Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls

Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls A TUP on Artemis Fowl This is a comprehensive, all inclusive guide to teaching a two-week unit of the novel, Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer. Safrianna DeGroat 5/9/2011

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Contents

Introduction to "Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls" ................................................................... 4

Lesson 1 : Judging a Book by Its Cover: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls .............................. 9

PowerPoint 1 ......................................................................................................................... 12

PowerPoint2 .......................................................................................................................... 13

Artemis Fowl Character Traits Sheet .................................................................................... 14

Lesson 2: Mystical Ireland: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls .................................................. 15

Lesson 2 PowerPoint Slides (Pg. 1) ...................................................................................... 19


KWL Worksheet ................................................................................................................... 21

Eoin Colfer Webpage ............................................................................................................ 22

Ireland Webpage ................................................................................................................... 23

Fairies Webpage.................................................................................................................... 24

Holly Short Character Worksheet ......................................................................................... 25

Lesson 3: Holly vs. Artemis: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls ................................................ 26

Lesson 3 PowerPoint Slides .................................................................................................. 29

Lesson 4: The Root of All Problems: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls ................................. 30



Lesson 5: Good vs. Evil: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls ....................................................... 35


Character and Theme Worksheet .......................................................................................... 39

Lesson 6: Grime and Greed: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls ............................................... 40



Character Comparison Worksheet ........................................................................................ 44

Text-to-Self Worksheet ......................................................................................................... 45

Lesson 7: Catching a Criminal with Teamwork & Trolls: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls 46


Wanted Poster Assignment ................................................................................................... 49

Paper Topics Sheet ................................................................................................................ 50

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Paper Rubric.......................................................................................................................... 51

Lesson 8: It All Comes to an End (Or Does it?): Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls ............. 52



Lesson 9: Critical Thinking: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls ............................................... 56


Plot Organizer ....................................................................................................................... 59

Inspiration Outline Comparison Example ............................................................................ 60

Inspiration Outline Genre Example ...................................................................................... 61

Inspiration Outline History Example .................................................................................... 62

Lesson 10: Finishing Touches: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls ........................................... 63

References ..................................................................................................................................... 66

Artemis Fowl ........................................................................................................................ 66

Eoin Colfer Resources .......................................................................................................... 66

A Critical Analysis ................................................................................................................ 66

Artemis Fowl Vocabulary ..................................................................................................... 67

State Curriculum ................................................................................................................... 67

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Introduction to "Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls"

My imagined classroom for this unit is a group of thirty seventh graders at

Margaret Brent Middle School in St. Mary's County Maryland. The majority of the

students come from working class families, with parents who did not attend college, but

are proficient in the English language. The racial makeup is fairly heterogeneous. Of the

thirty students, twenty are Caucasian, six are African American, three are Latino, and one

is Asian-American. It is a Certificate-of-Merit (CM) class, which is the level between

standard and Honors, so, most of the students are achieving at an on-level reading ability.

Since they are CM students, they have been exposed to narratives before, which gives me

the fortunate effect of not needing to take a lot of time focusing on narrative structure.

The classroom atmosphere overall is like a well-knit community, where students are used

to sharing and working in small groups. I frequently have students work in small groups,

individually, and through whole class discussion to make predictions and continually

check their understanding of texts.

Midway through the year, I decide to depart from the standard curriculum to look

at a text that should be compelling for its one-of-a-kind characters and captivating

settings. Despite being a "fantasy" novel, I believe the text I have chosen has a lot of

literary value. Artemis Fowl is certainly a fun book, leading some to believe that it is not

appropriate for the classroom. I have had peers pose the statement that, "It seems more

like leisurely reading than an educational text." Why do they claim this? If we can find

value in stories like Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, and The Hobbit, then surely Artemis

Fowl can have just as much worth. This text is one that explores two extremely powerful

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themes, in an entirely new way - the themes of greed and good vs. evil. But, this novel

does it in an appealing new way. Normally, the "other" type character is the evil force,

and in cases of greed, we see individual men or entire systems that are corrupt and

seeking riches. In Artemis Fowl, it is the twelve-year old human boy who is the "evil" figure

consumed with greed. The "others" or "outsiders," in this case the fairies, are actually

seen as the benevolent beings with the best intentions in mind.

Artemis Fowl is a twelve-year old boy who is already tangled up in criminal affairs,

like his father before him. His father has gone missing, so he concocts a plot to capture a

fairy, which will hopefully allow him to get his greedy hands on fairy gold. With these

riches, he hopes to restore his families empire, since he now considers himself the man of

the house. Although Artemis is a genius, he does not quite realize the cunning and level

of technology the fairies possess. Thus, he finds himself up against a set of formidable

foes when his plot is underway.

What does this novel mean for educational purposes? It means we have a text that

presents an entirely new perspective for our students to look through. I think it will be

very engaging for students to imagine this whole other society centered under our own,

one that monitors our actions and critiques our approaches to the world. Since the

culture presented in the novel is entirely different from our own, and the author comes

from a different background, I think this is a fascinating piece to look at in the context of

multicultural literature, with unique educational implications.

