Tina M. Manus
The title of this section of lessons is Circe: Witch, Bitch or Feminist? In this series of lessons, students will adopt a feminist lens in order to successfully write a critical response through a feminist lens. Students will have multiple opportunities for formative assessment and feedback before the summative assessment in Lesson 4. Lessons are approximately 45-minutes in length, with the exception of Lesson 4 which could be elongated over two class periods.
It is understood that when examining literature through a feminist lens, there are important criteria to satisfy when writing. Students in these lessons will be required to focus completely on the character of Circe and her relationships with other characters in the story. The lessons in this section begin with a short on-line segment which explains the style of analysis in easy to understand language. The narrator in the film clearly explains the technique which writers must employ to write from a feminist perspective. These talking points could easily be made into a supplementary worksheet or classroom display as a reminder for students during this section of the unit. The questions posed by the feminist analysis include, but are not limited to:
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"What analysis in this are the feminine issues raised by this text regarding sexuality and gender roles?"
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"How does Circe see herself?"
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"How do men in the text see Circe?"
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"What are the relationships Circe has with men in the story? What are her motivations?"
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Sample Lesson 1: What is Feminist Criticism?
Objectives
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Students will identify the characteristics of feminist criticism.
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Students will engage in self and peer assessments.
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Students will practice the revision process.
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Prerequisites
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Students should have read and discussed the plot of the story of Circe from Homer's, The Odyssey.
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Students should have practice in formal response writing.
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Students should know to use academic language (not slang) in formal writing.
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Students should have familiarity with self and peer assessments to aid in revision process.
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Students should have familiarity with "Writers' Workshop" process.
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Materials
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Video: What is Feminist Criticism?
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"Assessment Checklist for Responding through a Feminist Lens"
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"Classroom Participation Rubric"
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White board
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Dry-erase markers
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LCD projector and viewing screen
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Internet connection
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Strategies
• Initiation/"Do- Now":
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Students respond in their journals to the following question written on the front board: "Circe was a very powerful sorceress. In your opinion, does Circe represent a negative or positive example of a woman? Why?"
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Students share their response with an elbow partner.
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Student share their responses in a group discussion.
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• Modeled/Guided Practice (Writing):
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Students view the video: What is Feminist Criticism?
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Students receive a copy of "Assessment Checklist for Responding through a Feminist Lens."
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Students will self-assess their writing in reference to their own response to the "Do-Now" prompt.
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Students will discuss their findings in a whole class discussion.
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• Independent Practice:
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Students revise answers according to their self-assessment.
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• Partner Work:
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Students exchange revised responses with an elbow partner.
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Students complete the peer-assessment portion of the "Assessment- Checklist for Responding through a Feminist Lens" worksheet.
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• Closure:
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Students complete an exit slip answering the following: "If Odysseus is the main character in The Odyssey, why might a feminist response focus on Circe?"
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Sample Lesson 2: Examining How Literary Elements Reveal Meaning in Fiction
Objective
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Students will analyze how literary elements are used to reveal meaning in fiction.
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Prerequisites
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Students should have practiced annotating a text.
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Students should know literary elements: figurative language, imagery, symbolism.
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Students should have practice using text support/concrete details.
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Materials
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Poem: "Circe" by Olga Broumas
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"Circe's Palace" in The Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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White board
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Dry-erase markers
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Strategies
• Initiation/"Do- Now":
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Students respond in their journals to the following quotation written on the front board: "They tell me a woman waits, motionless till she's wooed."
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• Who is "they?"
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• What does this quotation reveal about the role of women in this author's culture?
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2. Students share their response with an elbow partner.
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3. Student share their responses in a group discussion.
• Modeled/Guided Practice/Group Work (Reading):
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Students receive Olga Broumas' "Circe."
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The teacher will read the poem aloud and ask student to follow along silently.
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The teacher will make three long columns on the board, headed: figurative language, imagery, symbolism.
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The teacher will ask students to find one example for each heading.
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Students share responses in a group discussion.
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• Group Work:
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The teacher will divide the class into three groups: figurative language, imagery, symbolism.
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Students read an annotate the poem for characteristics of feminine
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Identity/characterization for Circe that are revealed through the literary elements of figurative language, imagery, and symbolism.
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Students will write answers under the correct headings on the front board as they are discovered in their respective groups.
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Students will continue to annotate individual papers to be collected at the conclusion of class.
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• Closure:
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Students will share finding with the group in a large class discussion.
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• Independent Practice/Homework:
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Students will annotate "Circe's Palace" for characteristics of feminine identity/characterization for Circe which is revealed through the literary elements of figurative language, imagery and symbolism.
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Sample Lesson 3: Analyzing Literary Criticism
Objective
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Students will analyze a non-fiction article identifying Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker and Tone (SOAPSTone).
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Prerequisites
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Students should have practice using SOAPSTone to examine a non-fiction article.
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Students should have practice using text support/concrete details to support a thesis.
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Materials
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Critique: "Circe; bad witch, feminist or just smart?" from A Bad Witch's Blog
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"Circe's Palace" from The Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Strategies
• Initiation/"Do- Now":
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Students will respond to the following prompt written on the front board: "Think about a powerful woman you see in the media today. What character qualities does that person share with Circe? Be specific."
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Students share their response with an elbow partner.
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Student share their responses in a group discussion.
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• Modeled/Guided Practice (Writing):
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Students receive "Circe; bad witch, feminist or just smart?"
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Students examine the article identifying Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker, Tone. (SOAPSTone)
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• Independent Practice:
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Students make a T-chart in their journals.
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Students identify quotations from "Circe's Palace" on one side which supports the author's opinions in the critique examined on the other side.
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• Closure:
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Students will participate in a "whip around" and share one quotation from "Circe's Palace" that supports the author's thinking in "Circe; bad witch, feminist or just smart? "
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Sample Lesson 4: Writing a Feminist Response
Objectives
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Students will synthesize multiple sources to formulate a critical response through a feminist lens.
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Students will understand performance expectations as defined by a rubric.
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Students will practice citations in MLA format.
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Prerequisites
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Students should have practice using text support/concrete details.
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Students should know how to make text-to-text connections to support a thesis.
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Students should know how to correctly cite fiction and non-fiction sources in MLA format.
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Students should understand the difference between the "passive" and "active" voice in formal writing and know not rely on the passive voice when writing academically.
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Materials
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"Feminist Response Rubric"
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"Assessment Checklist for Responding through a Feminist Lens"
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Poem: "Circe" by Olga Broumas
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"Circe's Palace" from The Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Critique: "Circe; bad witch, feminist or just smart?" from A Bad Witch's Blog
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Lap Top computers/ scheduled Computer Lab time to begin typing essays.
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White Board
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Dry-erase markers
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Strategies
• Initiation/"Do- Now":
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Students receive a copy of the "Feminist Response Rubric" on their desks before entering class.
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On the front board the teacher has written, "Please examine the rubric on your desk. Underline negative words and circle positive words."
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• Modeled/Guided Practice (Writing):
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The teacher draws a long horizontal line on the board with a (+) sign on the right end and a (-) on the left end.
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The teacher invites students to come up to the board to write the words they underlined along the line, placing the words according to the quality they represent.
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The teacher explains to students that this rubric will guide them as they write their response today.
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• Independent Practice:
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Students use information from class discussions and texts used in class to answer the following prompt: "Is Circe a witch, bitch, or feminist?"
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• Closure:
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Students will complete an exit slip answering the following question: "Has looking through the feminist lens at this story changed your initial impression of it? If so, how has your view changed? If not, why might this lens not appeal to you?"
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