19 Scarlet Letter Essay - Lesson Plan PDF

Katelynn Sutton
LESSON PLANS
11 th Grade American Literature
Lesson Plan III: April 11, 2018
Lesson Topic
Objectives
Writing Assignment Scarlet Letter
The students will…
1. Communicate their thoughts in writing clearly and effectively
2. Write with correct capitalization, punctuation, and usage
3. Analyze symbolism and irony in the Scarlet Letter
4. Compare/contrast Puritan and biblical values
5. Demonstrate proper essay format (clear thesis, strong body, restatement of
thesis)
6. Demonstrate their ability to write essays in a timely manner (a one-page
essay in one class hour)
8. Display basic reading comprehension by writing about what they have
been reading
9. Demonstrate their ability to cite specific examples from a text to prove a
point about that text
10. Utilize specific Scripture references to communicate biblical values
Materials
Needed
‣ Grading Rubric
‣ Lesson Plan/Procedure Outline
‣ Topic Page
‣ White Board (to show proper format)

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‣ Notebook paper and pen on test day
‣ Nathaniel Hawthorne PPT
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Symbolism and Irony in The Scarlet Letter
Who was Nathaniel Hawthorne?
• Born in Salem, Massachusetts (1804) into a harsh Puritan ancestry
• Added a “w” to his name
• Lost his father at a young age; raised by wealthy uncles
• Dreamed of becoming a writer after a leg injury as a young child
• Did not enjoy college; secluded himself at home for 12 years, becoming a well-known
short story author
• Met and proposed to Sophia Peabody
• Spent time living in Brook Farm, becoming acquainted with Emerson and Thoreau
• Moved his family around New England, in and out of debt
• Failed at gaining political office
• Wrote his masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter
• Became internationally prominent for his other works
• Declining health stemmed his success as an author in later years; died in 1864
What kind of literature did he write?
Affective – literature to entertain
OR
Didactive – literature to teach
*Good literature teaches and pleases!
What is Nathaniel Hawthorne trying to
communicate through The Scarlet Letter?
• What does the scarlet letter
symbolize?
• What is ironic about Hester
Prynne being the only person
to wear one?
• How do Puritan values
compare to biblical, Christ-like
values? Are they the same or
different?
Content or
Skills to Be
Reviewed
New Content or
Symbols and irony that students have encountered so far in The Scarlet
Letter.
Comparison of the Puritan values woven into The Scarlet Letter with biblical

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Skills
Procedures
values.
Procedure Outline
I. (8:30-8:45) Discuss with the class the difference between didactive
and affective literature – The Scarlet Letter is meant to teach them
something.
A. Who is Nathaniel Hawthorne? (use PPT to teach through his
life)
B. Is his literature produced for entertainment or teaching?
C. What in his past could have triggered the setting and themes
of The Scarlet Letter?
D. What does the scarlet letter itself symbolize?
E. What is ironic about Hester Prynne being the only
townsperson wearing one?
F. How do Puritan values compare with biblical values?
II.
(8:45-8:55) Pass out the essay test topic/instruction sheet. Read
through the topic with them and explain. Correlate the topic with the
PPT.
A. Be clear about my expectations
B. Correlate the relationship between the didactic Scarlet Letter
to this assignment (they will write what symbolism and irony
they have recognized and compare Puritan values with
biblical values)
III.
(8:55-9:10) Pass out and explain the grading rubric.
A. Students will only be graded over what is on the rubric
B. The rubric, although specific, includes things that should
already be true of their writing level as a junior in high school.
C. Remind them of proper essay formatting
D. Be clear about the thesis statement (should be complex;
should map out their points).

Katelynn Sutton
Key Questions
(1) What do we call literature that is meant to teach, not just please?
(2) What is unique about good literature?
(3) What in Hawthorne’s ancestry could have triggered his setting of The
Scarlet Letter?
(4) What does the scarlet letter itself represent?
(5) What is ironic about Hester Prynne being the only townsperson with a
scarlet letter?
(6) How do Puritan values compare to biblical, Christ-like values?
Activities
‣ Class discussion
‣ Author analysis
‣ Applying of author’s background to his literature
‣ Comparing of an author’s depictions to the Bible
‣ Assignment explanation
‣ Answering of students’ questions
Summary or Conclusion
Didactive literature is timeless—the authors of didactive literature use
timeless, universal themes. Hawthorne’s themes of overwhelming guilt,
hypocritical refusal to forgive and forget, and self-destructing attempts of
revenge are relatable! Which of us have not ever experienced overwhelming
guilt for our own sin? Which of us has never been either the one
hypocritically withholding forgiveness or so desperately desiring withheld
forgiveness? Which of us has not seen (or experienced) a person destroying
his life in bitterness and heartache when trying to enact revenge on a
wrongdoer? Those are all daily battles and struggles evident in our society
and our lives today. Although Hawthorne does not necessarily provide a
satisfying solution to these terrible sin problems, the Bible does. How can we
resolve these struggles using practical advice from God’s Word?

Katelynn Sutton