I hope to focus on three major "lenses" when reading this story:

historical/mythological, psychological, and structural. I want students to look at the book

and come away with several different perspectives on the content. The historical and

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mythological will be presented first, with a look on the background of Eoin Colfer,

Ireland, and fairies. Although it will be a brief overview, my hope is that it will frontload

some needed cultural knowledge, as well as inspire those of my students who are not

huge literature fans, to see it as something within the context of history and/or cultural

folklore. The psychological aspects will be ongoing, since I will be focusing on the themes

of greed and good vs. evil, and comparing and contrasting Artemis and Holly, the two

main characters, in great detail. Students will be encouraged to pay special attention to

how the two characters develop through the story, and if they have changed at all by the

end. Additionally, early on I will be introducing genre definitions to try and get the

students thinking about exactly what type of book this is - I consider it to be a hybrid - and

how that creates meaning.

Throughout the unit, I will be focusing on difficult vocabulary found within the

text. This will help not only my native-English speakers strengthen their vocabulary, but

will assist ELLs in understanding vocabulary on multiple levels. Since they will be more

likely to be exposed to new words, the definitions should help them create a stronger

lexicon, not just from the higher level words, but the words found in the explanations of

terms as well. I will be certain to assist ELLs especially in terms with vocabulary they do

not understand. The idea is for students to read their sections for homework every night

and then find clarity on any words they were likely to be unfamiliar with the following day

during the vocabulary segment of class, which comes directly after the warm-up.

The unit begins with an analysis of the cover of the book, along with the prologue

and the summary blurb. I will be using each in a scaffolding approach, posing questions

to engage students in predicting what the story is about. After that, we will learn more

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about the cultural background of the author in hopes that the students will be able to

make some connections about the real world basis of the book and what may have

inspired Eoin Colfer to write a novel such as this. That will introduce the historical and

mythological lenses. I will then have a very small mini-lesson on genre, getting students to

think of what genre this story is. The rest of the unit focuses primarily on the characters

and themes themselves, which will lead up to a final summative assessment.

The final assessment will be a 3-4 page essay on one of the topics the student has

decided to focus on. As I am a huge proponent of learning through choice in the

classroom, I will have several different focuses that will appeal to students. Students can

write a comparative essay of Holly and Artemis, where students will have to pose a

statement of similarity and difference between then through the lens of either greed or

good vs. evil. Given that the characters are so starkly different, I think it will be a

particular challenge for students. They could also look at the historical/mythical accuracy

of the pieces Eoin Colfer presents in the novel, which might be of more interest for

students that like history/social studies. Another possibility would be to write a paper to

explain whether this novel is science fiction, fantasy, or a combination of both these

genres, for those who like to look at the text structure closely. All of these things are ideas

I hope the students will take away from the book: how a work fits into genre; how

characters work together; and, how history and mythology plays in to the writing of a

work such as this.

This unit consists of ten lessons in total, each focusing on a different topic. All

lessons are interrelated to the characters, themes, and lenses I have discussed,

progressing by means of chapter readings to be completed each night. Every lesson is

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about 45 minutes long, although I may have to extend certain lessons to the beginning of

each class, or assign homework aside from general reading, if certain activities are not

completed. All the lessons focus on a piece of the book that was read for homework the

night before, except the final two lessons which will look at the work as a whole, and

prepare students to start on their paper.

Without further ado, I present the content of "Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls."

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Lesson 1 : Judging a Book by Its Cover: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls

Lesson by Safrianna DeGroat 7th Grade On-Level English Language Arts

Approximate Time: 45 Minutes

Content Standards

4.7. d. Synthesize information from two or more sources to fulfill a self-selected or given purpose. 1.2. Use strategies to prepare for reading. Language & Literacy Objectives

Students will preview the novel by analyzing the front cover, prologue, and back cover of the novel in a scaffolded approached. Using these contextual clues, students will form predictions about the novel in order to foster anticipation. Vocabulary

Prediction, fairy, bamboozles, gibbering, prodigy, villainous, devise, fantasy

Materials & Resources

Class journals PowerPoint (LP1. PP) Artemis Fowl Character Traits Sheet (LP1. WS1)

Class set of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Lesson Content

Warm-Up (3 minutes)

Students will have time to answer the following in their journals: Have you ever judged a book by its cover before? If so, what boo and what judgments did you come to? If you’ve never judged a book by its cover before, why not?

Vocabulary (3 minutes)

Bamboozles - to perplex; mystify. Gibbering - to speak inarticulately or meaninglessly. Prodigy - a person, especially a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability: a musical prodigy. Villainous – having a cruel, wicked, malicious nature or character, or, of, pertaining to, or befitting a villain: villainous treachery. Devise – to contrive, plan, or elaborate; invent from existing principles or ideas: to devise a method.

Activities

Handing Out Book / Introduction (Approx. 2 minutes): Today we’re going to be starting our unit on Artemis Fowl, which I think is a fantastic book. But, rather than tell you what

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it is about, we’re going to figure it out ourselves using nothing more than the cover and the prologue. So, prepare to use context clues! Now, no cheating! I’m going to hand out the book, but I don’t want you to look at the inside yet, or read the back cover. Please, only look at the front cover of the book! Whole class discussion (5- 10 minutes): Look at the front cover of the novel. What can you tell about: the genre; the setting. Why do you think the front cover is shiny? How does it make you feel? Why do you think there are symbols on the cover? What do you think they are for? Does it remind you of any other Language? Can you predict what the story might be about?

