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Eudora Welty lesson plan
Karla Smith, Biloxi, Mississippi
OVERVIEW
Eudora Welty is not only considered to be one of the best Mississippi
writers, but she is also considered one of the best writers in America.
What makes Welty’s work unique is her ability to capture the emotions
and feelings experienced within human relationships. Her works show
relationships within the family as well as the family’s relationship
to the community throughout a variety of historical periods.
CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
Mississippi Studies Framework: Competencies 4 and 6.
TEACHING LEVELS
Grades 7 through 12.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
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Mississippi History Now article,
“Eudora Welty.” |
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Mississippi History/Studies textbooks |
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Various Web sites and internet access |
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Unlined paper |
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Construction paper |
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Chalk/chalkboard or blank transparencies/overhead
projector |
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Colored pencils, markers, rulers, glue and scissors |
OBJECTIVES
Students will:
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Classify events from the life of Eudora Welty. |
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Illustrate events from the life of Eudora Welty. |
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Analyze the works of Eudora Welty. |
OPENING THE LESSON
The teacher will ask students to consider how important their relationships
with their family, friends, and neighbors are to their lives. Ask the
students why these relationships are important to them. The teacher
will tell the students that they will learn about a Pulitzer-Prize-winning
author from Mississippi, Eudora Welty, who focused on human relationships
in much of her work.
DEVELOPING THE LESSON
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Using the Mississippi History
Now article, various texts and Web sites, students will construct
a mind map that classifies the events of Eudora Welty’s
life. The teacher can place the mind map format, which is listed
below, on the chalkboard or on an overhead transparency. After
doing so, instruct the students to copy the format of the mind
map on to a sheet of unlined paper. They should list adjectives
(specific amount determined by teacher) on the second line of
the diagram. Underneath the adjectives, students should list events
from Welty’s life that supports their description of the
author. The students can work individually, with partners, or
in small groups to complete this portion of the lesson plan.
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The teacher will solicit student volunteers
to share their descriptions of Eudora Welty in a large group discussion.
The teacher will lead students to describe the characteristics
of Welty’s works, which commonly focused on the institution
of family. |
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Allow the students to read one of the following
stories written by Eudora Welty (located in Mississippi
Writers: An Anthology) or perhaps excerpts from Welty’s
autobiography, One Writer’s Beginnings. |
a. |
“A Sweet Devouring” |
b. |
“The Little Store” |
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| After reading the story or excerpt in class,
ask the students to consider the relationships between the
characters in the story. Ask the students the following
questions. The teacher can list student responses on the
chalkboard or on an overhead transparency. |
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How are the relationships among the characters
similar or different from relationships among family members,
neighbors, and friends today? |
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How do your lives compare to those of the characters
in the story? |
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Based upon the information the students have complied,
allow the students to develop a photo album of Eudora Welty’s
life. This portion of the lesson illustrates her talent as a photographer.
The students can illustrate six to eight snapshots that depict
specific events in Welty’s life. Each snapshot should be
accompanied by an informative caption. The students can cut out
the snapshots and captions and glue them to a sheet of construction
paper. The sheets of construction paper can be fastened together
to give a more realistic appearance to the photo album. In order
to create diversity, each group could be assigned a different
decade in Welty’s life. |
CLOSING THE LESSON
Have the students imagine that they are tour guides at the Eudora Welty
House. Ask the students what stories they might tell to visitors at
this literary museum.
ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING
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Class participation |
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Mind maps |
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Photo albums |
EXTENDING THE LESSON
Welty and the Craft of Writing
A resource kit for secondary classrooms from the Welty Collection contains a DVD featuring rare films of Welty reading three of her most studied short stories—“A Worn Path,” “Petrified Man,” and “Why I Live at the P. O.” The films also contain short interviews with Welty about her work. Each story segment is between 26 and 29 minutes long. The kit also contains a companion interactive CD-ROM with manuscripts, correspondence, and photographs by Welty relating to each story. These materials, which are part of the Welty Collection at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, give valuable context and insight into the creation of these stories. A Guide for Teachers with suggested questions for students is included. You may order a Guide for Teachers online.
Allow students to read an excerpt from Richard Wright’s autobiography,
Black Boy and then compare his childhood to that of Eudora
Welty, after reading her autobiography, One Writer’s Beginning:
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Allow students to create a resume
for Eudora Welty |
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Allow student to create a cover and
book jacket after reading works by the author
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Allow students to create a commercial
for one of Welty’s literary works |
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Allow the students to view photographs
taken by Welty for the WPA and use one of the photographs as a
writing prompt |
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Allow the students to view the video of Eudora
Welty’s The Ponder Heart, available for purchase
through PBS. The PBS web site also has excellent lesson plans for this video. |
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There are several videos on Eudora Welty available
from Mississippi On Loan, a service offered by the Mississippi
Department of Archives and History, Museum Division. The videos
are available free of charge to Mississippi public schools and
to eligible private schools. Complete the required form (if you
do not have one, call 601-961-4724 and ask the audiovisual coordinator
to mail one to you). Mail the completed form to: Mississippi History
On Loan, Manship House Museum, 420 East Fortification Street,
Jackson, MS 39202 2340. Orders will be shipped and must be returned
by first class U.S. Postal Service. Borrowers are responsible
for return shipping costs. Contact: Mississippi History On Loan,
State Historical Museum, P.O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 39205-0571.
You can search the catalog online. |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
| Excerpts of Eudora Welty’s
works can be located in the following publications: |
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Mississippi Writers: An Anthology,
edited by Dorothy Abbott, University Press of Mississippi, 1991. |
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Mississippi Writers/Reflections
of Childhood and Youth, Vol. I: Fiction, edited by Dorothy
Abbott, University Press of Mississippi, 1985. |
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