LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Teacher Candidate:   Helen Munoz

Lesson Title:  The Kite Runner Videotaped Lesson Plan

Lesson Rationale
What We Did Yesterday:
Yesterday we looked at the cultures that are presented within the novel. Having compared and contrasted the
varying customs, students will be able to use this to build onto a more specific topic for today’s lesson, which
includes religion.

Central Focus of Today’s Lesson:

The Kite Runner, throughout various moments, takes important note of how lambs are used in Islamic culture.
Amir often makes comparisons between Hassan, Sohrab, and lambs. As a result, we can fairly conclude that
Hosseini included the lamb as a motif for his novel. To come to this conclusion and further students’
understanding, today we will be looking at religion and how it builds the narrative created in The Kite Runner.

Learning Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the
text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a
formal or informal tone).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text,
order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such
effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in
a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

Lesson Objectives: Students Will Able To…

- Apply new or prior knowledge from other texts to make inferences about the author’s intent
- Explore different religions and similar traditions within said groups
- Examine several forms of literature and compare and contrast literary elements

Vocabulary:
Tier 1: Religion; Sacrifice
Tier 2: Symbol; Motif

Resources and Materials: Students (S) ; Teacher (T)

- Powerpoint (T)
- William Blake poem (S, T)
- Journal/Notebook paper (S)
- The Kite Runner (S, T)
- Genesis 22 text (S, T)
- Discussion outline (T)
 

Activities
(Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks)
Time Structure and Learning Activities and Questions Posed:
Scaffold Description of Class
Procedures
Whole Class/We Review/Notes: Teacher will go Check-in: How is everyone today?
5 minutes Do through a quick review on motifs
to prepare students for discussion.
Students are encouraged to take
notes. This will be displayed on
the PowerPoint.

10 minutes Individual/You Notice What You Notice: Assessing Question(s): Does everyone
Do Students will be given “The understand what they’re supposed to do?
Lamb” by William Blake and If you have any questions at any time,
asked to read it 3 times in such a just raise your hand and I’ll go to you.
way that (ideally) furthers their
understanding of the poem by the
last read-through. Directions will
be displayed on the PowerPoint
via projector. A brief discussion
on what the students wrote will
take place after 8-10 minutes.

Whole Class/We Read Aloud: Teacher will call on
5 minutes Do a student to read a passage from
pages 76-77 from the book. This
will precede a short discussion
including questions for students to
compare/contrast the passage and
Blake’s poem.
Assessing Question(s): What are your
first impressions from this reading? First
thing that comes to mind.
Advancing Question(s): Why do you
think that is?

Whole Class/We Read Aloud: After having
5 minutes Do discussed Passage 1 for a bit,
students will be given a handout of
Genesis 22. Teacher will read this
passage out loud as students
follow along. Afterwards, there
will be a short discussion of the
readings gone over so far.
Assessing Question(s): From what you
can recall off the top of your head, how
can we see this story of Ibrahim also
being reflected in “The Kite Runner”?
“The Lamb”?
Advancing Question(s): Would you
elaborate on the purpose of this?
 Whole Class/We Chalk Talk: Teacher will now
10 minutes Do begin an in-depth analysis of
Passage 1 and draw quotes from
the novel throughout discussion.
Teacher will have questions to ask
students on Teacher Discussion
Outline, but student questions are
welcomed and encouraged.
Assessing Question(s): Why do you
think blood would be considered good
for the tree? How can we see this relate
to a few of the readings we have read so
far?
Advancing Question(s): Where do you
see that in the novel?

Whole Class/We Chalk Talk: Teacher will ask
10 minutes Do another student to read Passage 2
from the book and ask for first
thoughts. Teacher will then initiate
the second in-depth analysis with
quotes and questions in the
Teacher Discussion Outline.
Assessing Question(s): What are your
first thoughts?
Advancing Question(s):After having
gone over the different texts and
religions, what do you make out of this
moment Amir had? Why? What led you
to that?

Individual/You Exit Slip: Students must Check in: Give me a thumbs up, down,
5 minutes Do summarize what they learned in or in the middle to show me where your
class today using at least 2 key understanding is for the exit slip.
terms discussed today.

Informal and Formal Assessments:

Formal Assessment: At the end of class, students will be asked to write a summary of what they learned from
class today. If they include key terms and quotes discussed during class, it will show me that a firm understanding
has been obtained.
Accommodations and Modifications:
- Notes and important lecture points will be shared on the for visual learners via whiteboard and/or
projector
- Specific students will not be called on in class without consent or prior preparation
- For students who have a hard time following along/taking notes/etc., I will provide a guided notes packet
with important information while still requiring attention with blank sections to keep students focused
What We'll Do Tomorrow:
Tomorrow we will be discussing the language used throughout The Kite Runner. This includes the prayers
mentioned in the novel as well as Pashtun terminology heard from Amir. The goal is to understand how language
both facilitates and complicates the story telling (i.e. why the use of a foreign language is important for this
book).
Works Cited:
“Bereishit - Genesis - Chapter 22.” Chabad,
https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8217/jewish/Chapter-22.htm#lt=primary.
Blake, William. “The Lamb.” 1789. Poetry Foundation, n.d.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43670/the-lamb-56d222765a3e1.
Blau, Sheridan D. The Literature Workshop. Heinemann, 2003.
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Riverhead Books, 2003.