Reading Activity (5 minutes): I will now read the prologue aloud. Please follow along in your books. Small Group Discussion (5 minutes): At your table/with a few people around you, discuss what this prologue seems to suggest about Artemis Fowl’s character. Does this give you any more clues as to what the book is about? How, if at all, does the prologue seem to connect with the cover? Use examples from the text to support your points. Share Out (3 minutes): What did you guys think? Did you come to any conclusions about Artemis so far?

Whole class discussion (5-10 minutes): Let’s read the back cover of the book and think about it in terms with the prologue. What does it now seem to suggest about: the plot; the main character; other characters in the story.

Closure

Writing Activity/Exit Slip (Remaining time): In your journal, briefly answer the following question: What does this statement seem to suggest given what you know now?

“A plan that could topple civilizations and plunge the planet into a cross-species war.”

Homework

Please re-read the prologue, then read Chapter 1 & 2 of Artemis Fowl tonight. Pay particular attention to words, actions, or other descriptors that suggest character traits of each character you meet. It is highly encouraged that you book mark these, or write the examples down as you go. You can use this graphic organizer to help you. You do not have to fill this all out right away. You'll be working on it as you get deeper into the novel. So for tonight, just try and write down 1 trait and 1 action. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion, participation, and writing in journals as an exit slip.

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Adaptations

I will make suggestions when students are unable to come to a determination; for example, students might need refreshment on what genre is, so I would throw out a few genres for them. I will walk around during discussions and see if any students need additional help. I will also frontload the vocabulary at the start of class. Extensions

I would pose additional questions for students that can think more deeply about the material. I would also ask these students to help less achieving students figure out what information is relevant. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: This lesson is meant to be a fun introduction to Artemis Fowl in a non-standard way. In the English classroom, it seems somewhat rare anymore that we use multimodal forms of understanding a text. By analyzing the visual aspects of the cover, I hope to engage students in a different way. I also hope this will give ELL students an opportunity to do something than just dig into a text. I hope this will enforce a sort of descriptive discourse, and help them make connections between text and images. By adding each piece on to the overall text, first the cover, then the prologue, then the blurb on the back, my idea is to scaffold and have them experience what it is like to make predictions as we gain more information.

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PowerPoint 1

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PowerPoint2

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Artemis Fowl Character Traits Sheet

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Lesson 2: Mystical Ireland: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls



Content Standards

3.3.a.Distinguish among types of grade-appropriate narrative (folklore, realistic fiction, science fiction, fantasy). 4.7.Locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose; d. Synthesize information from two or more sources to fulfill a self-selected or given purpose. 2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting a variety of print and non-print informational texts, including electronic media. Language & Literacy Objectives

Students will examine informational texts and media related to Ireland, Irish folklore, and the author, Eoin Colfer, in order to consider the setting of Artemis Fowl. Students will watch a short introduction to the geography, culture, and people of Ireland to help shape their view on the setting of the novel. In small groups, they will examine and discuss elements of Faerie folklore native to Ireland. As a whole class, discussion will be facilitated in order to make prediction as to how the setting affects the text, and why it is necessary for the novel to be set in Ireland. Vocabulary

Culture, nation, country, fairy, setting, folklore, realistic fiction, science fiction, fantasy


Class Journals PowerPoint (LP2. PP)

KWL Worksheet (LP2.WS1) Video on Ireland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htyHUX7Wg9U Webpage on Ireland: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/ireland/ (LP2. WP1) Webpage on Eoin Colfer: http://eoincolfer.com/about/ (LP2. WP2) Webpage on Fairies: http://artemisfowl.fangathering.com/fowl-planet/species/ (LP2. WP3) Holly Short Character Worksheet (LP2. WS2)

Books on Irish Fairies (Such as, The Field Guide to Irish Fairies)


Lesson Content

Warm-Up (3-5 minutes)

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Pictures of Ireland, fairies, and Eoin Colfer will be displayed on the overhead, with the following: Fill out the KWL chart, for the K and W part: What do you know about Ireland? What do you know about Fairies? What do you know about Eoin Colfer?

Vocabulary Eminent - Of high rank, station, or quality; standing above others in character or attainment or reputation, noteworthy, distinguished, famous Fraudulent - Engaging in fraud; dishonest, crooked, deceitful, cheating

Activities

Refresher (2 minutes): Can someone summarize chapters 1 and 2 for me?

Lecture (Approx. 7 minutes): Today we’re going to be starting our unit on Artemis Fowl, which I think is a fantastic book. As we've figured out by now, it's about a young boy who is considered one of the greatest criminal masterminds the world has ever known. His father, Artemis Fowl senior, committed many villainous acts, and Artemis plans to follow in his footsteps. We are going to spend today frontloading some background that I hope you all will find interesting, and hopefully we'll have some time to talk about the book. First, it is important to know that Artemis Fowl is a fictional novel, with elements of both fantasy and science fiction. It is not what we would call realistic fiction, because it contains many elements of the supernatural and advanced technology. Definitions of folklore, realistic fiction, science fiction, fantasy are given on Power Point. Artemis lives in Dublin, Ireland, so, we’re going to watch a short clip about Ireland. Its advised to jot down facts on the KWL if you see something interesting. 3 minute clip is played

Whole class discussion (3 minutes): Please take relevant notes on your worksheet. What did you guys think about what you saw? What does it say about their culture? Is it different from here?

