Grade Level: 9-12

Content Area:  Language Arts

Learning Objective(s)

To compare themes of hope and loss in two literary works

Virtue/Character Trait:

Optimistic

Lesson Title

Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying: Concluding the Novel

Lesson Summary:

Students read As I Lay Dying and the Nobel Prize speech by Faulkner and compare them in terms of hope and loss. Students will determine if the novel is simply pessimistic or if there is some hope throughout.

Grade Level: 9-12

Content Area: Language Arts

Learning Objective(s)

To analyze Hemingway’s “The Revolutionist.”

Virtue/Character Trait:

Optimistic

Lesson Title

Optimism in “The Revolutionist”

Lesson Summary:

Students read “The Revolutionist” and consider if the story presents a juxtaposition of the young revolutionists optimism against the more knowing skepticism of the narrator. 

URL:

 http://cuip.uchicago.edu/~stuart/hemingway/guide.html

Grade Level: 9-12

Content Area: Language Arts or History

Learning Objective(s)

To analyze the optimistic tone in My Larger Education by Booker T. Washington.

Virtue/Character Trait:

Optimistic

Lesson Title

The Optimism of Booker T. Washington

Lesson Summary:

Students will read My Larger Education by Booker T. Washington. Then students will write an essay to examine whether people in the time of Booker T. Washington were willing to believe in his optimism and students will speculate about what people today would think of the message of Booker T. Washington.

URL:

http://archive.blackvoices.com/blackboard/bb_lga_000094.htm

Grade Level: 9-12

Content Area: Language Arts

Learning Objective(s)

To understand the interplay between hope and despair in The Lord of the Rings.

Virtue/Character Trait:

Optimistic

Lesson Title

War and Peace in Middle-Earth

Lesson Summary:

Students read Lord of the Rings and discuss the mixture of optimism and fatalism in the novel. Students also analyze likenesses between the book and the World War I era when the optimism associated with the Age of Progress was dealt a blow.

URL:

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/lordoftheringstrilogy/lessons/eight/

Grade Level: 9-12

Content Area: Language Arts

Learning Objective(s)

To develop a book review discussing aspects of plot, characters, theme, setting, and mood/tone/style.

Virtue/Character Trait:

Optimistic

Lesson Title

Book Review

Lesson Summary:

This is intended to be guidelines for extra credit book reviews but could be adapted for any type of review of a book or article. Students are given prompts to help them assess the book in terns of plot, characters, theme, setting, and mood/tone/style. For the mood/tone/style prompt students should determine if the book is optimistic or pessimistic.

URL:

 http://user.mc.net/~tomliz/lesson_plan_page.htm

Grade Level: 9-12

Content Area: Social Studies

Learning Objective(s)

Students will gain an understanding of the possible scenarios for the future of Hong Kong after learning about the history, culture, and politics of Hong Kong.

Virtue/Character Trait:

Optimistic

Lesson Title

Scenarios for Hong Kong’s Future

Lesson Summary:

Students will read two passages about the history, culture, and politics of Hong Kong. Then students will analyze four scenarios for the future of Hong Kong: 1) the optimistic scenario, 2) the status quo scenario, 3) the gradual decline scenario, 4) the pessimistic scenario. Students will predict which scenario they think Hong Kong will follow.

URL:

http://www.askasia.org/teachers/Instructional_Resources/Lesson_Plans/China/LP_china_1.htm