Title: Arguing For or Against Noras Qualities

Lesson #: 2 of 2

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson:

directly from the standard)

(Write Content Standards

i.

Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one,

in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
(CCSS: SL.9-10.1) Support others in discussions, activities, and presentations through
active listening

ii.

Listen actively in groups to accomplish a goal

iii.

Contribute effectively in both small and large groups to collaboratively accomplish a

goal

iv.

Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and

disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and
understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning
presented. (CCSS: SL.9-10.1c

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to
Effectively and critically think about the choices that Nora makes in A Dolls
House by Henrik Ibsen.
Argue for or against her qualities
Use respectful language and listening when arguing with and against their peers

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of

instruction, select applicable questions from standard)
How have the choices that Nora made as a character have an effect on my feelings
about her?
How can I defend my position using evidence from the text?
How can I use evidence from the text to counteract what the opposition is saying?
Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)
Every student will be able to: (Create your own lesson objectives from the
standard, follow the ABCD format, using student voice)
I can: effectively argue and use evidence to prove my point as it pertains to my
opinions of Nora.
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This means: that I can use these types of arguments in my own essay-writing and
other classes activities.
List of Assessments: (Write the number of the learning target associated with
each assessment)
1. Teacher will be listening in and giving points for active participation

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Planned Lesson Activities

Name and Purpose of Lesson
Should be a creative title for you and the
students to associate with the activity. Think of
the purpose as the mini-rationale for what you
are trying to accomplish through this lesson.
Approx. Time and Materials
How long do you expect the activity to last
and what materials will you need?

Arguing For or Against Noras Qualities

(a lesson on discussion)

Anticipatory Set
The hook to grab students attention. These
are actions and statements by the teacher to
relate the experiences of the students to the
objectives of the lesson, To put students into a
receptive frame of mind.
To focus student attention on the
lesson.
To create an organizing framework for
the ideas, principles, or information
that is to follow (advanced organizers)
An anticipatory set is used any time a different
activity or new concept is to be introduced.
Procedures
(Include a play-by-play account of what
students and teacher will do from the minute
they arrive to the minute they leave your
classroom. Indicate the length of each
segment of the lesson. List actual minutes.)
Indicate whether each is:
-teacher input
-modeling
-questioning strategies
-guided/unguided:
-whole-class practice
-group practice
-individual practice
-check for understanding
-other

As students have finished reading the play by Henrik Ibsen, we will now
discuss our exact opinions on the main character Nora. She seems like
a completely different person by the end of the novel, but how?

This lesson will take approximately 90 minutes. Students will need a

copy of their text as well as pens and paper.

Use the doll handout (handout at the end of this lesson) and on the left
half, write her qualities from the first two acts. On the right hand, write
her from the last acts.
How does she look from beginning to end? You may use visuals to
represent certain characteristics, or you may write them out. (15
minutes)
**anything written in a bold font indicates elements of inquiry
learning**
1. Anticipatory set. (15 minutes)
2. Using what you wrote or drew in your doll, find evidence from the
play that supports the points. Cite pages and scenes from the text
on a separate piece of a paper that either quotes or paraphrases what
you found. (10 mins) Partners are allowed.
3. As a class, decide what her two binaries are. (Hypothetically,
they have chosen her as the wife and as the daughter.) (5 minutes)
4. Students choose a side:
If they side with wife, they stand on the right side of the room
If they side with daughter, they stand on the left side of the
room
5. Students will speak one at a time, making sure that they do not

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Closure
Those actions or statements by a teacher that
are designed to bring a lesson presentation to
an appropriate conclusion. Used to help
students bring things together in their own
minds, to make sense out of what has just
been taught. Any Questions? No. OK, lets
move on is not closure. Closure is used:
To cue students to the fact that they
have arrived at an important point in
the lesson or the end of a lesson.
To help organize student learning
To help form a coherent picture and to
consolidate.
Differentiation
To modify: If the activity is too advanced for a
child, how will you modify it so that they can
be successful?
To extend: If the activity is too easy for a child,
how will you extend it to develop their
emerging skills?
Assessment
How will you know if students met the learning
targets? Write a description of what you were
looking for in each assessment.

dominate the conversation, and that everyone is being respectful.

Participation points will be subtracted if students behave this way.
6. Questions to consider (to be given if there is a lull in
conversation) :
What is it about her that gives her either of the qualities
containing a daughter to Torvald and a wife to Torvald?
Where do the changes come from?
Were there really any changes?
Why does she act the way she does over the course of the play?
7. Students may move sides if their opinions have been swayed by
other students.
Who really is Nora in the context of the play?
How can we combine all of our findings to conclude at least one single
thing about her?

Students who do not wish to speak up during discussion must turn in

the outline of their notes during discussion.
Students may either write or draw on the doll to represent their ideas.

Discussion will tell the teacher whether the students were totally
comprehensive about the text.
They will turn in the doll by the end of class, and the doll should
indicate evidence of their findings, further proof that students had
understanding.

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Doll Handout:
On the left side, write or draw out Noras qualities from acts one and two. On the
right side, draw out or write three and four. When finished, add in evidence from the
text to support your claims about her. Please write in page numbers and scenes.

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