Small Groups / Reading Activity (20 minutes): The class will be divided into three groups; Ireland, Eoin Colfer, and Fairies.I’ve brought in some books on Irish fairies and found some web pages for you guys too look at. [Note: If the classroom does not have computers, I will attempt to either take a computer lab trip for this, OR, have print outs of the information that would otherwise be on the websites.] I’m going to divide you into groups, and then you’ll read about your topic. Your job is to come up with at least three facts about your topic which you will

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share with the class. I suggest dividing tasks up amongst your larger group. Write your facts down on your worksheet.

Closure

Share Out / Whole Class Discussion (Remaining time): Each group will share their facts that they found. Students will write down at least one fact in the Learned portion of their KWL for each topic. How does the combination of Ireland and these Fairies set up your idea of the story? Does Eoin Colfer's background make sense in context of him writing this story? Does knowing this information make you more or less interested in reading the book? Do you think we could achieve this same type of story here in the US? Do we have folklore like this?

Homework

Please read Chapter 3 of Artemis Fowl tonight. Be prepared to discuss the first three chapters in class tomorrow. You're now going to start a character worksheet for Holly. Again, don't try and fill this out right away, just get one trait and one example. You'll keep working on it as you read. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion, depth of facts shared, and worksheet completion. Adaptations

I will use purposeful grouping for those needing additional reading assistance, pairing higher achieving readers with lower achieving readers. For those who might need additional help during the research/reading part, I will encourage peer aid. Furthermore, struggling learners may not be expected to provide quite so many examples on their KWL sheets. Extensions

I would pose additional questions for students that can think more deeply about the material. I would also ask these students to help less achieving students figure out what information is relevant. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: This lesson is meant to give students a more culturally aware sense of the book and the author. Since Colfer is from a different culture, his writing style is a little different than the average American author, so I think it's important to show students that Colfer is coming from a different place. Some students likely know nothing about Ireland, or fairies, so, having all three in this lesson to frontload some background is my way to help foster a better sense of the book's roots.

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For ELLs, the use of the KWL to take notes will aid in their organizational skills, helping them really connect their knowledge with what they are learning. This will be something they can refer to. I am also making strides to have multimodal literacy present in this lesson with the use of web, books, video, and so on. I hope this will make it more engaging for students. For ELLs, the video, which lacks words, will hopefully give them an opportunity to critically think simply about visuals and what they mean.

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Lesson 2 PowerPoint Slides (Pg. 1)

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KWL Worksheet

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Eoin Colfer Webpage

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Ireland Webpage

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Fairies Webpage

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Holly Short Character Worksheet

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Lesson 3: Holly vs. Artemis: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls



Content Standards

2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting a variety of print and non-print informational texts, including electronic media. 3.3.d. Analyze characterization: Character's traits based on what character says, does, and thinks and what other characters or the narrator says. 1.C. FLUENCY *: Students will read orally with accuracy and expression at a rate that sounds like speech. Language & Literacy Objectives

Students will begin to compare and contrast Holly and Artemis based on their personalities early in the book. We will then do a read aloud of Chapter 4 together

Vocabulary Abduction, catastrophic


Class journals Worksheets on Holly and Artemis (Already provided in Lessons 1 and 2)

PowerPoint (LP3. PP.)


Lesson Content

Warm-Up (3 minutes)

Students will have time to answer the following in their journals: Have you ever judged a book by its cover before? If so, what boo and what judgments did you come to? If you’ve never judged a book by its cover before, why not?


Abduction - To carry off by force; kidnap. Catastrophic - unfavorable, unlucky, disastrous, unfortunate, detrimental

Activities

Refresher (2 minutes): Can anyone summarize chapter 3 for me?

Small Groups (5-7 minutes): I'd like you to work together and discuss the evidence you've found so far for your character traits. See what other people around you think about Holly and Artemis so far.

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Whole class discussion (5 minutes): So, what do you guys make of Holly and Artemis so far? What do you think is going to happen next? Reading Activity, Read Aloud (15-20 minutes): Now we're going to read Chapter 4 together, and see what happens. (I will have students volunteer to read in turns, and pause for questions.) During reading questions I will pose:

1. What is the ritual that all fairies must perform? (p65) 2. When Butler scans down the list of items Artemis wants him to get, which item puzzles Butler and why? (p66) 3. What did Holly, and all fairies, love to do? (p67) 4. Why was Holly sad when she saw the dolphins? (p68) 5. Where was the most magical place on the planet? (p68) 6. How long had Artemis and Butler been staked out? (p70) 7. What did Holly do to protect her elfin ears? (p72) 8. Why was Holly dumbfounded? (p75) 9. What is the mesmer? (p75) 10. Where did Butler put Holly after they had tranquilized her? (p77)

Closure

Writing Activity/Exit Slip (Remaining time): In your journal, briefly answer the following question: Given the events that just unfolded, is Artemis Fowl a villain or a hero? What about Holly?

Homework

Please read Chapter 5 tonight. Pay particular attention to Commander Root's personality. You don't need to take any notes, but you might want to bookmark or note things you find interesting. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion, participation, and writing in journals as an exit slip. Adaptations

Vocabulary will be frontloaded at the beginning of class. I will help point out particular page numbers/paragraphs where answers to questions can be found, as necessary, though the point of asking them in the middle of the reading is to ensure that all students are on the same page.

