s occurrences.