The class that Kalpana observed.

It was 11 C . AICE. AS Level Litt. I had written out the lesson plan. I wanted to incorporate a few of the things we had learned in our latest PPSE session like bridging and hugging and also use a GO and one of the tech tools Shuchi had introduced to us, namely concept mapping (CM).
I'm teaching Chinua Achebe's Anthills of the Savannah.
But I wanted to start with an intro to the novel. My lesson plan went through dfferent revisions and never came to a kind of fixity, but it was clear in my mind in its basics. Unfortunately I couldn't use the tech hub that day but I still used concept mapping on the board.
I'm putting in the finished lesson notes now.
Dr. A.V. Koshy
Lesson Notes
Class held on 26th October 2006.
Block F
Venue: The terrace
Time: 1.45-2.45
Subject: The novel
Content: Elements of the novel.
Activity: Had a discussion on what the elements of the novel are. Stressed how most of the elements are common to the drama and the short story. The discussion took about 20 minutes.
I used the Classification web as a GO from Suchitra Narayan’s buffet.
The answers I expected from the students were: The Plot & the story, Characterization and characters, Themes, Language, Style, vocabulary, wordplay, symbols, motifs, emblems, images, figures of speech, Background and foreground, hero, heroine, (protagonists),villain, (antagonists), flat and round characters, stock characters, prototypes, archetypes, stereotypes, static, evolving, complex, simple or one-dimensional, milieu, setting, mood, tone, voice, atmosphere, sub-texts, sub-plots, point of view, perspective etc.
It emerged yet again that students are generally confused about the difference between plot and story. Character and characterization.
I wanted to divide them into two groups – one group to find definitions and examples and read them out.
Another to make a cmap of the connections between the main elements using verbs for the links.
They were then supposed to read out what each group came up with to the other group
But since the tech hub was not available I changed my lesson. I made them all do the definitions through the discussion together.
I made them write down the elements of the novel on the classification web, with novel as the word in the centre, then four main branches and then sub-branches of three elements each.
Then I did concept mapping with them on the board. Linking the concepts by using verbs.
For example – “Atmosphere builds the novel”.
Interesting digressions were into the need
To know about the author and his life
To read criticsm.
The students came up with everything on my list except wordplay.
I summed up and asked them to come to the next class with the first chapter of the novel read.
Learning objective: Learning the elements of a novel.
Assessment opportunity: Whether understanding has happened to some measure, enough to start out with.
Aim: A kind of revision, an intro. and a bridge between prior learning and present need.
Final comment: My lesson plans have to become even more simple. Awaiting feedback.