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Extensions

I would pose additional questions for students that can think more deeply about the material. For those who are high achieving, I would bounce more discussion questions back and forth with them. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: This lesson is intended to get students thinking about the psychological profiles of the characters in a non-stressful way (as in, not in an essay). They will be continuing their graphic organizers as we go along. I also wanted to do the read aloud to really get my students involved with the text. Pausing for questions forces the students to pay attention to the content of the story, and gives me a great way to assess their understanding as we go along.

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Lesson 3 PowerPoint Slides

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Lesson 4: The Root of All Problems: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls



Content Standards

4.7. Compose texts using the prewriting and drafting strategies of effective writers and speakers 2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting of print text. 3.3. Analyze details that provide information about the setting, the mood created by the setting, and ways in which the setting affects characters

Language & Literacy Objectives

Students will write a journal entry from Commander Root's perspective as a writing exercise, highlighting Holly and Artemis's character traits. Students will also discuss how the setting affects the story at this point in the novel, now that they have had enough time to get a feel for the different races. Vocabulary

Rookie, Civilians Materials & Resources

Class journals PowerPoint (LP4. PP)


Lesson Content

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Reading Activity: Refresher, Students will have 5 minutes to look through the chapter and jot down notes: Take 5 minutes to look through the chapter again, re-read parts, and pull out some traits that you would use to describe Root.


rookie - An untrained or inexperienced trainee, as in the army or police; beginner; newcomer civilians - A person who is not an active member of the military or police.

Activities

Whole Class Discussion (5 minutes): Why do the negotiations between Artemis and Commander Root fail? What could Root have done different? How does Root respond differently to Artemis than Holly has? Why?

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Lecture (1-3 minutes, depending on student comments/questions): It's very important to consider some things from this chapter. The first is that violence has consequences. People get hurt. Also, having prejudices and using hostile language can make bad situations worse. This makes me think about the question from the other day. Is Artemis a villain? Well, he's putting people in situations where they can get hurt. Still, we can see that Artemis feels some guilt when he has really hurt someone. With these things in mind, I want you to seriously consider what is going through Root's mind at a time like this. From what we've learned about the fairies so far, they have rules that are simply too sacred to them to break. Sometimes they make poor decisions, but they try to stick by their ideals. Writing Activity *Summative Assessment* (12-17 minutes): Write a journal entry as if you were Commander Root, commenting on how you felt during the events of Chapter 5. You can use the evidence you pulled during your warm up to make it more authentically like Root. You will receive credit for this assignment. Share Out (5 minutes): I'd love some volunteers to share their journal entries! Then I will collect them.

Closure

Share Out / Whole Class Discussion (Remaining time): Now that we've gotten far enough into the book to really see what the setting is like and the differences between the two societies, I'm curious to hear how you think the setting effects the story. Could this story be put in any other setting? Could it function in a different way without the fairies? My hope is that they'd make a connection to good vs. evil and greed in order to link it to the next lesson, which will focus on good vs. evil.

Homework

Please read Chapter 6 tonight. Keep working on your character trait worksheets. I want you to start thinking about themes at this point, and be ready to talk about them tomorrow. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion and their journal entries as Root (which they will receive a grade for). Adaptations

Since this is a primarily individual activity, I will offer assistance to those that need help writing, by answering questions, providing ideas, and pointing out useful passages in the book.

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Extensions

Students that are particularly ambitious in writing could go beyond the content of this chapter to imagine what Root would write about/think about situations/characters. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: Thus far, I have not really had students do any super in depth writing, so I wanted to have a break from heavy discussion and group activities to do some creative writing. This lesson focuses on Root and his perspective on the story. This will help me branch into themes on the following day, because Root is a good anchor point to look at Good. vs. Evil, and Chapter 5 was particularly pertinent to the theme of greed.

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Lesson 5: Good vs. Evil: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls



Content Standards

2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting of print text. 3.5.a. Analyze main ideas and universal themes 3.1.3. Analyze elements of narrative texts to facilitate understanding and interpretation.


Students will analyze how Artemis Fowl breaks normal conventions of narrative text. Students will discuss the theme of Good vs. Evil in Artemis Fowl and make connections to their own lives. They will discuss what makes a hero vs. a villain and how these characters fit into those roles. Vocabulary

Theme, siege, detonate


Class journals PowerPoint (LP5. PP) Character and Theme Worksheet (LP5. WS1)


Lesson Content

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Students will have 5 minutes to look through the book and write down ideas for themes: Last night I asked you to think about themes. Take a few minutes now and write down any themes you thought of, and if you can pull out some examples from the text.


siege - The surrounding and blockading of a city, town, or fortress by an army attempting to capture it. detonate - To explode or cause to explode; blow up; set off; ignite; spark off; discharge

Activities

Refresher (2 minutes): First, last night we read a really fun chapter. Can someone refresh us on what it was about?

Whole Class Discussion (5 minutes): What themes are you guys seeing?

