Lesson Plan : Death of a Salesman - Explore Success
Teacher Name: | M. I. Friedman |
Grade: | Grade 11-12 |
Subject: | Literature Activities |
Topic: | Two Successful Businessmen |
Content: | Students continue to explore the nature of the selling profession, and its relation to Willy's dream. In this lesson the students examine the influences of Ben and Charley as business role models for Willy. |
Goals: | Aim: How can an examination of two role models explain Willy's ideas about success? Outcomes: Students will understand how role models, such as Charley and Ben, shape Willy's concept of business success; they will examine the similarities and differences between these two men, to determine the extent to which they influence Willy. |
Objectives: | Students will determine which of the two role models is actually a better example of the successful businessman, and a better model for Willy to follow. |
Materials: | Death of a Salesman "Two Successful Businessmen" handout |
Introduction: | Quick Write: How do role models shape our ideas of success? Turn and Talk: Have the students share their answers with a partner, or with their group. |
Development: | Classroom Discussion: 1. Ask the students to define the term role model. Have them explain how role models influence us, and to give examples of people who can be role models. 2. Have students discuss how role models can be influential in shaping our ideas about success. 3. Ask the student to determine what would make a person a bad role model for business success, and what would make a person a good role model. 4. Engage the students in considering whether Ben is a good or bad role model of success. Then have them consider whether Charley is a good or bad role model for Willy. Have students cite specific textual information to support their responses. |
Practice: | |
Accommodations: | 1. Although this is individual work, allow the better students to help those who seem to have trouble with the assignment. 2. Circulate, and guide those students that have trouble understanding what the questions are asking. 3. Where necessary, eliminate questions that may be beyond the ability of the individual student. 4. Allow students, who need it, extra time--even if it means that they have to hand it in the next day. 5. Allow students to complete their answers, while the class is sharing their answers. |
Checking For Understanding: | Ask the students to share their answers with the class. |
Closure: | Summation: What do we now understand about Willy's ideas about success, from this look at his role models? Which of the two men is a better role model? To whom does Willy look for his code of ethics? Why do you suppose this is the case? Homework: Use the following statement as a critical lens through which you examine Willy's code of ethics, in a three paragraph essay: Success is measured, not by what we do, but by whom we know. |
Evaluation: | 1. Student responses to "Two Successful Businessmen" handout. 2. Three paragraph essay, done for homework, examining Willy's code of ethic, using the critical lens statement. |
Teacher Reflections: |
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