Subject and Grade Level/Date:English 12/February 20,2013

Prepared by:Redmond

Lesson 4 The Book Thief

Objectives:1. Students will understand the importance

of “perspective” as it applies to our novel and make conclusions about why the

author chose to write from the perspective of “death” in The Book Thief.

2. Students will recreate perspective in the novel through the eyes of another character.

Educational Standards Addressed:To use before, during and after reading

strategies appropriate to text and purposeTo read and write to explore context,

appreciation, and meaning.

Warm-up #6: Think of a time when reading a book (or even a newspaper article) gave you a new perspective on life or a particular situation. What was the book? What changed your perspective? How did this make you feel?

RAM Hour Period (65 min)

Warm Up (15 min) Rorschach Test (15 min) Group Discussion (20 min) Closure-Writing Activity (15 min)

Activities

Warm Up

Homework

Warm Up #6(Please have reading logs on your desks!)

Think of a time when reading a book (or even a newspaper article) gave you a new perspective on life or a particular situation. What was the book? What changed your perspective? How did this make you feel?

Take Out a Sheet of PaperWe will be doing a short quiz called the Rorschach

Test.You will have 3 minutes to identify each image you

see. Describe the image with as much detail as possible.Write your answers SILENTLY. Do not discuss them

with your partners.

Discussion Spend about two minutes discussing your answers with your group. What did you see on each slide? How did your perception of the images differ from your group

members’? Why did your perception differ from your group members’?

DiscussionBriefly answer this question in your journal.How does this relate to our

novel?

Discussion

How does this relate to our novel?Differing perspectivesWhat does our author attempt to do by

using “death’s” perspective?How might the story change if written

from a different perspective?

Group Discussion

We will now move into our group discussions. You will have a discussion worksheet to

complete. Please choose a new facilitator for this

discussion to record your group’s answers. You will have 3 ½ minutes to answer each

question.

Question One

Do you wonder why Hans and Rosa Hubermann ever married? Opposites attract? How did the author use metaphors to describe Liesel's new foster parents?

Question Two

What is the significance of the title of this section?

Question Three

“Some crunched numbers. Since 1933, ninety percent of Germans showed unflinching support for Adolf Hitler. That leaves ten percent who didn’t. Hans Hubermann belonged to the ten percent.” What does this mean? Why did most people make up for the 90%? Why did Hans choose not to support Hitler?

Question Four

What is the smell of friendship for Liesel?

Question Five

Describe Alex Steiner's reaction to his son during the Jesse Owens incident. What was Rudy’s father trying to teach his son on the night of the Jesse Owens incident? What different perspectives are there of this situation? Whose is most accurate, if any?

Closure

I have given you a sheet of paper with a passage from today’s section of our novel on it.

Your job is to rewrite this section of the novel from a different character’s perspective. (Liesel’s, Hans’, or even the book Liesel is hiding under her mattress)

Attempt to model the author’s style, but change the perspective.

Be creative, but do not stray too far from the original story. You will have until the bell rings to complete this

activity.