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Lecture / Discussion (5-7 minutes, depending on student comments/questions): The theme that I am really interested in discussing in depth is Good vs. Evil. This text is really fascinating to me because it breaks normal conventions of the main character being the good guy and the "outsiders" being the bad guys. In what other ways does it break normal conventions? Can you think of any other books that do similar things? If we look at the characters and events, we can actually start to see a manifestation of good vs. evil in their actions, words, and thoughts. So, today you're going to be looking at the theme of good vs. evil. Small Groups / Reading Activity (15-20 minutes): Get together with a partner and fill out this worksheet, pulling specific examples from the text to demonstrate the theme. Re-read sections you find relevant together, using paired reading strategies we have discussed in the past.

Closure

Whole Class Discussion (Remaining time): Are you guys seeing anything truly good or evil about this story? Is any single character purely good or purely evil? Are their straight cut villains and heroes? What about in real life? Is there black and white good and evil, or is that something in stories?

Homework

Please read Chapter 7 tonight. Keep working on your character trait worksheets. You may want to make note of some of Mulch's traits as you go along. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion and worksheet completion. Adaptations

I will use purposeful grouping for those needing additional reading assistance, pairing higher achieving readers with lower achieving readers., I will offer assistance to those that need help with the worksheet, by answering questions, providing ideas, and pointing out useful passages in the book. Extensions

Students that are gifted will be expected to provide more supporting details. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: I really wanted to build up to themes, so I feel it's appropriate at this point to finally introduce the concept of good and evil in the book. It's

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certainly there, it's just necessary for the students to be able to pull examples out. The use of the graphic organizer will come in handy for my students that need a little extra help organizing their thoughts.

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Character and Theme Worksheet

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Lesson 6: Grime and Greed: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls



Content Standards

2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting of print text. 3.5.a. Analyze main ideas and universal themes. 3.3.d. Analyze characterization.


Students will compare and contrast Artemis Fowl and Mulch Diggums. Students will discuss the theme of greed in Artemis Fowl and make connections to their own lives. Vocabulary

Conjure, simultaneously


Class journals PowerPoint (LP6. PP) Character Comparison Worksheet (LP6. WS1) Text-to-Self Worksheet (LP6, WS2)


Lesson Content

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Students will answer the following in their journals: What was your first impression of Mulch?

Vocabulary (3 minutes) conjure - To call for by magical or supernatural power. simultaneously - Happening, existing, or done at the same time; concurrently

Activities

Refresher (2 minutes): Can someone summarize Chapter 7 for me?

Whole Class Discussion (5 minutes): What do you guys think of Mulch? How does he seem to relate to the other characters? Reading Activity (5-7 minutes): The scene on page 199-200. Let's re-read the end of Chapter 7 together again. I need a few volunteers, one in particular to be Mulch.

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What does this say about Mulch? Whole Class Discussion / Worksheet Activity (15 minutes): Worksheet. Let's come up with some ways that Mulch and Artemis are alike and different. I will be trying to push students toward making connections about their greed and criminal backgrounds. So, since we've been talking about themes, are you seeing a theme of greed coming out more strongly now that Mulch has joined the crew? Who are the most greedy characters? The least?

Closure

Whole Class Discussion (5 minutes): How does Colfer humanize the magical creatures and dehumanize "Mud People?" Exit Slip, Worksheet Writing Activity (Remaining time): Can you think of a way in which greed has negatively impacted your life? Think about the novel and try and make some comparisons between you and it.

Homework

Please read Chapter 8 tonight. Keep working on your character trait worksheets, and start thinking about what interests you most in the book. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion and worksheet completion. Adaptations

I will offer assistance to those that need help with the worksheet, by answering questions, providing ideas, and pointing out useful passages in the book. Extensions

Students that are gifted will be expected to provide more supporting details and draw more comparisons. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: This lesson is mainly meant to highlight the theme of

greed. Mulch and Artemis have some interesting similarities, but I believe students might

need a little scaffolding to make the connections. Overall, this is a very discussion heavy

lesson to balance some of the other lessons that have focused on worksheets or

conceptual things. I want students to start making connections to their own lives, and

greed is certainly one they're likely to be able to compare to.

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Character Comparison Worksheet

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Text-to-Self Worksheet

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Lesson 7: Catching a Criminal with Teamwork & Trolls: Fairies, Felonies,

and the Fowls



Content Standards

2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting of print text. 3.5.a. Analyze main ideas and universal themes. 3.3.d. Analyze characterization. 4.2. Compose written and visual presentations that express personal ideas, inform, and persuade.


Students will continue to discuss the themes of greed and good vs. evil. In addition, they will look at how the Fairies work (or don't work) together, in order to achieve their goals. Students will create wanted posters for Artemis using aspects of his character. Vocabulary

Malfunction, disoriented


Class journals PowerPoint (LP7. PP) Wanted Poster Assignment (LP7. WS1) Paper Assignment Sheet (LP7. WS2) Paper Rubric (LP7. WS3) Poster paper Markers Crayons Construction paper Scissors Class set of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Lesson Content

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Reading Activity, searching for context. Students will answer the following in their journals: What makes Artemis so hard to beat? Look for a passage that demonstrates a way he is difficult to beat.


malfunction - To operate improperly; break down; go wrong; fail; act up

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disoriented - having lost your bearings; confused as to time or place or personal identity; mixed up; bewildered; perplexed; at a loss

Activities

Refresher (2 minutes): Can someone summarize Chapter 8 for me?

