Students’ age range: 14-16
Main subject: Language arts and literature
Topic: Short Story - The Two Grandmothers by Olive Senior
Description: Introductory Activity:
1. Using think-pair share the teacher will let students talk about their grandparents’ qualities, emphasizing their likes and dislikes.
2. Brainstorm – allow students to speak about noticeable characteristics in the behaviour and speech of very young children.
Developing Activity:
1. A look at the title – what it indicates (It may suggest separate ideas or antagonism).
2. Sectional reading and discussion. Highlight the point –of –view and talk about the negatives and positives effects of having a child narrator.
3. Whole class discussion on story elements, with some emphasis on character type/personality and values
4. From discussions, include the following themes:
- Religion - a child in adult world/ childhood innocence
- Relationships - country vs town life - prejudice/racism
- materialism
5. The writer’s:
-Many paragraphs begin and end with Mummy or Mom. Why was there a change to Mom?
- Many paragraphs end with a question mark. What does this suggest?
- Sectional division…effect?
- Note punctuation in paragraph 1 (suggesting excitement, talkative young kid)
6. Students pass judgment, and support, what they believe are “good” values