Durand 1

Danielle Durand

English College Prep

Period A

10th Grade

The Secret Life of Bees

Other Subjects Addressed:

History: 1960s

Guiding Questions:

How can we relate this book to the 1960s?

How do you figure out what a difficult word means?

How do you feel about certain characters in the book? Why do you feel that way?

How does Sue Monk Kidd portray the characters in The Secret Life of Bees that

makes the reader love or hate them?

What do bees have to do with Lily through the progression of the book?

Unit Objectives

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

1. Identify basic facts of the novel.

2. Identify and analyze literary devices in the novel. Narrative voice, symbolism,

epigraphs, characterization.

3. Discuss the social, cultural, and literary significance of the novel in an essay.

4. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the text on four levels: factual,

interpretive, critical and personal.

5. Students will enrich their vocabularies and improve their understanding of the

novel through the vocabulary lessons prepared for use in conjunction with the

novel.

6. Use and apply standard convention of English in their own writing and in editing

the writing of peers.

Durand 2

Activities and Assessments

Activities:

o Slide shows on the 1960s

o Slide shows on motifs and epigraphs

o Lecture

o Vocabulary Worksheets

o Online discussions with the class (Ning.com)

o Characterization packet

o Jeopardy review game

o Class discussions

o Group work

Assessments:

o Quizzes on readings

o Growth of a character essay

o Character project

o Test on Secret Life of Bees