Whole Class Discussion (5 minutes): Last night's chapter was pretty action packed, huh? Do you think the fairies are getting desperate to see Fowl defeated? What steps do you think they'll go to next? What did you guys write about in your journal? Why is he so hard to beat? What does that say about his character? Writing & Discussion Activity (25-30 minutes): Assignment worksheet. First, let's break into groups. Take about five minutes to discuss the questions on the sheet, then, once you're ready, you can start creating your poster. Remember to keep the themes we have discussed in mind: Greed and Good vs. Evil.

Closure

Hand Out Paper Assignment Poster Share Out (Remaining time): Let's take what time we have left to look at each other's posters. I will have the class divide into two large groups. One group will stand with their posters at a time while the other gets an opportunity to look at them. Then they'll swap.

Homework

Please read Chapter 9 and the Epilogue tonight. Finish your character trait worksheets, and look over the paper topics. We'll discuss that all tomorrow. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion and their poster presentation. Adaptations

I will offer assistance to those that need help with the poster, by answering questions, providing ideas, and pointing out useful passages in the book. Extensions

Students achieving on a higher level will be held to a higher standard in their poster presentations. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: I imagine my classroom to be one with a lot of art type assignments (or, options for art assignments). I wanted to incorporate at least one lesson like that in this. This continues to engage students in the themes and character analysis, while being a fun, not so intense project.

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Wanted Poster Assignment

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Paper Topics Sheet

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Paper Rubric

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Lesson 8: It All Comes to an End (Or Does it?): Fairies, Felonies, and the

Fowls



Content Standards

2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting of print text. 3.5.a. Analyze main ideas and universal themes. 6. Analyze important ideas and messages in literary texts.


Students will conclude their reading of Artemis Fowl and discuss the progression on the characters Holly Short and Artemis Fowl. Vocabulary

Mesmerized, descended


Class journals PowerPoint (LP8. PP) Class set of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Lesson Content


Students will answer the following in their journals: Now that you've finished the novel, I'd like you to write about what you liked and did not like about the novel. Try and make personal connections. You can use your Text-to-self worksheet if you'd like.


mesmerized - Spellbound; having your attention absorbed as though by a spell; hypnotized; fascinated; awestruck; captivated descended - To move from a higher to a lower place; come or go down; descended

Activities

Refresher (2 minutes): Can someone summarize Chapter 9 for me? We'll discuss the epilogue together.

Whole Class Discussion (5-7 minutes): So, we've finally finished the book. Was the ending what you expected? How was it different? How did you feel about Artemis tricking Juliet and Butler? What did you learn about Artemis's motivation for stealing the gold?

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How did you feel when he succeeded? Why do you think Holly agrees to help Angeline Fowl? Reading Activity / Discussion (10 minutes): Let's read the Epilogue again together. Do you agree with the epilogue's assessment of Artemis? In what ways does the presentation of the story as a psychiatric report lend the plot credibility? How might it distract readers and cause them to question the truth of the information? How would the novel be different if Artemis had been the narrator? In what ways is an omniscient narrator the most effective way to tell Artemis's story? Small Group Discussion (7-10 minutes): How did Holly and Artemis change throughout the story? Look at the worksheets you've been doing so far and see if you'd add anything to their character after the conclusion of the story.

Closure

Paper Assignment Details (Remaining time): Tomorrow we will begin work shopping your final paper, so tonight, I want you to start thinking about what topic you'd like to pick. If you want to do a topic other than the three on the sheet, you'll need to come up with a thesis statement or proposal to give me tomorrow. I encourage you to write on what you'd like to write on. It's a 3-4 page paper, and you'll have two days in class to brainstorm and peer review, then you'll turn in a draft next Monday. Final Note: What does this mean? "Ironically, the greatest triumph for both protagonists was the time they were forced to cooperate during the goblin insurgence. But that's another story."

Homework

Decide which paper topic you want to do. Draft a thesis statement for your paper. Assessment Assessment will be based on the amount of classroom discussion. Adaptations

I will be certain to re-ask guiding questions as needed. Extensions

Students achieving on a higher level may be asked additional questions.

__________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: This is a major discussion day because we've just concluded the book and I need to see what students got out of it and determine how well my material was presented. This will lead them into their final project, which will be the

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essay through whatever lens they chose. But, it is essential that we make the final connections in the book now.

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Lesson 9: Critical Thinking: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls

Lesson by Safrianna DeGroat

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7th Grade On-Level English Language Arts Approximate Time: 45 Minutes

Content Standards

2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting of print text. 4.1. Compose texts using the prewriting and drafting strategies of effective writers and speakers 6.c. Summarize or paraphrase the text of the work.


Students will map out the plot of Artemis Fowl in order to organize their thoughts and progression through the novel. They will then begin drafting their paper. Vocabulary

Thesis Materials & Resources

Class journals PowerPoint (LP9. PP) Plot Organizer (LP9. WS1) Inspiration* (Computer lab if necessary) Class set of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Lesson Content


Students will get a copy of the Plot Organizer Worksheet. Please begin filling this out on your own. I will give you about 5 minutes to write down what you know.

Activities

Small Groups, Reading Activity (12-17 minutes): Please finish filling this out with your groups. When you're doing your essays, I want you to be able to refer to this as a guide to how things progress through the story, which will hopefully help you structure your essays a little better. We'll be using Inspiration to help you organize your essays. During the small groups, I will be going around to see what topic each student picked. Writing Activity / Inspiration (Remaining Time): Now that you all have topics, we're going to begin drafting our essays using Inspiration software to make outlines. You can do a topic outline, or get more detailed and start putting in page numbers and quotes.

Closure

Homework

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Look for more evidence in the book to support your essay. Tomorrow we will continue to workshop and you'll have an opportunity to get some feedback.

Assessment Assessment will be based on the completion of their character trait sheets and participation in outlining their essays. Adaptations

I will help students with graphic organizers and clarify difficult vocabulary as necessary. Extensions

Students achieving on a higher level will be purposefully paired with students that need additional help looking at the book. __________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: Now that the unit is pretty much coming to a close, it's time for my final summative assessment, which will be in the form of an essay rather than a test, since I've been checking for comprehension throughout the unit with guiding questions and classroom discussion. The idea of using a graphic organizer is to force students to actually flip back through the book and try and remember all the plot points. I hope they'll use that time to remember quotes or pieces of evidence they want to use in their essay. *Examples of Inspiration Outlines I will be using are attached; LP9: I1, I2, & I3.


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Plot Organizer

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Inspiration Outline Comparison Example

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Inspiration Outline Genre Example

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Inspiration Outline History Example

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Lesson 10: Finishing Touches: Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls



Content Standards

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2.1. Apply comprehension skills by selecting, reading, and interpreting of print text. 4.1. Compose texts using the prewriting and drafting strategies of effective writers and speakers 6.c. Summarize or paraphrase the text of the work.


Students will continue drafting their essays Vocabulary

None Materials & Resources

Class journals Inspiration (Computer lab if necessary) Class set of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Lesson Content

Activities

Individual Work (Approx. 25 minutes): Students will be given the opportunity to continue their work on Inspiration. If they finish their outline, they can start on their essay. I will show them an example outline I've come up with. Reading Activity / Peer Review (15 minutes): Swap computers with a partner and read their outline/essay draft. Give constructive feedback to your partner in order to help them improve their essay. When you're done, you can print your stuff out, or email it to yourself to use from home.

Closure

Homework

Over the weekend, I'd like you to complete a draft of your essay. Remember, it should be 3-4 pages long. You can use any of the graphic organizers we've done.

Assessment Assessment will ultimately come the following week when they turn in their completed essay drafts. Adaptations

I will help students with Inspiration if they are having any trouble with it. I will answer any questions, and give guidance and suggestions on essay topics and directions. Extensions

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Students achieving on a higher level will be encouraged to write more and have more thoughtful theses.

__________________________________________________________________

Lesson Rationale & Strategies: Since my ultimate goal was to make Artemis Fowl fun in order to encourage students to read more (there is an entire series, and Eoin Colfer has other works), I really don't want the final project to be high stress and appear as a lot of extra homework. Thus, I really want to give them some time in class to work on it, and get some feedback from their peers.

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References

The following sources were used to inspire various different parts of this Unit Plan.

Artemis Fowl

Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2001. Print.

This is a novel about a 12 year old criminal mastermind who concocts a plot to

steal the fairy gold. He meets his match in several fairies who use their magic capabilities

and technology to attempt to outwit him and defeat him. However, every step of the

journey, Artemis meets his "foes" with a move played right into their hands. This book

gives a unique, multicultural perspective, while being fun, easy to read, and still providing

interesting themes to discuss. This is the primary text of my unit.

Eoin Colfer Resources

"Eoin Colfer Resources." Scottish Book Trust. Scottish Book Trust, n.d. Web. 6 May 2011.

<http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/files/Eoin_Colfer_Resources.pdf>.

This source is a compendium of activities students can do related to the first

Artemis Fowl book. Most of them are creative and fun, so I only used ones that I could tie

back to my overall purpose. If objectives were not such an issue, I would be certain to

incorporate more of these "Missions" since they are so engaging.

A Critical Analysis

Roberts, David. "A Critical Analysis of the Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin

Colfer." Children's Literature. (2004): Print.

This essay looks at the overall series of Artemis Fowl, posing summaries and

applications for the classroom. Robert's poses some key questions to the book as well as

suggested lecture topics. This was more of a reference than anything. His questions were

useful, but as I am more focused on classroom discussion than lecture, his pull away

points would be something that I would only use in place of discussion floundering.

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Artemis Fowl Vocabulary

"Artemis Fowl Vocabulary." The Mountain City Elementary Corner . N.p., n.d. Web. 6 May

2011. <http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading35/artemis_fowl_vocabulary.htm>.

This source is simply a listing of key vocabulary terms from Artemis Fowl. Since I

had daily vocabulary, I wanted to use this source to give me an idea of what some good

vocabulary pieces might be.

State Curriculum

"Using the State Curriculum: Reading/ELA, Grade 7."School Improvement in Maryland.

MSDE, 15 011 2007. Web. 6 May 2011.

<http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/reading/standard1/grade7.html>.

The Maryland State Curriculum was referred to frequently to determine what

objectives each lesson should have.

Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls

Documents

Transcript of Fairies, Felonies, and the Fowls